Life in Sabbanath — Voices from the Land

Hi everyone,

In this blog, I hope to give you a taste of the world in which my first novel Sabbanath is set. To this end, I will share with you sketches, personal letters, royal reports and official documents (without giving the plot away).

In our last post we heard from passengers about to arrive in Sabbanath by sea from their homeland of Kiryn. We learned about their hopes, fears, dreams and expectations for this new adventure in a new land. In this next post we revisit many of the same people but this time after having spent a few days in the town. We learn more about their progress and get a sense of what life is like in Sabbanath.

1. Daniel Graves (Frontier Worker):

Dear Mother,

I have found work sooner than I expected. The homesteaders are anxious to recruit labourers to help them mark out their plot of land so there is a lot of work to be done — fencing, herding, digging, from first light until near dark. The land is wider than anything I imagined, and once you leave the town behind there is nothing but grass and sky.

The men I have spoken to say this is a good start and the income is more stable than going on the caravans up north. However, it is still my goal to eventually proceed there once I get a little money behind me and I have had a chance to send some back to you and my sisters. That is, and always will be, my motivation. 

Your Son

2. Miss Crawford (On Taking Land):

My Dearest Anna,

We have begun the process of claiming land, though it is not at all as I imagined. One does not see the place beforehand — it is assigned according to means and availability, and those with less must travel further out. Some speak of this as fair, though I cannot help but feel it is something of a gamble.

There are rules for everything — boundaries, water access, passage — yet even now I hear of disputes. Still, Robert remains certain we shall do well here. We have made acquaintances with other young couples such as ourselves and have resolved to travel together, assisting each other as much as we can. This at least is a comfort to me.

Yours Always

3. A Soldier of Sabbanath (Barracks Report):

Brother,

Life here appears quiet on the surface though I would not call it easy. Most of the men stationed with me are older, or else carry some wound from past service. It is obvious that this outpost is very much down the list of army priorities. I can somehow understand it as we mainly are guarding cows!

We are also expected to patrol and safeguard the land being claimed by all those coming off the boats but we are stretched thin across more land than we can properly watch.

There are rumours coming in from the outlying farms — trouble in the night, livestock taken, and in some cases worse. We ride where we can, but the distances are great and the answers few.

Still, the Captain seems to be a man of good character and that in my experience is all-important. I have served under my share of witless commanding officers to know the value of it.

Lyle