Ayleah Journal Entry #3

 Telon gave me this nice little book, and said I should try keeping a journal, but I admit I forgot about it during the travels here and now I've barely written in it at all.

I've been at the Sanctuary for more than a year now, taking classes and experiencing the life of a (small, they tell me) city. Telon set me up in a dormitory on the upper floor and gave me a city card to cover my food, travel, and whatever else I might need while in the city. There's a lot more here of everything than back home, because they get shipments in from metro trading centers all over the place. Everything within the city walls is free or at lowered cost if you have a city card for the Sanctuary, and it allows access to the outlying township as well. The township is like a rural village that gets support from the city since it's co close by.

I've been spending a lot of time outside the city walls, partially because Telon said that I should make sure to “stay in contact with the land” while I'm here. To be honest, I would have wanted to explore anyway – the land here is so different from Silver Cove. It can be a little boring, since all around the city are flat open fields, and the trails into the tall grass beyond have few features along them. There are some really amazing places around here though, like the Green Bend Park I went to on a field trip (I've been taking a class here on land-work). We saw where an entire small river flowed from the end of a huge pipe sticking out from under a bridge. Above the bridge a wetland trickled down to join the torrent, but below the water coursed through a muddy chasm twisting into the reeds. The land around the streams slopes in interesting thickets, and sometimes water even bubbles right out of the ground!

There are also the places where a watchtower looks out over the land. I went to see the local fortress- I wanted to see what warriors of a sanctuary were like. When I told them who I was, they were nice enough, and gave me a tour of the walls. The walls of the fort are nothing like the city walls, just simple improvements on the trees and branches that are already there. We did eventually climb up really high though, and got to look out across the fields.

From the tower, the fields really didn't look that jungle-like, as they are when you try to go through them on the ground. They just seemed soft and warmly waving in the breeze. Out to the east the fields are very large: there is almost nothing on that sea of grass until a dark hill rises up on the horizon. Those hills are the real thing to mention though. A dark forest-covered bluff, much like the ones from home, but much much higher, and rising over waving silky green instead of waves. A couple lines cross each other: ranges of massive hills overlapping, each one rising a little higher than the last. Then, barely in view above them all, above all of us, I saw tall mountains far far away etched in a rich light blue. Something about the way those peaks reached into the sky gave me a yearning to stand up there, on top of everything. I have such a desire now to explore those dark and intricate folds of the land. Whatever is up there must be magical, because it is so far removed from everything else, and has climbed so high from the primordial waters.

Maybe this yearning for the mountains is why I've been having such strange dreams lately. It could also just be from living in such a different place though. A couple nights ago I had a dream that I was a tree, or that I was looking at a tree, or thinking about trees...it probably doesn't matter exactly. It was more of a sensation: I dreamt of peeling bark, each layer slowly stripping away and revealing some new horizon of existence. It wasn't painful, but I kept thinking it should have been. Eventually it all kind of swirled into a reality-muddle, and as the last layer got peeled away I woke up.

I went to ask Telon about the dreams, but they told me he had gone away on some errand. He should be back in a week or two though, and I'll bring it up then. Hopefully he'll have a good story from his time on the road.

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Log 10055 School of Bioecology

08/13/2167

Student Name: Ayleah Pine

Subj: Environment, Local.

Introduction of Athyrium Filix-femina

in a Local Ecology – Cohabitation in Marsh Ferns

-for Discussion Section:

In this study we transplanted a single bulb of the fern plant Athyrium Filix-femina (Lady Fern) into an area already supporting a sizable community of Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern) in Willow Park. After successful implantation, we observed the fern community for one and a half growing cycles. Considering the nature of the area (wet, partially-shaded), we speculated that the Lady Fern would be a good fit and would hopefully prosper.

Initial results have been positive, with the introduced species producing both a fruiting body and a healthy dormant stage. Upon renewal of the growing cycle, the Lady Fern maintained good form and is adapting well to its new environment. We have also recorded secondary results. Among survey responses of residents near to the study area and visitors to Willow Park we found an effect on well-being. The introduction of a new (noninvasive) species to the community provided residents and visitors with a point of interest and even may have motivated more visits to the park.

