Professor Tully's Account of the Survey of Moriji, as accompanied by Albus of the Babel Interlingual Services Organisation.
The boat swayed as waves rebounding from the sheer cliffs hammered the hull, we were close to Moriji's central port but the captain said it would take a full day to circle the island in this weather. I was thankful; the thought of spending another night on the ship made me feel queasy. We had been at sea for days now, and as much as I loved the ocean, this trip was taking its toll on my body. I went below deck to the shared quarters and found Albus huddled over a map of the island talking to a man in the dim candlelight, making notes as they talked to one another in a tongue I could not comprehend.
"What are you writing?" I asked Albus, "Warnings mainly, places this gentleman across from me says we should best avoid as an outsider."
I nodded in understanding and sat down next to him, listening to the two men talk as the waves rocked our vessel.
The Captain had informed us before the trip that the Deadbeat Navy was well known throughout the islands for its efficiency and rigorous training, if someone ever came to attack the island they'd have little chance of survival. The captain's words rang true and I felt safer knowing that the men and women aboard this ship were well prepared for whatever might come their way.
As the sun set behind us, I saw an immense fire dance along the coastline as it rose above the horizon, burning brightly and casting a red glow onto the water. Below the cliff walls, smoke billowed towards the sky as the light faded away.
"It's beautiful," I said, watching the flames flicker and dance. Albus looked up from his notebook and smiled, nodding in agreement. "Although, Professor, the reason for said fire might not be as beautiful to us."
Albus paused for a moment before pointing to a point on the map, "There are many tribes of natives inhabiting these lands, and according to our friend here, they do not take kindly to outsiders."
We ate in silence, the only sound coming from the waves lapping against the ship. The food was good, and after eating, we retired to our rooms.
I woke in the morning, feeling refreshed and rested, and I quickly dressed in my clothes from yesterday, thankful that there wasn't any need to dress formally. I checked myself in the mirror and then made my way to the deck where breakfast was served. As I entered the room I noticed Albus sitting alone at a table. "For an interpreter who's meant to get along with people you're awfully antisocial."
He looked up at me, looking startled for a second before focusing again on his meal. "You should pack your things professor, we'll be making landfall shortly."
"To a place of new discoveries and adventures, and hopefully warm food and a bed that doesn't rock.
Albus said in a low voice below his breath "To Moriji, the home of the dead and the lost."
"Greetings honoured guest! We welcome you to our land under the watchful eye of The Reaper. I hope your travels were swift and comfortable, the ships of the Deadbeat Navy are second to none in speed and combat alike." A gaunt and hunched figure, this one with skin drooping more so than the deadbeats we had seen so far, approached us. He was clad in bone white robes, adorned with fragments of bones I could not identify by shape. His long grey hair hung down his back, and he carried a staff carved from a single piece of bone, topped with a skull, which he used as a walking stick.
"Greetings, my name is Albus and I am the translator assigned to assist with Professor Tully's expedition." Replied Albus. "Thank you for welcoming us!"
"Greetings Albus, and I presume you are Professor Tully?" The priest pointed a bony finger at me.
"Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you, as a representative of the Vitubian Mycological Society I would like to thank you for your cooperation in this survey."
"Ah, yes, it will be my honour to aid you in any way I can, but first there is a matter that must be discussed between us before we continue our journey. You see, the spirits of these lands are very protective of their homes, as a result they place great value on certain items. Items which are very dear to me and my people." The priest reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a small leather pouch, tossing it to me.
I opened it and revealed a collection of stones, some as big as my fist, others smaller still. There were no markings on the stones themselves, just smooth surfaces.
"These are rare and valuable to us, and as a token of our appreciation, I offer these to you as gifts, as is customary. I believe they may aid you in your journeys throughout these lands."
"Thank you, honoured sir, but what exactly do those stones represent?"
"They are the relics of our sacred past, and they have power beyond simple energy. They are the source of our faith, and a sign of our allegiance to our Lady of the Dead."
The structure of the town was strange, while one would expect the port to be the main focus of the town due to the number of ships passing through it rather seemed to be built around a cliff-side clearing. One that on approaching had a large flat rock covered in soot and ash, "This is where the fire we saw from shore was lit." Albus said as we kept our distance from the site.
"Do you know much about Moriji Professor? I know it is late to ask but I assumed you know much about the nation since you have a contract with their government."
"As a scholar, my knowledge is limited to what the Librarians in the University have taught me. The reason I chose to come here in the first place was because it is the only nation on the continent that has ever been found with a fungus that has distinct magic properties. Most other nations have made claims about magical fungi but I have seen this first hand."
