Grettir was now the King of Telemark. That was the easy bit. Now he had to rule. Luckily Grettir had plans, lots of plans.
Telemark
Telemark comprised an impregnable castle at the end of a rocky peninsular, a large sheltered deep water harbour and an unplanned town spread out along the peninsular. There was a substantial hinterland of farms, large and small sprawling inland until summer pasturage merged with wilderness. The farms mostly produced cereal crops and livestock to feed the town. Some also bred decent horses.
The legion had not reached the town, but it had cut a swathe of destruction through the farm lands. Grettir had initiated some emergency defences for the town in the immediate wake of the battle. The main part of this was to get Paradoxides to sink a line of chasms across the isthmus. A turf bank and palisade was being thrown up behind it but Grettir had plans to replace it with a stone curtain wall. He had already moved his crew of dwarven builders to his new kingdom, where he set them to work renovating the castle, which appeared to have had little maintenance perhaps for a hundred years or more.
The population of the town was somewhat depleted by war and many had chosen to leave, either fleeing the legion or because they could not bear the thought of bending the knee to a foreign king. He was buying up abandoned properties and encouraging new people, especially those with skills and trades, to settle.
Connections to the Outside World
Telemark’s harbour was close to the speediest route from Chittagong to Kos and the Southern Seas. However, it was seldom used by traders who viewed Telemark, with some justification, as a nest of pirates. Grettir intended to change this. The process had begun with the Chittagong ships sent by the King to supply the town during the war with the legion. Grettir let it be known that he would personally guarantee the safety of any ship that came to trade. Slowly but surely commerce with the outside world was developing.
The trade road that ran between Chittagong and the Sand Lands passed through the Telemark hinterland, with a spur running to the town. It was not an old Imperial road, but it had been a well established route for centuries. Grettir had improved the initial stretch that ran through Sequarl with a dwarf-made surface and regular mile-forts, fortified inns and caravanserai. Grettir wanted to do the same here. Indeed he would dearly love to do the same all along the trade route to link his two domains. That was for the future. It would take much gold and many men to make three hundred miles of road safe from orcs and bandits. In the meantime he would do all he could to encourage caravans to take the slight detour into the town. More trade meant more revenue. Grettir’s pockets were deep but he had many plans and he did not want to subsidise his new kingdom with revenues from Sequarl long term.
It took Grettir about half a day to fly to Sequarl on Sadat. If there was need for faster connection he could break a rune stick to summon his house magician, Kojar, who could teleport and he could beg occasional favours from friends such as Paradoxides and Ubaron. Kolgrim was now based in Lydius but could be summoned in extremis.
Governance
Grettir ruled with the close support of Ella and the council. He deferred to them when it concerned matters of law and custom and disputes over land and inheritance. After twenty years as the Lord of Sequarl he felt on much safer ground on matters of crime and punishment – though he would still listen to them on sentencing. He certainly did not hang as many as he would have in Sequarl, but handed out more outlawries and fines.
The first big test for Grettir’s reign was the return of the fleet from summer raiding. These were men who in most cases knew nothing of the events of the summer in Telemark. They were most surprised to find a new foreign king on the throne and many demanded to know why an Allthing had been called when so many of them were absent. Luckily they did not arrive en masse but in dribs and drabs and Grettir had enough adherents willing to explain the answers to their questions. He had envisaged that he might have to answer a number of personal challenges, but only one from a man called Yormanric Icewalker materialised.
Yormanric Icewalker had returned from a successful voyage to Skagnar and clearly felt that he should have been in the running to succeed Thorkel. He is persuaded to pursue his grievance through a series of games in the harvest festival. Grettir beats him at spear-throwing. Grettir sets a new record at caber-tossing but this is immediately overturned by Yormanric. Grettir wins the strength and endurance challenge that involve carrying heavy rocks. Yormanric agrees to be reconciled to his rule.
There was certainly some grumbling and some returning captains turned their boats around and set out to sea again. However, for the most part his rule was accepted – at least for now.
One of the returning sea captains was a fellow called Smuda. Ella was keen that he be invited to join the Council and Grettir followed her recommendation. Smuda was an unusual man. Though a respected warrior and sea captain, he also had a reputation as a deep thinker. Grettir was astonished when Smuda broached the subject of a written constitution. In truth Grettir was not at all against this idea. He would be much more comfortable with ruling according to a written law code rather than the current muddle of custom and precedent that he had to rely on his wife to steer him through. His only concern would be if this constitution limited his own power overmuch. He told Smuda to draught something and they could then discuss it further. In return he confided in Smuda and sought his support for a radical idea of his own.
