Tales From The Sunless Sea - The Sixth Zee-Captain

 First Zee-Captain --- Previous Zee-Captain --- Next Zee-Captain

     The next two captains come as somewhat of a pair, though they could not have been more different. The child of the two previous captains was the first. The orphan boy Yorren. He had a great head-start when he came of age to go out to Zee. The first thing he did was take ownership of his parent's town-house. Then, he raided their rooms for tips and hints of how to be a successful Zee-Captain. He inherited a small fortune which kick-started the equipment of his ship and he was gifted with the same powerful deck weapon that his mother had used on her ship. This was the curious part.

     Yorren was set to be a good and honest zailor. Of course he had his goal of reclaiming all knowledge of his parents and finding their resting places, but he also knew he had to get some experience at a zailor first. He turned down most help and instead, went to gain as much money as he could, in similar ways his parents had. He fulfilled deliveries back and forth and took on some really risky missions of strategic information for the Fallen London admiralty. It was his fourth trip back to fallen London where he was approached by a Shady Sort.

     The Shady Sort was notably an elderly gentlemen, and under the employment of a Cheery Man. He was the same Shady Sort, I am to believe, as they who approached the great Ylvanna as well as others in the same line I have been chronicling. Of course, many years had past and this man was clearly in his late fifties at this stage of his life. He approached Yorren, who immediately had no interest in the man's offer. This caused the Shady Sort to resort to shadier tactics.

     “I have something that you might be interested in, though, if you re-consider.” Said the Shady Sort.

     “And I have no need for extra fuel or supplies, sir. So I shall bid you good day.” Yorren said.

     “Ah, but it is not this that I offer, young Yorren. It is a weapon you may be interested in. Specifically, one that has been generously gifted by the Cheery man and the very same that once belonged to a Zee-Captain named Miss Thistle. I believe you may have particular interest in that name.” The Shady Sort knew this would garner the desired interest.

     “...I see. Take me to the weapon, now,” Yorren replied. So, the Shady Sort did. The weapon was mildly rusted, so had been used, and also was of the same model that his mother had written about acquiring. Of course, it could not have been hers, though it seemed too odd not to follow it up. Besides, he was unsure how the Shady Sort would have known what weapon his mother was carrying upon her ship. “...Where did you get this? I must know the details.”

     “Your interest is noted. Well, you can have both this weapon and that information, only should you take my the offer of patronage from my humble host.” The Shady Sort held a smug sort of grin.

     “I must know!” Yorren said.

     “Okay, okay. You're to take this crate of human souls up to the northern town of Mt. Palmerston. Only then will I give you the information you require. For now, I shall have this gun brought down to the docks so that you may have it mounted on your humble ship.”

     “I shaln't be humble for long, sir. Give me three days, I plan to purchase a grander vessel than that which caused the demise of both of my old folks.”

     Yorren's next step over the next few days was handing over the money to have his ship traded in for a large cruiser-ship. He had all of his old weapons mounted upon his new ship. Then he set sail for the northern town of Mt. Palmerston. When he returned successful he gained the information from the Shady Sort that his father was not to be sought, as his journey would take him through pirate isles. Yorren didn't take kindly to the suggestion that he father was not a noble and honourable zailor. So he then learned that the quest for his mother might be an easier one to follow. She got lost deep within the tombs of Godfall, so the Shady sort claimed. Of course, you and I know this not to be true, but Yorren wasn't to know. He took this information and sailed with it.

     With his cruiser, he took one more money making voyage to stock up on candles for a dark trip and then took directions on how to get to Godfall. Then he left. It took days to find the place in the mid-Zee, but when he did, he felt a significant unease. It was not a comfortable place to set eyes upon, let alone feet. He disembarked, took inventory of his ship and of the island, then he descended into the tunnelled abyss. This was the last that was ever seen of Yorren. Hours went by and his crew grew worried. Half a day went by and some of his crew left for other shores, certain of Yorren's demise. By three days there was only one main waiting on the cruiser for Yorren's return.

