Not of dying. He takes a hit, though. He just has at least a couple of those before anything permanent happens (one from being badass and another from really nice armor...we never made him armor, but only because Sten beat us to it).
I will once again spend two reward dice on Sten in the hope of seeing more freaky Finnish magic. Or not seeing it, as the case may be, if characters don't want to relate the unspeakable horrors of the even frozener north.
@DeadmanwalkingXI Since Sten doesn't need that +1 from Fight Of Our Lives anymore thanks to the Reward Dice just used, perhaps move it to Steve instead so it will have an effect again?
@DeadmanwalkingXI Since Sten doesn't need that +1 from Fight Of Our Lives anymore thanks to the Reward Dice just used, perhaps move it to Steve instead so it will have an effect again?
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on Feb 13, 2024 at 8:13 PM, finished with 51 posts and 3 votes.
[X] Plan Time Stop Disabling
-[X] Goal: Stoke Saemd to use Time Stands Still and, while time is stopped, use 4Fold Eyeshine Blind on Kjallakr and Griss's men, then a 3Fold Tendon Slice to disable Griss's people somewhat more (making it easier for our people to keep them alive), use a 2Fold Inertia-Arresting Throw (spending 1 Odr on each) to trap Kjallakr and the man lost in the throes of berserkergang momentarily, giving Abjorn an opening and Sten time to get there, and use a Threadcutter (with follow-up Stoking Strike) on Kare's current opponent to take that guy out and allow him to join the fight more quickly. Once that is done, engage Jogrim with an emphasis on stripping his armor with Flashfire Cleave, lots of Atgeir Counter-Stabs, disabling him with Stunner Slam (especially to render him voiceless by hitting his diaphragm), Tendon Cut (to disarm him), and/or Eyeshine Blind, and otherwise creating openings for Kare to finish him off. We would also use our shield and/or Semi-Halting Vortex to protect Kare at need and use TSS again if absolutely necessary to avoid capture. Like last turn, if he counters any attack with Mirror Waltz, that's when we respond with Contested Movement. Once one of the earlier IATs is broken, we might well use one of those on Jogrim as well to make an opening for Kare.
-[X] Shapeshifts: Adrenaline Rush x4, Dense Muscles x4, Strengthened Bone Structure x1, Supported Grip x1,
-[X] Utility Tricks: Ember-Winged Cloak, Dead Air,
-[X] Defensive Tricks: Slowing Slog, Stutter-Step, Contested Movement (16d6+16 including minimal Stoked Pool), Semi-Halting Vortex (to deal with multiple simultaneous attacks), Atgeir Counter-Stab, Time Stands Still,
-[X] Offensive Tricks: Flashfire Cleave, Eyeshine Blind, Tendon Cut, Stunner Slam, Inertia-Arresting Throw, Threadcutter, Stoking Strike,
-[X] Orthstirr: Stoke Frami and spend 50 Levels
-[X] Stoked Pool: Burn at least 8 on each Contested Movement, and make sure to keep the total below 63 by using it either there or on Stoker State Tricks.
-[X] Other: Activating Sharpen, Stoker State Level 4, Lightning-Charged on Sagaseeker, and Puncture on Tricks, and use our Shield or a quick-drawn backup as needed for defense (we will only use Stutter Step if this is not an option). Using Sundersight. Use Banish The Night and Fight of Our Lives to give our allies a bonus.
Abjorn Bearbreaker awoke before dawn, as he was wont to do most days, facing towards his lovely wife. The Bearbreaker was perhaps not the most expressive man, his words few - but it drew a smile on his face each morn. Only half of the gaggle of children he called his own had crawled over him and his wife as the cold dew air came through the open air, and so with great patience he'd managed to maneuver each of the oversized (and yet still small to the massive man) cubs onto his wife's side, and slid out of bed. A small idle thought had turned into something the bear felt he should do.
There wasn't any specific reason for it, but as Abjorn stepped through the house he kept... quiet. There were so many who had joined his family since he had met his wife, and he felt no need to awaken them for his idle thoughts. Instead he worked in the quiet, as he brought together all of what he would need for his small desires. Soon enough, a flame was lit below the great pot, one that could provide for so many. But Abjorn had no such goals on this morn - there was just one in mind as he set himself to the work, the flame providing the only light under the cloudy 'night' sky.
