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Brother Gilbert

He straightens up and looks at the villagers.

He has passed on to the beyond. His made a final request of me before he died, to which I must attend.

He motions the villagers to stay back while he carefully opens up the dead man's cloak. Br.Gilbert has a feeling that what ever Orin was holding involves danger. I have a bad feeling about this.

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen leans in, guarding Gilbert from whatever threat arises. More than one insect (and some spiders), thinks the monk, plants its young in its victims. If something is about to attack from inside the poor dead man, Jax will be ready to help.

The commoners ignore the priest's commands, actually reaching in for a look under the cloak themselves. They all back away once the professional fighting man leans in to have a look at what Brother Gilbert is up to.

The good cleric opens the man's stained and weathered garment to find something he wasn't expecting at all. Sitting upon his former companion's chest is what looks like a giant copper coin. It is the size of a buckler shield or serving platter, and it covers most of the width of the man's chest. The side facing you is blank and void of any markings, but there are obvious smudges and prints marring its sheen. Most of the prints look human.

The gleam from its familiar ruddy color causes an audible gasp from the others gathered around.

Brother Gilbert

Now what? He carefully looks at the disk before touching it.

Someone - get me a piece cloth; I do not wish to touch it.

Assuming he gets a cloth, he will carefully pick up the object, and look at the reverse side.

Have some respect for the dead, villagers. Please wrap him up and see that he is properly buried, or however you deal with your dead.

Jaxsen Reiter

Looking at the huge 'coin', Jaxsen tries to think of all the ramifications. "Gilbert, if that actually comes from this island, there is a lot to consider. It means there is a copper mine and the means to extract and smelt the copper. That is a lot of manpower. It is well-made, which means good workmanship and tools or molds. So if the building your group found really was abandoned, at least it was inhabited by a very advanced hive at one time or another. And while one side being very shiny just means it was the top side in an open mold....." he trails off, waiting for Gilbert to flip it over.

The Search Continues?
Godsday, 2nd of Goodmonth
Sundown, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Brother Gilbert looks around, asking for a piece of cloth he can use to turn the thing over. He gets no help from the extremely interested onlookers, so he uses Orin's own filthy cloak to flip the coin-like object. The other side does indeed have markings on it. A set of 3 dashed lines run across the center of the copper platter, from one edge to the other. The markings are a dark purplish color and seem to be etched into its surface. If it is a coin, there is no denomination or writing indicating it as such. It is starting to look more like a......trophy? Strange wall hanging? Decorative nick-knack?

Once it is flipped and examined, the pair starts to hear the murmurings of the commoners around them.

"Ooi! Look at da size of dat thing!"
"What do you suppose it's for?"
"I don't care what it is for, its money!"
"How would you split it up, I wonder?"

None of the commoners seem interested in the dead man in the least, but most of them don't take their eyes off of the shiny copper platter. Actions?

Jaxsen Reiter 8/10
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen looks at the copper plate for only another moment. "It could be anything from a serving tray to some kind of key. Your former party member gave it to you, so if you intend to investigate that compound you found before, I suggest you hang on to it." He keeps thinking, and then adds, "If you do go to investigate it, I would like to go. The copper doesn't interest me so much, but it's value could be a great boon for the hive. They could send a few of these to the mainland for food, tools, tar for buildings or boats, almost anything. This could be a huge help." Jaxsen says this in full voice in the hopes the idea of more of the copper plates will keep them from trying to take Brother Gilbert's.

Brother Gilbert

Indeed, Jaxsen, I intend to carry out this fellow's request. It looks unlike anything I have seen before. A piece this size... much effort went into its making. The lines inscribed in it are odd. I would be happy to have you assist me; I am curious how he came upon such a thing. I care not for its value as a “coin,” but the knowledge of how and where it was made.

