Post by Shaya on Apr 21, 2016 16:54:10 GMT
Prologue
It doesn't take much to lose your life in this world. A substance called Miasma, invisible to the eye, floats about in the air all around you. Holding your breath does nothing, not even delay it's effects. It drains the very essence of your soul, your life and your body and brings it to a place no mortal has set eyes upon.
However, nobody fears this substance that is all around them. For the scattered towns of this world are protected by radiant guardians: large reflective crystals that create a field of protection from Miasma. Within these fields towns and cities have flourished, but much of the world is still untamed and this protection comes with a cost to it's residents.
Every year the Guardian Crystal dies, losing all of it's radiance and color. There is a way to extend the life of the crystal for another year however. Crystal trees grow within the depths of the miasma and require it to survive. Three drops of of Crystal Dew is enough to restore radiance to the town guardians for another year. Those who risk everything to find this Dew are called caravans.
This is the recorded journal of one such caravan, from the town of Signit. A small village who has come upon hard times, for their Caravan has failed and brought only two drops of Dew home. With a new caravan ready to set out they begin the race against the clock to find the final Dew.
Day 1
My mother told me to keep this journal. I am not very good with words, but I fear my mother's harsh punishment more so than hand cramps.
I'm actually a little scared of what's outside the town. I never left before and the town patrols never let anyone out unless they had a crystal of their own. We have a small chip off of our Guardian Crystal with us, it fits in the palm of my hand it's so tiny. If we lose it or it shatters then we all die. I don't like thinking about this kind of thing! I'm a peasant girl! I work on the farm with my siblings and parents! I can't handle this much responsibility … but since the last caravan didn't come back-
NO! I won't think about what happened! I just want to go back home and sleep in the barn with the cows, like I always do. I have to do this, if I don't- NO STOP IT.
I need to write and think about something else, this is stressful to me. Today is going to be very eventful I can tell.
But why me?
~ ~ ~
So I never got to meet the king of Signit before. People always told me he was young, I always envisioned a handsome prince upon a white stallion, but no! He is YOUNG! The oldest he could be is 10! How did a child get the throne of the village I've lived in!? Are us peasants really that far out of the loop?! I swear to the gods sometimes if I ever get rich I'd throw all my money into the river. Give me the simple life over whatever is going on in that castle!
Most of the talking was done by the king's seer. He told us everything we know already, except in a way that made it seem more … mystical? I don't know. I've never seen a man like him before. He had bones through his nose, ears and even … eyebrows. I shudder to think what it took to do that or why he would even do it! Same with all of the tattoos across his body and face. I mean they all looked like a mess of lines and shapes to me, but maybe I'm just not getting it.
Oh right, us. I kind of skipped over that didn't I? Well I'm now even more uncomfortable about this whole journey to say the least. When they selected us to be the new caravan they didn't tell me that I would be THE ONLY GIRL! Well I've not bathed for months at a time before, hot water is expensive. So that's not a big concern I guess. I can already see the perversion in their eyes however, I'll have to watch myself.
Halafan is an older man, he could probably be my father or at least an older brother. I remember seeing him sometimes whenever I would play in town with other kids years ago. He always was hammering away at something or another in someone's house. I guess he's a carpenter or blacksmith? I'm not quite sure actually, I've seen him do both. At least he looks strong enough to deal with this situation.
Baklak, ugh, even just thinking about how ugly that name is makes me want to vomit. He smells like something awful crawled out of the outhouse back home and then it died. I'll stay away from this one thank you.
The last person is Ouler … Oiler? I'm not really sure how to spell it, I'll go with Ouler. He's apparently foreign and he's hard to understand sometimes. I'm not really sure what to think of him yet, but I guess he's okay. A little full of himself, but bearable. He has assumed the role of caravan leader even though nobody asked him to.
And then there's me, Risae, the flower that can't do anything good and will only take up space, to quote Baklak. I'll show him! Maybe I'll save his life sometime just so I can hear him grovel! HA! I've hunted before in the village woods, I've even fought a bear!
