Devon of Cilad
Rah Xhana Zahkram
The Isle of Shattered Dreams, in the old tongue of the Sano. Few remember this small island, deep in the northern seas, beyond where most sailors dare to travel, where the skin freezes and burns, where no life could live upon the surface. In this cold, desolate land, is Rah Xhana Zahkram, Isle of Shattered Dreams, though few have ever seen the shores of this hallowed island, and fewer still have set foot upon it.
Seven years ago, the strange, yet brilliant sage, Devon of Cilad (Pronounced DEV-on of KEY-led), funded an expedition to find the lost island. It is said that the man was a descendent of the Sano; some said he merely was looking for a quiet place to vanish from the public eye, others that he was on a hunt for some powerful artifact. Whatever the truth was, not a single member of the crew that took him will dare speak of, not even in the deepest of shadows when they are alone.
What made that expedition so strange, so different from every other soul that has gone looking for the isle, is anyone's guess. But it is the only expedition to have ever returned from the forbidding northern sea. Much less, every man under Captain Markham returned, alive, not a single one of them harmed in any physical way. The only one, who did not return with them, was the sage himself. No one would say what became of the man.
Now, seven years later, Captain Markham has returned to port. After his fateful trip with the sage he had sworn off sailing, sworn off ever even living within sight of the shore. Now he is back, driven, almost as though he has no choice in the matter. He seems more of his old self, than he has in the last seven years. His face is cheerful again, the shadows on his face banished. Those of his crew on that trip have returned as well, much in the same manner Captain Markham has. They gathered in Gambino, pooling their money, and buying a small trade ship, The Northern Moon.
Throughout the cities and towns within a day?s sailing of Barton strange flyers have been appearing on signposts, buildings, mailboxes. Each of them says?
New Land, New Opportunities.
Marvels the like of which you have never seen.
Inquire in the Gambino shipyards, Dock 124, The Northern Moon.
Ask for Captain Markham.
And that is all, all of it in plain, simple text, no images, no trinkets or other tools to entice viewers. But nonetheless, there is something strange about it. Mostly, that no one seems to be able to see these flyers. Well, not nobody, but only certain people. There is seemingly no pattern, race, creed, sex, age, personality, nothing known of seems to connect these people. But they are the only ones that can see them, the only ones that can pick up these messages.
Once they do, always they find themselves seeing signs, an island, in the distance, the sun rising over it, images of creatures, strange creatures, colors and shapes unidentifiable. Always for just a moment, just long enough to catch that there was something there, and then, it?s gone. No one else sees it, no one else, not even those with the ability to see into the minds of others, can spot the strange signs.
After a week of these signs, soon, those last two lines, Inquire in the Gambino shipyards, Dock 124, The Northern Moon. Ask for Captain Markham appears every moment that you close your eyes. In your dreams, when you blink, it is always there, compelling.
Sooner or later, even the strongest of mind will crack, seeking out this Captain Markham no matter what the trouble. Few remember the man now, few remember that fateful voyage, but none can forget the name.
Sooner or later, they will look up, see their feet have carried them to Dock 124, before a small, single mast sailing ship, the aft having painted on it in simple gold lettering "The Northern Moon", just beneath a crescent moon.
A man walks up to you, a happy man, a simple man, dressed in thick, wool clothes, a wide brimmed hat covering his head. He tips his hat, and bows to you, uttering those words that reverberate in your soul, "Captain Markham of The Northern Moon, at your service," and with that, something clicks in your mind. The signs are gone; the letters when you close your eyes are gone. No longer do you feel compelled by anything, other than perhaps a feeling of curiosity, now that you are here.
Stay, test your mettle, and see what was causing these strange events, what this smiling, cheerful, innocent looking captain and ship could have to do. Or not, the choice is yours. Always can you cut and run, should you get scared, should you fear the darkness ahead. But for those bold, that brave the confusion, the darkness, untold rewards await.
*Above image by Spork Ninja. Not an official Shop Artist.