"What do you think caused the fire?" Albus asked as we walked down the narrow street of wooden houses.
"I don't know, it could have been an accident, or a witch's curse. Either way, I am interested in finding out if this kind of fungus is common in the region. I will be conducting research in the area until the end of my contract, at which point I'll report back to the Librarian and return home."
"It was a funeral pyre, although a type that you may have seen before." Albus seemed distracted by this concept and ignored my usual fungi ramblings. "Well feel free to explain then, you are my cultural tutor as well as my interpreter."
"Yes, let's talk about the funeral pyres of Moriji." He seemed to brighten up for a second at the chance to share his knowledge of the locals. "The custom of burning the deadbeats to help them obtain passage to the Underworld is a practice that dates back to the first settlers of this island, when the volcano on the peak of Mount Mori erupted and wiped out the previous settlement. The people were frightened and confused at the sight of the dark smoke billowing up from the crater, as well as the strange sounds and music that was heard coming from the mountain. Some of the stories say that there was no sound before the eruption, only after." He paused for a moment, and then continued. "Deadbeats do not view life and death the same way we do, and if one has undergone extreme hardship it is not uncommon for them to voluntarily enter the Underworld through a ritual in order to cease their suffering."
"How do the people in Moriji view the Underworld?"
"Most people believe that it is a place where souls go to rest, and they also believe that the soul is reborn into another body, however they view the process as a gift from the Goddess."
"And the soul of a deadbeat?"
"Well, the goddess does not give us a choice in the matter. We are destined to die, and our souls are sent to the underworld by her."
"Us? Albus you haven't been indoctrinated into some death cult in the short time it took us to cross the sea over here did you."
"No, but my mother was one of the first of Babel's interpreters to come to Moriji when their contract first began. And returning from her trip here to learn the language she was with child. I am at least half deadbeat that I know of but they do not see me as one of their own, I did not grow up here and only learnt the language and culture through a book anyways." While Albus was a pale and skinny young man I never thought it was out of the ordinary for someone who worked in a Babel office most of his life, although the fact he remained this way through our rough travels seems to explain a fair bit.
"Well, Albus I hope that you don't visit the underworld any time soon. I will need your services for now at least."
"Food: check, tools for collecting samples: check, mopey interpreter: check" I giggled to myself as Albus approached the wagon. "I have gotten more used to the appearance of deadbeats over these last few days but to think their horses could be so similar to them." I pointed at the horses pulling the wagon, wondering how such thin and pale creatures are strong enough to pull our weight. "They also seem pretty docile compared to our mounts, what are they called again?"
"In terms of classification we would call them a type of horse known as the 'Chuuban.' They are very popular among farmers and herders in this region, and are also bred for war purposes. As for their diet, I guess you could say that they are omnivorous, but they primarily eat grass and other low-quality vegetation." replied the driver of the coach in perfect common. It seemed that he had picked it up through being assigned to transport foreign traders and diplomats around in the past.
"So where are we headed to first?" I asked as I looked around at the landscape outside the window.
"Well, I was supposed to meet with a man named Shigeru here at the harbour before heading out further north. Apparently he has been researching the effects of lichen on deadbeats' bodies, and you were to assist him in his work and collect samples."
"Makes sense, I assume we will be meeting with him once we arrive at our destination?"
"Yes, I should be able to find him easily enough, he has been working closely with the local clergy recently so I'm sure he will be easy to locate."
"Well then let us get moving, I do not wish to keep you waiting any longer than necessary."
We made our way to the edge of the city and turned eastwards towards the mountains. The road was rocky and uneven, forcing us to walk most of the time. Even though it was cold it was bright and clear, allowing us to make good progress.
After an hour of walking we came across a small village surrounded by trees and shrubs. We stopped and scanned the area, and spotted several deadbeats standing guard around the village. As we approached Albus motioned to the carriage driver to stop and he climbed off the back of the carriage to approach the villagers.
"Oh? You are early. Are you the one who was hired by the professor?" One of the guards asked.
"That would be me."
"I must admit, we were expecting you much later."
"The journey has proven to be quite difficult, but I am glad to have arrived quickly and safely."
As I unloaded my pack and stepped forward towards Albus he motioned towards one of the villagers, a head taller than the rest and adorned in black armor mimicking that of a rib cage, and holding a spear taller than I was. This was clearly the leader of the group who stood near a large tree with a branch taking shade from the sun.
"My name is Suros, and this is my brother and fellow guard, Atos." The large man motioned towards the man to his left. "Our village has received word that you are here to aid us in our studies, and we welcome you with open arms."
