http://youtu.be/7iLO1qSKv2k

Onboard SS ERIN 1300 09NOV17:

The professor paused before answering. Spying the deck chairs ahead he responded "Perhaps we should sit down. This may take some time."

The party moved to the deck chairs and everyone took a seat.

"There is a legend in Southern Mexico. The Legend of the Spider-Kings. There is considerable archeological evidence that there once was a mighty kingdom in Southern Mexico called the Maya. Based upon the archeological evidence and oral tradition this mighty empire was greater than the Aztec Empire."

"I haven't heard anything about this before now. What about the historical record?"

"Very little survived. Most of the historical records in Central and South America were destroyed by the Spanish when the smashed the Aztec and Incan Empires. There are only a few surviving references that mention the Maya. Most of them claim that the Maya were destroyed by the old gods."

"Sounds like native superstition."

"That's what most historians believe. The handful of archeologists that have searched and located the massive Maya ruins are dismissed as treasure hunters looking for the fabled seven cities of gold. The problem is that these ruins are located in remote jungle areas that are difficult to get to and even harder to excavate unlike the desert in Egypt."

"What does this have to do with Spider-Kings?"

"I'm coming to that. There is an extensive oral tradition about the Maya and their struggle against the Spider-Kings. There was a hundred year war that resulted in the destruction of both the Mayan Empire and the Spider-Kings. Only a handful of the Spider-Kings survived. Eventually they started to prey on unfortunate pirates who landed on the coast to careen their ships but instead met death at the hands of the Spider-Kings who took their ships and began to prey on ships at sea."

"So these Spider-Kings were a tribe of savages who became pirates!"

"No, it's far worse than that."

"You're not making sense."

"In order to understand what the Spider-Kings are, I have to tell you the legend of the Spider-Kings. A legend that Europeans told the story dismiss as fantasy."

"Okay, continue professor."

"There is an extensive oral tradition about the Spider-Kings stretching from Northern Mexico to Peru. I have listened to stories about the Spider-Kings in seven different countries. All of these accounts are remarkably similar. Most historians and Europeans who listen to these accounts immediately dismiss them as fantasy created by witch-doctors to control superstitious and naive natives. The descriptions are remarkable similar and quite unbelievable. The Spider-Kings are described as Intelligent Giant Spiders that cannot be seen by men unless embraced by a woman."

Tom Dodge and his son immediately shouted at the same time "WHAT???"

"Intelligent Giant Spiders that cannot be seen by men unless embraced by a woman."

"Can women see these invisible spiders?"

"How big are they"

"{giggling} Then we really did see a pirate ship!"

"How did the Maya defeat these Giant Spiders?"

"Is there any proof other than these stories?"

"Wow, this is like being in a ghost story!"

"EVERYBODY STOP! Okay professor start over from the beginning and tell us the whole story starting from the beginning."

"At the height of the mighty Maya Empire, the local chief of a city called Calakmul was given a prophecy by a shaman. The prophecy declared that a glowing cave would be found within a year. Inside this glowing cave were living dead creatures that if disturbed would fall upon the Maya and destroy the Maya people. After giving the prophecy, the shaman offered the chief some advice. First allow no one to enter the cave upon pain of death. Secondly if the living dead creatures emerge look to the Amazon warriors for help. Thirdly the creatures will eat the knowledge of men and this will give them power over the living. Never allow the mind of a man to fall into the arms of these creatures. "

"The chief was so horrified by what the shaman said that he sent out his army to find the glowing cave and set a watch upon the cave so that none may enter. After months of searching, the cave was found and a watch was set for the next thirty years..."

"It does sound like a ghost story. Pleas continue professor."

"The city prospered and the cave was untouched for the next thirty years. In the rein of the chief's great grandson, the young and ambitious new chief looked for new wealth so that he could outshine the rival city of Tikal. Remembering the prophecy, the immature and foolish young chief went to see the glowing cave. Thinking that the glowing must be coming from a vast horde of gold, the greedy fool dismissed the long serving guard and entered the cave with six of his personal guard. Within seconds of entering the cave, all seven men fell dead! A horde of small spiders swarmed over the dead bodies and consumed their flesh. The guard protecting the cave were aware of the spiders who would often venture out from the cave to tear off part of a "green ball of leaves" that grew just outside of the cave. The "green ball of leaves" was a common plant in the region and was a significant part of the Maya Diet. The guard had been aware of the spiders for years. The guard avoided the spiders thinking that they might be poisonous."

"Interesting!"

"Please continue professor!"

"After the death of the chief and his unfortunate followers, the guard was re established. And the city descended into civil war as the now dead chief was too young to have provided an heir. Eventually an uncle defeated both his brothers and became the new chief. While they fought, no one noticed that several men from the village closest to the cave disappeared. The guard became alarmed when the spiders left the cave in both greater numbers and increasing size. Reports were sent to the new chief who ignored them because he was busy consolidating his rule and dealing with repairing the damage to the city from the civil war. When he finally was able to deal with the increasingly frantic messages from the guard he sent a patrol to investigate. When the patrol arrived,the entire guard was dead ! And their heads were missing?"

Crissie reached over and held Tom junior's hand fiercely.

"The patrol sent a messenger back to the city and took up positions carefully watching the cave. The messenger returned with reinforcements only to find the entire patrol dead with heads missing. When one of the men screamed and fell to the ground, the remaining men froze. They watched silently as the man's head was severed from his body. When they saw the head being dragged into the cave as if by an invisible hand, the reinforcements panicked and fled back to the city."

Tom Dodge and Tom junior exchanged glances. Both showed concern.

{{This sounds unbelievable, but so does what happened last night}} "Ladies are you okay if the professor continues his story?"

"Yes, Tom."

"Wow, this is just like an Edgar Allen Poe story!"

"Alright professor, please continue."

"The chief ordered another patrol to go to the cave and resume the watch. The men refused. No one not even the new chief wanted to go anywhere near the cave. Soon reports reached the city from the villages near the cave. Some of the reports were of villagers killed by an invisible monster. Some of the reports claimed that men were being killed by huge spiders! Eventually, enough reports were received that people believed that only women could see the huge spiders (who seemed to be growing in size with each new report). Finally, the village elder from a large village appeared before the chief and told him that no woman from the village had been harmed by the spiders. The spiders seemed to be afraid of the women in the village. The village elder claimed that he saw a giant spider attack and kill his son. He did not see the spider until his wife hugged him in terror as their son was killed by the spider who cut off his head and dragged it into the jungle. "

"Professor lets stop here. The women are getting cold. [both were starting to shiver]. Would you help us escort the women back to their cabin?"

"Of course."

The three men escorted the two women back to their cabin. Tom promised to be back to escort them to dinner. He cautioned the girls to not leave their cabin without an escort. The customary farewell kisses did not happen because of the presence of the professor. As soon as the door to their cabin closed, Tom Dodge turned to the professor and said quietly "Let's continue this conversation in my cabin...

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Panama 1330 09NOV17:

"Good afternoon Inspector."

"Good afternoon Charlie. I'll have your son brought up so we can talk to him."

"You're very kind inspector. Why do you think my son killed a man."

"It was a mistake by a young policeman who acted first and thought later."

"Glad to hear Number 1 Son not a murderer!"

"Here he is now."

"Inspector let me introduce Number 1 Daughter currently pretending to be Number 1 Son."

"{chuckle} Number 1 Daughter?"

"Precisely. Please explain yourself young lady."

"Gee Pops! It was all a mistake! I was just trying to help!"

"Getting arrested for murder not helping."

...