The old man nods vigorously at the notion of leaving the area, and whispers, "I know a safe place away from here!  The orcs and goblins don't know about it yet."

He motions with his hand for the group to come with him as he says, "Come on, follow me."

"If We are going to leave , now is the time . We can talk more about this 'safe place' once we are away ."

Jon nods at the wisdom of leaving, gathers his collected driftwood, and moves to follow the old man.

"I agree with Porcius. Better to keep on moving."

Everyone nods in agreement that they should leave the area quickly without alerting either the goblins or orcs to their presence on the island.  Arnould crab-crawls over to the old man and cuts his bonds with Hafkris' dagger.  

"Thank you, lad," the ancient looking man nods to Arnould with relief in his voice.

Silently, the old starts slinking to the south, over the edge of the ridge, and down into the ravine where the group originally heard the noises of battle as they were walking through it.  He waits for everyone else to make their way down into the ravine, and after several minutes everyone finally makes their way cautiously and slowly to the rendezvous spot in the ravine.  A look of concern crosses the wizened man's face when he sees Koli escorting the bound Half-orc pirate with a drawn broadsword at his back.  

"Follow me," the old man whispers when everyone is near enough to hear it over the wind and rain.

He then turns and starts leading the group through the ravine and away from the unfolding battle between the orc and goblin forces.  He leads the group silently for about a good half hour across rough terrain and hardly noticeable game trails.  The weather made the journey bitter, cold, and draining; there was a chilly wind blowing steadily, and it continued to rain from the dark, swirling clouds blanketing the island in the grip of the storm.  At first it was difficult to tell what direction the old man was leading the group since he moved generally westward to get away from the battle in the ravine.  However, it became clear to everyone after about fifteen minutes that the old man was leading them northward across the island.

Curious to see where this is all going to lead them, Arnould follows the old man, Hafkris not far behind him.

After traveling for a while and a good and sufficient distance from the battle in the ravine, the bald and disheveled old man turns turns as he walks and then starts talking in a torrent of emotion, "you're the first human faces I've seen in more years than I can remember.  Yeah, can't remember right now, that''s true."

"My name is..." the old man's voice trails off as he clearly is trying to remember his name, "my name is... Keestake, yeah, that's my name, Keestake!"

He seems very pleased that he remembered his name, and seems to have found some empowerment in remembering and saying his name out loud.  

He shrugs happily with a toothy grin, and says to the group, "thank the gods you came along when you did to save me!  I know a safe place on the island where we can hide from the orcs and goblins on the island."

"Thanks to Vithar for rescuing you Keestake! Sterling at your service! Originaly from Jenni Smiled late from a slavers hold. Do you know how long you have been on this island?"
as I trudge along hungrily musing as the excitement wears off...biscuits and gravy, apple tarts and sweet cream. Lor just a bowl o leeks would be a feast...freedoms a boon but not very filling after a bit... "ouch" as  a sharp pebble brings me back to the moment.
I keep an eye out for a suitable piece of wood to serve as a  staff.

Arnould keeps checking on Hafkris as they walk. "I am Arnould. And this is Hafkris."

"How did you end up here, on the island, Keestake? And how did you get to know this place you are leading us to?"

Vithar seems to become a little embarrassed when Sterling mentions his name, and the affable, sandy-blonde young man waves it off dismissively with his hand.

Melisana smiles at the old and disheveled man, and says, "Well Met, Keestake!  I am Melisana of Ventris."

Standing just behind Hafkris and to his right, Koli grunts and says, "I am Koli, and this sorry sack of dung is Hafkris- formally a pirate and slaver."

Hafkris had remained quiet for the march away from the ravine battle, and it was clear to all that the half-orc pirate was struggling with a massive hangover and was no longer drunk.  

"Ha!" Hafkris says, "if this old codger has been marooned here for as long as it looks, then he's probably got his sails at half-mast, if'n ya get me meaning."

Keestake smiles at Melisana and stares at her for an awkward moment or two, and says, "you are so beautiful.  I had almost forgotten how beautiful a woman can be.  The pleasure be all mine, Miss."

He shakes himself from staring at her, and looks over at the half-orc pirate plainly, spits on the ground, and says, "a pirate, eh?  It was your ilk that effectively marooned me on this island!  You wouldn't know it to look at me now, but in my day, in my day, I was personal groom to himself — to Viledel, the Sea King.  Yes, this is the Island of Viledel — you didn't know that?  But himself died when the pirates crushed the island, years and years ago, when my hair was still black and my face unlined.  I didn't fight on the day the pirates came, just hid in an overturned, ruined boat no one looked under, while the murdering and the burning went on day after day.  And finally the pirates were all gone, and I've been here alone since then.  Living in the house of the Sea King, protecting the treasure left behind — for the pirates never found the real goods of Viledel, just some of the trinkets and baubles kept in the manor—and becoming tired and gray.  Has it been that long?  60-years now gone all to myself and alone."

listening to the tale as I trudge along...whistling when he mentions 60 years!
"By the Bitch that's a span o' years!" as I shake my head.
treasure?!

Keestake laughs and says, "indeed!  I was a strapping young man when I first set foot on this cursed island, and now I am old and feeble."

Giving a sideways glance at Hafkris, he adds, "Damn pirates!"

Keetstake continues to lead group down back-trails and across rough terrain, and he is still surprisingly strong and spry for his age.  Eventually the group arrives at the hillside below the temple and sees it silhouetted against the dimming sky.  The building before you was doubtless a beautiful temple in its day; it was two stories in height, crafted from well-fitted planks of dark hardwoods brought from the mainland.  The windows were spacious and cheerful, closed against the wind with brightly-painted shutters; a gate of well crafted wrought iron once stood before the large front door, and a trellis for well tended ivy once leaned against the right half of the front face of the temple.

Today, after sixty years of neglect, the temple is a wreck.  The expensive wood is old and pitted, cracked and decayed.  The windows are still spacious, but most of the shutters are gone; the few that remain bang open and closed in the wind, or hang crookedly from a single hinge.  The wrought iron gate is as intricate as ever, but rusted over, rusted clear through in places.  The ivy once planted as decoration now covers the entire right side of the front wall, and continues around the whole right side of the temple.  It's a spectacle of gloom and disrepair.  There are, however, no lights within, no sign of habitation, and the walls may be sound enough to keep out the worst of the weather.

Arnould looks at the temple and can't help but think of all that was left behind when he was taken by the pirates. For all he knows, this might be Ventris's fate he is looking at. The temple represents all the civilized world Arnould can see at the moment. The whole world might just have been lying in ruins beyond the seas, he wouldn't have known it. He pauses for a moment, looks at the old man, and wonders if he will ever see the gentle hills and forests of Ventris again.

He sighs. No point in wishing for something he cannot have. He walks forward, throwing at Hafkris behind him as he yanks his chains: "Remember, pirate. If you serve us well, you may earn your own freedom still. If you betray us, you will die by my hand, I'll make sure of it."

Kelvan "Sigh!".