Albus continues to interpret on their behalf, and respond with my answers.
"We can organise a party of hunters to guard you while you conduct your research. We'll be leaving at the darkest hour of the night, before then you'll be lead to your room." Suros yells out at one of the women in the village and she quickly runs over grabbing my pack from me and hurrying towards a building nearby.
"Follow me!" She yells out to the others and they all follow behind her, carrying my belongings away from me.
"Not sure what to expect when we reach our destination, but at least I won't be sleeping on the cold floor tonight. Although I suppose I might have to sleep on a cot." I think aloud as I continue following the woman inside.
I am led into a large wooden building that appeared to be a house. It was rather big and spacious for just one person, but seeing that it was built by a group of deadbeats I could only presume that there are two rooms here for this one family. There was a long table set up near a fire place, and several chairs around it. In one corner sat a collection of bookshelves filled with leather bound volumes and scrolls. The walls were decorated with paintings depicting scenes of deadbeats and other creatures that I cannot even begin to understand.
"You must be exhausted after such a long journey, you can take your time and relax." The woman who brought my luggage to me says as she sets my bag down next to the door. "There are more beds upstairs if you want some privacy, we will bring food shortly."
She leaves Albus and I alone and I continue to look around the room, feeling a little awkward about being left alone in seemingly some stranger's home. I decide to unpack my pack and lay my clothes out in preparation for changing into something more comfortable.
I remove my coat and shirt, revealing my gaunt frame. My stomach is distended with paunchy fat and my skin is dark and leathery due to the cold climate. My hair is thin and oily, and hangs limply over my forehead. I take a deep breath and examine my reflection in the mirror hanging above the fireplace, and I notice the hairs on my head are stiff and brittle.
"What happened to my hair?" I say to myself as I brush my fingers through my tangled locks.
It feels dry and rough as it passes through my fingers, not like normal human hair at all. I wonder how it got this way and if it will ever return to its usual healthy state again.
I look around the room and find a bowl of water near the sink and wash my hands. I dry them on the towel hanging on the wall beside the basin and turn towards the stove to warm myself a cup of tea. I fill the teapot with hot water from the kettle and pour in the leaves before turning to face the counter to see a plate of food sitting there.
"Where did this come from?" I ask Albus.
"From the woman who brought you your baggage." Albus replies as he sits down in one of the chairs. "Apparently, you can eat whatever you want while you're here. As long as you don't go overboard, she said."
"I will try to keep my appetite under control, I can't afford to get sick right now."
I sit down opposite Albus and dig into the stew with a spoon. It tastes like mutton, but it smells and looks different. The flavour is slightly sweet, with the meat tasting a bit dry. I can smell the spices that were added to the dish and mix in well with the taste of the soup. I lick my spoon clean and take another sip of my tea.
"Their food is delicious here, even for such a small village they have so many spices and flavours." I say to Albus has he plays with his food, "No apetite?" I asked.
"No, I'm just not used to eating this kind of food." Albus sighs as he puts down his spoon, and moved over to the bookshelf.
"I thought you have travelled all over the world. I mean we've been to far stranger places than this together."
"Yes, I have, but I've never been to places like these. They treat me the same as you, an outsider, even though I am one of them." He opens one of the books and starts to read out loud in common. "But it is no matter, because I have already begun to catalogue the various types of fungi that we have found here. Some of them have amazing properties, and are highly sought after by the clergy for their healing powers, while others can produce powerful poisons capable of killing entire armies. I am very excited to see what else we can discover here." He shuts the book and says "Superstition and mythology, although if these are half as exciting as the tales you have your work cut out for you."
"Yes, but I am thankful that the church allows us to continue our work here. No doubt it is because they have heard of our discoveries and wish to learn more about them."
"All thanks to Babel's publishing no doubt"
"Absolutely, I wouldn't be surprised if the church has sent spies here to make sure that we aren't doing anything untoward. But thankfully everything appears to be above board so far."
"Hopefully it remains that way, I can't afford for the locals to start doubting our motives."
I woke to a loud banging on the door, followed by falling out of bed. "Open up!"
I struggled to open my eyes as I rolled off the bed and grabbed my robe, wrapping it around me and tying the sash. I staggered over to the door and opened it only to see Suros and Atos standing outside in the rain. "Albus get off the floor and come translate, would you please?" I say to him as I step out onto the porch.
Suros points towards the sky. "Look up there, do you see it?"
I peer into the clouds and see what appears to be a meteor flying across the sky. "Is that a falling star? I swear I saw one last night too."
