"I assume that the troll ate them, but I summoned spirits of the forge to carry the message to you. And yes, they were summoned with my 'Finnish Wizardry'."
so based on this i decided to write another finnish spell
tule tuli, kanna kipinä
viestihini vaarahasta,
tietoni tuhosta
väelleni väkevälle
siskolleni sanaisalle
jottei tappo tulisi
taatolleni taidokkaalle
isolleni isoimmalle
nouse tuuli nouse tuli
viepi viesti vaarahasta
jotten suruta sukuasi
vanhuuta väkeäsi
sillä tiedän suuren suvun
siki sukusi suurimman
emosi on Ilman Impi
taivaan tytär, ukon oma
Isosi on kultakirves
taivaan tuli, ukon isku
veljesi on vesi ja vaski
toinen olit syntyessä
toinen kolmest kauniista
Taidan suuren syntysi
eipä taida kaikki miehet
lapset taikka naiset
ehkä tietää valkoparrat
niinpä tiedän minäkin
viepi viima viestini
tuli taio tahtoni
jotten suruta sukuasi
etten suo surua suurta
emollesi, isollesi
veljillesi, väellesi
in essence the spell implores fire to carry the message or else the warlock will tell the fire's family what a naughty boy it has been.
I wonder how different religious sect(ie protestants) might cultivate. say, if a Christian Frank cultivator becomes Protestant will his cultivation be effected?
also interesting how other religions cultivate- how do Muslims and Jewish cultivate?
I wonder how different religious sect(ie protestants) might cultivate. say, if a Christian Frank cultivator becomes Protestant will his cultivation be effected?
also interesting how other religions cultivate- how do Muslims and Jewish cultivate?
Well, protestants belive in predestination. So for them rather than "earning" their power their special destiny is gradualy "revealed" to them.
There was a pretty long discussion abaout Jewish Cultivation back during the Horra arc, when many trought that Horra might have included foreign styles of Cultivation in his powerset.
Muslim Cultivation is a pretty strange idea for me, since Cultivation is an inherently mystical practice and the main sects of Islam have few religious rites and are strongly against mysticism. Sufism (Islamic mysticism) has always been persecuted by the authorities and it's an esoteric practice, wich means that access to its secrets was restricted to very few.
We know that Saracen Cultivators exist, but i can't imagine what their Cultivation style might be. Especialy because "Saracen" was a term used to label all corsairs who sailed the Mediterranean sea in this period, most of them were Muslim, but there is historical accounts of Christians and Jews in the crews.
I think cultures that believe in predestination/divine will/etc (or possibly are simply sufficiently organized) basically get auto-soulscape progression but have no say in how their soulscape is constructed. This makes it easy and straightforward to advance in internal cultivation but also means you can't customize your soulscape or whatnot. On the upside you can't fuck up your soulscape and kill yourself. Norse believe your fate is your own till your Fated Day, so you get to choose your soulscape, which unfortunately also means lotsa ways to accidentally gib yourself.
Muslim Cultivation is a pretty strange idea for me, since Cultivation is an inherently mystical practice and the main sects of Islam have few religious rites and are strongly against mysticism.
Well, Cultivation is based on spiritual enlightenment and the acquisition of supernatural powers, and the ultimate goal of a Cultivator is always some kind of immortality or ascension to a higher plane of existence.
Cultivation almost always includes esotericism, that is, keeping occult secrets out of the hands of the uninitiated and concentrating them in a small circle of chosen.
Well, Cultivation is based on spiritual enlightenment and the acquisition of supernatural powers, and the ultimate goal of a Cultivator is always some kind of immortality or ascension to a higher plane of existence.
Cultivation almost always includes esotericism, that is, keeping occult secrets out of the hands of the uninitiated and concentrating them in a small circle of chosen.
I'm not sure either of these are always true by any means. Imperial Cultivation, as practiced by the Byzantines, seems almost wholly secular and doesn't seem to fundamentally require a lot of secrets. Both of these statements are true of Norse Cultivation specifically, but I think it's inaccurate to think they are always true of all Cultivation systems.
