Yeah, probably. Exact amount is gonna vary, but it's probably 8-9" for Halla specifically, putting Blackhand at around 5" tall and notably short even for men of the era (who are 5'7" on average). Halla's taller than most men...which puts Abjorn's size into perspective. And reaffirms my position that our children will not get insulted a whole lot as adults since they take after their Dad in terms of height.
Insulting people half again your height with a family reputation for violence is definitely a choice people can make, but it's not gonna be a real common one...
Nah. Seems unlikely. From what we can tell it closer to something like intent, mastery, or techniques than a flying weapon.
To be fair Imperial said we could summon a secondary "Ghost Weapon" which could be construted as a "flying weapon".
However flying weapons tend to be glorified flying item or talismen. In some version, like in "Threads/Forge of Destiny", they have a connection to domains but this does not appear to be the case here.
Honestly in for logistics and travel they would be very convienant but the MCs tend to learn how to fly unassited and so don't need them.
We are a Hugareida specialist, courtesy of Blackhand (he was one as well, after all). And once you hit the 'making Alloys' level, almost everyone's number of Hugareida will shoot upwards (anyone with two or three can suddenly hit 4 or 5 at that point), though admittedly not as much as ours has in the last little while (we currently have 8 counting Atgeir and Sword separately, and could go to 9 at any time using our remaining Alloy Slot).
Which is one reason I'm suggesting actually combining a couple rather than 'just' Alloying them. The others being my worry we'll never actually use the Atgeir Hugareida and my confusion over what it will do that Sword doesn't (which are obviously related).
He has a beard, it just didn't smoothly fit into the description
0~0~0
Anyways, I'm making good progress with the update... it's a long one that's really started to escape from me. I don't think I'm going to be able to complete it today, unfortunately — at least not all the way. However, there just so happens to be a point in the wedding that would be perfect to stop at.
You're still sitting there on the floor next to the brass bowl of herbs. Sagaseeker still lays across your lap with its spirit half-awake and half-asleep as it always is when combat is not at hand.
But at the same time, you sit at the top of a hill overlooking a flower-choked meadow as a large ash tree protects you from the sun's harsh rays. Laughter draws your gaze down the slope, to where a boy no older than five chases red-winged butterflies.
But the longer you look, the more things seem... not wrong, per se, just not right. Like a jar you set down just a minute ago having moved half-an-inch to the left while you weren't looking.
The boy giggles as his sharp-nailed hands clap together around one of the fluttering birds. A loud, squishing squelch sounds out across the meadow as the boy tosses the leaking, crushed butterfly into his fang-filled mouth. His hands are covered in a red liquid that you know all too well, a red liquid that he happily laps at with a hook-covered tongue.
A pair of triangular cat-like ears flick up from the boy's iron-gray hair. They twitch and swivel your way and a pair of golden, cat-like eyes swiftly follows as Sagaseeker stares directly at you.
For the record, I'd like to state right now that there's a cap on how many spiritual children I think we should create due to exactly this. We've got Sagaseeker and our thus far unnamed armor, and we'll likely want to awaken our sword and set of tools for ourselves, but I think that's as many actual awakened spirits as we want for ourselves (though one for each person we grant a gift to also seems reasonable, that's one each for Stigr and Asva so far, but one each for others is reasonable).
You can only take care of so many kids properly, after all, and we have our flesh and blood children as well.
For the record, I'd like to state right now that there's a cap on how many spiritual children I think we should create due to exactly this. We've got Sagaseeker and our thus far unnamed armor, and we'll likely want to awaken our sword and set of tools for ourselves, but I think that's as many actual awakened spirits as we want for ourselves (though one for each person we grant a gift to also seems reasonable, that's one each for Stigr and Asva so far, but one each for others is reasonable).
You can only properly take care of so many kids properly, after all, and we have our flesh and blood children as well.
Weapons and armor gain orthstirr from kills dedicated to them but how do forge tools like a hammer gain orthstirr? From kills dedicated to them? From being used to forge famous weapons?
