After checking around the area, you decide the shield and hand axe are worth retrieving. And you collect the 43 gold pieces in the corpse's purse. Discretion holds and you choose not to open any of the Sarcophagi, but to leave the dead in peace for the time being.
Kerim works on the head of the metal monster and after a while manages tp release a couple of bolts that attach the head to the body. Now the head is free he manages to retrieve the glowing eyeballs through the neck opening. They are about the size of a plum and each glows with a dull red light, with about the same intensity as a standard candle. The inside of the monster is composed of small metal parts, mainly copper, but there is some iron and steel and a few small silvery components as well.
Peter wants to try and retrieve all the books and scrolls from the library, but you mange to convince him to leave them until later by pointing out that the boat journey may damage them. Making your way back to the quay you, again, stand by the statue of the Gnome and wave for the boat to come and collect you.
A short trip later, you approach the shore that you left this morning, only to see a strange ship puled up at the quay with lots of strange men unloading supplies, timber and then stone. Some of the men appear to be seamen, although the majority look more at home carting the goods and are dresses as normal villagers.
Three people attract your attention. One is a man clearly better off than the others, and possibly even noble, watching the unloading with a group of what look like soldiers.
A blonde haired elf, stands alone by the foot of the gangplank, watching the activity. Just far enough out of the away to avoid being shouted at by the workers.
A third man, dressed in the long robes favoured by the Midani stands talking with one of the guards.
Meeleek and Corellon
As you stand watching and chatting, you see a small skin boat appear from the island in the loch and pull towards the shore. In it is a group of people, clearly different from the majority of people around. They include 3 women, one dressed in bright armour and a huge half-naked man dressed in skins with bodily tattoos. The rest look more as you would expect but there is a certain air about them …..
Everyone
The men from the ship go about setting up a camp and building store piles of the goods they have bought. After a camp is built they start putting up a traditional Celtic style round house. One of the guards comes to, collect everyone, (including Meelek, Correllon and the other man) and guides you all to a small fire where there is some stew brewing. " Squire Archibald is going to be busy for a while. He hopes that you will make your selves at home - and that he will have more time to talk with you this evening." He says before heading off to help supervise the unloading.
OOC
A chance for you all to get acquainted, decide what you are going to do with the treasures you found on the island, and do what ever you think appropriate.
Timetable - Next week we will have a drawing together session which will close this section of the campaign off - and launch us into the Hiatus. I would like stories from those of you who intend to submit them by next Monday. I will publish them to the website on the following Tuesday or Wednesday.
The following week we will have the end of the hiatus, when everyone gets back to the newly rebuilt Tas Bardon and start the next phase of the campaign
I have to apologise - because I will be on holiday from 10 Jan through to the 24th. But I intend to pre-write the get together meeting and will be able to publish it while I am away. The following week the post might be a bit sketchy. Just to make all you jealous, I am going to a tropical paradise to soak up some rays and the atmosphere
After seeing what Callum has to say regarding his experience, Rolf turns his attentions to Kerim's fretting with the fallen thing of metal. He's surprised to see the rewards of Kerim's tinkering about with the thing. When the opportunity allows, he claps Kerim on the back, "You're a shrewed one. Keep them close, they might come in handy."
After gathering everyone back together, Rolf leads the others back to the dock. They'd started the morning in quite good spirits, but now all he feels is the results of the painful day. Given all they'd been through, they had done alright and while he feels sore, he's in remarkably good shape considering. And he'd led the others in slicing a little more wildness from the lands for lord Richard's settlements.
Having spent the journey back to the mainland sitting on the front of the boat, Edgar resumes his perch upon Mandrake's shoulder once the party alight.
Turning his beak towards the three strangers, he regards them with interest, issuing a low caaark to bring them to the attention of the gnome.
Peter frets and fusses about the scrolls and insists on making sure they are all securely stored before he leaves.
On the boat he sits quietly, holding the shield Rolf has asked him to research and one of the tomes that he couldn't bear to leave behind. His own shield is strapped to his backpack, making him look particularly cumbersome whenever he tries to move about.
On shore, he follows on with the others, glancing and nodding at the newcomers as they arrive, before finding a spot to settle down and start reading.
A bit baffled at first by the new place, Meeleek is relived to find some of his people here, and by the looks of them, they will be more informed of this place then the covetous soldier.
He bows deeply and says: " Es salam alekum, Midani. I am Meeleek El’Wakhad, a stranger to this new land. It seems you hold knowledge of it and it’s secret. What have brought you here?"
Kerim comes forward to greet the Midani man, offering an exchange of pleasantries as would be expected. This either shows his bias toward men or a shyness from women for Zhiri's greeting was different.
"Effendi, Meeleek El'Wakhad." he intones politely, almost officially. "Kerim Alakani, emissary for the Alakani merchant family" he adds.
And then in Midani tongue. "May the sun shine to light the road of your travels and the wind fill your sales."
He bows to the newcomer, and with formalities over her offers in what passes for casual with Kerim (only half relaxed).
"Soon shall you know as much as of life in this land as that which I do. Struggle daily I do to understand the events that guide those which live here. Success with trade is where I hope to fare better than in that which I have thus far."
Kerim then offers the newcomer a handshake or whatever passes for Midani custom for casual introductions.
Seeing Meeleek's apparent ease in reacting with others, Corellon curses himself silently for his habitual silence. Extending a hand to the 'half-naked' man, assuming he is a barbarian of sorts, saying in common, "Hello. I am Corellon, quite new to these parts, and this is somewhat of a travelling companion of mine, Meeleek. What might your name be?" nodding in turn and offering his hand to the others respectively.
I assume the half clothed one is I??
Kerim repeats his name for Corellon, though omits the introduction of his family's name that Meeleek received. This signifies a clear return to his previous more reserved self.
He asks no questions of why they are here, nor where they came from, as is his way. Simply following them for a short while till he finds somewhere comfortable to rest up.
If Corellon was going on my descriptions the half clothed one is Callum.