… I guess I did have help with that but still! What does this guy know?
~ ~ ~
It looks like we're setting off tomorrow. We loaded the caravan with food and weapons and other things we'll need. We have to feed a horse too, so we have five mouths to feed. I don't think we have enough food and hunting in a close group could prove annoying. I guess I'll get my last night's sleep in the barn for a while. I hope I won't have to do this again, it's almost time for the fall harvest. I should be helping my father not doing this.
Day 2
It's time to set off. I said goodbye to my family today, but I know I'll be back. I'm confident in that much. I just hope we can get this over and done with before winter hits. It'll be a cold trip home. I actually don't even know where we're headed. Apparently Ouler is driving right now and he has a map or something. I don't really care. I'm going to go rummage through the things we're taking to see if there's something cool.
~ ~ ~
Well that was embarrassing. I cut my hand on the edge of a sword I was holding. Baklak laughed at me for doing it and we got into an argument. Now I feel like this is the worst trip, it's not like I even wanted to be here anyway. I'm just thankful that it wasn't my writing hand or I'd be much more bored right now. It wasn't a bad cut, I'd give it a week or so to heal up. It's just that it was bleeding so much that Halafan almost had a panic attack.
I'm being told that I'm no longer being allowed near the weapons and when we need them someone will give me one to use. Treating me like a child now.
~ ~ ~
We traveled really far. I watched Signit disappear over the horizon as the sun was setting behind it. It was pretty to watch, but it made me miss home more. The road is across a flat plain so it was a project to get a fire started for the night. We felt safe here so we didn't worry too much about a night watch. I just can't sleep right now, I'm still worried that Ouler or even WORSE Baklak is going to try something to me overnight. Halafan is too old for that kind of stuff so I can trust him.
It's so weird, knowing that if I leave the campfire area I could be taken by Miasma. I feel safe here but also nervous. One wrong step and I might be taken with the wind. I've never thought about these things before, and seeing the world outside of the village … it makes it all seem so small. My world was small, and now it's getting a lot bigger and really quickly too. I'm not sure if I can handle this.
Day 3
Is it normal to get homesick so quickly? Do you actually get sick when you're homesick? I feel like vomiting so much right now. I miss the smell of the cows and the feeling of sweating until my clothes got soaked from working the fields. Is it really supposed to be like this? Can I just curl up in a ball and wish myself home? The guys can do this without me, they'll be fine.
Ouler says that it might take up to 10 more days to get to where we need to be. I really hope it doesn't. All I can do now is listen to Halafan and Baklak talk about women, like Baklak gets any. I'm just going to pretend I don't exist today.
Day 4
It's getting pretty hard to write in this journal everyday. Nothing is happening. I was excited when the horse pooped, that's how boring it is. We're still in this plain that seems to go on forever. If anyone reads this, tell my family I love them, but I died from boredom.
~ ~ ~
human interaction! Even better FEMALE INTERACTION! We ran into another caravan today and it's good to feel like I'm not alone anymore. I only got to talk to her for a little bit, but it was nice. She was a lot older than me and we talked while the guys did their thing, whatever it was. I was just so excited to see another woman that I think I might have scared everyone a bit though. This trip really is getting to me.
We talked for a long while, I told her about how I was already homesick and that I didn't really trust anyone except Halafan. It feels like the world is off of my shoulders now. I really hope I get to see her again. I think her name was Selkie, I hope I wrote it down right. Either way it was a good day today.
Day 5
I miss Selkie already. She didn't say much, I talked her ear off the whole time, but still I miss her company. There's something special about talking about hair and other things with someone. With these guys all I can muster is a “are we there yet?”
Baklak was annoying me so much today I was ready to slap him across the face, but I held back. I really wish I hadn't, he really has it coming. It seems he wants to make it a running gag that I was the first casualty, real funny. Other guys got a chuckle out of it for a while but they've stopped laughing about it, at least they're not as rude as Baklak the Bum.