The Trade Geld
Grettir began by explaining to Smuda his view that piracy was inefficient and wasteful. The venture was full of risk; prizes were chancy to find; they might fight back; ships were damaged or sunk; men were killed or maimed; stolen cargoes were harder to sell and worth less than legitimate ones. Grettir had plenty of experience of both freebooting and trading and knew that the latter was more profitable.
Telemark was excellently situated for trade with both Chittagong and the South. However, little trade came to Telemark’s port because merchants not unreasonably feared piracy. Most of Telemark’s fleet went out hunting for prizes in summer, instead of taking the far more guaranteed profit of taking a cargo to Chittagong or Kos; exchanging it for another cargo and bringing it back to Telemark.
Smuda nodded at all this but pointed out that it would be very difficult to persuade the men of Telemark to just abandon the habits of many generations. Moreover, most did not have the means or the skills to buy cargoes, or frankly the motivation to do so.
Grettir acknowledge this, but he had an idea. He outlined a plan by which they got the merchants of Chittagong to pay for a guarantee of safety on the route between the city and Telemark and beyond. It was basically a protection racket, but it would offer genuine benefits to the merchants and bring in revenue for the folk of Telemark. He had already agreed it with the King in Chittagong (for a cut). Those who chose to buy the insurance would fly a system of flags. Any who did not fly the flags, or who tried to cheat the system would be fair game, but any who did pay would be unharmed and free to enter and leave Telemark port without let or hindrance. Grettir called it the Telemark Aquatic Protection Scheme (TAPS).
Smuda said this was a terrible name. However, he would be happy to help Grettir get this agreed at the Thing in autumn. He suggested they called it the Trade Geld. Grettir agreed. He thanked him for his insights and support and gave him some rich gifts.
Taras
East of Telemark along the trade road, by a bridge of ancient construction, was the ancient fortress of Taras. A substantial ruin of Imperial origin, Grettir had tried to explore it a couple of times. It appeared to be a nest of troglodytes and doubtless other things lived there too. It was not far from the swamps of Yarr, and perhaps a third of the way from Telemark to Sequarl. Bearing in mind his ambitions to link his domains he thought this might be a strategic site.
Grettir didn’t much trust Yu-Chi, his oathsworn Dark Elf retainer and struggled to find her meaningful work where her inability to operate in anything but darkness was not an insurmountable problem. However, he thought she might be the person to undertake a long term reconnaissance of Taras. She was transported under cover of darkness, given a survival pack, supplies and a schedule of rendezvous. If the operation was a success Grettir would reward her well.
Other Events of 695
- Dwarves renovating Telemark Castle discover a network of ancient tunnels beneath it. In another time Grettir would have taken a band of adventurers down to explore them. However, he was busy so he had the dwarves mark the entrances they had found and seal them for now.
- October 695 harvest was remarkably good. This was despite the depredations of the Legion and the many missing men fallen in battle against them. Many held that this good fortune indicated that the Gods approved their choice of King. Some noted that Osiris, the foreign deity he cleaved to was a god of the harvest. The harvest in Sequarl was also exceptional this year.
- The Allthing took place in December. Grettir introduced the Trade Geld to the Thing and Smuda spoke to it. There was some instinctive opposition to anything new but the measure was agreed. Grettir encouraged those captains of the fleet not taking an active part in the Trade Geld to nevertheless stay close to home, lest the Legion return. Any raiding the following year should be to the west along the coast to Thentis. He did not want to be caught by out by another invasion by the Legion with all his strength of warriors and ships away in the South beyond recall. He did not say at that point what else he was planning for the following summer.
- Yule was a busy time for Grettir (and Sadat) with two households to satisfy but it went off well enough in both Telemark and Sequarl with much feasting and good cheer.
Styrbjorn
Just after Yule Grettir made a long-planned visit to see Styrbjorn in his fastness far to the West. None of Grettir’s wizard friends had ever been there by teleport. Paradoxides knew a cave perhaps a couple of hundred miles distance but was unwilling to give up the comforts of Basi for a trek through a northern winter. He did, however, want to join the conference with the Bear-Man. He gave Grettir a runestick and the teleport fans that they had found in Morthrandil (Return to Morthrandil – F10). When he reached Styrbjorn, he would break the runestick and lay out the fans for Paradoxides’ teleport.
