When the Black Death Came to Celtic Atlantis (Abrittus)

The inhabitants of Avalum on the Easternmost point of Nova Hibernia - and the Easternmost point of Atlantis, but that was not yet known to them - expected the ship of the new Frisian Hanse, which was due in May and would bring iron for the local blacksmith, some glassware they had ordererd (new eyeglasses for some of the Celtic monks, a new still for a farmer, who wanted to move from uisca beata subsistence production to selling it to the entire village), some chemical substances for the apothecary and a couple of barrels of Hispanic red wine and a new novice for the Celtic monastery. In exchange, the ship would take mutton cheese, salted fish and whale oil back to Europe. The arrival of a ship was always an exciting event in the village, whose other foreign contacts were limited to Beothuk fur and Caribu meat traders and guests from other Celtic settlements on Nova Hibernia and the Atlantic mainland. When the Frisian shopowners` younger son had spotted the white sails on the horizon and shouted "Ship! Ship!", three dozen villagers - about a third of the village`s population - gathered at the quay to greet the arrival.

But they were not in the slightest prepared for what they would see and hear on this twelfth of May in 1031. The ship was full of unknown people, and they brought terrible news. A disease had struck Europe! It had come from Asia, and millions had already died. Besides the ship`s crew, there were 34 refugees from the British Isles, which the plague had not yet reached. on board.

After the negotiated goods and other news were exchanged, the Frisian crew set sail for Greenland again - and Avalumians and newcomers were left to sort out what to do now.

///to be continued///