The next to enter the room was not one of the brave men Abjorn would fight beside, nor one of the children he would heft into the air as if they weighed nothing. It was the fragile Slav his wife had shown kindness to - Lata's eyes were still blurry as she wiped at them - and shivered visibly, "Are we beginning breakfast already Ve-" It took hafway through the sentence for the girl to realize who stood in front of the cook's fire in these early hours. The massive, bear of a man of the house, whom she had heard stories of ripping a bear in half with just a flex of his muscles. All color drained from Lata's face.
To other men, it might be shameful - to cook was a woman's job, at least when women were available. And yet she had walked in on the man in the midst of preparing a meal. Some Norsemen might have lashed out, might have sought to silence her - she knew enough of Norsemen to fear that. "I-I promise I-I-I-I iddind'tseeanything." She tried to keep her voice under control as she stuttered and searched for a way to right her wrongs.
But Abjorn looked unphased as he stared at the woman for a long moment, his only words saying, "Join me." His eyes were not trained on her fear, on her panic, and he showed none of his own even as he did the unmanly task. Instead, he saw a cold girl whilst he had a source of fire right in front of me, "You can assist." There was no fear to Abjorn Bearbreaker, he was a man who could face down flaming bear-owls and think to tackle it for a suplex. But there was also no bravado - he was a man who knew when he was outmatched.
And cooking was not his domain, as the woman could see quite clearly as she looked at the... large chunk of meat he had 'prepared' and fired, "Oh. I..." She still looked scared, but something in her woke up as she saw the drying, unflavored meat sitting with... nothing else to join it, "Mutton for breakfast...?" The words escaped her lips as she thought it, and she eeped and covered her mouth, sending herself into a small panick again, "I-I mean there's nothing wrongwith Mutton I love Mutton! It's uhm, it's great."
"It is Halla's favorite." Was the only explanation Abjorn felt like he needed to give, as he reached into and flipped the meat by hand. The scalding heat of fire did nothing to dissuade him, as he'd failed to find the suite of cooking utensils the women most often used to prepare meals. There was simply too much to look through, and he was not rude enough to awaken others with banging through searching the household.
"A-ah you're gonna! Burn yourself...?" Lata looked embarassed as Abjorn's arm retracted without even signs of discomfort on it, "Or... not. But, ah, let me uh, we can uhm, use these instead." The girl scurried in a manner consistent with an ermine through to gather the tools she'd worked with nearly every day since joining Abjornsby. The layout of the cooking tools was something Lata could find even if she was entirely blindfolded, most likely! "U-uhm, what... veggies does she like? We should uh... make sure she has something besides just... Mutton."
A hard question, for once. Abjorn should know this. It was a simple question. And yet whenever he pictured Halla's beautiful, messy face as she ate... she had such a smile for the Mutton, and such a passive expression for everything else. The man could remember dozens of meals with his wife, even from before they were wed... and yet had she ever exclaimed joy for something other than Mutton? "...She likes Mutton." Halla was far from a picky eater, but could Abjorn imagine her being excited for a vegetable? He could not.
"...Right..." Lata let the silence sit for just a moment, before she started to move, "Well, we can focus on the Mutton then. But some potatoes will accompany it well, and we can use the mutton's juices as a sauce to flavor it to her liking. And maybe some carrots too, their taste isn't... too powerful." Picky eaters were not abnormal, in a household of children. Or even amongst some of the grown men...
"I trust you." Abjorn's words were soft but firm, and the bits of anxiety were washing away from Lata as she joined the man in tending the food. He had eyes only for the food, and did not even glance towards her - but each time she tried to act, he instead took the lead, following direction instead. For Abjorn had intended to make this meal, and make it he would - even if he needed a little assistance.
-----
With the meal placed onto the plate - Lata assisting with making the array appealing to the eyes and not just the stomach - Abjorn gave a nod to the woman. "Thank you." His simple rumbling words came. He looked quite pleased with what he held in his hands.
"It's... it's nothing. I'm glad I could... help. I uhm. I promise I wont... I wont tell anyone." The girl had lost most of her nervousness, but something still made her scared - Abjorn was huge, towering over her in both size and power. And though she had seen him be gentle, the fear was still real.
"I am not ashamed." The bear shook his head as he turned back, "I love Halla, more than I'd ever fear the words of cowards."
