Missing Members of The Seven Isles

Several weeks ago, as our summer season came to a close some of our well known and beloved members unexpectedly went missing. It is not unusual for anyone to take a vacation this time of year to get one last rest. For soon the hard work of harvest and preparing for the winter would begin.

Posters just like this were put all over the Isle and the surrounding Area.

 

Perhaps it was why we first considered their disappearance as nothing to be alarmed about. Life on the Isles went about as normal, shorter on bread and baked goods than we normally had, as owen, our baker was one of the missing. But as wine season came and our dedicated vintner Cherno had not returned, we knew something had gone wrong. And we knew not for sure how much time they had even been gone.

In this time, our community had also grown. A mysterious, dark and intimidating Lycan named Hakon was seen frequently on the Isles, keeping largely to himself and rarely speaking to the others. But as withdrawn as he was, he responded to the call for him to use his superior senses to find our lost.

Our search efforts were localised at first, our skilled trackers who lived beyond our island had not seen tracks or traces of them, but then no one knew they were missing either. Several days of heavy rains made certain that any tracks left had long been erased. Even the sharpest noses could not pick up a trace after such weather But those who know the islands were confident that due to our isolated and remote location, the missing could not have gone far.

But it was of little comfort, knowing that many scenarios could be our missing’s realities. Were they hungry, hurt, lost, or dead? Our land may be peaceful, but there are still many dangers found in the wild. The wise ones who know it well understand that mother nature and mother earth are unpredictable.

Search efforts widened when Thyul, skilled fighter, sent out messages about our missing on the legs of hir birds, before going out hirself off on horse back with the eyes of hir Hawk Zephyr. When Thyul did not return in the expected time frame, the concern grew deeper.

The Doctor wasted no time in posting notifications.

A skilled fighter, well provisioned with a trained bird of prey should have been able to protect them self. Zephyr returned, flying frantic circles in the bay but there was still no sign of Thyul or hir horse.

More questions were raised, was this some unknown magic in the isles we had not discovered months ago when our land was tearing itself apart? When Cherno’s birds, her constant companions were found to on the island, people were unsure if this was a sign of hope, or doom.

One thing that was hard to deny, was that the arrival of the mysterious Hakon, his was just a little too convenient. Rumors spread that sometimes he was seen with blood running down his chest, but he had done nothing wrong that anyone could see. Korinna, who became very protective of her sister’s grapes and wine blends charged Hakon with the responsibility of keeping Cherno’s livelihood safe. In this task he had done well and proved his character was good to Korinna’s satisfaction.

The situation was not confirmed as foul play, until an unknown mermaid bound in chains had washed up under our docks.

If there was any good fortune for us on that day, it was that our doctor Fadrienne had not yet left to look for his spouse, Thyul. He was available to examine the Mermaid, and he determined that her death came with hands placed around her neck.

A moment of silence during the Doctor's investigation

Not long after,our Blacksmith Eaken, who had been taking shifts with his wife Korinna searching for our friends, was attacked, severely beaten, and left for dead. if his one-year old daughter had not woken her mother early that day, he may well have passed from his injuries.

But the Doctor saw to him immediately and saved his life, though it would be days before the Centaur woke up. Residents were more frightened than ever, for what sort of brute strength did it take to bring a retired cavalry officer down? He was a centaur who weighed three quarters of a ton, and had too much strength to be brought within an inch of his life.

Family and friends maintained vigil for Eaken

Something as big and as menacing as Hakon, perhaps? Even though the Lycan had shown concern for Eaken’s condition, rumors spread that he was seen with blood running down his chest.

Fear and a feeling of helplessness all but stopped the search efforts, residents were understandably too frightened to go far from home. Many decided that the safest way of venturing out for daily chores was to go in pairs. But even with such precautions, only two days passed before there was another grizzly discovery.

Our brave young Satyr PT, who had been exploring the woods as any boy his age would, stumbled upon two corpses. He bravely called for help. Cern and Fadrienne answered, together with their tracking and medical skills they determined that these two dead strangers were part of a group of five, and were most certainly casualties of Eaken defending himself. The remaining three had carelessly tossed their bodies into the sweltering atmosphere of the sweat lodge.

Showing no respect for a sacred space, nor their friends, what hope was there that our friends were treated well, if they had not been killed already.

Life on the Isles could not stop, even with such upsetting circumstances. To keep their minds from fretting and their hands from wringing themselves raw, the citizens gathered together to harvest the grapes before they were lost. The wheat still needed to be reaped. Vegetables and fruits gathered and stored for winter.

Before we knew it the solstice was upon us, there was hope (or perhaps concern) that being brought dark nights might bring us news of our missing. It had been long enough that some family members had already resigned the missing for dead. Hearts were heavy, and bodies were weary, but with winter ahead an organized hunt with a scant few hunters took place anyway.

Colli was one of the few hunters who came helped see our land was provided for.

There was a glimer of hope when Eaken finally woke and regained enough strength to take food through his broken jaw, but alas, he had no information to give us. Most of Eaken’s memories from around the time of the attack were lost, and what he could remember came out in a jumble of words that made no sense. It was frustrating for all, especially for him. All there was for us to do, was wait until Eaken had healed enough to regain his memory and order his speech. But the Doctor could not promise how soon this would occur, if it would occur at all.

But it would not be long before the tide would turn, and at the heart of it, was our young, brave PT.

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future".