Islamic Cultivation could easily be based on something more straightforward and less mystical, and indeed be fairly codified and well known among the populace. The Islamic world was very advanced scientifically in this era, their 'cultivation science' being likewise advanced, with a well documented road to power, would make some sense.
Of course, 'Islamic Cultivation', like 'Christian Cultivation' is likely to be a misnomer, with different parts of the Islamic world actually practicing somewhat different styles of cultivation that are, when examined, as much secular as religious (just like Carolingians in that regard), but then the Carolingian system seems pretty well codified and, while they keep secrets from outsiders like us, seems to have a largely straightforward path to power.
Of course, 'Islamic Cultivation', like 'Christian Cultivation' is likely to be a misnomer, with different parts of the Islamic world actually practicing somewhat different styles of cultivation that are, when examined, as much secular as religious (just like Carolingians in that regard), but then the Carolingian system seems pretty well codified and, while they keep secrets from outsiders like us, seems to have a largely straightforward path to power.
definitely agree, but I wonder how Islamic cultures would differ from christians in general. and furthermore, how members of the same culture but different religion(say, Egyptian Christians) would cultivate
definitely agree, but I wonder how Islamic cultures would differ from christians in general. and furthermore, how members of the same culture but different religion(say, Egyptian Christians) would cultivate
It's a good question. I suspect that 'people of the book' in Islamic areas could cultivate using the prevailing system, but at something of a disadvantage (mimicking their general legal status), and might or might not have separate cultivation options depending on how much their differences were cultural as well as religious (there'd definitely be Jewish Cultivation, as that has always been a separate culture in many ways...I don't know enough about Egyptian Christians in the era to say), and pagans would definitely have entirely separate cultivation systems from the mainstream one (again, if they have enough of a separate culture to support such a thing, which some would, but others might not).
definitely agree, but I wonder how Islamic cultures would differ from christians in general. and furthermore, how members of the same culture but different religion(say, Egyptian Christians) would cultivate
Poor choice of example. Egyptian Christians at this time are a different culture, being the native Copts of Egypt, who got invaded and subjugated by Islamic imperialists.
Specifically, the Rashidun Caliphate, which died shortly after and was replaced by the Umayyad Caliphate, which in turn collapsed after a while and left behind numerous splinter states. Its main successor was the Abbasid Caliphate now ruling Egypt at the present time of NorseQuest. Very much a "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" situation. The Abbasids are due to get conquered in turn by the Seljuk Turks shortly.
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on Nov 10, 2023 at 6:46 PM, finished with 64 posts and 16 votes.
[X] How is fighting Slavic cultivators different from fighting Norsemen? Are they better at bursting out all their power, better endurance, more magic or less? What are the differences?
[X] Please, tell me more of the Slavs and their strange ways. What is this "Vodka" I hear tell of? Is it true that the "tracksuit" functions for Slavic cultivators similar to the Knightly Armour of the Franks?
Poor choice of example. Egyptian Christians at this time are a different culture, being the native Copts of Egypt, who got invaded and subjugated by Islamic imperialists.
Specifically, the Rashidun Caliphate, which died shortly after and was replaced by the Umayyad Caliphate, which in turn collapsed after a while and left behind numerous splinter states. Its main successor was the Abbasid Caliphate now ruling Egypt at the present time of NorseQuest. Very much a "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" situation. The Abbasids are due to get conquered in turn by the Seljuk Turks shortly.
My math is 10 on the Hugr, so 16 total before modifiers. Probably doesn't make a difference, as I don't think we had a relevant +3 successes without Odr.
My math is 10 on the Hugr, so 16 total before modifiers. Probably doesn't make a difference, as I don't think we had a relevant +3 successes without Odr.
[X] How is fighting Slavic cultivators different from fighting Norsemen? Are they better at bursting out all their power, better endurance, more magic or less? What are the differences?
