The Waking Hour

[Mizu/Uzim 694]

Does he dream?
 

The thought lingered in every Dunamian within the strong Horde fortress. For two years the Marshall of the Horde, Richard Revlis, had slept in his quarters, attended to by his entourage and fed thin stew through a washed lamb bladder. Against the men’s hopes, the coma never abated, and their faith in him was seemingly for naught - his form shrank and his strength had left him.

 

One by one they left him, until he was left with only his faithful wife Celia to feed, shave, and bathe him. For over a year she did this, praying to a different god every night for her husband’s return. Visitors lending their condolences and kind words became fewer and further between, and for six whole months he had only Celia to keep him company.

One night, Celia reached her wit’s end. For a stone fortnight her lover was gone from her, even while she kept his body presentable. She resolved to burn him in a pyre over his fireplace and save the ashes. As she set him down to pour oil over the setting, his eyes opened, and he would state:

“W-what are.. you doing?..”
 

She dropped the can of oil, spilling it over Richard’s tabard, thought she was too busy hugging and kissing him to notice. After regaining the strength to walk, he set about gathering the band back together, beginning production of arms, armor, food, horses, the tools of Dunamis. He had had dreams all right -

 

*************************************************************

 

 

 

But that was not all he dreamt of.

 

Months later, Richard can be seen with his doting wife peering across Dunamis lands from the keep’s grand balcony; first to the fields, attended by orcish farmers overseen by Bulter Jones;  then to the barn and grazing plains, filled to the brim with cattle and steeds, all their needs met and their elders slaughtered by a lone herdsman; to the great spruce yard whose saplings had begun to stretch upward, leaves kissing the sky and branches holding one another in embrace.

Finally his gaze shifted south, to the coast, where all manner of dark-skinned laborers made themselves busy building, laying the foundations for a great port town. The concept that had flitted about Richard’s mind and been referenced in his journal since Athera was finally coming to fruition on the southern tip of Vailor: a lake surrounded on all sides by land save for an inlet into the Southern Sea, within a stone’s throw of the Horde keep. Richard closed his eyes as he envisioned all the goings-on of the soon-to-be community - what would it be, he wondered? A mercantilist pillar for sea-borne merchants? A haven for brazen pirates? The launching port for the next great continental exodus, with fees charged for every emigrant? The possibilities seemed endless.

Later the same day he found time to steal away from his wife while she knitted, and visited the construction sites. Most men turned their faces from him to avoid offense; the foremen and supervisors and overseers bowed their heads when speaking to him. Reaching the edge of the water he walked the beach before coming across a muddy dinghy parting the waves. A boy, seeming to him no older than 15 years, had busied himself running the vessel into the sandy beach. The boy, whom Richard assumed owned the vessel, reacted to Richard’s imposing figure the same way his fellow laborers did.

 

To this one, however, Richard reacted differently. Pulling a bottle of pale ale from his cloak, he popped the cork into the shallow water and handed the drink to the boy. After the boy took a few sips Richard took it back, drank half the bottle in a couple deft swigs and smashed the bottle against the small boat’s hull, watching the liquid spread across the water’s surface. Thus Richard had christened the first ship in Blackwater Bay.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2015 by Mizu/Uzim

[Etherealxx 232]

Zeviar would give Richard a big slap on the back. "Welcome back, friend." he says with a short smile, going to help along with the construction of Blackwater.

[Dreek 1633]

Bulter Jones gives his grand son a warm smile as he sees him walk out after his long mental absence.

[Alakabam 582]

Jack Revlis would be resting in a ditch just outside of the castle. Also in a coma.

[Mj. 697]

"Yes" says Wem

[Lechian Lord 1027]

Brahn runs his hands through his hair, in awe of the luscious, volumptous mane that flows down his back, gleaming in the morning light.

[oblivionsbane 714]

((Is... He tearing his arm in half?

[darth sithlord 306]

Brahn runs his hands through his hair, in awe of the luscious, volumptous mane that flows down his back, gleaming in the morning light.

Brahn runs his hands through his hair, in awe of the luscious, volumptous mane that flows down his back, gleaming in the morning light.

(( k

[Anderssn 1115]

Jack Revlis would be resting in a ditch just outside of the castle. Also in a coma.

Royce knows the feeling.

[_Jandy_ 3519]

Andwise wonders and decides to send a letter that politely asks if the halflings could put a party boat in their docks.

[Ioannis 1480]

"I will learn my horses to swim!" says someone from afar.

[Elad™ 560]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.