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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 26, 2016 19:04:18 GMT -5
After a time passes, the men hear a thudding sound unlike any they've ever heard. They see the beast over the trees long before it is really near them, seventy feet tall, an elephant to beat all elephants, its trunk the length of Harwyn's ship. The ivory tusks are easily fifteen feet long and curve liked scimitars. The beast seems to want a drink. Every step leaves a puddle in its wake from the damp ground siphoning water up as the denser dirt is scrunched down.
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Post by Marlow on Feb 26, 2016 21:02:56 GMT -5
Harwyn and his men will board the boats quickly if the creature next on the list of things trying to kill Harwyn seems to be approaching their little fort. While losing three days of progress might be a hit to morale, not dying would probably help as well.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 27, 2016 8:02:23 GMT -5
The great beast ignores the settlement, splashing in the river and drinking its fill. Mehmet the Ghiscari, a guide hired to assist in the scouting, approaches Harwyn. "Lord...the jungles of Sothoryos are littered with behemoths, but that is the biggest I've ever seen. They are..." he thinks of the word, "pack? animals."
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Post by Marlow on Feb 27, 2016 15:04:43 GMT -5
"You're telling me there are going to be more following that? Does anything hunt them?" Harwyn shuddered at the thought if the creature that would call that monstrosity prey. "We might need to settle for a coastal settlement.."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 27, 2016 15:53:38 GMT -5
"Wyverns hunt junior ones, in large packs," he said. "I don't think anything except sand wyrms could hunt the adult males like that one. But this is the dark continent; I expect something hunts them because fuck humanity here," he said.
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Post by Marlow on Feb 28, 2016 9:15:50 GMT -5
"I could not agree more. Pull back and fortify our hold on the coast. If King Killion seeks to settle further in, he can send more men. I won't waste time or lives trying to be greedy. Any complaints?" Harwyn looked at the gathered men, and the massive creature nearby. Yeah, fuck humanity here.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 28, 2016 13:19:23 GMT -5
"Sounds like a plan," they all agree. "The coast at least lets us run like hell if more show up."
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Post by Marlow on Feb 28, 2016 16:39:34 GMT -5
Harwyn gives the orders and the men move back up the river, leaving the wall-fort-thing-in-progress behind, hoping to reclaim it at some point in the future. The coastal fort will be the main focus of the expedition for now, with scouting parties sent out frequently.
(Scouting 54.)
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 28, 2016 17:18:10 GMT -5
+1 scouting
Over the days, the crew finds evidence of many settlements here before, each reclaimed by the jungle. There is no more trace of people or giant beast, but disease is a legitimate concern. It causes intense diarrhea and fever, and can swiftly be followed by death. The fort is raised though, but no fort keeps out the insects.
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Post by Marlow on Feb 28, 2016 18:57:49 GMT -5
Harwyn sees no small irony that the people who love water most and being tormented by water bugs. Word is sent back to the Islands that more medicine is needed, as well as an update on their current situation. Scouting parties t hat come across old settlements are told to search for anything of value to scavenge, and fires are kept burning at all times to try and keep the mosquitoes back. "Any ideas you have to keep these flying bastards away would be well heeded, guide."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 28, 2016 19:01:45 GMT -5
"Don't come to Sothoryos," is all he can offer. A few days later, Harwyn sees ships n the distance, moving west, flags indistinguishable from this far away.
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Post by Marlow on Feb 28, 2016 19:27:43 GMT -5
Harwyn quickly orders his crew back aboard the ship, and for two of the other galleons to follow in pursuit of the unknown ships. Turning to his first mate, Harwyn scowls. "I want to know who they are before they start shooting."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 29, 2016 11:34:27 GMT -5
As they close on the leisurely moving warships, HArwyn gets a count; thirty vessels or so, a half dozen galleons, some galleys and corsairs, and fifteen merchant cogs. They are all flying the green dragon of Meereen.
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Post by Marlow on Feb 29, 2016 14:20:30 GMT -5
Harwyn hoists the white flag and approaches the fleet, leaving the other two galleons behind to signify his intent for peace and parley.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Feb 29, 2016 16:37:04 GMT -5
Two of the galleons slow with the faster warships and Harwyn is flagged to one of them. He sees a Meereenese crew and their captain is a one legged man with a metal fake leg. "Leaving so soon?" he asked. "Sothoryos loves westerners."
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