I mean, ridiculous quality tools and them being spiritually awakened seem to be unrelated axes of power (Sagaseeker was a relatively mediocre weapon, but already awakened when we got it, Ashen Kiss is much higher quality than it was then, but unawakened). I'm all for as many awesome high quality tools as possible, I'm talking purely about limiting those whose spirits we awaken to a reasonable number, rather than everything we make. Like, I am currently not regretting our not awakening Ashen Kiss because I think that's a good outcome.
For example, I'm all for making a new Pot to up our Food Gain from that Item from 3 per turn to 7 or 8, but I wouldn't spend Odr to awaken it, y'know?
We could try, though the house is already built at this point, I think. That's probably a lot less essential than it is for forged metal items, though.
Weapons and armor gain orthstirr from kills dedicated to them but how do forge tools like a hammer gain orthstirr? From kills dedicated to them? From being used to forge famous weapons?
I mean, ridiculous quality tools and them being spiritually awakened seem to be unrelated axes of power (Sagaseeker was a relatively mediocre weapon, but already awakened when we got it, Ashen Kiss is much higher quality than it was then, but unawakened). I'm all for as many awesome high quality tools as possible, I'm talking purely about limiting those whose spirits we awaken to a reasonable number, rather than everything we make. Like, I am currently not regretting our not awakening Ashen Kiss because I think that's a good outcome.
For example, I'm all for making a new Pot to up our Food Gain from that Item from 3 per turn to 7 or 8, but I wouldn't spend Odr to awaken it, y'know?
...I would totally spend Odr on it so we get a magical spirit pot, and I would regret not having awakened Ashen Kiss (but we didn't know we had to spend Odr during the forging process).
Speaking of which, we should try using Stabilizing Palm on Sagaseeker, or maybe an expendable animal at some point. I think we'll find out something interesting.
Weapons and armor gain orthstirr from kills dedicated to them but how do forge tools like a hammer gain orthstirr? From kills dedicated to them? From being used to forge famous weapons?
...I would totally spend Odr on it so we get a magical spirit pot, and I would regret not having awakened Ashen Kiss (but we didn't know we had to spend Odr during the forging process).
I have no objection to an Awakened Pot in isolation. I have an objection to getting so many awakened items we can't keep track of them. They're people in some sense, which means they're our responsibility and we need to be careful to actually take care of all of them or set them up with good homes where they'll be cared for.
Speaking of which, we should try using Stabilizing Palm on Sagaseeker, or maybe an expendable animal at some point. I think we'll find out something interesting.
I have no objection to an Awakened Pot in isolation. I have an objection to getting so many awakened items we can't keep track of them. They're people in some sense, which means they're our responsibility and we need to be careful to actually take care of all of them or set them up with good homes where they'll be cared for.
[X] Plan Weddings And Dwarves
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something
--[X] Forged Iron Housecraft Tools for Asva (+10 successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Using bone ash from the most thematically appropriate animal we can arrange (probably a sheep?)
--[X] Spending ****2 Odr**** and burning Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (for +1 Success each, so +3 total) to enhance the crafting process
--[X] Make sure we and Sten aren't duplicating gifts
-[X] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] The Dwarves of Clan Duckling
--[X] Probably serving as a mercenary in their war against the Lurkalings
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The hills!
---[X] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[X] (Wedding) It's finally time for Asva and Jordan to get married!
