Shadow of the West Discussion Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Firefoot · 11-15-2004, 05:36 PM

Siamak hurried out of the large hall as soon as the audience with the emissary was concluded. He was troubled, though he could see no reason for it, and wanted to think before he spoke with anyone. The halls of the palace were empty with the exception of an occasional servant, for all the nobles had attended the audience, curious about these strange foreigners, and they were most certainly strange. Unconsciously he reached up and fingered his black beard, its shorter length attesting to his youth. The beard, or lack thereof, had been only the first of many differences. They had been tall and of proud bearing, with startlingly blue and gray eyes. He was suspicious of them, for more reasons than their physical appearance. He had never seen men from across the Great Desert, and he didn’t know why they should be here now. What good would an alliance with Pashtia, hundreds of leagues away from the lands of the emissaries, do this Lord Annatar? It wasn’t as if any of the eastern lands had ever assaulted the west. Which made him wonder, had an emissary been sent to Alanzia as well? To Pashtia’s other neighboring countries? For all their fair words, he did not think that their motives were as noble as they were being led to believe.

His brow was furrowed in a thoughtful frown as he meandered through the many passages of the palace. The walls were richly adorned in colorful tapestries and lined with sculptures and statues. Siamak noticed none of these, however, buried in thought as he was. Subconsciously, he had taken himself towards the gardens within the palace walls. He had been raised in the palace, and knew the halls and rooms like the back of his hand, though for one less familiar it would have been easy to become lost.

The gardens were quite possibly his favorite place in the palace, especially the private ones limited to the royal family. There, he could be alone with his thoughts and away from the various court schemes for power and manipulations of the nobles to get the laws they favored passed. There were some days when Siamak thought he would be happy as a simple farmer, away from the complexities of palace life. Most of the time, though, he did enjoy his life, and deep inside he knew that he wouldn’t leave the palace for anything. He was not concentrated on this now, however, and varying thoughts of the emissaries drifted through his mind.

Siamak wandered over the cobbled pathways of the gardens, letting the chirping of birds and the trickle of water from the fountains set him at peace so that he could think clearly. He finally found a bench in a satisfactory location and sat down. It was shaded by a medium-sized fig tree and had a wide view in either direction to let him know if anyone was coming, though he didn’t really expect anyone. As far as he could tell, he was the only one who visited the gardens on a regular basis, except, of course, the gardeners.

He soon refocused on the issue at hand. The king had announced that there was to be a banquet tonight; he wanted to have his thoughts straightened out before then, because he was fairly confident that his opinion would be asked. Young though he was, at eighteen years of age, as the king’s son and possible heir to the throne, his opinion was not without weight. Nobles often times seemed to be trying to figure out where he stood, wondering if they should support him or his older sister. That didn’t mean that he would tell them his opinions, though; he was a firm believer that he could learn a lot more by listening than by talking.

His thoughts soon brought him to the ring the emissary had given his father. It was unlike any other ring he had ever seen, and if he had had a clearer view of it than many he still hadn’t seen it closely. He wasn’t sure he wanted to, either: anything with that kind of effect on people probably had some kind of magic, and he was tentative around things he didn’t understand, especially if it was from so far away... Perhaps he was just overanalyzing it. More likely it was simply a ring of great worth and beauty, two things that the culturally-advanced Pashtians certainly understood. Probably the ring was simply a token of good will. Probably.

The whole situation made him uneasy, even though he could pinpoint no reason for it. By all appearances the emissary and their Lord Annatar had nothing but good feelings towards them, and that may have been the problem. Siamak could not figure out why the Lord Annatar wanted their friendship, though he had nothing but proud feelings of his country. Their resources were many and the culture was rich and developed, but it certainly wasn’t practical to trade all the way across the Great Desert. It was simply too far. Pashtia did not want any part in foreign wars, and the transport of troops across so great a distance was unreasonable. Besides, regular communication would be near impossible.

