A Warlock Alone, Island Empire solo game

[J. Alexander]

Conservations

([17, 6], [11, 4], [13, 5], [4, 4])

MIchael Spot 23 listen 15 Grond spot 18 listen 8

 

[Scotley]

A pleasant stroll.

Michael and Grond stroll over to meet the boat that will take them across the swamp where they will dine with the plantation owner. As they walk, Michael has the nagging sensation of being watched, but no obvious threat presents itself. In the sultry heat of the day there is little activity of man or beast. Soon they find themselves on a dock at the edge of the swamp boarding a small flat-bottomed boat. For this daylight trip a canopy has been rigged to provide some extra shade. A few bottles of chilled beer rest in a copper tub in the bottom of the boat. Two toad men are crewing the boat one fore and one aft with long poles to propel it through the watery lands between the city and plantation.

 

[J. Alexander]

Conservations

As Michael and Grond settle in for the trip MIchael will says "I feel we are being watched but i dont know for sure" then rembering his last enoucter with a chilled beverage in a high boy, MIchael will just drink water

 

[Scotley]

Don't drink the water...

The boat ride is reasonably uneventful and no one acosts you as you cross the swamp. Despite the oppressive heat the swamp teems with activity as creatures of all sizes swim, crawl, walk, climb and fly about. This only adds to the sensation of being watched. None too soon for your tastes Michael and Grond arrive at the dock below the plantation house. A liveried servant escorts you to a deep shaded veranda at the back of the house. Orange and lime trees in large pots are in bloom adding a pleasant citrus smell to the air. A pair of large colorful macaws sit on perches at the edge of the veranda where your host awaits feeding them bits of mango. He hears your approach and turns to you. He dips his hands in a finger bowl and dries them before extending a hand. "Ah Captain welcome, it is good to see you again."

 

[J. Alexander]

Conservations

"Indeed, it is a pleasure to see you again" MIchael replies..."I trust you are well"

 

[Scotley]

Lunch at the Plantation

"Oh yes, I'm quite well and you?" He gestures you to a small table covered with a yellow table cloth and ornate china. A fan apparently powered by a large wheel slowly turning in the mild current of a stream within the fen gives a mild breeze scented by sachets of fresh flowers and herbs tied to the lazily turning blades of the fan provide a pleasant counterpoint to the flowering trees as well as relief from the heat. "Can I offer you some punch?" A silver pitcher sits in a cooler of ice next to the table. The coolor also chills small cups.

 

[J. Alexander]

Conservations

"Yes, I think the punch would be very nice and will help ward off the humidty"..taking the punch and just casually sipping, MIchael will make small talk for a few moments the bring himself to the purpose of the visit "Our venture to date has been successful, and I need to purchase another cargo of some 4 times my previous purchase..do you think you can assist me.....and as to our earlier conservation of several weeks ago I would like to contract for this and the orignail amount for the next ten years. Can you assist me?"

 

[Scotley]

Power lunch

The punch proves to be fruity and refreshing. A servant brings a deep tray of ice with oysters on the half shell and small dishes containing fresh greens wilted with a tangy mixture of bacon drippings and a citrus flavored sauce with both sweet and salty elements. Your host takes a an oyster and some of the greens together in a bite. Eaten that we it proves quite tasty.

"Yes, I'm glad you were able to find a market for the cigars and such. Unfortunately, there simply aren't ten times the quantity of the finer cigars to be had. We only choose the best leaves, the prime drying space and our best rollers for those. Only about one in 30 of the dried leaves is suitable for these. I could perhaps double the amount if I put more acres under production and build more of the finest drying sheds. Finding more workers of sufficient skill will also be a challenge. It would be at least 2 seasons before I could get production of the finer products up to double. You would only hurt the business to market lesser quality under the fine names. I can certainly sell you the larger quantities of lesser products within two season. I could go perhaps 2 or 3 times the past quantities of lesser products in the intervening years."

 

[J. Alexander]

Conservations

"I am afraid I have created confusion...I was referring to the Supremes on down as far as the stocki wished to purchase...i realize the Grand Suprems are not possible as you made it clear during our last visit that they were very limited........but i would be in themarket for an increased production of them in time if you were so willing....but for now i just need what you can and are willing to sell of your base product and your "Longtails".....Michael says smiling.

 

[Scotley]

"Very well, I can most likely double your order of longtails the other lesser products for the next season. The storehouse is all but empty now as we will be harvesting the new crop soon. I could sell you perhaps a dozen boxes of longtails now and perhaps three times that many of the otheres. I'm sorry that I don't have more, but it has been a pretty good year for me and I've just about sold everything I have." The next course is brought out, a chilled slightly sweet melon soup paired with a sourdough bread.