On the return of Grettir and companions from the Emeo Gate the Stigandi sets sail northwards once more to Bulu also known as Sulphur Island. The island is a volcanic cone with a single smoking craterous peak and many deep fissures along its flanks that ooze lava or belch black fumes. The harbour marked upon the rutter proves to be occupied by an extremely large and well armed sloop. After an initial wary parley, Grettir meets the captain whose name is Hasdrubal. Grettir has vaguely heard of him as a notable freebooter and mercenary, while Hasdrubal has certainly heard of Grettir. Hasdrubal pointedly says that he has taken no contract against Grettir, while for his part Grettir is not inclined to pick a chancy quarrel against Hasdrubal for no good cause. The two men agree a non-aggression pact and Grettir moves to another cove on the opposite side of the island.
Shore parties are sent ashore to collect sulphur, which can simply be shovelled into sacks in the lower reaches of the island. Grettir has a shrewd idea that there will be a good market for the stuff in Basi where they manufacture fireworks and shoot them off with great abandon at all their many festivals. Moreover, during the great upheavals caused by the change of regime in Basi, Grettir has quietly bought a family of firework makers out of slavery and has set them up in Sequarl. Meanwhile Paradoxides leads the command group around the rockier areas of the island searching for other treasures. They find a piece of obsidian that had the capacity to hold a spell, a hot rock that once Paradoxides cast Permanence upon it retained its heat indefinitely and many sulphur crystals.
The following day Paradoxides and Girindor fly up to explore the crater. A few hours later there is a great rumble and a shaking of the earth as the two fly back at great speed. The Stigandi departs in a shower of hot ash and other detritus as the volcano erupts. The fire-crews are busy and Grettir gives thanks for his fire-proof mainsail. It seems that they had discovered some great fire elemental living inside the crater. Girindor for some reason thought it would be a great idea to poke it. No-one who knew Girindor was in the least surprised. Paradoxides mutters darkly about the victory of stupidity over caution. The elf says nothing. It is not recorded what Hasdrubal thought or whether his craft ever made it away from Bulu unscathed or indeed at all.
A few days later, sailing north, the lookouts spot a large island or possibly just a huge mass of floating seaweed. Ubaron flies over with Grettir to investigate. It proves to be the latter and harbours hostil;e entities. Grettir is attacked by a huge amorphous blob of ectoploasm and seaweed. Ubaron is assailed by a number of Sea Hags. They overcome their opponents after a struggle and set about looting the den of the Sea Hags. They plainly had an interest in alchemy and C’Tholos, Grettir’s slimey alchemist poked about in their hoard with evident delight. Amongst the finds was a container of some sort of alcohol cut with narcotics that Paradoxides christened Sea Hag Beer Goggles – a brew plainly designed to make them seem more palatable to those who imbibed it. It gave an insight into Ubaron’s likely fate had he succumbed to their charms rather than mercilessly cutting them down.
Continuing north they make brief landfall once more on Kao Reef and then to Tahoe Bank, following the rutter in reverse to Anango once more. There they take a well-earned rest for a few days. Grettir fronts 10 talents to the crew against the treasure and trade goods already taken, so that all may have some cash to spend. He attends a few small gladatorial contests. A young gladiator called Aurelius catches his eye, winning a series of combats upon a beam over a pit. He enters into negotiations with the gladiator’s owner and for a truly eye-watering fee purchases Aurelius as a body-guard. There is some muttering amongst Grettir’s huscarles at this but they are used to the boss’s eccentric ways. Aurelius is very quick and fights in the legionary style with shortsword and shield for preference. Grettir tells him that if he is loyal and brave he will gain his freedom.
Grettir has promised his physician Xephanos that he will take him to his home on the island of Ianda. Grettir had bought Xephanos in a slave market in Tyros some five years previously and though he had freed him long since, Xephanos had served him loyally of his own free will. Now, however, he wished to go home and retire.
Between Anago and Ianda they find themselves in the doldrums. With a weather mage on board this is of little concern to the crew of the Stigandi. However, they receive warnings from other ships that the area is notorious for Shaguine attacks on becalmed ships. Indeed the magicians in the crew suspect that doldrums are a magical effect no doubt conjured by Shaguine shamans to disable sailing ships so that the Shaguine can prey upon them. They come up with a cunning plan to row into the middle of the affected area, put out a sea anchor and hide the majority of the crew below decks. As expected, that night the Shaguine attack. They come in numbers and with them is a powerful shaman. However, they are not expecting the wave of armed and armoured warriors surging up from below. After a fierce struggle most of them are slain.
Unfortunately, during the struggle Girindor receives a mortal wound. Grettir puts forth his ka and prays to Osiris through him to restore Girindor’s elfhood. The God obliges but there is much ribaldry amongst the crew at the sight of Grettir laying hands upon the elf’s privy parts.
As the approach Ianda they spot a very large ocean-going cog heading in the opposite direction. It seems very well armed and crewed. The ships hail each other. The cog’s captain is a man called Henry of Timos. He is a devout Osiran and very pleased to meet Grettir. He invites Grettir and his command group to a magnificent feast about the cog and he and Grettir exchange oaths of friendship. Timos agrees to foster Thorfinn Grettirson. In exchange Grettir takes on Micah, Henry’s adopted son. He is a bright lad, well-versed in magic, with a speciality of flight. They depart on good terms.
In Ianda Grettir bids farewell to Xephanos and bestows gifts upon him for his service. Xephanos thanks him in return and introduces him to his nephew, Zardon, an accomplished physician who he recommends to take his place in the crew of the Stigandi and possibly – subject to mutual agreement – in his household.
F-13
OE Date: June to July 693
Characters: Paradoxides, Grettir, Ubaron, Wilf, Jason, Aranath, Girindor NPCs: The crew of the Stigandi including Xephanos, Aurelius, C’Tholos, Zardon
Real World: January 2000 ; Where: Nottingham