- Pronouns
- He/Him
Random Note: If we need to make a Silver-Tongue roll with Hasvir, we will spend the maximum of 6 Odr on it. Because yeah.
NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)
- Thread starter I.F. Ister
- Start date
- Original Fantasy Action
-
- Tags
- norse mythology (mythology) original xianxia cultivation western cultivation ask sirihand did your mother tell you anything? discussion pleases yggdrasil farming gloating gets people killed granary management hubris is a coward's word you will die norsemen do not die when they are killed the qm has a bad memory the qm is bad at math viking courtroom drama (legal drama) vikings
Once we get sword stepping, you think we can try and alloy it with stutter step? Another possibility is trying to use stutter step for a 'move and attack' trick, where we stutter step into an attack, utilising stutter step to surprise/step through defenses
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
Hey Halla/Blackhand:
1) What do you think about dressing up your Fylgja fashionably?
2) So putting tricks in your Fylgja lets you just execute the trick without any hand motions or like, right? Does this also apply to (Stitch) Seidr, letting you simply output a spell without any motion?
3) What personality are Ravens associated with?
IF:
Reward Dice Qs:
1) At what point in Hugr Infusion should we fear Undesirable Side Effects (tm)?
1) What do you think about dressing up your Fylgja fashionably?
2) So putting tricks in your Fylgja lets you just execute the trick without any hand motions or like, right? Does this also apply to (Stitch) Seidr, letting you simply output a spell without any motion?
3) What personality are Ravens associated with?
IF:
Reward Dice Qs:
1) At what point in Hugr Infusion should we fear Undesirable Side Effects (tm)?
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Sure!
Yes
Intelligent and perceptive, with a dash of greed and cunning.
9 is safe, 10 is not.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Interesting. Would it cost Reward Dice to know whether the same is true for Hamr and Fylgja?
Also, side note, but I think you missed this post.
Winter 11/Turn 3
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Plan Folkvangr We Are Coming
-[X] [Social] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] Hasvir Horrasson
--[X] Recruit him to go to Folkvangr and speak to his grandfather with us so as to gain information to stop Drysalt. We will note that Drysalt has human contacts and this should be kept a secret from everyone lest it get back to him...Hasvir is smart and used to secrets.
-[X] [Travel] Go To Folkvangr
--[X] Taking with us Hasvir Horrasson and possibly a couple of others (probably just Stigmar, and Abjorn if he wants, though other family members who know the Drysalt situation are possible)...we're not telling anyone who doesn't already know about the Drysalt thing or our destination other than Hasvir.
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (1)
--[X] Dusty Iron Sword for Magni (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (2)
--[X] Molten Iron Sword for Alvis (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (3)
--[X] Storm Iron Sword for Ingolf (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (4)
--[X] Dusty Iron Sword for Kurt (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The hills!
---[X] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[X] Special Note: On all Crafting add the following if possible unless otherwise specified:
--[X] For metal items have Heat Hold available just in case
--[X] Using Sundersight (+1d3 Successes)
--[X] Use wolf bone ash on all swords
--[X] Use the three Experiences we've found lead to a boost in courage on all swords
--[X] Add a copy of Crowfeeder's runes to each, along with a copy of the speed-increasing runes we used on Sagaseeker.
--[X] Burning Frami, Virthing, and Saemd, along with 1 Odr (for+1 Success each, +4 successes total) to enhance the crafting process on each sword, splitting the successes between crafting and runes (2 each)
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Continue our reciprocal Slavic/Norse studies – 4 Research
---[X] Make sure our Slavic retainers are not having any specific troubles
--[X] Continue adding animals to our soulscape to make a working ecosystem, focusing more on wild animals this time – 1 Research
--[X] Act on our revelation in regards to Sword Stepping and figure out how to actually do it – 1 Research
--[X] With Sten's help, see if we can figure out what the effects of Nordic Armor would be if we offered a portion of Orthstirr gained while using it as a sacrifice (specifically on Odin-dedicated armor if we need to pick) – 1 Research
---[X] The idea here is to get an idea of what they would do, possibly using divination if needed to do so, not actually try and make this work right now, just get a better idea of what it _would_ do.
