Windfall Island

[The Humble Sage]

the Unnamed River --> SilverRock (The Rune Archives)

Time passed far slower here than in Coasta del Sol, Dasha thought as she hurried up the slope. The morning seemed to barely have passed at all. It wasn’t a bad thing, but part of what she loved most about her job inn-keeping was the huge numbers of new people she met. Here on Windfall, regulars were practically everyone, and while she appreciated the friendships she was already building, there was a definite repetitiveness to life here. It nagged at her mind, making her uneasy. She hadn’t really had a choice about leaving Coasta del Sol, but she wasn’t sure that she had picked the right new home. Windfall island was quiet, she would even use the word quaint, and she doubted that was likely to change. Was she letting the world pass her by while staying here? Dasha didn’t have the answers, and she shivered in the crisp morning air. Turning to look, she saw her basket sitting contentedly besides the unnamed river. She did appreciate the opportunity to abandon a basket full of laundry without concern that some passing urchin would swipe it however.
 
 
Dasha crossed the streets of SilverRock with a determined pace. She wasn’t in a rush, but she also didn’t feel particularly inclined towards stopping for conversation. She reached the Open Shore, and was surprised to find it still locked. Even if Kelp was sleeping in he should have been up by now. Dasha fished in her pockets for the keyring, aware that this was simply another one of the adjustments she was slow to make. No one would try to break into the inn while she was out, in fact, if anyone had been staying there right now she would have had some pretty awkward explanations to make. Finding the key, she inserted it into the metal lock, twisted, kicked the door twice like she always had to, and the deadbolt slid back.
 
“Alright!” she shouted as she entered the common room, loud enough that she knew Kelp could hear her upstairs in the room he was staying in, “I know yer a grow’n boy and all that, an’ that these islanders stay up until dawn half the time, but we’ve got a ton of work to do and if you’re not up in five minutes I’m gonna put in a personal call… with Admiral Kizaru and he’s gonna…” her continuing rant stopped short as a very loud thud sounded upstairs. Like a body hitting the floor hard. Dasha made for the stairs, “You alright, Kelp?” she shouted, but there was no response.
 
She hurried up the stairs, countless explanations flashing through her mind as she reached the door to Kelp’s room. “Hey? You in there?” She shouted, and waited, but again there was no response. She tried the doorknob, it wasn’t locked. Kelp had always been quicker to trust than she was. Swinging the door open Dasha cried out. Kelp was laying on the floor where he appeared to have fallen shortly after getting out of bed. His eyes were closed and his throat sported some painful-looking purple patches. His breathing was ragged, as Dasha approached, and his skin was clammy to the touch. “Ach, what have you gone and gotten yourself into now?” she asked with genuine worry as she lifted the thirteen-year-old boy back into his bed. Pulling the covers back over him she hurried downstairs returning shortly with a rag and hot water. Putting the rag on the boy’s forehead she thought back. Kelp had been sluggish last night, but she had assumed that was merely due to the late hours, not that he had actually been ill. In fact, he had been out for most of the day beforehand, taking some time off from working at the Open Shore to get better acquainted with the island. Kelp hacked weakly, wincing as his throat muscles seized up.
 
Dasha weighed her options. Leaving Kelp alone here felt like a terrible decision, the boy was barely alive, and there was no one nearby enough that he would be able to get help for himself. On the other hand, Dasha herself had no idea what this illness was or how to treat it. She needed to find a doctor, or maybe that voodoo shaman she had heard about. Chewing her lip, Dasha crossed towards the door. She had made Kelp as comfortable as she could, and she could do little else for him right now. He needed more professional help. “Hang in there, Boy.” She said quietly, “I’ll get a real doctor in ‘ere to patch you up.” And with that she hurried down the stairs and out the front door towards town.
 
Rufus Dellarosa was a difficult man to find. He lived in the middle of the woods, away from town, and visited SilverRock very sporadically, it was a toss-up whether anyone would have seen him in the last week or not. Hurrying towards the center of town, Dasha made her way to the location the notorious drunkard would most likely have last been spotted. She stared at Ozal's bar with a grimace on her face. She knew that the Ferengi would be the one most likely to have seen Rufus last. But She couldn't stand that sly grin of his, he was so condescending. Growling in frustration at both the barkeep and herself, she turned away and began to search for someone, anyone else to answer her question. Seemingly at random, she decided to try the Rune Archive. Melody seemed to know many of the people on the island, and even if she didn't there was a chance one of her books might describe the affliction. Feeling slightly more justified in her decision, she set off again, still moving quickly before Kelp got worse.

Dasha walked briskly through the mid-morning air until she caught sight of the Archive. noting the "OPEN" sign she pushed in the door and was immediately assaulted by the smell of paper. Wrinkling her nose she wove between bookcases and stacks of old tomes, making for the desk. Melody was no where to be seen. "Hello?" Dasha shouted, feeling strangely muted in the sea of books. "Melody? Have you seen that Voodoo man anywheres?"