NationStates

A lone Jif wanders the wilderness, hunting for food. They spot something rustling in the bushes, and prepare to strike from afar...

There's just some dude on a horse vibing. He's having a good time.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:There's just some dude on a horse vibing. He's having a good time.

(I feel so bad doing this)
*The Jif man smiles, he'll be eating well tonight...*
*he stands up slowly as the man on the horse isn't looking, and chucks a spear at his face.*

The spear impacts the horse's flank. It screams, and the man pulls it out, grimacing. Thankfully, the point is not barbed, and no flesh comes with it. Gripping the spear in one hand and holding a rag to the horse's wound with another, he kicks the beast into a limping gallop and rides off. His people must be warned of the danger here.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:The spear impacts the horse's flank. It screams, and the man pulls it out, grimacing. Thankfully, the point is not barbed, and no flesh comes with it. Gripping the spear in one hand and holding a rag to the horse's wound with another, he kicks the beast into a limping gallop and rides off. His people must be warned of the danger here.

*The Jif sighs and begins running back and mounts his own Horse and begins riding back to Sky Mother knows where...*

The man rides home to his band and shows them the spear and his wounded horse. After a short debate they decide that whatever manner of being tried to end their friend's life must be killed, and six of them- the man on a fresh mount, and five others- mount horses to go in search of the creature. Each of them has a bow and two spears, the man himself bringing the spear thrown at him with the intent to land the killing bow with it.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:

Christ that's a spooky horse

The man rides home to his band and shows them the spear and his wounded horse. After a short debate they decide that whatever manner of being tried to end their friend's life must be killed, and six of them- the man on a fresh mount, and five others- mount horses to go in search of the creature. Each of them has a bow and two spears, the man himself bringing the spear thrown at him with the intent to land the killing bow with it.

(Lol, yep. The lands of Jiflandor are very cursed, and very few know why.)

*The Jif from earlier has arrived in his town, he tells some other Jif Soldiers, more trained than him, about what happened and they get together 5 men to patrol outside the gates for the night. About 12 Jifs stand on the town walls gaurding.*

The party arrives at the spot where the incident happened and find nothing but tracks. They follow the tracks- honestly easy to do, made by a daft, shuffling creature as they seemed to be- to what seems to be a settlement. They can clearly see it is too large of a settlement for only six people to take on by themselves, not even if God itself were on their side, and so they hide themselves behind a low ridge out of sight until nightfall.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:The party arrives at the spot where the incident happened and find nothing but tracks. They follow the tracks- honestly easy to do, made by a daft, shuffling creature as they seemed to be- to what seems to be a settlement. They can clearly see it is too large of a settlement for only six people to take on by themselves, not even if God itself were on their side, and so they hide themselves behind a low ridge out of sight until nightfall.

*The closer they got to the town the more disfigured and deformed the landscape around them became...the grass turned to dirt, the dirt to mud, and the mud to ash. Any trees are twisted, gray, and dead. And behind the small settlement is a volcano, with an eerie ominous red glow from within... the land is devoid of life and green, and the small walls around the town wrap against the sides of the volcano...this place didn't feel right...*

*There are about 8 dark shadows patrolling the wall as they can see from afar...*

One spits at the ground. A joke is passed around about what measly, scrawny creatures must live here as the group sits behind the ridge.

When night falls and they are able to leave their nook and look over the hill, they see a set of eight guards patrolling outside the city walls. A decision is made to use these few to send a message to these idiot creatures, and as the night deepens and the torches within the village are lit, the warriors mount their horses for a charge. But they will not attack- not yet. A few moments yet must pass to be sure they were not spotted.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:One spits at the ground. A joke is passed around about what measly, scrawny creatures must live here as the group sits behind the ridge.

When night falls and they are able to leave their nook and look over the hill, they see a set of eight guards patrolling outside the city walls. A decision is made to use these few to send a message to these idiot creatures, and as the night deepens and the torches within the village are lit, the warriors mount their horses for a charge. But they will not attack- not yet. A few moments yet must pass to be sure they were not spotted.

*Suddenly a man mounted on a horse feels something brush past his leg*

He waits a moment for the feeling to come again. It does not, but in this place nothing should be taken for granted. It might be just the wind, or it might be something else entirely. He feels for the knife on his belt.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:He waits a moment for the feeling to come again. It does not, but in this place nothing should be taken for granted. It might be just the wind, or it might be something else entirely. He feels for the knife on his belt.

*it is gone*
*suddenly a dead, gray, twisted tree besides him squacks, he looks up, and a crow sits upon it's branches eying him...*

People who say Jif instead of Gif wrote:

Kiu Ghesik wrote:He waits a moment for the feeling to come again. It does not, but in this place nothing should be taken for granted. It might be just the wind, or it might be something else entirely. He feels for the knife on his belt.

*it is gone*
*suddenly a dead, gray, twisted tree besides him squacks, he looks up, and a crow sits upon it's branches eying him...*

*It squawks again, looking directly into his eyes, as if trying to tell him something*

He shivers at the eerie sight, then turns to his fellows. The bird is just a bird, nothing more, and the sooner they've told off the enemy, the sooner they can leave. The word to go is passed around, each one nocks an arrow on their bow, and the lead warrior rides to the top of the hill. He can see the guards patrolling below.