--[X] With Sten's help, examine our Bolt Thrower again with an eye to figuring out how to reproduce it...right before the season ends, try using a Rewrite to gain the necessary insight to do so – 1 Research
--[X] Right before the season ends and they Refresh, try and use a Rewrite to Alloy Puncture and Sharpen to allow for Puncture to apply automatically to Sharpen attacks without removing the ability to apply it to other attacks by paying – 1 Research
-[X] (Training) Hamr (511 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train the Sword Stepping Martial Style 3xp
-[X] (Training) Hugr (183 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 184xp (92xp)
-[X] (Work Dice Usage)
--[X] Buildings, Resources, and Livestock: 6Living Space, 1 Storage, otherwise maxed out (72 Total)
--[X] Crafting: Create 1 Grand Mail Shirt for Dorri's Deal, 5 Grand Mail-Necked Helms for Retainers (including one for a Giant-Blooded, Magni), 13 Superior Gambesons (for us, Abjorn, and the remaining retainers, plus one for Jordan, Eric, Drifa, and Halfdan), and a Grand Forged Iron Plow, Scythe, Work Knife, Wood Axe, and Pot forAsva and Jordan, and another set of all five of those for Halfdan, along with a Grand Set of Tools for him as well (150 Total),
--[X] Conversion: Spend for 8 Research Dice (16 Total)
-[X] (Incidentals)
--[X] Infuse **8 Odr** into Composure
--[X] Adding Taafl Board Capacity Gains to: Eyvor, Asgeirr,
--[X] Receiving Metal from Dwarves: 48 oz Forged Iron, 12 oz Dusty Iron
-[X] (Capacity Slots)
--[X] Assign Identify Concept and Fireside Barrage.
-[X] (Alloy Slots)
--[X] Use the new slot for our experimental Alloy
-[X] [Social] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] Hasvir Horrasson
--[X] Recruit him to go to Folkvangr and speak to his grandfather with us so as to gain information to stop Drysalt. We will note that Drysalt has human contacts and this should be kept a secret from everyone lest it get back to him...Hasvir is smart and used to secrets.
-[X] [Travel] Go To Folkvangr
--[X] Taking with us Hasvir Horrasson and possibly a couple of others (probably just Stigmar, and Abjorn if he wants, though other family members who know the Drysalt situation are possible)...we're not telling anyone who doesn't already know about the Drysalt thing or our destination other than Hasvir.
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (1)
--[X] Dusty Iron Sword for Magni (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (2)
--[X] Molten Iron Sword for Alvis (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (3)
--[X] Storm Iron Sword for Ingolf (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (4)
--[X] Dusty Iron Sword for Kurt (+17 successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The hills!
---[X] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[X] Special Note: On all Crafting add the following if possible unless otherwise specified:
--[X] For metal items have Heat Hold available just in case
--[X] Using Sundersight (+1d3 Successes)
--[X] Use wolf bone ash on all swords
--[X] Use the three Experiences we've found lead to a boost in courage on all swords
--[X] Add a copy of Crowfeeder's runes to each, along with a copy of the speed-increasing runes we used on Sagaseeker.
--[X] Burning Frami, Virthing, and Saemd, along with 1 Odr (for+1 Success each, +4 successes total) to enhance the crafting process on each sword, splitting the successes between crafting and runes (2 each)
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Continue our reciprocal Slavic/Norse studies – 4 Research
---[X] Make sure our Slavic retainers are not having any specific troubles
--[X] Continue adding animals to our soulscape to make a working ecosystem, focusing more on wild animals this time – 1 Research
--[X] Act on our revelation in regards to Sword Stepping and figure out how to actually do it – 1 Research
--[X] With Sten's help, see if we can figure out what the effects of Nordic Armor would be if we offered a portion of Orthstirr gained while using it as a sacrifice (specifically on Odin-dedicated armor if we need to pick) – 1 Research
---[X] The idea here is to get an idea of what they would do, possibly using divination if needed to do so, not actually try and make this work right now, just get a better idea of what it _would_ do.
