It means we'd need to find another way home...we may have one, but that'd be a big issue for a lot of people. Also, we didn't actually vote to use it, I don't think...or maybe tying for second is enough? I dunno.
Oh wait, you're right, the approval vote won! I completely missed that.
Still, now we know the "credentials" are in our back pocket and have WoGM that they will resolve things, it's somewhat academic at this point. There's not really a great deal of suspense (for us in the actual Quest as it exists, not some hypothetical other person who cannot teleport home via Rewrites) in this situation at this point.
i mean, it was a valid idea.
And while the Norse do treat the gods as dear family members, but those are the Aesir, like Odin and Thor and so on...
No idea if the Vanir are treated the same, what with the elves being their descendants....
oh... i totally forgot.
"Hey, Blackhand, anything we should watch out in regards to the Vanir?"
It probably wouldn't have been the end of the world, but the issue is less being informal with a God and more being informal with someone on guard duty whose territory you're invading when you know for a fact they can kick your ass. I'm pleased we went with something a bit more careful, even if it was pretty generic.
In most academic accounts that I'm aware of, the Aesir are regarded as having conquered and then incorporated the Vanir. (Not dissimilarly to how the Olympians subdued and then intermarried with the Titans in Greek Mythology.) Indeed, the similarities between this and other mythic traditions (like the Rape of the Sabine Women, or the battle between the Devas and Asuras), is often regarded as supporting the idea of a common Proto-Indo European origin from a mythic tradition about a "war of the functions", where a priestly and a warrior class or caste merge with an agricultural class into a tripartite society after conquering them.
Tangent: One of the most interesting bits of obscure philological evidence I've seen for something like this (it's still vague and caveated!) is an argument from the irregular three-gender system in the Scandinavian languages. Nouns in Norwegian, Swedish and Danish can be masculine, feminine or neuter with corresponding conjugation. The tourist guides that I've seen usually advise you to default to the masculine when in doubt, because you will be understood even if you sound funny, and the pattern is hard to learn with a lot of exceptions.
But there's two areas where the pattern is mostly regular, at least in Norwegian: relatives and animals.
Specific relatives (Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Niece, Nephew) are masculine, female relations can also take the feminine. ("En datter" or "Ei datter".)
Abstract classes of relatives (Child, Sibling, Nibling) are neuter.
Specific animals (Horse, Goat, Snake, Wasp) are also masculine, some animals (mostly those historically common in Norway) have a separate feminine noun for the female of the species.
Abstract classes of animals (Human, Mammal, Reptile, Insect) are neuter.
To hear the philologist tell it, this looks like the wreckage of a masculine/feminine grammar crashing into an animate/inanimate grammar to leave behind something like masculine/feminine/inanimate + exceptions from unplanned merger.
...and to bring this back to a specific element of the Norse sagas that gets cast in new light if you're looking for a linguistic merger: the Aesir and the Vanir marked their truce by all spitting in a vat, then from the combined product of their mouths was made the wise man Kvasir who knew the names of all things, and he was later murdered and his blood mixed with honey to produce the Mead of Poetry.
The mead was mixed in the kettle Odrører (Odr-stirrer), and drinking it gave the gift of Odr.
I think we should reduce Shields to x9, 9 being Norse-appropriate, and subsequently:
Add IAT to Fylgja Capacity, which has two advantages:
1) This removes hand gestures from casting IAT, which is highly advantageous given how IAT works.
2) +1 Hugr Capacity.
Replace Fast Creation: Inertia-Arresting Throw with a 3Fold version, then add a 3-Fold restocking command.
We might want to look at moving one of those hand-movements-required tricks to our Fylgja Capacity, too.
This is both a good idea, and it would be extremely funny for her to go on a fifteen minute rant about how it's been fucking years and we've still been putting off going to Vestfold so we make another, shinier +5 Wood-Cutting Axe and learn Awakened Fireball Juggling.
[X] Hello brave sir God! Unfortunately an ancient sealed evil has remerged to cause havoc once more, and we've been sent on a desperate errand to speak to a hero from past ages who knows the only way to stop it. If we are unable to do so, then terrible devastation will be wreaked across our valley.
-[X] We're sure he gets this all the time, and offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience. Is there anything we could offer for the trouble, perhaps some sort of test or game we should partake to prove our resolve and our worthiness to meet with the heroes of old?
-[X] Make sure to compliment his skis as definitely the best pair of skis we've ever seen, they look very fancy indeed, we'd love any tips on skiing he has to offer. If at all possible then try our best (using all the tricks at our disposal and Odr if helpful) to get him talking about skiing. Nod along and hang on his every word, asking questions at the right moments. Please, tell us your secrets, wise skiing master.
I will vote for this only because i find the idea of Halla distracting a God by tricking him in going into a rant abaout skiing absolutely hilarious and completely in character.
