Entry: We have just left the city of Orakolos with our hold full of wool and 4 full chests of hand-made exquisite wood carvings. The sails are full and the crew is ready for the trip to Meizou. If the winds and waves stay favorable and Nequ'el chooses to smile for us, we should reach Meizou on or about 21 Asa. Clear skies, and we can see to the horizon, and the seas are calm
Our passengers seem to be those of some note (at least they dress like they are important) as they are holders of a platinum coin, with one exception. If the murmurs of the crew are true, I have a Chirabatte on board. Regardless, he paid well as a gold coin passenger and only asked that he be allowed to stay above decks and to have a small boat when we came in sight of the island of Yaopa. He stated that he would ensure the boat would be returned.
Date: 7 Asa 5619
Sea: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 1/8
Entry: All is going well the winds are still favorable and the crew is still in good spirits. One of our passengers is not meant for even calm seas as he has spent almost every waking moment hanging everything from the waist up over the stern and almost as green as the eyes of the Chirabatte. They have yet to say a word to anyone, even when spoken to, he just nods.
Date: 8 Asa 5619
Seas: 2/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 1/8
Entry: Another peaceful day with full sails and we are making great headway. I offered our guests a seat at my table last evening, two showed up in their traveling finest, one stayed long enough to see the food on the table and promptly placed himself on his perch at the stern, and our mysterious fourth guest simply stated, "I cannot." It has amazed the crew and me that no one has seen him eat since we left port. He has however made himself useful around the deck, regardless of the Boatswain's request. Deckhands only need to show him once how to do something and he seems to master it. He just refuses to go below deck, as he is a passenger I have told the boatswain to allow him that freedom
Date: 9 Asa 5619
Seas: 2/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 2/8
Entry: All is going well, our "Stern Bird" as the crew has started to call him, at least to amongst themselves has finally seemed to get his sea legs. Despite his silence, our Chirabatte has made an impact on the crew, they see him as one of them now, however, they know as much about him now as we knew about him before we left port
Date: 10 Asa 5619
Seas: 3/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 3/8
Entry: Winds are a little stronger but definitely in our favor, if this keeps up we might make it a day early. The Chirabatte (still don't know his name) has made his way upon every part of the deck and masts and every yard, but today for some reason he seems to be more active along the yards checking rigging, ties, blocks, and always looking up to the sky.
Date: 11 Asa 5619
Seas: 4/8
Visibility: 6/8
Clouds:4/8
Entry: I was awakened early by the feeling of the ship heaving as if the keel had hit something solid. I scrambled out to the deck to see the orange of the horizon just before sunrise and it was ablaze with its heavy weather warning. The Chirabatte had already started helping with battening down the hatches. On the main mast yard was our Chirabatte mate, pointing at the ship's port side, along with a few of the crew muttering prayers to Nequ'el. I saw the largest dorsal fin I have ever seen in my 16 years of sailing, if this was a shark, it was beyond massive, and just as quickly it disappeared below the waves. This has left the crew a little rattled and all but one of our passengers visibly and openly wondering if this trip was a good idea.
Date: 12 Asa 5619
Seas: 6/8
Visibility:3/8
Clouds:8/8
Entry: No sleep for anyone, the clouds are heavy and the seas are rough, our "Stern Bird" is back to his perch but with a rope tied to him. Our Chirabatte does not seem phased. The crew has been handling the storm well and our Chirabatta has been acting as one of the crew without question or complaint. the lightning has kept to the boiling, churning, flame-colored sky.
Our foremast has snapped, taking 3 sailors with it as well as fore sail, fore top sail, fore top gallant sail, and fore royal
All passengers are safely below decks, but the Chirabatta refuses to go below.
Date: 13 Asa 5619
Seas: 6/8
Visibility:1/8
Clouds:8/8
Entry: No sleep again, sails are shredded, rain is so heavy can't even see from bow to stern. At least the bilge pumps are working, the Chirabatte is working along with the sailors that are holding the rudder. There was a near hit from the lightning, I know it struck the sea with a bolt that lit up the night as if it were full daylight because even the sea was lit up under the water. I swear I saw that...whatever it was... again just under the waves. Thankfully, the rudder is still in good working order.
Date: 14 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 1/8
Entry: The storm has finally abated and we are out in the clear sky, our passengers are no worse for wear. Our 'Stern Bird' has been up in arms since he left his bed. The Chirabatte has never left the rudder this storm, with no break, no sleep, and undoubtedly no water or food.
Cargo is still intact, but we will only get half-payment if we don't make our delivery date.
The ship above deck is a mess, and with only one sail, we are going to have a hard time making it to Meizou
The Chirabatte for the first time since we sailed, asked to speak with me directly and in private...will wonders never cease.
Date: 15 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 0/8
Entry: The seas are becalmed and there is no wind to speak of, at least the sun will help dry everyone and everything out.
His name is Hidaka, and that is all the information about himself that he gave me in our discussion. We held our meeting on the bow with specific instructions that we were left alone. He stated that he could get us to Yaopa and once there, he would provide me the means to make it the rest of the way to Meizou, but only on the understanding that no one disturb him at the bow of the ship no matter the events that would transpire and that I would need to follow his instructions to the letter regardless of how strange it sounded. He repeatedly stressed that he be left undisturbed and no one but him gets off the ship once we reach Yaopa.
