The Great Journey to the South
As many of you know, just recently I made a long and vested trip to the great southern border kingdom, San d'Oria.
For those who might have been curious, I decided to take pen to paper and record of each branch of my journey.
Perhaps someday, somewhere in the distant future, someone will look upon this document and understand, if only briefly, what life was like for an adventurer of our time...
Day One: Departure
I started my first day on a fault. Try as I might, I had been unable to find the slumber I had sought the night prior. Perhaps it was a mixture of nervousness and anticipation that kept me from my pillow, I am still not really sure. Regardless, it was not until the very hour of my departure began to draw near that I found the touch of sleep fall over me. By then, however, sleep was not such a luxury I could afford. The time to leave had come, and I was left no time to rest my weariness away. Gathering my belongings, which I'd fortunately had the foresight to pack in advance, I headed for the chocobo-drawn carriage that would carry me to the nearest port town.
Along the way, I felt strangely calm. I had expected to feel far more nervous or expectant than I did. Had it simply not hit me yet just what I was doing? I sat in a silent state as the caravan drew slowly nearer and nearer, quietly running through the upcoming events of my day, so as to not miss a single important detail.
Approximately two and a half hours from when I had originally set foot from my door, I boarded a great Airship, which lifted me gently into the sky with a practiced ease. I watched as the ground slowly grew more and more distant, feeling bewildered by the sight. No matter how many times I had experienced it, Airship travel never failed to leave me with a sense of awe and wonder....
This particular Airship, though sturdy, was admittedly not the best of it's kind. Being of a simple caste, I could not afford the vast amenities of the Nobility, and so I found myself crammed into the ship's lower quandrant, along with the rest of the travellers of my stature. In truth, the ship's "common room" felt more like a slightly remodeled cargo hold, but such was a fate of my own design. Struggling against uncomfortable heat and a broken Air Recirculator, I watched as the clouds drifted lazily below me, and sought to find a way to pass the time. Finally, I relented myself to a novel that I'd hidden amongst my belongings for just such an emergency. Though hesitant at first, I quickly found it more enjoyable than originally thought, and before I knew it, the time had come to disembark.
The Airship's first stop was a sprawling city known as Uta, built upon the shores of a vast Lake of Salt. Though a haven of civilization in an otherwise harsh landscape, I found myself notably unimpressed by its stature. "After all," I thought to myself, "Mud painted gold is still mud."
I sat in the port reception area, waiting to transfer to a larger model of Airship that would carry me to my final destination. Seated now in a somewhat more comfortably attuned venue, I watched as all manner of people-- young and old-- came and went. I studied them, almost facinated by the sheer voulume and variety of travellers to whom this simple port offered a temporary shelter. All manner of person was represented here, young and old, of all status and stature. No matter what your lot in life, everything seemed strangely equal when you were far from home.
At last, my turn came, and I once again boarded a mighty Airship. Fortunately for me, this one was somewhat larger and better equipped than the last, and I found myself in great relief as I was much less croweded this time around.
More pleasant than the previous branch of my journey, I was able to relax a bit more, and the time passed far more willingly than it had earlier. It was far sooner than anticipated that crewmembers began to spread the word of our impending arrival in the mighty city of San d'Oria. Feeling my excitement beginning to build at long last, I leaned over the airship's railings, hoping to catch an early glimpse of the vast and wonderous city-state. To my amazement, I saw....nothing, whatsoever, save for mountains and brown, barren landscapes.
"Where's the city?" I wondered aloud, my perplexion most likely showing clearly on my face.
Perhaps in response to my obvious distress, a nearby passenger nudged me gently, and motioned towards the other side of the ship. Following his lead, I walked slowly to the opposite railing, and once again leaned over.
This time, my eyes widened in awe, as I at long last beheld the city I had been seeking. Much more than even I'd expected, the vast metropolis spread out before me, outstretching the distance even my aerial vantage point allowed me, like a literal sea of rooftops. I couldn't help but break into a wide grin, as this sea grew larger and more detailed with every passing minute. Buildings became clearer and more distinct. Small, moving blobs became carriages and caravans.
At last, San d'Oria lay before me...