The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Fourth Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose on the Sea of Storms. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
Over the vast sea it flew. High and low, this way and that, it traveled. It caressed the oceanic lows, and it sprayed mist from the highest of white caps! Here and there, it flew, gay as only an ocean bound spirit of air can be.
And yet, for as large of a presence this wind was, it was not that noticeable. It barely wafted over the deck of the Maiden's kiss, bringing relief from the hammer blows of the sun's heat that pound upon any face and body that is forced to be on deck.
below decks, it is worse. the holds were thrown open, yet the wind wasnt strong enough to enter and flush out the stench of 70 men and women that traveled over the Sea of Storms. Men and women laid upon hammocks or sat at small tables playing dice games. One man stood just below an open hold, attempting to cool everyone by waving a large fan, but it did little beyond the semblance of hope.
The channelers all sat together, looking at the angry, baleful looks from the non channelers. Even an Aes Sedai felt a minor shiver of fear run up her spine from the glares.
It all started when the ship ran into it's first storm on the Sea. A mighty bruiser of a storm, thunder and lightning rained down upon the sea, near and far! wind and rain lashed at the deck! the sails were brought down, tied to the masts to prevent damage. The windfinder tried to channel, an attempt to limit the Storms impact upon the vessel, only to be rendered unconscious! Only the masterful navigation of the ship's captain, a Seanchan named Captain Arl Bannorld, allowed the ship to stay topside of the waves.
After that, once the Windfinder recovered, she talked with other channelers, and they too admitted that attempting to channel was very difficult. It was as if remnant weaves were still alive in the air, and they attached to their own weaving attempts, creating the potential for disastrous consequences. A proclamation was put out onto the ship: "anyone who channels gets thrown overboard".
the safety of the ship was more important than the desires of one individual.
There was one exception allowed. the windfinder. She had to use her powers to propel the ship south, for the ship did not hold enough food for a nominal, sail power.
For the next three weeks, the Windfinder, and Captain Bannorld, guided the ship through the treacherous Sea of Storms. In the calm, the windfinder used her powers. but when a storm was upon the horizon, she stopped and retired below deck.
And, just when Land was discovered, disaster struck!
The windfinder died!
As was described by the female channelers that were watching and learning on the deck, the Windfinder held her cables of air fast before her, pulling a stiff breeze into the sails. It was a weave the Windfinder had done numerous times before. and the conditions were right, no storms on the horizon, no storms had recently passed. And yet, one moment, the strands of air held true, and the next, a rogue strand of Spirit pierces the weave and shreds it! the cut weave rebounded hard into the Windfinder, destroying her from within. In the space of a heartbeat, she went from standing and whole, to a twisted, rent ruination of a human.
after that, until people were on dry land, and well away from the ship, no one could channel.
"Well, that was interesting?" Lazar says as he smokes his pipe and sharpens some of his knives.
yeah? why is that interesting, cook? a voice snaps out. It's Ansred, third mate apprentice of the ship. he held little to no power, aside from when he was on deck pulling watch at night. He was young, annoying, arrogant, and quick to anger.
"Well, I'm no channeller, but I do know a thing or to Lad," He says shiftily, letting the dagger disappear.
"Our Windfinder perished from the power. Haven't seen that since the war. It also seemed to me to be death by exertion. Like a Stevedore or Porter having to carry double the load and while walking uphill during a muddy downpour!" He said, taking another puff of his pipe.'
"What's more interesting than that. Oh yes, I do not like the fact that another being died. Though this sparks curiosity in me. One that needs investigating." Lazar says his face is that of an elderly man, hair more gray than black. Still, he held himself with pride. He had seen much, first as a hunter of the horn, and later as a combatant in Merrilor. Since then, he had cooked for any and all. Seafolk, Illianier, Seanchan, Aes Sedai, Aiel, etc. He never stopped being a hero, aiding in taking down those who did evil. His nose and staff are aiding him. To the veteran, he had seen the horrors of the world, and instead of shying away, found it more of a puzzle to seek out and solve than to shy away from.
"Aside from that, it would be smart of us to figure out what is causing this and what we can do to curtail it. No telling whether it's isolated to her, to this area, if it's growing, etc. " Lazar finally stated feeling he was about to embark on a new mystery that will lead to a new adventure.
"Perhaps there is some Ter'angeral that is affecting this area. Have you sailed by here before?" Dhearic asks Ansred in the hopes he might have some useful information that he might be willing to share.