Grettir summoned Sadat and donned his Golden Ice Bear robe against the cold. He was joined by Samuel, festooned in furs, who summoned his own demon steed. They jumped into the sky and headed into the north west. It took some days to reach their destination, guided by a sketch map furnished by Paradoxides. At night Grettir activated the cube, taken from the legionary Hand, that when activated became a weather-impermeable tent.
En route they encountered much sign of legionary activity. The saw many magic carpets in the air, including some very large ones apparently carrying freight. They downed a two-man carpet and harassed a ground patrol, but they were more intent on reaching their destination than fighting and for Grettir it was more about practising and learning the capabilities of his flying steed.
After some searching Grettir and Samuel found their destination. They laid out the fans, broke the runestick and awaited the arrival of a shivering Paradoxides. They were welcomed by Styrbjorn into his great mead-hall. Warned by his companions, Samuel stuck with mead and did not ask for mountain-water, which Paradoxides knew to his cost to be an extremely potent distilled spirit.
Styrbjorn told them that the legion, who had been sending patrols in this direction for years had arrived in strength earlier this year. They had bottled up the dragons in Morthrandil. He doubted they were slain, but they had not been out hunting since. Part of that force included at least one “Iron Man” which Grettir took to mean a golem. The main part of the force had invested the Tower at the Edge of the World. They had plainly gained entry because the encampment had shrunk while more troops had arrived, along with vast quantities of equipment. There was a steady traffic of large heavily laden carpets coming up from the South.
The Tower was the gateway to the Lands of Dust. There was only one reason, as far as Grettir knew, for the Legate to be interested in the Lands of Dust. However, he was over ten years late if he wanted to retrieve the Sarn Tur. It was almost funny. All the Legate’s conniving and skulduggery, his cunning amoral strategies, had been leading to this raid on an empty nest. If he had but come to Grettir in genuine friendship, he would have told him this willingly. Instead he had plotted an internecine war against the kingdom of Chittagong, arming the orcs to make war upon Sequarl and other lands upon its marches. He said as much to Styrbjorn who just shook his head. It was ever thus amongst the Eagles – such wise fools – he said. One thing was clear to Grettir: the coming spring would be an excellent time for a counter-strike against the legion in the Sand Lands.
The Thviti Islands Incident
Early 696
- In February a fisherman was brought before Grettir with a tale of a terrible monster that had taken his two brothers when fishing in the Thviti Islands – a group of uninhabited rocky outcrops in the sea just off the Telemark Peninsula. Grettir knew immediately what had occurred. There was a cave on the largest of the isles, that Grettir had identified as a good place for Sadat to make his home. Grettir let it be known that the unfortunate fishermen had stumbled across security measures put in place to ensure that the islands were not used by Imperial spies. Fishing was not recommended in that vicinity. The fisherman was offered weregild for his shipmates and employment as he seemed a stalwart fellow who had comported himself well in the face of danger. Sadat got a wigging.
- The initial take up of Grettir’s Trade Geld scheme was moderately encouraging with twenty-two Chittagong ships buying into it. Many of these had ambitions to trade directly with Telemark, making several trips in a season; some wanted to use the harbour as a stop off on the way to Kos and beyond.
- In April twenty ships of the Telemark fleet choose not to heed the King’s wish that they stay at home this year and set sail southwards. However, around eighty ships remain in and around Telemark. Some of these would police the Trade Geld and no doubt hoped to encounter ships that had not paid their dues and were thus fair game.
- Four longships under the command of a famous Cansey warrior named Black Bjorn sail into Telemark in April. Grettir had first met Bjorn in a sharp fight on a rocky shore between Chittagong and Port Town (Black Bjorn – b58) fifteen years previously but they had since become good friends. Grettir welcomes Bjorn and takes him into his confidence about his plans for later that summer.
- In May, a two masted schooner with a skeleton crew aboard arrives from the south. The Euryleia has been built in Basi under the direction of the Queen who had personally wrought its strangely carved figurehead, in return for a live dragon’s egg (see Cold Drake Killers – G3). It features a reinforced bow, cunningly designed boarding ramps and eight tholes upon which arbalests might be mounted.
The Sack of Merion
Grettir had long determined that he would take the war to the Legion in Thentis that summer. It would send a message of defiance to the Legate and disrupt whatever he was up to in the Lands of Dust. More importantly for Grettir it was an opportunity to rally the folk of Telemark behind him, boost morale and establish his credentials as a successful warrior king. He had worked over the winter to identify a suitable target. Deygulf, who had proved a useful ally with many contacts in Thentis, helped him.
