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.