It was just after mid-afternoon the day following our return to Ossby, when Wistan comes up to me, smiling, and looked me up and down, assessing my state. He gave me a congratulatory hug and during the close, brothers-in-arms hug he said in a low conversational tone, “I’m trusting you with my life. Meet me in a couple of hours at the scrub oaks over the rise from the boats. Fighting Kit. Rune weapons, the spear. Tell no-one.” He pulled away and clapped me you on the shoulder. “But of course, I’ll see you at supper…” he added in a more normal tone for the busy noise of the camp. I whispered back; “I am fit and well and will be there”, and then more loudly “see you at supper”.
I made my way at the appointed time to the appointed place after telling no-one. Wistan was waiting for me, trying to look nonchalant, though I noticed he was breathing deeply. He greeted people with a nod but was obviously watchful of the countryside and the sky while waiting for more to arrive.
When all were gathered, we had: Wistan, Osgar plus his fit gesiths; myself, Svipdag, Saefrith and Grimcytel; and Thorwulf, Herefrith, Herewulf, Beornfrith, Leofric and Ruric.
Wistan explained that he had been spoken to in his dreams. He dreamed that there was a split among the rulers in Ekethorpe between partisans, concerned for the future of this land and others of a more destructive bent. He spoke to one of the partisans, someone know to him, in his dream. They spoke of one of the coven, Anya, who loathes the invaders with such a passion she would bring down the skies on the whole land to destroy us if she could but lacking that reach seeks to summon up cauldron-born and Staenbogan of immense power, the summoning of which would dry and wither the island. He was told that others in the coven including the witch Mira, are more pragmatic and less extreme in their solutions.
Wistan told us that he had been promised entry to Ekethorpe with a few companions, on condition we sought to slay Anya-the-mad and added that we might rescue any surviving prisoners not yet submerged in the cauldron. He admitted that this could be a trap, but that he believed the partisans motives were truly spoken.
He added that he had spoken only to those he had known long enough to trust personally, without hesitance. He thought it possible we might be watched over and wanted to ensure that Anya would not know we were coming. He warned that we would likely face a hard fight against the cauldron-born and Staenbogan and their witch. He said he had Foebiter the witch queen’s sword, and a rune marked langasaex and franca to loan any without such weaponry, then asked if any had questions, but to be quick as they had an assignation near Ekethorpe just after dusk. There were few questions. Saefric had a rune marked sword and Grymcytel a spear from Osgar’s share of the loot from the recent battle. Leofric was given the sword Foebiter, Beornfrith a rune marked franca, Ruric a rune marked langasaex.
The ground here rose to northwest from Ossby and the path to Ekethorpe circled south of bluff, to where Wistan’s dream suggested we should meet with our contact. There was some light from the three-quarter moon, shining through some scattered clouds. Svipdag had the ever burning torch and a rune marked franca.
We set out those of us with grimhelms carrying them in bags so as to make the most of the sporadic moonlight. We reach the appointed place with nothing worse than a few stubbed toes. There we were met by the Corn King and Queen; Eowig and Aenflaed. “Well met, I hope”, Wistan greeted them.
They explained that they could take us by secret way guarded by Staenbogan who would obey their commands. Until we got up to the town, we would be their guests in their domain. There we would be led up stairs to the temple of Naerthus, which was also their domain. After that we would need to keep quiet as we went through the town to Anya’s hall where we would be able to effect entry as she trusts Staenbogan to defend her. Once in hall the they didn’t know what we would find. Anya had been creating her own cauldron born, but they didn’t think there could be a huge number, although it would depend on how ruthless with her servitors she had been; there could be dozens. She did have some prisoners. They added that we should know, that they have more than one purpose; one was for us to see the strength in Ekethorpe, which would not be easy to take. They would rather a settlement was made. However, Anya was set against this and wished to become queen and had fallen out with Mira who would not raise the children of Ran, as she was unwilling to pay the price. The twins thought that Mira would rule alone and would make settlement. They also believed that we didn’t have enough power to take the town.
Wistan asked if Anya had any known weakness? Eowig replied, “Greed and lust for power”. He said that she was a seith witch, and had a hedge witch with her. Her strengths were making things; making draughts and things that have power. The greatest of seith witches could raise the dead in cauldrons to a half life. Hedge witches could summon spirits of earth and nature. He explained that he and his sister might be able to intercede with this. All witches could curse. Any prisoners were likely to be in her thrall in some way.
Leofric asked if there would be loot. We were told that anything we could carry out from Anya’s hall was ours. Ruric said if we go in quietly, but then fight what will be there, the alarm might be raised – how would we get out. Eowig said that they had considered this and they planned to create a diversion. If there were cries of Geats at the gates people will rush there. We should return the way we came. At least one of Corn twins would be with us to deal with the Staenbogan. Svipdag muttered that once we had slain the witch, we were expendable, did we trust them?
