certhas

Day 13: Rain. Finally.
After almost two weeks stranded in this heat, it finally rained a
little bit today. We were able to refill some of our water reserves.
We never should have ventured here. Places like this, only
inhabitable the year around since the invention of air conditioning,
are not meant for scientists.
We have made some progress deciphering the tongue of the indiginous
population, we suspect that most of it is just meaningless ritual
babbel, but some recurring forms seem to have actuall meaning.
Still staying at the house we came to first, which serves as a rest
point for all the travellers who pass through the mountains in this
region. It appears to be difficult to actually settle here, but we are
confident that we will succeed eventually, first contacts in this
direction have been made.
Regarding the Mountains, we are now planning several short expeditions
to chart the territory better, also to spot possible rogue villages
and pirate hideouts. The little bays among the steep cliffs, called
calanques by the indiginous, seem perfectly suited for such
endeavours. This will have to wait until summer is over though, it is
simply to dangerous to leave the city during this months.
For the time being we are studying the local culture, mostly by trying
to immitate and participate in it. Rituals we have managed to join so
far have been "lying around all day in the shadows of the numerous
pine trees moving as little as possible", and "dancing in the
designated spots and town squares at night".
It appears that most social activity is suspended until Summer is over
and the heat has moved on, then, as we know from earlier reports,
several tribes of "etudiants" are expected to descend upon the city as
well. It is not immidiately clear to us what this will imply, but we
are eagerly anticipating this event, and hope to get deeper into the
local cultures through it:

Last week we had contact with the wizards who are rummoured to live
here, and which were the original goal of our expidition! A most
exciting event. They seem to be capable of our language, yet use
strange and foreign words which no doubt have deep significance and
power, and which, most surprisingly, they are willing to teach to us!
Among the general lethargy and heat induced loss of mental powers this
has not yet seriously started though.

We are hoping the overcast weather holds, so we can actually start
exploring the area, and get started on establishing our bases here.
As the locals say: Au revoir,
The Captain.