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Rhothaerill
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Vincent Returns!!!
Feb 2003
time: 21:35
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From the diary of Grand Exploration Master Tarillo Duquan VII
May 13, 1493ad – LAND! O glorious land we have sighted thee.
After all these long months at sea we have finally reached our goal. It is barely a speck yet on the horizon, but all aboard know that we are close. A few days perhaps and we will all feel the stability of the land beneath our feet again. The attitude of everyone aboard has picked up. It is almost as if all these months of sailing and dreariness had not occurred and we were just leaving fair Lisbon again. Tonight for the first time in over a year our lutist picked up his instrument and the men danced and sang the night away.
May 18, 1493ad – Five days of anticipation have passed since we first sighted land. The men are all anxious to make landfall and tomorrow it will happen. I find myself, much as all the men on the ship, filled with a renewed vigor. I hunger to set foot on land more than I have ever hungered for anything before. This is virgin territory, untouched and unexplored by any from Europe. I feel like I’m back in my element. This is what I was born to do.
May 19, 1493ad – We made landfall this afternoon. All the men but for a skeleton crew chosen by lots made their way to the beaches in the small inlet where we made anchor. Not all the men could fit in the small oarboats, so those that couldn’t swam. By virtue of my title I was one of the lucky ones to be rowed to shore, but I confess that if I had not I would have swam to shore with the other men.
A wild evening commenced as the men danced and capered about like giddy children. A few of the more level-headed commanders set a few watches, but no one around could fail to hear the din of noise that was created this night. It was truly a glorious time.
June 3, 1493ad – After many days of exploring the surrounding beach, preparations are under way to explore the lands beyond. The giddiness of the first week has been replaced by duty as all the men have once again realized there was a purpose in our journey.
I will of course lead the expedition into the jungle beyond. No one could stop me in that, even if I were not the Grand Exploration Master.
I am here now. And I will discover the secrets of this New World. Or I will die trying.
1493ad to Paddy the Scot
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Rhothaerill
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Vincent Returns!!!
Feb 2003
time: 21:35
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From the diary of Grand Exploration Master Tarillo Duquan VII
January 5, 1494ad – We set out from the beach of this new land tomorrow. Into the jungle. For months we have explored the land around us; acclimating to the unique dangers we may face here. It is new to all of us, this jungle. Other Grand Exploration Masters have told tales of wandering the fringes of the jungles in the dark heart of Africa, but this jungle is different. We have already come across many species of bird and insect and plant that grow nowhere else.
I can hardly write this entry as I am so giddy with excitement. I certainly understand and advocate the necessity of acclimating ourselves to this new land, but I confess that I have chafed all these months at that necessity. I want to explore the land, not sit here, though it was my order that we sit here. But tomorrow, I explore!
I do feel remorse for the brave sailors of the P.R.N.S. Vasco de Gama. They must now make the long trek home to inform the Grand Potentate of our discovery. While it would be nice to inform the Grand Potentate in person, exploration awaits me. That is my duty, and my passion, and I will not shirk it.
March 15, 1494ad – We have made our way through the jungles at great cost. Some of the party accompanying me perished despite our precautions. We were just not prepared for the diseases that the jungle inflicted upon us. Almost the entire party became sick at one point, even I who almost never gets sick. Most of us were able to fight off the disease, but a few were not so lucky, may they rest in the arms of the Lord. I believe that this disease ought to be known as Fulham’s revenge after an obscure ruler of a far off backward land.
As we finally emerged from the jungle our mouths dropped in awe as far in the distance we saw the highest mountain range we had ever before seen; larger than the Pyrennees in northern Spain or the Alps in France.
July 3, 1494ad – The going has been tough. These hills and mountains have been almost impassable. If we were not so dedicated in our quest of discovery I imagine many would have turned back by now. But we survived the voyage here. We will not be turned back by mere land.
October 31, 1494ad – This is truly a seminal day in the history of the great Portuguese Empire. On this day we sat down with a man of a race none in the civilized world have ever before seen. We have made contact with the men known as the Mayans. They are a barbarian people, not knowing the true grace of civilization. But they do possess a quiet dignity about themselves. As if they do not need to know the trappings of our civilization to be happy. It is an intriguing thought. Word will be dispatched back to Portugal soon with this grand news, but in the meantime many of us plan to stay with these Mayans and live near their homes to teach them something of our ways, and to learn of their ways.
Truly a grand day indeed.
1494ad to Paddy the Scot
 Attachment: meeting the natives.jpg
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Rhothaerill
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Vincent Returns!!!
Feb 2003
time: 21:35
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From the diary of Grand Exploration Master Tarillo Duquan VII
August 10, 1495ad – Ah, but the Mayans are certainly persistent. Many months ago we thought to teach them how to read and write our alphabet. I personally hoped to set up a trading partnership to bring the wares of these people and their land back to Portugal. As Grand Exploration Master I have the complete confidence of the Grand Potentate in deciding such matters. It is why the title of Grand Exploration Master is so highly coveted.
These many months we were led to believe they truly desired our trade and knowledge. Their leader, Smoke-Jaguar, was the epitome of a cultured Englishman (not that that means much these days) and acted like a personal friend to me during our stay in their capital of Chichen Itza. Our expedition was put on hold as our soldiers became teachers and students alike. We taught them our language, both spoken and written, along with the rich history of the nation of Portugal. In return they taught us their own language and history, their rituals, and the many perils of the surrounding lands. A strong alliance between the old world and the new appeared to be forming.
Alas, an alliance and trade partnership was not to be. Perhaps I was naďve in my assessment of these native men and women. They dress like savages and do not know the civilized ways of Europe. But they are far from being unintelligent; a mistake I will not make in the future. So the saying goes, “Never judge a book by its cover”. Add to that, “Never judge a man by his demeanor”.
Friendship only went so far and as soon as they felt they had learned all we had to give them of our history and knowledge of writing, they turned on us. They played us like musical instruments as all along they had planned to sacrifice us all to their pagan deities in some ritual that no civilized man could understand.
It was mere chance that I happened to overhear Smoke Jaguar discussing the planned sacrifice. My less than perfect understanding of their language almost made me doubt what I had heard. I shudder to think of what would have been if I had doubted.
In the middle of the night we quietly left Chichen Itza for the jungles beyond. Unfortunately our departure was discovered and we have been running ever since.
I thank the Mayans that they did teach us to survive in their homeland. I doubt they thought we’d ever need it. Those survival skills have been all that has stood in the way of our capture and return to that unimaginable fate. The Mayans have been relentless in their pursuit, but we have so far managed to avoid them. Every night since we left Chichen Itza we have pushed ourselves to the brink of exhaustion each day to avoid the avid pursuit. Indeed this is the first day in a very long time that I have had to even contemplate writing in my journal. I believe we’ve finally lost them after weeks of pursuit. Perhaps they just gave up.
Only time will tell…
1495ad to Paddy the Scot
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05-04-2004 04:35
). So I'm including what I did to still be able to play in both v1.15 and v1.22 by interchanging.
)
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