Project #2: Pacific Islands

My second project was on islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Here's the writing section. It is a story of Rhund the Traveler, a character that I created, and it takes place in the world of Validar:

The Sons of Seracaani

In the time of the Empire of Glass, when mirrors walked and walls were alive, Rhund the Traveler searched in vain for the secrets of the First Kings. His search had taken him to every corner of the world, and yet he had found nothing. The last place left to search was the island of Dantis, the Green Tooth in the Sea of the Sky, west of Aldon. Traveling across the sea, Rhund and his companion and mentor, Odwaan, arrived on its shores.

The beaches of Dantis were covered with sand the deep green of emerald, and blue-grey cliffs loomed up out of the dense forest. Odwaan set out in search of supplies as Rhund pulled their small boat onto the sand. As the Traveler watched his friend’s black cloak disappear into the foliage, he leaned against the boat and fell into a deep sleep.

It seemed like only seconds before he awoke to find a moldy orange tentacle wrapped around his neck. He tried to cry out, but the arm grew tighter around his neck, and began to burn with a searing heat. Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Odwaan’s silver claws bit into the fiery arm. It quickly crusted over with frost, and the attacker drew it back into the water.

However, the searchers had no time for rest. A rain of spears, each tipped with a long, pointed shell, plunged into the water where the monster had appeared. Rhund and Odwaan turned to see a group of warriors clad in green from the waist down, with blue-gray straps of scaly hide strapped around their chests, stride onto the beach. They wore helmets made of wood with feathers the same gray as the cliffs, and their chests and faces were painted with blue. Some carried shell-tipped spears, while others brandished wooden carved clubs with large pointed teeth affixed to their perimeter. Their leader, a powerful looking man with wooden armor on his chest and forearms, more teeth attached to the arm guards, sized the two up and then made a beckoning sign with his hand. Then the warriors disappeared into the trees, the travelers following behind.

For several minutes, the group walked between scaly-barked trees, the only sound being the many noisy birds calling to each other. Eventually, the forest thinned and a circle of sheer stone walls appeared. There was no visible entrance, but the islanders strode up to it and unlimbered the straps around their shoulders. Then, holding a strap in each hand, they swung them at the stone. Shockingly, they stuck, allowing the soldiers to climb hand over hand to the top. Pausing at the top, the captain let down a rope ladder for the visitors to climb.

Inside was a large, bustling village full of islanders wearing wraps of the same green material as the warriors. They stopped what they were doing to watch the two strangers as they strode between the wooden buildings. Coming to the center of the village, Rhund and Odwaan stared up at a tall stone spire, with windows and doors carved into the surface.

The captain entered the tower and the companions followed him up a staircase to a room in the top. There waited an old villager, painted completely with blue, his cloak woven with grey feathers and teeth. He gazed at the newcomers with dark eyes as the captain spoke in a strange tongue.

“It is long since we have had visitors,” he said in a surprisingly strong voice. “I hope that you find our home hospitable.”

They assured him that they did, and he smiled. “I am called Sari-Lun. I can see that you have traveled far, so you will find tonight’s feast quite refreshing.” They were led to an empty house, and there waited until the celebration began.

That night, mats of green cloth were laid throughout the village and food was set on them. Everyone turned out for the feasting, and musicians played from the tops of the buildings. There were countless types of fruits, tender meat in dark sauce, and mash of every flavor. Everyone ate their fill, and laughter and shouting filled the night.

When the food was gone, a bonfire was lit before the central tower, and the islanders sat in a ring to watch the singing and dancing. The bonfire grew bright as the night grew dark, and everyone was content. But just as Rhund was able to relax, a cloud covered the village. A sudden, icy rain doused the fire, and Sari-Lun cried out, “They are upon us!”

The crowd rushed into huts and the warriors ran to the wall. Rhund and Odwaan followed, each drawing his weapon. From the stone cliffs, the assembled fighters gazed out at an army emerging from the trees. They were hundreds of fish, moving like snakes across the ground, with grey skin and gaping jaws full of teeth. Starting, Rhund recognized them as Xarmanna, strange fish that the natives had described to him earlier. Then he looked farther and saw five horrifying monsters step out of the forest.

They were taller than a man, with slimy tentacles covering their torso and face. Instead of hands and feet, they had clusters of longer tentacles, and each had five eyes, four small black ones and one large white one. They were dirty orange, acid yellow, sickly green, moldy blue, and murky grey. Each wore a suit of deep black armor, and, hissing, they stalked nearer the wall.

Islanders and visitors alike began to bombard the Xarmanna that were already scaling the walls with ease, Rhund with his vocyll, Odwaan with his bazzik, and the natives with their spears. Promptly, the squid creatures began to fling Xarmanna back at the defenders. Nearing the wall, the blue and green creatures stopped while the other three began to slither up the wall. Rhund paused and reached into his coat to find the Naming Stone he carried, then stared at the green being as the earth began to undulate like waves on the ocean under its “feet”. When its name, Dalga-Serac, was revealed to him, he turned to the blue one, who was hurling blasts of thunder at the walls. Its name was Gulur-Serac.