Jocasta hugs her white shawl tighter to her shoulders, as women always do in Jordan's books (that, or tugging at their skirts). She peers out over the railing toward the sight of land.
"Dangerous time. Without the Windfinder, the lookouts must make certain that the ship does not run aground while trying to find landfall. Even if we make it to land, the solution to problems of the One Power is not always obvious."
Her voice is high-pitched and slightly monotone, the kind that could put someone to sleep if she sang a lullaby. Her black hair contrasts with her white garb and her fair complexion. As is almost always the case with Aes Sedai, she remains quite composed even in the face of lethal mysteries.
Ansred shakes his head with a frown. No. no one has. except the Sea Folk. And the closest that they came was just in sight of the land. nothing more. He pulls out a roll of thick tabbac, and lights it from the lone candle lit upon the table. It-
a voice cuts through the hot interior!
Let's go folks! time to become explorers!
everyone groans, hearing the nasally voice.
Cahlden Sonderch, the benefactor of this expedition, was an annoyance. a major annoyance. The man would never shut up. He always asked incessant questions, could never take a hint, and would never take rejection long. Perpetually happy, he was always smiling and laughing at times, as though he had just heard a joke, but was unwilling to share it with anyone. His eyes darted here and there, failing to hold still long enough to look people in the eye.
but, he had money! lots of money. Lots, and lots, and lots of money.
Rumors said that his family and him held enough financial assets to rival that of kandor or Arafel.
It was his offer of payment that caught your attention. 5,000 Gold Marks, payable upon completion of journey. and it was the clause "person shall have ownership of all items found/recovered/obtained." these two things made the trip have the potential to make anyone who came along very rich.
Shut up Cahlden! a man snarls out, hurling a knife at the wood frame where the voice shouted from. The man who threw it was a bit of a hothead. Jasper Firewyn, a veteran of the final battle, his face was covered in scars, and his right eye held no white. instead, it was stained red with blood. He was nice enough man to talk to when he was up on deck and the sun was in his face. but below, within the hold, he became different. Above deck, his face lit up with a crooked but rakish smile, but below, it warped into a fierce frown and a hard glare. It was odd though, his gaze. if you caught the light just right, you swear that there was a black speck of something that floated in his eyes.
The 20 something stood up and rushed to the stairs to the dock. he climbed up the stairs and retrieved his knife.
He looks the woman in white in her eyes and asks, "Do you think what caused the windfinder's death could also be part of the land we will be making our landing at?" Although he is not quite thirty, his sharing his rations on the sly with his non-horse companion has made him appear to be slightly malnourished.
"Impossible to tell until we make landfall and I can safely embrace the Power," says the woman smoothly. She taps her Great Serpent ring against the railing. "Even then, I suspect we shall find more questions than answers."
The powerwrought vambraces on her arms glitter in the sun. She points to the landfall and says, "No doubt someone has been here before, but the records of such are lost or hidden."
Lazar looks at Jasper and eyes him. Lazar was a veteran of the Final battle, too. Many things were seen that can't be unseen. Doesn't mean one was to be uncivil and throw knives. They weren't Sharans',
After the kerfuffle, Lazar heads over to the Aei'Sedai and, with flourishing motion, his hat comes off and he bows respectfully. Just as elegantly, he puts the hat back on his head as he then taps his pipe clean.
"Aei'Sedai, It is true. I doubt no one has traversed these lands. Instead, I see we humans can't seem to get along. The Nerve of some." Lazar said, bristling his mustache as then continues." A white sister, eh? Figured a brown would be more apt to be here. That's beside the point. What do you think about the power here? Any danger of it being a direct attack?"
"Insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion. The fate of our Windfinder was not an accident. The only likely place to investigate is here, ergo, we need to find whatever secrets are hidden here," says Jocasta.
"And because the Windfinder's death was not accidental, this is likely dangerous."
"Well then, I guess we are to venture forth. We were doing it anyway, what is worse is we have a dead Windfinder, and a possible vengeful Sea Folk."Lazar says, looking around.
"Not only does it smell off like the pit of a porter who had been trekking overland for days without washing. The humidity of the day makes the sour even more sour."The old man adds, touching his finger to his nose.