Atos asks "Are you ready to leave?" Albus responds to him while I quickly get dressed and grab my supplies. "They said the comet is a sign of good luck, that we are protected on our expedition tonight." I look over to Albus with a smile and he nods back at me. "No better time to go then."
The streets are empty and the villagers are all inside preparing for the comet. The villagers believe that this falling star is a message from God offering good luck.
I am escorted to a carriage by Suros and Atos. "The ride to the hunting grounds is short, when we get close we will have to proceed on foot. Make sure there is one man in front and behind of you at all times. No wandering off to pick mushrooms alone in the dark." Suros points at me sternly.
"I will stay in front and Albus behind me." I reply as we climb aboard the carriage. It is covered but lacks any sort of windows, and is made entirely of wood. I can feel it shaking as we pull away from the village.
"Do you have a lantern?" I ask Albus as he tries to light a stick of incense, but it falls to the ground igniting with a spark before burning out.
"I don't have a lantern either." Albus replies as he rummages through his pack. "We will need to rely on the moonlight if we are to navigate the forest."
"Considering we're going at the darkest hour of night as the villagers said that might be a tad difficult, ask Suros whether they have a lantern."
"As you wish." Albus says as he speaks to Suros in their native language.
"They have no lanterns, the villagers say that this is a sign from God." Suros says.
"Well, we'll manage somehow." I look at Albus confused in his seemingly innocent trust of these two men.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"There is a star shower coming tonight he says, we can use its light to guide us. It should be enough to see where we're going." Albus points to the sky as I see lights start trailing off in the direction we are traveling. Leaving behind streaks of white that slowly disappear.
"But what about the darkness? We'll be able to see nothing but the stars." I reply to Albus.
"As I said, we'll manage somehow."
I shake my head in disbelief as I watch the lights fade away.
( ) "And lo, as the earth trembled and the mountains spewed forth fire and brimstone, the people knew that the wrath of the volcano had been kindled, and that its fury would be unrelenting." Account of the 12th day of the 10th moon, Book of Death.
( )
"Brilliant, like little lamps set about the tree stumps. I cannot believe how bright these mushrooms are." I quickly ran to the base of the nearest tree.
"Professor! What did Suros say before we got here. Professor get back here!" Albus was frantically chasing after me.
"Don't worry, it is fine, they are just glowing to draw insects to them, it won't hurt you." I replied as I continued to stare at the luminous glow coming off of the mushrooms in awe.
I pulled out my foraging knife ready to remove one of the mushrooms when I heard a rustling next to me, a chill ran up my spine. I froze, unable to move as I watched a shadow emerge from the trees.
It was a man, wearing rags and carrying a crude stone axe, he loped towards me with purposeful steps and bloodshot eyes. He swung the rock at me with the intent of killing me instantly. I could hear Albus calling my name, but I couldn't make out his words. All I could do was stand there frozen as the man closed in on me.
Suddenly the man stopped suddenly, he dropped the stone, and his arms fell limply to his sides as he collapsed to the ground, he wasn't breathing.
"Professor!" Albus shouted as he rushed over and lifted me to my feet. I looked up and saw Suros standing in front of us with his spear drawn.
"What happened?" I asked as Albus quickly dragged me away from the fallen man.
"He must have taken too much poison before you arrived." Suros replied, gesturing to the lips of the fallen man as he started to pick his body up and inspect it. Around his lips was the same luminescent glow as on the mushrooms. He held a small vial in his hand, the contents were red and glistening.
"Poison?"
"No, not poison exactly. These mushrooms contain hallucinogens that cause madness in those who consume them. We are born with a natural immunity to the effects and as we eat them regularly we build up a resistance, but if you consume it in large amounts or potent concoctions it can still affect you." Atos took the vial from the man's hand and pulled a similar one from his pocket, "it is used like a drug here, if you take small amounts it makes you happy or energetic, but if you take too much you become addicted."
I looked at the man who lay dead at my feet in horror. "How does someone end up taking that much?" I asked Suros. "Why isn't anyone else effected?"
"Most of the population consumes very little, it is rare to see someone with the strength to handle the larger doses that some of the nobles enjoy." Suros answered.
"So why did he kill himself?" I asked, completely baffled by his actions.
"Boredom, boredom is a terrible thing. The longer you are bored the more likely you are to seek something to entertain yourself with. In this case, a mushroom." Suros replied.
"And you didn't think to warn me?" I asked in confusion, "I've never even tried one before."
"You came here to learn and forage, you should have thought of that before you left home."