He tucks the platter under his arm and asks Jaxsen to follow him to somewhere with better light, so that they can examine it and talk quietly. To the villagers he says, Good people, I wish to learn more of the origins of this object, so it may be used to better your lives. Rest assured, that when the mystery is solved, I will gladly share the knowledge, and donate what I can to the community.

Jaxsen Reiter

Jax follows Brother Gilbert out of the common house to hear what he has to say.

The Search Continues?
Godsday, 2nd of Goodmonth
Just After Sundown, Humid, Buggy

The common folk seem rather upset at the proclamations of the 2 adventurers, especially once the copper plate is tucked away. On the way out of the ramshackle building, the pair hears plenty of griping.

"Ya, sure! That's what they all say! And now you will go out into the jungle with it and we will never see you again!"

Most of the onlookers seem visibly upset that they are being denied a share of the value, but none of them speak up about it when still within earshot of the disciplined fighting monk.

Exiting the building provides no better light as it is now well past sundown in Beachtown.

Jaxsen Reiter 8/10
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first

Brother Gilbert

I have been sharing a hut with Saracen. Perhaps there we can light a torch and examine this ... plate.

He heads towards the hut where he has been sleeping.

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen continues to follow Brother Gilbert, wondering what the plan for investigating the abandoned buildings will entail.

The Search Continues?
Godsday, 2nd of Goodmonth
Just After Sundown, Humid, Buggy

The pair finds the shared shack dark and empty, Saracen is nowhere to be seen. There are candles and a lamp that can be used to light the tiny building up after sundown.

Looking the copper plate over carefully again, they find nothing else of interest on its surface other than the obvious purple markings they saw before.

Actions?

Jaxsen Reiter 8/10
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first

Brother Gilbert

After examining the plate and failing to learn anything new from it, he says, That was unhelpful. We have a large copper plate, and a dead man. His words to me, before he died were, “Spider... monsters, spider... monsters,” and "Take this...for you...go back...avenge...me..." I know not what he did or where he was when he was bitten, or if this came from the building in the jungle. Do you suppose any villagers noted from where he arrived or when? Even such little knowledge might be helpful. Orin was a brigand, and while I will try to honor his dying wish, I think me he did not come by this in an honorable manner.

Jaxsen Reiter

"While I might be jumping to conclusions," begins the monk. "I think all we have to do is fill in the pieces. You saw this man and the rest of your group enter that large building in the jungle, and not return. Later he comes back into town, alone, obviously poisoned and talking about monstrous spiders, to paraphrase his words. And finally, he wanted to die with the satisfaction of the idea that he had successfully commissioned you to carry out his revenge."

Jaxsen takes a breath and continues, "I do not find it at all unlikely that the spider, and maybe others like it, are awaiting other victims inside that building complex." He concludes with a shrug and look that convey a "Don't you think so, too?" message.

Brother Gilbert

Indeed, you are likely correct. I am willing to do some investigation of the building. As to avenging his death, it depends on "what" he offended. I am not seeking wealth, but rather knowledge. I think a trip into the jungle might answer many questions. I hope some of the others, including Saracen, will return from their trip soon. Just the two of us would likely wind up as poor Orin.

Jaxsen Reiter

"No, I agree!" says Jax. "I have seen too many threats on this island. It is not a place for a single wasp, but a swarm of bees! I also think we should wait until some help arrives."

The Search Continues?
Godsday, 2nd of Goodmonth
Night, Humid, Buggy

The two curious friends agree that they would need to wait until morning before doing any investigations into the strange wooden complex out in the jungle. They haven't seen their friends around in a while now, but they have also come to the conclusion that a trek into the jungle would be better if they could recruit a few more hardened adventurers to go along with them.

Actions?

Jaxsen Reiter 8/10
Brother Gilbert 8/8 2/3 first

If you would like, I can set a thread up for this "mission" so we can go ahead and get it started. Some others should be heading back to town real soon now, so you can pick up the recruitment process tomorrow, and in your very own shiny new thread.