Other info from Discord: I asked IF the Berserk Grades of Jogrim and his people. Apparently Jogrim himself is a 3rd Grade Berserk and one of his men is 2nd Grade, with four others 1st Grade (leaving three non-Berserks).

Based on the Valley Power Ratings that likely means he and the 2nd Grade Berserk are likely at least Top, and the other four are at least Upper Middle. I'd suspect that all of them are at least Upper Middle in context. Most of our retainers who'd back us are similarly Upper Middle with Kare, Vagn, and Hakon at Lower Top, so we might have a quality advantage in a fight, but we shouldn't count on it.

I wonder why they're so heavy on the Berserks (that's 6/9)? Lots of money? Family connection to a Shapecrafter?
Wouldn't it be smarter to send someone to call on Sten and Abjorn? Sten's farm is close and the presence of two more top level warriors will probably tilt the fight in our favor
 
I'm not concerned about their powerlevels so much as that hospitality and guest rights are absolutely sacred basically everywhere in this era.
 
Yeah, we're not exactly in a position to judge others for going raiding, especially since Halla herself has gone on several raids and, while she doesn't personally keep slaves, she doesn't go around trying to force others not to either. Getting our hackles up over this just reeks of hypocrisy, regardless of our more personal stake in the victims this time.
 
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[X] No (Avoids a fight)

He most likely came under false pretenses but we will not be the one that breaks hospitality.

I will say that I am not planning on selling him anything no matter the price.
 
What did imbibing the owlbear's blood actually do?
Our body is essentially fire now, though it can be no different from flesh if we want it to be. The best way someone described it is a Logia from One Piece, though it comes with the downside of us taking extra damage from the common Foes of fire.

Edit: I suspect it also makes us more emotionally resonant to flame, aka quicker than usual to anger and more passionate.
 
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The first few shapecrafts are actually pretty cheap and highly cost-effective in terms of power if you pick 'Frenzy'.

Yeah, but berserk is trickier than merely getting shapecrafted. I'd be utterly unsurprised by a group all having, say, 2 shapecrafts each, and that may be true here, but becoming a berserk is more involved and therefore almost certainly more expensive.

Wouldn't it be smarter to send someone to call on Sten and Abjorn? Sten's farm is close and the presence of two more top level warriors will probably tilt the fight in our favor

Sure, but that's not the main reason not to fight them, just noting.

Yeah, we're not exactly in a position to judge others for going raiding, especially since Halla herself has gone on several raids and, while she doesn't personally keep slaves, she doesn't go around trying to force others not to either. Getting our hackles up over this just reeks of hypocrisy, regardless of our more personal stake in the victims this time.

Eh. Caring about our own people more than strangers isn't exactly hypocritical. It's not necessarily a super righteous moral position, but it's not hypocritical as long as we don't object to others feeling the same. We also actually haven't gone on several raids, we've gone on two. Maybe three if you stretch your definitions, and have never taken slaves on those raids.

What did imbibing the owlbear's blood actually do?

As noted, our body is now made of fire when we want it to be, and we seem a bit more passionate now. Mechanically, this gives us Resist 9 to all attacks as we transform into flame and the attack passes harmlessly through us, and lets us heal ourselves during pauses in combat. Plus it gave us a permanent point of Hamr. And, as also mentioned, increased weakness to Water and other anti-fire stuff.
 
Hey Blackhand,

1) Are there any uses of the Wildfire Hugareida I can use?
2) How do you feel after meeting Hasvir Hadingshero?
 
What a twist, when coincidences just pile up like this!
That would be odd...we haven't killed anyone's sister (I don't think Halla has ever killed a woman...she obviously would under the right circumstances, but it's never come up). I agree its significant, but not in quite that way. I admit I'm unsure as to exactly how, though.
No, Halla did not.
Asva, on the other hand....
And revenge raids are big things so, its still possible.
Do we know anyone else from the family killing women or most man from another family?

