Hero Wars
Issaries, Inc. |
Document III. The Guidebook of Gnashk OnelegAlthough trolls, as accursed and benighted beings of darkness, are rarely respectable sources of information, the cult of Argan Argar is to a certain extent known for fair dealings and sensible behavior. Argan Argar seems particularly placid and trustworthy when compared with other troll religions. With this point in mind, I carefully analyzed one troll document that pertained to the subject of Skyfall Lake. This was the so-called Guidebook of Argan Argar priest Gnashk Oneleg.This troll fisherman/priest lived in the Skyfall Lake area during a period of increased interest in the lake on the part of foreigners. He produced a short and rambling document which his temple later sold under the title "Oneleg's Guidebook to Skyfall Lake" to visiting merchants, fishing groups, transients, and other humans in the area. While the guidebook itself was not a great success, certain material is worthy of your perusal. Please excuse the trollish nature of this material, my lord, in the understanding that all of relevance to your request was examined. As usual, I have not edited or modified the material in the following excerpts. Note that the translation from Darktongue into Sartarite, done many years ago by trolls, was imperfect at best. Such inaccuracy is typical of heathen trolls and is not worthy of further discussion. Excerpt 1 (lines 110-131):Commentary by Requiat: An excerpt from a discussion of the island that is often visible in the north part of the lake, in which Oneleg describes his first trip to that mysterious place. The island seems quite hazardous, and I include this passage as the best example of the material available on the subject:...You bet, no sir, I never since went back to the island without a whole boat of big guys to back me up and float-skins off of bears or giants. Those storms up by the mountains [note: the northern part of the lake] are real nasty and you will surely do much better not to push your luck up there. Swamp is full of surprise tricks also. No swamp or island for safety is what we who are wise say to smaller ones. But the big baskets with lobster locks worked out real good and I think everyone soon use that idea week next. Caught more frogs did we in one night than we caught the whole week before. Always you make sure frogs are not spuffy [note: chaotic] before eating. Your choice is final arbitration as to far north part of lake: fishing is sure good, but two broken boats in two weeks is no good. In closing subject of island, we wish to say twice that often some guys go onto island, then island gone until flying fish start to jump high [note: an unclear reference to a trollish method of time measurement], after which island come back but friends are gone for good... [TGS 86]. Excerpt 2 (lines 353-378):Commentary by Requiat: In one section of his guidebook Oneleg derides a group of thrill seeking humans, some apparently sages, who go off to the lake after big game, with him as the guide. Note the choice to head north once he gains a dislike for his customers. The strange creature described as a "half-bird" of large size may also be of interest to your lordship, considering the many references to such a being in legend and rumor (especially those of the barbarous southern land of Kethaela)....But after they offer me the second pile of bolgs I decided it was fine whatever these boys wanted, so long as they are not too good fighters. Maybe they mostly fall off my boat when out of sight of the Grog Shop, I think, so after taking a sniff or so at the wind and a little prayer or two, I head the boat straight out to the mountains, looking for trouble. But this guy who has big ideas about catching stuff, he is a most unpleasant mosquito. When we catch that big half-bird, he makes up all sort of reasons why we trolls do not get to eat the fellow. After buddy Ozzgo pitches some of his cow boards into the lake he becomes less pestilent [note: "cow boards" is apparently a translation of a troll word for leather-bound books] and we have great feast with much rakhsh to talk about for weeks thereafter [note: "rakhsh" is a local troll word, untranslatable, having to do with the experiences involved in the ingestion of food. Both pleasure and certain other odd concepts are involved]. Fast-talking guy is much pleased to get half-head from bird, which we offer since we feel so sorry for him after great meal. Too bad Ozzgo has taken out funny half-brain and heart first, but that is what humans call the hard luck for fellow... [TGS 93] |
