You see Rose juggling the dagger unconcernedly, almost cutting her own throat, with Stephanie trying to surreptitiously steal it, but missing out, until she's got it...no Bahdur grabbed it first.
He stuck it up his sleeve where his other knife is, and cut off his arm. Ron picked up the arm,a nd the knife.
"Excellent, a bat and a ball." He makes to use Bahdur's arm to hit the knife, and it clatters across the ground, heading right toward your eye as you lay on the hard, hot ground.
The ground under your face is rough, hot, rocky. And you hear another clatter. And then something licks your nose.
Your eyes open, and you see a boy in a tunic, holding a rope around the neck of a goat. You're laying among yellowish rocks, and the sun is brilliant in the cloudless sky.
I'm a bit startled and confused. I look at the goat, rubbing my eyes a bit. Then I look to the goat.
"Um, good morning?"
continued from my Ptolemaic Space Adventure here: http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/nikolaj-near-and-far/page/3#post-28835
The boy giggles, and the goat takes the opportunity to lick your face again.
"It is afternoon, silly." He looks at you more closely. "Why are you asleep off the main road to Naunzaug? Do you not know there are many bandits here?"
"Um, no? I'm not, um, from around here. I, ah, just, um, arrived.", I say, propping myself up on my elbows. I sit up straight, stretch my arms, rub the goat-spit from my face and get up. "I'm Nikolaj, nice to meet you. What's your name? And um, where did you say that I am?"
He gapes at you as you stand up.
"Prince Nikolaj, I am Imral, which means Very Ugly Boy." He laughs. "You are near the walled city of Naunzaug, but half a day's journey. Also, you are near my father's striped tents."
"Prince?", I say with a chuckle?, "I am no prince, Imral. Well, in a certain way I am, but I am not from around here. This does not look like Mechelen or Antwerp." I look around. "It doesn't even look like I'm in Europe. Is this the Middle-East? Maybe Greece?"
I look around for my bag. It should be close-by. "Um, you didn't happen to see a blue cloth band laying around here somewhere. It has a metal clip on either side." Either way, I suspect I find it easily. Scriff sense and all.
"I would be honored to meat your father," I tell him, "and I do wonder why he called you ugly. What kind of a parent calls his own child like that?", I think after it.
"By the way, Imral, I don't think you look ugly.", I tell him.
As we are walking I ask him about his life and if he cares for that goat all by himself. That's a great responsibility. He must be very skilled to do that ... compliments and general up-building talk, with jokes and little plays on words and things in between, to show him I'm interested in him and want to be friends.
How old does he look? Like five or more like eight or twelve? Older? At the moment I'm treating him as an eight year old or something.
"I'm glad your goat didn't eat from my beard.", I tell him with a smile. "Does she have a name?"
"This is the southern waste near Naunzaug before the Rift Mountains." He points off toward the west. "The merchants say that Tollan, a great port is that way, a month's journey."
Your references mean nothing to him.
"But you are a prince. Any man can see by your fine clothing with its bright colors."
You find the band quickly. It fell into a small crevice in the tumbled rocks in the region.
He waves his hand in a complicated fashion when you say he doesn't look ugly.
"Don't say that. The dessert spirits may hear you. They live in the wind, and steal away the unwary, or the proud. Thats what my nanny says."
He's more like eight, but quite a mature eight. He has a mix of naivete, and calm acceptance of hard living.
"Pongo. It means Stupid." He pats his goat affectionately.
Once you go further south, the land smooths out a bit, and its dry mud and rocks with frequent dips and small vales. He comes to a tree with red leaves, and begins to dig near its roots carefully.
"My grandfather began this. All may dig under the ruby tree, if they are careful not to hurt the roots, and cover up afterwards."
You see muddy water beginning to fill the small pit.
"Some of the dessert dwellers did not like the extra work, and laughed at my grandfather who paid men a copper piece to plant these trees. They laughed no more after he cut their hands off and hung them in the trees they had disrespected."
It sounds as if he's repeating something he's heard a few times.
Do I sense the presence of evil or good? Mostly it's a feeling of dread or peace, respectively, but I've had it in vision as well. Once for both, seeing something dark moving behind my boss' eyes and seeing invisible bright light/radiation (it's impossible to describe really) coming from a person in worship.
So, do I sense evil in the wind, or in the tree?