Frustrated that he was getting nowhere, Siamak decided that it was time to go inside. He needed more information before he would be able to form a solid opinion based on facts rather than intuition. He now regretted his hasty retreat from the throne room because he might have been able to learn more about these strangers and their lands. On the other hand, it was just as possible that the emissaries had been escorted to guest rooms to freshen up after their journey leaving the nobles to gossip among themselves. Siamak didn’t like gossip very much - it was usually chock-full of rumors and half-truths, leaving one with the onerous task of deciphering how much of it was fact.

He returned to the palace building by a different way than he had come to a gate that would be closer to his personal living quarters. He had lost track of time out in the garden, and with surprise he had found it to be a few hours later than when he had come out, though there was still plenty of time before the banquet that night. By now, he had probably been missed, but he hoped not. There were very few people that he would be willing to see before tonight. He pushed through the garden gates, paying little heed to the guards there. He turned down the less used corridors in an attempt to avoid people. He knew that his own status was higher than theirs, but nobles made him nervous. They always seemed to want something, whether special favors with the king or some kind of alliance. Not that he wasn’t grateful for their support; if his father was ever going to name him the heir he would need all the support he could get. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to be king as he didn’t want his sister Gjeelea and her betrothed to rule. He didn’t like his sister very much. She was everything he was not: gossipy, manipulative, and out-spoken, and her fiancé was just as bad: greedy and brutish. In truth, he felt rather intimidated by his sister, and she was one of the people he was most trying to avoid.

Siamak sighed in relief when he reached the section of the palace that was the quarters for the royal family. Once he reached his rooms, he would not have to see anyone he did not want to, and he had only to eat a small afternoon meal, think, and prepare for the banquet tonight.

~*~*~*~

There ye are! Can't wait for this to get started.

Fordim Hedgethistle · 11-16-2004, 05:51 AM

The game thread is open. Begin exploring the realm of Pashtia.

Imladris · 11-16-2004, 11:06 AM

Excellent!

I will do a post as soon as I can....alas, Tuesdays are not good days....

Novnarwen · 11-16-2004, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Novnarwen: would you like me to edit. It would be tricky as I have used Tarkan quite alot in my answers: it seemed fitting as they would work together. Zamara does not honestly think Tarkan is a bad person, she would not act on this, but it is just in her nature that she is very observant. If you feel very strongly though, I will edit.

Amanaduial- You don't need to edit anything.

Just a thought however... Even though Zamara is observant, there has been nothing to observe just yet, from Tarkan I mean. I plan to make him anonymous in the beginning, where he doesn't openly express his feelings; certainly not his fondness of the Princess. I hope too, to let the priests have a friendly tone. They don't have to be the best friends, but Tarkan will at least not express any 'nastiness' towards the priestess. I imagine it being some kind of false friendliness, at least that is how Tarkan is going to approach this matter.. If you want, we can discuss this further, and closer, via PM.

I will try to have a post up as soon as possible! The Game is looking great already!

Cheers,
Nova

Firefoot · 11-16-2004, 03:26 PM

(Completely off-topic side note) Fordim -

Quote:

when I open it on Wednesday morning

Do you know that you've completely confused my days of the week now? I keep thinking it's Wednesday...

(Not that I'm complaining, mind you

)

Anyhow, everyone's posts look good. Can't wait for the banquet to begin...

Imladris · 11-16-2004, 04:50 PM

Oookay....forgive this stupid question of mine:

I was driving in the car on the way home from Geometry class, thinking about my post, when I suddenly realized two things:

1. Do the women have to wear the veils in a banquet like setting such as this? (If they do, how do they eat?)

2. What kind of veils? Heavy, black, dark coloured veils (Islamic/Muslimish veils), or light, wavy, translucent veils. Would they wrap around the entire head? I'm sorry...I tried to find pictures and if this has already been addressed forgive me for not seeing it.

Kransha · 11-16-2004, 05:04 PM

w00t! My first post is up.

I am afraid that, in fact, it may be too long, so much so that is is a bit long-winded. I certainly hope that, despite its novella length, it is readable.

Fordim: The description of my first secondary character is contained in my post, as are *other things*. I described the Kanak Palace courtyard in great detail, and I hope all is in order. Also, I hope that my post does not chronologically conflict with any posts that will be put up soon. I will, of course, edit if need-be.