When I get home mom, I'm going to do something mean to him and I want to apologize now. Maybe I'll switch his eggs with fake ones! I don't know yet really but I have a lot of time to think about it right? That idea was awful ...
… eight more days …
Day 6
Nothing really happened, the guys wanted to stop for a splash in the river. I passed on it but because the stupid crystal we got isn't big enough so I had to sit on shore, back turned to them, and listen to them bathe. It was embarrassing! I think they felt it too though, it was awkwardly quiet and awkwardly quick. Baklak smells better but still not much of an improvement. I doubt Halafan actually got clean though.
So I sat and played with the cattails for a while. I took some with me, I don't know what I'll do with them but it's something different. Maybe I'll just pull them apart, but I wonder how long that'll last. All I've begun to realize is that we're going to have to go hunting soon, probably tomorrow. I'm not really looking forward to it, I feel like some idiot is going to screw it up.
Day 7
Well we got a deer. I'd rather not think about it, but how we got it upset everyone … I wish I could say sorry but the silence is deafening in the caravan now.
I don't think, they'll let me hold the crystal again …
Day 8
Everyone is still mad at me, nobody is talking, this is the worst. This trip is the worst. Why was I brought along? I can lift and do work for a while sure but … what can I do here? I can hunt but not in a group like this. I guess I can fight but we haven't seen any monsters or anything. Every time I look over at them and see the anger in their eyes I just … I want to go home.
~ ~ ~
Halafan said something to me today, but it didn't make things much better. “It was a mistake, it's alright”. I mean … I guess? I think he's just trying to make me feel better. I'm not sure if it worked but Ouler and Baklak are talking to eachother, so I guess it did something for them. Maybe I should cut my hand again, just to see how they'll react. Maybe they'll laugh again.
Day 9
Four more days, it's been stressful these last few. I hope things get better. Now it feels like time is dragging on though. You were right mom, this journal was a good idea, it's just about the only thing I can do other than sleep and make the guys stop so I can go use the bush. I've gotten used to going to the bathroom with three guys nearby though so I guess that's good? At least my hand is better now.
Please someone, any god in heaven or woman on Earth, save me.
~ ~ ~
We decided to go hunting again today. Everyone seemed a little concerned about me holding the crystal, so Ouler did that today. I got a bow and arrow to hunt with. I didn't do much but I did hit a boar which we then tracked for a little while. At least nobody almost died like last time. I mean, nobody left the circle last time but … I'm sorry Halafan.
Day 10
Today there was a nice breeze. Two clouds in the sky: one looked like a house the other looked like a cloud. I wonder if clouds have homes. I threw away the cattails today because they started looking gross.
Three more days and we're done with this. Ouler has been saying that we've been making good time but I don't know how he knows, the last tree we passed was 4 days ago. I wonder if he even knows where he's going, or if anyone does. Maybe we're just hopelessly lost and only a day away from home.
Maybe they sent out another caravan to find us, they already have the dew and we can go home! I hope that's what happened.
Day 11
I realize I haven't been writing much, but there's not too much to say. It feels like things have cooled down since the uh … accident a few days ago. I apologized to Halafan today. I didn't realize his foot was caught and I almost ran off without him. It makes me wonder … how long does it take for the Miasma to take someone? I've heard lots of stories, that the people just disappear, that it's slow and painful and you can't even cry out for help. Others say that you become a monster when you touch it.
If everyone who touches the Miasma becomes a monster then wouldn't that be better than living in a little town? I mean, we wouldn't have to do this every year right?
Ah who am I kidding, being a monster would be awful. I'd probably be a slime or something weird. Halafan would be an ogre, I mean he isn't dumb or anything but he kind of looks like one with all of his muscles. Ouler would be something graceful I think, or something quiet, maybe a demon feline or something? I forget what they're called.