--[X] With Sten's help, examine our Bolt Thrower again with an eye to figuring out how to reproduce it...right before the season ends, try using a Rewrite to gain the necessary insight to do so – 1 Research
--[X] Right before the season ends and they Refresh, try and use a Rewrite to Alloy Puncture and Sharpen to allow for Puncture to apply automatically to Sharpen attacks without removing the ability to apply it to other attacks by paying – 1 Research
-[X] (Training) Hamr (511 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train the Sword Stepping Martial Style 3xp
-[X] (Training) Hugr (183 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 184xp (92xp)
-[X] (Work Dice Usage)
--[X] Buildings, Resources, and Livestock: 6Living Space, 1 Storage, otherwise maxed out (72 Total)
--[X] Crafting: Create 1 Grand Mail Shirt for Dorri's Deal, 5 Grand Mail-Necked Helms for Retainers (including one for a Giant-Blooded, Magni), 13 Superior Gambesons (for us, Abjorn, and the remaining retainers, plus one for Jordan, Eric, Drifa, and Halfdan), and a Grand Forged Iron Plow, Scythe, Work Knife, Wood Axe, and Pot forAsva and Jordan, and another set of all five of those for Halfdan, along with a Grand Set of Tools for him as well (150 Total),
--[X] Conversion: Spend for 8 Research Dice (16 Total)
-[X] (Incidentals)
--[X] Infuse **8 Odr** into Composure
--[X] Adding Taafl Board Capacity Gains to: Eyvor, Asgeirr,
--[X] Receiving Metal from Dwarves: 48 oz Forged Iron, 12 oz Dusty Iron
-[X] (Capacity Slots)
--[X] Assign Identify Concept and Fireside Barrage.
-[X] (Alloy Slots)
--[X] Use the new slot for our experimental Alloy
Sword-Stepping
0~0~0
Amongst the swirling snowflakes of a field covered in a blanket of cold white, you breathe deep of the lungs-chilling air as your eyes close to darkness. In through the nostrils, out through the mouth. Over and over again you repeat this breathing pattern as you struggle to master your ever-working thoughts.
For the briefest of moments, your mind settles like an ocean at calm before the storm. For a heart's flickering beat, a whisper caresses the edge of your ear.
A set of triplets that stood since the very beginning of it all. The three that make up each and every thing both living and not and all that exist in between. A trio called Cause, Action, and Effect.
For the briefest of moments, your mind settles like an ocean at calm before the storm. For a heart's flickering beat, a whisper caresses the edge of your ear. For less time than a mind has to think, that eternal trio becomes one.
One line, there isn't.
The next, there is.
Where once was nothing but endless white now stands, from start to finish, the entire sword swing in all its untold glory. In a single, infinitely short length of time,Burning Caress decided intent, moved to strike, and left the mark of the crescent moon upon the snow.
And then the spell leaves and you collapse like a discarded rag doll. Limbs bereft of strength have no chance to stop your nor your sword's descent to the ground. The cold kiss of snow caresses your cheek as all you can do is breathe.
In and out. Over and over again. Until you regain your strength.
(3 out of ??? Progress to learning Vistage: Sword-Stepping!)
0~0~0
Amongst the swirling snowflakes of a field covered in a blanket of cold white, you breathe deep of the lungs-chilling air as your eyes close to darkness. In through the nostrils, out through the mouth. Over and over again you repeat this breathing pattern as you struggle to master your ever-working thoughts.
For the briefest of moments, your mind settles like an ocean at calm before the storm. For a heart's flickering beat, a whisper caresses the edge of your ear.
A set of triplets that stood since the very beginning of it all. The three that make up each and every thing both living and not and all that exist in between. A trio called Cause, Action, and Effect.
For the briefest of moments, your mind settles like an ocean at calm before the storm. For a heart's flickering beat, a whisper caresses the edge of your ear. For less time than a mind has to think, that eternal trio becomes one.
One line, there isn't.
The next, there is.
Where once was nothing but endless white now stands, from start to finish, the entire sword swing in all its untold glory. In a single, infinitely short length of time,
And then the spell leaves and you collapse like a discarded rag doll. Limbs bereft of strength have no chance to stop your nor your sword's descent to the ground. The cold kiss of snow caresses your cheek as all you can do is breathe.
In and out. Over and over again. Until you regain your strength.
(3 out of ??? Progress to learning Vistage: Sword-Stepping!)