"I've never heard of these places.", I tell him. "I think I came here from another world. Where I come from, these kinds of clothes are available for almost everyone. Heh, people wold more easily call me a fool then a prince for these clothes. But I am a prince in a sense. And that is why I do not need to fear, because my Father is stronger than any spirit, and His Spirit lives in me while He sits on His throne. Once we are with your father I might be able to tell you more about them. If you would like."
I smile at Pongo, an rub her head. "Glad to meet you, Pongo."
I only look without reply as te boy explains about the tree. "I looks like a handy tree alright."
You feel a sense of peace about the tree, but on a distant hill, you see a dust devil (a small tornado that is undamaging), but it has a sense of dread about it as if it was something more than swirling dust and tiny bits of stone.
The boy pulls out a small, metal cup, and gets you a cup of muddy water.
"If you are not afraid of the desert spirits, then your father must be powerful indeed. I am like this as well. There are bandits in these hills, but they know my father, and if anyone of them even touched me, or made me scared, my father would gather his men and burn their camp. Everyone is afraid of Mulgal of the Striped Tents. He is very big with a sharp sword and a great wrath, but if you come in peace, you will find him most friendly."
Pongo seems to like you, and rubs his head against your leg.
Boy I misspelled a lot of things last post. My apologies. And Pongo is a he, OK, that's possible, though I wouldn't have called him her. However bad my knowledge of animals might be, I can still discern an udder from a ... eh, male reproductive appendage.
***
As I look to the dust-devil my face turns grim. "So, no fairy tale then.", I think. "Jesus protect me.", I whisper. I look up, raise my hands slightly before me and whisper: "Lord, I need to represent your Kingdom here. Grant me the authority over spirits through Your Spirit, as You promised the disciples when you sent them."*
As Imral offers me a cup of water I come back as from a daydream. "Water!", I exclaim. "Thank you! I've been searching for water the whole day already." I drink it, using my teeth to sift out most of the dirt. "I will get sick to my stomach probably, but I don't really care now.", I think when I drink it.
As Imral talks about his son-ship, I tell him that it's exactly like that. Or it should be so anyway. "I would like to meat your father very much. What was his name again?", I tell him, now trying to remember the name of Mulgal. "You know Imral? I've taken care of a boy named Imran. He was a lot younger then you are. Cool huh.", I tell him and I realize that I'm already starting to miss the kids, and home.
As Pongo rubs his head against my leg I smile again and rub it beneath the ear that is not rubbing against my leg. "I hope I'm not allergic to goat.", I think, thinking about my reaction to dog and cat hair. (Scratchy and itchy. Nothing serious, sometimes a bit of small, red dots on arms and mostly legs. Appears later on the day, one or two hours later I guess.)
*The goal is to 'walk in authority'. The prayer is expected to have no other effect than to show the/any spirits who see me in what kind of authority I stand. They know I am a child of God and can be intimidated by me. It would only be visible in the spiritual. This would be a new skill.
Pongo is a her.
You feel established in power after you pray. And perhaps its craziness, but you almost feel like the ruby tree is bowing to you.
After drinking, you and Imral cover the roots back up.
The dust-devil gets no closer, but does not leave either.
You travel on about three more miles, and then you're in a large valey with an oasis and several dozen tents. Men and women pause to greet Imral and you, and the guard at the outer door of the largest tent grins at Imral.
You and he step into an incense filled, rug-padded room.
A half-dozen guys are sitting about talking, and at their head is a wild haired man with raven black hair, a jutting jaw, and a power and presence to him that would get him noticed anywhere. At his right hand is a six foot long blade on a stand.
"Well met, Prince." He says to you, as Imral runs and jumps on his back.
I remember now that I forgot to ask Imral about what the custom of greeting would be with his father. I don't have a goat to let it lick him, and somehow I don't think that this is protocol.
A bit uncertain I put my right foot in front of my left and make a bow as the princes and princesses in the schoolyard fantasy-games did. I was tempted to drop to one knee, but I'm feeling too much authority in myself to do so now. I am not under his rule as far as I know.
"Greatings, sir Mugal. I am a traveler from afar and just arrived in your lands. I am not a prince by any earthly standards, only in the realm of the Spirit am I considered a prince. I am honored by your reception of me and the care young Imral gave me." I smile at him. "My name is Nikolaj Bourguignon and I represent the Kingdom of God."