[X] How do they interact with Perfect effects, in particular?
[X] Are there different types of Slavic cultivators and if so what are the differences?
[X] What powers their cultivation, as Orthstirr does for ours?
[X] What is dealing with them like, are they honorable in their own way, and if so how does their honor differ from ours?
0~0~0
As Haggar reels back in the line—a wriggling, flopping fish on the carved bone hook—you find yourself with a plethora of questions to ask the older man. "Hey, Haggar, you're, what, thirty-five?"
"Thirty-seven," he grunts, detaching the fish and dumping it into a stump-carved bucket before casting out the line once more.
"You've fought the Slavs a lot, yeah?"
"I have, yes," he peers into the calm water with narrowed eyes. Drawing his sax, he reaches over and cleaves away a portion of meat from the now-dead fish in the bucket at his side. Tearing the meat into thin strips, he underhands a handful into the waters near his hook and settles in to wait.
"How do they fight?" You ask as he blows a breath through thinned lips. "Like, how is fighting them different than, say, a Norseman or a Christian?"
"Well," he begins, eyes flicking towards the southern horizon as if he could see the Slavic coast from here, "they are careful and cautious, but extremely cunning. Some may call them cowardly," he shrugs and wiggles his hands before him, "and perhaps that's true, but they care little for our opinions of their methods. Tell me," he waves a hand at the nearby coast, "what do you see?"
Brows furrowing at the odd question, you turn and do as he asks, "There's... lots of water, some reeds, mud, and a few bits of driftwood here and there?" You trail off as Haggar sets to chuckling.
He prods the air with a thick, stumpy finger as a wry grin spreads across his rough, leathery face, "There could be anywhere from a small handful to an entire warband hiding beneath the waters, in the reeds, or under the mud." A single chuckled grunt passes his lips as he turns back to his fishing, "And you'd never have known, not until it was too late. They'd wait until the right moment, burst out from where they lurk, slay a dozen men," he scoops up a palmful of dirt and lets it fall through his fingers, "and then disappear like smoke on the wind—all within a handful of heartbeats."
You frown as you consider his words, your mind playing out the events as described. "It's not easy fighting them, is it?"
"Not in the slightest," he shakes his head as a fish takes the bait and he starts carefully pulling it in. "They're clever and willing to make sacrifices if it means victory, or even just to deny the enemy." With a sharp yank, he flings the fish clear of the waters and onto his lap, where a he begins cleaning it on the spot. "Once, when I was younger, I was part of a force sent to drive out some Slavic raiders who'd ravaged a few coastal villages. We met the Slavs at a tree line and had them outnumbered three-to-one. Laden down with loot," he turns to you, curiosity shining in his eyes, "what do you think they did?"
"They..." You frown, thinking it over, "they probably abandoned the loot to escape with their lives, right?"
"That they did," he casts the line out once again, nodding all the while. "The men, ignoring the words of their elders, ran forward to get at the left-behind booty," he sighs and shakes his head, clicking his tongue against his teeth, "and so were completely unprepared for the Slavs to come back and casually cut them down, thus evening the odds and making a sure fight uncertain."
"Clever," you snort as you file that tactic away for potential later use. "How do perfects play into their fighting style? Like, do they have some way to get around them or...?"
"You won't have time to use a perfect defense if you're ambushed by them," Haggar says as he flubs the cast. A light scowl creases his face as he reels it back in to try again, "By the time you're in a position to react, they're probably pulling away or even already gone. In a proper fight," he tilts his head to the side, "it depends on what kind of faces they've got available to 'em, I guess."
"Faces?" Your head mirrors his as curiosity sparks.
"Got magical, spectral faces they can call upon to do things. More faces means a stronger Slav, with each face correlating to some kinda aspect." Haggar shrugs and scratches at his bearded cheek, "I reckon that if a Slav had a face of, I dunno, piercing or something, they'd be able to punch through a perfect."
