The Adventurers now have some snippets of information about Solisand, an offer of the necessary navigation data, and a little information on the woman who Safra is hunting for and on the merchant that Safra suspects may have seen her father as a rival. Here's a summary of the information gathered.


Rhaskos and Iskander return from a visit to the local scholar – Medanthros the Educator, with a text that refers to a naval attack on Solisand:


Report of Astangoras, Paladin of Emperor Enkilos II, dated 1014 (200yrs ago):


"By the time our fleet reached the apostate's island, we had already lost 2 ships to the ocean's violent temper. So with land in sight we put in at the first available beach, on the north side of the island. We set a camp and sent two parties inland to explore. One returned within a few hours, reporting that they had found the ruins of a village to the West. The other party returned the following day with reports of a forest that stretched as far as they could reckon, forming a barrier between our position and the location of the Apostate's stronghold  - indeed three of their party had already become lost. As a result of this intelligence I decided to send a ship under Captain Ortantos to circumnavigate the island, rather than risk more of my men on a march into the forest. The captain reported back that East and West coasts were both rocky with few landing places; yet at the south, closest to our objective, were many miles of beaches, however made treacherous to approach by the presence of a broad reef.

Ortantos had tested the reef in a small boat and was convinced we could make a landing with some good seamanship and our ships' boats leading the way to find viable passage through. With two thirds of my force we attempted a landing - however as soon as the first boats made it into the lagoon a great sea creature attacked them, and many men were slain. Some struggled to the shore and in its eagerness to pursue the monster beached itself, and thus we were able to set about it with sword, spear and arrow until it was dead. Even in its last moments its tremendous thrashing accounted for more of my men, including the good captain Ortantos.”

Iskander has another reference, more recent and dating to about 70 years ago:

Report of Mylornas of Kipsipsindra, dated 1147

“When it became known around port that I sought passage to Solisand the earlier press of sea captains offering to place themselves and their crews at my disposal quickly evaporated. Eventually I took ship to Tapropiscur, and there found a local who claimed to have been to Solisand once to collect fresh water, and had encountered nothing to substantiate the island's evil reputation. This same captain found me a crew who would take me to the island, and for a significant rental and deposit we hired a vessel from a local magnate. The voyage to Solisand took us the better part of 3 weeks, and the only landfalls available in the latter part of that journey were desolate places said to be full of dangers to those who land there”.


Sallantus believes finding Solisand may be a lot simpler than you might think, "if the folk on Tempigone can't direct us to a place a mere 2 days away from their shores I don't know who can".


Sallantus discovered from dock workers in one of the taverns that every year a Jekkarene ship arrives in port – a galley, but not under oar. It would deposit a cargo on the dockside, and depart again at the earliest opportunity. The captain of this ship is Haliskome, surely the same woman as Safra was told is responsible for her father’s murder.

Kordan has discovered that Rilados the Navigator is willing to sell the navigation instructions to find Solisand. While he originally pitched to supply ship and crew for the task (for 1,000 guilders), Kordan saw through that and got him to just ask a fee, then knocked him down from 350 to 175 guilders. It’s up to Safra (or the party, if they choose to pay) to decide whether this is a price worth paying.

Sanjar and Tanek went (with Safra) to the Borissan Syndics (the merchant guild and cult) to investigate the merchant Valsus, where they encountered an efficient secretary block in the form of Elkanos, a slave who it seems has Taskan blood. All they really found is that Valsus is not local to Thyrta, nor its mother city Borissa, but is a resident alien, or metic. A respected associate of the Syndics, Valsus’s status as an outsider means he conducts trade with the Jekkarenes, a business that, rather like slave-trading, would be ‘ignominious’ for a man of citizen status.

Elkanos undertook to arrange an appointment for Safra with the Syndic, Kortano. Sanjar is skeptical

It’s now evening, and time to decide what this all means and what the next move is