<div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 26px">Sir Braxton Ignatius Grimsby and the Lost Gynocracy</span>​</div><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 18px">Prologue:<br/>
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It had taken seven years of research, the hiring of a number of intermediary agents (some of questionable reputations) and the cajoling of a number wealthy individuals in the Royal Explorer's Society of Penzance, but Sir Braxton Ignatius Grimsby had finally secured the funding to hire a ship and equip an expedition to the Mediterranean Sea to search for the sunken island of the Amazons. <br/>
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Braxton's first inklings about the possibility of a lost and sunken island in the Mediterranean came in the form of an amphora jar, which had been rumored to have been handed down through his family since before The Crusades. His ancestors called it "The Daedaleus Jar" because an intricate mechanism needed to be solved to open without breaking the container. Of course, Braxton's ancestors might have easily gambled that what was inside was more important than the jar itself, but it was also a beautiful piece of history, depicting something like a Greek Queen or Goddess being adored by lesser males, and their fortunes were never so dire that they gave more than a passing fancy to breaking it open.<br/>
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When Braxton was twenty-three years old, he came into possession of the perplexing jar at the passing away of his father. Braxton's older brother, Jerome, was gifted the family estate but a provision in the last will and testament required that Jerome surrender one-third of the cash accounts and one-third of the "family treasures" to Braxton. His older brother, satisfied with his Biblical "double portion", made no fuss that one of the treasures that Braxton chose for his own was The Daedaleus Jar.<br/>
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With sufficient funds at his disposal and other investments likely to assure him a modest if not somewhat comfortable life, Braxton turned his attention to the riddle of the jar. He made a number of trips to libraries at Oxford and at Cambridge to study puzzles of ancient Greek ingenuity. Eventually, he was reminded of a story concerning the myths about Daedaleus and eventually solved the riddle of the jar with the help of a ladybug.<br/>
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The contents of the jar included an amulet on a chain and a scroll of apparently ancient Greek writing. <br/>
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Having studied Latin and Greek as a boy, Braxton believed that he had managed a crude deciphering of the scroll text. It described an island ruled by powerful women. Braxton had trouble imagining a place of heroic ladies, considering the state of modern females, but immediately thought of Queen Victoria and tempered his male incredulity. Perhaps these powerful women devoted themselves to scholarship and were the wise council of the men of the island? That might make sense….<br/>
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The scroll also described that the amulet provided directions to this island. Braxton became very excited at this discovery but howled in dismay, earning the displeasure of the librarian, when he discovered that the amulet had three interlocking pieces of which he only had one piece.<br/>
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In the intervening years, Braxton's agents found the other two pieces of the amulet. Braxton traded three of the other family treasures that he had inherited for one piece of the amulet. He commissioned the invasion and theft from a family crypt in Hungary for the other piece when his agents' efforts to negotiate for it were rebuffed. Apparently, this bit of skullduggery seemed to remain unknown to the family in question.<br/>
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Believing that he had the answers, but not willing to give up the knowledge to someone that might secure whatever treasure and artifacts might be waiting for an expedition, it took some time and promises to secure enough investors from the Royal Explorer's Society. Finally, on the Eighteenth of April, Eighteen Sixty, the expedition set sail from Penzance.<br/>
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Now it was Summer Eve, on the Mediterranean Sea, approximately Thirty-three degrees North latitude and Seventeen degrees East longitude. The phase of the moon had changed from the total darkness of a new moon and now was a slim crescent that would wax larger over the next dozen days or so. Now, with the sun having just set, it hung in the night sky just above the western horizon. The planets Venus and Mercury were also visible. The first stars of the evening began to appear in the east. <br/>
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It was peaceful. The sea was calm and the wind was light. The sails had been furled. They were far from the normal trade routes on this sea.<br/>
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"Bull, I think that it is nights and seas like these that could make a man want to give up life on land," opined Sir Wendell Oleander, Braxton's fellow in the Explorer's Society and best friend from school and university.<br/>
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Braxton didn't care much for the nickname. It was crude. However, Wendell had stayed by Braxton's side when they were boys and helped nurse him back to health during an epidemic wave of influenza that kept Braxton in bed for weeks. Therefore, as far as Braxton was concerned, Wendell could continue to call him "Bull" as much as he liked. Braxton had the right to refuse to explain it if anyone asked. Why would people ask? Outwardly, Braxton stood six feet tall and was of a lean to a medium build. His hair was of a medium brown color, trimmed so that it did not extend over his shirt collar and curly. At thirty years old, his beard grew out in an exceptionally whisp-like fashion so until such a time as that changed he would shave so as to present a neat appearance. His complexion, which might have been called 'fair', had become lightly tanned during the voyage.<br/>