Research
0~0~0
Slav Stuff
You progress with your studies and teaching of Slavic and Norse, respectively.
None of your Slavic retainers seem to have much in the way of troubles, though the young girl, Lata, was last seen gazing wistfully in the direction of one of your huscarls—a certain Stigmar, to be specific.
0~0~0
--[X] Continue adding animals to our soulscape to make a working ecosystem, focusing more on wild animals this time – 1 Research
0~0~0
Sword Stepping
~Detailed Above~
0~0~0
Odin Armor possible effects
Together with Sten, you comb through all the stories you know of the Allfather. In doing so, you collect a list of possible ways armor of Odin could strengthen you.
-Frenzy?
-Shapeshifting?
-Riddling?
-Magic? Seidr and/or Skaldic?
-Trickery?
-Intelligence and/or wisdom?
-General combat? What would that even look like?
0~0~0
Examining Bolt Thrower
"It seems to have some kind of locking mechanism," Sten points out as he draws the cord back, a sharp click signaling as it's locked in place.
"Yeah, there's a lever on the bottom," you prod a finger at said lever, "that you pull to loose."
Sten does exactly that, the bolt thrower jumping in his hands as his brows shoot high on his head. "Very interesting," he mutters as he gropes around for a roll of sheepskin. Unfurling it across a table, he calls a piece of charcoal to his hand with a flick of the wrist before starting in on a sketch, "This seems simple enough, I reckon I can make one just like it if you give me a few weeks."
0~0~0
Rewrite Puncture + Sharpen
Hey everyone, IF here. While this idea of yours would work, it wouldn't be very fun for me as the QM so I'm going to have to veto it. I'll refund you the research as compensation.
0~0~0
Development
0~0~0
Making Stuff. I decided to just call it Wondrous because I got tired of waiting
Wondrous Dusty Iron Sword for Magni
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Molten Iron Sword for Alvis
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Storm Iron Sword for Ingolf
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Dusty Iron Sword for Kurt
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
0~0~0
Slav Stuff
You progress with your studies and teaching of Slavic and Norse, respectively.
None of your Slavic retainers seem to have much in the way of troubles, though the young girl, Lata, was last seen gazing wistfully in the direction of one of your huscarls—a certain Stigmar, to be specific.
0~0~0
--[X] Continue adding animals to our soulscape to make a working ecosystem, focusing more on wild animals this time – 1 Research
0~0~0
Sword Stepping
~Detailed Above~
0~0~0
Odin Armor possible effects
Together with Sten, you comb through all the stories you know of the Allfather. In doing so, you collect a list of possible ways armor of Odin could strengthen you.
-Frenzy?
-Shapeshifting?
-Riddling?
-Magic? Seidr and/or Skaldic?
-Trickery?
-Intelligence and/or wisdom?
-General combat? What would that even look like?
0~0~0
Examining Bolt Thrower
"It seems to have some kind of locking mechanism," Sten points out as he draws the cord back, a sharp click signaling as it's locked in place.
"Yeah, there's a lever on the bottom," you prod a finger at said lever, "that you pull to loose."
Sten does exactly that, the bolt thrower jumping in his hands as his brows shoot high on his head. "Very interesting," he mutters as he gropes around for a roll of sheepskin. Unfurling it across a table, he calls a piece of charcoal to his hand with a flick of the wrist before starting in on a sketch, "This seems simple enough, I reckon I can make one just like it if you give me a few weeks."
0~0~0
Rewrite Puncture + Sharpen
Hey everyone, IF here. While this idea of yours would work, it wouldn't be very fun for me as the QM so I'm going to have to veto it. I'll refund you the research as compensation.
0~0~0
Development
0~0~0
Making Stuff. I decided to just call it Wondrous because I got tired of waiting
Wondrous Dusty Iron Sword for Magni
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Molten Iron Sword for Alvis
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Storm Iron Sword for Ingolf
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Wondrous Dusty Iron Sword for Kurt
-Courage boosting experience
-Crowfeeder's runes
-speed increasing runes
Inviting Hasvir Horrasson along
The road to Hasvishus—the new name of Hasvir's farm after he claimed it from his father—is long and not well travelled. Bushes muster at the edges and roots snake across the ground. Shoots of grass poke up from the earth as you avoid trampling any could-be divine flowers. It would be a pain to ruin your relationship with the Hading when you're relying on her help to get you to Folkvangr, after all.