And Sthen, of all people being grumpy and refusing help from us as well....

i think Dori started probing us.
Play on the Norse culture and Sten's pride, something along the lines of "Halla is a better blacksmith", probably meaner though.
The rumor about us being a blood crazed killer.
and now this coincidence of someone who done ill by our employees also coming to our home with a warband... because he so happened he needs horses, has the money and somehow just had our favorite food with him.
Not to mention the possibility of her sister being killed by someone from our family. Or that said sister is the wife of one of Dori's mans.

The strangest thing that caught my eye (its full paranoia though, so take it with lot of salt) Is that Hallbjorn found mystery seeds.
on that note, @Imperial Fister do we know what kind of seeds those were?
 
Yeah, someone is playing fuckfuck games for these guys to be here.

I don't think it's Dorri, because if that's the case, the man's intelligence network spands the entirety of Scandanavia and is frightfully precise, but it might be the Nornir doing a Secret Test of Character on us, or something entirely unrelated.
 
Dorri is definitely messing with us with the rumors, but this guy's from Jurgdby, which is Corpsemaker's territory...I doubt Dorri is gonna use one of his few assets in Corpsemaker's territory just to mess with us. He might have arranged this somehow, but not by Jogrim being his guy.
 
Summer 12/Turn 2 Part 2
[X] No (Avoids a fight)

-[X] [Focus] Talk With Our Slavic Retainers
--[X] Now that we have a language in common get to know them and see if they have any issues or things they'd like to do.
--[X] Hopefully also get some information on Slavic Cultivation, but getting to know them is the priority
--[X] If we have time after dealing with any issues and getting to know people see if Kazimir has any interesting knowledge we could learn from him
-[X] Send off Brother Bartholomew for Wessex
--[X] Assigning Vagn Wheel-Drifter and anyone else who wants to go on a quick drop off to accompany him.
--[X] Send them along on one of the ships already headed that way this year
--[X] Offer to send Seeingsnow with them if Seeingsnow so desires.
--[X] Send a letter to Gabriel, asking Brother Bartholomew to deliver it and explaining our connection with Gabriel Blackstone, who seems likely to be a relative of his.
---[X] This letter will tell Gabriel of Steinarr's death, and request that he help us against those who killed him, if he is willing (along with noting the rough time frame based on Drysalt's threat, and that these enemies include supernatural evil). They did deny him his own chance for revenge, after all, and our remaining family is in danger, we could use his help. That said, this is a request for help from a friend, not a demand.
--[X] Suggest picking up books might be a thing that Vagn could do (with Brother Bart's advice) and we'd appreciate, and send him with some money for that.
-[X] Talk to Abjorn
--[X] Try to convince him to actually cultivate Odr, work on his soulscape and Infuse things. Specifically, note that it's a relatively safe route to power, indicate (in veiled terms) the food security provided by the field, and so on. Power can be an end goal, but even if you don't care about that power helps to shape the world and defend the part of it you already hold...Abjorn is already powerful, but the more powerful he is the safer both he and our family as a whole are. We want that for him. Can he please put in the effort?
--[X] We're not encouraging him to do anything risky like Hugr Infusion (that's up to him), but Infusion in Hamr, Combat, Labor, and stuff like that, and making a House, Fence, and Fields are all too useful for him not to engage with.

[X] For the man with clammy hands, offer him an ointment brewed with (among other things) the unconsumed experience of The First Warmth of the Rising Dawn, which he must use daily for the next 27 days, putting it on his hands and feet alike daily. We will charge him two ounces of silver for this, and it should cure the problem for good, if it does not he can come back and we'll fix it another way.
0~0~0

As luck would have it—for a given definition of luck, anyhow—Jogrim Foestep left soon after he finished inspecting the horses, citing that he already had horses of that quality as the reason why. Angling towards the west-northwest, they set out on their journey to the Fjord upon which Griss Strongthrow's farm lies.

As you watch the man and his entourage disappear over the horizon, you can't help but breathe a sigh of relief as the wind carries your children's laughter your way. Though you know, deep down, that their protection was held by the worthy hands of Trygve and Alvis, having some real, tangible evidence towards their safety is always a surefire way to relieve the weight upon your shoulders and the tension in the air.

