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NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)

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Constenanto said:
Also, we really lucked out on Abjorn. He's a great guy. Couldn't have picked a better spouse. Hopefully our future husbands/wives are as good as Abjorn - I imagine the thread wouldn't settle for any less anyway.
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There were a couple other options for spouses, though I don't think any of them would mesh as well as Abjorn does with Halla. Stigandr for one, Gabriel for another. Another option is actually coming up soon, potentially
 
Omegahugger said:
... Let me just say what we're all thinking:

In a theoretical "Christian Xianxia Quest", Halla and Abjorn would make for an amazing villanous powercouple.
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The beast and the bewitcher?
Question is, do they survive Halla to get tempted by Abjorn? 🤔

[X] Use it all! (Uses all Reserve Orthstirr, not including stokables or Sagaseeker's reservoir)

Don't forget, for women, it's not enough to succeed, we need to excel.

@Imperial Fister do we use the amount we invest now through all the tests or just for one?
 
Imperial Fister said:
Stigandr for one, Gabriel for another. Another option is actually coming up soon, potentially
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Stigandr never struck me as husband material. He always seemed like the guy that'd be your friend forever.

After the Gabriel interlude, I suppose I can see it happening. Or at least, how Gabriel could've developed feelings for Halla. Not sure how Halla would've developed feelings for him.
 
Constenanto said:
Stigandr never struck me as husband material. He always seemed like the guy that'd be your friend forever.

After the Gabriel interlude, I suppose I can see it happening. Or at least, how Gabriel could've developed feelings for Halla. Not sure how Halla would've developed feelings for him.
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In Norse society, feelings typically come after the wedding. Couples 'make it work', as it were.

You are absolutely right, though.
 
Imperial Fister said:
In Norse society, feelings typically come after the wedding. Couples 'make it work', as it were.

You are absolutely right, though.
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Fair enough. I forgot that marriages were more oftenly used as a way to secure alliances and whatnot between families, rather than individuals marrying out of love. Just makes the fact that we got married to Abjorn all the more sweeter.
 
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Interlude - Abjorn I
  • Sidestory
    • Halla smelled like ash and fresh cut wood. It was a distinct smell, the kind of smell that sticks out in a crowd. The kind of smell that grabbed you by the scruff of the neck and never let go.

    It was a good smell, one he wished he could smell more often.

    Snow crunched beneath his boots, sending sparkles of ice-smelling joy into the air as he moved deeper into the woods. But it wasn't just his feet drawing ice into the air, no, there was a second set behind him. A set belonging to someone who thought they were being sneaky.

    Someone who smelled of ash and fresh-cut wood.

    A smile curled up Abjorn Vidsson's face as he curled his fingers into fists. He'd forgotten the axe, but why use an axe when you can impress someone with your hands?

    Approaching the biggest tree he could find — it smelled of pine and wisdom — he placed his hand on the bark and waited, tasting the air for his follower's presence. When the time was right, when the air told him that she was watching, he struck.

    Calling upon his orthstirr, the well of power within his soul, he drew his arm back, curled his hand into a fist radiating with power, and threw it forward, body and soul behind the punch. Knuckles met wood and shattered through to the other side.

    The tree groaned and cracks raced up the bark as it staggered to the side. Abjorn turned with it, eyes darting to the left. He had to see her face, to see her reaction.

    For a moment, he forgot all about the tree. About impressing her.

    All he saw was Halla, the woman he was sworn to protect with all his heart and soul. He breathed deeply, swallowing a lungful of air. It tasted of ash, fresh-cut wood, and fear.

    He frowned. Fear?

    The tree cracked as it lurched forward and down with blistering speed. It sped through the air, falling towards Halla. Towards her.

    No.

    No it wouldn't.

    It nearly killed him. It nearly broke him in two. But he caught it.

    And what happened after made it all worth it.

    Halla smelled like ash and fresh-cut wood, but her breath tasted like mutton.

    0~0~0

    AN: And now I begin work on the absolute chonker of an interlude; Steinarr and Sten's Very Fun Trip
     
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  • Sidestory
    • [X] Use it all! (Uses all Reserve Orthstirr, not including stokables or Sagaseeker's reservoir)
     
    Constenanto said:
    After reading this interlude, I would be VERY surprised if Abjorn's fylgja is not a dog.
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    Wolves are just as focused on scent and bears are actually much more so (black bears have a sense of many times more acute than any dog...like, a lot of the estimates I'm seeing are 100s of times as acute).

    So I don't feel like him being scent-focused actually narrows his fylgja down that much. Him being protective has always made Hound pretty likely (I do think it's the single most likely option), but we already knew that part and this interlude doesn't change it much.
     
    DeadmanwalkingXI said:
    Wolves are just as focused on scent and bears are actually much more so (black bears have a sense of many times more acute than any dog...like, a lot of the estimates I'm seeing are 100s of times as acute).
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    Eh, when I think scent, I'm going to think Hound first, even if there are undoubtedly animals out there that are better. Not to mention that I'm not basing it on his scent-stuff alone, but also his protective nature. Wolf doesn't really fit, given what we've seen of him, and while Bear is certainly plausible I believe that Dog is more likely.
     
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    [X] Use it all! (Uses all Reserve Orthstirr, not including stokables or Sagaseeker's reservoir)
    -[X] (Optional) I don't think you heard me correctly. When I say 'use it all' I mean USE. IT. ALL. (Use every last drop you've got)
     
    Constenanto said:
    Eh, when I think scent, I'm going to think Hound first, even if there are undoubtedly animals out there that are better. Not to mention that I'm not basing it on his scent-stuff alone, but also his protective nature. Wolf doesn't really fit, given what we've seen him, and while Bear is certainly plausible I believe that Dog is more likely.
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    Oh, agreed (I'd peg Hound as most likely, Bear as second, and Wolf a distant third), I just don't feel like the interlude changed that calculus at all because we already knew about the protectiveness, with only the strong focus on scent being new information in terms of fylgja. Like, I do think Hound is most likely, but I don't think that interlude showed anything that made it more so.
     
    Imperial Fister said:
    A smile curled up Abjorn Vidsson's face as he curled his fingers into fists. He'd forgotten the axe, but why use an axe when you can impress someone with your hands?

    Approaching the biggest tree he could find — it smelled of pine and wisdom — he placed his hand on the bark and waited, tasting the air for his follower's presence. When the time was right, when the air told him that she was watching, he struck.
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    Sounds like he was already very aware of which way the wind in Halla's sails was blowing. Not surprising considering Halla is ... not very subtle.
     
    Omegahugger said:
    In a theoretical "Christian Xianxia Quest", Halla and Abjorn would make for an amazing villanous powercouple.
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    You know, I do actually have a theoretical 'Christain Xianxia Quest' spin-off/sequel in mind for when I eventually need a break from writing Norse shenanigans. A theoretical Halla and Abjorn encounter would likely entail surviving rather than fighting them in any real capacity.
     
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    Imperial Fister said:
    You know, I do actually have a theoretical 'Christain Xianxia Quest' spin-off/sequel in mind for when I eventually need a break from writing Norse shenanigans. A theoretical Halla and Abjorn encounter would likely entail surviving rather than fighting them in any real capacity.
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    That checks out.

    I can also definitely see persuading them to leave as a valid option in that scenario. If out raiding, rather than dealing with a matter of honor, then they are almost certainly susceptible to bribery. Bribing Vikings to go away is well supported historically, after all.
     
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