Virginicus, The Islands of The Two Moons

This account of one adventurer's meeting with the notorious leader of Virginicus, located far in the east, is written by Nilee Smithcol:

*After crossing the hellish desert of Alexi Leo, we caught the scent of salt water. We could even hear crowds yelling, so we decided to follow the trail these clues gave us. We then came upon a most unexpected scene: a race on a beach over hot coals and 2nd leg that seemed to consist of swimming in heavy armor. We had never seen something such as this, and it seemed even stranger when we realized all the participants didn't seem to be over the age of 14. I assumed it was some sort of rite of passage of the local peoples.*

*This far east was not even recorded on our map, so we assumed they were savages.*
*We were amazed by the event, but the appearance of the local people intrigued us more. From what we saw they were a tall, stocky race with what looked like fish gills on their necks. They swam like sharks from what I saw in armor that looked extremely heavy, radiant; but even the smallest child carried it like a toy. We asked an elder man, the only one who did not spy us oddly when we approached, about this place and who they were.*

*"Welcome to Virginicus, land lover," he said. "These are the islands of the two moons, ruled by Admiral Kanit Col'in, ruler of the 30 seas and master of all the waters of the world. Come, and eat with me."*

*My companion and I were almost taken aback by such charity, and we wanted to thank our Gods, but, before we could make the proper praise we had swords sharp like shark's teeth at our necks.*

*"You pray to the mother and the sea on these shores, imperial," the elder said flatly.*

*Needless to say, we were doubly-shocked. We knew we could not trust such wild people. While we were not permitted to learn their history - we were not trusted highly- he did offer to educate us on the geography of Virginicus. We learned that Virginicus was not one land, but a series of 7000 islands, each with their own dialect and customs! Yet, their peculiar gills were shared by them all, a broad commonality. They could even can swim faster than any fish in the empire. While they were a relaxed culture, they did not tolerate any disrespect of the sea nor their laws. Nearly every adult we saw seemed to have a battle scar, with tales a mile long explaining their origin.*

*We also learned that by ancient law, every Seastrider(the name they call themselves) must serve on a ship in some capacity to be a true citizen. As we finished our food- mainly breaded fish, shrimp, and potato skins- we finally learned the elder's name: Ras Jahsu, a man of royal blood, despite his common wear.*

*We asked him how they could mistreat royal blood in the manner they'd done to him, and he replied that royalty on the island did not earn a person respect. Only servitude, fighting, conquest, and respect for Gods earned a person such respect. He also explained that the elderly did not care for fancy things, unless taken from enemies or fallen comrades.*

*"We soon asked him where their seat of power was, so we could meet their Admiral, and Ras pointed northeastward, toward an island fortress on the horizon, some 500 knots away. We were stunned by the sheer size of it and how it loomed over us, despite being so far away. Ras then told us how we could reach it, and instructed us on proper etiquette when we spoke with those there, warning us never to mention the empire, lest we wished to be eaten by sharks.*

Ras then gave us a final precaution, telling us to avoid traveling when both moons were in the sky. The tides, he explained, reached the very heights of the fortress itself, and were thoguht to be as powerful as the Gods also. When I asked about the moons themselves, none could explain their origin, stating that they'd always been seen there and nowhere else in OMBS.

After two weeks of sailing, we learned more about these Seastriders and their culture: they could turn salt water to freshwater at a whim, although most could digest it perfectly fine. They also took their smithing very seriously and built their weapons from whale bones and darkwater ore, a mineral which required deep sea diving. Their love for family and clan and people was everlasting and unyielding, with males seeking wed having to prove their worth to the bride's family. Strangely however, bastards and common children were treated all the same; all endured the same rites and wanted nothing not earned.

*As we reached the fortress, we realized that it was older than anything seen before within OMBS. It had no name, yet we felt its power and wisdom as we drew closer in our journey to meet the admiral. When we arrived, guards asked our intent and we replied that we brought gifts showing respect, remembering to avoid all mention of the empire. After a short wait, we finally saw the Admiral for the first time.*

He appeared very young, and couldn't be more than 25 years. He was also tall, and he walked with force, and wisdom it seemed, in each step. He asked us why we came, our identity, and then inquired why the empire sent us. We were surprised no less, and refused to admit our true purpose. However, we couldn't fool him.

"I knew who you were as soon as you crossed the leo desert; dining with my uncle made your presence even easier to detect," he replied, cutting us off. We told him that we only sought a chance to trade, as well as build an alliance with Virginicus. We then told him of our desire to fight the Olmecs, and the Levonians.  However, he declined. "Your wars are not my issue. However," he said, "I'll consider your proposition. Expect an answer within a year. In the meantime," he added, "You are welcome to stay in Virginicus and learn of our people." He then gave us permission to visit all of their islands and learn as much of their history as we could... so long as we earned it. We would have to master the art of sailing and swimming first.

As the Adrmiral dictated, we began to prepare for instruction on the way of the seas and also the history of Virginicus, and the Kanit deemed us worthy after 9 weeks of sailing and lessons on both their culture and primary language. The Kanit seems to have an intense love of history, and not just of his lands but of others. He says we should meet with the Grand School of Knowledge, which is the college of Griots.

*As he personally leads us to the school from his adjacent palace on the sea, his beautiful young daughter is heard crying in the background. She is only 2 months old and can be very fussy, but she is a pretty child and heir to the Kanit. Then we witness what would be unheard of in our lands; he threw the child off the wall of his palace and down into the sea! Needless to say we were horrified, but he laughed it off. "Every child here needs sea water in their lungs; don't worry, for she swam out the womb and she can swim now with the other babies." We hear the child laughing in the distance and realize this land is truly odder and odder by the day.*

As we enter the College of Griots, we are greeted by some of the most unearthly architecture we have ever seen. Marble pillars tower around us, with walls that seem to be filled with the waters of all the seas that make up The Swarm. From the dark waters of Wintertide(house of the Kanit's father), said to be as cold and deep as the deepest depths, to the light waters of Phoneci Nupa, (the "birth water", as they say in Virginicus) from which all children of the Swarm are born. The walls even held the dark green water of Goaz & Chazk, the greatest islands known as the two moons. There were thousands of other pillars and waters contained within them it seemed; the essence of The Swarm was embodied within the College of Griots in its marvelous entirety. We were led to the center of this place, where a man who seemed ancient in age awaited us at a marble desk. He seemed very aware and hardy for an elder.

"Saraz Kahlim!" says the elder, in a gruff, and raspy tone. I surmise that he is greeting us, based upon his demeanor, and the Kanit confirms it. The phrase, he continues, is an ancient greeting addressing outsiders in the original tongue, a language once spoken when the civilizations of Virginicus were still in their infancy. Around him we see countless tomes and scrolls; even the most preserved seems to be centuries old. Then we discover his purpose: he is the Great Griot, and has spent a lifetime dedicating himself to studying the histories of Virginicus. We, the Kanit assures us, have much to learn.