Today marks the start of a new year, although it hardly seems like a new year. It is my sixth day aboard this ship, and things are more or less happening the way things generally happen aboard a ship. Sailors hurry about their tasks, while soldiers conduct drills and practice fights in what little space they find on the deck. We are still sailing west along the coast of Tanarad, and plan to turn toward the north within the next few days.
Although it is the middle of winter, the days are currently warmer than what we will experience for the next few months as we head north and into the Arctic Circle. The Sisterhood of Jadela’Mar is proving interesting in their methods of keeping the ship and everyone aboard warm. I’m not sure how, but they’ve divided the day into five shifts, and each woman takes a turn sitting in silent meditation while using her arcane powers to maintain a number of unfueled fires heating the ship and crew. I was a bit startled the first time I saw one of the fires, but I’ve since grown accustomed to them. There isn’t any danger of them growing out of control and causing a problem.
I did ask the highest ranking of the five women, Mistress Tora’Sor, how their magic was done, but she merely stated that men are too aggressive and unrefined to ever learn about such powers. I admit I did not get a cordial response from her when I suggested she was just using the excuse to belittle the opposite gender. When her shift was over, she apologized for her unpleasant response, and explained that the only men ever able to use the same powers were the Dark Wizards and Magicians.
Tora’Sor’s response was exasperation that so many men have shown a futile interest in learning their powers instead of any dislike she might have of men in general. Tomorrow she plans to tell me more about the Sisterhood of Jadela’Mar. It should be interesting since all I know about them is what I’ve read in libraries. I told her I’m thankful for the heat.