The Imperial navy, severely depleted the previous year by its encounters with Telemark and Girindor’s tempest, was concentrated on the defence of its main ports. Merion was a small city a few miles inland. It had an Imperial garrison and a full set of defensive walls. There was a small river and a wide strand where a few fishing boats were drawn up at night. The river was too small to be useful for a shipborne assault but the strand would be ideal for beaching longships. It was but half an hour’s march from there to the city gates – less for lightly armed men at a run. The nearest place with a large Imperial garrison was a good day’s march away.
Forty-two longships, including Black Bjorn’s flotilla, accompanied the Euryleia when she set sail from Telemark harbour. Grettir’s usual companions were somewhat scattered: Paradoxides was in Basi; Girindor was said to be baby-sitting a young tree; Wilf was battling the foes of Mitra; no-one knew where Jason had gone. However, Ubaron assumed the post of sailing master of the new schooner. He was not the weather mage that the elf was, but he could summon a mage-wind and capture it in a bag and was a fearsome warrior and battle wizard. Grettir packed the crew with elite warriors and seamen and spent the voyage practising launching and landing upon its decks with Sadat. Trevillion, who had married a rich Telemark widow, outfitted and crewed his own longship to accompany the force.
On arrival, the ships were beached and disgorged their crews onto the sands. A few hundred of the more lightly armed and mobile set off immediately, jogging towards the city. They were followed by the balance of the force at a more measured tread. Meanwhile Grettir leapt into the sky upon Sadat, with Samuel, Ubaron carrying Adhils, Aderbarg, who had recently improved his magical skills sufficient to be able to cast a fly spell, and a few other flying magicians carrying warriors. They flew to the nearest gatehouse of the city walls. It was bravely defended by a score or so legionaries, but they had no answer to the blades and sorceries of their assailants.
Grettir leapt off Sadat onto the parapet and laid about him with Thunderheart, the morning star that Ubaron had sourced for him from some lone dwarf in the wilderness. With it he was able to lash blows over the legionary shields breaking bones and smashing skulls. It was a fine weapon and ideal for this circumstance. Meanwhile Sadat flew around snatching soldiers in his claws and dropping them over the side to their deaths. They were soon able to open the gates for the arriving light infantry who dispersed into the city, to begin the mayhem.
The remaining garrison retreated inside a strong point at the other side of the city walls. They resisted all efforts to winkle them out, but could do nothing as the vikings set about looting their city. Grettir endeavoured to keep his men under control but it was useless. The best he could do was to encourage them to take prisoners, rather than indulge in wholesale slaughter, by pledging to buy them when they got them back to Telemark. He could not stop them looting the temple district.
By the time he got his men out of the city and marching towards the boats, three hundred legionary cavalry showed up, clearly summoned from the nearest major garrison – no doubt alerted by magical means. Grettir formed up a rearguard out of those unencumbered by prisoners and loot, to protect his force from harassment by the mounted auxiliaries as they pushed their boats out to sea and embarked. After a couple of unsuccessful forays the Imperial cavalry fell back and the men of Telemark boarded their ships largely unmolested.
The loot was substantial and all participants were delighted with their share. Grettir’s reputation was greatly enhanced by such a successful action, and morale in Telemark was boosted by this victory against the hated Legion (for all that it was really the civilian population of Thentis that had borne the brunt of their revenge).
It was less immediately profitable for Grettir. He felt obliged to recompense the Temples despoiled in the sack – he wanted no trouble with the Gods. He also had to dig deep in his own pockets to buy up all the prisoners – almost a thousand all told – as he had promised. He defrayed some of the costs over the next few months in ransoms for some of the more prestigious prisoners. The rest he indentured rather than making them permanent slaves. They would work for Grettir until they had earned their freedom. Many of those taken had useful skills and trades unknown in Telemark. He set them up in their trades and where they had been taken with family members, reunited them. Even the unskilled were indentured and put to work on reconstruction and development projects. He would make a profit from them in the end and they would help Telemark’s economy prosper.
Around Thentis
Some of the fleet, including the Euryleia, had continued to lurk around Thentis preying on commerce along the coast. The Legion plainly did not have the means to interdict them. Grettir and Sadat joined the Euryleia to pursue a few areas of interest.