"Welcome Nikeelegdge Borgedgenon." He mangles your name, but he has a friendly smile on his face. "Any man would think you a prince. Your clothing is splendid, your teeth are straight, and you stand with dignity."
Compared to everyone else in the room, your modern clothes are rather nice. No one is dressed in rags, but simple shapeless tunics with belts and leggings, and only small bits of intense color or design. And several of the people looking your way could obviously use the benefit of some dentistry.
"These are not my lands, I only am the chieftain of this camp."
"But any man in another camp or bandit scum who disturbs your peace will regret it, Mulgal." One of the men says, and low chuckles agree with the statement. Mulgal smiles slightly.
"You come from God, eh?" One man says with interest.
"He's not afraid of the wind spirits." Imral says. That definitely perks their interest up.
"Hmm, maybe I should see if I could dress like you do." (actually, dental hygiene is not my forte. I have good teeth, but I've neglected them through the years. At the moment of versing, two of my ... I think they are called mauls, were hollow.)
"Actually, I do not come from God, but He came to me. I am not his son by birth or right, but by grace, through adoption. He does see me as a true son non the less. He still has a lot of room left in the family. You can all also be adopted,", I say, "and become sons of God."
I look to Mugal. "And you will still be subjects of Mugal,", I say, "and be able to serve him better even."
"God will come live in you, and you will need to fear no spirit, for the greatest Spirit will live within you.
"And that is why I do not fear the wind spirits."
Well, with them, you see gaping rotting holes.
"Well, we need a priest." Mugal says looking up at you to see if you're interested. Imral looks as if he hopes you agree. "I can offer you meat from my fire and a rug in one of my tents if you will stay and preach to us, prince of Heaven."
Another older man speaks.
"It is good to be brave against the wind spirits, but one needs to respect them."
"Wow, a priest. Well, if you are short on one, I will be glad to oblige, I think. What does it normally entail here? Preach once a week? Every day? Pray for the sick, keep the spirits at bay? Oh, and I don't have my bible here, but I've got this feeling that I lost something there, and there." I point to the scriff-vectors. (When I versed out, I had some stuff in the north (Mechelen, my home), and a few things at work, south (a CD and two music bundles). But I do not know at which pace the ship flew through the space to know if they still are north and south.)
"Without the book I'll need to rely on my memory. I do not want to risk teaching you wrongs."
I look the man who makes that remark about the wind spirits in the eye. "They are evil, and if I am to be priest here I will not tolerate them here. They are not to be respected, their power, how incredible it may be, is evil. There is one more powerful and just and gracious to respect and worship. It is the Christ, and I will teach you about him."
Do I discern anything about that man? Evil or Good, some vision or just a feeling. I look to his eyes because the eyes are the lamp of the body, according to Christ. And if your eye is dark, how dark must you be inside, if it is light, how light must it be inside you.
"Preaching once a week." They look startled at your notion of keeping the spirits at bay. "We name our children and things we value names of hatred, and we have symbols woven into our rugs to keep the spirits out of our tents so we are safe to speak our mind in our tents as the good powers of the Earth blind the evil powers of the Wind."
"I can go with our priest to get his book." The youngest of the men at the circle says. Mulgal nods.
"Timak is a skilled voyager, and a good swordsman, Nik....um, Maklan, which means 'Talker of Heaven' and is easy on our lips." Mulgal looks at you to see if this is acceptable. "Timak may take you tommorrow on your holy quest."
The man you look at is both sad and frightened.
"Indeed, they are evil, but still I sacrifice to them. They took my baby. I have three more children that I do not want to lose."
"Those practices will no longer be needed. This will become an ... embassy of the Kingdom of God. Your harts will be safe when you accept him. I will tell you all more tonight."
I nod. "Maklan is fine. Yes, I like that.", I tell them. I nod to Timak and think by myself about how fast this all is going. "I hope that swords will not be needed, but I could use all the help I can get. I am not used to traveling." I smile.
"If we are leaving tomorrow then I will teach you tonight. In my absence you will have things to talk about then.", I tell them. "After dinner, does that sound good?", I tell them. I think for a moment. "I will need something yellow or gold-colored, something black, something red, something white and something green. I will give you a book without words, to remember what I told you. Oh, and it would be good if the children would be there as well. This good news is for everyone."
