Originally from http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=142&t=100162&sid=c41c329a2f7271d1ba29e96b5c04ca9e
The work is a collection of three works.
I Am Ess-Ry is the character back-story accompanying the RP character. This is the official entry, the other two are companion pieces. It was word capped (I came in ~48 words under. Some of the language has been cleaned up a litte).
The Wind Beneath Me is the travel journal found among Ess-Ry's possessions. It is written in a Journal form, with travel poetry brushed into pages randomly. Some are from previous Way of the Unicorn books, some are those I created for the piece.
Honors Fall is a pillowbook of unknown origin found among Ess-Ry's possessions. The handwriting is similar to that in the travel journal, though of a higher quality. It carries three stories in it, one of romance, one of political affairs, one of combat sure to come, all three tied together. Note: While "clean", I'm not sure if it should be posted here. I'll consider it.
Each piece ties into the other two, though each makes sense if read alone.
Formatting on the Travel Journal will be "interesting", as it is intended to be read exactly as I wrote it, with interruptions in the story placed for emphasis. I'll try and re-create it.
I Am Ess-Ry
There is no substitute for feeling the wind beneath you, around you, and with you.
Those so-called 'Great Cities' of the Empire hold little value for me. Civilization abandons the nomadic and simple lives of those who predate them, but the old ways are ingraned squarely into my sense of being. The freedom of the open plains, power of the flowing rivers, tranquility of the hidden glades and majesty of the unfettered outdoors at midnight are unmatched by man-made stone and thatch. No city in Rokugan or elsewhere can compete with the raw magnificence of nature left on its own.
When I was younger, my wanderlust was sometimes problematic. For several years, I served as an apprentice to a Shinjo Magistrate, a stern man of few words and fewer needed actions to complete any task at hand. Growing up, I had something of a talent for creating poetry, though I had been told on several occasions it would never measure up to the high quality of the Crake masters. Why I would want to spend my days in court, though, was the bit that escaped me. Poetry served as my way of maintaining focus for those few years. He taught me more about understanding people's thought processes than I could ever consciously remember, and I melded that with my more compassionate nature to create more pieces of written work than I could carry with me.
The time spent with him impressed someone in my family, and I soon found myself accepting a much more interesting position in service to my clan.
The founding of the Second City, and with it the push into expanding into the previously untapped colonies, had begun to inspire the people of Rokugan to travel; and who better to escort them than the Children of the Wind, who have been everywhere? The major travel route we had established cut through the small village I had been raised in, giving someone the idea I would make for an ideal candidate for escort jobs. My ability to use a blade and bow would also serve me well as we began to push deeper into the colonies.
To escort though, we needed a route to escort on, and our first job was clearing the forests. We met with a small contingent of Spider for this task. Agile monks with proficiencies in weapons the rest of our world sees as oddities, they are looked upon with suspicion by many. From them, thougm I learned the use of the Bisento, a polearm more comfortable in my hand than the yari I had been using the past several years.
As our system of waystations on the route grew, our free time was spent learning from the other. I taught them a few basic forms with the scimitar, and in return, was given training with the Bisento. With any other free time I had, my time was spent writing and practicing the art of storytelling. One of our gursts remarked that if I could fight twice as well as I told stories, I might cause panic in our foes some day.
The city itself... just another stone-walled prison. I had hoped for more, but I had an entire continent of largely unexplored land to explore. On one of what would become regular expeditions outside the walls, I discovered a small tomb, and inside, a book written in Senpet. None of us spoke the language, however my family had, at some point in our lineage, spent time among the Senpet in the Burning Sands, and from what little written works remained from those times, I was able, over the course of the next few years, translate the book n what we would later learn was mostly correct. From that translation, it seems the Senpet also had their fair share of storytellers among them. Seemingly, art is as universally understood a concept as war.
My company spent years traveling and taming the Gold Road, and the once wild and untamed colonies began to see signs of civilization spout up. Ancient sites gained small tent cities with buzzing activity. Wonders of the colonies saw Kaiu built towers erected around them. Vast plains became dotted with small towns. It was one of those that would soon find me facing fortunes for survival.
While we had been clearing, the clan had established two significant trade path, and they found it easy to turn a tidy profit on the escort missions I had once had a small hand in. My knowledge of the regions, however, led me to being used on specialized missions, generally involving higher priority individuals. My team had used passes thought too treacherous for larger caravans, but a pair or two of horse and rider could easily maneuver them, resulting in substantially quicker travel time.
My fare that day was a young Tamori, known to most of her clan, and to us, as 'The Governess'. It was explained she needed to be escorted to the "Burning Square", Chugo Tamori no Kiz, with extreme urgency, and the Dragon had paid quite a hefty sum to ensure it happened quickly. Following our fastest path, we would stop at the waystations long enough to change out horse and water, before setting out again. The journey normally spanning several weeks would be cut down to a manner of days.
