You touched the metal disc on the wall, vast and engraved with scenes you couldn't quite make out. There was a flash: the sun, moon and stars wheeled around you, and you saw one or two constellations you think you could name. Then a voice said With it or on it, return to the waves.
You found yourself in a new and strange place, inhabited by a people speaking an unknown tongue (so unknown, that translation spells fail). Their eyes gleam like mercury. So does their blood. Clearly, you wish to escape this. Perhaps with something in your pocket for your pains....
Roll 1d10 for where you start, re-rolling 10s, then roll 1d6+3 for the number of scenes you must move through.
Transition between areas is a jumble of low, sunken sandy lanes, winding hillside paths and forests.
- A city at night: torches gleam as crowds gather for a prominent wedding. The young dance and the old look on.
Observing at them solemn feasts, the brides from forth their bow’rs
With torches usher’d through the streets, a world of paramours
Excited by them; youths and maids in lovely circles danc’d,
To whom the merry pipe and harp their spritely sounds advanc’d... - The gathering of a law-court in a city forum. A murder case is being tried, and masses of onlookers and supporters have gathered before the seated judges and bailiffs, with a bounty for correct judgement.
The heralds made the people peace. The seniors then did bear
The voiceful heralds’ sceptres, sat within a sacred sphere,
On polish’d stones, and gave by turns their sentence. In the court
Two talents’ gold were cast, for him that judg’d in justest sort. - Outside a besieged city, a conference is being held between the various factions of the beseigers. Some wish to sack the city entirely, the others are willing to let it be in return for a goodly share of its wealth.
Two armies glittering in arms, of one confed’racy,
Besieg’d it; and a parlè had with those within the town.
Two ways they stood resolv’d; to see the city overthrown,
Or that the citizens should heap in two parts all their wealth,
And give them half. - The besieged city has sent out a picked band, under the head of two gold-skinned siblings to ambush the armies described in 3. They have chosen a careful spot where they will go to water their cattle. Interlopers will be dealt with promptly and desperately. Those supernaturally gifted will see spirits of slaughter and panic and clash gather in ghostly, ghastly anticipation.
When those in siege before the town so strange an uproar heard,
Behind, amongst their flocks and herds (being then in council set)
They then start up, took horse, and soon their subtle enemy met,
Fought with them on the river’s shore, where both gave mutual blows
With well-pil’d darts. Amongst them all perverse Contention rose.... - A peaceful scene, where ploughmen are at work - and sustained in their work by ample wine. Careful examination will reveal that the plough uncovers a wonder: gold with the hue of fresh-turned turf. Highly valuable to a collector of curiosities....
The soil turn’d up behind the plough, all black like earth arose,
Though forg’d of nothing else but gold, and lay in show as light
As if it had been plough’d indeed, miraculous to sight. - You enter a harvest scene, where a local prince oversees the gathering of wheat. His huscarls prepare an ox for roasting as the harvesters gather in the sheaves.
His harvest-bailiffs underneath an oak a feast prepar’d
And having kill’d a mighty ox, stood there to see him shar’d
Which women for their harvest folks (then come to sup) had dress’d,
And many white wheat-cakes bestow’d, to make it up a feast. - Glittering in the sun is a great jewellers folly: a vineyard, of a kind. Gold vines hang on silver poles in a tin-fenced yard with a moat of glittering blue enamel. Humanoid constructs guard the vineyard against any intruder; their control unit is sculpted in the shape of a boy with a lyre.
A silver rail ran all along, and round about it flow’d
An azure moat, and to this guard, a quickset was bestow’d
Of tin, one only path to all, by which the pressmen came
In time of vintage... - Bovine automata of tin and gold are being escorted by men and dogs through the meadows. Great lions, envious of the gold hides of the oxen prowl after them, hoping to tear one to bits. (If it comes to it, the mastiffs are ineffectual against the lions).
...with high rais’d heads, forg’d all
Of gold and tin, for colour mix’d, and bellowing from their stall
Rush’d to their pastures at a flood, that echo’d all their throats,
Exceeding swift, and full of reeds; and all in yellow coats.... - In a village strug around with sheep pastures, a party is in progress. Armed muscular youths in silver belts dance in a ring with maidens in floral crowns. Two acrobats do something spectacular at the centre of the circle.
Fresh garlands too, the virgins’ temples crown’d;
The youths gilt swords wore at their thighs, with silver bawdrics bound.
Sometimes all wound close in a ring, to which as fast they spun
As any wheel a turner makes, being tried how it will run,
While he is set; and out again, as full of speed they wound,
Not one left fast, or breaking hands. A multitude stood round... - A circling, endless sea. Not a cloud or a bird in the sky. Following the line of the beach along only leads to more sea-shore.
All this he circled in the shield, with pouring round about,
In all his rage, the Ocean, that it might never out.
Escape is achieved by hurling a shield into the sea (your own, or one obtained from any of the locales above). This produces a cloud of steam; when it settles, there is the mouth of a cave in the sea. When you walk into it, all lights are extinguished and darkvision blurs. When you are far enough in that you can no longer see the entrance, there is the sound of a single great hammer-blow and you return to your starting location with the disc on the wall - which may now be touched without fear of dimensional travel.
***
- As the title suggests, the inspiration is the Eighteenth Book of The Iliad. Somewhat spur-of-the-moment, and written with reference to the translations of Chapman (see above) and Caroline Alexander.
- The various scenes suggest a tight selection of social and combat challenges to my mind, though it might be possible to simply sneak through the entire thing. Not quite the action of an Achilles, but perhaps Odysseus would approve.
- It's tempting to place the joined 3. & 4. as the last scene before the sea, but I leave that decision in your hands!
- Presumably, if you dig deep enough in any of the above scenes, everything is made of metal.
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