[X] Plan And Back Home
-[X] Asvir (3 Days, 15% chance of Bad Luck)
-[X] Talk to a Crewmember (1)
--[X] Trygve Ironoath
--[X] Get to know him and sound him out about his future plans with an eye towards potential recruitment if that's possible
--[X] Use social Tricks as needed to help with this (Goal Tell is likely the most immediately useful)
-[X] Talk to a Crewmember (2)
--[X] Magni Little-Rock
--[X] Also get to know him and sound him out about his future plans with an eye towards potential recruitment if that's possible
--[X] Again, use social Tricks as needed to help with this (Goal Tell is likely the most immediately useful)
-[X] Talk to a Crewmember (3)
--[X] Skavidr Skatasson
--[X] Talk with him and try and get information out of him in regards to who he might be working for.
--[X] Depending on how the conversation goes, we will likely also give him technically true answers about why we're not recruiting him ('it goes against the advice of a spirit I trust' after getting Blackhand to advise us against it, for example) or may confront him with having spotted him reporting on us (chalking it up to luck, mostly) and demand to know what's going on with that
--[X] Set up Raven's Unriddling in advance, and use Goal Tell spending **3 Odr** to hopefully increase the amount of info given, use Frenzy if we can, and use our other social Tricks as needed and useful (particularly Lie Sense), and adding up to **6 Odr** to the social roll involved
-[X] Note: We will take the time to actually recruit Hakon and Alvis, plus anyone from this turn's attempts who seems promising.
-[X] Nighttime: Spend all nights
--[X] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale)
--[X] Reassign all 8 shapeshift slots to Improved Attractiveness for these rolls.
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Create an improved Armory Pocket to store Emberguard in – 1 Research
--[X] Invite all new huskarls to the communal sparring – 1 Research
---[X] This is done on the final day and includes Hakon, Alvis, and anyone from this turn's options who we actually recruit
-[X] (Training) Fylga (506 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Fylgja itself 186 xp (93xp)
-[X] (Shapeshifting Slots)
--[X] Unassign Improved Liver and one instance of Adrenaline Rush, assign Reduced Sleep x2
-[X] (Standing Orders)
--[X] Add a Standing Order for our Fylgja to use the Cool Off Trick on us whenever we feel a flash of intense, sudden, anger.
--[X] Meditate and practice on the parent Style of Time Stands Still. Our goal is to develop a core movement enhancement technique to serve as a foundation for the rest of the Style, similar to how Stoked Dice function for Stoker State. Using our extensive practice with breathing exercises and our recent experience watching Careful-Stepper, we will work out how to use our carefully rationed breath and integrate "hops" of Stopped Time into our ordinary movements and attacks, making us faster and much more difficult to predict as we appear to stutter in and out of time. – 1 Research and 1 Reward Die courtesy of [@Skippy](https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/members/166/)
0~0~0
No Rank Ups this turn
Research
0~0~0 Armory Pocket Expansion
Improving the armory pocket in your soulscape is no mean feat. It's not difficult, per se, as it is simply time consuming. Like an overindulging cousin in a feast, the pocket quaffs drink and swills booze like no tomorrow.
Eventually, though, you manage to expand it enough to store your armor within. With a flexing of will, Emberguard appears and disappears around your body in an instant. One moment gone, the next there, and the following gone again.
0~0~0 Inviting Huskarls to Sparring
Hakon, Alvis, Trygve, and Magni are all a little confused when you talk about sparring, but quickly come around to the idea when you list all the benefits.
You imagine that they'll grow as quickly as the rest of your men, once they get up and running.
0~0~0
Development
0~0~0 Stopping at Landowners' Homes (Silver-Tongue: 25+2(Reward Dice), 11, 9)
After stopping off at one of Banquet-Ronald's many farms, you find yourself stuffed to the brim with fine food, delicious drink, and rampant rumors.
According to the manager of the land—a hardy fellow by the name of Hroggnir Whittling—a rather large salt deposit was recently unearthed in Jutland, attracting much in the way of attention. Given how close Jutland is to Agder—what with it being just across the water—the price of salt may have just seen a rather sharp decline.
0~0~0 Talking to Trygve Ironoath
Trygve Ironoath is a man of average height yet built as solid as your own home. Like the stony pillars that defy the ocean's might, Trygve moves with an unshaking certainty that he will continue to exist.
Trygve, like most of your people, enjoys swilling drink with friends and family. But, unlike many of them, he rarely ever overindulges in life's excess. Where other men stagger awake with skull-splitting headaches and mouths drier than any desert, Trygve merely rises with the dawn and sets to the day's tasks. Which, after a night of Banquet-Ronald's hospitality, is exactly what you find him doing.