Morgôs is off to find his way in the palace, and wondering where his son and spouse are...which reminds me, where are his son and spouse?

alak and/or Bb: Is Arlome currently in the palace with Queen Bekah, part of her retinue as always? I'd like to know, just in case I have to tweak my post a bit in light of her whereabouts.

11-15-2004, 05:36 PM	#1
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	First post for Siamak Siamak hurried out of the large hall as soon as the audience with the emissary was concluded. He was troubled, though he could see no reason for it, and wanted to think before he spoke with anyone. The halls of the palace were empty with the exception of an occasional servant, for all the nobles had attended the audience, curious about these strange foreigners, and they were most certainly strange. Unconsciously he reached up and fingered his black beard, its shorter length attesting to his youth. The beard, or lack thereof, had been only the first of many differences. They had been tall and of proud bearing, with startlingly blue and gray eyes. He was suspicious of them, for more reasons than their physical appearance. He had never seen men from across the Great Desert, and he didn’t know why they should be here now. What good would an alliance with Pashtia, hundreds of leagues away from the lands of the emissaries, do this Lord Annatar? It wasn’t as if any of the eastern lands had ever assaulted the west. Which made him wonder, had an emissary been sent to Alanzia as well? To Pashtia’s other neighboring countries? For all their fair words, he did not think that their motives were as noble as they were being led to believe. His brow was furrowed in a thoughtful frown as he meandered through the many passages of the palace. The walls were richly adorned in colorful tapestries and lined with sculptures and statues. Siamak noticed none of these, however, buried in thought as he was. Subconsciously, he had taken himself towards the gardens within the palace walls. He had been raised in the palace, and knew the halls and rooms like the back of his hand, though for one less familiar it would have been easy to become lost. The gardens were quite possibly his favorite place in the palace, especially the private ones limited to the royal family. There, he could be alone with his thoughts and away from the various court schemes for power and manipulations of the nobles to get the laws they favored passed. There were some days when Siamak thought he would be happy as a simple farmer, away from the complexities of palace life. Most of the time, though, he did enjoy his life, and deep inside he knew that he wouldn’t leave the palace for anything. He was not concentrated on this now, however, and varying thoughts of the emissaries drifted through his mind. Siamak wandered over the cobbled pathways of the gardens, letting the chirping of birds and the trickle of water from the fountains set him at peace so that he could think clearly. He finally found a bench in a satisfactory location and sat down. It was shaded by a medium-sized fig tree and had a wide view in either direction to let him know if anyone was coming, though he didn’t really expect anyone. As far as he could tell, he was the only one who visited the gardens on a regular basis, except, of course, the gardeners. He soon refocused on the issue at hand. The king had announced that there was to be a banquet tonight; he wanted to have his thoughts straightened out before then, because he was fairly confident that his opinion would be asked. Young though he was, at eighteen years of age, as the king’s son and possible heir to the throne, his opinion was not without weight. Nobles often times seemed to be trying to figure out where he stood, wondering if they should support him or his older sister. That didn’t mean that he would tell them his opinions, though; he was a firm believer that he could learn a lot more by listening than by talking. His thoughts soon brought him to the ring the emissary had given his father. It was unlike any other ring he had ever seen, and if he had had a clearer view of it than many he still hadn’t seen it closely. He wasn’t sure he wanted to, either: anything with that kind of effect on people probably had some kind of magic, and he was tentative around things he didn’t understand, especially if it was from so far away... Perhaps he was just overanalyzing it. More likely it was simply a ring of great worth and beauty, two things that the culturally-advanced Pashtians certainly understood. Probably the ring was simply a token of good will. Probably. The whole situation made him uneasy, even though he could pinpoint no reason for it. By all appearances the emissary and their Lord Annatar had nothing but good feelings towards them, and that may have been the problem. Siamak could not figure out why the Lord Annatar wanted their friendship, though he had nothing but proud feelings of his country. Their resources were many and the culture was rich and developed, but it certainly wasn’t practical to trade all the way across the Great Desert. It was simply too far. Pashtia did not want any part in foreign wars, and the transport of troops across so great a distance was unreasonable. Besides, regular communication would be near impossible. Frustrated that he was getting nowhere, Siamak decided that it was time to go inside. He needed more information before he would be able to form a solid opinion based on facts rather than intuition. He now regretted his hasty retreat from the throne room because he might have been able to learn more about these strangers and their lands. On the other hand, it was just as possible that the emissaries had been escorted to guest rooms to freshen up after their journey leaving the nobles to gossip among themselves. Siamak didn’t like gossip very much - it was usually chock-full of rumors and half-truths, leaving one with the onerous task of deciphering how much of it was fact. He returned to the palace building by a different way than he had come to a gate that would be closer to his personal living quarters. He had lost track of time out in the garden, and with surprise he had found it to be a few hours later than when he had come out, though there was still plenty of time before the banquet that night. By now, he had probably been missed, but he hoped not. There were very few people that he would be willing to see before tonight. He pushed through the garden gates, paying little heed to the guards there. He turned down the less used corridors in an attempt to avoid people. He knew that his own status was higher than theirs, but nobles made him nervous. They always seemed to want something, whether special favors with the king or some kind of alliance. Not that he wasn’t grateful for their support; if his father was ever going to name him the heir he would need all the support he could get. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to be king as he didn’t want his sister Gjeelea and her betrothed to rule. He didn’t like his sister very much. She was everything he was not: gossipy, manipulative, and out-spoken, and her fiancé was just as bad: greedy and brutish. In truth, he felt rather intimidated by his sister, and she was one of the people he was most trying to avoid. Siamak sighed in relief when he reached the section of the palace that was the quarters for the royal family. Once he reached his rooms, he would not have to see anyone he did not want to, and he had only to eat a small afternoon meal, think, and prepare for the banquet tonight. ~~~*~ There ye are! Can't wait for this to get started.

