Grettir outfits a sloop, the Kisten (named for his wife), for a voyage to Cos. He hires an experienced crew including a marine called Atelius and a beautiful, multi-skilled rogue called Shazza. He appoints one of his huscarls, a grizzled veteran of the sea with a shady past called Harman, as sailing master.
After battling a Sea Draugr and a Sea Serpent they come to the lonely Seahorse Island. It has a small natural harbour and is usually just a simple a watering stop half way between Cos and Chittagong. The party decide to explore the interior of the small island. Amidst the tangled jungle interior, a flying Paradoxides spots an ancient tower. Grettir leads a shore party comprising Salrod, Wilfred, Banthil, a Loki priest called Helgir and the wizards, Paradoxides, Tilissiril and Kojar.
The party cross an area of grassland where they have the feeling of being watched and enter the jungle. There they fight off attacks by flying monkeys that Tilissiril, who seems to have some knowledge of such creatures, describes as Clakkar, conjured beings not native to the prime plane. Eventually they find the tower. It is a broken down ruin that is both structurally and (so the wizards say) magically unstable. Ascending the ricketty stairs they come to a room that looks like a wizard’s laboratory. Dominating the centre is what seems to be a half constructed Stone Warrior or Golem – the top half complete but the bottom still a stone block. The construct thrashes around with its long arms seeking to grab and crush any that come within its ambit. Its substance is as hard as rock, but Grettir, Salrod and Wilf all bear magic blades. Working together they fork it and soon render the Golem to rubble.
The party then investigate the laboratory and loot the tower, gathering ancient documents and treasure. Amongst the documents are a set of rutters (navigational guides to various places in the southern seas); a tome entitled “On the Formulation of Statuary Guardians”; and a grimoire of nearly 50 spells all belonging to a wizard, probably of the Imperium, called Porshneer. Standing in one corner of the room is a full length mirror. It is clearly a powerful magical artefact but the assembled wizards advise against moving it either physically or by sorcery, so it is left. The party bundle up the rest of the loot and make their way back through the jungle to the ship and cast off.
The voyage to Cos proceeds with no further incident until they near their destination and are attacked by two Tyrosian pirate sloops. They overcome both after a fierce fight. The surviving pirates are taken prisoner and their own prisoners are set free. Much loot is taken from their holds and the captured ships fetch a good price. So the voyage is considered a great success by the crew.
Grettir is delighted with the loot but he is in Cos primarily for trade and to make diplomatic contacts. One of the prisoners rescued from the Tyrosians is a merchant named Delius, who is most grateful to Grettir. He effects an introduction to the powerful Esvahan family of merchants and plantation owners. They in turn secure an audience with the ruler of Cos. Grettir comes armed with gifts and makes a positive impression. He also secures some excellent trades for his Chittagong produce and learns much about Cos markets. He is well satisfied with his trip. He decides to leave the Kistin in the care of Harman and the crew, with orders to oversee the repairs to the hull, which took some damage in the fight with the pirates. Meanwhile he and most of the adventurers are teleported back to Sequarl. Paradoxides stays in Cos because he has further business to attend to in the Southern Seas.
D-7
OE Date: April – September 687
Characters: Grettir, Paradoxides, Salrod, Wilf, Banthil, Tilissiril, Helgir NPCs: Kojar + a Sequarl crew, including Harman, Atelius, Shazza
Real World: When – early 1990?; Where – Putney (Lacy Road)