City of IF

[Key]

You breathe in deep. The air is clean, so unlike the metallic, sweaty stench of the mines. Here it smells like the open sky, like freedom.

You throw your head back and laugh, and your whole body shakes with release. There's no one to beat you now, no one to punish you for talking back, or holding your head high, or for daring to look up at the Earth. You look at it now, a beautiful ball of white and blue hanging in the sky like a light. It's been a long time since it first spoke to you, and promised you this day, but you haven't forgotten.

You were twelve years old, a smallish freak of a house-slave whose only apparent blessings were a mother who doted on you, and an owner whose interest in racial comparison had made him decide to keep a deformed slave baby, rather than throw you in the dungheap as most others would have done.

Your owner's name was Beligus. Like most of the slave owners in Kria, he was a Bullroar, a two-legged creature with the head and hooves of a bull. Some say that hundreds of years ago, the sheepheads ruled themselves, and had their own King who answered only to the Emperor. But for as long as you've ever known, the Bullroars have ruled Kria, and the sheepheads have been their slaves. Your people work the land, and fish the sea, and mine the mountains, while the Bullroars give orders and drink wine.

Your people. But are they your people? Sheepheads are two-legged with the head of a horned sheep. But though you have two arms and legs and you were born of a sheephead mother, your head is small with no horns, more like the head of a centaur or one of the merfolk who live in the Great Sea. Your mother told you that for a time Beligus believed that she had secretly lain with a centaur or a merman to make you, and so he had beaten her to make her confess this crime. But from the start she had told him the truth: that your father was a sheephead slave like her, though he had been sold away before you were born. She didn't know why you looked the way you did, but you were always a sheephead to her.

But Beligus's doubt and interest made him keep you, and raise you as a house-slave rather than in the more dangerous fields or on the boats of his fishery. You were a valuable item in his collection of racial specimens. He already owned skeletons of seven of the twelve Makerite races, and he'd bought dragon scales and the wizened head of a hobgoblin from a trader who'd ventured to the Wild Lands. But you were his only living oddity, a creature like no other he'd heard of, and - even better! - you'd been born right on his property. That was well worth the cost feeding you.

He called you Lodevar, which means "small cripple" in the old Imperial language. And for your first 12 years, he took a personal interest in your upbringing, measuring your height and weight every few months and continually showing you off to his friends and other amateur scientists, who poked and prodded you and were suitably impressed by your strange physique. There were benefits to your position as a curiosity, such as a better diet and an easier workload than most slaves, but you hated it nonetheless. And you hated Beligus. You were sullen and uncooperative during your master's examinations, and given to angry outbursts and "back-talking" when provoked.

Your mother, who loved you more than anything, begged you to be quiet and obedient for your own safety's sake. And Beligus had his overseer try to beat sense into you many times. He even threatened to send you to the fields. None of that affected you. But in the end, Beligus's pride of ownership got the better of his anger, and he kept you in the house despite your attitude.

Until you were twelve.

That year Beligus invited someone special to see you. Unlike most of your examiners, who were Beligus's friends or business associates from nearby, this was a visiting scholar, a knowledgeable scientist from one of the "Inner Cities" close to the center of the Wheel. The scientist was an old Bullroar, tall and thin and somewhat stooped. Beligus proudly showed you off as usual, and the scientist's bull's eyes widened when he saw you. After only the most cursory inspection, he took Beligus quickly aside to a private hall. When they emerged an hour later, Beligus was red-faced and shaking, as though he were afraid of something. The scientist left and you never knew what he had told Beligus. But whatever it was changed everything. Beligus jerked a thick thumb at you and growled to the overseer, "Get him out of here. He's a field slave now."

He never spoke to you again. Without a word of explanation, you were dragged out of the house and thrown into the coarse and brutal life of a field slave. You worked the fields twelve hours a day and ate from a common bucket of slop like an animal. The overseers beat you with a leather strap whenever your pace slowed or you showed a hint of "attitude." You saw your mother only once a week. A year later she was sent to the fishery and you never saw her again.

