The waves crashed gently against the sandy shore, and palm trees gleefully peered from the island coast, their leaves damp with the jungle mist. Conan could feel the soft sand beneath his back and the salty ocean water licking at his feet. Groggily, he began to regain his senses and ponder the circumstances of his arrival here. All he could recall was the fierce storm that ravaged the merchant ship that he had found passage on, and the roaring thunder of the vicious ocean that tore the ship in two. He had gripped the ship's broken mast that fell into the sea and held for dear life. Now he lay on unknown shores.
Naked and bruised, Conan searched the coast for any wreckage that might aid in his survival. Along the shore there lay small remnants of his ship, mere wooden fragments of a once mighty merchant vessel. Nothing of use could be found, so Conan ventured into the island jungle. He broke a solid branch from one of the trees and fashioned this into a wooden spear as he walked deeper into the forest. Suddenly, he smelled the faint hint of smoke and of broiling meat. Crouching carefully, he quietly made his way to the source of the aromas, wary of cannibals and savages that may lurk in the depths of the jungle. Soon a clearing emerged wherein lay a tribal village. Naked and dark skinned bodies clamored about a great fire where a vast boar was being roasted, yet the tribesmen bore no weapons of any kind and merely shared drinks among themselves. Thin and slender, many of them were of youthful vigor. The women raised cups to their mouths and drank feverishly while the men chanted in unison. Conan, having no fear of unarmed tribesmen, emerged from the thicket and hailed them boldly.
The tribesmen did not recoil in fear nor rally with bloodthirst; they clamored in curiosity and surrounded the barbarian with welcome. Batu, the tribal leader, approached Conan in earnest. "It is rare that we receive a visitor on our island, what brings you to our land?"
"I was wrecked ashore by a powerful storm. Nothing remains of my crew or the vessel I sailed in. I bid that you welcome me here as a guest and aid me in my travels."
"You are welcome to live among us as one of our own. We are a peaceful people that do not kill our fellow man so long as he is friendly to us. Every so often, traders will visit here to buy spices and fruits, but they come here very rarely so we are always pleased to see outsiders."
"Then I shall drink among you and learn your ways," said Conan heartily.