Path of the Vampire forum

"Mak Zuek Journal"

Day One

Left the mainland of Japan, the home of my birth into a great lineage. I should have more regrets from leaving Japan, like most natural born Japanese. Being disowned from a great family, kind of puts a dampener on things. Especially ones own views and beliefs of the world as well as society as a whole.
The crew on the freighter give me a wide berth, only coming to disturb me from my reading and writing at meal times.

Very different food to what I am used to, the captain even shared some of his caviar. But then again not many ship captains get paid 9 million Yen for a one way trip to Canada from Japan, considering the conditions on the freighter are not much more than hammocks strung between pipes and any other purchase.

The first book that he started to read was The book of Enoch, a very ancient text predating Christ/ It is through many different religions and his masters studies of religion, that he came across a very early English translation of the book.

The first day he threw up 3 times before lunch, so not much reading got accomplished.
His sea legs had yet to come to him.

The weather was fine, seas rather high between waves, but otherwise the weather looked fine for miles all around.

"Mak Zuek Journal"

Day Two

Arrived at the port of Vladivostok, where the freighter off loaded some of its trade goods and took on more fuel, food and supplies.

Big Russian navy ships could been seen docked along the wharves, coming and going regularly. Home of the Russian Navies Pacific fleet. Also managed to talk some of the wharfies into supplying the captain with a large quantity of more of his favourite caviar from the Caspian or Black seas. Cost a little bit of Mak's money but where he was going he could survive a long time on what he had packed away.

It took them half a day to get unloaded and reloaded anew, before they head off once more to go through the Arctic Ice, over the northern reaches of Alaska and Canada. Sixteen more days and they would reach the eastern coast of Canada.

The captain relayed that they would be tagging behind a large Russian icebreaker the '50 Let Pobedy' , a very large nuclear powered icebreaker. He was told that it has even been known to take on tourists.
In about 2 days time they would rendezvous with the icebreaker and follow a trade convoy of other freighters and other civilian vessels.

Mak still hadn't really gotten his sea legs yet, much better than his first day about. The weather much more agreeable and smooth sailing, no large waves to be seen.

Some sooty terns could be seen fishing off the bow at sun set.

Off to his room to read some more.

Day Three

The Journey from Russian waters was rather uneventful. The crew very happy and in high spirits, especially the captain after his gift of caviar.

The crew gave him happy nods and waves now, they were much happier than when they had originally left Japan. Its amazing what you can get in different ports around the world, compared to others.

Mak spent most of his day on top deck reading some scripts and scrolls in various ancient languages. He had to use his laptop and language conversion software to get through a lot of it. The software was not cheap, he met a good ol'chap back in London, among many of his different semesters at different universities around the world.

He came across a curious concept based on vampires and society. 'They had society...well i guess much like humans some rudimentary rule, organisation happen with them as well. .... Had...hmmm so there must some truth in this as well. Maybe I am that much more closer than I had hoped.' He thought to himself.


In the evening he spent the meal with the captain and crew, enjoying some of the caviar that he had acquired at great cost for the captain.

Otherwise the weather was still rather calm and peaceful, a couple more days and they would be near the Arctic wastes.

Day Four

Mak was awoken to everything sliding back and forth in his cabin, with his stomach going up and down rather heavily. This was very similar but not quite like his first day of travel from Japan, he was starting become green at the gills again. He thought that he had achieved his sea legs, apparently he had only had a taste of calmer waters.

Today was going to be wasted with no chance for more research, this masquerade idea was very intriguing, unfortunately it would have to wait another day.

He was left to his quarters, no chance he would go above decks, looking out his port hole window, all he could see was ocean covering it. With the rare glimpse of thunder in the skies above.

Mak spent the rest of the day wondering why he chose sea travel as his form of transport.

Day Five

Mak stayed in bed pretty much all day, not bothering to go outside at all. The crew brought him his meal to his cabin, they even tried to get him to play Durak, the crew seemed to play it regularly and gamble money on it among other things. Mak had yet to try his hand at it.

He had instead gotten stuck into one of his rare books from Egypt, it was pretty much a book of all the gods and their followers particular practices and beliefs.

Very interesting stuff, the Egyptians had a very close bond with Life and Death, many gods were involved with the protecting, funeral rights and other such duties involved with ones passing. They also had a lot of power through sorcery and such, this intrigued Mak to no end, they talked a lot of power over the undead, or unlife.

Nephthys, Selkis, Ammut, Heket and Isis were a few that tickled Mak's fancy with their particular areas of interest and control.

Mak lost a whole day reading all about the cults, religions of Egypt, particular beliefs and rituals involved. Mak had started to also make a book just for rituals and spells, as well as the ingredients that were needed. In his religious studies he had also learnt quite a bit in regards to dead languages and symbology.

The crew of the ship were getting used to the strange Japanese individual that had paid handsomely for a stowage space on the freighter. But they were happy when the captain was happy, it also was good as the captain also shared the wealth so to speak with his crew. Nothing better than a loyal and trust worthy crew, that is what the captain had said to Mak the first time he had met him on that foggy morning on the commercial dock.