The First Voyage

The Beginning

No one knows how the virus started, but by the time we were able to react, it was too late to find a cure, and symptoms were only worsened by methods used to treat them. It started with a fever and progressed to body soreness, headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, coughing, sore throat. People would go homesick, and within 2 days, were exhibiting paralyzing flu symptoms. Some sought medical attention, and some stayed home, but if you fell ill, you died.

Victims in the final stages suffered profuse bleeding from the nose, eyes and ears, extreme fever, a wracking cough, seizures, finally coma and death.

The virus ravaged our world, and by years end, 80% of the human population perished. Then one day, people stopped falling sick, and in the first decade that followed, survivors drifted into the mountains, forests, and coasts to rebuild the world from scratch.

It’s been 350 years since the virus, and we are still struggling to regain what our ancestors lost. The original survivors remembered, they set the foundations for what we can aspire to become, and we have been preparing for centuries to begin our searches in earnest for the key to unlocking the mysteries that disappeared with the population. The legend has been a driving force behind the massive effort seen at ports and shipyards along the coasts of the Empire. Great hulking cargo ships have been commissioned, and entire villages from the mountains to the coasts are overflowing with work and opportunity. The mountaineers are bringing down bales of animal skins, aged exotic cheeses, rare spices, and herbs. Foresters are hauling in loads upon loads of lumber, crates of root vegetables and tree fruits, and their sacks of famous smoked venison sausage and moose jerky. Coastal towns are overflowing with travelers and merchants, the fish markets are booming, and trade has increased throughout the realm.

Maddox & Jorge

Fran arrived at the North East Harbor after a long, bone-jarring ride from the Northern Woods on an old fur trader’s wagon heading to the Harbor Markets. She hopped off and headed through town, hobbling slightly as the stiffness waned, Fran was in dire need of information and a safe place to sleep for at least a few hours. It was well after dark by the time she passed through the gates, and the taverns were out of the question since most of her coin had been spent securing a ride.

Walking down the main street towards the shipyard, Fran noticed more than a few stragglers and late-night party hounds rambling about shouting and sloshing their drinks. Lights were shining in the occasional window, and the taverns were full to bursting...they were always open, day and night in the larger towns and villages.

Seeing that there wasn’t suitable accommodation in the central part of town, Fran circled back to the village gate and took a well-worn path towards what she hoped was a barn. The stables were dark as she approached, but the house was brightly lit, and the shadow of a person was moving in and out of view as they went back and forth, busy with some task. Fran approached and knocked on the door with slight hesitation. There was a clattering of dishes, and a mumbled curse as footsteps strode fluidly to the door.

“Can I help you with something? Do you have a horse that needs stabling? What brings you here at this hour?” She said it friendly enough, but there was a note of wariness and that Fran knew all too well.

She was very tall... taller than many men. She wore a pair of tan form-fitting, riding breeches, a linen tunic layered underneath a vested goat hide girdle with and a lovely pair of sturdy leather boots that were oxblood in color and went to her knees. Maddie had a mane of almost black curly hair that fell past her shoulders, dark skin, nearly ebony black that glowed with some inner radiance. She seemed ageless, with dazzling light amethyst-grey eyes that pierced right through to Fran’s soul. She was beautiful, exotic, and mildly intimidating.

“Fran...Francis...but you can call me Fran.” She stammered, “I have come from the Northern Woods to find work on one of the departing ships.”

“Ah…I see…my name is Maddox…. but everyone calls me Maddie around these parts. Why don’t you come in? There are dangerous people about after sunset, and you won’t find lodging fit for a woman at any of the taverns.” She stepped back to allow me into her home. Something shifting in the dark shadows behind the lanterns lighting the yard and pathways caught her attention. With a scowl, she shut and bolted the door behind us.