He nods at those behind him, and in another few seconds they have joined him there. Six arrows are loosed, and four guards fall to the ground- dead or wounded, it does not matter. The four who are left see six warriors mounted on broad-shouldered horses thundering towards them, spears leveled at their chests. The riders will be upon them in but another moment.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:He shivers at the eerie sight, then turns to his fellows. The bird is just a bird, nothing more, and the sooner they've told off the enemy, the sooner they can leave. The word to go is passed around, each one nocks an arrow on their bow, and the lead warrior rides to the top of the hill. He can see the guards patrolling below.

He nods at those behind him, and in another few seconds they have joined him there. Six arrows are loosed, and four guards fall to the ground- dead or wounded, it does not matter. The four who are left see six warriors mounted on broad-shouldered horses thundering towards them, spears leveled at their chests. The riders will be upon them in but another moment.

*They take cover and whip out spears, pointing them forwards. Suddenly, some spits of fire seem to shower above...*

The riders just before reaching the line throw their spears and wheel around, fleeing. Only a single warrior falls dead this time, the rest of the spears striking the ground around them. It is rather hard to aim a spear from horseback, after all.

A few of the riders, the more skilled warriors among them, fire a few parting shots with their bows as they ride away, but in the dark cannot find their marks. The less experienced lack the courage to stand the sight of the fire in the sky and ride for the security of the hill, waiting to group up for another charge.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:The riders just before reaching the line throw their spears and wheel around, fleeing. Only a single warrior falls dead this time, the rest of the spears striking the ground around them. It is rather hard to aim a spear from horseback, after all.

A few of the riders, the more skilled warriors among them, fire a few parting shots with their bows as they ride away, but in the dark cannot find their marks. The less experienced lack the courage to stand the sight of the fire in the sky and ride for the security of the hill, waiting to group up for another charge.

*as the fire in the sky come closer, it lands just shy of their horses as they ride, turning out to be fire-lit arrows...and as they continue riding, they hear an ominous chant...from within the town behind them...

People who say Jif instead of Gif wrote:

Kiu Ghesik wrote:The riders just before reaching the line throw their spears and wheel around, fleeing. Only a single warrior falls dead this time, the rest of the spears striking the ground around them. It is rather hard to aim a spear from horseback, after all.

A few of the riders, the more skilled warriors among them, fire a few parting shots with their bows as they ride away, but in the dark cannot find their marks. The less experienced lack the courage to stand the sight of the fire in the sky and ride for the security of the hill, waiting to group up for another charge.

*as the fire in the sky come closer, it lands just shy of their horses as they ride, turning out to be fire-lit arrows...and as they continue riding, they hear an ominous chant...from within the town behind them...

*drums can be heard in the distance to this chant*

The riders fire one last volley at the guards, and they fall dead. But the town has been roused against them.

It might not be wise to prosecute this battle any longer. There is no time to collect the bodies as they'd wished to, so instead one dismounts and runs over to the tree. He claps and shoos off the bird, then with a flintstone lights a fire at its base. The dry wood takes no time to catch. And so, with this now-blazing pyre behind them, the riders spur their horses into as fast a gallop as they can, riding hard for home and safety.

There is more danger here than anyone could have imagined.

Kiu Ghesik wrote:

> be me, nomad
> see fire rain from the sky
> hear ominous music
> just wanted to kill some guards and maybe mutilate their corpses
> maybe bit off more than i can chew
> time to go go go go run away

The riders fire one last volley at the guards, and they fall dead. But the town has been roused against them.

It might not be wise to prosecute this battle any longer. There is no time to collect the bodies as they'd wished to, so instead one dismounts and runs over to the tree. He claps and shoos off the bird, then with a flintstone lights a fire at its base. The dry wood takes no time to catch. And so, with this now-blazing pyre behind them, the riders spur their horses into as fast a gallop as they can, riding hard for home and safety.

There is more danger here than anyone could have imagined.

*The evil chants and dark lands begin to fade away as time passes, they feel more safe...*

The nomads ride through the night, not stopping for rest or sleep. When they arrive home, there is no time for anything but the briefest of relief. Mounts are exchanged and riders dispatched to all the neighboring bands they know of. Within weeks, they will have hundreds at the ready to dispatch these monsters.

These people.

Who say Jif.

Instead of Gif.

Devils, the lot of them!

Kiu Ghesik wrote:The nomads ride through the night, not stopping for rest or sleep. When they arrive home, there is no time for anything but the briefest of relief. Mounts are exchanged and riders dispatched to all the neighboring bands they know of. Within weeks, they will have hundreds at the ready to dispatch these monsters.

These people.

Who say Jif.

Instead of Gif.

Devils, the lot of them!

*Meanwhile the bodies from before mysteriously dissapear in the Jif lands...*


*The Ghesite man who saw the crow earlier in the middle of the night sleeps in his yurt...he wakes up, and sees this at the foot of his bed.*

He reaches out and touches the bird. It does not look... evil, but it has an air of terror about it. Perhaps it is not something to be afraid of. Perhaps that terror is its own?