STARFARING LOG: ENTRY 07–3❄︎❄︎
- admiraljellyfishh
- Dec 25, 2025
- 2 min read
Log Date: Cycle 0 – Phase IV: Hearthtide, Lanternmark 44
Commander: Admiral J. Aurelia Caelestis
Vessel: The Medusara
System: Fringe Expanse – Sector 88-Δ
Planet Identified: Solanthis
Designation: Port Moonmarsh
18:06 LMT — Cultural Observation Log
Hearthtide coincides with the longest uninterrupted night over Port Moonmarsh. Local customs dictate reduced activity, softened lighting, and a general discouragement of urgency. No official Fleet procedures are suspended.
Nevertheless, the town treats the night as one reserved for waiting.
Throughout the day, the town prepared in small, quiet ways. Lanterns were polished at dawn and lit well before dusk. Moss garlands were woven along the docks. The skeletal tavernkeeper hung a string of reflective shells above the door, each etched with symbols I have not yet catalogued. When asked their meaning, I was told they represent “safe returns” and “things that made it home.”
Residents left small items at their windowsills. Wrapped confections. Polished stones. Hand-carved figures tied with twine. When I asked, I was told these offerings are not for the tide itself, but for a traveler known locally as the Wayfarer in Red.
Descriptions vary. He is said to arrive without sound, to move between reflections rather than along paths, and to leave before anyone can confirm he was present at all. The general consensus is that he does not accept gratitude.
20:41 LMT — Environmental Notes
The Veiled Ocean dimmed shortly after nightfall. Tidal activity slowed to near stillness. Even the usual harmonic resonance beneath the docks softened into a steady, low presence.
The town gathered near the central lantern spire. No speeches were made. Food was shared without comment. Conversation came and went in waves. I was offered a seat near the fire. I accepted.
There was no sense of expectation. Only allowance to indulge in the gentle quiet of the night.
22:58 LMT — Unscheduled Occurrence
Upon returning to The Medusara, I found an item placed outside my quarters. Internal security logs show no access events. No anomalies were detected by the ship’s sensors.
The item consisted of:
One wool scarf, hand-knit, uneven in stitch but carefully finished
One paper-wrapped sweet, sugar-based, locally prepared
A small tag bearing a single line of text:
“Admirals should stay warm, too.”
The handwriting does not match any known resident. The materials are local.
The scarf is… effective.
23:17 LMT — Personal Addendum
The town gathered tonight beneath the central lantern spire. There was no ceremony, no speech. Only shared food, soft music, and long pauses where nothing happened at all.
I was offered a seat by the fire. I accepted.
For a brief interval, Solanthis felt… quiet. Not watchful. Not expectant. Simply present.
If the Wayfarer exists, I did not see him clearly.
But the scarf is warm.
I will log this entry as a cultural observation and take no further action.
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