The field overseers were especially hard on you. You never knew why. The other slaves held you in half-fear and and half-awe because of it; one of them swore that he overheard an overseer saying they'd been ordered to work you to death. That never made sense to you: if Beligus had wanted you dead, he could've just killed you. But there was no doubt that they beat you more and worked you harder than the others.

But they never broke you. You'd always had a strong body despite your size, and the work made you stronger. It made your hate stronger, too. You hated the overseers, Beligus, the rest of the Bullroars, and all the other races of the Twelve Kingdoms who came to Kria to buy and sell your people. You hated some of your own people, too - the weak ones: the ones who sickened easily or who were too eager to please or who betrayed you to gain favor with the Bullroars. You respected and loved the strong ones, both rams and ewes, and they respected you, too, and accepted you as their brother despite your strange form.

Together you dreamed of freedom. It was impossible, of course, with the overseers guarding you, and the dogs to hunt you down, and none of you ever shown a map or given a chance to learn about the world outside the farm. But even so, there were always rumors: tales of the Wild Lands, where the dragons lived and there were no laws, and of the Kingdom of Sinharia, where slaves could be free after seven years of work, and of other lands there were no Bullroars, and sheepheads could roam free. And so together you dreamed of escape, and you promised each other that if any of you ever made it out and had the means, that he would return to the farm and buy the freedom of the others.

It was after one of those nights, with the tales of freedom still in your head, that you felt the Earth speak to you. They said the Earth was the home of the Makers, the gods who created the Wheel long ago. You never had much use for religion; you always thought it was just another way to keep the sheepheads in line. But that night you snuck outside into the field and looked up at the stars and the Earth, beatiful and always changing. And you felt it say something to you. It promised that one day, you would be free.

It was three years later, when you were fifteen, that you first tried to make that a reality. In the dead of night you snuck out of the slave-house and ran past the fence marking the edge of Beligus's property, your heart bursting with excitement and fear and longing to be free. You got lost quickly, of course, and lasted only two days hiding out by the roadside before the police and dogs caught up with you and dragged you back to the farm. After a week of beatings, you were sold off and never saw the farm again.

Your new owner was a Bullroar merchant company. They owned a fleet of ships that sailed the Great Sea to the Islands of Mist, the Goatfoot Forest, and the Inner Cities of Kria. At first you were filled with hope, because you thought that so much travel might give you a chance to escape. But the life of a galley slave was even more of a jail than working the fields. Though your ship sailed thousands of miles on the open sea, you spent your time locked in a dark hold, chained at the ankles while you and the other slaves rowed the ship under the whips of the overseers. Food and water were scarce, and many slaves sickened and died, and spent the night rotting in the hold before the overseers threw them overboard the next day.

But even in the galleys some slaves were strong, and hated the Bullroars and dreamed of freedom as you did. Together you shared what you knew, and when you were nineteen, after four years in the galley, they helped you make your second escape attempt, from the dock in a city of Mistfolk. Again you were quickly caught, and beaten nearly to death, and finally, your reputation as a troublemaker now fixed, you were sold to the place that all slaves feared, the one place worse than the galleys: the mines.

No one lasted long at the mines. If you didn't fall down a shaft, get crushed under a load of ore, or suffocate from the constant iron dust, one day or another you'd fail to make your quota. All the slaves went down the shaft at the beginning of the day, and when you came out at the end, you had to have a certain weight of ore set by the overseers. If you failed, you'd be beaten, and if you failed too many times, you'd be killed. Most slaves made their quotas at first, but as the dust got to them, they failed and failed, and then one day they were killed.

You'd been at the mines two months when you failed the first time. Jungalor, a beefy overseer with a red scar running down the side of his bull's head, weighed your ore out. He stood up, towered over you, and smiled nastily. "You're short, Lodevar. Turn around." He began unwinding the heavy leather whip from his belt.

The sheepheads around you were dull and glassy-eyed. They'd seen this before: he would beat you until your back bled and you could hardly walk, and then you'd be expected to make up the quota the next day. And that had been what you'd thought too. But when you looked up at that grinning bull's head, something in you shifted. You said, "No."

