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Chapter 38 - Matelotage

In the midst of the calm sea, Marcellus found himself grappling with the enigma of a diary author's mindset. It was an abyss as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, yet as delicate as a feather adrift on the breeze. As he delved into the diary, a blend of curiosity and reluctance washed over him.

Every piece of knowledge he unearthed from the diary's pages was a tidal wave of emotion. These were a mix of desired and regretted discoveries.

Marcellus learned about 'Energy,' a concept that intrigued him greatly. The diary spoke of four major types: Ether (prana), Mana, Force (qi), and Aura.

This led Marcellus to ponder - were there other, lesser-known types of energy? Alas, he had no one to answer his questions.

Marcellus' adaptation to life aboard the Viper revealed the ship's unique tradition - an all-male crew, rooted in a superstition that women brought bad luck at sea. Yet, he observed a deep camaraderie among the crew, sometimes evolving into 'Matelotage.'

This complex bond involved sharing possessions, affection, and on rare occasions, romantic partners. It was symbolized by the wearing of hair knots and the establishment of death benefits, reflecting the perilous nature of their lives.

Despite understanding this, Marcellus viewed Matelotage with skepticism. To him, piracy was about independence and self-reliance, not emotional dependency. This perspective was reinforced by the diary's tales of combat and resilience.

Each page turned was a step in his journey towards self-discovery and mastery, leading him from past constraints to a future of broader possibilities. Slowly the barkeep of Wisbech was being replaced by the sword saint of... Wisbech.

Matelotage varied among the crew, some relationships being strictly platonic, others sharing romantic partners. Observing potential bonds between crew members like Randy and Noah, Marcellus couldn't shake the feeling that this dependence was contrary to his idea of true piracy.

As Marcellus continued to read the diary, he stumbled upon a section discussing the decline of ritual magic.

[Diary]

"By the beginning of the last era of the third epoch ritual magic, alchemy, necromancy and the other occult esoteric were in a noticeable state of decline, seemingly doomed to extinction.

There were, of course, many survivors of earlier ways of thinking, nevertheless, the dominant philosophical trend of the period was rationalism; the belief that the unaided human reason was capable of solving all problems that were patent of resolution.

Despite this semi-deification of reason, there was some resistance to the rising tide of scepticism and, against all expectations, the underground occult tradition managed to survive.

Most fervent propagators were the Church of Machinery and some followers of the Church of Light were in the adulation of reason.

Both amateur astrologers and philomath played a part of some importance in this survival, for many of them also dealt in talismanic magic (charms to be technic)— the preparation and consecration of amulets designed to undo the effects of unfavourable planetary influences, finding lost goods, gain the affection of another etc — and it is clear that at least some of them dabbled in magic of a darker hue, occasionally with unfortunate results."

Marcellus, not being highly educated, often found himself reading some pages twice to fully grasp their meaning. After poring over the pages for over half an hour, this effort began to take its toll. Somewhat inexplicably, he sensed his mental energy draining away as if his thoughts were evaporating.

"When by the providence of God, I was settled in White Tower, I met an interesting Listener he asked my opinion very seriously concerning the lawfulness of conversing with spirits.

After I had given my thoughts in the negative and confirmed them with the best 'reasons' I could, he told me he had considered all those arguments, and believed they only related to conjuration, he is being a man of affable temperament and profound knowledge in the mathematical sciences—arithmetic, geometry, gauging, surveying, astronomy, and algebra.

His mastery was such that he could predict the movements of celestial bodies and calculate eclipses with remarkable precision, drawing forth the pure essence of mathematical truths.

He once invited me to witness these spirits, promising a safe return.

Fear, however, stayed my feet.

I warned him of the Devil's deceit, how he masquerades as an Angel of Dawn, but the Listener did not listen to my words, he could not believe it was the Devil. I proposed to try him a question in astronomy relating to the projection of a sphere, which he projected and resolved; and afterwards did so demonstrate from the mathematics, as to demonstrate that his brain was free from the least tincture of madness, irrationality and distraction. 

I asked him several particulars concerning the method he used and the discourse he had with the spirits he conversed with. He told me he had a book—a grimoire where there were directions he followed.

Accordingly, in the dead time of night he went into a causeway with a candle and lanthorn (lantern to be technic), which was consecrated for the purpose with incantations he came up with. He had also consecrated chalk, consisting of several mixtures, which he used to make a circle of what distance he calculated fit, within which no spirit had the power to enter. After he invoked the spirit by several forms of words, some of which he told me were taken from the Holy Scripture of the Church of Dawn, and therefore he thought them lawful; without considering that they might, as the apostle saith, 'be wrested to his own destruction' The spirits for which he called appeared to him in the shape of little girls, about a foot and a half high, and played about the circle.

At first, he was affrighted, but after some small acquaintance this antipathy in nature wore off, and he became pleased with their company. He told me they spoke with a shrill voice, like an ancient woman.

He asked them if there was a God; they told him there was. He asked them if there was a Heaven and Hell; they said there was. He asked what sort of place Heaven was; which they described as a place of glory and Dawn. He asked what place Hell was; and they bid him ask no questions of that nature, for it was a dreadful thing to relate. 

Two weeks later, I found him dead, his body sprawled on the floor amidst blood-like stains, encircled by arcane sigils and runes. His eyes were wide open, frozen in terror. His skin, pale and marked with geometric, burn-like scars, suggested a ritual gone wrong. His clenched fists and the oppressive air of lingering malevolence.

After a week of further investigation, my priest revealed that he had been possessed for some time. This revelation led me to ponder if my conversations with him occurred during his possession. Compelled by this, I resolved to devise a method that would succeed where someone I knew had faltered. Driven by curiosity and a desire for rational understanding, I sought to uncover the reasons behind his failure.

Spanning five score years (50 years to be technic), my research meticulously dissected the complexities of rituals, leading to their concise categorization into three overlapping types. The first type, ritualistic magic, encompasses practices focused on invoking supernatural forces or harnessing such energies for distinct purposes. The second, religious rituals, are deeply rooted in various faith traditions, acting as conduits for expressions of belief and devotion. The third, factitive rituals, are distinct in their intent to alter the nature or function of an object or entity, transforming their essence or operational dynamics.

For each of these rituals, the general approach remained constant. All rituals must possess a Target, Intent, Incantations (vibrations, to be technical), and a conducive environment."

The diary detailed various ritual types, emphasizing that all rituals required a target, intent, specific incantations, and a conducive environment. However, delving into this knowledge was not without cost.

Marcellus often felt drained, experiencing dizziness, headaches, and even hallucinations while reading.