It is spring solstice 1234, and Vincent (who has been away all winter trading) has not returned. They discover this as Rufus, the redcap, arrives (bringing an unsolicited Q12 MT tractatus from someone called Socrates Aux Gernon Ex Misc, from the Rhine covenant of Oakhollow, requesting to enter into correpsondence with any Magus on the subject of Animal[See Covenants p90]) wondering what had happened to him, as they had agreed that Vincent would pick him up from Qui-sonant as part of the circuit. Great woe and gnashing of teeth greet this news and the Magi are beside themselves. Rufus has a strange vision of Vincent together with someone royally taking the Piss.
After a week it occurs to go to Reykjavik to see if anyone has heard anything. Whilst wandering around a messenger from the cats arrives and bids them to take refreshment.
The cats are also worried about Vincent, as he was commissioned by them to ransom a colleague of theirs (named Pelorus) who they heard was being held in Valetta. Pelorus escaped with them from their Tytalan captor, but was carried away by a current in the chaos following their escape. They have discovered his whereabouts, and that he was being held in a warehouse on Malta, and they have asked Vincent to procure his release, funded by the goldsmith who is their beard.
Pelorus it turns out is a dolphin made of glass, and she is also a Mechana of Heron (or at least from the same tradition) like the cats.
The cats had heard through their network that the exchange had been made, and that the last seen sighting of the ship was at Al-geirs.
Pumillius thought that he ought to do as much as possible to recover his boon companion and therefore volunteered to accompany Orlaith and Gunther to track him down (the fact that Verdi was close by – a source of new venditores – and the fact that he was severely pining for olives, rocket and a decent meal was beside the point).
They sailed to Barcelona (a Mercer House) and hired the only resident Redcap (Childeric) who knew anything about the Maghreb, with the promise of favours to House Mercere in the future.
Whilst sailing to Al-giers the SG mentioned the weather (see Elan’s comments here: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html) as it was getting misty. Orlaith was not discommoded in the least by this and say the Island looming up quite clearly. It was a conical Island edged by thick forest. They landed at the only viable beach and started wandering around.
Anyone who landed on the beach was subjected to a penetration zero effect that turned them into monkeys. After a bit of experimentation, it was discovered that there was a ReCo effect that prevented anyone in human form leaving the beach and entering the forest, experiments were not able to put a value on its penetration, but it was high.
Orlaith was capering around perfectly as she was not inhibited by her new mouth and shape (all the magi were transformed into Callithrices (a black Monkey with a long white beard and no thumbs) which impedes their casting abilities in general). Gunther assumed his Raven form, and Pumillius was just grumpy. Childeric was transformed into Cercopithicus, a small reddish brown monkey with a white head and long tail.
Wepwawet was unchanged, and, armed with Vincent’s scent had already caught something. They quickly found Vincent and discovered that the ship had been wrecked here, only he survived, and had had to make offerings of the icicle and Pelorus to the King in order to fit himself into the society. He was very touched (but not surprized) that Pumillius had come all this way to rescue him.
He informes them that the Ceremony of the King’s Unrination wll occur on the new moon, and this is where the King receives gifts from his subjects. He got it wrong first time, and what he thought was valuable wasn’t valued by the King. The treasures are still there in a clearing, and how nnice of the Magi to come and help him get hem back.
Orlaith manages to conjure up some shiny things (with sun duration…) and they manage to convince the King that they are ambassadors from a foreign power and freely give the king this as a gift. After a bit of prompting the King then freely gives the part the dolphin and the stick, and they depart with a new companion, a monkey who was dazzled by Orlaith’s display and seems to be hanging around her…
They sail back to Iceland, having procured viable specimens of Pumillius dietary requirements (Olive, lemon and Lime trees, rosemary, Oregano and rocket plus other bits and bobs). Upon return they meet a distressed Redcap called Galera, who demands to know where Rufus is.