A wood axe adorns his shoulder as he drags a fallen tree over grass and green. Leaving a furrow of crushed grass and displaced dirt, he marches towards the land manager's home without a hint of regret in his stone-gray gaze for the night previous' festivities.
He offers a nod your way as you slip in to help. Hefting the end of the log dragging against the ground, you rest it on your shoulder as you and Trygve take it to the splitting stump. Swapping the axe for a maul, he starts to split the wood as you feed him yet more logs.
Eventually, you have enough of the silence preying upon your mind and break it over your knee with a huff, "So, Trygve," the stoic man lifts a brow as you call his name, "What're your plans for the future?"
His lips curl into a shallow frown as he thinks, "I'm not sure anymore. I was going to inherit my father's farm, but my older brother returned and put a stop to that."
"So," you mirror his frown, "he just left you out on your own or something?"
Trygve grimaces as the maul slips as he swings, cleaving away bark but biting no wood, "No, well, he and I have a rocky relationship, to say the least on the matter. While I could work for him..." Trygve sighs and hangs his head, "I'd rather not subject myself to his will."
Nodding at that, you offer a hand on his shoulder, "Well, if you'd like to have a place of work, my farm is open to you."
"Really?" Trygve blinks as you so bluntly speak your mind, "I'm not complaining, to be clear, just... Surprised, is all."
A shrug lifts your shoulders, "I'm just that kind of person, I suppose. But," a chuckle leaves your lips, "what do you think of my offer?"
He sucks in a breath through his teeth as he runs a hand down his face. It doesn't take long for him to find his resolve, though, and for the light of the future to burn in his gaze as he offers his hand to you, "I accept your offer in full."
Grinning, you slap palms together and welcome him into your household.
(Trygve Ironoath is now a Huskarl, providing 6d6 Work Dice)
0~0~0 Talking to Magni Little-Rock
Magni Little-Rock is a younger man of little renown, but despite the youthful light in his eyes he towers over almost all others in the crew. Only his fellow giants-blooded beat him out in sheer size. With spear, axe, and shield in his hands and a shirt of thick cloth on his body, he would have quite the rather imposing presence if not for his clear inexperience in most things to do with life. He fought bravely when called, though, and that's all you can really ask of a man.
"I've seen you talking to some of the others," Magni Little-Rock is, despite his large size, well aware of the things that go on around him, "so I guess it's my turn?"
You snort and have a seat on the log next to him, the dying cinders of the feasting bonfire flickering before you, "Got it in one." Running hands through your hair, you yawn and work your mouth, "What are your plans for the future?"
Magni takes no time at all in answering that, "I'm looking for a good employer to work for. I'd like to build up more of a reputation, if at all possible, and having a good employer will help with that."
Your smile broadens as your ears perk up, "Well, it just so happens that I'm looking for employees."
"If that's an offer," Magni holds out his hand, "then I'm in."
"Good to have you," you shake hands and seal the deal.
(Magni Little-Rock is now a Huskarl. He gives 3d6 Work Dice)
0~0~0 Talking to Skavidr (33 Successes)
Skavidr looks up as you take a seat across the hearth table from him, "Oh, hey boss! What's on your mind?" He grins, clearly thinking you're planning on recruiting him.
Alas, for him, you've got other things in mind. With him being a spy, there's not much that would get you to willing invite the bastard into your house. In fact, you'd very much like to just kill him and toss his corpse overboard!
Regardless, he's more useful alive than dead. This way, you can feed false information to whoever Skavidr's master is and potentially get information yourself.
How do you wish to handle this?
[ ] Write in
(The dice have been prerolled here, but what information you get and how you get it is up to you)
0~0~0
AN: Blegh, keep getting distracted with stuff. I probably need a bit of a break, all things considered
No moratorium, but this'll probably be the only update today.
Guess there is a storm on discord already, but i am not gonna stay up much longer...
ideas for questions:
whats your plans for the future?
where are you from? (this was a good one suggested earlier the day here)
I saw you talking to yourself one night.... (nuclear option, but it is an option)
i am planning to go to Vestfold in the near future... do you want to come? (risky, imo, what with just a letter getting swordfury prepped for us)
why did you came and offer to join my households?
why shouldn't i kill you? (another nuclear one, i do not recommend it. also, ew, too edgy)
Words come hard for me today, apparently. This is my best attempt:
[X] Begin by just asking him more about his life and his reasons for coming to the Hading and what he expects out of working with us, using our various lie detection stuff and Odr-boosted Goal Tell to see what he's being truthful about in his answers. Depending on how he reacts to these questions and what his answers are, either turn him down with a carefully worded non-lie about spiritual advice (specifically, get Blackhand's advice on what to do with Skavidr and say that a family spirit does not advise hiring him), or tell him we, by luck, caught him spying on us and demand answers.
