Elf-napping
Grettir and Paradoxides were still on Basi. They were joined there by Ubaron, Wilf, Jason and Girindor who had tired of the snow and ice of the northern world, and by elements of Grettir’s family, including his wife, Kistin, and his fiesty twin daughters Signy and Katla. They were housed as honoured guests of the Queen of Basi in luxury apartments set within the walls of the citadel. One night Grettir became aware of intruder. Assuming himself and his family to be the targets of this ninja-style attack, he immediately took defensive measures and summoned his friends and the Basian guards to their defence. It was only later that they realised that Girindor was missing – taken by elf-nappers. Whether or not they were part of the great southern conspiracy against Grettir was never established, but elfblood is a prized alchemical ingredient and elves almost unknown in the south seas, so there was certainly a possible commercial motive.
Queen Valaka was incensed that a guest should be attacked and kidnapped when under her protection. She put forth all her efforts to discover what had occurred and determined that the kidnappers had taken the elf into the Lair of Yzyl-zyl – a strange realm of winding mazy paths that lay between many places upon Middle-Earth and many other realms besides. She lent them the services of one of her daughters, a woman named Guertha who knew at least something of that place, could open a way into it, act as their guide and track the kidnappers. She was a magician of some capability and could no doubt transform herself into swift and deadly liver-eating panther at will – though she never had cause to do so on the adventure. Grettir brought along Aurelius, the pit-fighter he had bought in Anango with him, for it seemed a good opportunity to test his mettle.
In the Lair of Yzyl-zyl they met many strange and deadly things, including a huge spider and and a strange tunneling creature with deadly mandibles that even Jason declined to mount. Not everything they encountered was unfriendly. Grettir made a trade with a peculiar fellow riding a giant caterpillar for an ioun stone that granted the ability to live indefinitely without breathing. At length Guertha tracked the kidnappers to an exit point. They found themselves in a Temple of Set (possibly upon Tyros, though they never fully established this) where they battled a huge king-snake that Grettir identified as an avatar of Set himself. Once this was dispatched they slew the kidnappers, freed Girindor who was unharmed, looted the temple and the bodies and returned to Basi.
Jusper Herath
The party return to Magdalen. Grettir is keen to return to the wreck of the Stigandi and see what has happened there. There is no sign of it at all. Further exploring Magdalen, they spot a tower upon a promontary, protected by a thick hedge, that animates to repel intruders. As Grettir and Ubaron practise their pruning skills they are hailed from the tower by a querulous voice demanding to know what they are doing. So they meet Jusper Herath, that rarest of things in the wilderness, a friendly magician – although it is touch and go at first. However, he forgives them their trespass and unsought for gardening activities and some amicable conversation and minor trading activities take place. Jusper Herath appears to be a man in his late middle-age (though such appearances can be misleading in wizards) whose main distinguishing feature is a pair of dark eye-glasses that completely obscure his eyes (assuming he has any – they suspect not). Grettir presents him with a box of excellent Sequarl-manufacture cigars and in return receives a recipe for waybread. Herath and Girindor in particular bond over a shared interest in herb-lore. They all part on good terms and Paradoxides returns them to Basi.
A Day at the Races
The Yule celebrations in Basi were the first since Valaka’s return. Apparently it was a quieter and more orderly affair than in previous years, but there was still plenty of street partying, dancing and stupendous fireworks. It seemed a joyous occasion to the northerners and Grettir’s daughters in particular had a splendid time. The climax of the festival was to be a public chariot race, open to all-comers who could afford the substantial entrance fee. There was an even more substantial purse to be paid to the eventual winner. Identical rigs were supplied by the organisers to each entrant along with a team of fine jet-black horses. There was a starting slate of a dozen contestants, including Wilf and Ubaron, who borrowed his stake from Grettir.
The race proved a brutal affair on a course seeded with obstacles and traps, with any of the contestants seeking to interfere with one another. Only four contestants made it to the end point – an open tower that successful charioteers must enter and claim the trophy displayed at its summit. The first two finishers entered the tower separately and each in turn was defended sorcerously conjured demonic defenders. However, when Wilf got to the finishing post he stopped and waited until Ubaron caught up and the two entered together. There they encountered threats that included a flock of cockatrices and a powerful tentacled demon called a Child of Yig, but working together they were able to triumph. At the summit of the tower, they tossed a coin, shook hands and it was Wilf that took the trophy. They shared the purse and the Queen made a speech praising them for their enterprise, drawing wider lessons for mankind in their co-operation in achieving a common goal and sharing the rewards.
Something that had been troubling Grettir’s conscience was the fate of the Black Company who had faithfully guarded Basi against the Queen’s return. He felt they were brave men who did not truly deserve death for faithfully discharging an ancient duty. The Queen indicated that they still lived and were treated well enough but would serve her until she decided otherwise. She took him down to the stables to see how well the black horses were stabled and provided for and so he understood the current fate of the Black Company.
F-16
OE Date: Late November 693 -January 694
Characters: Grettir, Paradoxides, Ubaron, Wilf, Jason, Girindor NPCs: Guertha, Aurelius, Jusper Herath
Real World: August 2001 ; Where: Nottingham