Tales from the Bog!

[MDLambert]

Detour

On a gilded stagecoach adorned with intricate designs and plush upholstery, four passengers and a driver embarked on a journey along a dirt road. The stagecoach was drawn by two robust horses, their powerful muscles propelling the vehicle forward with grace and strength. The terrain around the coach was an eerie, sandy swamp land, a desolate landscape punctuated by dead trees and scant vegetation. It was an otherworldly setting that seemed to hold its own secrets.

This was no ordinary coach; it was the royal carriage of Queen Helen, a woman of remarkable beauty with fair skin and flowing shoulder-length blonde hair. Her presence was regal, and her aura commanded attention. Accompanying her was Raya, her personal servant girl, whose dark hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Raya's attire was far beyond the standard, wearing a finely crafted house dress that spoke of her importance.

Lady Elaina, the queen's personal bodyguard, was a muscular and formidable figure. Her short brown hair framed a strong, determined face, and her platemail armor shimmered in the dim light. A guardian of unparalleled loyalty, Lady Elaina was ready to defend her queen at any cost.

Completing the quartet was Princess Veronica, the queen's daughter, a mirror image of her mother's beauty and grace. Her golden and red royal armor adorned her like a symbol of her lineage. The journey they were on marked their return from diplomatic negotiations with a neighboring kingdom. Inside the carriage, the women engaged in conversation, sharing stories and partaking of delectable dishes prepared by the queen's skilled chef.

A nameless cog in the kingdom, the driver of the coach was a woman with long, sun-kissed brownish-blonde hair. She sat perched atop the carriage, guiding the horses with a steady hand. Her leather armor was weathered from her many travels, and the sun had bronzed her skin.

Suddenly, the tranquility of their journey shattered. The horses were spooked by an unseen force, causing the driver to lose control. The stagecoach careened off the road, its wheels grinding against the hard sands. Amid the chaos, Raya's instincts kicked in, and she clung to Princess Veronica's arm. Lady Elaina swiftly maneuvered, sliding down the bench seat to secure the queen and keep her steady.

The upheaval was as abrupt as it was fierce. The horses broke free from their reins, and the front of the carriage crashed into a vast expanse of muddy quicksand. The impact flipped the carriage over, leaving it partially submerged in the treacherous bog. The driver was thrown from her seat, unconscious and sprawled on the far edge of the bog.

Inside the carriage, the four occupants were tossed and jostled, their world turned upside down. As the sand and dust settled, Lady Elaina rose to her feet, though a sharp pain shot through her right arm. She winced, taking a deep breath. Her arm was broken in several places, rendering it useless. The others were not spared either; bumps, bruises, and a few cuts adorned them as they slowly regained their senses.

The carriage, now trapped in the unforgiving embrace of the quicksand, was sinking steadily. The weight of the women and the carriage's cargo hastened its descent. Recognizing the urgency, Lady Elaina took command, ordering the women to evacuate the carriage. With doors jammed shut, Princess Veronica climbed out of the nearest window, hauling herself onto the underside of the carriage. From there, she reached down and pulled her mother, Queen Helen, to safety beside her, just above the encroaching sands.

In the midst of panic, Raya found herself immobilized, but Lady Elaina's firm grasp snapped her back to reality. Inside the carriage, the tide of quicksand was rising rapidly. Elaina propelled Raya out of a window, where helping hands awaited her, pulling her to safety. Elaina herself emerged from the opposite side, perching on the carriage's surface. She noticed the driver, lying motionless at the edge of the quicksand.

Helen, visibly shaken, asked Elaina for an explanation of the events. Elaina pieced together the scenario: something had spooked the horses, causing the driver to lose control. However, Elaina's pragmatic mind recognized that larger concerns loomed. The quicksand's relentless advance threatened to consume the carriage, leaving them no choice but to leap toward the bog's edge for a chance at escape.

With unwavering determination, Princess Veronica sprinted and leaped, her landing impressive but not sufficient to evade the quicksand's grasp. She plunged up to her waist, her strength tested by the mire's hold.

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Following suit, Queen Helen jumped, falling a few feet short of Veronica's position. The distance between them left them agonizingly out of arm's reach from each other.

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In this dire moment, Elaina took ahold of Raya's arm and propelled her forward, giving her jump the extra momentum needed. Raya landed closer to the bog's edge, though still distant from the others.

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Time was slipping away, and the inevitability of the situation loomed. Elaina's resolve was unbreakable, and despite her broken arm, she summoned the strength to jump. However, her landing merely brought her a few feet from the carriage. The weight of her armor and her injured arm conspired against her, and she found herself sinking up to her chest, the pain causing her vision to blur.

