1 |
Captain! So good of you to accept my invitation. Please, sit and put your things down. We have a business to talk about. |
2 |
I have been given a mission by the Russian Emperor to explore the Southern Sea. Unfortunately my second in command, Mr. Lazarev, has fallen sick. And we are to sail off tomorrow. |
3 |
I am so glad that you accepted. There is a ship prepared for you. Mirny will be yours to command. Go have a look at her. There is still some time for some last moment adjustments. |
4 |
Mirny is not large but sturdy and agile, perfect for the ice-covered seas around the South Pole. Also, you should be able to carry enough supplies for the whole voyage. |
5 |
Talk to your sailors and make sure they take enough warm clothing. Most of the time, we will be sailing in ice-cold waters. If they are not used to such weather, they will fall ill fast. |
6 |
I don’t plan to disembark in Antarctica, but we should be ready for everything. So take a few ice picks and snowshoes. We might have a use for them. |
7 |
I see you have taken salted fish. This durable food will be the base of our diet. But we will need some flour too. It will stay fresh longer than bread, and we can make a lot of meals from it. |
8 |
We have enough food now. But load more firewood on your ship. We will need it to cook and keep warm, so we must have a good supply. |
9 |
It will be a long voyage. We will have to cross the equator and pass through some hot areas. We can buy some fresh produce in those lands and enjoy the warmth while we can. |
10 |
We should have built more stoves on the ships. I was wary of having too much fire on wooden vessels, but we will need them if we don’t want to suffer from the cold. Just make sure they are fireproof. |
11 |
Now that the stoves are built, we can use them to roast some fish. But not the salted fish we have in crates. These are supplies for harsher times. Let’s catch some fresh fish. |
12 |
Now I am ready to brave the cold waters of the South Sea. This is the last chance to get everything we need. I doubt we will find any more people ahead. How about some repair supplies? |
13 |
Living in Russia, I am used to the cold. But how are you faring? And what about your crew? You should check on them. The temperature is getting lower each hour. |
14 |
They are shivering, aren’t they? A few of them can get warmed up inside, but we need most on deck. Give them at least some cocoa that will refill their energy. |
15 |
Even if we find land in the Southern Sea, there won’t be any trees. In such cold conditions, only moss can grow. This is the last place to get more wood. So grab that ax and follow me. |
16 |
I believe there is land behind those icebergs. We should get closer and collect some samples. Then we will try to sail around it and map the coast. |
17 |
Remember to sail westward should we lose sight of each other. Have you forgotten your compass? I can sell you one of mine, but this is prime quality so expect a high price. |
18 |
How is it going? How are your sailors taking the cold? Make sure they are clothed properly, gloves and hats are a necessity in this weather. |
19 |
I can see land free of the ice fields further north. We can make a stop there and try to catch some fresh fish. I am all dried up from eating the salted meat. |
20 |
Before we continue with our voyage, let’s check the hull of the ships. The ice can cause severe damage to wood. Thankfully we should have enough wood for some quick repairs. |
21 |
Vostok, my ship, is stuck in the ice. We need to get her out before the ice gets even thicker. Get all the men here. Let’s hope we can free her with some icepicks and ropes. |
22 |
Good! The ship is free. I think this deserves a glass of wine to celebrate. I prefer vodka but all of the bottles are already empty. I wonder how it could have happened. |
23 |
There are a few scattered islands before us. I don’t recommend stopping there, we could get stuck in the ice again. But if you want, you can collect some rock samples. Just be quick about it. |
24 |
There is a storm before us. In this cold, there won’t be rain but snow coming down on us. Maybe we should lower the anchor and wait out the storm here. |
25 |
You are shivering. Did you not bring enough warm clothes? I can sell you some. I always pack more than needed. You can pay me later. Or right away, as you like. |
26 |
That island over there looks familiar. I think we already sailed this way. Let’s anchor here for a while to orientate ourselves. The crew can try catching some fish in the meantime. |
27 |
We were definitely here before. That means we have already circumnavigated the Southern Continent. I still have some blank places on my map. We can find and map them using the compass. |
28 |
This is an important discovery. Before us hardly anyone believed there is land around the South Pole. We should bring more rock samples to prove our discovery. |
29 |
I would love to explore the continent myself. Maybe we will return on another mission to explore the land too. Right now, our food and firewood supplies are dwindling so we must turn back. |
30 |
The emperor will be pleased with our discoveries. I will make sure your name is mentioned too. You and your crew were essential to the success of our mission. |
31 |
The way back will be long. We must make a stop to resupply. I can already see land ahead of us. Let’s hope there are some people we can trade with. I would like some fresh food again. |
32 |
This island is uninhabited and pretty small. It’s not marked on any of the maps we have with us. I dare say we are the ones to discover it. I name it Peter I Island in honor of our Emperor. |
33 |
Since we are already here, we can take a moment to fix the damage ice has made to our ships. We have been on the sea for more than two years. Time and weather have made their mark upon them. |
34 |
I am so sick of eating fish. But we have not much else to eat anymore. Let’s grill some fish quickly and sail on. I can’t wait to get back to civilization. |
35 |
We can make a stop in New Zealand. We should find there some people who will sell us something tasty. We can trade some rock samples we found too. We have too many of them anyway. |
36 |
Finally in civilization! Send your men to the village to buy some food. I need to stretch my legs and relax for a bit. |
37 |
Collect some wood for emergency repairs too. There are enough trees here that the locals won’t miss if we cut down one or two. Then we can continue back to Russia. |
38 |
We should have new uniforms made before we go announce our success. The old ones are torn and dirty. We can’t present ourselves in such an attire. |
39 |
Finally, we are back in Russia! I can’t wait to announce our discoveries. But first, I must go to an inn and clean up. I can’t go before the Emperor like this. Do you have money for a room at the inn? |
40 |
I received a medal from the Emperor himself! Such an honor. I will be taking over the duties of a military governor in a nearby town. I guess that’s it for our adventures together. |
Final |
I definitely plan on returning to the cold Southern Continent. How about you? Are you ready to explore the frozen wasteland? |