Chapter the Fifth, in Which a 'Dark Wizard' Initiates a Sacrifice.
Mr Oats is settling in to the routine among his new colleagues. He learns a bit about the processing of magical timber, and I've learned I can do a chapter in one sitting if I'm not Mr Lazy about it.
It had been a busy day. Mightily Oats, Mr Cutter and a substantial body of other men had industriously felled the designated trees for that day and made a healthy beginning on the snedding process. This is the practice of trimming twigs and branches away from the main tree trunk to ease handling it back to what passed for civilization.
Some camps might discard the sneddings, and there were parts of the world where this had, together with dry conditions, contributed to devastating wildfires. (1) Mr Sharp had explained that the sneddings would themselves be trimmed and packed for transport back to the Depot. Not only did he not wish to leave a fire hazard at the site, even small quantities of magical timber were valuable. Not to mention that this stipulation had been repeated by the liaison officer who had been wished on them by Unseen University after the camp's extradimensional (the Gentry, don't say 'Elves,') disaster.
Everyone had freshened up and been ready for the supper provided courtesy of cook Altair ibn Rashid. (2) Mr Rashid had grown up near one of his generally rather hot and sandy country's larger rivers. Unsurprisingly he was a practising Offlerian, and this evening had decided to specially propitiate his god. Supper had been sausages and beans (3) which had been rather tasty, though everyone was tactful enough not to mention it. The blessings of Offler were to be sought at this location, so it was best to maintain the polite fiction that the 'essence of sausagidity had risen unto Offler, with only the god's leavings available for the mortals.' The lumberjacks here followed a rough and ready ecumenism, Oats noticed, which explained their readiness to propitiate Offler and accept Mightily Oats into their number as well.
Musing on this, he made his way to the meeting Mr Sharp had required. He'd met Reverend Snorrisson at supper, though they had only talked generalities about where they were, reserving theological matters for their own meeting, which was also to include the wizard from the university.
That was going to be interesting.
The liaison officer was Dr Hix.(4)
The Sweevonian priest and the wizard were working over what looked like modest still, assisted by Mr Cutter. Reverend Snorrison superficially resembled Mr Cutter in the fading light, though the priest was wearing bib overalls instead of ordinary trousers, with a black undershirt beneath his work shirt and a clerical collar completing the ensemble. Dr Hix had followed the usual wizardly practice of retaining his robes, hood (and don't forget the skull ring,) and wizard's hat. (5)
'I know you were going to ask about me being a Sweevonian from Nothingfjord,' said Reverend Snorrisson, 'perhaps it's best to explain it in these terms. Timber for longships has to come from somewhere, though many Nothingfjordian priests are disciples of Noddi the Bestower of Fertility.' (6)
'We need to concentrate on the apparatus, the votive liquor is nearly ready.' This was from Dr Hix, who appeared to be doing most of the work. Pastor Oats tactfully commented on this.
'My turn Reverend, everybody shares any duties they're suited to around here, makes life easier. And working with strange ingredients over a fire appeals to a man of my inclinations.' (7)
Mr Cutter spoke.
'Once the liquor is prepared, it is offered unto Sweevo by placing it in a dish and making a burned offering of it. No man may drink of the votive liquor.'
'I assume that this is due to reserving the sacrifice to Sweevo.'
'There is that, but you'd poison yourself if you drank it, the stuff is mainly wood alcohol.' (8)
'Thank you for your interjection Dr Hix, wood alcohol is acceptable unto Sweevo and does him no harm because he is a timber god whose essence is intertwined with the forest and its trees. And it burns well as an offering under most circumstances if you know what you are doing.'
Dr Hix then indicated that the offering was ready. Reverend Snorrisson respectfully accepted the glass bottle into which the distillate had been dripping and began intoning the prayers which consecrated the sacrifice. He then poured it into a copper dish that he evidently retained for the purpose and ignited it with a small brand from the fire beneath the still. The priests, the wizard and the lumberjack waited respectfully in quiet prayer or meditation as the dim blue flame burned out.
As the service ended, Mightily Oats took the opportunity to thank his colleagues for including him in their improvised ministry and asked Mr Cutter if he was studying for the priesthood himself. The woodsman paused for a moment, seemingly collecting his thoughts and assembling his answer carefully.
'Ordination as a path would not really suit me, though I take my religion seriously and help out where I am required. Right now we've had a long day. I really think we should concentrate on helping Mr Snorrisson tidy up then ensure we are fresh for tomorrow.'
This was something the entire group could agree with. Mr Snorrisson and Dr Hix offered to initiate him into the mysteries of the votive still the following day. All of them then retired to their allotted sleeping spaces, whilst those of the camp who had been assigned the first watch of sentry duty kept guard.
Even these keenly watching sentinels, who Mr Sharp had deliberately kept on light duties during the day, failed to notice that they were on this night being discreetly guarded in their turn by Pastor Nutt, who felt that he should watch over his former mentor's safety in person for a while. He kept his distance from Ned for fear of causing a disturbance. (9)
(1)The Great Hinckley Fire of 1894 in Roundworld's USA is believed to be an example of this.
(2)Trying out Arabic for Klatchian, and yes, I did play 'Assassins' Creed.'
(3)No broccoli, though any brassica would have been a bad idea under the circumstances.
(4)An Official Dark Wizard ('not a necromancer at all') can expect some notoriety.
(5)Don't ask how he manages the hat and hood together, he's a 'Licenced Bad Person.'
(6)Knowing how he did that would make a man wince. I won't repeat it here.
(7)It's amazing what amateur thespians like him have to brew up for the sake of SFX.
(8)Wood alcohol really is poisonous. Don't try this at home.
(9)And that would have led to some serious explanations being needed.