NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)

[TheCount]

Drumming his fingers on his shin, Hal leans an elbow on his floating knee as words with the accent of Vestfold escape his lips, "My name is Hal Wolfhound and," his eyes never leave yours, not even for a moment, "why do you look like me?"

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Hm... The Vestfold plot thicckens even more....
This will be a hilarious clusterfuck.

And probably the Odr stuff as well honestly, unless people are willing to spend Reward Dice on that.

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The more obvious obvious things which might be tripping some alarms would be the Eye-Talking where we're tacitly talking about true cultivation, or talking about Vestfold. Although it's a shame to cut those out because they're both things we'd like to learn more about, maybe making this a straight polite introduction would be safer.

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I think that if Odr is causing an issue, it's not that we're pinging Disclosure (which would be wayyyy more serious), and more that us telepathically communicating with a coded message that we're both true cultivators is causing him to put his guard up a bit, maybe? Like that's what a Yellow seems to say to me in general, it's not outright hostilities, it's more "his guard is up".

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I Agree the Odr stuff is most likely whats tripping his guard.
Sure its a great thing to meet someone who knows it and does not want to kill you on sight, but it IS a real minefield to navigate.
Not to mention the filter. Sure, eyetalking might work, but Odr stuff is still not something you talk shop with a total stranger you just met, even with a family resemblance.

Hm, he should know that we are a True Cultivator ourselves. We should have our own Spotlight Effect.

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yeah, still doesn't mean you talk with a stranger about something that can call down enemies from anywhere anytime by saying the wrong thing.

Huh, you know.

Even if the Enemy takes a swipe at us because REEE SHARING, we've got, like, two Felags here with Ironbrother tier combatants present, looking for something to fight.

This is actually a pretty good place to be if we want to swap secrets. Which means the big risk is potentially starting a fight.

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And do remember, the enemy does not need to send foeman or other minions, when it can just make it so our felags start hearing taunst that were not said or Hornbreaker hears he got the permission to crush Hal and his band.... and us, for "allying" with him to trick the king out of wetstones.

just leave the Odr stuff for next meeting.

Ask instead what he is doing here.

Also, @Imperial Fister:

"Oh? Interesting... Did any more of your memories has come back?"

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"Hey, Eric, do you remember if dad said anything about his siblings or our cousin's? Why I am asking? Because I think we just found one of them!"

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[Shard]

Hummm

I think we're probably okay on the vibe check, do we need another dice to be sure?

It might be better to leave Odr discussion as a more contingent thing than just Eyetalking it out?

 

[Alectai]

It should be okay? I know I need 3 more dice committed to make a nonet for a Big Question though.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

Ask instead what he is doing here.

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Uh...he was raiding and then waiting for us. That's really clear, actually.

 

[DangerKitty]

[X] "We're probably kinsman you idiot. How many people have Hallr Blackhand as a grandfather...ok probably alot but still."

Was said as a joke, but im votin for it.

If he doesnt have a sense of humor then oh well.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

I'd be more down with the joke if it wasn't likely to just not actually be true. He's probably Hallr's Great-Grandson, not Grandson.

 

[Shard]

I wonder if it was Seeing Eyes or Wolf Fylgja or Soul Resonance that let Hal Wolfhound spot us.

Hal probably has Hamr 7/Hugr 4/Fylgja 7+ from the looks of it.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

I wonder if it was Seeing Eyes or Wolf Fylgja or Soul Resonance that let Hal Wolfhound spot us.

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Probably resonance...I don't think he specced his Wolf Fylgja for sensory stuff (given his kenning, I think maybe he's syncretized Wolf and Hound somehow, which would be interesting) and Seeing Eyes isn't enough.

Hal probably has Hamr 7/Hugr 4/Fylgja 7+ from the looks of it.

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Nah, he's older than us and we've managed straight 7s, so I'd bet good money he has 7+ in all of them, his Fylgja is just higher. My bet is Hamr 7-9, Hugr 7, Fylgja 10. That's affordable for him given the situation, at least if we're right about Seeing Eyes. His Infusions are either more lopsided or just low in general depending on whether he's had limited Odr or just chose not to get Hugr Infusion above 3. Both are possible, depending.

Like, I agree Hugr is likely his low stat, but that still results in at least a 7 for people at his level.

 

[Simon_Jester]

I'd be more down with the joke if it wasn't likely to just not actually be true. He's probably Hallr's Great-Grandson, not Grandson.

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Ehh, grandfather/great-grandfather is close enough for it to work.

 

[ManyOne]

I don't think revealing so much about our ancestry is a swell idea.

If what we know about how kennings influences personalities is true, his kenning of Wolfhound probably makes him value loyalty quite much. And we know that Blackhand slept around a lot without really staying to raise his fathered kids. Depending on Hal's circumstances he may hold a grudge against Blackhand for "abandoning his pack" or something

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

I don't think revealing so much about our ancestry is a swell idea.

