Water-Stained Nautical Records

Water-Stained Nautical Records

... The wind and waves are calm today, and the ship is making steady progress. For the moment, everything is normal. We should reach port in 20 days. Everyone's in good spirits. Well, apart from a few new shore-huggers found slacking off and gambling down in the cargo hold. Lovisa caught them red-handed — if Hark hadn't intervened, she'd have cracked their heads open like eggshells. Hopefully, they'll learn a lesson from it — the shield of a "Shieldmaiden" isn't just some mantlepiece! In the end, they were docked three evenings' rations and ordered to scrub the deck for three days straight. ... The morning fog was thick, with visibility down to less than 10 chains. It didn't begin clearing until midday. ...We encountered a ship from the north, made of metal and sitting low in the water — she looked like a big 'un. Grettir decided to draw us near and say hello. After negotiations, both sides came to a satisfactory agreement. While we were there, something unexpected happened. Lovisa was visiting their captain when she smashed a hole in the deck and uncovered a hidden compartment. Inside was the legendary Proof of the Cognoscenti. Though I've not the foggiest how a feather is supposed to lead us to some "great treasure"... ... ...We've almost arrived at those notorious waters. There's something not quite right about these winds, and the waves grow ever more turbulent... ...Everyone on deck needs to stay alert. We've given wine and bread to the sea, but Grettir's still worried, so he made an offering of Mora, and even some iron coins — though where they came from is beyond me. Hopefully it's enough to guarantee safe passage... ...Probably led astray by the wind and waves, there appear to be no few ships that don't belong here following this treacherous route... ...We discovered a Longplume Ibis on the stern deck, dead. This isn't...