Baklak would be a goblin that's fed to a dragon, or at least I hope so.
It doesn't take much to lose your life in this world. A substance called Miasma, invisible to the eye, floats about in the air all around you. Holding your breath does nothing, not even delay it's effects. It drains the very essence of your soul, your life and your body and brings it to a place no mortal has set eyes upon.
However, nobody fears this substance that is all around them. For the scattered towns of this world are protected by radiant guardians: large reflective crystals that create a field of protection from Miasma. Within these fields towns and cities have flourished, but much of the world is still untamed and this protection comes with a cost to it's residents.
Every year the Guardian Crystal dies, losing all of it's radiance and color. There is a way to extend the life of the crystal for another year however. Crystal trees grow within the depths of the miasma and require it to survive. Three drops of of Crystal Dew is enough to restore radiance to the town guardians for another year. Those who risk everything to find this Dew are called caravans.
This is the recorded journal of one such caravan, from the town of Signit. A small village who has come upon hard times, for their Caravan has failed and brought only two drops of Dew home. With a new caravan ready to set out they begin the race against the clock to find the final Dew.
Day 1
My mother told me to keep this journal. I am not very good with words, but I fear my mother's harsh punishment more so than hand cramps.
I'm actually a little scared of what's outside the town. I never left before and the town patrols never let anyone out unless they had a crystal of their own. We have a small chip off of our Guardian Crystal with us, it fits in the palm of my hand it's so tiny. If we lose it or it shatters then we all die. I don't like thinking about this kind of thing! I'm a peasant girl! I work on the farm with my siblings and parents! I can't handle this much responsibility … but since the last caravan didn't come back-
NO! I won't think about what happened! I just want to go back home and sleep in the barn with the cows, like I always do. I have to do this, if I don't- NO STOP IT.
I need to write and think about something else, this is stressful to me. Today is going to be very eventful I can tell.
But why me?
~ ~ ~
So I never got to meet the king of Signit before. People always told me he was young, I always envisioned a handsome prince upon a white stallion, but no! He is YOUNG! The oldest he could be is 10! How did a child get the throne of the village I've lived in!? Are us peasants really that far out of the loop?! I swear to the gods sometimes if I ever get rich I'd throw all my money into the river. Give me the simple life over whatever is going on in that castle!
Most of the talking was done by the king's seer. He told us everything we know already, except in a way that made it seem more … mystical? I don't know. I've never seen a man like him before. He had bones through his nose, ears and even … eyebrows. I shudder to think what it took to do that or why he would even do it! Same with all of the tattoos across his body and face. I mean they all looked like a mess of lines and shapes to me, but maybe I'm just not getting it.
Oh right, us. I kind of skipped over that didn't I? Well I'm now even more uncomfortable about this whole journey to say the least. When they selected us to be the new caravan they didn't tell me that I would be THE ONLY GIRL! Well I've not bathed for months at a time before, hot water is expensive. So that's not a big concern I guess. I can already see the perversion in their eyes however, I'll have to watch myself.
Halafan is an older man, he could probably be my father or at least an older brother. I remember seeing him sometimes whenever I would play in town with other kids years ago. He always was hammering away at something or another in someone's house. I guess he's a carpenter or blacksmith? I'm not quite sure actually, I've seen him do both. At least he looks strong enough to deal with this situation.
Baklak, ugh, even just thinking about how ugly that name is makes me want to vomit. He smells like something awful crawled out of the outhouse back home and then it died. I'll stay away from this one thank you.
The last person is Ouler … Oiler? I'm not really sure how to spell it, I'll go with Ouler. He's apparently foreign and he's hard to understand sometimes. I'm not really sure what to think of him yet, but I guess he's okay. A little full of himself, but bearable. He has assumed the role of caravan leader even though nobody asked him to.
And then there's me, Risae, the flower that can't do anything good and will only take up space, to quote Baklak. I'll show him! Maybe I'll save his life sometime just so I can hear him grovel! HA! I've hunted before in the village woods, I've even fought a bear!