If what we know about how kennings influences personalities is true, his kenning of Wolfhound probably makes him value loyalty quite much. And we know that Blackhand slept around a lot without really staying to raise his fathered kids. Depending on Hal's circumstances he may hold a grudge against Blackhand for "abandoning his pack" or something

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Assuming this were true, do you think he'll blame us for what our grandfather did? And that lying to him or concealing that we're Blackhand's descendant will work, or be helpful if it does? I'm dubious. That'd also be, like, three generations back, so if he had abandoned anyone it would be one of Hal's grandparents. That's...not wildly grudge-inducing, I don't think

Also, that is very much not true from what we heard. Blackhand took many lovers and wasn't a faithful lover or spouse (though at least Solrun seems to have been aware of that at the time, the others may have been as well), at least not after the death of his first wife, but he seems to have actually been a significant part of almost all his kid's lives. He can talk about them and what they were like in detail including things like personality you only get when you know someone. He never stopped adventuring but he also never just abandoned his kids. Given his power and capability I'm sure material support was also provided.

Having a dad who's gone regularly isn't ideal, but he was apparently a pretty solid parent when he was there, and he didn't just go out for milk and cigarettes and never come back. It's definitely not abandonment.

 

[Shard]

I think that the fact that they named their children after him would be enough of an indication really.

 

[ManyOne]

Assuming this were true, do you think he'll blame us for what our grandfather did? And that lying to him or concealing that we're Blackhand's descendant will work, or be helpful if it does? I'm dubious. That'd also be, like, three generations back, so if he had abandoned anyone it would be one of Hal's grandparents. That's...not wildly grudge-inducing, I don't think

Also, that is very much not true from what we heard. Blackhand took many lovers and wasn't a faithful lover or spouse (though at least Solrun seems to have been aware of that at the time, the others may have been as well), at least not after the death of his first wife, but he seems to have actually been a significant part of almost all his kid's lives. He can talk about them and what they were like in detail including things like personality you only get when you know someone. He never stopped adventuring but he also never just abandoned his kids. Given his power and capability I'm sure material support was also provided.

Having a dad who's gone regularly isn't ideal, but he was apparently a pretty solid parent when he was there, and he didn't just go out for milk and cigarettes and never come back. It's definitely not abandonment.

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If my hunch is true, he won't kill us over it, but I don't think he will be fond of us.

I seem to remember something about him fathering sons and then going on his next adventure until he found his first wife and somewhat settled down. More or less in the sense that he returned to the same woman instead of a new one, I guess. Did I mix something up?

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I think that the fact that they named their children after him would be enough of an indication really.

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I read it more the way that the mother was so enamored by him that she put Blackhand on some Pedestal and continously told stories about the mysterious, awesome dad the son never met.

If he is second or third generation it might even be that he was named after the man his great-grandmother told stories about.

Still he won't kill us simply because of our ancestry. If he reveal that we still have Blackhands spirit with us I don't know what will happen.

I think the more interesting tidbit is that his kenning has similarity to the one employed by Horra. The one with Wind and Wolf or something

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

If my hunch is true, he won't kill us over it, but I don't think he will be fond of us.

I seem to remember something about him fathering sons and then going on his next adventure until he found his first wife and somewhat settled down. More or less in the sense that he returned to the same woman instead of a new one, I guess. Did I mix something up?

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I believe so. I think he did mention regretting missing some of kids childhoods while adventuring, but from context that involved going on adventures for months and then coming home, not just leaving and never coming back. He was probably gone, like, half the time while his kids were growing up (something he seems to regret)...but that means he was also there half the time and providing material support. That's not ideal behavior, but it isn't abandonment either. He knew his children.

And, as I said, even if he does have a grudge against Hallr I don't see why he'd blame us for Hallr's behavior.

Still he won't kill us simply because of our ancestry. If he reveal that we still have Blackhands spirit with us I don't know what will happen.

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The current plan doesn't involve telling him that. We'd need to know him a lot better first.

I think the more interesting tidbit is that his kenning has similarity to the one employed by Horra. The one with Wind and Wolf or something

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Wolfwind is who you're thinking of. And there could be some relationship...but also, wolves are just the sort of thing people get kennings about. We have as similar Kenning to Logi Firehair as Wolfwind and Wolfhound, and all the two of us have in common is Fire related stuff.

 

[ManyOne]

And, as I said, even if he does have a grudge against Hallr I don't see why he'd blame us for Hallr's behavior.

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Probably so. Still I'd prefer to be a bit more cautious about things until we can somewhat guess how he sees our shared ancestry.
Though he was named after Blackhand his kenning resembles nothing about fire. I don't think he particularly cares for who his great-?grandfather was.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

Probably so. Still I'd prefer to be a bit more cautious about things until we can somewhat guess how he sees our shared ancestry.
Though he was named after Blackhand his kenning resembles nothing about fire. I don't think he particularly cares for who his great-?grandfather was.

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I don't necessarily think he'll care about Hallr. He'll care we're related, though, that's culturally important in Norse society. And we sort of need to bring up Hallr as part of telling him that part.

Though, really, his kenning doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't care or even that he doesn't have fire-related stuff...our Kenning was Longstride for a while, if we'd leaned into that it wouldn't have actually made us care about Blackhand less or lack fire-related powers.

