Chapter 4 - Abelard Pre Story 4

Leaving Estandia

Abelard’s quick tongue and quicker wit soon found him aboard a fast looking Shroudship the ‘One for the Money’, under the watchful eye of Human Captain Matt Threehands. Abelard had even managed, for the first time, a paying spot, as he colorfully embellished his sailing skill and succeeded in convincing the Captain that his years of experience was worth a little more than berth alone, and Abelard settled aboard with pride.

Pride that lasted all the way until the first morning’s tasks… Abelard did not enjoy his time among Threehands ship much. It quickly became apparent to Abelard that the Captain expected a great deal from his crew, and it became just as quickly evident to Captain Threehands that he was not going to get it from Abelard.

Abelard did try… Sometimes. But he was obviously not up to the crew’s standards, nor was he in their good graces, and stories were few and far between. Any that were begun, were quickly tamped down by others. Abelard left the ‘Money’ as the crew called it, still entirely unsure whether she was a well defended merchant vessel or a well armed Pirate. But even young Abelard was smart enough to know better than to press for more information or ask too many questions.

Abelard, at the pointed suggestion of Captain Threehands, and backed up by a few handily nearby shipmates, disembarked earlier than planned at the port of Za. Having heard that Za was unfriendly to outsiders and all but closed to visitors, Abelard had had no intention of stopping there. But an early exit at the docks seemed preferable to a later one possibly mid-journey, and Abelard gathered his few possessions and wandered forth to the walled Docks of Za.

Za – 6 Months. The food. The culture. The music. The colors. The Honor. Abelard absolutely Loved his time in Za. He was absolutely fascinated with the rigid yet flowing social structure and honor. Everyone seemed to, without even the slightest hesitation, know and understand their position in any given situation. Yet it was all an absolute mystery to Abelard. Well, almost all. At least he knew that, as an outsider, whatever the situation was, he was at the bottom of it! The Nobles of Za held Literal life and death powers over outsiders.

Abelard also became certain that the great libraries of Za had information he wanted. But they were closed entirely to foreigners. A chance passing of the stockades where a foreigner was being beheaded for having succeeded in passing himself off as a Zaian and been caught, and hearing that such beheadings were actually seemingly common enough to not even draw a crowd, quickly dissuaded Abelard of any notions of trying to sneak his way in. So his thirst for knowledge went unslaked, and he stewed in the frustration of answers possibly being so close, yet so very far.

Yet Za was wonderful. It was the closest Abelard had come in his travels to settling down, Wooed into feeling safe just by how foreign everything was. He steeped himself in the Honor system of the Zaian peoples, so similar and so indescribably different than that of his own. He enjoyed the food, the people, and the most brilliant use of Rice ever… Sake!

*

But, Inevitably, the worries returned, and six wonderful months after his unplanned arrival, Abelard took to the air again. Aboard the Privateer vessel, the ‘Runaway Bride’ and Abelard’s first experience of a Female captain, the lovely, Lady Mae. (Just referred to as ‘The Lady’ by the crew)

Lady Mae and crew were a tight knit, but open bunch. Plenty of stories were told, (A few might even have been true), but they were stories of pride and adventure and jobs well done. If there was sadness aboard the Lady’s ship, it was bound, gagged, and left to rot belowdecks.

Fast as the Runaway Bride was, the trip to Ishmir took week’s longer than standard, as The Lady sent them hither and yon in search of pirates. Yet, despite their best efforts, it seemed that any pirates in the area did not share the crew’s eagerness to meet, and the trip ended as it began, with nary a pirate to be seen. Abelard truly enjoyed his time about the 'Bride', and would willingly admit, like most everyone she blew past like a whirlwind of natural charisma, that he was a bit smitten with 'The Lady' as well. It was not love, certainly, nor lust either. It was infinitely more pure. She simply made you want to do your best, in all ways, for fear of 'Disappointin The Lady', which was a constant concern for all the crew, not just young, impressionable, Abelard.

The night before landfall, after much hemming and hawing, and a few less than helpful attempts at council from his Patron, Abelard asked after, and was granted, a moment with Lady Mae. The young Half Elf, careful to couch his words in maybe’s and possibly’s, mentioned Captain Matt Threehands and the ‘One for the Money’, and his concern that the ship might be less Privateer and more Merchant Hunter. Lady Mae asked some questions, took some notes, and wished Abelard well in his travels.