… I guess I did have help with that but still! What does this guy know?
~ ~ ~
It looks like we're setting off tomorrow. We loaded the caravan with food and weapons and other things we'll need. We have to feed a horse too, so we have five mouths to feed. I don't think we have enough food and hunting in a close group could prove annoying. I guess I'll get my last night's sleep in the barn for a while. I hope I won't have to do this again, it's almost time for the fall harvest. I should be helping my father not doing this.
Day 2
It's time to set off. I said goodbye to my family today, but I know I'll be back. I'm confident in that much. I just hope we can get this over and done with before winter hits. It'll be a cold trip home. I actually don't even know where we're headed. Apparently Ouler is driving right now and he has a map or something. I don't really care. I'm going to go rummage through the things we're taking to see if there's something cool.
~ ~ ~
Well that was embarrassing. I cut my hand on the edge of a sword I was holding. Baklak laughed at me for doing it and we got into an argument. Now I feel like this is the worst trip, it's not like I even wanted to be here anyway. I'm just thankful that it wasn't my writing hand or I'd be much more bored right now. It wasn't a bad cut, I'd give it a week or so to heal up. It's just that it was bleeding so much that Halafan almost had a panic attack.
I'm being told that I'm no longer being allowed near the weapons and when we need them someone will give me one to use. Treating me like a child now.
~ ~ ~
We traveled really far. I watched Signit disappear over the horizon as the sun was setting behind it. It was pretty to watch, but it made me miss home more. The road is across a flat plain so it was a project to get a fire started for the night. We felt safe here so we didn't worry too much about a night watch. I just can't sleep right now, I'm still worried that Ouler or even WORSE Baklak is going to try something to me overnight. Halafan is too old for that kind of stuff so I can trust him.
It's so weird, knowing that if I leave the campfire area I could be taken by Miasma. I feel safe here but also nervous. One wrong step and I might be taken with the wind. I've never thought about these things before, and seeing the world outside of the village … it makes it all seem so small. My world was small, and now it's getting a lot bigger and really quickly too. I'm not sure if I can handle this.
Day 3
Is it normal to get homesick so quickly? Do you actually get sick when you're homesick? I feel like vomiting so much right now. I miss the smell of the cows and the feeling of sweating until my clothes got soaked from working the fields. Is it really supposed to be like this? Can I just curl up in a ball and wish myself home? The guys can do this without me, they'll be fine.
Ouler says that it might take up to 10 more days to get to where we need to be. I really hope it doesn't. All I can do now is listen to Halafan and Baklak talk about women, like Baklak gets any. I'm just going to pretend I don't exist today.
Day 4
It's getting pretty hard to write in this journal everyday. Nothing is happening. I was excited when the horse pooped, that's how boring it is. We're still in this plain that seems to go on forever. If anyone reads this, tell my family I love them, but I died from boredom.
~ ~ ~
human interaction! Even better FEMALE INTERACTION! We ran into another caravan today and it's good to feel like I'm not alone anymore. I only got to talk to her for a little bit, but it was nice. She was a lot older than me and we talked while the guys did their thing, whatever it was. I was just so excited to see another woman that I think I might have scared everyone a bit though. This trip really is getting to me.
We talked for a long while, I told her about how I was already homesick and that I didn't really trust anyone except Halafan. It feels like the world is off of my shoulders now. I really hope I get to see her again. I think her name was Selkie, I hope I wrote it down right. Either way it was a good day today.
Day 5
I miss Selkie already. She didn't say much, I talked her ear off the whole time, but still I miss her company. There's something special about talking about hair and other things with someone. With these guys all I can muster is a “are we there yet?”
Baklak was annoying me so much today I was ready to slap him across the face, but I held back. I really wish I hadn't, he really has it coming. It seems he wants to make it a running gag that I was the first casualty, real funny. Other guys got a chuckle out of it for a while but they've stopped laughing about it, at least they're not as rude as Baklak the Bum.