After collecting Kare and making certain of your equipment's condition—excellent, as always—you let Kare lead the way as you keep a potentially paranoid eye on your surroundings. This eye only grows more and more wary as you find yourself going deeper and deeper into the Hading. The deeper one trespasses into the wilderness of the Hading, the older the land is beneath your feet. Ancient canopies shake with the wind over your heads as you keep a hand on your weapons at all times.

Far more dangerous things than spirits of the past call the Hading home, after all. Tales of beasts best left slumbering haunted your childhood and even now you can't quite shake the terror that gripped your youthful heart.

Fortunately, you're not nearly as alone as your nightmares always left you. Kare is at your side and a mighty warrior is he. With you and him working together, there's not much that can stand in your collective way.

"What are we going to do about Jogrim?" Kare's voice breaks the fallen silence blanketing your walk.

You suck down a sharp breath as you grit your teeth, eyes fixed straight ahead, "If he wants iron, we'll give him all we've got and then some."

"We're not killing him?"

"If we were to find him alone or in the field, ask me that question again." You shrug as you step over a hefty root, "Otherwise, we're not going after him. Not right now, at least."

"He killed her brother, her husband," Kare says after a few moments' silence, "I'm going to kill him, one way or another. If I have to leave your service to do so..."

He doesn't finish that sentence, but he doesn't need to. While you releasing him would be preferable, it isn't strictly necessary for him to pursue his foe. "I understand."

'He must really love that woman, if he's willing to break a solemn oath for her,' Blackhand mutters as silence once more falls across your company.

Thankfully, the silence only lasts for a few moments as you catch the sound of trickling water and the noise of grunted exertion from just beyond eyesight. A few steps more takes you into view of the man you've been looking for: Stigmar Kersson.

You blink and stare as Stigmar grits his teeth, his clothes draped across a low-hanging branch alongside a satchel and some other useful items. His weapons are leaned up against the tree trunk as a nearby creak—barely more than a trickle—drips down the way.

But that's not what has you so stunned. There were many things you were expecting to see today. Your children's smiles, your husband's love, Tryggr slumped face-down in alcohol, but certainly not this.

Stigmar crouches beside a truly gargantuan boulder—easily ten times his size!—and digs his fingers through well-used grooves in the dirt. Finding a grip on the underside of the mountain-chunk, he grits his teeth as his eyes screw shut and he lifts with all his very naked might.

Slabs of muscle bulge against the healthy layer of fat covering the bodies of all able-bodied Norsemen, showing against his skin as he pours his all into this effort. Sweat pours off his brow and down his back like a river from a cliff, his hair slick and stuck to his head like he'd just been swimming.

The boulder shudders and shakes as Stigmar's feet press against the ground so hard he leaves inch-deep indents in his wake—just two more in a sea of uniform shapes. Impossibly, for you know Stigmar lacks the strength for this feat, the boulder moves. It doesn't move high, or far, or even all that much, but yet he moves it. An inch, maybe two, off the ground, but yet he moves it.

The boulder hits the ground as Stigmar falls back, his chest rising and falling as he stares at the sky for a few long moments. Eventually, he staggers to his feet—his muscles clearly shivering and shaking from the effort—and drags himself over to the creak. Bending down, he scoops palmfuls of water into his mouth, drinking down it like Tryggr does booze.

Turning back to the tree, he reaches for a towel and the satchel—from which you smell the tell-tale hints of cheese, bread, and meat—as his eyes just so happen to drift your way.

He freezes, as do you, while Kare just looks bored. Stigmar looks down, then up, then down again before yelping in a rather undignified manner as the towel in hand swiftly wraps around his waist.

He coughs, cheeks blazing red as he struggles to look you in the eye, "I, uh, what're you doing here?"

"Looking for you," you offer an apologetic smile his way. Deciding to just spare the both of you any further embarrassment, you cut right to the chase, "Look, Lata wants to marry you and wants to know what you find attractive in a woman. So, what do you find attractive in a woman?"

Stigmar blinks, waits, then blinks again, "I, what?"

"Lata wants to know what you find attractive in a woman."

"Yeah, I gathered that part!" Stigmar's awkwardly plastered-on smile turns strained as he stares at you, "Lata wants to marry me?! But I'm..." he gesture lamely to himself and shrugs.