     The Shady Sort was a veteran of the war of '68. He knew his fighting. He had also lived nearly seventeen years as a cronie for the Cheery Man, though now – he wanted his freedom. Three days after Yorren arrived at Godfall, the Shady Sort arrived, also, though out of sight of the cruiser. The Shady Sort was named Zeraphya, and he wanted a life away from doing powerful men's bidding. He had been in Fallen London dealing with Zee-Captains for long enough that he wanted his own adventure and knew exactly what to do about that. So when he sailed, he sailed quickly, leaving word of his departure for the Cheery Man to hear of. For his years of service, he was not pursued, but he would be expected to carry cargo for the underhanded fellow.

     The one loyal crew member upon the cruiser had no chance. Zeraphya crept up behind the man, leaving a bloody grin across his neck. He whistled, and ten of his own crew-members jumped up on the Cruiser and sailed away. If Yorren ever did emerge, he would emerge to nothing – so probably for the best he did die. Most of Yorren's money that hadn't been looted by the crewmen was on board, as well as all weaponry and such. A perfect vessel that Zeraphya needed not even raise the money for. A perfect voyage.

     To be continued...

---Howard Sterling, Chronicler of the Fallen London University

Tales from the Sunless Sea - The Fifth Zee Captain

First Zee-Captain --- Previous Zee-Captain --- Next Zee-Captain

     Thistle, is not the last in the line of Zee-Captains, as successful as she was, curiosity was the downfall of her. Just like the previous philosopher in her line, Ylvanna. See, it happened very late into her Zee-faring life she heard too many tales of the Elder Continent not to seek it out. She was not prepared, however. The water and the air when zailing towards the Elder Continet was too much for her boat to handle. The boat was seen sinking by someone at Adam's Way and she was never heard from again. Three years later, back in Fallen London, the son of Garrid and Thistle was of age, and as previously decided, took to the Zee.

     Thistly, however, before she died had quite an adventure. Two very notable ztories of hers were tales from the curious isle of Visage and an odd encounter surrounding the Empire of Hands.

     Thistle made most of her money by shipping things back and forth to Fallen London. She would sail east and pick up some Sphinx Stones from the Salt Lions and then some Clay Men from Polythreme and ship them back to Fallen London for a large profit. It was because of this she was able to complete the map she desired of the Unterzee, though some places were still recommended to be avoided.

     One of the strangest places she visited was that of Visage. An island where strange rituals happen and everyone is identified by what mask they wear. Upon disembarking on the island she was asked if she wanted to wear a frog, bat or locust mask. The frog was a visitor who was clumsy but wanted to learn of the local ways, the Locust was a visitor searching for profit and the Bat was not to be worn by anyone in their right mind as they were spies and the like.

     On this island, Thistle wore the Frog and hopped her way clumsily around the town fitting in greatly. At one point she tells of a strange ritual she observed where people flocked to the right ear of the giant head adorning the island. She could not fully understand what happened but it was then that she knew the Gods existed.

     After successfully gaining knowledge at Visage, she explains that she gained a more powerful mask and out of respect for the locals, refused to exclaim what it was. Though I suspect she refused to mention it because Visage was now a part of her and her higher status deems her to not need to explain such things to us lowly Frogs. Her sanity was never quite the same after her initial trip out at Zee.

     The other tales she tells is a strange one that after visiting the Empire of Hands, she surveyed all of the surrounding islands for a complicated port report and then went to see the inhabitants of the main island. She tells that all of the inhabitants were apes. She also tells that the high chief of the island offered to buy her souls. She knew there was more to the town, though considered it not at the top of her priority to find out.

     Upon returning to Fallen London she was summoned to this very university to attend a lecture on the Empire of Hands by a 'delightful adventuress'. After the lecture, the adventuress enquired if she might use Thistle's ship to get back to the Empire of Hands with her companion as she had heard that Thistle knew the way. Thistle agreed.