We agreed and his first request was to drop the anchor but only at half-length.
All that was left of the sails needed to be rolled up.
All of the crew except me needed to be below decks.
He went to the bow of the ship and made a cry out in some language I had never heard, then began repeating the same sound over and over. The ship lurched forward suddenly and we made better speed than if we were at a dead run.
Once this started he sat at the very top of the bow staring forward and chanting.
Date: 16 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 0/8
Entry: The ship has been moving at an amazing speed since yesterday and Hidaka has not stopped his chant.
I could have sworn that he had a slight blue glow about him during the night but it just may have been the moon shining
In the sight of Yaopa
Hidaka stopped chanting as we arrived, thankfully, as the crew and passengers were getting restless for being below deck for the past day. He asked that the anchor be brought back up. Strangely, it came up without difficulty or resistance.
The ship has somehow been brought broadside to a dock but it doesn't look used in ages but is still very solid.
Again, I am reminded of his demands, no one is to get off the ship
Hidaka informed me that he would be back before sunset. He requests that he be lowered to the dock on boatswain's chair.
The island appears to be completely covered in exceeding tall grass, even at the height of the yard arm all I can see is grass swaying in the light breeze. I see him disappear into the grass, instantly I lose sight of him, no one sees the grass even move as he steps into it, just the gentle sway of it in the breeze
Our "Stern Bird" apparently has had enough of "this sea life" and demands to be lowered and let off. The crew knew the order not to get off of the ship under any circumstances. Before anyone could stop him he had; with surprising agility, grabbed a rigging rope and hurried down the port side. He immediately ran into the grass, we could see the grass give way to him, I don't think he made 10 steps in and there was a scream and then silence and the grass returning to its steady swaying. Everyone on the ship went silent and stepped away even from the edges and went back below deck in dead silence.
Hidaka appears out of the curtain of green with three other individuals, one carrying a large box made out of what appeared to be weaved grass or reeds, the other carrying a large spool of rope, and the other what looked like a large roll of some kind of fabric over her shoulders. Their appearance out of the green curtain was startling as we never heard them or saw any movement, it was as if they just appeared.
Hidaka spoke to them in an odd tone and language, they nodded in agreement and then he asked if he could come aboard and bring his help with him. I agreed, they were brought aboard and immediately I could see that they were under the direct instructions of Hidaka. He also stated that I would not be held responsible for the actions of the passenger who left the ship. They waited for him to come on deck as he was the last to be brought up and stood solid until he spoke to them. Hidaka asked me to bring all of the crew forward as he had sustenance for them, the rope to repair some of the damaged rigging, and the fabric to replace the remaining heavily damaged sail.
The food was in individual wax-sealed smaller boxes, the food was odd but strangely filling for such small portions, he explained that the boxes could keep food good for a full week if it was sealed with wax and kept out of the sun and heat. While the crew and remaining passengers ate, Hidaka asked if the other Chirabatte could do the repairs, at this point, I was indebted to him so I agreed. He uttered a sound and they immediately started on the rigging and putting up the new sail, this was accomplished with amazing speed as if they had been at sea for years. He would answer no questions about any of the other Chirabatte or himself, or the island. When he was pressed by one passenger about what happened to our "Stern Bird", he simply stated, "No one was to get off of the boat." Once the work was complete, all three stood in front of him bowed their heads, and said "oeta". I have no idea what that means, but he clapped his hands together, bowed, and motioned them off the ship.
The sail was blazing white and made of silk with what appeared to be a huge blue curling wave in the center. Hidaka handed me a small polished shell on a silk cord with the instructions that once the island was no longer visible on the horizon. I was to tie the shell at the top of the mast so it hangs behind the silken sail. Again, he stressed his instructions needed to be followed exactly.
Date: 17 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 0/8
Entry: There is an odd silence over the entire crew and passengers. Hidaka had another box of the sealed food brought to the ship and he explained this would be enough to sustain everyone to Meizou. I climbed the mast and personally placed the shell in the instructed location, the moment I did the sail instantly filled with air and we were at a dead run speed.
Date: 18 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 1/8
Entry: The sail have not even so much as rippled in this constant wind, it has gone on since I put the shell behind the sail. The crew has been in good spirits and the passengers are strangely almost cheerful. Even though I have a feeling of ease and calmness as if all is well with the sea and my ship, I still feel the loss of my crew members, the loss of a passenger, and the fact that my ship looks like it has just come back from war but not as harshly as I felt it a few days ago. I don't know if it is the food or the calm weather.
Date: 19 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 1/8
Entry: The ship has been moving along at a great clip, and the sail has been full for the past few days straight. If my calculations are right, we will be in port by tomorrow, mid-day, which is a full day and a half ahead of schedule, I think I might ask for a little extra for getting merchandise in early and for the damage my ship took in transporting the cargo.
Date: 20 Asa 5619
Seas: 1/8
Visibility: 8/8
Clouds: 2/8
Entry: Arrival at the port of Meizou and we are a full day and a half early. As soon as we were pulled into port and as I was the last one to step off the ship, the sail immediately fell apart like freshly burned paper in a breeze. The silk cord and even the shell just blew away in the breeze. I have never seen Hidaka or any others like him but I find it amazing and also terrifying that there are people out there like that. The dock workers and the people on the dock just stared up in amazement and I don't know if anyone is going to believe me and my story, but it should make for at least a few free pints.
