Sailing to Innis Byr

Whilst in my fever and betwixt Nightmares, I spake, so Fra Veritan says, a few lines of an old Druidic cant, the meaning of which, in Inae's rendering, is thus:

Seek the isle of cold forgetting,
Seek the isle with cliffs of metal;
Walk the path of old blood-letting,
Walk the path of golden petals.

Lady Inae believes this to be a message or prophesy given of the Earthmother, albeit, why She would speak through me, rather than through Inae her Dedicant, I know not. The Captain was not eager to heed this word, thinking two or three fighting men, viz, those of us wounded by the Ghouls, to be but scant loss in compare to his Mission, and Silver Rose now in sight to our northeast, but Inae persuaded him, and he will give us the Launch and a few men, and wait two Days for us as we go ashore and seek our healing.

Inae and the Captain think that this Isle of Cold Forgetting is Innis Byr, called also Keldisle, a small isle and distant from the mainland. A Monastery of sorts was founded there, five hundred years ago, but the Calishites came and overthrew their walls, and slew all within, and none now knows Why. Privily, methinks that ships and soldiers are not sent hundreds of Leagues on a whim, and thus it may be that the Calishites had good reason. Doubtless the monastics forged hideous Monsters which haunt the island, and are themselves a cloud of vengeful Ghosts.

And to this, we take myself, Inae, and Laithoren, all much worn from Fever, and Kanak, also fevered albeit not much worn, and further, two Chersay warriors lately joined of the ship's company, and Dunders and Radge as oarsmen. I thought the latter Twain, having been our oarsmen to the Torvald, and thus having been scarce a fathom from Ghouls, were going, as 'tis said, too oft to the Well, and wondered that they volunteered, but perhaps they came on orders. The Chersay, who it appears fight naked with cleavers like unto our Falchion, speak no Chondathan nor any common tongue, but Fra Veritan has taught them, he thinks, a few words, viz, Fight, Run, Guard, and such.

Our leathercrafter, having worked on my armor whilst I was ill, presented it back to me, and has wrought most Excellently, with fine scribings and tiny runes etched within the curves and lines; it were better in a mathom-house than a melee, and I pray Sune's help in keeping it unmarred. Our weapons are ready, our gear prepared, the Launch provisioned and is now swayed out, and all aboard. The Captain plans some strategem or Ruse, with floating lights and changes of course, to Deceive the Silver Rose, while we in the launch sail to Innis Byr. We shall leave at nightfall, and sail through the dark.