Jungalor blinked in surprise. But then he smiled wider. The punishment for refusing a beating was death. He reached back his massive fist for a blow that would have sent you sprawling.

It never landed. You leapt at him and grabbed hold of his horns. Then you dropped into a crouch and pulled him downward, bringing him to his knees, his massive head still in your hands. He looked up at you in disbelief. You gave a sudden twist, snapping his neck, and he crumpled to the ground, dead.

For a moment the other overseers stood motionless, stunned. Then all six of them sprang into action, unloosening their battle-axes and coming at you.

You would have been cut to pieces. But a miracle happened: your fellow slaves, who had been so dull and obedient, rose up as one. The entire mining company, thirty-two sheepheads, swarmed over the Bullroars. The Bullroars were armed and armored, but they were quickly overwhelmed. The sheepheads surrounded them, took them from behind, and tore them apart with their bare hands. You and the other slaves looked at each other, amazement in your eyes. You were free.

That was two hours ago. Since then you came out of the mines and began to celebrate. The other slaves started opening the supplies, while you slipped away up the mountain path, to thank the Earth for your blessing and to think.

"Lodevar?"

A familiar voice interrupts your thoughts. Haman has found you. Haman is a fellow former slave, a big sheephead, a foot taller and fifteen years older than you, with a wide face and deep eyes. He's strong both physically and mentally, and he has always treated you with friendship. You sense something more in his voice tonight, a new sense of respect or even awe.

"Lodevar, they'll come tomorrow."

"I know." When your Bullroar overseers don't arrive at Iron Town tomorrow morning, the town will send soldiers. And if those don't return, they'll send more. Up to a full division - thousands of crack Bullroar troops, with horses, crossbows, battle-axes, kept in Iron Town just to put down slave revolts. Just to make sure that nothing interrupts the flow of ore.

"What are our brothers doing?" you ask, still gazing at the Earth.

"They've opened the stores. Some of them are drinking," he says with distaste. Haman knows what's right, you think. You can count on him.

"What do we have?"

"Enough food to last for a few weeks, if we conserve it. Four horses, some pack donkeys, weapons for maybe half of us. A few coins. Lots of ore, of course."

You turn to face Haman. "What do you think we should do?"

"Split up," he says immediately. "Harder to track that way. Some might make it to the coast and catch a ship, or go Inward to the Inner Cities, or even outwards to the Wild Lands, if we think we could survive there. If we're lucky, they'd only catch half of us. Not bad odds."

"What if we stay here?"

"Maybe we could hide in the mines or somewhere on the mountain. But how would we eat? And what's the point? They'd find us eventually."

"What if we stay here and don't hide?"

Fear and disbelief crosses Haman's face. "You're talking about a rebellion."

"What do you think, Haman?"

Haman swallows hard and pauses. "I- two hours ago I would've said you were crazy, but two hours ago I was sure I was going to die in those mines. What you did - I don't know what came over me or any of us, but you freed us all, Lodevar. There's not a sheephead down there who wouldn't walk into a dragon's mouth if you told him to, me included. You just tell us what to do, and we'll do it."

What do you do?

Read the posts below, and click "Post Reply" to post a suggestion for the Lodevar’s next action. Anyone is welcome to post. You can suggest what he would do based on his personality, what you think he should do based on what would be best, or just in general what seems like a good idea to you. Feel free to comment on other’s suggestions, but please be courteous.

You're also welcome to ask questions about Lodevar's background or about the world of the Wheel.

[Araex]

stay here and defend the mine from attackers. they can only get a few people at a time thru the entrance, so you can take them one on one. also, make lots and lots of traps, such as pungee pits and deadfalls. that way we can take out a lot of bullroars without going near. also, we could set up mebbe "hauntings", ie dressing sum people up as ghosts, to scare the bullroars away if possible. they appear to me to be the kind of people who might be susceptible to that kind of attack

[Guest]

I agree that staying in the small mine entrance would be wise to take them on one by one....but is there a back door? as is typical of mines? anyways if so then the bullroars can get them in a suprise attack from behind.....

