CERAMIC D.M. Final Judgements In- New Champion!
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Taladas vs. Speaker
If you ever find yourself travelling through the foothills of Ur, near the trickle source of the mighty Whitemane River, drop your packs and rest your animals amid the tall grass and rocky lips of stone. This is friendly country, a tamed land in the midst of the northern wilds, and for the duration of your stay you may rest assured that security need never cross your mind. There is no other realm quite like it, for it is here that leviathan-breed and those of more humble human descent might abide for a time as both allies and friends.
Somewhere under these peaceful mounds of earth there lies a quiet village, a scattering of buildings and hard worked fields where men and women eke out there existence from the earth about them. Though unassuming, be aware that such gentle facades often fool the eye. In the mists of history, it is here where legends find their making, a home where the meek discover on their own accord the true meaning of bravery. For these hills were not always peaceful, and in the beginning was wild. Legends walked and fables breathed.
Here it was that a hunting camp was established, by the more reckless of wanderers from beyond the Pale Sands. Those souls who lived and worked here found themselves living as if in a dream. Many fell to their nightmares, but there were those who lived more richly for their troubles. The hill-folk still speak of one such man to this day. His name is the Lord of Hunters, Befriender of Fiends, and beastbrother. His name is Jine, and he is the one who broke the legacy of nightmares and brought peace to a land that has since never been without. Of him there are many tales, and by him are many legends birthed.
Here follows a tale of Jine and the Giants of Ur.
Jine was a hunter, one who ranged wide upon the hillside of Ur, avoiding danger and the evils of the dreamscape with such ease as to make other men envious. Yet he would not always remain safely away from danger, and one such mistake would lead to his first meeting with the leviathan kind.
One that far off day, when the sun rose high above the mountains and shone freely after the banished shadows of the night, Jine found himself two days from camp, a distance much lengthened by the intervening giant territory he would have to span. Travelling straight through the wild foothills would have made the journey much shorter, but fear of giants made men skirt wide. About him the air was clean but biting, and the animals awake and lively. Over Jine’s mighty shoulders was slung a great beast, the boar, the finest meat of Ur and the symbol of hunting prowess.
(Insert ‘Man carrying Boar’ picture)
Jine’s walk was not to go unnoticed this day, for unwittingly the hunter had stumbled into the very place he and all the hunters feared to tread. The land of giants, and colossal-folk.
Before long, Jine was made aware of this fact when a huge figure stepped out from behind the hill in front of him. While seemingly a good distance off, the giant was standing before Jine, as if the ground between was nothing at all. The behemoth wore finely crafted leather, held a great trident in his hand, and a belt knife larger then Jine’s forearm gird his stomach.
‘Hold, stranger, and stand still.’ Proclaimed the giant, and Jine fearlessly stared upwards into the bearded face that towered above him and did as commanded. ‘To pass back to your kind, you must tell me your name and your reasons for entering the land of giants.’
‘I am Jine of the hunters, and I was not aware that your land extended so far to the south. Had I known, I would not have strayed within.’ Answered Jine, never one to lie and hasty to avoid any conflict with others.
‘Jine. I have heard that name many times, as have others of my kin.’ Said the great giant, stooping to bring his piercing eyes to bear, like a hawk stoops onto its prey. ‘I am Halsaf, the guardian of the borders, and I believe you, Jine. But you are far from home, and it is not in your kind to roam so far. Why is it that you are here?’
Jine nodded carefully in response to the fair question, bold grey eyes matching the great giant’s gaze firmly. ‘The true hunter seeks his prey not only where it is safe, but where it is needful for him to be. My journeys took me further then I thought, though my success would not have come had I not wandered.’
The giant nodded in careful consideration. ‘You speak boldly, human, but with great wisdom. I feel a form of kindness towards you, for I see that we are more alike then we are different. As you, I am a hunter, for my guard ship brings prey of its own sort. Your journey to the east will add many hours to your journey home. I invite you instead to come with me, and walk through the land of giants. While we will not go far within, you may see some things that may surprise you. Hand me your prey.’
Jine did so, and the giant took the great animal and speared it upon the great trident he held. ‘Now you can walk unencumbered, and drink of my land with your eyes, for there is much too see within.’
(Insert ‘Giant with animal on pitchfork/trident’ picture)
With that, Jine’s journey into the land of giants began.
Throughout the morning the hunter was confronted by strange wonders the like he had never seen. Giant animals abounded, some tame packhorses that towered many feet above Jine’s head to large insects larger then his hands put together. The grass grew wild and high, and lakes shone in the sunlight. In this land the hills glowed and the wind sang hymns of joy and freedom. Jine had never seen such sights and such sounds.
By midday the unlikely pair had travelled quite far through the giant lands, and were now close to the time when Jine and Halsaf would part. Yet there were a few more wonders that Jine would see, and these were greater then the ones before.