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Veronica and Helen struggled to bridge the gap between them, their desperation palpable. Then, Elaina's voice, now calm and commanding, instructed them to halt their attempts. There was a bigger hurdle to overcome: the driver.

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It was uncertain if she was alive or unconscious. Miraculously, her chest rose as she inhaled deeply, regaining consciousness and wiping sand and grime from her face.

Elaina's voice resonated with urgency as she called out to the driver for assistance. With an air of reticence seemed to contemplate their situation. My name is Minka and you are just where I want you. Her initial hesitance was followed by a malevolent grin, sending chills down the spines of the four trapped women. Shocked and bewildered, they strained to comprehend her intentions.

Minka's declaration sent shockwaves through the carriage. She revealed herself as a vengeful force, driven by the pain of loss and betrayal. Her words painted a picture of injustice, of a life torn apart by decisions made in the name of the kingdom. The tragic disappearance of her husband fueled her desire for retribution, her heart set on avenging the wrongs inflicted upon her and her beloved.

As Helen and Veronica begged for mercy, and Raya trembled with fear, Elaina's unyielding determination remained steadfast. She confronted Minka, reminding her that their lives were in her hands. The fate of the royal family hung in the balance. Minka's decision would forever alter the course of their destinies.

Yet, Minka's resolve remained unshaken. With a chilling grin, she knelt at the bog's edge, laughter dancing in her eyes. The queen's pleas, the princess's desperation, all of it fell on deaf ears as Minka reveled in her newfound power. The quicksand, once a perilous obstacle, had transformed into Minka's instrument of revenge.

As the thick, muddy sand pooled and flowed, sealing the fate of the carriage, the tension reached a crescendo. Lady Elaina's grip on her emotions tightened, her mind racing for a solution. The inevitable truth was clear: they were running out of time. The queen, princess, and servant clung to the hope that Minka would relent, that reason would prevail. Yet, their captor's heart seemed impenetrable.

In an act of defiance, a shard of hope amidst the darkness, Elaina hurled a dagger with precision, the weapon finding its mark in Minka's heart. The momentary shock of impact was followed by a horrifying sight: Minka falling forward onto the quicksand. The force of the throw doomed her, Elaina's head swallowed by the thick sandy mud.

Minka's lifeless body lay upon the edge of the quicksand. The reality of the situation set in, Raya still trapped, struggled forward, Minka's body now close enough to reach she was able to find a way to free herself. She used every ounce of strength, pulling and heaving until she emerged from the clutches of the quicksand, her body covered in muck and her spirit undaunted.

Helen and Veronica's desperate pleas fell silent. The quicksand consuming them together, the sandy surface bubbled and rippled where the victims once were. All three gone, the carriage gone. It was too much for Raya.

As the lone survivor of the ill-fated journey, Raya wiped the mud and sand from her garments, her movements mechanical, her heart heavy. The trauma of loss, the betrayal of trust, it all weighed heavily upon her. Emotions dulled, she embarked on the long road home, her steps guided by the memories of her fallen companions.

In the end, the tale was one of tragedy and triumph, a reflection of the complexity of human nature. The gilded stagecoach, once a symbol of luxury, had become a vessel for a story that transcended its opulent exterior. The sands of the swamp held secrets and sorrows.

And so, as Raya walked the road home, the wind whispered the echoes of their journey, a journey that had forever altered their lives and etched their stories into the fabric of time.

[Viridian]

Outstanding results.This is truly different to what we've been producing so far.

[MDLambert]

Trying some new stuff. Does this look like tar ?

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[sixgunzloaded]

Yes, it does! It's almost perfect! The only thing I might try to add to it is that sort of mucousy, stretchiness that you might expect from thick, sticky tar. Other than that, bravo!
And your story above is amazing! I particularly liked Queen Helen, but any of them could have come right from a professional Hollywood studio. Truly realistic stuff!

[Jinn]

…Helen and Veronica's desperate pleas fell silent. The quicksand consuming them together, the sandy surface bubbled and rippled where the victims once were. All three gone, the carriage gone. It was too much for Raya…

As in princess peril or poker, nothing beats a royal flush.

[MDLambert]

Was tinkering with some settings

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[MDLambert]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/198993251@N07/

I have been working on a story set in the fictional town of Quicksand Gulch. After a freak mining accident involving a set of underwater springs and dynamite, the majority of the town's sandy landscape turned to deadly quicksand. The sand dried up but due to the springs and seismic activity, the ground can turn into quicksand at any time. The main story is under the Chapter 1 album it takes place a year after the catastrophe, there is also character lore and story events.

[sixgunzloaded]

Wow, some really gorgeous characters and sets here! I love the Old West setting and the concept of what's happened to the town.
I look forward to their adventures! Nicely done so far!

[MDLambert]

thanks

[MDLambert]

A couple of my recent creations that stood out. Enjoy.