[my self]

They should try to rebel against the Bullroars. You know it spreads around and soon others start rebelling.

[Ravenwing]

Rebellion!!! I agree with everyone else. There should be no turning back. He started a small uproar, well he should finish it til the end.

Great story idea. When I first saw the Minotour, I thought the story would be based off of Theseus and the Minotour. I like how you have two different human/animals rebelling against each other. They're similar in some ways, but in all are different. I wonder what the scientist told the Lodevar's master. You have put us all into suspense.

[Guest]

Do they really have a choice but to rebel now? actually the bullroar are gonna hear of this and well, they are going to come wanting revenge and death so in a way a full blown rebellion is inevitable

[Mother Goose]

Rebellion, yes! But they can't hope to defeat the troops the Bullroars will send to this mine; the able slaves are only a few, and poorly armed. They must spread the word to the other mines in the area. Try to get to them while there are still only a few overseers at each one, and recruit the able-bodied at each site.

How to find the other mines? Maybe there are lists and maps in the overseers' quarters and they can split up, attacking several at once.

They should hide the weaker slaves in the forest, leaving the original site of the rebellion empty.

[zein]

The Bullroars will probably not send a large party, just a few to check up on things! it should be easy for the Sheepheads to take care of them and will give you a few more days to think what you are going to do. You now need to do two things:
1. assume leadership:
The Sheepheads will drink themselves silly if you let them. you need to take firm command shape them up into an army. They are allready strong from mine work so they should be like ex army or something ;) you will need to assign Haman as you second in command as he will be closer to the other ex-slavesand will know how to deal with them. They will follow his lead. if he follows you the it must be all right.
2. one of the Sheepheads is stealthy and has a realtive in the city whom he can contact and gather Sheepheads to you!

the back door is cool, but for you not the Bullroars. Only local miners/overseers will know stuff like that so you can use it to escape if things get too hot!

[Ravenwing]

zein wrote: The Bullroars will probably not send a large party, just a few to check up on things! it should be easy for the Sheepheads to take care of them and will give you a few more days to think what you are going to do. You now need to do two things:....


Sorry if not all the message is shown, but I only needed to first part. Just to make a point. Wouldn't the Bullroars find it suspicious to not have parties of men coming back? I mean, I know I would find it weird to have no one return when I send groups out. And then I would send bigger groups to deal with whatever strange is going on. And soon you would hope that there would be some quantity of men that could defeat whatever keeps killing the teams. Sorry if I am just stating the obvious, but I am trying to be frank here.

[Azeo]

To split the slaves up and have them flee in two differant directions means they will all or most of them be caught and killed, so you might as well die fighting.

I would see the need to build up a defence and adding to the forces. If there is another mine close enough then mabe a team could head that direction and free those slaves before the night is up.

The slaves will need to increase their numbers fast and if you wait too long to do it then it gives the other mines time to increase their defences, which they would do as soon as they knew there was a rebellion. Of course if there isnt any mines then you might have to discuss finding slaves from anywhere possible.

Assuming leadership is a must but it may be wise to appoint two trustworthy individuals to help with that task.

Thats my two cents 8)

[Vamp]

Ravenwing wrote: zein wrote: The Bullroars will probably not send a large party, just a few to check up on things! it should be easy for the Sheepheads to take care of them and will give you a few more days to think what you are going to do. You now need to do two things:....


Sorry if not all the message is shown, but I only needed to first part. Just to make a point. Wouldn't the Bullroars find it suspicious to not have parties of men coming back? I mean, I know I would find it weird to have no one return when I send groups out. And then I would send bigger groups to deal with whatever strange is going on. And soon you would hope that there would be some quantity of men that could defeat whatever keeps killing the teams. Sorry if I am just stating the obvious, but I am trying to be frank here.

