The Church of Saint Zozonan

The Church of Saint Zozonan is a religious belief founded around the deeds of Saint Zozonan.

About

Not much is known about the Church of Zozonan. It's Saint and namegover Saint Zozonan once helped to feed the poor by selling valueable items from his church to merchants. This motivated others to join in with generosity. Saint Zozonan is blessed by Nald'thal. How the church was founded, is unknown.

During the 13th and 14th centuries of the Sixth Astral Era, the church funded multiple missionary expeditions to spread the faiths of the Twelve - presumably their patron deity Nald'thal. These expeditions helped the exploration of remote areas of Aldenard and beyond, but more than two of every three crews were lost.

Missionary Men

The following is the record of a failed mission.

Day 1
Our bumble flock departed from Vesper Bay today on the Wind Walker - a ship of two masts, complete with a crew of thirty. The captain cells me that should the winds remain favorable, the journey to the Mazlaya Bay will take no more chan eight days and we will have landed on the Pearl before the new moon.

Day 3
My brothers and I are having a difficult time convincing the crew to join us in prayer. They are a ragged lor who seem more intent on gambling and celling cales of their exploits on Limsa's pleasure boats than praying to the gods who will keep this ship afloat. My faith is ever unwavering,but I cannot help but begin to question the necessity of spreading teachings of the Twelve when legions of unbelievers remain in our midst.

Day 4
For three days and nights our ship has sailed along the featureless Thanalan coast, finally reaching the promontory-Cape Deadwind- which marks Eorzea's southernmost point on the morning of the fourth. The great Sagolii Desert which has consumed the land beyond Vl'dab is an urter void of desolation. We saw not man nor beast nor tree nor shrub for the entirety of our journey. Surely the men who once lived there ( and bistorians would have us believe the land was once populated ) must have given great offense to the gods for them to lay the land so low. The captain bas pointed us due east, and I am glad to see this terrible land behind us.

Day 6
After making excellent time riding the northerly winds gusting down from the Strait of Merlebor, we set our course east, and since that very moment the wind bas refused to blow. The captain calls them the doldrums and says there is nothing to do but wait them out. The crew does not seem in any way concerned, and spend day and night drinking rum and cossing dice. My brothers and I continue our prayers alone below decks for it is all we are able.

Day 10
Still no sign of the winds picking up. The dingby which was cast off two mornings past with four men to explore the coast for a river or spring bas yet to return and is feared lost, or worse, abandoned. The stores of fresh food and animals bave all been consumed and now the captain has begun rationing our che worm - infested hard tack and salt pork. On a positive note, seven members of the crew have begun accending our sermons.

Day 16
The water ran out today, forcing us to turn to the ever plentiful barrels of rum stored in the ship's bold. Though it does not take a sailor to know that the rum will just beighten our thirst and drive us to madness all the swifter. The captain had to bang two men who had been plocting a mutiny ... as if a mutiny could somehow summon winds from the skies.

Day 20
Two days since the last drop of rum was drunk. Despite the captain's pleas, nearly half the remaining crew has jumped ship and attempted the over three - league swim to shore . The ones we witnessed dragged under by sharks will have most likely found a better end than the ones who actually make landfall. For them slow death in an endless desert is all that awaits. We will continue to pray.

Day 24
How I have survived this long, I do not know. To slake my chirst I have done the unthinkable I bave partaken of the very blood of a man who slit his own throat. Or was it I who slit his throat ? Will the Twelve forgive me? Or have they forsaken us? Does it even matter?