"Speaking of cultivation," you latch onto the opportunity to ask another set of questions, "what powers their cultivation? Are they like us with orthstirr or are they like the Christians with their faith? Are there different types of Slavic cultivators?"
"I..." Haggar trails off, perplexed face twisting in squinting confusion, "I'm not really sure? I only know what I've seen on the battlefield and, if there are different kinds of Slavic cultivators, they're not known to me. Sometimes they yell about how their ancestors will honor them, but that's about it."
"Darn," you frown and sigh, running a hand across the back of your neck. "Well, how do they act? Obviously, they're not as honorable as us, but do they have their own kind of moral code or something?"
Haggar plucks a final fish from the water as he nods, "They're extremely hospitable. I've never had a better time in a foreign land than when I once visited Pomerania for trade. Fine food and pleasant company. In peace, they are fair and honorable, but in war they bare their teeth and sharpen their blades." As the fish stop biting and he puts away his equipment, he pauses to roll up a sleeve to show off a wicked, blackened scar marring his bicep. "Poison is a common sight on Slavic battlefields. This wound," he taps the long-healed injury, "was given to me by an arrow slathered in some kind of mushroom juice, if my memory doesn't fail me."
You hum to yourself as Haggar bids you goodbye, leaving you alone with your thoughts. Eyeing the reed-filled bank with a grimace, you shudder and shake your head.
As you leave, though, you could almost swear you saw the gleam of eyes beneath the waves.
0~0~0 Talking to Heima Smiles (Silver-Tongue: 16+1(Friendly)) 17 Successes
Heima Smiles' ever-bare teeth shine with a polished hue as he cleans them religiously. Three times a day, every morning, noon, and night he takes his odd, many-bristled brush to them with an eager delight. Leaning over the side of the ship, he spits a mouthful of cleaning paste into the waves below as he dunks his brush into a small cup of water at his side.
"So, Heima," you begin as you recline on the low railing, "I've been wondering how, exactly, you do your," you wave your hand in his general direction, "whole teleportation thing?"
He stares at you for a long, drawn-out heartbeat, empty eyes doing nothing but stare the whole while as his body refuses to make even the slightest twitch. "It is the martial style of my bloodline."
"Well, um," you purse your lips as you shuffle a few more inches away, "I was wondering how it works? Exactly?"
He keeps staring, "I apologize, but I will not tell you that."
"Why not?"
"I appreciate your presence, but there is a possibility that we could one day be enemies. In case that day were ever to pass, I would like to keep my abilities secret." Empty eyes stare past your body as he nods. "I hope you understand, but it matters not."
"I..." You frown, "Well, I guess that's a fair enough reason..."
He nods and takes a step the side, the conversation ending with his movement.
0~0~0 Talking to Gunne Warstalker
As Gunne Warstalker crosses training swords with his eldest son, Gudbrand, you find yourself watching closely from the sidelines as a strange, inky blackness seems to leak from around the borders of the blade. Tapping into your spiritual senses for but a moment, you feel how the sword splits the air and Gunne's strength rushes in to fill the gaps. Though the ink seems mostly harmless as it splashes against Gudbrand's skin, you get the sense that it wouldn't be the case for anyone else.
The light spar ends with a deft flick of the wrist, a sword sent flying, and Gunne's hand darting out to catch his son before he falls. As Gunne lifts Gudbrand to his feet and dusts his shoulders clean, you feel his eyes slide towards you with curiosity half-cut with suspicion. Patting his son on the shoulder, he hands his sword off to Gudbrand as he turns towards you.
"Enjoy the show?" Gunne asks, eyes darker than a moonless night sky as his taller, lankier son carries off the training blades.
You nod and lean against a nearby tree, the waves lapping at the coast just barely visible from the ridge upon which you've set up shop for a moment. "You're a fine warrior, and your son shows promise."
Gunne snorts and plants his hands on his hips, "Come to butter us up, eh?"
"More just seeing what your future plans are, what you intend to do in Asvir."
