Thursday, May 2, 2013

Dungeons and Colonies 17

Is there anyone out there?


The jungle seems like an interesting place to explore.  I know you have no real view of the landscape of the world, but the jungle is on a different island.  It is at least another continent, I am not sure myself because I have not made a map.  I put up all my building materials, bulk up on extra food, and I wade into the jungle.  One of the first landmarks I find is this pond that descends to the jungle floor.  The water here is clear and not dirty, so it allows me a nice little space to take a rest.

 

After a brief break, I find the edge of this jungle and decides to circumnavigate before going through.  I explore the edges and find the jungle ringed by some plains and when I hit the ocean, I decide to tread through the middle.  Just when I decide that the jungle has nothing but resources I spy something through the trees.


It is a building.  I am cautious though, because I do not know about any other settlements in this new world.  It could be a pirate village, it could be a savage village.  I cautiously peek out from the trees here and there trying to find any evidence of what resides here on the edge of the jungle and among a desert.


Darkness was coming and the moon was rising.  I finally see a few villagers head into the homes.  This looks like a friendly village, so with a little anxiety, I walked into the town.  I am met by a villager.  They ushered me in, and suddenly I realized I could understand them.  These were Testificates from Testifica, and I spoke their language.  Night was upon them and sometimes bad things would invade.  I was told that I should talk to the Priest in the monastery.


Father Mauve was in the big stone building near the center of the town.  He informed me that it was not a town at all, as there was no families and only males.  This was a monastery they had founded to get away from the sinful old world and devote their lives to the Mighty Eggplant, a benevolent god that is not very popular back in Testifica.  He was interested in knowing about the colony, and actually seemed relieved that they were not close enough to be easily traveled to from the colony.  As long as I behaved myself, I would be welcome here.


The gathering house was where their supplies were stored and where everyone gathered after ceremonies.  Three Testificates watch it at night, and I was encouraged to spend the night there.  The Testificates were jolly enough, and told me stories of their time here.  They said the desert was full of danger and frequently they were attacked at night.  I was mystified by these tales, and though they were overly superstitious, I believed much of what they said was true(in a world where skeletons and zombies are plentiful, can anyone be TOO superstitious?)


In the morning I decided to explore this desert.  The Testificates wished me luck, but would not follow me beyond the protection of the settlement.  Eggplants were given to me, and they said it would protect me on my journey.  Sure...

Anyway.  After some wandering near the jungle, I spotted something.


At first I thought this was a sand dune, but I realized that it was sandstone, not sand that was stacked in a mound.  Then, once I realized that it was located off the coast, I knew this was man made.  This is pretty incredible!  A pyramid here in the new world!  I was not even aware that there was civilization here at all.  I did not get too close as I still had much of the desert to explore.  Off in the distance, not too far from the pyramid, in fact probably in line with it, I saw some ruins more ruins.



It looked like some kind of broken pyramid?  I am not sure.  I see that it is sandstone too, but do not understand what it is supposed to be.  Random ruins?  Maybe it was just a sand dune that had all the sand fall into the water, leaving just sandstone above?  I've seen similar before.  I get a little bit in the water and gasp!


It is a Sphinx!


S.






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