"Lazar Tehran, at your service Sister." he says and then smiles."Wonder how my actual sister is doing in the white tower. She is a grey sister"
"Jocasta." The Aes Sedai is perfunctory. "Of the White Ajah, obviously," she adds. She hesitates a moment before accepting Kayden's handclasp.
"Once we are ashore, we should look for a source of fresh water, so that we can set up an encampment. Our investigation will not last long if we do not account for our base, physical necessities. Once that is established I can tentatively attempt some simple Weaves and see what kind of interference, if any, I encounter. That may give us some clues as to the nature of the problem. We should also note any high points—whoever is in the lookout spot in the crow's nest should be able to tell the high spots of this island—for exploration, as those will give us a view of the landscape for further investigation."
"If we can't find fresh water, we can boil and strain the salt water, As for food stuffs I have some."
The ageless face of the Aes Sedai reveals little. With the Great Serpent ring and the obvious signs of the White Ajah, she is probably driven principally by logic. Odd to see a White Ajah outside of the Tower. Assuming she isn't secretly a Darkfriend... but they were annihilated during the Final Battle, weren't they?
"Hopefully, the land isn't as foul as the business. My nose is a sensitive one. As for food aside from my stores, we could kill and slaughter my Mule. I would hate that. However, we may need her in this rugged land. She also makes carrying all my pots and stores full." he says with a smile as he leans on his staff, after having pulled the black Sung Wood staff, both ends capped with gleaming metal.
"Besides I walk"
"I have no issue with a smaller party. It allows us the ability to move swiftly and discreetly. Also easier for me to manage our stores." He chuckles as he then looks at the fellow. He takes him in and then nods.
"I will also state I am a sniffer. My nose tracks down evil. My current mule is Aleki, a beautiful Mule lass, and sturdy. A bit temperamental. Not sure about the ride, never did learn to ride." He laughed at the last part, remembering his various near deaths on horseback before, during, and after the last battle.
"Let's assemble some supplies and figure out a direction to go, then."
"I'll secure and make some food. Onc eon the road if we find something to butcher and preserve, we'll n eed some salt, fruits, fat and intestines. Make some blood sausage, Lard Tact and Pemmikin. Not the best but it'll give us fuel to carry on" Lazar says as he pics up his staff and then stands fully leaning on it.
"No matter what, food will be hard pressed, I;ll make sure to cook things that will last a few meals. Substitute with huntin', fishing, and foragin'" he says, scratching his chin then stroking his mustache.
""What 'bout you sister, you got any survival skills?" He asks looking at other and then back at Kayden.
"Pretty sure you look like you've seen the underside of the canopy way too many times."
"I have no pack animals, but I will join in on the hunt. We should be cautious though. The Windfinder was using a great deal of the Power. I wonder if it triggered something by how much of Saidar she was drawing upon. If that happens, we may find more dangers that were triggered by whatever happened." Dhearic says.
Your first look upon a new land is filled with naught but awe.
Close, no more than several hundred yards away from the ship, you see a long sandy beach. And yet, instead of it being brown sand, it looks to be colored black and red, a swirling mass of softness laid out in an inviting manner. Almost a mile to your right, and an equal distance to the left, the beach reaches out, to end amongst savage, upthrust sharp rocks and boulders. Birds, sea gulls and albatrosses, fly over head, calling sharply in the brisk wind. Strange black and white things crawl over the sharp rocks, jumping into the water and then exploding out of the ocean with the spray.
you look into the water, and see massive schools of fish! large and small, they swim and swirl, dancing in the waters. A large shark, fin cutting the water tops, cuts through the blue and snaps up smaller fish at will.
the land itself is green. thick shrubs with long, broad leaves overlap the land beyond the beach, hiding much.
far off to the horizon, large mountain tops belch smoke, staining the blue horizon with greys and blacks.
It's so pretty Cahlden says softly, joining everyone on deck. People nod and mutter in agreement. Jasper breaths deep and replies
It certainly is... he adds softly.
Well, i suppose. let's get to it! Cahlden says, his voice taking on a tone of authority. time to Unload-
a yell of excitement and a splash draws your attention to the waters!
You watch as Jasper breaks the surface of the water and begins to swim to the shore!
the fish break away, fleeing the source of the disturbance, and the shark follows.
long boats are dropped to the water, and everyone pitches in to help off load the ship. Groups of 20 are sent to the shore, or mixed groups with animals and wagons or carts.