You and Kare exchange a glance as Kare sighs and rubs at his snout. Stepping in, he decides to have a crack at it, "Stigmar, look at me."

"...Yeah?"

Kare's golden eyes stay level with Stigmar's as he speaks calmly and clearly, "You are twice as strong as I was at your age. You have potential in spades. Do not put yourself down because Halla is Halla."

"I..." Stigmar sighs and shakes his head, "Alright, whatever, just...." He scratches at his beard as he stares off towards the rock, "I guess I find competency attractive? Like, knowing that someone is able to take care of themselves without needing me for every little thing sounds pretty nice to me."

"Right," you nod before wiggling a finger at Stigmar and the rock, "So... What are you doing, anyways?"

Stigmar rubs at the back of his neck, "Oh, well, I'm just... I get kind of embarrassed, when we're training as a group," his cheeks burn red again, "So, I well, I just kind of decided to go do it on my own? I guess?"

"Well, I guess that's fine," you finger the ends of your hair as you shrug, "Just, maybe you should do it closer to the house? We almost had a big fight today and we would've really missed you had it happened."

He blinks, eyes snapping wide as his muscles tense, readying for combat, "A fight?! What happened?"

"Just some guy came by," Kare interjects, waving it off with a flick of the paw, "Jogrim Foestep, a weird guy to say the absolute minimum."

"Right, well," Stigmar nods, "Sorry for not being there, then. I'll move my training spot closer in the future, just in case it happens again." He frowns, clearly unhappy with himself, "I think I've gotten complacent, without much of a threat coming by."

You're not really sure to say to that, so you bid him farewell and return home. Hopefully, what you've learned proves useful for Lata. Either way, you're eager for your bed.

It's been a long day.

0~0~0
Brother Bartholomew to Wessex
Bartholomew left for Wessex early that morning. Accompanied by Vagn Wheel-Drifter, Trygve Ironoath, and Hakon Thunderclap, it should be a fair few months before you see any of them again.

Regardless, you also sent along a letter to Gabriel telling him of Steinarr's death amongst other things—writing in English was quite difficult, but you persevered—as well as the sword Seeingsnow, who had refused to speak with you.

You also requested some books and sent along a handsome bundle of goods to serve as payment. As you don't quite know what's available, you left it up to your men to figure it out.

0~0~0
Talking to Abjorn
The conversation with Abjorn went as well as can be expected. He doesn't seem to particularly understand the reason behind you egging him on, but obliges nonetheless.

You can expect to see some results in the coming months.

0~0~0
Clammy Hands
The boy with the clammy hands smiles, big and wide, and promises to hunt a strong, virile buck as payment for the services rendered. A few days later, a fourteen-pronged deer arrives on your doorstep, fieldstripped and ready for use.

A week or two after that, a man comes by with a complaint of his own. After inviting him inside and having some food prepared for him, he reveals that his roof keeps leaking! No matter what he does, it just keeps leaking. He's tarred it, he's stacked hay, he's even entirely replaced the wood of his roof, but nothing seems to help!

He wants you to offer a solution.

What solution do you offer?
[ ] Write in a solution

0~0~0

[ ] Plan Name
-[ ] Write in what you wish to focus on
-[ ] Write in your first low-effort action
-[ ] Write in your second low-effort action
-[ ] Write in your extended action, if you desire to use it right now.
0~0~0
Training: You have 59 XP to spend as you see fit.
-[ ] Write in how you wish to spend it
0~0~0
-[ ] Work Options (Optional)
--[ ] Specify specific things

0~0~0

AN: And there we go, turn done.

25-minute moratorium
 
That's weird, he's completely replaced the roof and it's still happening?

That's either a prankster spirit, or the problem's not in the roof.
 
Huh. Interesting. Yeah, that roof thing is weird, I really don't know.

as well as the sword Seeingsnow, who had refused to speak with you.

Wait. We wouldn't send Seeingsnow without his permission. He might not have talked much with us, but he'd have had to give permission for us to send him off...we gave Seeingsnow our word we wouldn't send him anywhere without his permission.
 
