She has her canteen in one hand and dynamite in the other! Yes, I know that in our timeline dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1867 but wouldn't a professional spy/saboteur have good reason to have invented it or something similar a few years earlier? Kennia has her grappling hook at her side and various items attached to her belt, including a gun. She is fearless and ready for action!Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Kennia
She has her canteen in one hand and dynamite in the other! Yes, I know that in our timeline dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1867 but wouldn't a professional spy/saboteur have good reason to have invented it or something similar a few years earlier? Kennia has her grappling hook at her side and various items attached to her belt, including a gun. She is fearless and ready for action!
January's non-story post (wow! only 3 weeks late!)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Good-bye to Ole Toby
While counting out the coin to pay for her purchases Kennia leaned towards Lurleen and whispered, “While I’m here, do you think that you could find a use for that man over there? He’s an unwanted passenger and I would like to be off with him.”
“How on earth did even someone that skinny manage to stowaway on your ship? I thought it was packed plumb full to bustin’” asked Lurleen.
“His name is Ole Toby and he isn’t exactly a stowaway. More like a bit of extra cargo. And he’s makin’ the captain cranky.”
“Well, now, we can’t have that now!” smiled Lurleen. “But what am I goin’ to do with him?”
“Find some chores for him to do. He can run errands or something. He’s real good at sneakin’ about.”
“Humph!” Guess I just can’t resist that now can I? You take care, love, and take care of that captain of yours and your other crew mates. Don’t be a stranger now!”
Lurleen hugged Kennia tightly. “Jus’ send that Toby fella back for more supplies after he takes these to the ship. I’ll set him straight for ya!”
When she returned to the airship Kennia put away the supplies, humming to herself all the while. She thought to herself how glad she was to have even a small bit of additional space in the crowded storage bay. The interior of the Sandflea contained just enough space but no extra. Indeed every item that could do double duty did so and the space was used to its maximum capacity. “Nice to create a bit of order,” she reflected as she shifted about the dry goods. “What a shame that Josie wasn’t about. That lad was already a good hunter at fourteen years of age and would no doubt be even better by the time he became an adult.”
“I hear someone singin’ now.” chuckled Captain Willie. “Got our supplies and such stashed away yet?”
“Everything but one,” Kennia grinned.
“Which one?”
“Our extra passenger. You know, the man who ate up more than his own weight in food. I sent him back to Lurleen and she’s gonna put him to work.”
“He’s gone?” Captain Willie brightened considerably. “Well, that just makes my day! Any juicy gossip in town?”
“Lots,” laughed Kennia, “but not the sort you would be interested in. Been pretty quiet ‘round here from what I hear. Miss Lurleen’s man sits on the local tribal council so he would know if something was in the works.”
“Or the Catawbas are just keeping a lid on it?” asked the captain.
“No, sir, Lurleen and I go back a long ways and she couldn’t hide something from me even if she was to try.”
“If you say so then.”
“Well I do. And while I was shopping, I made sure to buy some of those salt pickles we all like so much!”
Meanwhile, back at the Catawba Trading Post: “Whadda I do now? And I don’t know no one who lives ‘round here,” groused Toby.
Miss Lurleen smiled. “Oh, I got a whole big ole load of wood just waitin’ to be chopped. And with my man and boy out hunting, there’s been a shortage of hands here to do chores.” Her smile widened to a grin.
“How on earth did even someone that skinny manage to stowaway on your ship? I thought it was packed plumb full to bustin’” asked Lurleen.
“His name is Ole Toby and he isn’t exactly a stowaway. More like a bit of extra cargo. And he’s makin’ the captain cranky.”
“Well, now, we can’t have that now!” smiled Lurleen. “But what am I goin’ to do with him?”
“Find some chores for him to do. He can run errands or something. He’s real good at sneakin’ about.”
“Humph!” Guess I just can’t resist that now can I? You take care, love, and take care of that captain of yours and your other crew mates. Don’t be a stranger now!”
Lurleen hugged Kennia tightly. “Jus’ send that Toby fella back for more supplies after he takes these to the ship. I’ll set him straight for ya!”
When she returned to the airship Kennia put away the supplies, humming to herself all the while. She thought to herself how glad she was to have even a small bit of additional space in the crowded storage bay. The interior of the Sandflea contained just enough space but no extra. Indeed every item that could do double duty did so and the space was used to its maximum capacity. “Nice to create a bit of order,” she reflected as she shifted about the dry goods. “What a shame that Josie wasn’t about. That lad was already a good hunter at fourteen years of age and would no doubt be even better by the time he became an adult.”
“I hear someone singin’ now.” chuckled Captain Willie. “Got our supplies and such stashed away yet?”
“Everything but one,” Kennia grinned.
“Which one?”
“Our extra passenger. You know, the man who ate up more than his own weight in food. I sent him back to Lurleen and she’s gonna put him to work.”
“He’s gone?” Captain Willie brightened considerably. “Well, that just makes my day! Any juicy gossip in town?”
“Lots,” laughed Kennia, “but not the sort you would be interested in. Been pretty quiet ‘round here from what I hear. Miss Lurleen’s man sits on the local tribal council so he would know if something was in the works.”
“Or the Catawbas are just keeping a lid on it?” asked the captain.
“No, sir, Lurleen and I go back a long ways and she couldn’t hide something from me even if she was to try.”