With Abjorn and Stigmar your only companions, you lead the long way to Hasvishus. Stigmar isn't all that thrilled to be back here, if the way his hand lingers on his sword is anything to go off of. Abjorn, on the other hand, is quite a bit more at ease to be walking into a once-foe's camp.
"You know," Stigmar speaks up, eager to break the tension slowly filling the air, "I've been thinking about getting married."
Silence reigns for far too long.
"Wait, what?" You pause and tilt your head his way as he awkwardly shuffles on the spot.
"Well, I mean," he shrugs as embarrassment reddens his cheeks, "I just figured it was time, you know?"
"I didn't think you were interested in that sort of thing," Abjorn says as he motions for you to start moving again, which you do.
"I'm not, not really," Stigmar's lips thin, "I just sort of figure I should probably marry someone eventually, right?"
"Well, do you have someone in mind to marry?" A frown answers your words as Stigmar grimaces.
"I, uh," he scratches at his cheek as he glances away, "I don't?"
You nod, slowly, "You should probably figure that out, then. I'll keep an eye out for anybody if you want." He has no time to answer as Hasvishus comes into view just as those words leave your lips.
Where once there was a thriving farm on the verge of becoming a village, now there sits a sinkhole crater filled to the brim with frozen water. Men—thralls all, taken in the revenge raid—are hard at work as they dig away the snow-embraced earth. The fruits of their labor, a river to drain the filling crater, will serve to provide them with fresh water and plenty of fish should their efforts prove successful.
Watching over them is a spear-armed Knappr Horrasson, who eyes your approach with suspicion and little warmth. "Why've you come here, Halla Sunshine?" His voice booms out across the land, causing the iron-necked thralls to flinch and wince.
"To speak with Hasvir!" Your voice booms even louder as recognition glimmers across a pair of the thralls. It takes you a moment to place their faces, but they belong to the men who you killed in stopped time.
Knappr's eyes stay narrow and he opens his mouth to speak, but an opening door cuts him off as Hasvir steps out into the light. He's looking a bit fuller about the waist than last you saw, his wealth showing itself in his weight. He's still fit for war, as all Norsemen are, but it's clear he's been enjoying himself.
"Halla Sunshine," he greets you by name and with a nod of the head, "you wish to speak to me?"
"I do," you return the nod as you approach the open door, "I've an offer for you, an offer you won't want to miss."
Hasvir is silent for a long moment as he watches your every movement. His face is as still as windless waves while his fingers weave intricate designs over his hands. Eventually, however, his lips part and words spring forth, "In that case, welcome to Hasvishus."
0~0~0
Hasvir listens silently as you tell him your story, a hearthfire warming the room as it crackles away between you and Hasvir. Stigmar and Abjorn, seated on your left and right respectively—Stigmar, as your sworn shield, always sits to your left, to your shield arm—warm themselves as they partake in some of the beer and cheeses Hasvir had brought out for your arrival. Despite the Horrasson reputation staining his image, there can be no claims of Hasvir being a poor host.
"You are on a quest to stop Drysalt and to do that you need to speak to my grandfather?" Hasvir sums it up as you finish your speech. Wetting your throat with a small cup of beer, you nod silently as he hums. "As Blackhand slew Hadingshero, you're probably worried he'd take vengeance on you for being Blackhand's granddaughter, yes?" Not waiting for an answer, he nods to himself and continues, "Which is why you want me along, to stay his hand for long enough for you to talk."
"I'd put it a different way," you swallow the beer, "something along the lines of 'offering you a chance to speak with your legendary grandfather', but yes."
Hasvir snorts as a chuckle leaves his lips, "I suppose that the offer does have some appeal." Slapping his hands against his knees, he rises to his feet and offers a hand your way. "Very well, then, I accept."
Mirroring his motions sans the slapping of the knees, you crack a grin and meet his hand with your own. "I'll muster the Hading's blessing while the mutton," for you can smell it cooking even now, "is served."
Hasvir chuckles, "I had a feeling you'd say that."