--[X] (Optional Write In) Pick a wedding gift for them
--[X] The Housecraft Tools shown above
-[X] (Seeress) Learn seidr with the Seeress (Only available during Summer)
--[X] Learn a defensive spell against mental attacks and curses
--[X] Learn a spell to help avoid the effects of being underground too long (or get advice if she doesn't know them)
--[X] Get as many healing and shapecrafting spells to learn on our own as we get for one option here (something for countering magical poisons and diseases would be priority #1)
-[X] (Rolled)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Heated Shroud 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train a Farmwork Trick for knowing where to best sow fields 1d6
--[X] Train a Farmwork Trick for knowing exactly the right time to harvest things 1d6
--[X] Train 'Security' Design Skill-Trick 9d6
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Take all our standard precautions when raising our Hugr Infusion
--[X] Begin actually laying out our soulscape's land in farm plots (being careful to leave room for the buildings and not disturb our magical plants) 1d6
--[X] Try communing with Sagaseeker 1d6
--[X] Give Blackhand time to remember some combat seidr 1d6
-[X] (Drifa) Teach Drifa some of your tricks
--[X] Continue our basic combat curriculum 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks
--[X] Train Halting Vortex 1d6 x
--[X] Train Mire Ward 1d6 x
--[X] Train Slipstream 1d6 X
--[X] Train Gale Spear 1d6 x
--[X] Train Sword Guard 1d6 x
--[X] Train Sword Strike 1d6 x
-[X] (Training) Tricks
--[X] Talk to Sten about how to make a proper Helm and Sword
--[X] Train Fast Recall 1d6 x
--[X] Train Sharpen 1d6 x
--[X] Train Focus Guard 1d6 x
--[X] Train 'Alcohol' Housecraft Skill Trick 1d6 X
--[X] Train 'Stealth' Wildcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 x
--[X] Train 'Helm' Armorcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) X
--[X] Train 'Sword' Weaponcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) X
-[X] (Training) Hamr (121 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Hamr itself 1d6 x
--[X] Train Farmwork 1d6 x
--[X] Train Labor 1d6 x
--[X] Train Defend 1d6 x
--[X] Train Dodge 1d6 x
--[X] Train Shoot 1d6 X
--[X] Train Strike 1d6 X
-[X] (Training) Hugr (59 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 1d6 x
--[X] Train Artcraft 1d6 (+1 success from Sten) x
--[X] Train Design 1d6 x
--[X] Train Management 1d6 x
--[X] Train Strategy 1d6 x
-[X] (Training) Fylgja (30 success to rank up)
--[X] Train Fylgja Itself 1d6 x
--[X] Train Command 1d6 x
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 3 Orthstirr to Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 3 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 4 Bash, 4 Pierce, 4 Throw, 4 Cut, 3 Strike, 3 Shoot, 2 Farmwork, 3 Labor, 3 Overland (45 total)
--[X] **16 Odr** and 2 Orthstirr to Hugr
---[X] 5 Artcraft, 5 Armorcraft, 3 Barb-Tongue, 1 Composure, 3 Design, 6 Housecraft, 3 Management, 4 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 5 Sailing, 3 Strategy, 4 Tactics, 5 Weaponcraft, 3 Wordplay, 5 Wildcraft (58 total)
--[X] 2 Orthstirr to Fylgja
---[X] 3 Command
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 396 free for tricks
-[X] (Work Dice Usage)
--[X] Construction: Building Quality 0-5 (31 dice), Living Space 0-4 (15 Total), Storage 0-2 (3 Total), Workshop 0-4 (15 Total)
--[X] Buildings: 5 Quality, 2 Living Space, 1 Storage, 4 Workshop (12 Total)
--[X] Resources: 6 Quality, 7 Food, 7 Goods, 5 Silver (25 Total)
--[X] Livestock: 5 Quality, 4 Food, 4 Goods, 4 Silver (17 Total)
0~0~0
Slipstream is now Rough!
Alcohol Skill-Trick Acquired!
Helm Skill-Trick Acquired!
Sword Skill-Trick Acquired!
Shoot Rank Up to 2!
Strike Rank Up to 2!
New (Sowing Sight: 4) 1 Success. (Harvesting Sense: 3) 1 Success
Your vision fills with a sort of odd, light gray smoke as you stare at the empty field just waiting for seeds to be sown. Some of the smoke turns green, showing you exactly where to spread your seeds for maximum effectiveness.
You could've figured it out yourself, if given enough time. This trick just speeds things up by doing all the calculations for you. Pretty handy, all things considered. You'll have so much more time to dedicate towards... other parts of the farm...
