The scene as we disembark (Note: The artist did get a few things wrong on this image. The red sails should be black. The horse-like creatures (lower centre right) should not be there - though they are an excellent indication that the artist does suffer from hallucinations.

The captain returns to the ship's wheel and ship docks at an empty space at a jetty. The dockworkers setup a gangplank between the ship and the shore. We notice that the oars on the dockside of the ship have been stowed and we can make out that behind the oarlocks is just an empty space behind (Although, for just the briefest of moments a faint grey shape can be seen there as we leave the ship).

The port is bustling with activity with many different costumes visible suggestive of different classes of people - both rich and poor). In general the people here seem to be taller than we're used to. Ricky and Shadow attempt to overhear any nearby conversations while we try to stick together as a group. Nameraka looks to see if anyone is paying attention to us but concludes that, surprisingly, no one is. Ricky does observe that money (gold, silver and copper coins) is changing hands while Shadow decides that multiple languages, many Asian in intonation, are being used with the overall sense being that the languages are ancient variants compared to Shadow's own language.

Tharbin notices that some, if not all, of the people who look like they are from some kind of lower caste (poorer style of clothing etc.) have clothing that does NOT cover the neck and exposes a tattoo below the Adam's Apple. Our clothing, for good or bad, does NOT expose the same location. The tattoos are about 3 to 4 inches long. No one, regardless of whether they are sporting a tattoo or not, is wearing a beard. The women are modestly dressed regardless of their style of clothing. Nameraka's observations that the demeanour of the people with the tattoos is quite varied - some do look downtrodden but most are looking okay or even happy. Many of them do have scars or other signs of healed wounds.

We slowly walk down the dockside towards the market stalls. Ricky observes that he hasn't seen any signs of guards. We pass stalls selling all kinds of food including fruit, vegetables and meat - most of which we recognise. The large building or tower that we can see on the edge of the city proper seems to be a lighthouse of some sort. There is a single beam of light being sent out by the tower which looks to be much brighter when it's over the water rather than the City itself.

Some of the stalls are displaying sundry goods rather than food. Shadow moves over to one of those stalls which is displaying urns and vases. Via hand gestures and some confusion Shadow ends up buying an urn for two silver coins (we, fortunately, have a small supply of coins which do seem to be easily accepted as currency here).

Nameraka & Ricky move further into the city followed by the rest of us. Their impression is that they are following a main thoroughfare. The stalls are displaying more goods and less food and the goods look to be more expensive. The crowd is still a mix of all sorts of types and we suspect that our initial interpretation of a class system could easier be quite mistaken. Spooky can't see anything resembling any form of more modern technology however - nothing that looks complex or unusual in form.

The twin serpent image seen by Tharbin

As we move along the thoroughfare Tharbin sees that the local stalls and shops include some with a pair of white snakes intertwined around a stick. He takes a closer look at one of those shops. It is selling a selection of vials and potions but also some implements and bottles that make Tharbin look away for some reason - his view just keeps slipping away. Those implements are vaguely Human-ish but designed for larger hands.

Tremen has been keeping an eye out for any sign of the chasing hounds amongst other potential threats. While he doesn't feel any immediate threats he does feel that our group is being watched. Spooky meanwhile does now see a shop selling some kind of mechanical devices and goes over to investigate. She does see a naval sextant for sail (despite the fact we've yet to see any stars) but there are also other items for which her gaze, like Tharbin's, refuses to linger. None of us have seen any shops selling weapons (we do, however, have the weapons we picked up earlier.

Some of the inhabitants, the tall ones, are heavily cowled - right down to ground level (the hems of the robes are covered by muck and dirt from trailing on the ground). Tharbin does notice that when these tall cowled figures walk by, the rest of the crowd makes room for them and those with the tattoos make a bow of deference. He also notices that one of the figures has left a hoof-print in the mud.

