Expedition Journal VIII: The Southern Discovery
Southern Discoveries
Expedition Journal VII
In-universe date: Era Nova, November--December, Year 1
Real-world date: 9 August 2026
Author: Percival van der Berg
Having completed my studies of the northern lands, I finally turned my attention southward. I had mapped their coastlines, observed their peoples, and documented their cultures, yet my map still contained far too many empty spaces.
Er is altijd meer te ontdekken.
I boarded my vessel once more and sailed south in search of lands I had yet to document. Weeks passed with little but open water surrounding me before an unfamiliar coastline finally appeared upon the horizon.
At last, new land.
I marked its position upon my map before making landfall and spent several days exploring the surrounding countryside. The terrain was unfamiliar, and I took care to document what I could before eventually coming across a small village.
The village chief greeted me, and we spoke at length about my travels and the many peoples I had encountered across the northern regions. He seemed particularly interested in the lands I had mapped and the cultures I had encountered along the way.
Our conversation eventually turned toward a more concerning matter.
The villagers had discovered strange fungi growing some distance from their homes, and those who had encountered them had reportedly fallen ill.
My curiosity was immediate.
I remembered the enormous mushrooms I had encountered within the dark forests during my earlier travels. Opnieuw schimmels... maar deze zijn anders. I asked the chief where they could be found, and after receiving their location, I prepared my equipment and set out.
The journey took me away from the village and deeper into unfamiliar territory. Eventually, I reached the location the chief had described.
What I found was a small field unlike any terrain I had previously encountered.
The ground was covered almost entirely by a peculiar brownish-gray growth, spreading across the soil and connecting the various fungi growing throughout the field.
I had encountered fungi before, but never anything quite like this.
Een vreemd land brengt vreemde geheimen met zich mee.
I carefully marked the location upon my map and began documenting the appearance of the growth and the fungi scattered throughout the field.
Whatever had caused the villagers' illness, I suspected I had finally found its source.