For the first few of those, she spoke little, answering direct questions, but having litte to add to any conversation, leaving me the task of creating and reciting new travel poetry to keep her awake and upright over the grueling days of travel. As we neared her new home, she began to open up and regail me with stories of her life at home.
I was not opposed to her carrying the weight of conversation at this point, though some of the practices she mentioned make the Unicorn look tame and genteel by comparison. I was both intrigued and slightly taken aback by some of those.
Parting company with her at last, I noticed signs of Scorpion encampment in this area. She had explained that this tract had once been Scorpion land, and pieces of them stll remained, but I was a touch unsettled by signs of recent life. Given that this region was in close proximity to a major Crab thoroughfare, I was not too suspicious, but made a minor note.
My path back to our Second City saw me stumble upon a messenger, with a missive to me informing me to stay somewhat near the Dragon outpost. To do this, I was to help my old clearing crew with their current project to the west.
The days I spent in route invigorated my spirits, and I arrived refreshed and eager to assist where needed. The work was tiring, but a welcome change from political niceties and riding at an escorts pace. My soul yearns for the freedom of the world, and relishes any chance it gets to feel truly alive and truly free.
It was a couple days after the Festival of the River of Stars when an urgent missive came to me by way of the Ide provinces. A terrible occurrence had occurred, it said, and the simple line of text "We Are Betrayed" said more than a hundred times that many words could accomplish. I was instructed to continue my task, but to be on guard for signs of trouble, as my skills might once again be required. In a week, they were. I was to return to the Besieged or Burning square (it had many names, depending on who you spoke to) and extract several Ide merchants through the pass back home as quickly as possible.
The Dragon, following Shikei's Betrayal of Naleesh, had closed their gates to the Ide caravan lords, and a host of Scorpion, led by the not-quite-removed from the area Bayushi were en-route to detain them.
I had to act quickly, heading to the outpost without stopping to resupply, figuring the Ide would have spare provisions, in an effort to outpace and out-maneuver the Scorpion, rather than risk having to face them head on.
I was not quick enough.
Before I was able to slip the last of the pack carts through the narrow pass, we were confronted by the Scorpion lordling and a regiment of crimson-garbed soldiers. I was out-numbered and out-matched, but perhaps the fortunes would deem fit to smile upon us that day. I readied my warhorse anf prepared to crash into the mountains with the force of the greatest tsunami. My blade lowered, anticipating the impact. Muscles tensed, my mount strode across the fields, delivering me into the midst of my enemy.
They ask what a Unicorn travel guide knows of honor.
I intend to show them exactly what Honor means.
The work is a collection of three works.
I Am Ess-Ry is the character back-story accompanying the RP character. This is the official entry, the other two are companion pieces. It was word capped (I came in ~48 words under. Some of the language has been cleaned up a litte).
The Wind Beneath Me is the travel journal found among Ess-Ry's possessions. It is written in a Journal form, with travel poetry brushed into pages randomly. Some are from previous Way of the Unicorn books, some are those I created for the piece.
Honors Fall is a pillowbook of unknown origin found among Ess-Ry's possessions. The handwriting is similar to that in the travel journal, though of a higher quality. It carries three stories in it, one of romance, one of political affairs, one of combat sure to come, all three tied together. Note: While "clean", I'm not sure if it should be posted here. I'll consider it.
Each piece ties into the other two, though each makes sense if read alone.
Formatting on the Travel Journal will be "interesting", as it is intended to be read exactly as I wrote it, with interruptions in the story placed for emphasis. I'll try and re-create it.
I Am Ess-Ry
There is no substitute for feeling the wind beneath you, around you, and with you.
Those so-called 'Great Cities' of the Empire hold little value for me. Civilization abandons the nomadic and simple lives of those who predate them, but the old ways are ingraned squarely into my sense of being. The freedom of the open plains, power of the flowing rivers, tranquility of the hidden glades and majesty of the unfettered outdoors at midnight are unmatched by man-made stone and thatch. No city in Rokugan or elsewhere can compete with the raw magnificence of nature left on its own.
When I was younger, my wanderlust was sometimes problematic. For several years, I served as an apprentice to a Shinjo Magistrate, a stern man of few words and fewer needed actions to complete any task at hand. Growing up, I had something of a talent for creating poetry, though I had been told on several occasions it would never measure up to the high quality of the Crake masters. Why I would want to spend my days in court, though, was the bit that escaped me. Poetry served as my way of maintaining focus for those few years. He taught me more about understanding people's thought processes than I could ever consciously remember, and I melded that with my more compassionate nature to create more pieces of written work than I could carry with me.
The time spent with him impressed someone in my family, and I soon found myself accepting a much more interesting position in service to my clan.
The founding of the Second City, and with it the push into expanding into the previously untapped colonies, had begun to inspire the people of Rokugan to travel; and who better to escort them than the Children of the Wind, who have been everywhere? The major travel route we had established cut through the small village I had been raised in, giving someone the idea I would make for an ideal candidate for escort jobs. My ability to use a blade and bow would also serve me well as we began to push deeper into the colonies.
