Under New Management
After the events of November Olaf and Guntram found themselves the rulers of Selecta and the guardians of around thirty attractive young women and their children. Olaf took the lead, set the moral tone, settled disputes between the villagers and was the face of the settlement in its dealings with their neighbours. He quickly established his reputation in the district and in Selecta as a healer and a good neighbour.
Guntram took the role of Olaf’s right-hand man. He busied himself chiefly with security and logistics. He quickly identified the need to recruit warriors to defend the settlement and its population of vulnerable women and children. At the beginning of December he took the faering into Chittagong to do some recruiting. His first stop was the Docker’s Arms, where the landlord owed them favour.
New Faces
It was a good time to be offering a berth in a snug little village, for the sailing season was at an end. A bunch of longshore men and others from the Dockers Arms, along with some cousins of Olaf, banded together to join Guntram at least for the winter. They added a little to the defences of Selecta but they were willing hands and loyal to Olaf.
Where the vikings came from Guntram never really knew. It was not a whole crew, just a handful, led by what seemed like a steady man and his crazy berserker brother. They had clearly had some word of available women in Selecta but Olaf made it very clear this was no brothel. However, there would be no bar to a proper courtship and marriage. Their leader agreed these terms on behalf of his men. They certainly added to the security of Selecta but they made Guntram nervous.
He was even more concerned by another newcomer. On the face of it they should have been grateful to the tall man who arrived in a river trader with a work crew and a load of supplies. He gave his name as Trevillion. Guntram did not know him but he knew that Trevillion was a big league Chittagong gang boss, rumoured to have links with one of the noble houses. He could only guess at his motives in being here, but none of his guesses were comforting.
One other person of note showed up in those early days. Lenore was a wandering minstrel and entertainer. She had the most wondrous singing voice and even to Guntram’s eye there looked to be a touch of magic about her performances. She brought a great deal of pleasure, especially to the women and children, who had been starved of any sort of entertainment by Bo. Lenore also helped Guntram sort and translate Bo’s papers, many of which were in cypher.
A Witch
Lenore and Guntram pored for many hours over the ledger. In amongst the blizzard of papers strewn around the corner of the barn that was Bo’s office, it seemed to have pride of place. It seemed to be a register of transactions. Each entry was a series of symbols. They got the dates first and realised that the next one was but a few days away on the night of the new moon. They also worked out that amongst other transactions, Bo had been selling his children either into slavery or for sacrifice. One Bo’s wives had recently been delivered of a baby boy.
On the appointed night Olaf stood upon a nearby hill with a lantern and a bundle that could plausibly be a baby. Lenore, Trevillion and Guntram hid themselves in ambush nearby. The witch arrived upon a broomstick. She quickly surmised that either Bo had grown to twice his normal size or this was not Bo. She circled to question Olaf and was clearly not satisfied with his answers.
It was pitch dark. Night-sighted Guntram was closest and shot her with his heavy crossbow but the mundane bolt could not penetrate her sorceries. Trev, a famous bowman with a quiver full of magic arrows, struggled to see her in the dark and was out of range in any case. Lenore’s magics had not the range. The witch flew off cackling.
The Return of Bo
As Yule approached it became increasingly apparent that Selecta was haunted. The ghost was seen by several terrified residents before it fully manifested. Its weapons were an icy touch and the ability to strike unreasoning terror in the irresolute. It could walk through walls and dematerialise at will. In that form not even magic blades could touch it. Mundane weapons in any case were quite useless against it, much to the frustration of the berserker – who bravely tried nevertheless to oppose it. Fortunately, Trevillion and Guntram had magic swords while Olaf summoned the power of his God and commanded the spectre by its name – for it was Bo – to be gone.
It had fled at Olaf’s command and did not manifest again that night. In the morning they went up to Bo’s grave with spades. They found that the grave had already been disturbed. Nevertheless they dug up all his bones. Under Olaf’s instructions they separated the head from the body and placed it between its thighs. Olaf spoke some words and poured holy water upon it. They covered it with stones.
Bo never walked again. Olaf and Guntram were inclined to blame Asa Banipol and Five Star for raising his malign spirit from the dead.
A Surprise Wedding
Towards the end of winter, the vikings announced that it was time for them to return to Chittagong to seek a ship. There was a feast in their honour. As the drink began to flow, the berserker stood up to announce at dinner that he intended to leave with one of the girls – a specific one. This was what Guntram dreaded. He had seen this viking in action and he did not fancy tackling him. However, if he was planning to abscond with one of his charges that would be his duty. He would have to challenge him to a holmgang, otherwise he and Olaf would have to face off against all the vikings.
Fortunately, Olaf kept a level head. He spoke emoliently to the berserker but took the girl aside to speak to her privately. To his surprise the girl declared herself willing – indeed eager – to leave the settlement with the vikings. Olaf returned to the feast to announce not only his consent but that he would his intention to perform the marriage ceremony right there and then. This was plainly a little more than the berserker had had in mind but the other vikings were highly amused at this turn of events. Soon he could not back down without losing face. Olaf performed the ceremony and everyone toasted the happy couple.
Guntram wondered whether life with this rough crew would turn out to be what the girl imagined. At least she had made her own choice – more freedom than she would have had from Bo. It meant that at least one of their charges was off their hands. He wished her luck.
H-2
OE Date: December 696 to March 697
Characters: Olaf, Guntram, Trevillion, Lenore NPCs:
Real World: Spring 2017; Where: Bristol