 

[Toboe]

Alternatively, he just doesn't want to use more of shapeshift slots on Fast Creation so his other Infusions are all higher but he stopped at 3 on Hugr.

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Or he didn't infuse Hugr and got the Odr the traditional way: Through a shapecrafter.

Huh, you know.

Even if the Enemy takes a swipe at us because REEE SHARING, we've got, like, two Felags here with Ironbrother tier combatants present, looking for something to fight.

This is actually a pretty good place to be if we want to swap secrets. Which means the big risk is potentially starting a fight.

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The threat is relative to the discloser.
So... Maybe?
If Halla finds her end in the war arc and Steinarr survives, Siggi would be perfect for disclosure.
This situation? Hopefully good.

 

[ManyOne]

I don't necessarily think he'll care about Hallr. He'll care we're related, though, that's culturally important in Norse society. And we sort of need to bring up Hallr as part of telling him that part.

Though, really, his kenning doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't care or even that he doesn't have fire-related stuff...our Kenning was Longstride for a while, if we'd leaned into that it wouldn't have actually made us care about Blackhand less or lack fire-related powers.

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Okay, maybe it's less about the ancestry then. Still practically sharing everything we know with someone we just met seems foolhardy to me.
Also, someone tried to pit the both of us against each other. He might be manipulated to become our enemy.

Especially if I meta this and take into account how excited the Storyteller is about this.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

Or he didn't infuse Hugr and got the Odr the traditional way: Through a shapecrafter.

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This is unlikely. We know he's an Odr cultivator, and I think the odds of any Odr cultivator Infusing their stats with Odr approach certainty. It's such an obvious thing to do once you have 'Orthtsirr, but better'.

Like, an Odr cultivator using a shapecrafter is totally possible...I'd consider it decently likely if he had Frenzy 9 that some of it was from that. But with only Frenzy 3, well, I think the likelihood he never infused anything into Hugr at all is very low indeed.

Okay, maybe it's less about the ancestry then. Still practically sharing everything we know with someone we just met seems foolhardy to me.

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We're not sharing everything? We're asking him about his family and telling him about ours. Our family is not actually a secret...Steinarr is a well known guy in the area we're from and several other places, and our family as a whole is certainly known. Like, we're not spilling any secrets about our lives here.

Also, someone tried to pit the both of us against each other. He might be manipulated to become our enemy.

Especially if I meta this and take into account how excited the Storyteller is about this.

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Did they? It sounds to me more like someone set us up to meet. And us meeting another instance of Hallr (a fairly likely scenario), or even just a peer-level Odr cultivator (the first one we've ever met we could talk to), is also gonna be pretty exciting for IF no matter what else is going on.

 

[ManyOne]

We're not sharing everything? We're asking him about his family and telling him about ours. Our family is not actually a secret...Steinarr is a well known guy in the area we're from and several other places, and our family as a whole is certainly known. Like, we're not spilling any secrets about our lives here.

Did they? It sounds to me more like someone set us up to meet. And us meeting another instance of Hallr (a fairly likely scenario), or even just a peer-level Odr cultivator (the first one we've ever met we could talk to), is also gonna be pretty exciting for IF no matter what else is going on.

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Oh, is misread the plan then. The way you explained it to me is fine then.

That someone set us up to meet is the other likely possibility, yes. But still, the town expected us to fight him off, and we get a considerable amount of trade goods out of it. Rather belligerent for someone who acts in our best interests, even if fighting could be interpreted as another form of respectful greeting in Norse society. Some caution is warranted.

Since the plan includes us feeling him out first, before we start sharing relevant things I'm fine with it though.

 

[Mystic Pentagram]

The threat is relative to the discloser.
So... Maybe?
If Halla finds her end in the war arc and Steinarr survives, Siggi would be perfect for disclosure.
This situation? Hopefully good.

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This makes me think, could we weponize the disclosure?

Like, talking abaout Odr to summon the Enemy minions and then let them and whatever we are fighting at the time destroy each other?

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

This makes me think, could we weponize the disclosure?

Like, talking abaout Odr to summon the Enemy minions and then let them and whatever we are fighting at the time destroy each other?

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It's been mentioned before as a possibility. It's definitely a last ditch one, though, as the Enemy's minions primary goal would be to kill us...maneuvering it so they go after our enemies instead is possible, but not easy or risk-free.

 

[Constenanto]

@Imperial Fister, can we tell if Punching Up would work on this guy?

 

[Mystic Pentagram]

It's been mentioned before as a possibility. It's definitely a last ditch one, though, as the Enemy's minions primary goal would be to kill us...maneuvering it so they go after our enemies instead is possible, but not easy or risk-free.

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I mean, if our enemies ear the disclosure then the Enemy would go after them too. We just have to wait until they kill or weaken each other.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

@Imperial Fister, can we tell if Punching Up would work on this guy?

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This is an excellent question. I suspect not, but I'd really like to know either way.

I mean, if our enemies ear the disclosure then the Enemy would go after them too. We just have to wait until they kill or weaken each other.

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They definitely prioritize the person doing the revealing.