The main thoroughfare is leading towards some kind of central square. Ricky hears the faint sound of music while Nameraka starts feeling hungry and starts to keep an eye out for a food stall. When we next get to a crossroads Ricky turns left down the side street while the rest of us try to decide where to go next. Ricky's side street is less crowded and he quickly finds the building from which the music is emanating from together with the aroma of good food. He beckons the rest of us to come over to him. We amble over to him as he plays his flute in the middle of the street. Tremen loses the sense of us being watched.

Ricky leads us to the food/music establishment and heads on in. He finds that the door to place is quite heavy but not locked. Inside is a large room with several tables with bench seats. There are places with smaller tables etc. It is fairly busy but there are reasonable amounts of empty places. The rest of us, apart from Tharbin, enter and head over to one of the bench tables. The room has four pillars holding up the roof with two staircases leading upwards on the left and right sides of the room. There are no open fires in the room.

After a couple of minutes a young lady comes up to the table and something we don't understand. Ricky manges to convey, mostly by gestures, that he wants drink and food. She leaves and returns with a piece of paper that is initially incomprehensible, but after a short while resolves itself into what is obviously a menu. We manage to order the equivalent of drink and pub grub.

We do feel that Something is not quite right but can't place the problem. The music is purely instrumental with no obvious source - and if it is on some kind of loop it's quite a long one.

Shadow now gets the chance to investigate his urn. It's about twelve inches tall (with the lid on) and is empty inside. It is made of some metal and is empty. Shadow puts the lid back on the urn. We remember that Tharbin has remained outside and Spooky goes and gets him to join us.

Now that Ricky has had the chance to think about his impressions of the people here in the room he concludes that people here must get to run their day however they like (i.e., there doesn't seem to be any kind of fixed schedule) and he hasn't seen or heard any form of clock or other timekeeper here. On the other hand he does feel hungry so does have some kind of personal time sense.

Wakiya recalls that when we boarded the ship there were stars in the sky, but once we had a sleep on board the ship that brought us here there were no stars in the sky when we went up on deck.

As we eat one of the large hooded figures enters and scans the room. It seems to spot us and moves to our table. It says I'm glad you made it. Let's find you somewhere to sleep tonight and get you moved on tomorrow.

As the figure turns towards the bar, the light catches the inside of the figure's hood. This reveals a youthful Mediterranean looking face. Wakiya and SHadow are convinced that they saw the head also had at least one horn. However at the same time we hear a scream from outside! One of the hounds bursts through a window. It also scans the room and focuses on our table. All of a sudden the hooded figure is between us and the hound as we stand up. Leave via the back door the figure tells us....

Kitsune, as seen by Tremen when he was giving his report a long time ago

Out walks Kitsune wearing the same Kimono as we've seen her before. She is in her full human form. She speaks with the Tanuki who replies Again, old hag? If you do this again there will be ... repercussions....

Kitsune tells us that she had hoped we would get here sooner but we now need to get away from here as soon as possible in order to get away from those following us. She says that she is working on a way to do that by shifting planes. In the meantime she will arrange for us to get us food & drink and healing. She then leads us into one of the temple buildings. The Tanuki is sitting to one side together with a couple of robed monks.

When we ask for more information she does say that there are six chasers and yet there are seven of us. She informs us that we need to get the six followers to encounter us one at a time so that those not in immediate danger can handle the follower (the one being chased will be unable to help). She says that hand-to-hand should work, maybe?

After a discussion Kitsune does offer us one weapon from the temple's armoury. We choose:

Tremen and Shadow

Spiked Club

Tharbin

Will stick with Aikido

Spooky, Wakiya and Nameraka

Will stick with Brawling

Ricky

Spear

Kitsune says that preparations are still under way; just waiting for a ship to us from the mainland.

After a couple of days we are summoned again and told we will leaving soon. About 12:30am we hear a crashing sound from outside and see a bright flash. A blue shockwave travels over the temple. We go outside and see that the main temple complex gate burst inwards and one of the creatures¹ can be seen through the smashed gates. It scans the scene and, on sighting Tharbin, it tries to enter the grounds of the temple which clearly has some kind of protection as it is unable to cross the threshold.

