Cowboys From Hell

It was quickly obvious to you that the horses were worth the cost, including the work done to reduce it. Even with their assistanace, it had taken a number of days. Across a warm climate in Sommar heat, you were already uncomfortable, and would have been sweating a greater deal if the journey had been all on foot. It would take some getting used to, to say nothing of wasting the coin spent on the baths when you got off the ship and started this leg of the journey.

More than any of that, you were realizing as you closed the distance, was that you were becoming increasingly eager to arrive and excited at the prospects of what may reside. It had been a distant and vague notion when you left your home, merely something different. For the chance to be with your mother after so long, you'd probably have taken nearly anything. Now that the reality of the what was approaching was becoming clearer with every hour.

You'd come across a hint of what was to come before arriving in town. Crossing through a field of thick grassland, you saw something you hadn't before, but understood the implications immediately: a herd of domesticated cattle. Such a thing was rare in the Baragavian Union, and in much of the neighboring areas. They were large beasts that required more land and food than sheep or the like. From the distance you were at, you couldn't make a realistic guess at the number of head, but it would have been substantial. That in turn suggested to you that it would have been a substantial number of workers to raise and maintain them, relatively speaking.

With the town of Hell Dorado in view, your human companions sped along, with your horses instinctively following behind. Entering the town and seeing it's construction was a bit of a wakeup call. The homes and other buildings here were generally rough around the edges. Not beaten down by weather or anything of that sort, so you thought, but just clear that this was an area trying to do a lot with not a lot of resources. There were also a mismatch of styles of construction, different cultures from around T'sara converging on one location, trying to bring their taste of home with them, to the degree that they could. It also shown through in the people here as well. The Tieflings here all tended to show hints of what their "mother" race originally was, something you hadn't really encountered until now. Beyond that was also a showing of very different aesthetics and styles in the clothing worn here. That most seemed to prefer full attire to the lustful, scant clothing or nudity you saw in the port city was a welcome change of pace.

"Well, I guess this is home now" Gilzra said as she hopped off her horse, you following shortly behind "Really appreciate your help getting us here." She looked at you before looking at Kassem, beaming "This has been a lifelong dream you know, and now we finally get to live it."

"Than I hope you'll forgive us for not sticking around" He replied as he made a gesture towards a non existant hat, as if to salute or genuflect to an authority "We'd best be getting back home ourselves. Linthalia isn't abs big as it seems, and there'll be others coming in behind you, so I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Maybe next time we would be able to convince you to stick around" Gilzra said, clearly flirting "We'd be happy to have you stay and see what life we make here".

He smiled quietly, pleasantly surprised at her insistent nature "I'm sure we'd like that. We'll see what the future brings Gilzra." With short call, he muscled the horse to turn about, with the other two now unburdened obediently following behind him and Sukidon.

"I don't know if I should be surprised at you anymore" You commented as they headed off. "You said that Kharn couldn't be replaced"

"And he can't sweetheart. None of these men could do what Kharn did, either to me or for me. Gods know I'm not trying to replace him. Just trying to have some fun. Besides, it was just empty flirting, nothing will come of it." She smiled as she gave a playful ribbing "Something that you could work on by the way. Seems to me you just run right on past that and go straight to the sex."

You felt slightly embarassed by her words, but was getting more reacquainted with how she is, remembering that there was never any shame or judgement that she carried towards you. Your conversation was cut short as you heard a loud shout, and a gentleman older than your mother approaching. He had tried to adorn himself as a man of wealth and prestige, but the hard life out here seems to have tarnished that look.

"Well, not every day that I get to see new faces here in town, and it's my job to know everyone." He gave a full fledged bow before introducing himself properly "Diali Pelips at your service. Welcome to Hell Dorado, my life's work."

"You built this place?" You asked, feeling silly for again asking self evident questions.

"Well, not me alone, no. I'm not even much of a craftsman, if I'm honest. But, if you forgive a boast, all of this is because of me." He raises his hands and makes a slow, dramatic circle, gesturing towards the buildings of the town center "I'd managed to accrue the initial group to come with me, petition the Crown to allow us to settle here and to recognize it as an incorporated town, and the funding to get started. That last part dried up faster than we'd predicted, as you may be able to tell, but we're making it work."

"This is incredible" You remarked "Having the vision and the commitment to build it, I mean. Most would have given up."

"Oh, you give me too much credit. I'm just an inspired bureacrat. People risked their lives coming here. There's more than a few refugees who've made Hell Dorado home. They had greater vision and commitment than I, risking their lives for a better tomorrow. I'm just fortunate I was able to make a place for them to rest their feet."

"A valid interpretation" Gilzra commented "Now that doesn't sound like the words of a boastful or arrogant man to me."

"Well thank you. Forgive me for getting ahead of myself. Who might you be, and how might you help our community grow?"

"I'm Demetria" You began "And this is my mother Gilzra. We'd actually just recently been reunited after, well, a long time. I'm a Sister of the Phoenician Church, while my mom's been a traveling adventurer for most of her life.

"Well, the good news is we could definitely make good use of both of your skill sets. We haven't anyone with knowledge of the Gods beyond the major holidays in quite some time. The Cowboys watching over our herds do a fair amount of protection for us, but we could always use someone to stay in town and help keep order."

"And the bad news?"

"Being a work in progress, we don't have any spare homes or beds to speak of. We try to share and share alike here, so we'll help get a roof over your heads. It'll require some good old fashioned sweat equity. "

"Well, that's what we signed up for." Gilzra responded with confidence that you didn't quite match. The physical labor and skills you developed as a Sister wouldn't do much good in this regard. You quietly worried that you would hold her back, and anyone else trying to help you get settled.

"Than let me be the first to welcome you both as the newest Citizens of Hell Dorado."