     When they reached the Empire of Hands, the delightful adventurer disembarked and payed for the voyage as well as her companion offering a thank you and revealing that they were a rogue clay-man. A dangerous sort that would never have been allowed on the ship had Thistle known. Thistle spent some time then on an island and leaves a journal entry of a strange occurrence thereafter of visiting one of the hot springs and relaxing for an afternoon.

     Thistle heard some giggling, assuming it was to her naked form she covered herself and looked around to find a small child, hunched over like one of the chimpanzees on the island. She had clearly grown up here and thought it would be funny to steal Thistle's clothes. She ran into the forest and Thistle gave chase. After some altercation and yelling, Thistle tells that she was only able to retrieve a single sock from the child before they escaped through the trees. She returned to the boat wearing only the one sock, and laughter roared from her ship-deck. At least she had raised their spirits. It was not too long after this that Thistle met her demise.

     It is nice that we can look upon Thistle's journey and know her as a character and personality. She existed and became far more real for this than some of the other stoic entries of the other Zee-Captains. Zerred, for example, Thistle's child and the next Zee Captain only wrote stunted journal entries and did not last long at Zee. His ztory, in fact, was quite a terrible one.

To Be Continued...

---Howard Sterling, Chronicler of the Fallen London University

Tales from the Sunless Sea - The Fourth Zee Captain

First Zee-Captain --- Previous Zee-Captain --- Next Zee-Captain

     Garrid lasted quite some time at Zee. He lasted so long, in fact, he was able to use his riches to set up a family. Whilst stopping by in Fallen London he returned to spend nights with his sweetheart multiple times until one day she cried out to him just as he was leaving. Leaning over the barrier of his vessel he was left with the information that she, Thistle, was pregnant.

     Of course, this news was taken in two minds, firstly, he was overjoyed at the idea of being a father, secondly he realised what an awful life it would be to bring up a child in a small hotel room mostly with only one parent. What if he died at Zee? So his next trip out was a short one. He doubled the money that the urchin boy was to give to his lady upon news of his death, and purchased a nice town house for them all to live in. When Garrid was back in Fallen London, all he did was spend time with his partner and child. He was successful and happy.

     That is not to say this his life went entirely smoothly. Plentiful times he met danger whilst out at Zee and his dealings had turned less and less civil as time went on. Running small errands of smuggling back and forth and spending a lot of time in some of the outlying pirate isles for some extra parts of underhanded cash, Garrid was not exactly legal. In order to keep the suspicion off of himself, however, he made sure to keep up the sinking of pirate vessels. This was messy work in itself. The slaughter and ruthless strategic fighting he learned at Zee earned him somewhat of a reputation. His family knew nothing of his life at Zee.

     Though that is not to say he was entirely a pirate himself. He also took Zee Ztories back home to his children, enough for his child to decide to wish to be a Zee Captain when he grew up. Garrid allowed this, but only after he was of age. Garrid even wrote a will so that his family could keep his home if he never returned.

     One of the stories of curious nature that intrigued Thistle the most was the strange story of Nuncio, the isle of post. For some strange reason, the post at Zee was drawn to the island and washed up there constantly. The Postmen there also seemed unhappy and drawn to the island for reasons beyond their knowing. There was also something in the heart of the island that was unspoken of, something of nightmarish origin so fr down that must have been the cause of all the disturbance, though Garrid was never to find out what it was.

     Thistle also learned of some of Garrid's more profitable legal dealings, such as sphinxes from the Salt Lions, and delivering Clay Men from Polythreme. Of course, this is the kind of tale that made Thistle believe she was capable of becoming a Zee Captain herself. One day, when Garrid was out at Zee for a particularly long time, all the returned was news of his having got into one fight too many and was unable to make it back, though there was claim that his last words were of love for his sweetheart in Fallen London.

     A day later, a large package of money arrived at Thistle's doorstep and he barely hesitated before raiding Garrid's study for any information she could. She got herself a cheap vessel, she put her growing boy into care with the nanny who helped raise him, and she left for the wide and open Zee.