I will vote for this only because i find the idea of Halla distracting a God by tricking him in going into a rant abaout skiing absolutely hilarious and completely in character.
It's pretty clear what the best course of action is and you're no fool, so you take it. Clearing your throat as best you can, you stand tall and proud as you look the all-too-handsome man in his snowflake-like eyes.
Ullr of the Yew-Skis, as he is known in some lands, stands before you as you begin to weave your tale. With a strong jaw and shoulders familiar to drawing back the heavy string of his bow, there is no doubt that Ullr is a handsome man. His golden hair trails down his back like water off a cliffside, flowing in the wind as he stays light on his feet. Despite the clear masculinity radiating off him like warmth from a hearth, you can't deny that there's something oddly feminine in his form. You can't quite put your finger on it, but it's almost as if you're looking into a mirror.
'He is of the Vanir,' Blackhand nods as your story carries on, 'of course he appears odd to the eyes of the Aesir's children just as the Aesir appear strange to the eyes of the Vanir's children.'
"And that is why I have come here, Lord Ullr," you finish your tale with a bow as Ullr watches on in silence, "to collect the how of Hasvir Hadingshero's deeds."
While for you, he makes his mind up in an instant, you get the feeling that he thought long and hard over your words as his fingers loosened on the string. Returning the arrow to the sheaf on his waist, his golden hair shakes as he nods, "Very well, then, your words bear truth and your intent is noble." Pointing a callous-ridden finger towards a trio of hills in the distance, he speaks once more, "The hall of the Van-Queen, Sessrumnir, is located beyond those hills in the field of Folkvangr. Go there and you shall find Red-Gold Cheeks, who shall show you the way to Hasvir Hadingshero. If any of my kinsmen bother your passage, tell them that I sent you with my blessing and all shall nod and turn their heads away."
Thanking him for his help, you and your party turn and continue on your way. Silence reigns supreme as you make your way across the golden plains and rolling hills, for the air here is so fresh and so divine that to speak would be to taint it with unworthy words.
Stalks of unbothered grass tickle your legs as you cross the ground far swifter than you had any right. If you had your wings of crimson flame, such a journey would be less than effortless, but you refrain from unleashing the hungry fires for fear of the heat damaging the ground. Still, the world seems eager to help you along as, in what feels like moments, you're cresting the trio of hills and laying eyes on what can only be Folkvangr.
Shining water lazily flows across a truly gargantuan field of red-gold grass. Animals of all kingdoms gather to drink in peace from the riverside shores. Wolves, elks, deer, and all manner of beasts sit in respectful silence—but none number more than the noble boar. Hundreds of thousands of boars roam the field as they trot with heads held high and polished tusks gleaming. It seems there is some truth indeed to their status as 'Van-child'.
In the middle of it all sits an upside-down ship. A bigger ship you have never seen nor have you ever heard, for the hall Sessrumnir is a ship both for sailing and for feasting. When the time comes for the banners to be unfurled, the great ship shall be overturned and its sails shall catch the wind like no other before it.
As you approach the great hall, the sounds of muffled battle can be heard echoing from the inside. The eternal war of the Einherjar is yet ongoing, it would seem, and hopefully you've arrived before Hasvir's fallen in that glorious, maddening scrum.
The door opens as a rather disgruntled-looking boar steps out to greet you. A frown seems to be permanently etched upon his bristle-bearing face as he eyes you up and down, "I greet you, travelers, and ask what business you have in Freyja's hall?"
Standing upright, you answer once more, "I am Halla Sunshine and am here seeking Hasvir Hadingshero with his grandson at my side."
The boar frowns, "You have ill luck, it would seem, for Hasvir was slain by Steinfrey not two minutes before." Turning, he opens the door wide as he invites you inside, "Come, I shall prepare a room for you four as you wait for the sunrise, unless you'd rather come back later?"
Exchanging brief glances with your companions, it seems that the decision is unanimous. Nodding, you step forward and follow the boar inside, "We accept."
"Splendid!" The boar, for the first time since you met, seems to smile—if you could call it that—as he leads you deeper in.
The inside of Sessrumnir is like nothing you've ever seen. The great ship is more like the sky itself than a ceiling as countless houses sit beneath it. Clusters of farmplot-surrounded houses dot the landscape as a great beacon of light dangles from the ship's hull. Bloodied men and women laugh as they swing weapons of the finest make and wear armor of the strongest iron. Blades and axes sing glorious tales of pride and fury as they cleave flesh from bone and relieve bodies of the burden of life.
There's not an inch of ground that isn't covered in chaos, nor is there a spot that doesn't bear the mark of war. Craters and scorch marks fill the land as the Einherjar of Freyja's hall do battle in preparation for the final day.
