1662 A.D.
We have sailed for at least two fortnights due west. There seems to be an illness about the cabin: some of the men can barely get out of bed, and all night one can listen to their animal-like howls and screeches. Those the illness hasn't claimed wish it would, if only to dispense with their worry and anticipation.
I am not unaware of their belief, that the illness came aboard the night she did. We had spotted what we thought a mermaid afloat at sea; the men quickly cast a net and dragged her in. We all thought she would die: her breath came unsteady, once a minute or so, and it seemed as though she couldn't respond to our questions. Then, later that night, a knock came at my cabin door. I opened it, and there she was--but something was dreadfully wrong.
As I asked what it was, blood began to drip from her mouth and nostrils. The pendant about her neck--a seven-sided star encircled by a brass ring--glowed bright in the darkness even as her breathing became heavy, clogged with the blood in her throat. I moved to catch her, afraid she might fall, but instead she stepped away from me. She led me out to starboard, the blood still pouring down her face and against her sullied gown, and pointed to the north. A gust of icy wind spun out of the sky and blasted us against the rail; she seemed unfazed.
"But that's the end of the world," I told her, calling over the howl of the wind. She stared at me blankly, as though I weren't speaking at all. "Is that where Katrina is? Her directions said only to head west..."
The outpour of blood from her mouth suddenly stopped, and she looked at me with eyes so cold she could have been dead. She opened her mouth as though to speak, but only made an awful guttural noise. She snapped the pendant from her neck and handed it to me, closed my fingers on its pointy sides. She looked up at me like nothing were wrong. I watched, confused, as she turned her back to me and walked straight to the stern. She looked back over her shoulder before climbing on the rail and jumping off. Slowly, carefully, I walked back, unsure if I had simply imagined the whole event, and I found no solace in what I saw: simply the blue waves of the ocean and the sound of the wind.
The next morning, I made sure the men had seen the girl the day before, though I claimed no knowledge of her current whereabouts. I turned the ship on its course to their protest, and that night the sickness claimed its first victim. A young boy, about fourteen: his mother had sent him in hopes he could make enough money to feed them. It pained us to watch him go, each thinking it was simply a matter of significant bad luck. But then it struck again, the symptoms more pervasive and drawn out, and again, and again.
Now, in the latter days, we can see an island coming into view ahead, but the weather looks to be a challenge and the shore is rocky and volatile. The men are claiming it is the land of the devil himself, but I know that the love in my heart for Katrina is no possession of the devil. If this is where she is, and she needs my help, then I will do whatever it takes to ensure her safety.
--
This storybook will not be structured like other storybooks. There is a definitive beginning, middle and end to the story itself--I know the major plot points, although you, as the storybookers, will have the complete freedom over personal/sub-plots, as well as how those major plot goals will be reached.
In general, I have the following proposition in mind: there are two sets of characters. There are The Islanders, and there are The Crewmen. Once you have decided which you are, post a character profile of yourself here, detailing only the basics; in particular:
Name:
Age:
Race:
Gender:
Height:
Weight:
Islander/Crewmen
All characters are human. Names which are outrageous or uncharacteristic for the race/time period will need to be changed--I don't mind some creativity here, but no Subarukitties or their ilk will be accepted.
I also reserve the right to adjust details as needed, i.e., if everyone is an Islander, I will change some of you to Crewmen, or vice-versa. Trust me when I say both have very interesting plotlines to explore, and whichever you choose, there ought to be more than enough material for you to enjoy the story all the same.
At any rate, once you've made a post, send me a PM, and we will discuss the nature of your character, as well as establish a character history and his/her relations with other characters. This will give everyone some solid ground for interactions, how things should proceed, and so on.
Basically, I expect semi-developed characters going into this. The story is very elaborate, full of mystery and fancy--you can imagine, if you will, LOST meets Alice in Wonderland, and will have a good idea of what the story will be like.
Anyway, I'm not going to continue boring you with details, except a few.
Tentatively, the story itself will start May 26th. On May 23rd, storybook enrollment will be closed unless you just really want to join and I can work you in to the story. This gives everyone about two weeks, but, as I said, it's just a tentative plan--certainly not any sooner, but it could be as much as a week later before the story begins.
Without any further ado, let me post my character sketch:
Name: Prince Alexander of Gaventry
Age: 27
Race: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Weight: 165lbs / 74.5kg
Crewmen