Well, we've been sounding them out and some had other plans. But of people actually from the Hading who are still on the ship and not otherwise spoken for, I believe we've talked to literally everyone other than Svend Sulsson.
Well, we've been sounding them out and some had other plans. But of people actually from the Hading who are still on the ship and not otherwise spoken for, I believe we've talked to literally everyone other than Svend Sulsson.
The reasoning is that it doesn't actually reveal anything beyond that we know he's a spy. Nothing about our plans, capabilities, or anything, not even our suspicions on who sent him, and it lets us push a lot harder for info. Now, revealing that isn't nothing, but it's not really damaging either.
There absolutely is. Ask Blackhand whether he thinks we should recruit him. When Blackhand says 'No, of course not.' inform Skavidr that a family spirit advised against recruiting him.
Like, we need to explain it somehow, but it doesn't have to be a lie per se.
There absolutely is. Ask Blackhand whether he thinks we should recruit him. When Blackhand says 'No, of course not.' inform Skavidr that a family spirit advised against recruiting him.
Like, we need to explain it somehow, but it doesn't have to be a lie per se.
Could you modify your write in to include that caveat, then? He might have his own methods to try and dig out how Halla figured him out, and using Blackhand as an excuse seems a good call
Could you modify your write in to include that caveat, then? He might have his own methods to try and dig out how Halla figured him out, and using Blackhand as an excuse seems a good call
[X] Begin by just asking him more about his life and his reasons for coming to the Hading and what he expects out of working with us, using our various lie detection stuff and Odr-boosted Goal Tell to see what he's being truthful about in his answers. Depending on how he reacts to these questions and what his answers are, either turn him down with a carefully worded non-lie about spiritual advice (specifically, get Blackhand's advice on what to do with Skavidr and say that a family spirit does not advise hiring him), or tell him we, by luck, caught him spying on us and demand answers.
Well, depends on what you mean by 'to work'. We don't need them to max out the Food Production, but we can certainly use the extra Work Dice on construction projects and similar stuff, to say nothing of Halla's own weird projects. Housing them is a little trickier, but the extra dice let us get them housed fairly quickly all things considered.
The bigger issue is feeding them, but it's solvable with an additional cooking pot. We do need to make one this coming turn though, no matter what else we do (without it, we are losing 1 Food a turn from our stockpile...we can afford that for a turn, but it needs to change quick).
There absolutely is. Ask Blackhand whether he thinks we should recruit him. When Blackhand says 'No, of course not.' inform Skavidr that a family spirit advised against recruiting him.
Maybe, but that happens after the conversation, and I'd rather stick more strictly to the truth anyway. Mentioning Blackhand advising against it is a lot further from a lie than mention of omens is.
I'd vote to set the tone of the conversation by hanging him upside-down above a slow fire before we begin, except there's decent odds that he works for Corpsemaker's faction rather than Drysalt's and it could make things awkward later.
[X] Begin by just asking him more about his life and his reasons for coming to the Hading and what he expects out of working with us, using our various lie detection stuff and Odr-boosted Goal Tell to see what he's being truthful about in his answers. Depending on how he reacts to these questions and what his answers are, either turn him down with a carefully worded non-lie about spiritual advice (specifically, get Blackhand's advice on what to do with Skavidr and say that a family spirit does not advise hiring him), or tell him we, by luck, caught him spying on us and demand answers.
I don't feel like going through the rigamarole. I'd rather just spring things on him and see how he reacts. I feel like springing the heat immediately is a hilarious way to go about this, I wanna see him go from 'aha my turn yeah?' Thinking he is sly, to "Oh fuck I fucked up"
[X] Just tell him the (partial) truth right away. We saw him reporting to someone when we went out, and we cannot trust him. Set the tone immediately and see what excuses he can come up with, while fueling our lie detection and goal reading stuff to see where he lies and when. Proceed to call him out on every lie we detect, and metaphorically rake him over the coals.
I don't feel like going through the rigamarole. I'd rather just spring things on him and see how he reacts. I feel like springing the heat immediately is a hilarious way to go about this, I wanna see him go from 'aha my turn yeah?' Thinking he is sly, to "Oh fuck I fucked up"
Seeing what he wants and says before he knows we caught him is really valuable in terms of information gathering. The shock should be just as big if we do the reveal mid conversation, IMO, so I'm not seeing the benefit of spilling the beans right off the bat even in terms of fun.