Suddenly, the cliff rumbled and warriors began to leap down. Rhund followed their lead just as the portion he was standing on collapsed, allowing the Xarmanna to stream in. The islanders drew wooden weapons covered with sharp teeth from their belts and beset the fish. Bracing himself, Rhund ran with Odwaan towards the orange and grey beings, who were tossing the defenders aside as if they weighed nothing. The orange one (Yanq-Serac) turned at their approach and its eyes narrowed.

“You are not belonging,” it said in an oozing, crackling voice. “You are of land.”

It turned to Odwaan and hissed. “You are the one of ice. You burned me.”

The grey creature (Bdul-Serac) changed its expression to imitate a smile. “Our father wants you. You will not burn us again.”

“Who is your father?” Rhund asked, raising his staff in readiness.

Both beings leered. “We are the Sons of Seracaani.” Then they struck.

It was all the Traveler could do to hold back the furious onslaught from Bdul-Serac. It seemed that Odwaan’s claws could not pierce the black armor that Yanq-Serac wore, and he was tiring quickly, dodging the beast’s burning arms. But then Rhund’s teacher stopped. He stood rigid for a second, then dropped to the ground limply. Behind him stood the yellow being (Siqim-Serac), who still had lightning running across his body. Yanq-Serac shrieked in delight, and he and his glowing brother lifted Odwaan and rushed toward the breach.

Seeing this, Rhund shouted and tried to follow, only to be knocked back by one of Bdul-Serac’s grey arms. Then the monster inhaled and breathed a thick blanket of smoke over the village. Rhund attacked with renewed fury, but the lashing whips continued to evade him in the dark fog. Again and again the warrior lashed out with his vocyll, and again and again, Bdul-Serac dodged and struck back.

After several precious minutes of this, Rhund saw his attacker’s brothers entering the trees with Odwaan between them. Seeing this caused him to pause and think of what his teacher would tell him. He thought of Bdul-Serac, a creature who thrived in darkness, and he quickly reached into his coat. Seeing his hesitation, Bdul-Serac leapt out of the smoke, only to reel back as Rhund pulled out an eldursta, blinding him with its light. Rhund then lunged forward and found his mark.

Not waiting to see if his blow had been fatal, he sprinted through the gap and into the jungle. Before long he spotted the Sons of Seracaani slithering ahead. For hours Rhund followed the creatures between drooping trees and across dark streams. When his limbs felt as if they could go no further, Yanq-Serac and Siqim-Serac came to a dark canyon. Rhund slowed and crept in behind them.

The cliff walls were splattered with tarry slime and bones littered the floor. Rhund stepped carefully past weapons and armor, not only from Dantis, but from countless places on Validar’s coast. It was with relief that the hero stepped into the open, but it was not to last. The clearing was surrounded by more cliffs, and in the center lay a large lake. Green mist floated above the water, carrying a dead, rotting odor. Rhund hurriedly hid behind a boulder as the Sons of Seracaani carried Odwaan to the lake shore.

There awaited a large wooden stake driven into the ground. Rhund watched in horror as Siqim-Serac used chains to bind the black-cloaked figure to the pole. Stepping forward, Yanq-Serac let loose a shrill cry over the water, then stepped back with his brother. From the shadows of the cliffs came Dalga-Serac and Gulur-Serac, each with glowing cuts marring their grimy bodies. The four Sons and the two Travelers stared out at the lake, where something was moving.

The center of the lake began to froth. Waves swiftly spread to the shore while thick black serpents rose higher and higher into the misty air. All grew silent except for the bubbling of the water. Then a monstrous form burst out of the lake, drenching the entire clearing with murky water.

It was a deep, dark purple, almost black, and long black tentacles grew from its sides and back, weaving to and fro like giant snakes. More tentacles sprouted from its torso in place of legs, and smaller ones covered its chest and dangled from its face. It had the same face as the Sons, but its fifth eye was covered by yet another cluster of tentacles. It rose up, then crashed back down, its tentacles affixing themselves to the walls of the clearing.

It gazed down at its captive with icy cold eyes. Leaning closer, it hissed, “So you are the clawed one. I presume you found your unique power less potent against my son’s armor. I put certain wards on it that will deflect cold. Unfortunately, it seems that my effort was needless. You certainly won’t be scratching my children any time soon.” He drew still closer. “Now, before your puny life ends, I want you to know who it is who ended it. I find that fear makes my meals that much tastier.” His tentacles began to writhe as if caught in a storm.

In a voice like a storm, the monster spoke.

“I am Seracaani.”

My creative section was a 3-d map of Hawaii, made out of salt dough.

For my memorization section, I memorized the names and locations of the countries in Oceania.