Arrival
ix years ago the members of The Council of Nine discovered a surprise when they arrived at the Town Hall. What seemed to be the corpse of an old vagrant lying on the steps, his milk-white skin showing through tat-tered robes in places. The stench of death filled the air. They held pieces of cloth over their faces to block it out. Jasmine, High-Priestess of Arragoth, leaned over the man and was about to roll him over to identify him
when he awoke with a start. The council was quite surprised to find the man very much alive. As he moved to stand, the hood that engulfed his bald head fell back on his shoulders exposing a bony face smiling behind a black goatee. When he stood fully erect, he was well over 6 feet tall and extreemly thin. He introduced himself as Erkinwhine and clamed to be from another realm. He was asked to join them inside to break his fast and tell them of his journey; to which he agreed.

Erkinwhine was escorted into a meeting chamber within the hall where they washed down oat and rice cakes
with tea and goat's milk. As they ate, the old man told of how he was a mage of some reputation in his former realm. One night he retired to his bed-chamber in the tower where he lived and was whisked away by the winds of chaos to find himself here in The Isles of Arragoth without the use of his magical energies or any means to return home...

The story was disturbing to say the least. When they felt they had learned all they were going to, they ad-
jurned to another chamber -- leaving Erkinwhine under guard -- so they could discuss in private what should be done. It was agreed that they had no reason to trust their new guest and suspected he had devised his own transportation to Varossa. Whether he was truely from another realm, or just from a neighboring community they couldn't even guess. But still, he seemed a nice enough fellow and his story -- while perhaps not believable -- was convincing. One fact did re-quire their immediate attention .... He had nowhere to stay, nor had he any means of self support. Whatever they felt about his story, they couldn't dismiss his pleas for help.

After some lengthy debate, it was decided he should stay in the Temple of Arragoth where Jasmine could keep
close eye on him. There, he could provide labor in exchange for his upkeep and he could be watched. When told, Erkinwhine seemed genuinely pleased with the offer.