I look at the man and put my hand on his shoulder. "Imral told me that they take children away. I feel very sorry for you. We will pray for the recovery of your child this evening. Is this alright?", I ask him. "But if you do not come in the security of Christ you will always live in the fear of these beings. If you live in His Kingdom, and His Kingdom in you, there is no need for fear. They will not like it, but they will not be allowed to touch you."
"Most of the bandits will respect you for one of Mulgal's camp, and others for being a man of God, but some won't either, and then there are Things we might meet, and of course, a rattlesnake will not care who you are, only if you disturb its rest." Timak says. "For most of these problems a sword is useful. But we will start the travel easy. Barely ten spans for the first day to the Lonaz oasis. Soon enough you will find you can walk forty spans without difficulty."
They serve you dinner around the communal campfire with the others. Its lamb marinaded with pineapple and spiced with salt and pepper over a bed of black rice with a chewy leaf under it all that has a minty taste at the end. After that, because they are having a guest, everyone gets a handful of dates mixed with nuts and honey in a thing remarkably like Ron's popcorn balls.
After you wash your hands in the finger bowl brought to you, young ladies present you with scarves for you to use in your illustration.
"My people, we have been months without a priest, and so the good powers have sent us one. He is here to speak to us, let us pay heed." Mulgal walks up and gives you a large cup of grape juice, and tells you to take your time, but try to be done by the time a certain star has reflected in the oasis.
Studying it, you realize he's giving you something like three to four hours to talk to them. Everyone is waiting eagerly to hear you speak.
"Right, three to four hours. More then enough to explain the gospel and follow up possible converts.", I think.
"Right guys. So hi! I'm Nikolaj, but I've been called Malkan, which suits me fine. Nik is fine as well, but let's go with Malkan. So I'm Malkan, or a Malkan or something, and I've just arrived from a far ways off. I am not from around here at all. I hadn't even heard about you guys. But now that I'm here I've got some good news to tell you. I am a representative of God, and you can be so as well. You can become a prince or princes in the kingdom of God.
"But first let me tell you that, where I come from, I only taught the children, I have also taught the teenagers, but not so much the adults. So, adults, if I'm treating you as children, it's by accident, okay? Oh and kids," I say, looking down to them and smiling, "if I'm using too many big words, be sure to tell me. Just raise your hand and I'll let you ask me a question, okay? When I'm talking to grown-ups I sometimes use way to big words."
I look around, smile and say: "Alright, let's go." I close my eyes and lift my hands. I open my mouth, pause and open my eyes again. "Oh, right. I always start with a prayer." I lower my arms. "Who knows what a prayer is, or praying? Raise your hand if you want to answer. Kids and adults alike."
OOC: In case this is decided by GE, I'm going for something along the lines of 'talking with God'. I suspect a child to get that faster then an adult, but adults are certainly capable of using that definition. But I'm not really expecting that answer right away. It would be better than expected.
They look around at each other a bit, and then one man stands up.
"Malkan, the priests in Naunzaug have their High Days, and they pray their great prayers as their fathers did before them. And sometimes the rich pay for a message to be sent to the gods at such times."
"Wow, okay then!", I think. I probably look stunned, staring at the guy who answered and then to the crowd. "Okay, no. Praying is not supposed to be like that. Praying is just talking to God. Anyone can do it. You, can do it!", I say pointing to the crowd an the man who answered. "The only thing it should cost you is the time you are using to pray."
And then I raise my hands, close my eyes and pray to God for a blessing on these people and on this meeting. That the message I will bring finds root in their harts and that He will speak through me. I end with an amen, lower my arms and open my eyes.
I will stop here with writing, I'm not feeling all too well. If there is no reaction I will continue.
Take a couple days off. I'm going to visit my parents this weekend. Get feeling better...that's an order. I need my players healthy. :)
Ok, bad stuff is out of me, I can continue. I need to take care of myself better... anyway.
The prayer would probably last something between one and five minutes and would be appropriate. More often than not I use scripture references in it. Eyes closed and hands raised (as requested by Paul in 2 Thessalonians I think).
Once I opened my eyes I realize I forgot something that is very relevant here and close my eyes again and once more raise my hands. "And oh, Lord, please protect us from the evil spirits around us. Do not grant them access to this place. Protect us, for we are willing to listen to You. Cover us under the shadow of Your wings (reference to multiple psalms) so we can be safe with you and be well nourished. Thank You Lord, amen."
