The Adept's Notebook

Uncharted Waters

1505 words

I go now... as forever I'd be a firework —
One lit in brillance white against the evening stars —
Rather than a feeble candle, burning out its time.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and forever and a day,
Through these soft whispers every life burns out...
Nay, I'll be... a torch against the night.

— Preface

The Adept's Notebook, also known as Annelise's Notebook, is one of the best-preserved documents from the Northern Survey. Written from the perspective of a young, talented scholar, Annelise Marion, it details the trepidation, heartbreak, and glory of the voyage north in the form of drawings, poetry, and descriptive prose on the day-to-day events of the journey.

Annelise

A government that is too weak to protect its people is a failure. A government that is too strong and oppresses its people is still a government, though tyrannical. I would much rather my government be too strong than too weak.

— Annelise's essay on government

Annelise Marion, the author of the journal, was in quite a unique situation at the time of her writing. She had passed the imperial exams with flying colors just a year earlier, and achieved the rank of Adept: one of the top hundred students who would go on to administer provinces, armies, departments... maybe even nations. At this time, the call went out for a diplomat to journey with the Northern Survey, a voyage racked with danger.
It seemed that no Adept in their right mind would sail with the crews... after all, they had already earned a life of comfort and power. However, Annelise not only was willing to sail, but also personally volunteered to the empress to accompany the voyage. Empress Sara admired her bravery and asked what reward she would like to have for her duties. "None," she replied, "for the journey is its own reward."

Structure

To capture one image is more glorious than to write a thousand words.

— Old adage

The Adept's Notebook is divided into sections by day, with each section containing several short poems. One of the reasons this journal has survived so long is because of the quality of the poetry inside. According to contemporary poets, this masterwork showcased Annelise's skill at the highest calibre, and was left unmatched for decades.
Inside the notebook, each poem is annotated with context on what happened where and when. Usually, this is limited to a paragraph or two – although in certain situations the annotations may approach two pages in length. Annelise notes in her book that when her prose lengthens, "the poetry tends to ebb in power, for the scene is too fluid to be put into so few words."

Read the Document

The Adept's Notebook

Below are some brief excerpts from Annelise's Notebook. Table of Contents – Expand

Table of Contents: Selected Excerpts

• Departure to the North
• Fighting Homesickness
• Death of the First Mate
• Arrival at the Harbor

Objective: North

The shoreline recedes from view,
The ship's bow knifing through the waves.
The open ocean rises ahead...
Tinged with fire from the setting sun.

As I left port today with this excellent crew, the gravity of my decision reached me. I, of all people, sailing out of port, likely never to return. What of my family? What of my husband, married to me just two years? "No heroics," he had said, "just make it back home." I don't even know if any of us will ever come back home...
The junk is a massive feat of engineering, clearly designed not only with care but also for a wholly elegant aesthetic. Our Atlas has three full masts and a glorious hull. I have been able to attach a good drawing of the Endeavour, which has two masts and sails to our starboard. Despite these good signs, many a ship has foundered in these waters. Will ours be one of them?

And the crew, of what use will I be to the crew? How will I be of any use off of dry land? Captain Adamsen has done much to ease my doubts, but I am uncertain even what he thinks of me. Many call me just a humble landlubber, a liability more than an asset. We shall see what comes of the next few days...

[...]

Thoughts of Home

I shot the mourning dove today,
And stifled it's beautiful voice.
When it cries, my tears do fall,
And I wish to fly... back home.
(Alas, there were better targets for my bow)

This morning is the third day that I have been under sail. I was dreaming of studying back at the Academy back home, when something jostled me from my sweet sleep back into the harsh reality. I picked up my crossbow and walked outside onto the deck, where I saw a mourning dove, or some similar seabird, sorrowfully cooing as it flew away from our ship.

Through my tears and homesickness, I shot the bird from perhaps fifty paces. It seems my marksmanship has at least some use to the crew... or perhaps they just designate me sniper because it is the safest position on the deck. When we are being swarmed by those awful flying sea bats, it seems like I can always take out three or four of them. It helps distract me from my more meditative thoughts.

[...]

Bitten

The sailor's eyes are closed,
Sleeping for all eternity.
Beside him, his killer,
Bristling with our arrows.

Today, our first mate, Ethan, was bitten by a sea beast. It was early morning, so many of our best shots were still resting belowdecks. I do not know what in us makes these creatures attack us... the captain says that it is our strong life-force that is the cause.
Sea-beasts seem to hunt alone, unlike sea bats, and this time it seems that we were caught off-guard. Our efforts to save Ethan were in vain: we reached him too late to reverse the effects of the venom. My tears a second time flow for this young soul.
Captain Adamsen dictates that we do a burial at sea. In these last six days, others have died on other ships, but this is the first for ours. I stand vigil as the sailors lower his body through the glassy surface of the ocean that night. For once there is no wind, and the moon shines bright over these waters in a cloudless night.
After, we kick the sea-beast's mutilated body into the waters.

[...]

Harbor

I drop my watch-glass from the mizzenmast,
In shock and joy at what I have seen.
After so much sea, land!
After our darkest hour, dawn!

We've lost about forty men, most of them with the sinking of the Goldenrod. But we have finally made it to land! Captain Adamsen says these are small casualties compared to the three thousand she has lost before. But I have seen enough death. Land means life. There are few monsters, and man rules land. I'll leave the sea to the beasts.
As we sail towards the unknown harbor, the sun glints golden over the horizon. There are small wisps of rainbow-colored clouds, like banners welcoming us after a successful journey. The Atlas steers into the harbor at full sail. Behind us, a trail of fire blazes the way we came.

Close

Type

Journal, Personal

Medium

Paper

Authoring Date

16 A.U.

Location

Sali

Authors

• Annelise Marion

Reception

It is recommended by the Commander's Council to promote Adept Marion to Viceroy of New Ironfoot, due to the exceptional qualities demonstrated in her Notebook.

— Commendation for Promotion #2924

Annelise's travelogue was very well received, not only by the officials and peoples of Ironfoot, but also by the peoples of Sali, which were very interested in the sailing techniques and etiquette of the foreign peoples who had just turned up at their doorstep.
Today, the Notebook is regarded as a literary masterwork. A recent survey has determined that over half of all poets have copies of this book in their households, and Annelise is deservingly referred to as "the Sage of Poetry".

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