We reached a bramble choked defile which cut into the bluff; Eowig stepped up, muttered something and waved his hand and the brambles climbed out of the way leaving a path and we followed with the Eowig at the front and his sister bringing up the rear. After a steady climb up the defile, we came to a very narrow, high gap but it the gap suddenly grew larger as two large Staenbogan stepped aside. Eowig spoke to them and they bowed their heads slightly. They were about 10 feet tall and looked like they were made of boulders. I was told that they looked like the nechtegenge that some of our party had encountered, but that had had more human features. We peered into the darkness ahead and Eowig lit a torch and Svipdag lit the ever burning torch. We shuffled into a passage or tunnel, at the rear Herewulf could see that behind Aenflaed the brambles occupied the path again and she stroked the Staenbogan and whispered to them and they closed up the gap behind us again.
We arrived at some steps up, they turned at right angles and continued and then after two more turns they came out into a large open space with glints of moonlight, dominated by a statue. The statue had two sides, with the face and body of a woman on one side and of a man on the other. This must be the temple. None of us had seen such a sophisticated statue before. There were maybe half a dozen people here and Eowig spoke to them and gave them instructions and some left. One of them opened a substantial gate at one end of the area. After a short while one of them returned and reported to Eowig that the coast was clear. He told us to follow him and to march quietly but not to sneak. He explained he would take us by routes where we should not be seen. As we followed him, I marvelled at the number of stone buildings so close together – I had never seen anything like it.
Eowig led us through alleys and Saefric and Grymcytel almost wandered off course but were corrected in time. We ended up shuffled together in an alleyway whilst Eowig peaked out. “Here we must just be quick – on my word, he said and we darted across a square. I could see that in front and to the left was a gate to a large hall. Thorwulf stumbled crossing the square and Herewulf tripped over him. Maybe eyes looked out, but no alarm was given immediately. Eowig stood with his hands up to the doors of the large hall saying something in a strange language and the doors creaked open. He stood aside and ushered us in. Beornfrith wheeled around and shouted ware Staenbogan. Herewulf and Thorwulf were the last in and found themselves right next to an unmoving Staenbogan.
Wistan, Lyttelman, along with myself and his other gesiths plunged into the middle of the room where we met opposition. I was not the only one who recognised them as undead. Saefrith and Grymcytel faltered slightly but locked shields and moved forwards. The rest of us moved straight in to attack them. Look fresher than those in woods. Wistan hacked into the leg of one and then finished it off. I considered trying to invoke my Helruning, but deemed it might be quicker just to kill them, and time seemed short; I hit one in the head and then the left arm then through the right arm and on into the chest cavity and it slumped on my spear. Lyttelman knocked one down on one knee and then smashed into its head. Svipdag hit one in the arm and then waved the torch in its face and it flinched, but he was wounded, but then managed to bury his franca into its skull. Saefrith and Grymcytel were up against undead wearing byrnies and grimhelms and had a tougher time. Grymcytel took a little damage. The undead seemed to be armed like Geats.
There were more undead. Wistan was faced with two and was a little isolated. I was alongside Osgar and the other gesiths were nearby in close order. Wistan was struck in the left shoulder but took down the more heavily armed of his two opponents. I was also faced by two; I thrust my rune marked spear into the groin of the firs and it collapsed and then hit the second in the face and it too went down. Svipdag and Osgar both despatched an undead and Saefrith chopped the foot off another with Foebiter, but it still wriggled, however Grymcytel took a heavy blow. Thorwulf had formed a shield wall with his comrades and they arrived and the remaining undead were quickly finished off.
The hall had a familiar looking set up, with a dais at one end, various benches propped up against the walls and wooden panelling at the back with a doorway. Lyttelman led the way to the door, which he opened. There was light ahead. There was door on the left and steps going down to the right. The glow of light was from down the steps and the Thegn led the way to the light.
As we headed down the steps, Wistan could hear a babble and loud chanting from below, and maybe some other screaming. We pounded down the stairs behind Lyttelman and found ourselves in a space that was a sizeable portion of hall above with a set of bars at one end, crowded with distressed prisoners behind. The other end had a fire on which a very large cauldron was bubbling. Two warty nosed hags were chanting and shrieking around the cauldron and half a dozen men were dragging people toward the cauldron. There was a pile of bodies and a crowd of naked people standing around between us and the cauldron.