To escort though, we needed a route to escort on, and our first job was clearing the forests. We met with a small contingent of Spider for this task. Agile monks with proficiencies in weapons the rest of our world sees as oddities, they are looked upon with suspicion by many. From them, thougm I learned the use of the Bisento, a polearm more comfortable in my hand than the yari I had been using the past several years.
As our system of waystations on the route grew, our free time was spent learning from the other. I taught them a few basic forms with the scimitar, and in return, was given training with the Bisento. With any other free time I had, my time was spent writing and practicing the art of storytelling. One of our gursts remarked that if I could fight twice as well as I told stories, I might cause panic in our foes some day.
The city itself... just another stone-walled prison. I had hoped for more, but I had an entire continent of largely unexplored land to explore. On one of what would become regular expeditions outside the walls, I discovered a small tomb, and inside, a book written in Senpet. None of us spoke the language, however my family had, at some point in our lineage, spent time among the Senpet in the Burning Sands, and from what little written works remained from those times, I was able, over the course of the next few years, translate the book n what we would later learn was mostly correct. From that translation, it seems the Senpet also had their fair share of storytellers among them. Seemingly, art is as universally understood a concept as war.
My company spent years traveling and taming the Gold Road, and the once wild and untamed colonies began to see signs of civilization spout up. Ancient sites gained small tent cities with buzzing activity. Wonders of the colonies saw Kaiu built towers erected around them. Vast plains became dotted with small towns. It was one of those that would soon find me facing fortunes for survival.
While we had been clearing, the clan had established two significant trade path, and they found it easy to turn a tidy profit on the escort missions I had once had a small hand in. My knowledge of the regions, however, led me to being used on specialized missions, generally involving higher priority individuals. My team had used passes thought too treacherous for larger caravans, but a pair or two of horse and rider could easily maneuver them, resulting in substantially quicker travel time.
My fare that day was a young Tamori, known to most of her clan, and to us, as 'The Governess'. It was explained she needed to be escorted to the "Burning Square", Chugo Tamori no Kiz, with extreme urgency, and the Dragon had paid quite a hefty sum to ensure it happened quickly. Following our fastest path, we would stop at the waystations long enough to change out horse and water, before setting out again. The journey normally spanning several weeks would be cut down to a manner of days.
For the first few of those, she spoke little, answering direct questions, but having litte to add to any conversation, leaving me the task of creating and reciting new travel poetry to keep her awake and upright over the grueling days of travel. As we neared her new home, she began to open up and regail me with stories of her life at home.
I was not opposed to her carrying the weight of conversation at this point, though some of the practices she mentioned make the Unicorn look tame and genteel by comparison. I was both intrigued and slightly taken aback by some of those.
Parting company with her at last, I noticed signs of Scorpion encampment in this area. She had explained that this tract had once been Scorpion land, and pieces of them stll remained, but I was a touch unsettled by signs of recent life. Given that this region was in close proximity to a major Crab thoroughfare, I was not too suspicious, but made a minor note.
My path back to our Second City saw me stumble upon a messenger, with a missive to me informing me to stay somewhat near the Dragon outpost. To do this, I was to help my old clearing crew with their current project to the west.
The days I spent in route invigorated my spirits, and I arrived refreshed and eager to assist where needed. The work was tiring, but a welcome change from political niceties and riding at an escorts pace. My soul yearns for the freedom of the world, and relishes any chance it gets to feel truly alive and truly free.
It was a couple days after the Festival of the River of Stars when an urgent missive came to me by way of the Ide provinces. A terrible occurrence had occurred, it said, and the simple line of text "We Are Betrayed" said more than a hundred times that many words could accomplish. I was instructed to continue my task, but to be on guard for signs of trouble, as my skills might once again be required. In a week, they were. I was to return to the Besieged or Burning square (it had many names, depending on who you spoke to) and extract several Ide merchants through the pass back home as quickly as possible.
The Dragon, following Shikei's Betrayal of Naleesh, had closed their gates to the Ide caravan lords, and a host of Scorpion, led by the not-quite-removed from the area Bayushi were en-route to detain them.
I had to act quickly, heading to the outpost without stopping to resupply, figuring the Ide would have spare provisions, in an effort to outpace and out-maneuver the Scorpion, rather than risk having to face them head on.
I was not quick enough.
Before I was able to slip the last of the pack carts through the narrow pass, we were confronted by the Scorpion lordling and a regiment of crimson-garbed soldiers. I was out-numbered and out-matched, but perhaps the fortunes would deem fit to smile upon us that day. I readied my warhorse anf prepared to crash into the mountains with the force of the greatest tsunami. My blade lowered, anticipating the impact. Muscles tensed, my mount strode across the fields, delivering me into the midst of my enemy.
They ask what a Unicorn travel guide knows of honor.
I intend to show them exactly what Honor means.