Omphalotus nidiformis, a pure white almost translucent mushroom that is bio-luminescent glowing a bright green during the night. It secretes a red sap from under the cap used to attract small insects that then die within the underside of the cap and are digested. How this red sap manages to kill the insects is unknown, as it is a protein based enzyme it seems unable to function as a poison but in both animals and humans is highly toxic. It has been nicknamed the 'Ghost Mushroom' by locals and is a common component of their diet appearing in everyday meals and is a centerpiece at religious gatherings.
This mushroom is found in temperate climates throughout the northern hemisphere and grows primarily on decaying matter in forests or grasslands.
Its cousin the Ophelia mushroom (Omphalotus nidiformis sp.) is a type of parasitic fungus which grows on the corpse of a deceased animal. The omphalotus species are commonly referred to as vulture mushrooms due to their ability to absorb nutrients from the remains of human beings. It is a dangerous mushroom with hallucinogenic properties and is consumed by villages found in cold forested areas throughout Moriji.
The sap of these mushrooms is collected by locals, through a process of adding sugar based solutions (honey, cane sugar syrup) and distilling it, they turn it into a thick red concoction that is particularly strong. While a single mushroom may be enough to kill an outsider these concoctions are regularly consumed in small dosages by deadbeats in these villages to induce an intoxicated state, and in larger dosages to act as a hallucinogenic drug. To kill a deadbeat requires the consumption of a large amount of the refined sap in a short period of time, although as one consumes more and more their senses become dulled and they may seek out more sap in a state of delusion until it kills them.
Suros approached me and handed me a small vial, this was similar to the ones I had seen in the village earlier but it had gold inlaid on the glass and a small gold ball in the bottom of the solution. I looked down at my hand as I took it from him. He said nothing, just watching me intently waiting for any reaction.
"What is this?" I whispered quietly.
He replied without hesitation, "A sample of a rare fungus that grows in the mountains of Moriji. You saw many of the Ghost Mushrooms and gathered your samples here but this mushroom is different. We cultivate these from the deadbeats that have gone to the underworld, using their bodies to once more give life to those around them."
I nodded slowly, "So your religion isn't just about death, interesting."
"You shall see," Suros smiled slightly.
"You gonna stand there all day and chat, we have to make it halfway up the mountain by nightfall or we're sleeping in the cart next to each other." Yelled the carriage driver.
Albus was already in the carriage waiting, once he found out Suros spoke some common he gave up interpreting and went straight to the carriage and waited there. He looked like a sulking child which was off character, although partially my fault because of my recklessness in the forest. I bid Suros farewell and withdrew one of the stones from the pouch given to me by the priest, placing it in his palm. He closed his eyes and placed his hands on the stone and began to chant. After a minute he opened his eyes and smiled at me with his mouth open wide.
"I don't know of how important this relic is to your people, but you came to my defense in the forest and as such I owe you my gratitude." I said to him.
"Thank you, I will not forget that." He replied, his smile widening slightly.
"It is quite alright. Let's go, we need to hurry if we want to reach the base camp before nightfall." I said with Albus rolling his eyes. "If you weren't such the conversationalist we'd be half way there already."
The carriage shook and the wheels creaked as we slowed to a crawl, going up the mountainside pass during a snowstorm was not our plan. "If this snowstorm doesn't clear quickly we'll have to stop and wait, the wheels are freezing up and the horses are struggling to find footing!" Yelled the carriage driver.
"I'm sure it will clear soon." I assured him, "We're nearly at the top now. Just hold on a little longer."
"It better! God damn it." He replied angrily.
"You really shouldn't swear at the gods, you might get a response you won't like." I told him calmly.
"Oh shut up! Gods don't care what I say-" He comes to an abrupt pause as the horses cry out, and a rumbling noise like a wave emanates from the mountainside.
"What was that?" He asks with fear in his voice.
I look to the sides of us and see the ground begin to shake violently, and rocks fall from the cliff side. "That sounded big, we should get down."
The carriage driver quickly veered the carriage off the road before coming to an abrupt halt, the roar became like an ocean as I popped my head out of the top of the carriage, the path ahead of us was being slowly enveloped by slurry. "Well I guess we better start looking for shelter then." I looked over at Albus who had been sleeping until now, "Professor why is it that whenever I'm traveling with you there's some sort of major complication." Albus said in a hoarse sleepy voice.
"Maybe my Gods have abandoned me Albus, due to all my consorting with strangers in foreign lands." I answer to a blank stare. He climbs out of the carriage and surveys our surroundings until he spots a cabin deeper into the wooded area of the mountain.