Sighing, you clench your jaw and set to work. You'll just have to grin and bear it, as it's the price you pay for having your own land and farm.
(Sowing Sight is now Vague)
(Harvesting Sense is now Vague)
0~0~0
Rolled (Kindle Spinner: 2, 6) 2 Successes. (Firebomb Strike: 3, 3) 3 Successes. (EWC: 5, 3) 4 Successes. (Heated Shroud: 6, 6) 5 Successes. (Campfire: 3, 1) 1 Success. (Security: 6x1, 5x1, 4x4, 2x3) 5 Successes
It's a good thing that your family is blessed with a resistance to fire and flames, because if you had to stand in the summer sun with Heated Shroud active without it? Well, you'd be sweating like a pig to say the least!
Still, you've made some nice progress. Not as much progress as you might have otherwise liked, but progress is progress!
(+2 to Kindle Spinner)
(+3 to Firebomb Strike)
(+4 to EWC)
(Heated Shroud is now Refined!)
(+1 to Campfire)
(+5 to Security Skill-Trick)
0~0~0
Gains:
12 Food
17 Goods
10oz Silver
Storage Space:
70 Max
29 Used (12 Food, 17 Goods)
41 Free
Kurt, Haydis, and their daughter have returned to the Farm.
Laying out farm plots in your soulscape
Figuring out how you want all the farm plots to be positioned in your soul isn't easy, but knowing where you want it to be before you get working will sure be worth it!
(+3 Bonus Successes towards making farm plots in your soulscape)
0~0~0 Blackhand Combat Seidr
'There are a manner of different methods for utilizing seidr in combat and they typically fall under the purview of skalds.' the lesson begins with a clearing of the throat, 'Many methods are nid for non-skalds, but — like all acts of nid — they are sometimes used regardless. I will not let you fall victim to some petty sorcerer's tricks, so I shall begin by teach you methods of countering common techniques.'
"Wait," you frown as a flicker-flame of confusion sparks, "why are skalds allowed to use them, then?"
'Because, in being a skald, it is implicit that these techniques are part of their arsenal. Just as it is no shame for the warrior to wield iron, it is no shame for the skald to wield his voice.'
Blackhand snuffs the fire tongue of confusion as you nod. "It's like if you were charging an archer, you might run with your shield up and covering you, right? Rather than it being at your side and ready to strike?"
'More or less,' he coughs. 'But as I was saying, there are three main techniques that you can expect every skald to know. The first is often the most frustrating as it involves the usage of smoke to create illusions. A more advanced form of this skips the smoke entirely and simply displays the illusions directly to the viewer's imagination, which is far harder to counter.'
An idea occurs to you as you listen. "What happens if you get rid of the smoke?"
'Very astute,' you can hear the smile in his voice. 'Getting rid of the smoke is a prime method of dealing with skaldic illusions, especially those of lesser skalds that have not yet learned more esoteric methods of illusion-making. Another method is to deprive the skald of smoke-making materials in the first place. Remember, Halla, a skald's finest tool is his voice. Remove that and you've rendered the skald unable to wield his magic — though his strength of arm should also never be discounted.'
"Well," you grin as you pat the rune-carved sax on your belt, "I just so happen to have a weapon that makes removing voices a breeze!"
'I wouldn't be so sure, as you should never assume anything when dealing with skaldic combatants, but I digress,' he clears his throat as he prepares the next lesson. 'The next two techniques have very similar results but they go about achieving it in very different ways. The first technique renders weapons useless by blunting them. The second technique also renders weapons useless as it makes clothing invulnerable to damage.'
You frown. "And how am I supposed to defeat that?"
'The Sharpen trick, for one, was invented to defeat that first technique. But there is another, far more effective way.'
"And that is...?"
Blackhand smiles. 'Why, by emulating Uncle Thor, of course. Hammers lack edges to blunt, which makes them good tools for dealing with tricky opponents like skalds. However, do keep in mind that the only reason Mjolnir is effective is thanks to Thor's peerless strength. Hammers are not weapons, they will not achieve the same results as a sword or spear will.'