What he meant was that at first they would only senda small party....
but i agree with rebellion... traps and plenty of them...... pitfalls huge rolling rocks...... trap the bullroars in caverns and block the entrance with huge boulders...... :twisted: if things get too bad for the sheepheads then use the backdoor and make a retreat....... fight with the weapons, throw rocks, everything... make the mines a deathtrap for those who dont know the way around!!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[Nicole_Riddle]

It's a really good story. Keep it up!

[Nicole_Riddle]

Well, bye! :wink:

[Ravenwing]

Vamp wrote: Ravenwing wrote: zein wrote: The Bullroars will probably not send a large party, just a few to check up on things! it should be easy for the Sheepheads to take care of them and will give you a few more days to think what you are going to do. You now need to do two things:....


Sorry if not all the message is shown, but I only needed to first part. Just to make a point. Wouldn't the Bullroars find it suspicious to not have parties of men coming back? I mean, I know I would find it weird to have no one return when I send groups out. And then I would send bigger groups to deal with whatever strange is going on. And soon you would hope that there would be some quantity of men that could defeat whatever keeps killing the teams. Sorry if I am just stating the obvious, but I am trying to be frank here.

What he meant was that at first they would only senda small party....
but i agree with rebellion... traps and plenty of them...... pitfalls huge rolling rocks...... trap the bullroars in caverns and block the entrance with huge boulders...... :twisted: if things get too bad for the sheepheads then use the backdoor and make a retreat....... fight with the weapons, throw rocks, everything... make the mines a deathtrap for those who dont know the way around!!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


Thanks for clearing that up! I agree with you and everyone else. Rebellion is the key for now. But nothing big, just some guerrilla warfare techniques. Traps, and stuff.

[Vamp]

no problem raven... :D Also, are there free tribes (herds) of sheepheads out there? if so they could join one. (just an idea)

[Key]

Thanks to everyone for the great postings so far. It looks like there's general agreement on rebellion; the possible choices so far seem to be:

1) Hide out in the mines, using traps, false "hauntings", and other defenses to keep the Bullroars out

2) Split up and go to the other mines, trying to free the other slaves to join your cause

3) Prepare to ambush the force that the Bullroars will send to investigate

The voting choice will be posted this weekend, so if you have some ideas that aren't covered here, post them soon!

Also, to answer Vamp's question, you've heard rumors that there are free sheepheads outside of Kria (the main sheephead kingdom), but you don't know if they're true.

[Vamp]

oh. i see. thx :D :D :D

[LucereFlame]

Cant he try to Collapse the Entrance to the mine So nobody would be Able to Enter it.. and then from there if their is no Back Entrance they could Start Makeing an Exit.

[Vamp]

If the sheepheads are generally weaker in strength to the bullroars.... The bullroars will just mine through the rock.... or get more sheephead slaves to do it....and we have no way of knowing how long it would take to mine an exit... :( :? :( Also.... Does the ore in that world have any special powers?

[LucereFlame]

Hmm Good point.... And Also is it Ever possible that They Can Flea fromt he mines. or Go To a Deep End of the min To hide them out?

[Chrono]

hey I'm new here so can some one help me :?: please

[my self]

Hello I will help, just go here. http://www.interfable.net/faq.html

[Key]

Vamp wrote: Also.... Does the ore in that world have any special powers?

The ore is ordinary iron ore. There is nothing magical about it, but with enough heat it could be smelted and cast into weapons. The Bullroars do this in Iron Town.

[Vamp]

Hmmm Iron... Big chunks of iron.... At high speeds flying through the air that would hurt :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: ....i guess there is another weapon :D :D :D

[Ravenwing]

[quote="keavney"]Thanks to everyone for the great postings so far. It looks like there's general agreement on rebellion; the possible choices so far seem to be:

1) Hide out in the mines, using traps, false "hauntings", and other defenses to keep the Bullroars out

2) Split up and go to the other mines, trying to free the other slaves to join your cause

3) Prepare to ambush the force that the Bullroars will send to investigate

[color=violet]Is there a possibility you could put them all together? I mean if you put them in this order:

1) Split up and go to other mines, to try and free other slaves to join you cause.

2) Bring all the Sheepheads together where they would lie traps, false "hauntings" and other devices.

