We continue the journey of one man struggling to find his place in the world of Gor. This is the story of the Oasis of Nine Wells, a desert area of mystery in intrigue, as written on in the Books of John Norman. The storylines and subject matter are mature in nature.
The fires of the burning Wagon Camp to my back, I led my girls into the plains. The attack had been so sudden, and so complete, that I had little time to do anything except fight my way out of the wagon circle, keeping my girls to my back as I took first one invader, then another, and sent them to their ancestors.
As the camp was lost, my thoughts turned to protecting my family. We kept moving, crossing many strange and dangerous lands. Panthers tried to take us one evening as we camped, but I managed to run them off.
Soon we left the plains and came to the edge of the Tahari desert, a barren wasteland of sand and oppressive heat. I had heard tales of oasis’s scattered through the Tahari; my goal was to reach one before we all died of dehydration and exposure.
My girls began to suffer the effects of the heat, so I built a drag cart out of trees, and slowly began to pull my family across the hot desert sands. The days began to blur, with only the moaning of my girls, and the reddening of my skin, to remind me I was still alive and had a purpose.
The noonday sun was beating down on my back as I looked ever forward. Suddenly on the far horizon I spied a tower rising literally out of the desert. Thinking this another of the many mirages I had seen, I lowered my head and continued to pull the cart. Looking up a second time, the tower was now taller, and a wall began to jut out from it in both directions. Unable to believe my eyes, I hefted the cart poles in my hands and began to pull with renewed vigor toward the growing city in the distance.
Knowing I had little time to save my dehydrated unconscious slaves, I summoned every ounce of my remaining energy toward reaching the city walls. It was definitely not a mirage; it was very large and ominous looking, a formidable fortress. I could only hope the natives would take compassion on my girls before I lost them.
Arriving finally at the wall, I lowered the cart with its motionless cargo, and stumbled to the gate. Raising the large brass knocker, I drive it down 3 times to summon the gate guard. Hearing no activity I repeated the action. Nothing. “ON THE GATE!” I shouted.
I had exhausted my strength. After coming so far, to fail at the very point of redemption seemed so pointless. I dropped to my knees, unable to continue. I turned back to gaze on the cart with my two girls lying on it. Surely they were already dead. I was soon to join them.
My head was spinning. I could not take one more breath in this searing desert. I fell forward on my face, my mouth filling with sand as it hit the ground. This was truly the end.
The wind was blowing across my body, rustling my hair. Sounds were echoing as if in a dream. I heard voices, specters of my ancestors calling me no doubt. The sounds of wood crackling under great weight was actually soothing in my last moments.
Then I heard sandled footsteps crunching the sand as they approached where I was laying. Summoning my last energy, I raised my head to find I was staring at a pair of legs. Convinced I was witnessing my final mirage, I rolled over on my back to stare at the body attached to this pair of legs.
The sun blinded me, and I pulled my hands up to cover my face. The figure stepped in front of me to block the sun. I slowly opened my eyes, fighting to stay awake and focus. The shadowed figure began to chuckle slightly. “See to his girls. Take them to the Infirmary at once. If they die you will pay the price for it” he said to others standing behind him. “Yes, Vizier, at once” one responded and quickly raced off to see to the two bodies on the cart.
The figure kneeled down closer to me, still blocking the sun from my face. He lowered a bota of water to me, holding it as I began to drink. “Slowly, not too much” he said, pulling it back. I nodded slowly and lowered my head to the sand.
The figure was coming into focus as my head began to clear slightly. Long, flowing blonde hair like my own, adorned in jewels and a desert outfit. “You are a hard man to kill, my friend” he said still chuckling. “So I am very glad you are as stubborn as a kailla when it comes to losing a battle.”
That voice. I knew that voice. From my past. Vizier, they called him. Could it be? The man who saved my First Girl Emerald from the hands of an abductor?
My voice was little more than a rasp. “Angel?” I hissed out. The man nodded. “The very same. Old as you, and nearly as hard to kill. Welcome to Nine Wells Oasis, Doc. When you have rested, we have much to discuss. But for now, Welcome Home.”
Coming Soon: The Keys to The City
The Oasis of Nine Wells is recruiting now for all roles, all castes. Come join this immersive desert Gor roleplay experience. Contact Doc Grun or Sonya Sporg inworld for more information on Nine Wells, or take the attached landmark and see the beauty of Nine Wells for yourself.
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