First Halsaf brought Jine to the base of a great monolith, atop which rested a mighty cup, intricately carved with leaf and symbols of fertility. Jine marvelled at how such giant folk could carve so carefully such a piece.
(Insert ‘Cup’ picture)
‘This is the ceremony cup of friendship of my people’ intoned Halsaf, who tipped it up into his lips and then bending down to place the massive vessel to Jine’s own face. The small hunter placed his hands within, and drank from the dark wine like he would from a stream or still pond. The giant laughed at this, then rose and placed the cup back onto the rock from which it came.
‘Let us now travel into the rainbow fields of my people, and from there to the borders, where we will part.’ Said the giant, and the two companions began to once more travel north and west, each step bringing them closer to the camp Jine called home.
Here, in the near-borderland of the giants, a new wonder revealed itself to the hunter. Great fields of multi-coloured grain rose from the ground, and the air was at once clear of any cloud or blemish. Halsaf now began to walk more quickly on the flat ground, and Jine pumped his legs faster to keep pace with the giant’s stride. Then Halsaf halted, and with his thick finger pointed far over the fields to the south.
‘Behold the death of a giant.’ Said he, and Jine stood still and gazed in the direction indicated. There, in the distance, stood a great old giant, with fierce wrinkles and dressed in great finery. About him stood many others, with huge eyes sad and mourning, a painful scene in the midst of colour and light.
Without fanfare, Jine found himself aware of two other figures beneath the ancient leviathan, both dressed in black and with scythes raised. Though the distance was great, Jine heard their words, and what they said chilled his heart to flesh.
‘I am the Grim, the lifetaker.’ Said the first, and plunged his golden scythe into the old giants wrist.
‘I am the Reaper, who gathers from the field those who are ripe.’ Said the second, and he too plunged his golden scythe through the heavy wrist of a giant.
‘We are death, and you are claimed.’ Intoned them both, and the great old giant fell to the earth and died.
(Insert the Scythes and Giant Picture)
‘So dies a giant.’ Observed Halsaf again, averting his eyes and once more walking forward through the fields. Jine followed, unsettled and awed by all that he had seen.
All too soon the fields came to an end, and the land of giants came at last to its great western border. Here, the two hunters were forced to depart, but through this journey the foundations were laid that would bring peace to Ur and fame to the name of Jine, peacemaker and giant-friend.
If you ever find yourself travelling through the foothills of Ur, near the trickle source of the mighty Whitemane River, drop your packs and rest your animals amid the tall grass and rocky lips of stone. This is friendly country, a tamed land in the midst of the northern wilds, and for the duration of your stay you may rest assured that security need never cross your mind. There is no other realm quite like it, for it is here that leviathan-breed and those of more humble human descent might abide for a time as both allies and friends.
Somewhere under these peaceful mounds of earth there lies a quiet village, a scattering of buildings and hard worked fields where men and women eke out there existence from the earth about them. Though unassuming, be aware that such gentle facades often fool the eye. In the mists of history, it is here where legends find their making, a home where the meek discover on their own accord the true meaning of bravery. For these hills were not always peaceful, and in the beginning was wild. Legends walked and fables breathed.
Here it was that a hunting camp was established, by the more reckless of wanderers from beyond the Pale Sands. Those souls who lived and worked here found themselves living as if in a dream. Many fell to their nightmares, but there were those who lived more richly for their troubles. The hill-folk still speak of one such man to this day. His name is the Lord of Hunters, Befriender of Fiends, and beastbrother. His name is Jine, and he is the one who broke the legacy of nightmares and brought peace to a land that has since never been without. Of him there are many tales, and by him are many legends birthed.
Here follows a tale of Jine and the Giants of Ur.
Jine was a hunter, one who ranged wide upon the hillside of Ur, avoiding danger and the evils of the dreamscape with such ease as to make other men envious. Yet he would not always remain safely away from danger, and one such mistake would lead to his first meeting with the leviathan kind.
One that far off day, when the sun rose high above the mountains and shone freely after the banished shadows of the night, Jine found himself two days from camp, a distance much lengthened by the intervening giant territory he would have to span. Travelling straight through the wild foothills would have made the journey much shorter, but fear of giants made men skirt wide. About him the air was clean but biting, and the animals awake and lively. Over Jine’s mighty shoulders was slung a great beast, the boar, the finest meat of Ur and the symbol of hunting prowess.
(Insert ‘Man carrying Boar’ picture)
Jine’s walk was not to go unnoticed this day, for unwittingly the hunter had stumbled into the very place he and all the hunters feared to tread. The land of giants, and colossal-folk.
