Ahead of the Storm - Day 46
Sasserine, Two Months Ago
Ah, the job of a cartographer... ever busy, never appreciated. Yet if it weren't for me, many of the Seekers here in town would never have made their fortunes. After all, what good is hearing about lost treasure, if you don't know how to get to it?
Yet, despite a few kind regulars, most of the people who frequent my map shop are rather pushy and impatient. They don't realize that with the amount of coming-and-going that occurs here, with so many people renting out my maps for various expeditions... the entire place is bound to get a bit cluttered. And despite my rigorous book-keeping, there have certainly been occasions where something simply gets misplaced. Yet they never have any sense of compassion or understanding...
Take that man who came by here just last week... what was his name... Anzak! Anzak Guildenstern, that's it. He comes in here eager to get his hands on one of my most prized possessions - the map to the Isle of Dread. And I can understand his interest - after all, the entire place is steeped in legend.
Why, the very manner in which the map was obtained is fascinating. The location was first discovered through rumors, by the enterprising young captain, Gabriel Gansworth. And he spent countless hours here in my shop, peering over ancient maps of the southern seas, trying to locate the lost island, rumored to have been destroyed in some cataclysm 1500 years ago - yet also said to have been surrounded in pearl-rich waters which could make a man a fortune, if discovered.
And then the day came, when Gabriel believed to have found his destination. Putting together information gathered from many sources, he himself drew a tentative map of the course to follow, to get to the legendary isle. He asked me to double-check his calculations, and sure enough - he seemed to be on to something. Then he thanked me, taking his hand-drawn map with him... and I never saw the poor man again.
It is said that he departed so suddenly that even his children were left behind without a goodbye - they who had been promised to make the journey with him. And then, seven months later - the ghost ship that returned to Sasserine's harbor, with but a skeleton crew of five dying men. This was all that remained of the Sea Wyvern, and Gabriel's expedition.
From the mouths of the dying sailors, it was said that upon reaching the island - for indeed Gabriel's calculations had been spot-on - they began to explore its jungles. In the weeks to come, they encountered many dangers... dinosaurs, terror birds, cannibal tribes of natives... and at last, they came upon the central mesa of the island, shrouded in thick fog. Some men stayed behind, as Gabriel led his bravest volunteers into the mist. Hours later, a single man came running out, screaming of "Skinwalkers" and something called a "Savage Tide". He had seemingly gone utterly mad, and furthermore, seemed greatly ill. The others tried to mend his wounds, yet could not - and then, it is said, he died.
Fearing to stay a moment longer on this horrid isle, the remaining crew of five - those who had stayed behind - rushed back to the Sea Wyvern, and used Gabriel's map to try and backtrack their way to Sasserine. Yet, in time, it seemed clear that they too had been infected... with something evil, eating away at their insides. It would not kill them, yet they felt somehow haunted, as though a part of their inner hope had died off forever.
Returning to Sasserine, the men shared their tale, and eventually all passed on - from natural causes, though some claim nothing was natural about it. And in the years afterward, Verik and Larissa attempted their own journey, based on Gabriel's map. They, thankfully, encountered far better luck on the Isle, having befriended local Olman tribes.
Yet the Sea Wyvern was repossessed by Emil Dracktus, claiming Gabriel had never paid off his debt over it - a payment which was supposed to have come in the form of a massive haul of pearls. As for the map itself, Dracktus eventually sold it to me, claiming it not worth his time.
Through the years since, on occassion I have had visitors wishing to peak at the map. And so, it was not odd last week, when Anzak came to ask to see it. Yet, knowing his soon to be parents-in-law probably had far better maps now in their possession, it did perplex me a bit. However, I could not lend the map out to him, as it had already been lent to another - a well-dressed elven man, who smiled quite a bit. He had come a few days before, asking ever so politely whether I happened to have any maps pertaining to that region. He was so nice about it, that I went out of my way to find the maps for him.
And so now, Anzak was very upset, owing to the fact that Gabriel's map wasn't here at the moment. And he demanded to know who had the map, seeming so angry that I was afraid he might be willing to kill for it. As politely as I could, I informed him that I never shared the names of my customers with anyone.
That's when Anzak gave me that look - as if to say, that I should watch myself. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he was threatening me, but I was afraid. That man, there's just something about him that screams danger.
Locking up my shop that night, I took extra precautions. I even had a friend escort me home, just to make sure Anzak wasn't there to ambush me in the street. Thankfully, he was not - but I'm still watching my back, one week later.
As I said, the job of a cartographer is not one to brag about - ever busy, never appreciated.
Yet in all my years, I must confess - never before have I feared for my life...