“If you say so then.”
“Well I do. And while I was shopping, I made sure to buy some of those salt pickles we all like so much!”
Meanwhile, back at the Catawba Trading Post: “Whadda I do now? And I don’t know no one who lives ‘round here,” groused Toby.
Miss Lurleen smiled. “Oh, I got a whole big ole load of wood just waitin’ to be chopped. And with my man and boy out hunting, there’s been a shortage of hands here to do chores.” Her smile widened to a grin.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A cool, but nearly unreadable map!
This is more how I wanted the map to look, but this version is nearly unreadable in places. But here it is for when you want to look at something nifty!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
At the Catawba Trading Post
Kennia took some empty burlap sacks and went to stock-up on supplies. “Toby, you come along and help me fetch some things. You’ve eaten plenty of our food so now you can do some chores.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” he whined. “I help out plenty.”
“Yeah, you put up an entire tarp in front of the cargo area the other day. Must have been exhausting. Now you have another chance to help-out by helping me. Grab some of those sacks from the pile in the corner and follow me to the Trading Post.”
Lurleen, a frizzy-haired woman of indeterminate age, ran the Catawba Trading Post. She was short and round and wrapped in so many shawls that Kennia was never certain how much was fabric and how much was Lurleen.
“Howdy! Ain’t seen you in a month of sundays! What can I do for you today, honey?”
“Just the usual supplies. Nothing special. How’s your fella and Josie doin’?”
“Just the same as usual, runnin’, playin’, gettin’ into mischief, both of them!”
Kennia laughed.
“Josie and his pa are out on a hunting trip. He’ll be real sorry that he missed his Aunty Kennia.
“Sorry to hear that. Yes, you be sure to tell him hello from me. ‘Fraid we won’t be here very long, just getting some supplies and such. We need monarda, sassafras, ginseng, just a bit of each. And some venison if you have any.”
“‘Fraid not, hon.”
“Have any of your hunting parties noticed anything peculiar goin’ on round here?”
“Like what? I see all kinds of folks all the time. Been fairly quiet lately though.” Lurleen narrowed her eyes. “You expecting trouble?”
“Now you know I can’t talk about that”
“Well then, miss, what on earth makes you think I can talk about my stuff either?” Lurleen pouted as she spoke but she had a sparkle in her eyes at the same time.
“Nobody knows news like you do Miss Lurleen.”
“You sure do know how to flatter a gal, don’t ya? 'Fraid I really don’t have any news for you.”
“Let’s count that as a plus. How about some salt pickles?”
“Got some right here! Good and salty just like you like ‘em.”
"Gotta have me some of those!"
“I don’t know what you mean,” he whined. “I help out plenty.”
“Yeah, you put up an entire tarp in front of the cargo area the other day. Must have been exhausting. Now you have another chance to help-out by helping me. Grab some of those sacks from the pile in the corner and follow me to the Trading Post.”
Lurleen, a frizzy-haired woman of indeterminate age, ran the Catawba Trading Post. She was short and round and wrapped in so many shawls that Kennia was never certain how much was fabric and how much was Lurleen.
“Howdy! Ain’t seen you in a month of sundays! What can I do for you today, honey?”
“Just the usual supplies. Nothing special. How’s your fella and Josie doin’?”
“Just the same as usual, runnin’, playin’, gettin’ into mischief, both of them!”
Kennia laughed.
“Josie and his pa are out on a hunting trip. He’ll be real sorry that he missed his Aunty Kennia.
“Sorry to hear that. Yes, you be sure to tell him hello from me. ‘Fraid we won’t be here very long, just getting some supplies and such. We need monarda, sassafras, ginseng, just a bit of each. And some venison if you have any.”
“‘Fraid not, hon.”
“Have any of your hunting parties noticed anything peculiar goin’ on round here?”
“Like what? I see all kinds of folks all the time. Been fairly quiet lately though.” Lurleen narrowed her eyes. “You expecting trouble?”
“Now you know I can’t talk about that”
“Well then, miss, what on earth makes you think I can talk about my stuff either?” Lurleen pouted as she spoke but she had a sparkle in her eyes at the same time.
“Nobody knows news like you do Miss Lurleen.”
“You sure do know how to flatter a gal, don’t ya? 'Fraid I really don’t have any news for you.”
“Let’s count that as a plus. How about some salt pickles?”
“Got some right here! Good and salty just like you like ‘em.”
"Gotta have me some of those!"
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Colonialism in a nutshell
From Youtube: "A short clip of Atta kul kulla's talk at Fort Dobbs in North Carolina--talking about his trip to England and meeting the King and how the Yamasee War and the taking of native slaves sparked the alliance between the Cherokees and the English until the late 1750s. Robert Rambo presented an engaging and interesting talk which gives a peek into the Cherokee warrior and the home life of Cherokee natives."
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
A MAP!!!
Major towns are RED
Indian Nations are BROWN
Rivers are BLUE
Geographical Regions are GREEN
The rivers look different here than on a modern map because this story takes place approximately 80-90 years before the rivers were dammed for hydroelectric plants. Those large lakes you can see on modern maps are artificial in other words.
I've tried to strike a balance between "vintage" looking and readability. Please, if you have trouble reading this, email me (arkiv2001 at gmail.com) and I'll upload a cleaner version!
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