Despite it all, though, a ring of houses at the edge of the ship goes untouched by the fighting. Boars and cats roam about the place as they clean and repair, roaming ever-inwards as the fighting slowly gravitates towards the center.
As the boar leads you to one of the untouched—or, possibly, repaired—houses, he fills you in on some of the details, "I can't recommend going out while you wait, for an Einheri may mistake you for one of their own. As such, I will do my best to make your stay comfortable while you wait. If you have any desires, all you need to do is ask."
Opening the door to a finely-furnished house, the boar leads you inside before shutting the door with a heavy thump.
It seems you've got some time to kill. What would you like to do? You may pick up to three options.
[ ] Talk to someone
-[ ] Optional Write in
[ ] Ask the Boar for something
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Go outside, though dangerous it may be
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
AN: And there we go, update done.
No moratorium, but we'll see if there's another update in the works or not.
She's not here. We know from the Valkyrie who took Steinarr that she's in Valhalla. Talking with someone is probably right, but I'm drawing a bit of a blank on who...
I think we should reduce Shields to x9, 9 being Norse-appropriate, and subsequently:
Add IAT to Fylgja Capacity, which has two advantages:
1) This removes hand gestures from casting IAT, which is highly advantageous given how IAT works.
2) +1 Hugr Capacity.
Replace Fast Creation: Inertia-Arresting Throw with a 3Fold version, then add a 3-Fold restocking command.
We might want to look at moving one of those hand-movements-required tricks to our Fylgja Capacity, too.
The Capacity isn't worth the loss of shields, the hand thing is potentially very useful, though. I think we'd want the non-Folded version rather than Folded if we had to pick one (and, until we get another Fast, I think we do), but that's probably a solid call. The down side of not being able to spend Orthstirr on extra dice for IAT (or having to always do so, for exactly the same amount) is pretty sizeable, though. Hmmm. Maybe we need to wait for Fylgja Infusion 8 for this so we have another Fast to fill with a couple different versions...
Dad," you take a deep breath and close your eyes, "thank you for every you did for me. For encouraging me, for teaching me, for guiding my path. Without you, without the Steinarr in Halla Steinarsdottir, there would be no Halla Sunshine, no Skyfire, Owl-Eyes, or even Longstride. This trail I walk was blazed by you. Find joy in Valhalla, for I shall see you with tales to tell."
IF strongly implied that Steinarr went to Valhalla (mentioning Odin, IIRC), and Asveig is in the same place he is. If they are both here, I'd think we'd want to talk to both if possible.
@Imperial Fister do we know whether Steinarr and Asveig are here? Blackhand actually visited Steinarr, so he should know where he ended up, I think?
If we can't think of anyone to talk to maybe, but I think there's probably some vitally important info here if we can just find the right person to tell us...
If we can't think of anyone to talk to maybe, but I think there's probably some vitally important info here if we can just find the right person to tell us...
If we can't think of someone, then watching the fight gives @Imperial Fister the opportunity to bring it to our attention if there's someone here fighting who we might be interested in talking to. There's some element of risk, but it's also a good way of fishing for plot hooks.
[X] Ask Stigmar if there's anyone in his family line he'd like to consult or speak to.
We could do the same for Abjorn too, I just hesitate to bring up Family to Abjorn with all his family issues.
Hasvir is gonna talk to his hero ancestor. We talk to our 'hero' ancestor daily. Let's spread the love and let other people consult with/ be advised by/learn from their ancestors!
[X] Ask Stigmar if there's anyone in his family line he'd like to consult or speak to.
We could do the same for Abjorn too, I just hesitate to bring up Family to Abjorn with all his family issues.
Hasvir is gonna talk to his hero ancestor. We talk to our 'hero' ancestor daily. Let's spread the love and let other people consult with/ be advised by/learn from their ancestors!
I don't think family in general is a sore spot for Abjorn (his brother isn't) and we know his dad isn't here. I think we should do both. But this is a great idea, so, that in mind:
[X] Ask Stigmar and Abjorn if there's anyone in their family lines they'd like to consult or speak to.
I don't think family in general is a sore spot for Abjorn (his brother isn't) and we know his dad isn't here. I think we should do both. But this is a great idea, so, that in mind:
I just don't know if Abjorn knows his extended family that well, and I am concerned bringing up things might hurt. But yeah, there's no reason not to include him. He's a tough guy. He can deal with it even if it turns out he doesn't even know his grandfather's name or something.
[X] Ask Stigmar and Abjorn if there's anyone in their family lines they'd like to consult or speak to.
I mean, of the various options a chat with Skadi would be fun.
She seems like the goddess mostly likely to interested in Halla's "Be better at being manly than most men" thing.
[X] Talk to someone
-[X] The cold eyed woman quietly eating a table away
