Literary descriptions of a noble savage>

[Meat Shield]

My DM has posted an interesting task for us. Recognizing that we are not professional writers, he has asked each of us to find an example of text that best describes our characters from a book. The problem is I am completely stumped. I am reasonably well read, but am hitting a wall on this one so I would like to get some extra help if I can.

My character is Shujaa'Kuu, warrior and hunter. The world is a typical European high medieval, kingdoms, castles, court intrigue, and wars. My guy is essentially inspired by Shaka Zulu, a peerless warrior, who is incredibly skilled in melee, thinks of himself as a hunter of men and beasts, considers the lion his 'spirit animal', and also follows an honor code (more Klingon honor than samurai honor).

What I am looking for is some sort of three or four paragraph description (if possible, shorter also ok) from literature or poetry about a savage warrior, hunter, or even a feared but admired lion, stalking or marching into battle, etc. Best would be a link to said text online if possible. Thanks everyone!

[Cyrion]

I don't know how easy it would be to find an online quote, but check out Last of the Mohicans for a description of Uncas. Should occur fairly early in the book.

[endoperez]

Ivory: A Legend of Past and Future
As above, hard to find online but early on there should be a text that describes how people hunted elephants with spears and bows - and how a space-faring human reacts to this. Unfortunately, I'm really hazy on the details. It's a scifi book about what happens to a pair of elephant tusks over the course of few thousand years.

[bosssmiley]

What I am looking for is some sort of three or four paragraph description (if possible, shorter also ok) from literature or poetry about a savage warrior, hunter, or even a feared but admired lion, stalking or marching into battle, etc. Best would be a link to said text online if possible. Thanks everyone!

Descriptive passages from Charles Saunders' Imaro series. The eponymous character is a fantasy version of a Masai tribesman and is often typified as the black Conan.

Or you could copypaste some of REH's descriptions of Conan himself.

Historically Joseph Bank's admiring (and non-patronising) descriptions of life on Tahiti are good source material.

[Telonius]

Robert Howard has some great ones. Spoilered for length.


Arus saw a tall powerfully built youth, naked but for a loin-cloth, and sandals strapped high about his ankles. His skin was burned brown as by the suns of the wastelands and Arus glanced nervously at his broad shoulders, massive chest and heavy arms, A single look at the moody, broad-browed features told the watchman the man was no Nemedian. From under a mop of unruly black hair smoldered a pair of dangerous blue eyes. A long sword hung in a leather scabbard at his girdle.


Barbarianism is the natural state of mankind.Civilization is unnatural.It is the whim of circumstance.And barbarianism must ultimately triumph.


"Yonder in the unknown vastness"—his long finger stabbed at the black silent jungle which brooded beyond the firelight—"yonder lies mystery and adventure and nameless terror. Once I dared the jungle—once she nearly claimed my bones. Something entered into my blood, something stole into my soul like a whisper of unnamed sin. The jungle! Dark and brooding—over leagues of the blue salt sea she has drawn me and with the dawn I go to seek the heart of her. Mayhap I shall find curious adventure—mayhap my doom awaits me. But better death than the ceaseless and everlasting urge, the fire that has burned my veins with bitter longing."


* What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing;
Rush in and die, dogs—I was a man before I was a king.

* When I was a fighting-man, the kettle-drums they beat,
The people scattered gold-dust before my horses feet;
But now I am a great king, the people hound my track
With poison in my wine-cup, and daggers at my back.

[Meat Shield]

Me like-y some of that Conan stuff, Telonius. Which novels were those from?

And if anyone else knows of any descriptions, those and pretty much spot on what I was looking for in tone and flavor.

[hamishspence]

Most of the Howard Conan stories are short stories, rather than full-length novels. I think there are 2 big compilations containing most or all of them.