Ishmir – 3 Months. One thing, and one thing only comes to mind when Abelard thinks of Ishmir. The next morning saw Abelard gaping in awe at armies of the undead as they swarmed the docks of Ishmir. The Runaway Bride’s crew laughed, near uncontrollably, as their careful lack of hinting hit home and Abelard was face to face with a skeleton before he even realized what he was seeing.

Abelard let out what could only be described as a squawk, and only avoided dropping everything he owned into the waters below by the sheer fact that the bag strap was currently over his shoulder as he hopped backwards, wordlessly, for a good 10 feet. It was only hearing the uproarious laughter of the crew behind him that Abelard’s Flight or Fight response was pre-empted. Even The Lady herself seemed to have tears in her eyes as she fanned herself with her had and tried to regain her breath to explain the history behind Ishmir, Necromancy, and their special means of honoring their ancestors by keeping them with the family for generations.

Abelard still would have had a hard time believing it to be truth, except that the great amazed army of undead were busy porting freight around, and not a one had weapons, or showed any inclination to use one.

Eventually Abelard’s innate fear of the undead was overcome by the sheer and total ‘normalcy’ of it around him. This was aided by the fact that the Libraries of Ishmir were…. Open To The Public!

At last Abelard was able to dig through the stacks, to begin searching for what he could find of the Giants, the 1000 Year War, the histories and language… And, for all that, all he tended to come up with were the same basic details, told and retold by dozens of Historians who all added, not so much new information, as new ways to telling it. Abelard’s success in finding specific information he sought in Ishmir was limited. Yet, when he thinks back to basic knowledge of Magics, Giants, Dragons, and the like… Much of the basis of those knowledge stem from his time amid the stacks of Ishmir.

And stories of loss abounded. What could be an easier target for stories of lost loved ones than to be able to point to one and say “Tell me about… her?... What was her story?”

**

Yet, plentiful as the Libraries, and stories, were, the feeling of being watched grew. And if there is one thing that is worse than feeling watched and turning to see nothing… It’s feeling watched and turning to see a group of undead headed your direction. Eventually it was just too much to handle, and again Abelard’s journey led back to the docks and aboard another Shroudship.

This time it was another Cargo vessel bound for Jerydia. The ‘Cows Come Home’, owned and operated by Estandian noble Fernando Eva. Operated might be a bit of a stretch, as ever actual necessary task seemed to be handled by the First Mate Thom Gillery. Yet there could be no doubt who the owner was… Not when everyone was sure to be reminded, sunup and sundown by the ‘Captain’ himself.

Yet the trip was simple and uneventful, Fernando not expecting much more from the crew other than that they get where they were going, and Abelard was able to devote some more time to learning more about his connection to his Patron, and what else his Pact with her had to offer. It was during one of these conversations at night above decks that Abelard learned that he could actually call forth shadows to throw at a foe in a blast of Eldritch force. Something he tried to practice with, furtively, when he was alone at the Stern of the ship. Maybe it’s because he learned in the steady sway of a Shroudship that his aim just seems so ‘off’ on solid ground?

Jerydia - 4 months. Did I say Ishmir had Libraries? Pshaw. Mere Corner Book Stores compared to what awaited Abelard in Jerydia. In Jerydia, Knowledge is power. Heck, Knowledge is food and water. Knowledge is magic. And Jerydia…. Jerydia was evidence of old magic in abundance. Mostly Elemental magics, for reasons that are obvious to anyone who knows the stories of how Jerydia was founded by a man, a Genie, and 3 glorious wishes.

Abelard can't say that he enjoyed his time in Jerydia all that much. But it was a never ending fountain of knowledge. Along with Ishmir, the libraries of Jerydia form the foundation of much of Abelard's knowledge of Arcana and History. While the Four elemental Quarters were inarguably amazing… The bird people and part Genies were incredible in their own ways as well… It was the speed of the Jerydian horse that took Abelard’s breath away the first time he saw a race. They were the wind itself. The physical embodiment of perfect speed… It was near impossible to imagine that they could have come from the same original stock as Fjordheims Fjordhorses. Impossible!

Abelard could have happily spend years amid the libraries, a lifetime here would not be enough time to search them all. And surly the information that could help him was right there in the next shelf, right?!?

But, as ever before, the presence caught up with him again. He could feel it, just over his shoulder. Not quite upon him, but creeping ever closer. And so, it was to the open air of the Shroudships that he returned.

***