3) Then at the same time prepare to ambush the forces that the Bullroars send to investigate.

Its just an idea that came up because it seems that they all can be tied together.

[Ravenwing]

Vamp wrote: Hmmm Iron... Big chunks of iron.... At high speeds flying through the air that would hurt :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: ....i guess there is another weapon :D :D :D

Aren't you thinking. I am guessing your thinking of just using them as flying projectiles, huh. Its a good idea, I wonder if they can somehow use pieces of cloth or something to make a sling? Or maybe a catapult? That would be even better. :wink:

[Vamp]

im always thinking, it's my curse :P :P :P anyways if there are bodies from slaves that didnt meet their quota, then the bodies might have clothes to use as slings, but i dont think a catapult would fit in the mines..... and besides, catapults are only useful in attacking fortresses and such as they arent very accurate... :wink: :wink: :wink: but if you really wanted to make one im sure the ore weighing mechine could be rigged up as a catapult. :twisted:

[Guest]

Good point about using the clothes as slings. Yeah, your right on that of catapults being too big for a mine, and more for real siege warfare. I think I was thinking along the lines of the small toy ones, little boys like to play with.

[Vamp]

guest, are u ravenclaw and didnt login?

[LucereFlame]

First i would like to Ask what Resources they have at Hand Because if they dont have inuff Resources they might not be able to set Traps Except for a few pits. Also if the Sheep heads were to Revult Against them arnt they Weaker then the bulls. But i do think the Whole Sling thing might work.. and Perhaps as a plan they can lure the bulls into one room and Ambush them there from all sides.

[Kujal]

The rams may be stronger but they are also bulky in size. So if the sheep heads are smaller, they may have the added advantage of speed. Also they really should send the ones that cant fight well to other mines to get more sheap heads that can fight.

[Samhain]

The slaves should lie in wait for the next patrol hiding in costumes fashioned from the hollowed out heads of the bullroars.Some could pose as slaves, some as their keepers.When the next patrol arrives spring the trap and capture the bullroars forcing them to mine.This will allow for the continuing production of ore and besides the missing men give the locals the illusion nothing is wrong.Of course they would eventually send more troops but not before we could head to the countryside with a small group of slaves gathering followers among the sheephead community.Eventually we could build a great enough army to move into the forest and hold off the bullroar garrison.

[Vamp]

That might not as after a while the heads would decay... AND BE ZOMBIE BULLROARS!!! use the decaying bodies to send your opponents over the edge into the Dark, black abyss of insanity!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: have them drop the bodies on enemies approaching in the mines! Or use the decaying bodies as costumes and scare the :!: outa them :D

[Kujal]

you could let the bodies rot and pick up disesas and then put the bodies near the areas in which the bulls live

[Vamp]

I've heard that in mines poisonous gasses exist. In the old days miners would take a canary with them into new area. The canary is more effected by the small amouts of gasses then we are. so if the canary died then the miners knew that the wrong gas was around...... If at all possible they could catch a bird bottle poison gas the release it all on the bullroars when they came charging.................. :wink: :wink: :wink:

[Araex]

:twisted: very evil idea vamp! :twisted: i like it! :twisted:

[Vamp]

It would work........... So why not use it? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[codylroot]

[quote="Araex"]:twisted: very evil idea vamp! :twisted: i like it! :twisted:[/quote]that is not a game../.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :x

[Vamp]

What??????

[Key]

OK. Thanks again for all the great suggestions. There's a lot of tactical advice for how to attack the Bullroars using ore, poison gas, etc, but I'm going to focus the vote on the broader choice of where to go next.

These choices may be combined, but the vote is for which of these three is the highest priority:

1) Hide out in the mines, using traps, false "hauntings", and other defenses to keep the Bullroars out

2) Split up and go to the other mines, trying to free the other slaves to join your cause

3) Prepare to ambush the force that the Bullroars will send to investigate

To vote, go to the next chapter and make your choice. You can also continue your discussion/suggestions on the next chapter, but it will not affect the voting choices.