Quoted By:
The crews are eager to leave this place behind and avoid further interdiction, and so the ships make good progress against the current – again, the northerly winds are weak and fitful, providing little resistance. Behind you, twin columns of smoke from the burning galleys create two slender ash smears against the otherwise faultless blue of the vault of Ouranos. It seems that the hostile spearmen did not reach their ships in time to salvage their frames – too much smoke is rising from the southern side of the promontory. With the immediate threat of danger abated, you take a few minutes of well-deserved rest and tally your performance –
1. Sound counsel to Menelaus, leading to a successful naval encounter.
2. Assistance to both Ajax and Menelaus’ ships as they are put out to sea.
3. Assistance to Menelaus’ crew in the naval battle on the oars.
4. The murder of the enemy ship captain with a well-placed javelin – or if he does live, it is only by the narrowest of margins.
5. The events of the Beach Raid, including the murder of an enemy nobleman with a carven bust.
And you are pleased!
This journey has been full of unexpected dangers, but you have conducted yourself effectively over the past weeks. Increasingly, you are confident that you are able to stand alongside the great heroes; you had always imagined this to be true, but vindication of your boyhood fantasies is a sweet nectar, indeed.
The presentation of the claimed bronze panoplia to Menelaus goes very well – or you should say, it goes very well for Odysseus. In his telling of the tale, Odysseus orders you to slay the enemy combatant as he builds a small fire, but instead, you lead the enemy on a wild chase through the hold of the enemy vessel – stalling for time as the mad foreigner scrabbles after you like a wild beast. Odysseus sets the enemy galley ablaze, steals into the hold, finds a stone bust, and just as the enemy nobleman had successfully cornered you against the hull of the ship, brains him from behind with a terrific smash. With the enemy spearmen rapidly approaching from the south, you assist Menelaus in the stripping of the enemy’s panoplia, lighting the second ship ablaze with only seconds to spare, before escaping over the ridge of the promontory to safety.
You can do nothing but smile and nod along, despite anger roiling your chest. How much of Odysseus’ Kleos is stolen from his peers? Odysseus barely acknowledges the theft of your deeds, only winking good-naturedly at you as he spins his fiction.
Menelaus, enchanted by the story, grants Odysseus the brazen helm, spear and shield of the enemy, keeping the remainder of the man’s panoplia. Odysseus, in a show of magnanimity, gifts you the crumpled helm – as armor, it is currently worthless, but perhaps a bronzesmith would be willing to purchase it for their own purposes. You attempt to look grateful, but you're not quite sure if you manage it.
>Nikon gains “Crumpled Brazen Helm”!
>cont