You commit that to memory as you run thumb and forefinger across chin and jaw. "And the second technique?"
'Aim for their mouths for in covering it, they lose their ability to use magic. The Puncture twist is also effective — if you can manage to hit them with it, that is. Skalds are rarely stupid enough to think themselves truly invulnerable and they fight as well as any man can be expected to.'
"Thank you, Blackhand, for teaching me."
'Always, Halla, and forevermore.'
0~0~0 Talking to the Seeress
"So, I was talking to Blackhand, right? About skalds." You say as you carefully balance an acorn on the back of an oaken spoon — some part of a ritual encouraging tree growth, supposedly. "And I was wondering if there are any sorts of defenses against, like, illusions projected onto my mi- Aw dammit..." You wince as the acorn clatters against the ground.
"There is no shame in failure, Halla," The Seeress clicks her tongue as she waves a finger and exerts a fraction of her will. The acorn leaps back up onto the spoon, like it had never fallen in the first place, "merely a new learning opportunity."
"Right..." you trail off as you scowl, squinting at the acorn as it wobbles to and fro. "But, as I was asking?"
"Ways to defend against 'Theater of the Mind'?" The Seeress hums as she strokes her chin. "That is a tricky question. All skalds have their little twists on their craft, which makes it difficult to make a 'one-size-fits-all' counter. Most methods I know involve harboring a spirit in your mind, which isn't the easiest of tasks for a learner of only two months. However, there is a spell I know that should do the trick, though it won't stop it from happening in the first place."
Setting the acorn-spoon combo aside, you settle in for an extended lesson. At the end of which, you find yourself in possession of a new spell, 'The Mind's Eye Blinks'. An odd name, to be sure, but apparently that's just how seidr is.
As you return to practicing, another question pops into your mind. "Hey, Seeress?"
"Yes?" The Seeress replies, her Seersight blazing in her head as she checks in on her daughter... as Kolla does whatever she does in her free time.
"I'm planning on going underground for an extended period of time, is there a spell that helps with my luck?" You don't expect to have much luck here, but anything is better tha-
"What is your orthstirr budget?" You blink at the blunt question.
"Uh, a lot?"
"We'll work with it."
By the end of that lesson, you're left with a twitching eye. That... is a lot of orthstirr being spent on a single spell. And the name, too! 'Unending Time in the Sun'? What kind of name is that?
Still, having a ball of sunlight floating around is sure to be helpful... though it might be a bit disastrous if one of your dwarven allies were to get caught in it. You suppose you'll just have to take sunlight breaks away from the group.
"Do you know any shapecrafting?" It is a bit of a longshot, but it's worth trying regardless.
The Seeress arches a brow. "I am a seeress, Halla, not a shapecrafter. My seidr knowledge lies primarily in the domains of working with spirits."
"But, you know all about other things?" You're not complaining, just confused.
She shrugs. "Shapecrafting just doesn't have the same appeal to me, a bit too gross for me."
That causes your brows to aim for the heavens. The Seeress being grossed out by something? That's... "Really? What about the cow fetuses?"
"I... I don't do very well when I have to see peoples' insides, alright?!" She snaps, a deep scowl on her face.
Oh man, it's like being scolded by Asveig... "I'm sorry?" You try, but she waves it off.
"It's fine." It's not fine, but... "Now, I can't teach you shapecrafting, but I can show you a few healing spells."
Well, if that's the best you're going to get, then that's what you're going to get!
(7 spells added to low seidr list)
0~0~0 Sten talk + Forging tools for Asva (Hugr (Housecraft): 6x3, 5x2, 4x2, 3x4, 2x1, 1x2-2)15+10(Tools+Workshop)+3(Aspects)+4(Forgefire)=32 Successes, Upgraded to Wondrous
"Oh, so that's how you do it!" You scoff as you finally get the sword right, Sten smiling with pride.
"You're a quick study, Halla, you picked it up faster than I did." While there's the barest hints of jealousy in Sten's eyes, it's completely overshadowed by the fierce burn of radiating pride. You think nothing of it, after all if somebody came along and...