     Thistle's journey was safer and more successful than any who had come before her, because she was prepared and had a lot of strategic information from her partner. She also had a fairly accurate and open chart of Garrid's travels. Thistle, you see, was an old thinker. A Philosopher who had been kicked out of the university fairly quickly for her refusal to work in the way they wanted. She was a wise and clever woman, but also a curious one. Her journey started with exploration. She travelled north and then east and then south, visiting every possible port on the way and staying at Zee for a lengthy time using her spare funds for fuel and supplies to continue her journey.

     This was a problem, however, as while money can get her so far, as she travelled she fully begane to realise what Garrid was putting himself through and how terrifying the Zee could be. As she travelled, she could feel her and her crew's sanity slipping away. This was not aided by finding out stories of Garrid and the horrible tales she heard of his brutality. As she went, things got worse until eventually she found Nuncio. She needed to know what it was about that place, so she asked questions and tried to go down the whatever was below the island in the darkness and all she got was more fear in the very pit of her.

     She needed to return to Fallen London urgently, but it was a long trip and without being able to justify stopping off many places for fuel, it would be a risky trip. On the way, one of her crewmates went fully mad and tried bludgeoning some of the other folk aboard. They tried to restrain him, though he was fulled with insanity and managed to kill two people before he was taken out. This did not help to calm the crew, everyone now suspicious of everyone. A few leagues more and it is said that everyone watched the attack.

     An enormous tentacle rose up from the Zee, wrapped around one crew member and took him below. It is said that the taken crew member was not scared, but she simply accepted death. Though when people looked overboard, there was no sign of the beast. Had there even been an attack? Nobody was certain of anything anymore. What started off as a curiosity voyage became awash of stories of terror and unreliable accounts of incredible luck. With scarcely any crew, fuel, supplies, sanity and the ship itself having taken much in the way of damage it is a miracle any of them survived to see Fallen London. Though they did.

     The stay in Fallen London was a long one. The two remaining non-officers retired and Thistle brought on an entirely new crew - for she was not done. After spending two weeks with her child and preparations, she knew she could do this. She travelled South this time and filled in more of the map that Garrid hadn't. She bought and sold information, she spent time at Polythreme to trade Claymen and at the Salt Lions to trade Sphinxes. She spent less time at Zee, picked her battles carefully and visited many places of wonder along the way amassing riches and respect. Needless to say, she was successful.

    It was then that the strangest of her stories began...

To Be Continued...

---Howard Sterling, Chronicler of the Fallen London University

Mimi Says

           Mimi stands in the doorway at night. She knocks three times in the silhouette bright. My mum is unaware and Mimi says this is good. She compliments my hair and tells me I'm rare and I believe Mimi because she tells me I should. Mimi wears a plain white mask with big red curls and rosy red cheeks. She speaks quietly and calm wearing the innocent smile of the meek, and at this point she's visited me for weeks.

           Mimi says I should be her friend. And I do want to be her friend, saying that our friendship should never end. She's asking for proof. Proof that I am her friend by giving me tasks to perform, offerings of food, like bread or fruit or corn. The food must be simple, she says. No food from a lady, as that would be crazy. Women are the precious and taking their food is malicious. I now avoid milk and eggs or meat made from cow's legs.

           Mimi says I should wear white in bed. She says I should do this to accentuate the red. So I do. She says I should wear white gowns and never carry frowns so that I can look like her from toe to paw, every time I open that door. That way, when she knocks, I can look like her. “White and pure with a face of allure.” My feet as bare as hers and our hips both jut. When I grow, I shall keep my figure and never indulge in smut.

           Mimi says I should buy her a flower with thorns on it. Thorny flowers are the best because they can protect themselves. They smell to attract only certain things and avoid others. They are completely in control of their life.

           Mimi says flowers prove my friendship and that friends do things for each other. Mimi says I should not eat sweets and tell this to my mummy. Sweets use energy much needed for making babies and they turn boys into rapists with rabies. My mummy should know of the habits I intend to end and she still thinks I have an imaginary friend.

