Storm Island Expedition

Port To the Past

Two more days of trudging along the sand, with those annoying crabs pinching at my legs, I finally caught sight of the famed port of the island.

It lay along the edge of the peninsula jutting into the sea. The Northeast of the village sat next to a few mountains and hills, the southern part of the village was open to the sea. A few common looking trees dotted the peninsula. From this distance, the village looked smaller than Rimmington.

When I finally arrived, I was shocked at how small it was. Maybe a few dozen people, most old enough to be grandparents.  Most of the 'young folk' were clearly new arrivals.  A prospector here, a trader there, a few would be adventurers.  I didn't recognize any of the faces from the West.
I looked about the town, and there were no shops to speak of beyond a tea shop and a small restaurant.  What passed as an artisan's shop: anvil, furnace, kiln, pottery wheels, spinning wheels ... everything was rusted out, run down, and in need of repair.  Worse, no bank access.  The piers of the dock even looked hazardous to step on.  A few of the old timers seemed to step delicately enough to avoid making the wood creek as they walked about or fished.

Most of the locals seemed friendly enough, smiling as I walked by.  Many reminded me of Ak Haranu, just the hair a lot greyer or white.

As it was getting late again, my attention turned on where to fall asleep.  Fortunately, an elderly couple, Han and Mei, were more than willing to let me board with them for the night in exchange for some of my leftover fish, and swapping stories.

I spent the first part of dinner recounting a few of my adventures and my first experiences on the island.

Han immediately recognize the fishing village I had come across. He laughed a little when I mentioned that one of the shacks was still standing after all these years.

I couldn't resist, and asked how people made it to the island.

Han sighed, "None of us intended to come to the island.  Anyone who did arrive were the unfortunate survivors, like you.  Ships traveling about the seas, exploration, trade, piracy.  And then, the storms catch you. A few usually make it to shore. Make a home where they can, or perish to whatever lurks. It has been this way for generations.  I myself was a sailor on a ship; it has been so long now I don't even remember my home.  So much time has passed, this has become home.  A few like Mei, were born and grew up here."

I was puzzled, "If some are born here, where are the children? No offense, but most of you are old enough to be my grandparents."

Mei giggled.  Han looked even more depressed.  "Yes, it is true. Years ago, the youth of our village traveled further inland. The arrogance of youth ... they thought they could tame the island.  Took what they could, spread out, and built homes for themselves wherever they could.  They wanted to set up new villages, trade posts, everything.  'Civilize' the lands.  At first, things seemed to go well.  They made homes, started their own families.  Then a few years passed, and we lost contact with the families that had moved further inland.  A few years after that, even those that lived closes to us stopped visiting.  A few of us got concerned and checked on them, they were our children after all.  The swamps had overgrown some of the paths, so it was dangerous for us.  The few homes we did find were empty.  Some, evidently for months.  We saw no bodies, no graves, no signs of a struggle, no notes saying where they went or what happened.  And it was too dangerous for us to explore too far into the forests and swamps.  So, we returned here in the hopes that they might return on their own. To this day ... "I could tell he was about to cry.

"Let me guess, to this day, none have come back?"
Mei and Han nodded their heads.  "We can only believe that the island took them."
"I'm sorry."  Was all I could utter.
Mei smiled again at me, "no worries child. We did however warn many of the newcomers, like you, how dangerous this place can be.   But they seemed a little too enthusiastic.  Must be something about youth... "
"Others?   Recently?  Were any of them from?"
Han cut me off, "Others have been arriving for weeks, a few at a time. Some call themselves adventurers.  Others called themselves Slayer Masters.  Others who I could tell only had an eye for riches.  We told them what we could, a life time and generations of experiences ... some listened, some only pretended.  So far, none of them have returned either."
"But has anyone showed up in the last few days?   I was shipwrecked.  I am ... "
"Ah yes" Mei smiled again, "We know of a few who came ashore.  They were fortunate.  What was it again Han?  Two men, looked like sailors, and a tough looking woman?"
"Did she go by Sienna?"