Ah, the job of a cartographer... ever busy, never appreciated. Yet if it weren't for me, many of the Seekers here in town would never have made their fortunes. After all, what good is hearing about lost treasure, if you don't know how to get to it?
Yet, despite a few kind regulars, most of the people who frequent my map shop are rather pushy and impatient. They don't realize that with the amount of coming-and-going that occurs here, with so many people renting out my maps for various expeditions... the entire place is bound to get a bit cluttered. And despite my rigorous book-keeping, there have certainly been occasions where something simply gets misplaced. Yet they never have any sense of compassion or understanding...
Take that man who came by here just last week... what was his name... Anzak! Anzak Guildenstern, that's it. He comes in here eager to get his hands on one of my most prized possessions - the map to the Isle of Dread. And I can understand his interest - after all, the entire place is steeped in legend.
Why, the very manner in which the map was obtained is fascinating. The location was first discovered through rumors, by the enterprising young captain, Gabriel Gansworth. And he spent countless hours here in my shop, peering over ancient maps of the southern seas, trying to locate the lost island, rumored to have been destroyed in some cataclysm 1500 years ago - yet also said to have been surrounded in pearl-rich waters which could make a man a fortune, if discovered.
And then the day came, when Gabriel believed to have found his destination. Putting together information gathered from many sources, he himself drew a tentative map of the course to follow, to get to the legendary isle. He asked me to double-check his calculations, and sure enough - he seemed to be on to something. Then he thanked me, taking his hand-drawn map with him... and I never saw the poor man again.
It is said that he departed so suddenly that even his children were left behind without a goodbye - they who had been promised to make the journey with him. And then, seven months later - the ghost ship that returned to Sasserine's harbor, with but a skeleton crew of five dying men. This was all that remained of the Sea Wyvern, and Gabriel's expedition.
From the mouths of the dying sailors, it was said that upon reaching the island - for indeed Gabriel's calculations had been spot-on - they began to explore its jungles. In the weeks to come, they encountered many dangers... dinosaurs, terror birds, cannibal tribes of natives... and at last, they came upon the central mesa of the island, shrouded in thick fog. Some men stayed behind, as Gabriel led his bravest volunteers into the mist. Hours later, a single man came running out, screaming of "Skinwalkers" and something called a "Savage Tide". He had seemingly gone utterly mad, and furthermore, seemed greatly ill. The others tried to mend his wounds, yet could not - and then, it is said, he died.
Fearing to stay a moment longer on this horrid isle, the remaining crew of five - those who had stayed behind - rushed back to the Sea Wyvern, and used Gabriel's map to try and backtrack their way to Sasserine. Yet, in time, it seemed clear that they too had been infected... with something evil, eating away at their insides. It would not kill them, yet they felt somehow haunted, as though a part of their inner hope had died off forever.
Returning to Sasserine, the men shared their tale, and eventually all passed on - from natural causes, though some claim nothing was natural about it. And in the years afterward, Verik and Larissa attempted their own journey, based on Gabriel's map. They, thankfully, encountered far better luck on the Isle, having befriended local Olman tribes.
Yet the Sea Wyvern was repossessed by Emil Dracktus, claiming Gabriel had never paid off his debt over it - a payment which was supposed to have come in the form of a massive haul of pearls. As for the map itself, Dracktus eventually sold it to me, claiming it not worth his time.
Through the years since, on occassion I have had visitors wishing to peak at the map. And so, it was not odd last week, when Anzak came to ask to see it. Yet, knowing his soon to be parents-in-law probably had far better maps now in their possession, it did perplex me a bit. However, I could not lend the map out to him, as it had already been lent to another - a well-dressed elven man, who smiled quite a bit. He had come a few days before, asking ever so politely whether I happened to have any maps pertaining to that region. He was so nice about it, that I went out of my way to find the maps for him.
And so now, Anzak was very upset, owing to the fact that Gabriel's map wasn't here at the moment. And he demanded to know who had the map, seeming so angry that I was afraid he might be willing to kill for it. As politely as I could, I informed him that I never shared the names of my customers with anyone.
That's when Anzak gave me that look - as if to say, that I should watch myself. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he was threatening me, but I was afraid. That man, there's just something about him that screams danger.
Locking up my shop that night, I took extra precautions. I even had a friend escort me home, just to make sure Anzak wasn't there to ambush me in the street. Thankfully, he was not - but I'm still watching my back, one week later.
As I said, the job of a cartographer is not one to brag about - ever busy, never appreciated.
Yet in all my years, I must confess - never before have I feared for my life...
posted by Markus the Mad | 2:20 PM
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