Once the prayer is over I start by taking the scarves.
"I've just been given these beautiful scarves by some beautiful ladies to explain you an even brighter message of hope. Don't you think these scarves are beautiful?", I ask, showing them to the kids. "Take this yellow/golden one. It reminds me of the Kingdom of God. Even more it reminds me of heaven and the new Jerusalem, that my God is preparing. He will bring his kingdom here one day, and it is a wonderful place. Some people have seen it and said that the streets where made of gold! That is why this scarf reminds me of it. There also will be no more sickness or pain there, and a sun will not be needed, because the radiance of God Himself will be sufficient to light everything.
"As you know I am a representative of that Kingdom, even though I have not been over there yet. I have seen glimpses of it while it is being made though. Do you know how that is?"
If those who were with me before paid attention, they could know the answer. I told them I was an adopted child of God, if I recall correctly. Anyway, I'll let them guess. I won't wait for an uncomfortable silence though.
They are attentive, and thoughtful. You can see a couple guys with objections on their faces, but no one is rejecting the message. Others are drinking it in.
1@1 Improve Morale skill Open Minds to Gospel Message.
You pray to ban spirits from this place, and you realize that none are here now so when nothing seems to happen, its okay.
Several people pop up, and Mulgal has to intervene to let the oldest speak.
"You said, Malkan, that God came to you. So when He came to you, He showed you things. Good things. But real. The wind spirits, they show us good things, but lies. Strawberry shortcake and pastries, and all manner of delightful desserts until they lure us to our dooms." The old grandmother pauses. "I am old, and will die soon. A winter or two."
She waves down the protest from the crowd.
"Children, children, you know it. But now, comes this Malkan, and I think I will not be afraid to go."
She sits down.
OOC: Why yes, that was a GE 4.
"Yes, good.", I tell her, "He showed me things, but even more, He adopted me. And when that happened", I tell them, putting the golden scarf down and taking the black one. "This is what I saw in myself. I was black from sin, dirty! And I could not come to my new Father like this, because He is holy and righteous. I saw how I used to become angry and pick fights, I saw how I lied and cursed. I saw how I disrespected my parents ... a lot. It was bad, very bad! I was bad, very bad indeed. And I couldn't get myself clean. I was soaked in it. Everyone is, there is no exception! But praise be to God, for He found a way.", I tell them, putting down the black scarf and take the red one.
"He sent a part of Himself, His Son, to the earth to die for our sins, for our blackness, after living a holy and pure life. He took all our blackness, our sin, on Himself and payed the prize for it, was punished for it. And in this way we can become pure.", I tell them taking the white scarf "and live with Him in eternal life.", I tell them picking up the golden one.
"Now this is the amazing thing. Because He was actually blameless, death could not keep Him and He rose again from the dead. Then He went back to His father but from there sent us His Spirit, to live in those that accept Him to be for them a new nature, a new life. It is a teacher, an advocate, someone who empowers us and so much more. This let's us grow in Him", I tell them, putting down white and gold and holding up green.
"Just like a seed we die and start to grow into a plant. But first it's hardly visible, under ground and so on, but your roots are spreading and you are growing. Then you break through the surface, and in the end you will bear much fruit.
"This is all possible for you guys! Who has questions?"
There's a lot of buzz, and back and forth as they put what you say into their own terms, and tie it into their own life. They ask you to repeat some points, and you have to correct a few misunderstandings.
"Are we truly that evil that your Father will not accept us? The Earth Powers love us." One man midway toward the back says a bit plaintively.
"Yes. Every man is evil, every man a sinner. This does not mean that God does not love you, but that you cannot come to Him in this state. Not because He does not love us, but because He is so good and holy and powerful that we would not survive it.", I tell him.
It is a hard thing to tell. I address the chieftain and ask him that if Imral did something bad, would he just let it slide or would he receive punishment? And if someone here stole, or cheated his wife or her husband, what the consequences would be.
"Certainly I would punish Imral. How can he become a great man without guidance?" Mulgal replies. "And our punishments are harsh, but quick. With a thief we brand them, and then exile them. With those who cheat, we send the man into battle alone ahead, if he survives, he is accepted. With the woman, we exile her after taking her jewelry from her."