Fran traveled months along the coast with nary a person to talk to except for the occasional traveler met on the road. Regular grunts and short scoldings from the fur trader who gave her a lift was the extent of available social interaction. Whenever a bale lashing had come undone or when the mules needed to be fed and watered, the fur-trader would unleash another stream of grunts and scoldings. The company of another woman was a welcome change. She stood in awe of Maddie’s home, which had huge vaulted ceilings with enormous exposed wooden beams and lofted alcoves. It was a well-lit space with an assortment of large beeswax candles that were four feet tall, as big around as a grown man’s thigh, and with five wicks each. All the furniture was oversize and made of a dark, richly stained hardwood, simply and elegantly designed, built for function and durability…it suited the woman’s rustic demeanor.

The house consisted of 3 round sections that reminded one of a cloverleaf, with a large round dining table set in the center. All the floors were lined with wide cedar planks, the walls were whitewashed from floor to ceiling, and the place smelled of old leather, sea salt, lavender, lemon, and sage. The ceiling rafters were strung with bunches of dried herbs and flowers, little potted plants grew in the windowsills, and dozens of clay jars and glass bottles lined the shelves. Fran could only guess at the contents as some were labeled in a language she didn’t understand, and others lacked any markings at all. She felt a soft cool breeze pass over her skin but the windows were closed, the house was warm, well sealed and not prone to drafts as far as she could tell. The sensation caused a slight uneasiness in the pit of Fran’s stomach that grew as she approached one side of the house and quickly dissipated as she crossed toward the kitchen where Maddie was fussing with a dull knife and sharpener.

The oddly shaped house was built directly onto the side of the stables which could be entered through a hidden doorway in the kitchen. Maddie said it was so that she could check the horses in the night without having to go outside, her husband kept a small beer and gambling parlor behind the barn. Shifty travelers and gamblers with an addiction have been known to try to steal horses and equipment on occasion to sell or flee when they couldn’t pay back their gambling debts.

Fran’s stomach was grumbling embarrassingly loud, without a word, Maddie ladled out a thick and hearty stew into beautiful hand-carved and oiled wood bowls. Fran caught a whiff of something familiar when Maddie handed her the steaming pot. It made her wonder if she had raised any children and what may have happened to them. “It’s hot...take your time, there is plenty more where that came from…if you’re still hungry after.” Said Maddie as she walked back to the oven to finish preparing what looked like dough for fresh bread. Not long after Fran sat down for supper, there was a loud commotion coming from the street. Fran dropped her spoon and darted to the door to see what was going on. Maddie stayed in the kitchen, humming a tune and tittering about tidying up like nothing was amiss outside her door.

A tall, gangly man with a bug-eyed look and a hooked nose was running frantically up the cobbled street, clutching a tattered sack to his chest. “Filthy scoundrels!!” yelled a giant beast of a man as he came barreling around the stables with a slingshot the size of a small cat. He lined up a fist-sized rock and let it fly, the stone hit the back of the running man with a loud “THUD!!” directly between his shoulders. His face was a mask of fear, pain, and bewilderment as he went sprawling to the ground. The sack he was carrying flung open, and its contents were strewn about the street. Among the items were a few large and misshapen bits of a gold nugget, a few handfuls of silver and copper coins, 2 finely detailed horses’ bits, a pair of massive gold spurs, and oddly enough some leather strapping. The bear of a man scooped up the bag and its contents, and with a hardy, well-placed kick to the thief, he strode directly towards Fran as she gawked in the doorway.

“Didn’t scare ya’ did I? Are you the new stable help? Where is my wife?” The big man bellowed, although confident he had no idea the sheer volume of his booming voice, Fran stood in the door slack-jawed and speechless.

Fran startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Maddie, standing a whole head taller and waving a long-handled wooden spoon calling out to her husband. “Oh, my goodness Jorge! Will you stop scaring the poor girl, she just arrived in town and will be staying with us a while. Quit the bear act and get in here, supper’s been ready for hours.” Jorge laughed a big, gruff, belly laugh and followed them into the house, shutting the thick, heavy oak door behind him.