0~0~0
About an hour later and with full bellies, you stand in a circle with Hasvir, Stigmar, and Abjorn all holding hands. Closing your eyes to the sunlight filtering through the ring of trees under which you stand, you reach deep inside to where the golden blessing of the forest rests around your soul.
It feels like spring and new growth, like fresh sprouts of barley and grain shooting up from the ground. It tastes of sunshine and rainbows and smells of fresh rain and running water. In short, it is life.
Taking hold of it with both your metaphorical hands, you draw it up and out into the world as you open your eyes. The moment sunlight graces the gift of gold, the world disappears in a flash of blinding golden light.
There is no change. There is no transition. One moment, you're in the Hading Valley, in Agder, in Midgard. The next, you're not in any of those places.
As the light recedes and half the blessing along with it, you and your party are left in a horizon-spanning field of rolling hills and golden stalks of grass. Flowers bloom in colors you recognize and many you don't, painting pictures you can only barely make out from the angle upon which you stand. The air is fresh in a land such as this, the land known to you as Vanaheimr.
You stand upon the ground of the Gods. Tread lightly, for the Vanir won the war for a reason.
The sound of whishing wind catches your ears as you pivot on the spot and turn your gaze to the nearest hill. From over the hilltop comes a wave of snow and a man at the head. The snow crashes against the ground as it disappears as quickly as it came, its purpose done as the man whips past on a pair of skis. In his hands he holds a bow and arrow as hair like spun gold trails behind him like the banners of war.
The arrow finds the string as Ullr of the Vanir slides to a stop in a spray of snow. His eyes are like snowflakes as they look upon you like one would any uninvited guest.
"Who goes there?" He booms, the clouds upon the gold-red skies shivering as divinity rattles the world.
All eyes look to you as you swallow the sudden lump in your throat. Looks like it's up to you, as it always is.
...Great.
What do you do?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
AN: Not super happy with this one and apologies for it taking so long.
No moratorium and short vote.
Interesting that the Vanir were said to have won the war, given that in the Odinterlude Odin said he had an idea to end "the war" (which war wasn't specified). Perhaps he came up with a face-saving measure that let the Vanir claim a win?
Ullr is mentioned a bit in existing Norse mythology, but not extensively; he's known for oaths, ski-ing, and someone you could call on in duels, and there are still places named after him today. Also associated with a word for "glory".
Edit: Also a good chance we're specifically in Ydalir: Ýdalir - Wikipedia
Ullr is mentioned a bit in existing Norse mythology, but not extensively; he's known for oaths, ski-ing, and someone you could call on in duels, and there are still places named after him today. Also associated with a word for "glory".
Edit: Also a good chance we're specifically in Ydalir: Ýdalir - Wikipedia
Last edited:
- Location
- Many Places
If I remember correctly the war ended with an exchange of hostages between the two groups so it's not like the war ended with any particularly harsh terms.
That might not be win but it's definitely the next best thing.
Hm... Its nice to talk with reasonable people.
Should we tell the big strokes? That we are on a quest to seal a great monster we can not kill, blessed and delivered here by the spirit of the place we live at looking for the last man who managed the feat?
No idea if he is even allowed to go to Midgard... and we probably couldn't even pay him, even if he could and would accept the opportunity.
Should we tell the big strokes? That we are on a quest to seal a great monster we can not kill, blessed and delivered here by the spirit of the place we live at looking for the last man who managed the feat?
I fear i am either over or underestimating him, but could we ask him to beat Drysalt? He isn't from Midgard and neither are his weapons and other stuff like tricks.
No idea if he is even allowed to go to Midgard... and we probably couldn't even pay him, even if he could and would accept the opportunity.
- Location
- Many Places
If Thor can't kill Drysalt then I doubt this guy can and let's not get into the issue of payment.
Pretty sure Thor can absolutely kill Drysalt.
- Location
- Many Places
Not according to IF.
ah, right, the discord info, totally forgot that.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Our quotes on the Gods killing drysalt is basically 'they could do it, but not in a way we would find satisfying', with the specific example being Thor shattering Hading and the mountains near it, iirc.
Anyways, we have no real reason to lie or embellish, nor to scrape and ask for help from him beyond maybe directions.