Tremen and Shadow charge across the shattered gate and attempt to attack the creature. Although they do manage to make their clubs connect with the creature they seem to have little effect on the creature². Ricky moves to place himself between Tharbin and the creature. Kitsune then passes by the reminder of the team and starts to form into her demi-human form while chanting. Tharbin is visibly shaken and the colour drains from his face.

As Tremen and Shadow continue to try to attack (or, at least, distract) the creature, it moves towards one of the doorposts. Wakiya senses that Tharbin is undergoing some form of shock and Spooky tries to find blanket to try to treat the shock.

Kitsune finishes her chant and looks directly at Tremen and Shadow. Get Inside. Now they both hear even though Kitsune is not speaking. In response they return to Tharbin and Kitsune puts a hand on Ricky's shoulder to encourage him to also return to Tharbin. Spooky locates a blanket from within the temple building, returns to Tharbin and wraps him in it.

A view of the approach to the temple complex after the attack by the creature

Kitsune now backs away from the gateway as the creature reaches the gatepost. It briefly disappears and the appears on the temple side of the gatepost within the temple complex's magical barrier.

Kitsune whispers I wish I had more time and a purple cylindrical light washes upwards over us. Ricky is completely disoriented by the effect as is Tharbin while Tremen and Wakiya are somewhat affected (Shadow, Nameraka and Spooky are unaffected).

When we can see again we're in a wooden room. It is smallish with bunk beds together with a couple of posts from which hammocks could be hung. There is a single door, table and cupboard in the room.

Nameraka tries to open the door but finds that it must either be locked or bolted from the outside. Time passes....

Tremen hears footsteps outside of the door - a metal bolt is thrown and stood in the doorway is a figure with a black hooded cloak. While he notices the state of the room (We've been unable to clean up the mess that Ricky's disorientation has caused), Ricky & Tharbin notice a hoof from under the cloak. The figure welcomes us onboard. He asks us not to go below this deck or disturb the crew, but we are welcome to leave the room and to go topside. He expects the journey will take two or three days of travel. He then leaves, leaving the door open. Ricky notices that the room was dampening the sounds from outside. He can hear a rhythmic sound as if of wood on metal and the sound of movement through water³.

A 'view' of the vessel - the oars are missing but does suggest that the party is perhaps less tidy than perhaps they should have been!

Nameraka heads towards topside to find a mop while Shadow heads towards topside just to get some fresh air. Our room is in the centre of a long corridor and the sounds of wood on metal appear to be coming from the centre of the ship.

Most of the party also heads to the top deck. Once there and looking over the side they can see and hear thirty oars propelling the ship through the water. The top deck is lit by torches spread around the deck. The ship does not have a mast but does have a ship's wheel, at which is the figure that welcomed us aboard, but there is no else on the top deck. The sky is almost black with no stars visible.

As Nameraka didn't find a mop on his way to the top deck, Tremen decides to explore the deck that includes our room. There are several other doors on the corridors of the deck. Checking those doors reveals rooms very similar to the one we arrived in - including the fact that they are empty of inhabitants. On opening the door to one room in the centre of the deck Tremen is hit by an horrendous smell that causes him to slam that particular door closed again without him getting so much as a glance within.

On the top deck Ricky sees that the oars are rhythmic but not mechanical and that the ship is going at a reasonable rate. Possibly inspired by the rhythm of the ears, Ricky takes out his flute and makes a reasonable good tune.

Spooky feels that the ship is somewhat similar to a Roman or Greek galley of antiquity (although those would have used paddle rudders rather than something controlled by a ship's wheel). However there is no sound of drummers to time a set of rowers nor any sound of whips or similar mistreatments - also the rhythm of the oars shows that the rowers cannot be amateurs.

When we return to the room it has been cleaned and there is food available. After two days the figure appears again and says We've arrived.