Huh, there's... there's not really anything you do that could be comparable, is there? After all, while you're good at all sorts of things like... like fighting and hugareida-work, you suppose, but neither of those are really the same as being a master craftsman, are they?
There's nothing you truly*excel at, not like Sten with his forge, Eric with his boat-making, or even Asva with her weaving. You can't surpass Sten's sheer dedication to the finest details. You can't make a ship that's able to sing across the waves like Eric can. Asva even made your wedding dress, dammit! How are you supposed to compete with that?
'You have my sympathies,' Blackhand speaks, though you wish to just wallow in your misery. 'I was the youngest child and the least of them all... I know your pain.'
Yeah, but... But Blackhand's Hallr Fucking Blackhand! That's different!
'The only true difference to be found between you and I is in who is speaking at the time.'
You don't have a response to that.
"So," Sten unknowingly picks up the slack, thank the Gods, "what are you making for Asva? I saw you add some ash to the mix earlier, and I have to say that my curiosity has been piqued."
"Oh, just a set of seamstress tools," you shrug, trailing off as you hammer out a small imperfection in the shears. It's not much, but... well, maybe she'll like it?
"She'll love it." Sten nods like he's an authority on Asva. "And I bet you used sheep bone ash, eh?"
You blink, a light flush falling over your cheeks. "I don't like mutton that much."
Sten laughs hard enough for his hammer to slip from his fingers, bounce off the anvil, and strike him right between the eyes — which only makes him laugh harder. "N-nothing about that," he waves it off as he speaks in between wheezing gasps. "I was, was just thinking about the best ash that'd be most accessible to you, I promise!"
"Right, right..." Take Sten out of the forge and he's a stoic weirdo, but put him in it and he's, well, he's like a young Steinarr... before Asveig died. "I used sheep bone ash, but it doesn't seem to have helped any. Did I do it wrong or something?"
"Did you expect it to?" He arches a brow, a light snort leaving his nose.
"Well, yeah?"
"Ah, that would explain it," he taps the hot iron on your anvil, not caring about how freakish it makes him look. "Bone ash adds special properties to the product, it doesn't improve the overall quality."
"Ah..." you squint at the needles you swapped over to. "So, what will these do?"
"Triple her work speed, at least," Sten says as casually as ever, like it was a mere comment towards there being clouds in the sky.
"Triple?!" Maybe you need to figure out what kind of bone ash works with blacksmithing tools...
"Probably, though it does depend on the breed of sheep and the quality of feed and what kind of-" He blinks, realizing that he was rambling. "Well, suffice to say that it's going to help her a lot."
That's a lot of variables... "Well, what are you making?"
Sten grins. "I'm making a wedding crown for Asva, as you've got Asveig's."
You wince, a little embarrassed. "Asva should've gotten it, she's older than I am, and was Asveig's favorite, to boot."
"'Asveig's favorite'?" Sten doesn't think that, does he?
"You weren't there for it." You wave him off, but Sten's as relentlessly stubborn you are. A simple wave doesn't stop you and neither does it stop him.
"You're right, I wasn't," he readily admits that. You squint, what's his angle? "But I came home a father to a daughter as rambunctious as you. A daughter I wish would aim just a little bit higher in spars," he grimaces and Blackhand winces.
"Okay...?"
"Anyways," he shakes his head, clearing it of whatever painful memories clouding it, "Asveig is, well, was the kind of person that, if you were more of a domestic sort, would become."
You scoff. "Me? Like Asveig?"
"You'd be surprised," Sten shrugs. "Do you remember the manure incident?"
"Vaguely, yeah. Why?"
"Well, this was after that, when dad went away to Jurgdby for the war against the Jarldom of Astringby. Asveig had just finished putting you, Asva, and Eric to sleep and was just starting in on me when those seven men came back..."
"Then what happened?" You whisper, fearing the worst.