Ceirn sits still in the small boat as it is rowed to shore. His eyes are fixed hard on the distant volcano and the swirling clouds that come off of it. From the distance he thinks he sees swirling shapes of birds moving through the smoke, and uses that to distract him from the unnatural amount of water he is gliding over.
Lazar sits in the boat looking on the shore. Large trees with Golden Yellow fruit. Others had round hairy huts. The fish dance about in varied colors and bright scales.
"Wonder what foods we can find to feast on and create." He says as he looks at the Wolf.
" Ah, hello there"he says pulling out salted piece of pork and holds it out for him.
"Stick with me and I will make your kills cooked and flavorful." he laughs and then stares ahead.
Jocasta boards one of the small boats and remains quiet as the team rows to the shore. She accepts a hand leaving the boat, and takes a hesitant step onto the sandy beach.
"I remember reading about this place," she says eventually. "An isle full of madmen, raving and violent. Let's hope we don't run into anyone dangerous before we can find a secure place to set up a camp."
She pauses and squints at the volcano in the distance. "Does anyone else see... that?" she says, pointing.
"A Smoking Mountian? Interesting. Isn't there some of those in the Blight?" he says looking out and then back.
" Maybe, these mad men can be made into civilized men?"
"There are definitely strange things around that peak. Dhearic says.
While trying to keep his eyes elevated on the mountain he also says, "I am not sure where you can find such peaks. I have seen red sand before, but black sand is new for me."
the ride to shore is surprisingly easy, given your rough trip through the Sea of Storms. the sea seems to help carry you onto the land, a gentle watery hand waving you upon the shore. Your longboat grinds softly upon the black sand, and settles.
The smoking mountain Jocasta points out is a large, dominating feature upon the horizon. Thick plumes of gray and black smoke flow lazily out of the gaping maw that stands in place of a mountain top. You look at it, and judge the mountain to be a good one or two days march from the shore line... if the terrain was level grassland. The thick green underbrush and foliage that surrounds the beach gives a first impression that movement in this foreign landscape will be difficult without the aide of the One Power.
Closer to you, off to your right, close to the boulders that border this beach, you see the glint of sunlight flickering upon some rocks.
it is a strange weave he has woven. strands of air and water wrapped around his body and seems to squeeze him momentarily.
You all spot jasper on the shoreline, a big smile upon his face. he thrusts his hands up to the skies above, and watch as water is pressed from his clothing and hair. it sprays out gently in a small circle around him. He smacks the side of his head as though he is trying to clear something from an ear.
Ahh, much better. he says with a grin. He lifts his hand to his brow and looks out into the distance. Huh. that is weird. bah! he scoffs loudly must be seeing things. there's no way anyone could channel that much.
"It smells so bad!" Lazar says, pulling a hankerchief from his coat and placing it to his nose.
"Something really disastrous happened on the beach"
Dhearic watches Jasper for a moment and then gives a slight nod as he turns back towards the shore. "We should seek fresh water, and shelter, if possible." He says to the group.
For the rest of the day the boats travel from ship to shore, offloading passengers and cargo. teams form up and begin to move the cargo further from the shoreline.
Dhearic! Cahlden yells out, quickly walking up to the aielman. Dhearic. Hi. Can you scout out the forest area, give us a quick run down of the surrounding environment? I figure your kind would be the best at scouting and being safe and quick about it. If you could, keep an eye out for someplace where we could set up base camp. I dont know how high the water gets here at high tide, and id rather our stuff not be suspectable to the wash.
"I wonder if those weaves are the result of some natural process. The Power does sometimes occur wild. Or as a result of a broken angreal or similar device. The scale is impressive," says Jocasta about the volcano.
"I'm going to take a moment to try to embrace the Source and see what happens. I will need someone ready to knock me out if I get stuck, before I meet the fate of our ship's channeler."
She waits for one of the gents to volunteer to whack her with a stick if things get out of hand.
"I'm just going to try to grab the One Power for about six seconds. If I stop responding for more than twice that, give me the right."
Lazar looks to the others and shakes hishead." Who is gonna help you Sister if your grasp becomes sieze" He says as he then moves on the shore watching his Mule getting placed on the ground.
He leans heavily on his staff. His breaths labored as he thrn coughs and spits onto the beach.
"Let us see what we can do over in the area with the wolf. Id hate to see a great asset wasted and made useless," He says with a wink.