11-16-2004, 05:51 AM	#2
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	We're Off! The game thread is open. Begin exploring the realm of Pashtia. __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.

11-16-2004, 11:06 AM	#3
Imladris Tears of the Phoenix Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Putting dimes in the jukebox baby. Posts: 1,453	Excellent! I will do a post as soon as I can....alas, Tuesdays are not good days.... __________________ I'm sorry it wasn't a unicorn. It would have been nice to have unicorns. I'm your huckleberry.

11-16-2004, 04:50 PM	#6
Imladris Tears of the Phoenix Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Putting dimes in the jukebox baby. Posts: 1,453	Oookay....forgive this stupid question of mine: I was driving in the car on the way home from Geometry class, thinking about my post, when I suddenly realized two things: 1. Do the women have to wear the veils in a banquet like setting such as this? (If they do, how do they eat?) 2. What kind of veils? Heavy, black, dark coloured veils (Islamic/Muslimish veils), or light, wavy, translucent veils. Would they wrap around the entire head? I'm sorry...I tried to find pictures and if this has already been addressed forgive me for not seeing it. __________________ I'm sorry it wasn't a unicorn. It would have been nice to have unicorns. I'm your huckleberry.

11-16-2004, 05:04 PM	#7
Kransha Ubiquitous Urulóki Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The port of Mars, where Famine, Sword, and Fire, leash'd in like hounds, crouch for employment Posts: 747	w00t! My first post is up. I am afraid that, in fact, it may be too long, so much so that is is a bit long-winded. I certainly hope that, despite its novella length, it is readable. Fordim: The description of my first secondary character is contained in my post, as are other things. I described the Kanak Palace courtyard in great detail, and I hope all is in order. Also, I hope that my post does not chronologically conflict with any posts that will be put up soon. I will, of course, edit if need-be. Morgôs is off to find his way in the palace, and wondering where his son and spouse are...which reminds me, where are his son and spouse? alak and/or Bb: Is Arlome currently in the palace with Queen Bekah, part of her retinue as always? I'd like to know, just in case I have to tweak my post a bit in light of her whereabouts. __________________ "What mortal feels not awe/Nor trembles at our name, Hearing our fate-appointed power sublime/Fixed by the eternal law. For old our office, and our fame," -Aeschylus, Song of the Furies Last edited by Kransha; 11-16-2004 at 06:09 PM.