Before long, Jine was made aware of this fact when a huge figure stepped out from behind the hill in front of him. While seemingly a good distance off, the giant was standing before Jine, as if the ground between was nothing at all. The behemoth wore finely crafted leather, held a great trident in his hand, and a belt knife larger then Jine’s forearm gird his stomach.
‘Hold, stranger, and stand still.’ Proclaimed the giant, and Jine fearlessly stared upwards into the bearded face that towered above him and did as commanded. ‘To pass back to your kind, you must tell me your name and your reasons for entering the land of giants.’
‘I am Jine of the hunters, and I was not aware that your land extended so far to the south. Had I known, I would not have strayed within.’ Answered Jine, never one to lie and hasty to avoid any conflict with others.
‘Jine. I have heard that name many times, as have others of my kin.’ Said the great giant, stooping to bring his piercing eyes to bear, like a hawk stoops onto its prey. ‘I am Halsaf, the guardian of the borders, and I believe you, Jine. But you are far from home, and it is not in your kind to roam so far. Why is it that you are here?’
Jine nodded carefully in response to the fair question, bold grey eyes matching the great giant’s gaze firmly. ‘The true hunter seeks his prey not only where it is safe, but where it is needful for him to be. My journeys took me further then I thought, though my success would not have come had I not wandered.’
The giant nodded in careful consideration. ‘You speak boldly, human, but with great wisdom. I feel a form of kindness towards you, for I see that we are more alike then we are different. As you, I am a hunter, for my guard ship brings prey of its own sort. Your journey to the east will add many hours to your journey home. I invite you instead to come with me, and walk through the land of giants. While we will not go far within, you may see some things that may surprise you. Hand me your prey.’
Jine did so, and the giant took the great animal and speared it upon the great trident he held. ‘Now you can walk unencumbered, and drink of my land with your eyes, for there is much too see within.’
(Insert ‘Giant with animal on pitchfork/trident’ picture)
With that, Jine’s journey into the land of giants began.
Throughout the morning the hunter was confronted by strange wonders the like he had never seen. Giant animals abounded, some tame packhorses that towered many feet above Jine’s head to large insects larger then his hands put together. The grass grew wild and high, and lakes shone in the sunlight. In this land the hills glowed and the wind sang hymns of joy and freedom. Jine had never seen such sights and such sounds.
By midday the unlikely pair had travelled quite far through the giant lands, and were now close to the time when Jine and Halsaf would part. Yet there were a few more wonders that Jine would see, and these were greater then the ones before.
First Halsaf brought Jine to the base of a great monolith, atop which rested a mighty cup, intricately carved with leaf and symbols of fertility. Jine marvelled at how such giant folk could carve so carefully such a piece.
(Insert ‘Cup’ picture)
‘This is the ceremony cup of friendship of my people’ intoned Halsaf, who tipped it up into his lips and then bending down to place the massive vessel to Jine’s own face. The small hunter placed his hands within, and drank from the dark wine like he would from a stream or still pond. The giant laughed at this, then rose and placed the cup back onto the rock from which it came.
‘Let us now travel into the rainbow fields of my people, and from there to the borders, where we will part.’ Said the giant, and the two companions began to once more travel north and west, each step bringing them closer to the camp Jine called home.
Here, in the near-borderland of the giants, a new wonder revealed itself to the hunter. Great fields of multi-coloured grain rose from the ground, and the air was at once clear of any cloud or blemish. Halsaf now began to walk more quickly on the flat ground, and Jine pumped his legs faster to keep pace with the giant’s stride. Then Halsaf halted, and with his thick finger pointed far over the fields to the south.
‘Behold the death of a giant.’ Said he, and Jine stood still and gazed in the direction indicated. There, in the distance, stood a great old giant, with fierce wrinkles and dressed in great finery. About him stood many others, with huge eyes sad and mourning, a painful scene in the midst of colour and light.
Without fanfare, Jine found himself aware of two other figures beneath the ancient leviathan, both dressed in black and with scythes raised. Though the distance was great, Jine heard their words, and what they said chilled his heart to flesh.
‘I am the Grim, the lifetaker.’ Said the first, and plunged his golden scythe into the old giants wrist.
‘I am the Reaper, who gathers from the field those who are ripe.’ Said the second, and he too plunged his golden scythe through the heavy wrist of a giant.
‘We are death, and you are claimed.’ Intoned them both, and the great old giant fell to the earth and died.
(Insert the Scythes and Giant Picture)
‘So dies a giant.’ Observed Halsaf again, averting his eyes and once more walking forward through the fields. Jine followed, unsettled and awed by all that he had seen.
All too soon the fields came to an end, and the land of giants came at last to its great western border. Here, the two hunters were forced to depart, but through this journey the foundations were laid that would bring peace to Ur and fame to the name of Jine, peacemaker and giant-friend.
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