----
The Bear had not even reached the room when he heard a familiar voice saying, "Do I smell mutton?"
[X] Plan Time Stop Disabling
-[X] Goal: Stoke Saemd to use Time Stands Still and, while time is stopped, use 4Fold Eyeshine Blind on Kjallakr and Griss's men, then a 3Fold Tendon Slice to disable Griss's people somewhat more (making it easier for our people to keep them alive), use a 2Fold Inertia-Arresting Throw (spending **1 Odr** on each) to trap Kjallakr and the man lost in the throes of berserkergang momentarily, giving Abjorn an opening and Sten time to get there, and use a Threadcutter (with follow-up Stoking Strike) on Kare's current opponent to take that guy out and allow him to join the fight more quickly. Once that is done, engage Jogrim with an emphasis on stripping his armor with Flashfire Cleave, lots of Atgeir Counter-Stabs, disabling him with Stunner Slam (especially to render him voiceless by hitting his diaphragm), Tendon Cut (to disarm him), and/or Eyeshine Blind, and otherwise creating openings for Kare to finish him off. We would also use our shield and/or Semi-Halting Vortex to protect Kare at need and use TSS _again_ if _absolutely_ necessary to avoid capture. Like last turn, if he counters any attack with Mirror Waltz, that's when we respond with Contested Movement. Once one of the earlier IATs is broken, we might well use one of those on Jogrim as well to make an opening for Kare.
-[X] Shapeshifts: Adrenaline Rush x4, Dense Muscles x4, Strengthened Bone Structure x1, Supported Grip x1,
-[X] Utility Tricks: Ember-Winged Cloak, Dead Air,
-[X] Defensive Tricks: Slowing Slog, Stutter-Step, Contested Movement (16d6+16 including minimal Stoked Pool), Semi-Halting Vortex (to deal with multiple simultaneous attacks), Atgeir Counter-Stab, Time Stands Still,
-[X] Offensive Tricks: Flashfire Cleave, Eyeshine Blind, Tendon Cut, Stunner Slam, Inertia-Arresting Throw, Threadcutter, Stoking Strike,
-[X] Orthstirr: Stoke Frami and spend 50 Levels
-[X] Stoked Pool: Burn at least 8 on each Contested Movement, and make sure to keep the total below 63 by using it either there or on Stoker State Tricks.
-[X] Other: Activating Sharpen, Stoker State Level 4, Lightning-Charged on Sagaseeker, and Puncture on Tricks, and use our Shield or a quick-drawn backup as needed for defense (we will only use Stutter Step if this is not an option). Using Sundersight. Use Banish The Night and Fight of Our Lives to give our allies a bonus.
0~0~0
Using a Finale this 'early' into a fight—there's barely any spilled blood, for crying out loud!—rankles you something fierce. However, there's little reason not to unleash the depths of your power. You have your foes outnumbered quite heavily, both in men and in fighting strength, so you don't need to conserve your strength much if any. Your foes are wounded and quickly tiring, largely lacking in the breadth of orthstirr to keep up with your tempo.
With that in mind, you spread your feet shoulder's width apart as you face down Jogrim. A mantle of dust in the shape of a horse's head wraps around his face and skull as he stokes his saemd just as you stoke yours. Power washes across the battlefield, painting it in a crimson hue as you add your frami to the mix.
His eyes widen as you grasp the half-realized technique lurking in the back of your mind. The tell-tale surge of strength heralding a Finale is the only warning Jogrim receives as you grit your teeth and let the world meet your power.
A field of inverse colors snaps out from your body as time trickles to a stop. Like the beating of a dying heart, the pace of time taps till silent as the wave washes across the landscape. In the blink of an eye, it envelops all those before you. Kjallakr, Kare, Stigmar, and all the other warriors fighting in the battle-churned ground—all are taken into time's frozen embrace.
However, when the wave hits Jogrim, blue orthstirr explodes from his body on its own like dust in the sun as his frami fuels a Finale of his own. It's obvious what it is. You're no fool, you did your research and learned your enemy's capabilities.
This is the Finale of Mirror Waltz, Total Reflection. A Finale used to counter hostile Finales, Total Reflection is able to turn incoming Finales against their user at the cost of not being able to initiate it by will.