Further research will, in the immediate sense, take the form of our continued observation of the fern community. We will be monitoring the health and spread of Athyrium Filix-femina, and its potential interactions with the existing Thelypteris palustris. If the interaction proves positive for both species, there may be an opportunity for future introductions. A working marsh fern arboretum would be a benefit to future bioecology studies, and would also provide a pleasant and calming point of interest.

Personal Notes:

-AP—Working on this project has been a wonderful experience. Coming from a background in very different sort of nature, I have thoroughly enjoyed gaining knowledge and experience about the marshes and plains. My understanding of plants and the places they live has grown exponentially in the past few moons. I have also greatly appreciated the help I have received from both my peers in the school and the locals of the Sanctuary. In particular on this project I want to thank Heln Borringar, the head of the Pond Shoreline Team this past cycle. They were instrumental in aiding our efforts to get the fern bulb planted and keep it safe during the study. Our two groups even developed a bit of a friendship, so thank you to Heln and his crew.

One Journal

 

“The last entry is dated a week before his disappearance”

“Go on, let me hear it.”

The day was an overcast one, unusual for this side of the growing cycle. Even just in the past two days it has rained quite a bit, and our efforts by the pond edge are mired for now. Work was canceled today again while we wait for things to dry out, so I went for a walk out in the groves to get some fresh air and relaxation. I must admit that time got away from me and I returned a good half hour past when I intended. Not unusual in itself, as I often lose myself in thought while out in nature.

I entered the city again and got some lunch before heading to my afternoon philosophy class. Class was unimpressive, but stimulating enough I suppose. It was on the way back home that the interesting thing happened. As I walked back to my apartment building a flash of reddish-orange light appeared for a split second in my periphery. I quickly checked in its direction, but found that it had disappeared, and my mind was quickly forming an impression that I had only imagined it. Or perhaps a light or the setting sun had reflected for an instant off some shiny surface, but no, upon inspection no such reflecting object could be seen either. In the place where I had seen the light was only a corner of the city wall. I turned the corner onto my street and still there was no sign of anything potentially bright-colored. It was as if a red squirrel had just darted behind this corner and, characteristic of squirrels, was watching me from somewhere cleverly out of sight. There are no squirrels in the city though.

I returned home, thinking less of the earlier trick of the light. As I sat at my table after finishing dinner however, I was struck by another odd visual sensation. The whole world around my seemed to darken and increase in vividness, as if the contrast between light and shadow had warped. A darkness seemed ready to envelop my vision, but it was not accompanied by the typical feeling of faintness. I mentally held my ground and the whole experience passed in under a minute.

These sights today I assume are nothing more than visual quirks, and I would perhaps be better off seeking an eye-doctor, but something in me wonders what interpretation the mystics would have. Unless these sights persist in a concerning way, I may have to pursue my curiosity in the coming days..

The scholar finished reading and looked up at the other. Lucan's eyes betrayed a meaningful look for only a split second before becoming impassive again. “And how long now has he been missing?”

“Heln has not reported for his last three shifts, or to any of the classes he would normally take between them. All attempts at contacting him have elicited no response, and his friends have reportedly not seen him either. On this the fourth day, we became especially concerned. His name has also not been found in any shuttle manifests for the past week, so if he left the city that way he would have been in disguise.”

Lucan met his gaze evenly. “We must find him, or any trace we can. Send word to the outposts and the shuttle stations to report anything they might know, and Davai- could you stay a minute? As the rest of the small council gave their bows and filed out, Lucan drew to the House-Sage's side. “Davai, I want you to secure the city in all ways, can you do that for me? Not just the usual attention to the physical barriers, but something else.” Davai caught the gleam of his eyes in the darkening room as he continued. “I want this place to truly be a sanctuary, should anything drastic happen in the greater world. I want to know the inhabitants of these walls are surrounded by the best sort of protection energies we can muster. I know you are up to this challenge.” Davai gave a short bow as he replied. “I would be honored maester. It will take some time and effort to gather the proper materials, but it can be done easily enough, and we will all sleep the better for it.”

With that assurance, Davai left the Head Sage's office to go and make the evening rounds, and Lucan was left alone with the journal. He gazed at Heln's writing, still relatively fresh on the page, and wondered what was going through the man's mind right now, wherever he might be.