It doesn't really matter, so I'll just give you an exception for that

Fair enough. Could we just assume we asked him 'Do you want to go back to Christian lands?' and got a 'Yes.' followed by refusal to elaborate? That makes sense to me.

Anyway, plan stuff. We need to talk with Halfdan about the whole Hading Witch thing and getting him on-side on the Dorri, and we need to get on the same page as Corpsemaker. We also have some stuff we still need to craft, and can try and learn to use Frenzy on crafting as part of that. That seems needed.

On Training, with 'count things as one grade better' we need a Perfected Finale, I think, so we have one that trumps even Perfected Finales, and TSS seems the best option. Likewise, Inertia-Arresting Throw could use an upgrade in quality, I think. As could Standstill, for that matter. This plan involves an extra 16xp, because we have been refunded that spent on Sword Stepping, which will only advance by Research-related actions...I was really tempted to put one of those in this turn, but I think the conversations and getting Frenzy onto crafting stuff is a higher priority. It also adds just a little bit towards Combat...we're not gonna raise that this turn, but we should soon and there wasn't anything else the xp was immediately useful on. We also write a poem and see what maxing out Odr on that actually does, which seems interesting.

This plan also involves one thing I'm not sure works, that being getting the basic gossip on Magni Little-Rock via Work (as one of our 'alloy-check' equivalents). @Imperial Fister does that work? We could use Research for that in NQ1, and it seems weird to not have some option for basic info gathering that isn't a full action with someone, but if it doesn't work I'll remove it.



[X] Plan Some Important Conversations

-[X] [Focus] Talk With Halfdan
--[X] Start by talking about what happened with the Hading Witch (we don't intend to spread the story, but we do need to know if possible), and any oaths Halfdan may have with Dorri. Assuming he's not sworn to side with Dorri in fights or something, try and get him on-side for our looming conflict with Dorri...we would mention Dorri was involved in setting up the Revenge Raid if he needs convincing, as well as the Drysalt thing.
--[X] Ensure absolute privacy, including from things like ants, using various privacy wards, Eyespeech to impart more sensitive information, and Owl-Eye Pulse and similar abilities to check for eavesdroppers.

-[X] Use Calling For Congress or other Fylgja use to get on the same page as Corpsemaker in terms of timing for taking care of Dorri
--[X] Take all available precautions to ensure privacy

-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (1)
--[X] Reforge Ashen Kiss (+16 successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Being careful to leave the intent of the current runes unaffected, and adding Crowfeeder's Runes
--[X] Adding wolf bone ash
--[X] Use Experience Forging to infuse it with our Lesson Of Fire Muna
--[X] Adding 1 Odr to the crafting and add the Aspects to the runecraft roll
--[X] Attempt to use Frenzy on crafting rolls, attempting to achieve a state of focus via hashish if we can't manage it otherwise. Have a spotter to make sure we eat and drink while doing this.
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (2)
--[X] Silver And Gold Torc for Abjorn (+16 successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Use bear bone ash
--[X] Add runes saying "Let no trick serve to escape my wearer's grasp."- Hopefully magically prevents magical effects that would free people from his grapples
--[X] Use Experience Forging to infuse it with our First Kiss Under A Falling Tree Muna
--[X] Adding 1 Odr to the crafting and add the Aspects to the runecraft roll
--[X] Attempt to use Frenzy on crafting rolls, attempting to achieve a state of focus via hashish if we can't manage it otherwise. Have a spotter to make sure we eat and drink while doing this.

-[X] Special Note: On all Crafting add the following if possible unless otherwise specified:
--[X] Using Sundersight (+1d3 Successes)
--[X] Burning Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (for +1 Success each, +3 successes total) to enhance the crafting process


Training:

-[X] (Training) Hamr (511 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Combat Skill 6xp (3xp)

-[X] (Training) Hugr (255 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Time Stands Still 72xp (36xp)
--[X] Train Inertia-Arresting-Throw 36 xp (18xp)
--[X] Train Standstill 36xp (18xp)