You knew he'd use Total Reflection if you unleashed any of your other Finales, but what you weren't counting on was it being used against Time Stands Still. Unlike the Flame-Tending Blade or Thermic Reckoning, Time Stands Still isn't an attack. Time Stands Still applies an effect upon all those in your sphere of influence, freezing them in time while allowing you to act. That's all it does, no more, no less. By all rights, Total Reflection shouldn't have triggered from Time Stands Still. And, for the most part, it didn't.
And yet, though imperfect, it did.
Still encased in frozen time, the reflected wave of Time Stands Still washes back across the field of inverted colors. The colors it touched should've turned back to normal—that's what you'd have expected to happen, at least—but they don't. Where the wave of time-stopping power touches frozen colors, it changes from inverted to something else entirely—colors your feeble human mind simply lacks the potential to comprehend.
Leaving a wake of doubly-frozen time behind it, the wave of invisible force finally reaches you.
|-{X}-|-{X}-|-{X}-|
As perception breaks down and reality folds under the weight of fraying ends, an old man hunches over what resembles a tree in miniature as he gently allows water droplets to spill from the tiny bottle in his hand.
Tall and spindly, with a big floppy hat on his wispy-haired head, the man grimaces as he stands up straight, a hand pressed to his lower back. Arms stretching overhead, the man does nothing to stifle a yawn as works his neck and sighs. Reaching into his shabby jacket pocket, the man stows the bottle before retrieving an odd length of well-worn and lovingly-polished wood ending in a hollowed-out cup. Digging his thumb into the basin of the wood cup, sweet-smelling smoke starts trailing from around his thumb as he takes a long, drawn-out drag.
Casting his gaze across the garden of miniature trees both horrifyingly strange and appallingly familiar, he stiffens as his eyes fall on you. A red eye lazily bounces around the socket as a blue twin narrows in confusion.
"You... You're not supposed to be here."
Blue and red turn to purple as you're suddenly not.
|-{X}-|-{X}-|-{X}-|
"Thank you, Halla, for helping me in this endeavor," Kare's voice draws you from the stupor you'd found yourself in. "Had I not already sworn myself into your service, you would have gained a new hirdman on this day."
Still staggered from whatever just happened, you can only offer a lame nod as your eyes fall to the corpse of Jogrim Foestep—the sole man dead on this day. His orthstirr sinks into the ground as his Fated Day has come to pass.
His allies and men bite back bitter tears as you allow them to leave with their arms and armor—a small olive branch to hopefully soothe the anger and spite that surely is brewing in their guts. As luck would have it, the only weregild you'll have to pay will be for Jogrim, for he was the only man to bleed on this day.
And yet, that isn't true. You still remember the blood coating Kare as he cut down his first foe. You still remember the blood spraying from Trausti's arm as Tryggr pulled him back. You still saw Kurt cleave a man from shoulder to hip.
And yet, you know all too well that nobody else does.
Only you.
'And me.'
(+1 Orthstirr)
(Required Task: Meet with Jogrim's family to discuss weregild. If this is not done by year's end, a feud shall start)
(Time Stands Still: Stricken. Replaced with: Iron Embrace)
Pick two:
[ ] Kare and Vesna's first child will receive a massive boon
[ ] Hallbjorn, inspired by the bloodlessness of your battle, will begin exploring other methods of bloodless fighting
[ ] Ingolf, having seen his brother do courageous deeds and how you supported him, will be more open towards you helping him
0~0~0
AN: All reward dice spent on the rolls for your men have been refunded. If you'd like further details on what the fuck, exactly, went down here to cause this—and you can't figure it out on your own—I will tell you.
Eventually.
No moratorium, but this'll be the only update for today.
Yeah...I honestly have no idea how that worked or what that was. I am confuse.
For the voting, uh, I have no idea honestly. I like the Hallbjorn option but the others both look good.
[X] Kare and Vesna's first child will receive a massive boon
[X] Hallbjorn, inspired by the bloodlessness of your battle, will begin exploring other methods of bloodless fighting
It looks like Jogrim used a Rewrite to go "An attack on my party is an attack on me AND THEREFORE I reflect it" Which caused a temporal paradox as frozen time froze again.
Which is why he's the only one who Died here when things got scrubbed, because he was the one who bent the rules in such a way that--apparently--the Entire Written World broke for a moment.