When I get home mom, I'm going to do something mean to him and I want to apologize now. Maybe I'll switch his eggs with fake ones! I don't know yet really but I have a lot of time to think about it right? That idea was awful ...
… eight more days …
Day 6
Nothing really happened, the guys wanted to stop for a splash in the river. I passed on it but because the stupid crystal we got isn't big enough so I had to sit on shore, back turned to them, and listen to them bathe. It was embarrassing! I think they felt it too though, it was awkwardly quiet and awkwardly quick. Baklak smells better but still not much of an improvement. I doubt Halafan actually got clean though.
So I sat and played with the cattails for a while. I took some with me, I don't know what I'll do with them but it's something different. Maybe I'll just pull them apart, but I wonder how long that'll last. All I've begun to realize is that we're going to have to go hunting soon, probably tomorrow. I'm not really looking forward to it, I feel like some idiot is going to screw it up.
Day 7
Well we got a deer. I'd rather not think about it, but how we got it upset everyone … I wish I could say sorry but the silence is deafening in the caravan now.
I don't think, they'll let me hold the crystal again …
Day 8
Everyone is still mad at me, nobody is talking, this is the worst. This trip is the worst. Why was I brought along? I can lift and do work for a while sure but … what can I do here? I can hunt but not in a group like this. I guess I can fight but we haven't seen any monsters or anything. Every time I look over at them and see the anger in their eyes I just … I want to go home.
~ ~ ~
Halafan said something to me today, but it didn't make things much better. “It was a mistake, it's alright”. I mean … I guess? I think he's just trying to make me feel better. I'm not sure if it worked but Ouler and Baklak are talking to eachother, so I guess it did something for them. Maybe I should cut my hand again, just to see how they'll react. Maybe they'll laugh again.
Day 9
Four more days, it's been stressful these last few. I hope things get better. Now it feels like time is dragging on though. You were right mom, this journal was a good idea, it's just about the only thing I can do other than sleep and make the guys stop so I can go use the bush. I've gotten used to going to the bathroom with three guys nearby though so I guess that's good? At least my hand is better now.
Please someone, any god in heaven or woman on Earth, save me.
~ ~ ~
We decided to go hunting again today. Everyone seemed a little concerned about me holding the crystal, so Ouler did that today. I got a bow and arrow to hunt with. I didn't do much but I did hit a boar which we then tracked for a little while. At least nobody almost died like last time. I mean, nobody left the circle last time but … I'm sorry Halafan.
Day 10
Today there was a nice breeze. Two clouds in the sky: one looked like a house the other looked like a cloud. I wonder if clouds have homes. I threw away the cattails today because they started looking gross.
Three more days and we're done with this. Ouler has been saying that we've been making good time but I don't know how he knows, the last tree we passed was 4 days ago. I wonder if he even knows where he's going, or if anyone does. Maybe we're just hopelessly lost and only a day away from home.
Maybe they sent out another caravan to find us, they already have the dew and we can go home! I hope that's what happened.
Day 11
I realize I haven't been writing much, but there's not too much to say. It feels like things have cooled down since the uh … accident a few days ago. I apologized to Halafan today. I didn't realize his foot was caught and I almost ran off without him. It makes me wonder … how long does it take for the Miasma to take someone? I've heard lots of stories, that the people just disappear, that it's slow and painful and you can't even cry out for help. Others say that you become a monster when you touch it.
If everyone who touches the Miasma becomes a monster then wouldn't that be better than living in a little town? I mean, we wouldn't have to do this every year right?
Ah who am I kidding, being a monster would be awful. I'd probably be a slime or something weird. Halafan would be an ogre, I mean he isn't dumb or anything but he kind of looks like one with all of his muscles. Ouler would be something graceful I think, or something quiet, maybe a demon feline or something? I forget what they're called.
Baklak would be a goblin that's fed to a dragon, or at least I hope so.