"I don't really remember, to be honest," Sten scratches at his beard as you scowl. "All I remember was a flash of light, men screaming, the flapping of a wing, and then I was asleep. The next morning, Asveig was making breakfast — with honey-drizzled bacon, my favorite — and there were no signs of battle nor did I ever find the bodies. When I asked her about it, she acted like it was a dream I had... Mom isn- wasn't a very good liar, you know?"
You don't know what to say to that, your thoughts are a little too full of cloudy, vaguely-defined thoughts to really speak in anything more than vague, semi-responses.
0~0~0
The sun is shining high in the sky and Asva is resplendent in her finery. A crown of gold in the shape of flower-covered antlers sits high on her head — a perfect fit. She's decked out in jewelry as her silver thread-covered, red silk cape trails behind her as Steinarr walks her to where the Jarl of Jurgdby waits.
Jarl Erikaer Corpsemaker, Steelfather of the Kyrsvikingar, has returned to officiate another wedding involving a daughter of Steinarr and boy does it have the gossip-hawks in a tizzy. His Masked Men stand in a protective semi-circle around their father — not that he needs it as a Steelfather.
Blackhand's not happy, but that's par for the course when there's a Steelfather in the area. And you don't blame him, not one bit. After all, while you and Abjorn were consummating your relationship, Corpsemaker took the Godsdamned high seat.
A power play to remind everyone who thought that a union between the children of two Varangian Guardsmen would be able to challenge his authority. What the fuck is up with that family and insane power plays?!
You only found out about it just a few hours ago, when Steinarr warned you to not do anything if it happens again. Your teeth grind together as that familiar fucking invisible spotlight seems to shine all over him. His mere presence is a Godsdamned fucking power play! He's stealing attention from Asva, on her special fucking day!
Why must you just let a man as arrogant as fucking Corpsemaker walk all over your father, all over your sister? Why can't you just draw Ravenfeast and carve his fucking eyes out, just like with those Godsdamned Hunnic bastards?! Why is-
'Because he is a Steelfather, Halla, and, as much as you and I both hate it, you are not ready to take on a Steelfather.' RNG: 99. Holy shit, do you know how close that was?
It's then that Jordan enters the scene, ancestral sword in hand and Halfdan the Dane only a half-step behind.
There's an odd sort of tension between Halfdan and Steinarr, which does make sense. But even though both harbor some level of minor animosity, a lightning flash agreement passes between their eyes. There would be no fighting on this day, lest the fool face the wrath of three Varangian Guardsmen... which apparently Halfdan also was.
While Halfdan is perhaps not as skillful a warrior as Steinarr nor does he possess as much raw firepower as Vidar, he is still a former member of the storied Varangian Guard. Once, he was in the service of the Great King of Miklagard. Once, he fought alongside Steinarr and Vidar and Torsten — though perhaps not in the same unit or in the same battles.
As the fathers step away from their children and the ceremony commences in proper, you find yourself standing next to Steinarr as you try your best to ignore the presence of that fucking bastard. However, in doing so, you find yourself noticing something that you probably should've noticed a long time ago.
Asva's hair is black.
Every single other member of your extensive family has red hair, the exact same shade as yours. So why is Asva's different?
One theory presents itself, but it's a theory you can't bear to think about. You and Asveig may not have gotten along, but... but she loved Steinarr, Godsdammit! She'd never betray him like... like that!
However... what other explanation is there? Sten and Eric were both born before Asva and their hair is as fiery as yours. Asva couldn't have been from an earlier marriage, she's too young!
Steinarr is right next to you...
No.
No that is nothing other than an utterly awful idea. You're not going to ask Steinarr during the Godsdamned ceremony?! That's just insane!
You're obviously not doing it in the middle of the ceremony.
But... will you have the nerve to ask Steinarr about Asva later?
[ ] Yes, yes you will
[ ] No, no you won't
0~0~0
AN: Man, lots of funky things in this update and Halla also gets to swear like a sailor!
Anyways, no moratorium.
edit: fixed invisitext error and also just a weird thing, whoops.