           Mimi says I should avoid boys at school to protect my womb. Avoid dark alleys where they might loom. Mimi says my womb is special and the white gown, once a month, should show off my red. She says it's because of my hair being red, and because my hair is curly shows why I'm special to have it so early. The other girls are not deserving. Not of my friendship, they are all immature bullies and meanies. They're not like my good friend Mimi.

           Mimi says she needs to know about my mummy. Mimi says I should tell her everything into her core. Whether she's had any more children or has ever been a whore. Whether her hair is dark as a midnight shore. Whether her conversations are a bore and everything more. She's happy with my answers and hates that mummy wears fur. She says it's horrid and that I should avoid her.

           Mimi says my mummy is special for having made me and no other. If she had she would not be a special mother. For all I am worth she should have no more girls. None to take over me with my shiny red curls.

           Mimi says I should not talk to my mum, to ignore her and keep up an act. She says I should not care how her days went and that I should avoid eye contact. She says that my mum thinks she knows best and will try to influence my life. But Mimi says she drinks alcohol and couldn't make a good wife.

           Mimi says I shouldn't let anyone influence my life and I should fulfil my greatest potentials on my own. I like Mimi. When she's with me I trust her the most. She is my friend and I'm happy to boast. Mimi says Lauren from school is selfish and is trying to hold me back. Mimi says to see the truth in people is what she has as a knack and that Lauren's friendship is something I should lack.

Mimi says when I grow up, my breasts will be small like hers. She says this is good as it is modest and that's something I deserve. Mimi let me touch her breasts so I could imagine mine. She says it's not a problem and that to feel like I do is fine.

           Mimi says I should kill a creature and keep it as my proudest feature. She says I should catch a male and preferably something with a tail. Mimi says that I should burn the filthy animal which turned out to be a rat; I squished the rat very flat. So with a box of matches I made the rat a cinder and from inside something hatches because it went “POP”. And all this liquid just wouldn't stop. I took a hammer and nailed him on my bedroom wall. Mimi says this should make me feel womanly and powerful and really very tall.

           Mimi says I should not feel bad and that what I am doing is good. I tell Mimi I do feel bad and she said she understood. But Mimi says she likes me and I like her too. And that she wouldn't like me if she told me and I did not do. So I feel less bad and Mimi isn't mad. Everyone's happy.

           Mimi says she wants a knife. I should find one soon. For her and for myself to use and protect my life. She says it should be sharp and that I should sharpen it more. I need to show Mimi the knife and hide it away. What happens next she wouldn't yet say and yet I have an idea. I get Mimi, I like Mimi. She's been my friend for a year.

           Mimi says I should use the knife tonight. She knocked on my door pale in the moonlight and told me it is fine. She walked into my house for the very first time and told me to use the knife. She walked with my upstairs, slowly but sure and we both stopped, standing at the bedroom door. Mimi didn't look at me, but I looked at her. The door swung open, the room lined with fur and empty glasses of wine and Mimi whispered that it's time.

           Mimi prepared me for this little act and that I was special was just a fact but I couldn't risk my mummy ruining that. So her bed was there and I stood with my eyes shut; then I plunged the knife right into her gut. She woke with a startle and I told her everything will be okay. Her eyes were full of shock and she wasn't okay. On my feet I rocked and I brushed my blood-soaked hand through her hair, telling her to shush – twisting the knife with an extra push. I smiled up at her and she didn't make a sound, but she struggled and gargled until she was a weight on the ground.

           When I turned around. Mimi couldn't be found, she was gone from the room and not on the stairs. I walked with my gown covered with thick wet hairs and oozing, dripping down my head was the red. Mimi stood in the doorway with her mask so big. I waited for her to tell me what I did and she pointed to me, pointed to my belly. I nodded, knowing what to do but my legs went to jelly. I was a special girl with red curls and I was more than this.

           I turned the knife inside my hand and stabbed myself where I stand and pangs of pain were met with pleasure as I felt the blood pour out of me with no regrets because Mimi said. Mimi smiles in the doorway dimly lit by the shadow and moon. I like Mimi, Mimi is by friend. Everything will be okay soon and I lull my feint head. Everything will be okay because Mimi said.