"Well, Gudbrand," Gunne nods towards his son, "is in need of both a wife and glory. For the men of the Hading, there'll be plenty opportunity for both in the coming years."
"A fair enough reason," you nod respectively. "But, and forgive my curiosity, but where are you lodging?"
Gunne narrows his eyes and folds his arms, "With the Hersir, why do you ask?"
You wave his concerns off, "Just idle curiosity, nothing more than that."
He eyes you for a long time, not entirely believing you, "Right... Well, is there anything else you want?"
You shake your head and push away from the tree, "Nope, I've asked all I came to ask."
"Well alright, then." Gunne nods and turns back to his son
0~0~0 Talking to Skavidr Skatasson
"Hey, Halla!" The youthfully energetic voice of Skavidr Skatasson draws your attention to the side as he jogs up next to you. "How're things going?"
Skavidr is a young man with big, round eyes that seem to stare at the world in an oh-so-innocent fashion. This, of course, is something he's well aware of and regularly uses to his advantages—as a game of dice eventually revealed one smoky evening.
"They're going as fine as can be expected," you reply as you squint down at Asgeirr gnawing on a piece of scrap iron by your feet—his bronze teeth needing to be filed down every once in a while.
"Nice, nice," Skavidr nods as he rubs his hands together. "Well, I actually have something to ask you, if you'd be willing to hear it."
You arch a brow, "What've you got in mind?"
"Well," his face lights up in a broad, eager grin, "I heard that you were looking for potential huskarls and wanted to offer my services! You're an up-and-coming leader and I want to get on your good side, you see."
You eye him for a long while before nodding, slowly, "Right, well, I'll think it over and get back to you once I've made a decision, yeah?"
"Yeah!" Skavidr nods before bouncing off back to the ship.
There's something weird with him, that much is certain. Is it the kind of weirdness you want at your side? Well, on that you're not so certain.
0~0~0
"Hail, sea-farers!" A young voice cries from a tree-topped cliffside as you sail towards a secluded harbor—the place you've been told your kin resides, "What brings you to Svarthondsholl?"
Cupping your hands around your mouth, you plant a foot on the railing and call out, "I am Halla Sunshine, daughter of Steinarr Freedfire, and I come seeking kinsmen!"
Silence reigns for a long while before a second, older voice responds, "What proof have you of these claims?"
"The hair upon my head, the color in my eyes, and the fire of my blood!" You let your aspects flare to their fullest extent. Iron climbs your brow as ash-blackened feathers unfurl from your shoulders as crimson fire erupts around your body.
"Your evidence is well-received, young lady!" The older voice says again as the cliff face sprouts into a massive hand of rock and stone. A single finger extends to the left, pointing you in the right direction.
As you keep sailing, the shadow of rocky hands accompanies you all the way and keeps you on the right course. Dodging hidden reefs and dangerous shallows, you find yourself soon in the safe embrace of a hidden harbor at the mouth of a hidden valley.
As you come to a stop on the beach, you're met by a tall, older man with flecks of gray peaking out from behind his oh-so-familiar red hair. Eyes of steel meet your own as a smile splits his face in two. From behind him comes a horde of people that look just like him... And you.
"I am Hall Waters-Watcher and I bid you welcome to Svarthondsholl!" Hall spreads his arms wide as he greets you.
What would you like to do? You'll have two more actions after this one
[ ] Meet with the leaders and tell them of... Steinarr's passing...
[ ] Seek out some merchants
[ ] Wander the streets of Svarthondsholl, see what there is to find
[ ] Perhaps you can spar with some of your kinsmen?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
AN: Not much to say here other then that I'm eager to see your theories on Slavic cultivation ;P
Ooof, Slavic Cultivators look like a real Problem to fight against, but at least Halla's well suited to match wits, and our scouting ability isn't to be trifled with either.
[X] Meet with the leaders and tell them of... Steinarr's passing...
There's no way anything but meeting and telling them about Steinnar doesn't win this one. But I definitely wanna spar with kinsmen before the end of this.
