Expedition Journal V: The Frontier Beyond the Mesa

The people who had welcomed me continued to show their generosity until the very end of my stay. As I packed my belongings and pointed toward the northern horizon, several gathered around me with concerned expressions. Though words still failed us, understanding did not.

They soon returned carrying waterskins, dried provisions, and a few small bundles for the journey ahead. Repeatedly they gestured for me to drink often, pointing north with expressions that needed no translation.

Hun woorden begrijp ik niet, maar hun bedoeling des te meer.

Their warning proved well founded.

The landscape slowly gave way to towering red mesas and deep canyons carved into the earth. The heat was unlike anything I had experienced before, forcing me to remove my coat before it became more burden than protection. Even beneath the relentless sun, I could not resist stopping to sketch the remarkable layers of stone.

Wat een wonderlijke wereld...

Before long, I found something far more unexpected.

A great bridge stretched across one of the vast canyons, its construction so impressive that I spent several minutes simply studying its design before crossing. Whatever lay beyond, it was clear this bridge had been built by skilled hands.

On the opposite side stood a settlement unlike any I had visited. A broad path led me toward a town built around an immense crater that dominated its very center, as though the settlement itself had grown around the scar left upon the land.

To my surprise, the townsfolk greeted me in the Common Tongue. For the first time since leaving Koperdam, conversation flowed naturally rather than through gestures and guesses. They introduced both themselves and their homeland as Serrano.

During the following days, I learned that Serrano has no king, parliament, or central government. Each settlement governs itself, while its people follow an unwritten tradition known as the Frontier Code. Here, a person's word carries as much value as a written contract, and reputation is often worth more than wealth. It is a people who value self-reliance, craftsmanship, and honor above authority.

Though its customs differ greatly from those of Koperdam, I find myself admiring the quiet order they have built without rulers.

For now, I have accepted lodging within one of their boarding houses. There is still much to document, and I suspect Serrano holds many more stories than first meet the eye.

Elke nieuwe stap opent weer een nieuwe weg.

Translation Notes

• Hun woorden begrijp ik niet, maar hun bedoeling des te meer.

I do not understand their words, but I understand their intentions all the more.

• Wat een wonderlijke wereld...

What a wondrous world...

• Elke nieuwe stap opent weer een nieuwe weg.

Every new step opens another path.