-[X] (Work Options)
--[X] Make 10 Restful Clay Cups and 2 Alarm Charms (4 Work)
--[X] Write A Poem – Niflheim, spending 7 Odr (3 Work)
---[X] If we manage to make Frenzy work on our crafting, use the same methods on the poetry
--[X] Make 9 Superior Shields w/Bog Iron Rims for Retainers (9 Work)
--[X] Find out what gossip has to say on Magni Little-Rock (1 Work)
--[X] Get information on Jogrim Foe-Step and his people (1 Work)

-[X] (Incidentals)
--[X] Infuse 16 Odr into Wordplay
--[X] Adding Taafl Board Capacity Gains to: Halla,
--[X] Receiving Metal from Dwarves: 24 oz Forged Iron, 6 oz Dusty Iron,

EDIT: Added getting basic info on Jogrim.
 
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As I've been mentioning in the discord, I think with Sagaplate being so strong and with such an incentive to improve our ability so we can improve it, we should start just full time spending xp to get Crafting to 9, so we can prepare a better sagaplate for the Dorri confrontation.

I feel like that's a higher priority than raising some tricks we probably won't use for many turns - we aren't planning any fights this turn or the next few as far as I know?


i was also thinking of potential ways to get Swordstepping to... the next step. And I think a potential way to get better at Swordstepping, as a potential action for the future, is maybe trying to do a spar without any of our fire stuff, without any fancy tricks or time stopping. Just a pure 'feel your blade' fight where we at most use Sword hugareida, but even then I'd be hesitant.

Just focus on our basics and on our Sword in hand for a whole spar.
 
As I've been mentioning in the discord, I think with Sagaplate being so strong and with such an incentive to improve our ability so we can improve it, we should start just full time spending xp to get Crafting to 9, so we can prepare a better sagaplate for the Dorri confrontation.

I feel like that's a higher priority than raising some tricks we probably won't use for many turns - we aren't planning any fights this turn or the next few as far as I know?

We don't need more Smithing for the first few steps on Sagaplate. We probably will need it eventually, but we shouldn't imminently, and if we do, the Frenzy use this plan is focused on is a better way to get better at that in the short term.

I'm also really skeptical that more smithing and thus the possibility of better Sagaplate is better than better Combat Skill (the next level gets us to level 9, which has special stuff) and these Tricks are pretty vital if we wind up fighting someone with a Perfected Finale. That's something that could happen any time and we need a solution for ASAP, I think. Being able to trump other Finales is super important...is it urgent? Well, depends on if anyone attacks us.

I do think Smithing is a reasonable next priority after Combat 9, but we have a few cheaper things to get out of the way before Combat 9, IMO, and we definitely want Combat 9 before moving on to Smithing.

Smithing 8 may be more of a priority than things other than the upping of TSS and Combat, though. Hmmm. Lemme look at some priorities here.

i was also thinking of potential ways to get Swordstepping to... the next step. And I think a potential way to get better at Swordstepping, as a potential action for the future, is maybe trying to do a spar without any of our fire stuff, without any fancy tricks or time stopping. Just a pure 'feel your blade' fight where we at most use Sword hugareida, but even then I'd be hesitant.

Just focus on our basics and on our Sword in hand for a whole spar.

This is very plausible, yeah. We definitely need to think through that...we should try and raise Sword Stepping next turn.
 
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Okay, so, for Training, I went over the numbers and I think we need the following things in the next two rounds, just in case we are, for example, ambushed:

Perfect TSS, which is an important safety measure so we have a Finale that trumps, well, other Finales (36 xp)
Prowess 10 so we can up Stamina to 6, which is important since two-handing weapons is effective but halves Stamina (30 xp)
20 xp in Combat, so the next two turns after that can get us to Combat 9 (10 xp after halving)

That's 76 xp, and leaves only 58 additional in other things over these two turns...not enough for Smithing 8 (which is 64 xp). So, tempting as it is, I think we leave Smithing for a bit later. Upping IAT and Standstill also make sense to me, but I could be talked out of them if someone has a specific plan that gets us something good and still lets us grab the necessities.

If we focus on Smithing after raising Combat to 9, it'll only take four turns at most to increase Smithing to 9 as well...well before the end of the year. That's definitely one possibility, though social stuff may also be relevant and should perhaps be considered as well...
 
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