I'm not gonna write a speech up but the jist of 'Hey cool God guy, we are here to talk to a Hero of Old, because the immortal enemy he sealed away has broken free and we want to stop him.' Seems like all we need to do.
Anyways, we have no real reason to lie or embellish, nor to scrape and ask for help from him beyond maybe directions.
I'm not gonna write a speech up but the jist of 'Hey cool God guy, we are here to talk to a Hero of Old, because the immortal enemy he sealed away has broken free and we want to stop him.' Seems like all we need to do.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Guys no please, this is not what I wanted
Go vote for some elaborate yarn spinning of great deeds we intend, not that
Go vote for some elaborate yarn spinning of great deeds we intend, not that
Well, well, well what do we have there. Time to start shpping this two.
First we need to talk with Lata, get closer to her and learn abaout her. Maybe we could offer her combat lessons like we discussed some time ago?
Then once we have learned enough abaout her, we introduce her and Stigmar, and see if the two of them get along.
This dosen't say anything. Are the wild animals added to our Soulscape or not?
Well, Halla sure knows how to make discrete entrances. Everywere she goes there is gods and giants shaking heaven and earth to announce her arrival.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
To clarify, Thor couldn't kill Drysalt not because Thor isn't strong enough, but because he doesn't have the right stuff to let him do it. He would play with Drysalt like he's a ragdoll and would win the day anytime they so happened to 'fight'—if you could call it that—but Drysalt is weird and requires specific stuff.
Do not worry, i will switch right away someone comes up with something, but this is a good placeholder.
Edit:
But you know what? Here, just to be sure:
[X] Be polite and tell the truth
It's interesting to see the Vanir being described as having won the Aesir-Vanir war in this setting, and something of a divergence from our own Norse mythology.
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.
This interpretation, much like a lot of comparative mythology and linguistic archaeology aimed at uncovering aspects Proto-Indo European legends or culture, increasingly started to fall out of fashion, as it's ultimately very hard to prove, and very easy to project our own biases or imaginings into this sort of "reconstruction". However it's worth noting that with the recent revolution from genetic evidence, many of these ideas - including the basic notion that most European languages and a large component of genetic ancestry come from a large migration of people from the east beginning in the Pontic steppe at all - have received quite a lot of new wind in their sails.
In particular, we now know that the genetic origin of the Yamnaya culture/Western Steppe Herders (WSH, read: Indo-Europeans) comes roughly equally from two genomes, a component of either Caucasus hunter-gatherers (CHG) or very closely CHG-related ancestry, and Eastern hunter-gatherers (EHG). The former were either hanging around in a pocket just north of the Caucasus or somewhere vaguely around that area (this gets contentious and is a subject of active research and debate), whilst the latter ranged across the western half of the Russian steppe and abutted modern-day Eastern Europe. This is interesting and relevant in the context of the "War of the Functions" idea because it seems like this exchange was not even; significantly more male paternal ancestry of the Yamnaya/WSH came from the EHG side than the CHG side. This sort of pattern is one you see a lot in the genetic record, and (unless a lot of CHG men all got really into manga at the same time) often this kind of inequality in reproductive opportunities seems indicative of a conquest.
Or not! At these timescales it's fiendishly difficult to say with certainty, but the idea of steppe hunter-gatherers conquering and incorporating a more sedentary group of cultivator-hunter-gatherers, gaining agriculture in the process and giving rise to the ancestors Proto-Indo-Europeans, and this being preserved in myths stretching forwards for upwards of seven thousand years is definitely... tantalising. Anyway, sorry, bit of a digression there! Personally I'm absolutely fascinated with paleogenetics and the deep past, there really hasn't been a more exciting field to follow for the last decade in my opinion.
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.
This interpretation, much like a lot of comparative mythology and linguistic archaeology aimed at uncovering aspects Proto-Indo European legends or culture, increasingly started to fall out of fashion, as it's ultimately very hard to prove, and very easy to project our own biases or imaginings into this sort of "reconstruction". However it's worth noting that with the recent revolution from genetic evidence, many of these ideas - including the basic notion that most European languages and a large component of genetic ancestry come from a large migration of people from the east beginning in the Pontic steppe at all - have received quite a lot of new wind in their sails.