If Maddie was tall, then Jorge was a verifiable giant, especially compared to other men. He stood a towering seven feet tall, with the hulking shoulders and arms of a blacksmith, and legs like two sculpted tree trunks. Jorge had layers of muscle that rippled beneath his linen tunic and dark burgundy rough spun trousers tucked into a filthy pair of good quality leather boots. He had a curly mop of flame-red hair, matching beard, and piercing emerald green eyes and darkly tanned olive skin that all but hid the smattering of freckles on his face, chest, and arms. Once they were all inside, Jorge sauntered over to Maddie, swooped her off her feet, and planted a loving kiss on her forehead. “I love you, but you smell like a gutter rat. Have a bath and come back down for something to eat.” She giggled as he set her back down. The look they shared was one of pure love and fierce devotion. Fran knew right then and there that they lived for one another. Over dinner, she told Maddie and Jorge all about her journey to the coast. They nodded and listened politely, but the subtle glances between them sent a tingle of suspicion down her spine.

The lofted lobes of the house held three rooms; the southern portion above the kitchen was where Maddie and Jorge had their bed. The eastern section above the apothecary was used as a guest room, and the western lobe above the library was blocked from view by a mesmerizing tapestry depicting a raging sea storm.

Fran clambered up the ladder to the guest room and was hardly unshod before collapsing from sheer exhaustion. That night she had sweet dreamless slumber for the first time since she was a little girl. The next morning the house was buzzing with activity and it smelled heavenly. She caught sight of bacon and eggs sizzling in a pan with mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic, and spinach fresh from the backyard garden. An aromatic coffee was brewing (which was very rare in this part of the country and roused a great deal of curiosity in Fran). There were large bowls of fresh berries smothered in a sweet cream sauce, the sight and smell immediately sent a rush of nostalgia and sadness through Fran’s bones. The feeling was followed by an unfounded twinge of unease that she quickly shook off for the moment.

Days turned into weeks as they waited for the ships to complete outfitting for departure. Fran used that time to learn all she could about the odd couple with their strange house and eclectic hobbies. The closed off upper lobe of the house was a constant distraction…Fran felt pulled toward the tapestry every time she passed by or below it.

Eventually, the call went out for the first ships were ready to sail. With a heavy heart, Fran began packing her meager belongings. As she finished packing her things, there was a light knock on the door. Maddie and Jorge were standing there. Maddie looked resigned, and Jorge looked distraught, “We are so happy for you to be able to continue on your path but saddened by your pending departure. We have packed a few tokens of the good faith and friendship developed over the past few weeks. You will see and experience many things on your journey, some of the contents of this bag will be of service to you in times of need.” Maddie smiled enigmatically as she finished the words. “The rest are some smoked venison sausages, jerky, apples, some root veggies, a few sweets…” Jorge mumbled through tears as he scooped Fran into a bear hug. He set her down and handed her the bag

Departure

We set sail the morning of June 3rd from one of the principal harbors on the Eastern Seaboard. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and the air was already thick, hot, and hazy. It was the kind of soupy heat that stuck to your skin and made you sweat buckets, even if you were standing still in the shade. The wind hadn’t picked up yet, and the ship wasn’t going anywhere until it came to blow us out to sea. The crew was getting restless, and the nervous tension could be felt by all.

The captain was a tall, slender wisp of a man with a mean eye and a fast hand. He was standing at the helm shouting orders; men and women scrambled about the deck making final preparations. Food and water stores were loaded on the backs of the small and hardy port donkeys grudgingly carrying their tottering burdens up the narrow gangways, braying and kicking out whenever a handler cracked a whip or gave them a shove. Goats and chickens were brought along for the milk, eggs, and fresh meat they would provide.

At last, the port donkeys were driven off the ship, and we were about to set sail when a loud commotion could be heard heading toward the docks. A tall, dark, and burly man hauling a huge rolling trunk came charging and hollering around the corner swaying like a willow in a stiff breeze, demanding to be let aboard…Fran would soon come to learn that this man was the ships surgeon and she was to be assigned as his assistant.