Lobb Lowland

Ana waited as the large crates and cages were unloaded from the wagons positioned next to the river that wound through the clearing. The jungle was full of strange and exotic noises, and with each new call and cry, the horses whinnied and pranced about as they fought against their halters. Ana loosened her flask and drank deeply from its cool water. It wouldn't be long before the hunting party returned.

As if on cue, a group broke through the treeline and hurried her way. She counted at least five small gorilla babies swaddled in their arms. The last of the hunters to emerge crept backward, bows trained on the clearing's edge.

She hurried toward them and examined the bundles. It was a good haul. At least two of the five infants were silver-furred.

“Was there any trouble?” she asked.

A man shoved the infant he was carrying into a cage, locked the door, and lifted the bow from his shoulders. “You could say that. Elmere, the damn fool, killed a nursing mother. We need to get out of here.”

Ana clapped her hands and raised her voice. “Come on, hurry up. I want to be moving in five.”

An angry roar echoed from the trees, and the hunting party whirled toward the sound and lifted their bows. The vegetation erupted, and a troop of lowland gorillas charged toward them. The hunters fired their arrows.

Then the apes were among them.

Ana watched in horror as her men were set upon. It was a bloody mess, with arms pulled from sockets and heads pummeled to a pulp. The rage of the creatures was prodigious. She crawled inside one of the crates, pulled the lid closed, and watched the slaughter unfold through a crack in its slats. Not a single man was left standing when it was done.

The gorillas moved in and reclaimed their young. Ana waited quietly, hoping to slip away when they returned to the jungle, but a pair of eyes suddenly appeared, staring back at her through the crate's slats. She gasped and jerked back. Perhaps it was her fear-driven imagination, but those eyes seemed to hold a depths of intelligence beyond that of a simple ape. The gorilla blinked as it studied her. Then its eyes narrowed, and it disappeared from view.

A hammering reverberated throughout the crate. In a panic, Ana slammed her shoulder against the lid, but it held fast. She was trapped. The crate shifted as it was lifted from the ground. It rocked from side to side as she was carried away. Panic flooded through her. Visions of the troop feasting on her bones filled her head. It was a fate she didn't deserve. Why couldn't they just let her go?

“Evil woman,” a deep, gravelly voice said. “Just deserts.”

Then she heard a loud splash, and water began to rush through the slats of the crate as it sank into the river. Lowland gorillas hail from the southern reaches of the Endless Valley in Praetoria's Great Lowlands. They are highly intelligent, muscle-bound apes and formidable pugilists. It is said that a punch from one will knock your head clean off your shoulders. They are also extremely territorial and will protect their troop and their homes with their lives, although in the past, they usually spent most of their time fighting among themselves to prove their dominance.

But that all changed when Lobb Lowland was born.

Even as an adolescent, he was bigger than most full-grown gorillas. He was smarter, too, and filled with earth magic. He carried himself with pride and an unfamiliar charisma that naturally drew others to his side. He made them feel strong, and he made them feel safe.

One day, while exploring the outskirts of the Endless Jungle, he crossed paths with Brody Hook, who was considered the greatest pugilist in all of the Great Lowlands and remained undefeated in hundreds of battles across the territory. Hidden within the trees, Lobb watched as Brody trained. This continued for several days, the man training and the gorilla watching, until Lobb stepped hesitantly from the jungle's shadows.

Brody's eyes widened in fear, and he almost fled, but Lobb lowered his head and raised his palms in the universal gesture of peace. Curious, Brody stood his ground. It took some doing, but eventually, Lobb was able to communicate his desire: to learn to fight like Brody Hook.

In the days henceforth, Lobb returned to train with Brody, not only in the art of bare-knuckle fighting, but also in the common tongue. Lobb learned to speak simple words and phrases. He also surpassed even Brody Hook in his skill as a pugilist. The two became good friends.

In turn, Lobb taught his tribe what he had learned. Most could not master speech, but they all could fight with their fists. Word spread throughout the Endless Jungle of the gorilla who could talk like a man and fight like a tempest. Those that challenged him were quickly put in their place, and apes from other tribes came to join his and swore their loyalty to Lobb Lowland, undisputed King of the Jungle.