Shrieking stopped, the two hags pointed at us and the naked crowd surged towards us. Lyttelman was suddenly struck blind and reeled off to the side. Wistan, myself and Svipdag pushed past him and tried to get through the crowd to the witches. Saefric and Grimcytel formed up on Osgar and pushed forward.
Wistan lopped the left arm off one of the cauldron-born, which collapsed, but another two closed on him from each side. He took down a second but his spear stuck. The figures were clawing at his armour but couldn’t get through. He still had hold of his spear, but they naked figures were clambering up it.
I was faced with three of the cauldron-born. I stabbed the first in thigh and my spear pass right through, but again two more closed in on each side. I stuck my spear in another, but the one on the right had a grip on my grimhelm. I was forced to let go of my spear as a cauldron born started to climb up it and drew a scramasaex, with which I stabbed the creature grasping my grimhelm. It sagged but without letting go of my helmet. Grymcytel had his spear gripped but he and Saefric managed to push their opponents back. Svipdag dodged and waved his torch and as they flinched from the flame, he struck one of the cauldron-born in the head with his franca.
Herewulf opened the door at the top of the stairs. It opened into what looked like a boudoir, with fitments and fittings. He closed the door and headed on down the steps.
Wistan drew a small blade and hacked at the creature that had a secure grip on his arm. I hacked at the fingers of the dead weight on my helmet, but then decided it was easier to slip off the helmet. Another had hold of my shield so I dropped that too. Another grabbed me around my waist and I stabbed it with my scramasaex, driving the scramasaex into its back and it slumped to the ground but another closed on me. Svipdag chopped the leg out from under one, but then another grabbed him as he waved the ever burning torch; he managed to drag it out and hacked at it with his franca. Grymcytel retrieved his spear as Saefrith used his shield to keep the creatures at bay.
Thorwulf and Herewulf arrived at the top of the steps – they could see the cauldron and half a dozen guards along with the witches beyond the naked figures. A witch casts a spell at Thorwulf who could no longer see clearly. They joined with other warriors and formed a shield wall and headed towards the cauldron born.
I managed to shake off the creatures holding me, but as soon as a witch spotted me, she cast a spell and a dark cloud passed over momentarily, but I was able to shake it off. Wistan was still struggling with two closed opponents but inflicted some damage on them. I hit one of the creatures with my scramasaex in the shoulder and then the groin and then it collapsed. does some damage. Hrothgar hits opponent in shoulder then into its groin and it collapsed.
Svipdag was faced with a single opponent, as their ranks started to thin out, and chopped his franca into its shoulder. Lyttelman, having recovered his sight, leapt from the shieldwall and lopped the leg off a creature, just as Saefrith cut another one down and we had a clear path to the witches and the cauldron.
One witch cowered behind the cauldron, but the other just disappeared. Svipdag shouted that she had transformed and we could see a pile of discarded clothes behind the cauldron. Wistan sniffed around, there were a number of odours but they included the smell of rats and Wistan could smell rat in the discarded clothes, so we guessed that she had transformed into a rat.
Herewulf races up the steps to check the boudoir but it was still empty. He relayed the information to Eowig who hurried down the steps with a worried look on his face.
Wistan questioned the remaining witch who claimed to just be a servant but was not believed. When she refused to answer his questions, so Wistan stabbed her in the groin. She gave a shriek and collapsed to the ground, dead. A number of the warriors around the cauldron took damage from the dying curse of the witch and Svipdag and Grymcytel both groaned. Eowig was able to confirm that the dead witch was Anya. Wistan asked Eowig if he was worried about the other witch, but he agreed that we had completed our task. We let out the remaining prisoners and Lyttelman; “it’s Stithulf!”, and indeed it was the son of Eorl Sigier, taken at Borgholm.
We started stripping the bodies, and took the gear off the guards to give to the prisoners and locked the guards in the cells. Wistan told Eowig that we had completed our part and now we were in his hands and we would see whether he kept his part. The Corn King told us to wait here for his word and left and we completed looting, taking the equipment from the undead and various things from the boudoir including a chest. We took the head of the witch.
After 10 minutes Eowig returned and we could see there was a kerfuffle at the gate, with torches waving and people peering out over the walls. We were led back through the streets and alleys to the temple, and I helped Svipdag along as he was exhausted after the fight and the witch’s curse. The whole trip was done in reverse to the point we had meet and we bad the twins a fond farewell. Wistan apologised for doubting them; “I don’t like killing in cold blood”, “nor do we”, replied Eowig, “see you at the parley tomorrow”.
On the return to Ossby we discussed what we should tell Beornfrith and eventually agreed, as suggested by Svipdag, on telling just the truth. Any magic items would be kept for distribution amongst the party, but the other loot would be given to Beornfrith for the common chest of the Geatish and Allied Freed forces.