Convening
Tuesday, May 16th, 1214 BC - Jason woke with a headache from all the wine the night before. It took him a moment to remember where exactly he was, what ceiling exactly this was spinning above him and why was he here. He groaned a bit remembering. He had sworn in front of everyone yesterday that he would retrieve the golden fleece from far distance Colchis. How would he get there without a boat and by himself?
As soon as he felt able, he got up. Looking around the room, the main hall of Iolcus, most of the revelers were still asleep on (or under) benches,or in the corners. He quietly went outside, into the fresh morning sun. Palace servants had already put out fresh fruit and bread on some tables for the guests. He glumly ate some olives while thinking about how King Pelias would certainly find a way to have him killed if he didn't come back with the golden fleece.
He tore off a piece of bread, and was chewing on it thoughtfully when a friendly voice said
“You should put honey on it.”
Looking up he saw a young man named Butes whom he vaguely remembered from the night before. Ah, yes, the beekeeper! He laughed to himself that of course he was suggesting honey.
“Are you really going to go get the Golden Fleece?” Butes asked.
“Of course I am” Jason replied with feigned nonchalance.
“If you want any company, I think it sounds like it would be an epic adventure” continued Butes while carefully applying honey from a small clay jar to his piece of bread with a wooden utensil.
“Who will look after your bees while you're gone?” asked Jason. Only managing not to instead say “Really??” because he happened to have a mouthful of bread at the time.
“Oh, they can look after themselves for long periods of time” explained Butes, who now appeared to be taste testing the honey with much lip smacking.
“But yeah, I suppose you can come along” said Jason trying not to sound as desperately relieved as he felt.
Later, as Jason was walking around the town looking to buy a new sandal to replace one he'd recently lost, an older man named Polyphemus greeted him.
“Is it true you were raised by centaurs??” the man asked abruptly after a few pleasantries.
“Well, just one, Chiron.” responded Jason cautiously because this guy seemed a bit unpredictable.
“I fought the centaurs in the war” growled Polyphemus belligerently. Jason noticed many scars on the old man's still-strong body.
“Chiron didn't support the war,” explained Jason, “he is only interested in peaceful pursuits like philosophy and medicine.”
“Ah, okay, okay” mumbled Polyphemus, “well as long as you're not some kind of centaur agent, I was thinking I want to join the adventure” and he thrust his hand out to Jason.
Jason had told Butes and Polyphemus to meet in the square in the early afternoon to begin what would be a very long journey. He fretted as he hurried toward the rendezvous, would they lose interest when they realized how long and dangerous the journey would be?
“Ahoy!” Jason was jolted from his thoughts by a hail from a man hurrying up the roadway in the same direction. The man appeared to be wearing a bear skin and holding a double headed bronze axe.
“Are you Jason?” the man asked
“Yes?” said Jason cautiously. Was this man sent to kill him?
“Ahh glad I caught you. I'm Ancaeus. I wanted to join you.” and becoming suddenly self conscious, “this was the best outfit I could find at a moment's notice”
“Ah, well, come along then!” said Jason laughing. Okay it would be him, a crazy bee guy, a grizzly veteran of the centauromachy, and a guy wearing a bear.
As he entered the square he was surprised to find quite a crowd standing around there, many with traveling-bundles packed up by their feet or on their shoulders. Jason approached the crowd and tried to find Butes or Polyphemus in it.
“Jason!” called out a man in the crowd, whom Jason recognized after a moment as Aethalides.
“What's everyone doing here?” Jason asked him
“We're all going with you!” the man exclaimed. Jason looked at the crowd in disbelief. There must be fifty of them! he thought to himself.
“Brave Hellenes,” Jason addressed them awkwardly, “I am greatly honored, but I must admit I don't have a boat that can fit all of you.. or … well I don't have a boat.” He braced himself for the crowd to disperse.
“but I do!” said a man. Jason struggled to place his name. ...Argus?
(This entry takes place after this one but before this one.
As soon as he felt able, he got up. Looking around the room, the main hall of Iolcus, most of the revelers were still asleep on (or under) benches,or in the corners. He quietly went outside, into the fresh morning sun. Palace servants had already put out fresh fruit and bread on some tables for the guests. He glumly ate some olives while thinking about how King Pelias would certainly find a way to have him killed if he didn't come back with the golden fleece.
He tore off a piece of bread, and was chewing on it thoughtfully when a friendly voice said
“You should put honey on it.”
Looking up he saw a young man named Butes whom he vaguely remembered from the night before. Ah, yes, the beekeeper! He laughed to himself that of course he was suggesting honey.
“Are you really going to go get the Golden Fleece?” Butes asked.
“Of course I am” Jason replied with feigned nonchalance.
“If you want any company, I think it sounds like it would be an epic adventure” continued Butes while carefully applying honey from a small clay jar to his piece of bread with a wooden utensil.
“Who will look after your bees while you're gone?” asked Jason. Only managing not to instead say “Really??” because he happened to have a mouthful of bread at the time.
“Oh, they can look after themselves for long periods of time” explained Butes, who now appeared to be taste testing the honey with much lip smacking.
“But yeah, I suppose you can come along” said Jason trying not to sound as desperately relieved as he felt.
Later, as Jason was walking around the town looking to buy a new sandal to replace one he'd recently lost, an older man named Polyphemus greeted him.
“Is it true you were raised by centaurs??” the man asked abruptly after a few pleasantries.
“Well, just one, Chiron.” responded Jason cautiously because this guy seemed a bit unpredictable.
“I fought the centaurs in the war” growled Polyphemus belligerently. Jason noticed many scars on the old man's still-strong body.
“Chiron didn't support the war,” explained Jason, “he is only interested in peaceful pursuits like philosophy and medicine.”
“Ah, okay, okay” mumbled Polyphemus, “well as long as you're not some kind of centaur agent, I was thinking I want to join the adventure” and he thrust his hand out to Jason.
Jason had told Butes and Polyphemus to meet in the square in the early afternoon to begin what would be a very long journey. He fretted as he hurried toward the rendezvous, would they lose interest when they realized how long and dangerous the journey would be?
“Ahoy!” Jason was jolted from his thoughts by a hail from a man hurrying up the roadway in the same direction. The man appeared to be wearing a bear skin and holding a double headed bronze axe.
“Are you Jason?” the man asked
“Yes?” said Jason cautiously. Was this man sent to kill him?
“Ahh glad I caught you. I'm Ancaeus. I wanted to join you.” and becoming suddenly self conscious, “this was the best outfit I could find at a moment's notice”
“Ah, well, come along then!” said Jason laughing. Okay it would be him, a crazy bee guy, a grizzly veteran of the centauromachy, and a guy wearing a bear.
As he entered the square he was surprised to find quite a crowd standing around there, many with traveling-bundles packed up by their feet or on their shoulders. Jason approached the crowd and tried to find Butes or Polyphemus in it.
“Jason!” called out a man in the crowd, whom Jason recognized after a moment as Aethalides.
“What's everyone doing here?” Jason asked him
“We're all going with you!” the man exclaimed. Jason looked at the crowd in disbelief. There must be fifty of them! he thought to himself.
“Brave Hellenes,” Jason addressed them awkwardly, “I am greatly honored, but I must admit I don't have a boat that can fit all of you.. or … well I don't have a boat.” He braced himself for the crowd to disperse.
“but I do!” said a man. Jason struggled to place his name. ...Argus?
(This entry takes place after this one but before this one.