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Sky
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« on: August 07, 2004, 09:08:09 AM » |
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As I mentioned, this is tenative and will mostly likely be altered as the development of the game continues. It will also be added to once I figure out which tribe and clan I will go with. Indeed, my entire background here may be scraped depending on the tribe I choose. Still, this is more or less for me to gather my thoughts, refer to them at a later date, then alter them if necessary.
Also, my story may change based on how medicine is used in the game.
****begin****
I have been asked to come here to tell you my story. To honor those who asked me, I will tell it.
(NOTE: A normal intro in such a fashion would include the tribe and clan...but it is something I haven't decided on at this point)
I was a small boy. I was not very strong but I could run fast and forever. My name was Afraid. I was given that name because I did not like rough games and was afraid of many things. The dark would make me wonder if the white men I have heard about were sneaking up on our village. I did not like to climb trees because being up high would make me afraid. Childhood fears such as these would stay with me for many winters longer than they did with the other boys. Maybe I was afraid because I was small. I don't know.
Even though I was afraid of many things, I still learned what was necessary to become a hunter and a warrior. I was a good hunter by the time I was 15 winters. I would always loose at fighting with the other boys. They were stronger than I was. This made me sad, but my mother would always tell me that my father was a strong man and that I still had time to grow.
My father was killed in a battle to protect our village when I was a baby. We were being raided by (insert tribal enemy here...which I'll figure out once I figure out which tribe I will go with). The men who survived the battle have told me that my father yelled to the other warriors, "Why do you run? Would you want to see your women and children killed?" They said he then turned to face the enemy and said, "I will stand here until they fall or I fall." And they said that is what he did. And he fell, but not before killing 7 of the enemy by himself. Some of the women said it was his sacrifice that made the other warriors fight harder. As a boy, I always wished I could be like my father.
When I was 17 winters, I was growing, but still smaller than the other boys. Many of my friends had earned new names but I was still Afraid. During that summer, 3 of my friends and I had traveled away from the village to hunt and pretend to be great warriors. We made camp one night and sat around the fire talking about the girls back at the village and our dreams for future honors. Some of us put on war paint to try to be like the men. Those were good times.
We fell asleep by the fire that night and I had a vision. I did not know it was a vision at the time. I had woken up only to see that my body still lay by the fire. I was more afraid than I had ever been in my life. The stars were brighter and no longer twinkled. Everything was much clearer. Then I heard a voice say, "Behold!" I turned to see a huge white owl up in a tree. He told me, "You, who are afraid of many things, will become brave!" I did not believe him because I was still afraid after he said that. Then he said, "Your people need you! Your father was a great man and he saved your people. Your time will come. You must be ready."
I woke up the next morning and thought I just had a crazy dream and did not think anymore about it. My friends and I traveled further that day and made a new camp as the sun began to go west. We lit a fire and it began to get dark. We began to talk as we usually do when we needed more wood. I said I would go get some so I did. It was strange to me that the sun was taking so long to set. I could not see the sun so I thought it must be behind some clouds on this evening. I gathered more wood and made my way back to our camp. My friends were still talking when I came back. I laid down the wood and one of my friends, Striker, heard a noise in the woods. "I can't see but I heard something." he said. "Which way?" another asked. Striker pointed towards the north. I looked and saw 4 figures moving ungainly through the trees. "I see them." I said. "They must have seen our fire and are coming here." "What do you see? Where?" my friends asked. "There." I pointed to them. "We don't see anything." they said.
From still far away, I saw one of the figures raise a rifle and fire. The bullet went by Striker's ear and we all dove to the ground. Another shot went overhead and I heard shouting but I did not understand what they were saying. Since we were just boys, we did not have guns like some of the men had.
Though I did not notice it at the time, I was not afraid. Which was odd since I was afraid of so many little things. My friends got up and ran and I stayed on the ground. I was angry. I also remembered how my friends could not see the enemy and I remembered my dream about the white owl. I thought about the owl and quickly put out the fire. Part of me expected it to be dark but another part of me that remembered the dream knew that it would not be. I could see in the dark. The figures were closer. They were like no one I had ever seen before. Their clothing was very different from mine and they had hairy faces. They must be white men, I thought.
While the white men rushed towards our camp making a lot of noise and shouting, they did not hear Striker whisper from far away, "Afraid, we have to run! We are not warriors yet. We cannot fight!" I got up and turned to run then I stopped. I knew the white men could not see me, but I could see them. They each had a rifle. Striker whispered, "What are you doing? We must go!" I drew my knife.
The white men ran into the camp. They did not see me as I moved among them and stabbed them. I heard a noise behind me and knew it was Striker coming to help but I also knew he could not see. The white men were bleeding and were shooting in all directions. One bullet grazed Striker's arm. Finally they died. As they died, my other 2 friends came rushing back to help. Then I spoke, "They are dead." and my friends asked, "Where are they?" I started the fire again and we moved the bodies away. I got all 4 scalps. I offered each of my friends one to take back but they said I had earned them. But they did each take a rifle from each of the white men and whatever else they wanted. We each got a new rifle and bullets and a new knife.
After that, we sat down by the fire again and I told them about my vision and told them not to worry and that I would not let anything happen to them. They believed me because they knew what I could do.
The next morning we changed our plans and began traveling home. We wanted to brag about our experience and also to warn the men. When we got to our village, my friends began shouting and people came out of their homes to see what the noise was about. When Striker mentioned the white owl, a medicine man, One-Eyed Fox, asked me to tell him about my vision. I did and my friends told the rest of the story about how I killed the 4 white men who attacked us. I later learned that they were part of a group that was going west to find the yellow metal that makes white people crazy.
The warriors had a meeting and told us we did a good thing and it was very brave. They said we could keep our new guns because we fought for them. The men gave me a new name that day. I became, and I still am as I talk to you, Fights Alone.
That was about 10 winters ago. As you can see, I am no longer small. I am still fast and I am strong. I do not like to kill, but I will protect my people until my death. I tell you this because you asked it of me.
I have spoken!
****end****
What do you all think? I know it needs more detail but I figured I'd put down what I've had in my head for a while now hehe :). I can always add to it later.
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