I, Vibris Ceza, having set out from Imperial City, intend to explore all of Uclandia. Or at least as much as I am able to.
I intend to keep a daily log of my journals with the overall intention of compiling all my notes, (@The Collected Journeys of Vibris Ceza) as well as whatever maps I may draw, into an Atlas of Uclandia, As I set out, I am alone. I do not know if my situation will stay this way.
But for now, I have as much food as I could carry, my journal which is yet blank, and my pen and ink.
I look forward to my adventures.
First day:
I have eaten and will attempt to share the day's happenings with you.
For much of the day, I wandered North, further and further from polite civilization. But as with any city, is it civilized, or is that a veneer? The further I walked, the better the air smelled. Less of too many people and their living-stink. Less of their herd animals and their barns. Once I got upwind of the city and began to climb, the air smelled sweet. It was as if the sun warming the tall grasses gave off a perfume of its own. I can tell you that after being in Imperial City for an entire season, nothing had smelled as sweet to me right then.
Closer to the city, the road was manicured cobblestones, well fit. But the farther I walked, the less the roads were kept. I came to many crossroads and followed my intuition. Almost at sunset, I crossed paths with a young man who was seeking a lost sheep. He told me that I was not far from his home village, and that if I continued up the road, I would find it. When I did, he said, I was to ask for his aunt, Bird. Then he bid me farewell and went off to find his errant sheep.
I followed his instruction and found a settlement. I would not call seven or eight homes and barns a village, but these people do. They call it Fishtrap. I asked after Bird and was introduced. I told her that I had made the acquaintance of her nephew, and it was at his insistence I had come. She and the others welcomed me and insisted I allow them to feed me and host me for the night.
They fed me a thick fish stew, and small white tuber roots and put a wooden mug of mead at my elbow. It tasted a little fruity, and burned a little as I drank it. They asked me to tell them what the Imperial City was like. It seems astonishing that none of them have ever gone, since their village is not so far away. But Bird told me that there is a trader that comes from the city, and brings them anything they need.
The mead, which they never let me run out of, made me very tired. I assume that it is a local drink and likely has fermented more than any other drink I am used to. I confess to also not being used to walking as much as I did today.
While I am disappointed to not be sleeping out under the stars, I cannot complain. The people of Fishtrap have been very good hosts, although as I made my way from the fire to this barn, I heard a younger villager ask Bird when she was going to tell the traveler her nephew was dead.
I am quite certain that I heard correctly. But my eyes grow heavy. I shall have to ask in the morning before I take my leave of these hospitable people.
More tomorrow...
Purpose
Vibris Ceza has been compiling his journals kept while exploring as much of Uclandia as he can. Together with Eri Meridian, he intends to compile the journals, any loose notes and maps he may make into an Atlas of Uclandia.
Oh, the suspense!