- Grettir was keen to find out whether there were still any Rangers still active in the Sandlands, where they had battled with the Legion for many years. He eventually tracked down a cagey fellow called Ulric in a quiet village in a mountainous area on the fringes of Thentis, called Hobbiton, whose population were mostly halflings. Ulfric confirmed that the Southern Rangers still operated, although the Legion very much had the upper hand. He knew less than Grettir about the fate of the Northern Rangers.
- Grettir found the hobbits of Hobbiton delightful. He knew a few hobbits in Chittagong and some had not been even slightly delightful – he thought of Frekki. In Hobbiton they clearly inhabited a gentler and more innocent world. They were eager to invite him to their fair at harvest time.
- When Grettir returned to Hobbiton he brought with him an old retainer called Odo Bracegirdle. Odo had been one of Yithmac’s household. He had not really been on the active list since his friend Amalric had been invalided out of frontline duties, but had stuck around Sequarl. He was delighted to be offered the opportunity to visit a home he had not seen for many decades. Grettir flew to Hobbiton with Odo and a bag of goodies to trade. He came away with some interesting artefacts: a pair of elven boots (that were definitely not his size); some magical elven fishing lures; a locked magical book with no key; and a case of excellent port. Odo returned to Sequarl with Grettir, but was obviously torn. He asked whether it would be possible to come back to Hobbiton another time. Grettir said it would.
- Between these two visits to Hobbiton, Grettir had got wind of an ancient abandoned temple to Anubis in a deserted part of Thentis. He knew the Legate to be a devotee of Anubis and wondered if there might be some sort of connection. He sailed to the vicinity in the Euryleia and then flew to the temple with Samuel and Ubaron. They found a ruined temple with just a tower still standing. It turned out not to be deserted. An ancient priest – the Last Anchorite – clung to life there. He was so old and wizened that at first, Grettir had taken him to be undead. His name was Remus. He claimed to have no knowledge at all of the the Legate or the Legion. It seemed odd to Grettir that such an eminent devotee of Anubis as the Legate would make no attempt to visit such an ancient Temple in his domain. The Anchorite had waited patiently for many centuries for an acolyte to relieve him of his duties. Grettir and Ubaron teleported to Chittagong where Grettir sought an audience with the High Priest of Anubis who thanked him for his news. They returned with a young priest of Anubis and led him into the Tower where he was blessed by Anchorite. When he was done the old Anchorite crumbled to dust. Grettir and Ubaron departed, assuring the new Anchorite that they would ensure that he did not stay so long in isolation as his predecessor.
Trade Geld – First Season
After a season’s operation, the initiative was pronounced a qualified success. There had been just one gross violation reported. Grettir had the culprits – two sea captains – brought before him. As they confessed their crime they walked away with their lives but their ships and cargoes were forfeit and the owners of the merchant ship that they had taken despite its Trade Geld pennant, were recompensed. Chittagong wasn’t built in a day – as Grettir said to the King. They agreed that the Geld was well worth repeating the following year.
Consulting Oracles
Exploiting his good relations with the Temple of Anubis after the replacement of the Anchorite, Grettir sought to find out what they knew about the Legate. The High Priest professed to know nothing of him but offered to cast an augury to see what the God would tell him. The response was as follows:
Earth to Earth
Ashes to Ashes
Dust to Dust
The World is Broken, the Wicked Stir
Blessed is He who Walks in the Shadow of Death
For Truly he is his Brothers Keeper and the Finder of Lost Power
He has come to save the Earth
from those who would Poison and Destroy my Brothers
And you will know my name is Anubis when I lay my vengeance upon them
Grettir was no theologian and was not quite sure what to make of this oracle. His view of Anubis was that he was very much the subordinate of Osiris who weighed the hearts of the Dead before sending the worthy to Osiris to be reborn and the wicked into the maw of the Beast. However, it was plain to him that the Legion was recycling its own dead directly back into active service. He made a sacrifice and sought the guidance of Osiris in prayer. Slightly to his surprise he received a reply that even he could understand.
Anubis has been Weighing more than Hearts
My Subject fears for the World of Men
He Seeks Weapons against Set.
Ptah knows their fate, and their time is over.
Soon Anubis will know that I am the Master of this Gate, and the commander of the Souls of Men
Kill no more now, but await my command
Grettir had his instructions and the war with the Legion was over.
G-35
OE Date: Summer 695 to Autumn 696
Characters: Grettir NPCs: Ubaron, Samuel, Sadat, Paradoxides, Odo Bracegirdle, Black Bjorn, Smuda
Real World: 2012-2014; Where: Maisemore, Anglesey, Surbiton plus correspondence.