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Both men had opted to wear clothing like typical sailors wore. They had proper clothing for social affairs and for their return to England packed in their trunks, but they expected to get their hands "dirty" as they searched for the mysterious island. Braxton kept his completed amulet on its chain and hidden under his shirt.<br/>
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"Truly, Wendell, old friend?" replied Braxton, inclining his head down slightly to look Wendell in the eye. "What about those rumors that your sister has been matchmaking for you? It seems a bother, but I suppose that we ought to find women to marry and each start a family in the next few years."<br/>
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"Yes, Bull," answered Wendell, "I am under some pressure by my family to wed. This expedition might be my last adventure as a free man. I'm grateful that you have invited me to join you on it."<br/>
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The taller man gently clapped his friend on the back. "Think nothing of it, my friend. I can't think of anyone else I would rather have with me on this adventure." Braxton paused briefly and then added, "I'm going to the stateroom and get ready for sleep. Don't stay up out here too late. The work truly begins tomorrow."<br/>
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With those words, Braxton headed below.<br/>
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The Bosun had also been taking his ease and standing at the railing. He nodded in agreement with the friend of his ship's benefactor. The Bosun had also sailed through storms that could make grown men cry out to God for salvation, but it was moments at sea like these he thanked The Lord for the beauty of the world. <br/>
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Now the Bosun spoke to Sir Oleander, "I ken your thinking, master. It is now indeed a beautiful night on deck. You seem to be quite good friends with the other master. I envy you. A word of warning, a life at sea means that shipmates come and go like the tide and the wind. We have friends, but true good friends are more rare."<br/>
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"Bull?" said Sir Oleander, "Yes, I would trust Bull with my life. We have supported each other often over the years." Now Sir Oleander looked toward the hatch that his friend had passed through some moments before and considered following him. He turned to go, but the Bosun got his attention with a "Begging your pardon, master…."<br/>
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"Yes, Bosun?" Oleander answered.<br/>
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"I hope that you don't mind my asking," began the Bosun, "but why do you call Master Grimsby, 'Bull'? Mayhap he be stronger than he looks? His frame doesn't appear overly sturdy or bullish. I'm sorry, Sir, mayhap I be too curious for my own good."<br/>
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Sir Oleander gave the Bosun a conspiratorial smile and said, "Before I tell you, you must swear to never mention it to a soul until Bull and myself are back in England. Do you agree?"<br/>
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"I won't be lettin' the cat out of the bag, no Sir", answered the Bosun.<br/>
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In a hushed tone, Sir Oleander said to the Bosun, "Over the years, I've seen my friend change in and out of sports uniforms when we were at school. I can call him 'Bull' because of how far down into his trouser legs he has to reach when he wishes to make water."<br/>
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The Bosun was a bit surprised at the master's remark, but then, until someone lets their guard down, you don't really know them. He supposed that some gentlemen were more like common folk than they let on. He bade the master 'goodnight' and went about his business as the other man went below decks.<br/>
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Some hours later, he knew not exactly how long he had been asleep, Braxton awoke to the sound of women singing beautifully. He was still wearing pants and shirt (he changed his clothing in the morning, staying minimally dressed in case there was an emergency aboard the ship). He sat up in his bunk to listen. Wendell also awoke and looked at him. Braxton pointed a finger upwards and Wendell nodded. The pair made their way up to the main deck.<br/>
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The stars shone brightly. They had just emerged from the hatch when a massive thing, like a section of an unbelievably large snake, crashed into the deck just aft of them. Seeking to turn away, they then beheld the head of a great sea serpent rising from the port side, sliding across to the starboard side with its body now blocking their path both fore and aft. They could not see beyond the coils that they were betwixt.<br/>
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Moments later, the ship shook and groaned as the creature began to constrict it with its coils, like an earthly snake might crush a small rodent. Braxton could hear the sound of timbers cracking. Unable to keep his footing as the ship shattered beneath his feet, he fell into the sea.<br/>
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Something, either a broken piece of the ship or something else, struck Braxton. He felt that whatever it was might have knocked his head off of his shoulders had it been any harder. Vague shapes played before his vision but not for long as his consciousness abandoned him.</span>