Hello people! (and others)

When we started all of this, years and years ago, we had a lot of visions of what it all might, one day, look like. We imagined music and comics, books, a creative tribe, and other artists and craftspeople coming and playing and co-creating with us. No plastic tatt but individual things made with care by human(?) hands. Well, another part of that original dream is becoming manifest, and I take this opportunity to introduce you to one of the most skilled/creative makers of things I have had the pleasure of meeting, and welcome him to the island. There are several new Hopeless, Maine inspired artifacts being planned and one that is already in process. We’re silly amounts of excited!

HM-Welcome to the Island Matt! I assume you’ve been warned about your chances of getting to leave at all-ever) Would you like to introduce yourself to the townspeople here assembled? There are rumors that your powers of invention rival even those of Balthazar Lemon (but involve less fish)

M-Greetings!I should like to introduce myself to all gathered here, as some of you may have heard I am Matt Inkel sole artisan Arcane Armoury.

As for my skills in regard to Mr. Lemon, I couldn’t possibly comment ..lest to say I would like to meet said gentleman and discuss our crafts further…

HM-What (in heaven’s name!) attracted you to the island? (Hoping you were not lured by those mermaids that Doc Willoughby nearly fell prey to)

M-What drew me here, you ask?

Well, like many it was never my intention to wash up on this sombre little Isle ..but it seems fate has a curious sense of humour and an even more curious plan for us all… Alas I am not at home on the sea at the best of times and following an evening stroll around the mist laden deck a mixture of unsure footing and gravity decided that the icy water would be my bed for the night .. I tried in vain to alert the crew but the thick fog obscured me and all I could do was watch helplessly as the light of the crows nest fled into the shadows of the night… For a brief moment the waters were calm and silent …and then ripples came.. surfacing around me like tremors in the water, from the stillness below the pressure of something large rising…looking down I saw nothing but my own distorted reflection in the black glass of the ocean….Now..priding myself as logical fellow I quickly decided that “away” was the best place to be and set off towards a glow in the mist…. after maybe 20mins and being brushed past by nameless things in the deep I dragged myself ashore to the east of what I now know to be the lighthouse and so here I am.

HM-Would you like to show us some of your work, and tell us about it at all? Anything that would be good for holding unspeakable things at bay? (asking for a friend)

M- I have long been a maker of things from models for architects and stage to devices for exhibition, moving pictures and conventions .. I take commissions to build the weird and wonderful and will gladly turn my hand to anything I feel I can execute to with suitable degree of success. And I take great joy in learning new skills to bring to the table.

As yet I have not found the need to build anything to hold the unspeakable things of which you..er.. speak!.. But surely in my time upon this island and especially after my brush with whatever dwells beneath the waterline ..I suspect it will not be long before a device of containment is required with some urgency… as to the length of my stay? With the hazards of the water, I feel some form of airship may be my best route of this perplexing place you call home.

Id, like to thank you all for your kind hospitality to this stranger among you and rest, assured I shall attempt to repay it as best suits my means, I look forward to working with you all.

HM- Thank you Matt, and welcome to the island! We’ll have to go to the Squid and Teapot for a pint and discuss various plans and schemes.

You can see more of Matt’s (bloody amazing) work-here.