Re: Re: Lost Legions

From: John Hughes <nysalor_at_...>
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 17:58:08 +1000


Mention of Rosemary Sutcliffe makes me recall that her young adult novels were what turned me to ancient history and mythology in the first place. Where would I be now if I'd read more Biggles?

Lost legions. Yes, as Nick mentioned, the Far Place had its own Teutenburg Forest.

1607 - 3,000 Lunar infantry killed at Ghost Gors, trapped in forest during Dark Season and harassed by Orlanthi. Regimental Silver Crescents and magic implements disappear.

1608 - Ghost Gors bodies discovered.

1611 - Elmali kinstrife is stirred up by Lunar agitators, leading to Righteous Wind rebellion and rapid rise of Harvar Ironfist.

Related? You can bet ya sweet bippy.

A bit of background...

"She paused then, again taking in the sweep of the land before us, its stark
beauty and indifferent terror. Flicking the braids back from her face, a nervous gesture.

"What in all the seven hells made you want to choose here? Don't you know
what this place is?"

There was an edge to her question, anxiety and a hint of genuine fear. It puzzled me.

"What do you mean? This is the Stone Bow Mountain."

"Down there." She pointed south, to a great bend of water half-hidden
amongst the trees of the lower valley. Perhaps unconsciously, she fingered an amulet that hung about her neck, a green jewel carved in the likeness of Ernalda the Earth Mother.

"They used to call it High River's Prayer, but now it's the Ghost Gors. It
happened in my father's time, before Starbrow's first gathering of the tribes. Three thousand Lunar infantry died down along the river, so the skalds tell. Trapped and picked off in the gors during Dark Season, driven to drown in the gallt. A generation ago, before they learned to fight in high country. There are still bodies and armour aplenty down there, the local tribes say, though none would dare touch it. An evil place."

I realised the source of her anxiety, even if I was unable to share it. I'd heard of the Ghost Gors of course. It was perhaps the only time the local tribes had inflicted substantial loss on the Lunar invaders of their land. But I'd had no idea that this was the place.

She searched my eyes, questioning, surprised. "You truly didn't know this? By all the Sons of Umath! The Lunar clean-up squads left without properly burying the dead. Even Dragonewts avoid the valley now. The silver crescent and the battle horns of the Quarter Come Corps and the Jintori Heartlanders are still missing, and worth a king's horde for their return."

....

Cradledaughter gazed down in silence, feeling the wind-scarred textures of the eternal gors, the drowning gallt. "Down there is where the hatred really started. The Ghost Gors led to the rise of Harvar Ironfist and on to the Righteous Wind and the massacres that followed. The Lunars never ventured into the forests in force again, and they learned the wisdom of hiding behind palisades during Dark and Storm. Now they leave most of the dirty work to Ironfist and his Gargathi."

Listening to her grim litany, it seemed to me that the wind carried distant voices, the clash of bronze on iron. I shivered, pulling the feathered cloak about my shoulders. Cradledaughter felt it too.

"The place is haunted. I could never stay here. Its full of ghosts and
worse."

In closing, I'm a little disconcerted that the cover has been blown on Project X - "Duck Fornicators of Gor-Gor-Ma", while the creative team is still struggling with basic plot developments and anatomical (im)possibilities. Full details must await the time when the stars are right. That time *might* be hastened if someone can provide us with a cheesecake recipe based on sauce l'orange.

John


nysalor_at_...                 John Hughes

I need this like I need another tail.

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