Submission (#3085) Approved

Dear Adria,

I hope this letter finds you well. A little bird told me that you are at the academy in Il’durahn. I’d love to hear about your studies and adventures! Which subjects are you working on? Any favorites? Are you planning to continue your travels in the spring, or will you stay at the academy?

I don’t remember if I told you that I’d be spending miasma season in Ealei. Well, here I am. Honestly, it’s a bit different than expected. The trees are just as green as the ones back home, but the water is so much clearer. And the locals are so friendly! Port Pthalo is built in the mangroves, with homes in trees and streets on platforms that rise out of the water. I’ve become a much stronger swimmer since I got here. The water is so warm and refreshing! It’s amazing that we can swim right in the middle of town.

I’m staying with a local ferryman, Eldon Shade (a.k.a. Cap’n), and his apprentice, Crispin. Cap’n owns an awesome treehouse not far from the docks. I can see a little slice of the port from the patio on the second floor. The spiral staircase down to the walkway isn’t in great shape. Some of the planks are loose and wobbly. I’m afraid that I’ll lose my balance and fall off into the water! I might offer to help fix it up if I can find the right supplies. Oh, I found a locked treasure chest and a bunch of dusty old barrels up in the attic. I’m really curious what’s in them, but I’m too afraid to ask. I hear that Cap’n used to be a pirate! He definitely looks like one, with his scars and fish bone crown. I’m not sure if the scars are real or just markings… I don’t want to be caught looking too closely. He even has a pet parrot! It likes to say ‘I’ve got my eye on you, arrrrr…’ and squawks out sea shanties at all hours.

Crispin is a bold brown, green and cream kittom. He’s amazing at hide and seek because he blends right into the trees. He loves fresh fruit and has figured out how to graft dragonapples, figs and persimmons onto the local mangroves. The locals love it! He wants to become a sea captain someday and travel all over Eyre, establishing orchards wherever he goes. He already started one in Faerindell. You know that one near the cottage I was staying in during the spring? His! I can’t believe how much he’s accomplished as a kittom.

That reminds me – I forgot to mention why I’m here! I heard a rumor that some unusual varieties of mushrooms were recently discovered among Yggdrasil’s roots. It was said that one could make a nin grow larger and another would make them grow smaller. My mentor sent me out here to see if it’s true. Nobody has shown any evidence, so I doubt it’s true. Plus the locals don’t seem to know anything about it, and I haven’t run into any nins of unusual size here. Still worth a look, I guess. I’m planning to head toward Nalnalo when the miasma clears up. Maybe someone out there can point me in the right direction.

I’ve had a lot of fun exploring Port Pthalo in the meantime. The magical mushrooms might be a myth (apologies for the accidental alliteration… and again), but I have learned a lot about local herbs and remedies so far. There’s a type of moss that grows on mangroves that can cure seasickness. It tastes a bit like licorice, which might not be for everyone. It does seem to help, though. I needed some on the voyage over when the sea was getting too choppy. There’s also a local delicacy made from a shelf fungus that has all of the nutrients that we need to eat. It has a mellow taste on its own and mixes well into curries and sauces. Sailors often dry it and bring it on long voyages. It's a bit tough, but keeps the hunger away, I guess. Oh, and did you know that the mangroves grow fruit? The locals love them both cooked and raw. I’m still trying to figure out if there are any medicinal benefits, but I’ve enjoyed sampling them in different dishes. There are also so many tasty fish here. I tried this amazing dish of spicy gray snapper the other day. You must try it if you ever head out here! Oops, sorry for dragging on about food. You know me.

Let’s see… there are also reports that a rare woodpecker was recently spotted near Skyhaven. The last sighting was decades ago. There must be a small population out there somewhere in one of the less explored parts of the region. Oh, that reminds me – there’s a legend that a giant fish lives somewhere in the gulf, sheltering within Yggdrasil’s roots. It’s said to bring good luck. Cap’n claims that he saw it once and that its scales were made of gold, silver and copper. I think it’s just a big fish story, but I’ll be on the lookout when I make it to Nalnalo. This is a great place for a budding explorer. *hint, hint*

Okay, I’m running out of stationary, so I should probably wrap this up. I’ll enclose a postcard that I picked up from a local artist. Maybe it will convince you to visit someday!

Love,

Aveline