In particular, we now know that the genetic origin of the Yamnaya culture/Western Steppe Herders (WSH, read: Indo-Europeans) comes roughly equally from two genomes, a component of either Caucasus hunter-gatherers (CHG) or very closely CHG-related ancestry, and Eastern hunter-gatherers (EHG). The former were either hanging around in a pocket just north of the Caucasus or somewhere vaguely around that area (this gets contentious and is a subject of active research and debate), whilst the latter ranged across the western half of the Russian steppe and abutted modern-day Eastern Europe. This is interesting and relevant in the context of the "War of the Functions" idea because it seems like this exchange was not even; significantly more male paternal ancestry of the Yamnaya/WSH came from the EHG side than the CHG side. This sort of pattern is one you see a lot in the genetic record, and (unless a lot of CHG men all got really into manga at the same time) often this kind of inequality in reproductive opportunities seems indicative of a conquest.
Or not! At these timescales it's fiendishly difficult to say with certainty, but the idea of steppe hunter-gatherers conquering and incorporating a more sedentary group of cultivator-hunter-gatherers, gaining agriculture in the process and giving rise to the ancestors Proto-Indo-Europeans, and this being preserved in myths stretching forwards for upwards of seven thousand years is definitely... tantalising. Anyway, sorry, bit of a digression there! Personally I'm absolutely fascinated with paleogenetics and the deep past, there really hasn't been a more exciting field to follow for the last decade in my opinion.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
As far as I'm aware, the Vanir defeated the Aesir army in battle and broke the walls of Asgard, forcing the Aesir to pony up compensation for the death of Gullveig
[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.
My plan here: he's clearly a Skiing Bro.
We need to get him talking about skiing and make him forget that he's annoyed at us.
I think this was before the building of the walls of Asgard, given that Freyja is prominent in that story, and she's the daughter of one of the hostages the Vanir gave to the Aesir after the war ended. Or if they were literal walls, they weren't the same ones as in that whole "let's scam a giant like we're trying to avoid paying a contractor for fixing the insulation in the attic" business. The stanza in the poetic edda is:
Which I would take to be more euphemistically or poetrically describing a shieldwall in a pitched battle than a literal fortress. The context to me seems to be that of a field battle, it mentions Odin chucking a spear, and talks about the Vanir treading "the field". But it's arguable either way, you might need to go to the Old Norse translation to be surer.
But yeah, looking on wiki at the various accounts of the war, it seems pretty even on both sides. I guess you can say that it feels like the Aesir won the peace (there are slightly more Aesir gods in prominent positions of the pantheon than Vanir), and the hostages given by the Vanir feel somewhat more valuable (the Vanir even come to this conclusion and kill Mimir). But at the very least, it's less clearly and uncomplicatedly a "conquest", and perhaps has been shoehorned a bit to fit the Proto-Indo-European origin theory.
...This is the dark path that philology leads us to.
-[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.
My plan here: he's clearly a Skiing Bro.
We need to get him talking about skiing and make him forget that he's annoyed at us.
I think this was before the building of the walls of Asgard, given that Freyja is prominent in that story, and she's the daughter of one of the hostages the Vanir gave to the Aesir after the war ended. Or if they were literal walls, they weren't the same ones as in that whole "let's scam a giant like we're trying to avoid paying a contractor for fixing the insulation in the attic" business. The stanza in the poetic edda is:
Which I would take to be more euphemistically or poetrically describing a shieldwall in a pitched battle than a literal fortress. The context to me seems to be that of a field battle, it mentions Odin chucking a spear, and talks about the Vanir treading "the field". But it's arguable either way, you might need to go to the Old Norse translation to be surer.
But yeah, looking on wiki at the various accounts of the war, it seems pretty even on both sides. I guess you can say that it feels like the Aesir won the peace (there are slightly more Aesir gods in prominent positions of the pantheon than Vanir), and the hostages given by the Vanir feel somewhat more valuable (the Vanir even come to this conclusion and kill Mimir). But at the very least, it's less clearly and uncomplicatedly a "conquest", and perhaps has been shoehorned a bit to fit the Proto-Indo-European origin theory.
...This is the dark path that philology leads us to.