I'd more meant it as "treating a priest as someone who might have some wisdom to offer" than anything else.
and... yes, I'm quite certain that if we go up to Jerasmus and say "I'm having a crisis of faith and looking to maybe turn from the murderous ways of my people. Also, would you please use this bible to teach me how to read and write?" that he'll try to convert us. A man can't stand but so much temptation. At the same time, I'm pretty sure that we can go through that, and come out the other side having been exposed to some potentially interesting new perspectives on life and culture and cultivation and whatnot, and *not* allow ourselves to be converted.
I mean... Christian cultivation is kind of... bad, in some ways. If anything, I feel like I'd like Halla's attitude to be that orthstirr is a right. If you do the work of a Dreng and act in a manner worthy of respect, then you're supposed to get superpowers that aid you in essentially every meaningful aspect of life. The Christians deny their people this, and that's kind of shameful. It's a good attitude to have, and I feel like it's pretty solid insulation from conversion attempts.
Note: This is not intended to be 100% historically accurate and the exact placement of things is incorrect as I was limited by the restraints of the tools I was using to color the map
edit: changed the colors around, it should be easier to read now, hopefully. If Hordaland and Skane are giving you trouble, Hordaland is on the west coast of Norway and Skane is in the southernmost part of Sweden
I'd more meant it as "treating a priest as someone who might have some wisdom to offer" than anything else.
and... yes, I'm quite certain that if we go up to Jerasmus and say "I'm having a crisis of faith and looking to maybe turn from the murderous ways of my people. Also, would you please use this bible to teach me how to read and write?" that he'll try to convert us. A man can't stand but so much temptation. At the same time, I'm pretty sure that we can go through that, and come out the other side having been exposed to some potentially interesting new perspectives on life and culture and cultivation and whatnot, and *not* allow ourselves to be converted.
I mean... Christian cultivation is kind of... bad, in some ways. If anything, I feel like I'd like Halla's attitude to be that orthstirr is a right. If you do the work of a Dreng and act in a manner worthy of respect, then you're supposed to get superpowers that aid you in essentially every meaningful aspect of life. The Christians deny their people this, and that's kind of shameful. It's a good attitude to have, and I feel like it's pretty solid insulation from conversion attempts.
And you don't think that any ideas he gives us will be part of conversion?
I get trying for new perspectives on life. But this approach just screams partial conversion to me.
And there are multiple people we could approach that don't involve the conversion risk. Leaving us to approach the Christian POV when we are less vulnerable.
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on Apr 6, 2023 at 9:10 PM, finished with 181 posts and 28 votes.
[X] Plan Securing Our Gains
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
--[X] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
--[X] Privately (aside from Abjorn and/or Stigmar) ask his advice on the Horra situation
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (again)
--[X] Audrikr Fishfighter, the sardonic hirdman
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (and again)
--[X] Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother
--[X] Discuss regular sparring to keep in shape once you're all home
-[X] Train Sidestep 1d6
--[X] Train Magnify-Sight 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Talk about bodily death, how that works, and how to fix it
-[X] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Labor 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Management 1d6
-[X] (Fylgja Capacity) Withdraw Work Knife from fylgja (keep it on our person), and add the Bell to our Fylgja to replace it.
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (22 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 122 free for tricks
[X] Plan Jarlsoul Scouting
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (Optional: write in the reason for visiting with them)
--[X] The one who tries to sleep all the time
--[X] The one who keeps making arrows
--[X] The one with the sack of coins and many knives
-[X] Train Sidestep 1d6
--[X] Train Magnify-Sight 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6)
-[X] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Labor 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Management 1d6
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (22 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 122 free for tricks
Note: This is not intended to be 100% historically accurate and the exact placement of things is incorrect as I was limited by the restraints of the tools I was using to color the map
And you don't think that any ideas he gives us will be part of conversion?
I get trying for new perspectives on life. But this approach just screams partial conversion to me.
And there are multiple people we could approach that don't involve the conversion risk. Leaving us to approach the Christian POV when we are less vulnerable.
As far as "multiple people we could approach".... no. No there's not. Basically everyone we know how to find are either Norse or Christian. Arguably the Witch would count as a third, but I don't think that actually makes it better. If we're looking at flaws in our own culture, and looking for ways to adjust it... then we're going to have to go to people who are not part of that culture.
Asvir isn't an actual place, neither is the Hading or Jurgdby. These places and their names are all made up. I'm probably not going to be featuring too much actual geography as, well, I get too caught up in map stuff. Blame it on cultivator shenanigans
As far as "multiple people we could approach".... no. No there's not. Basically everyone we know how to find are either Norse or Christian. Arguably the Witch would count as a third, but I don't think that actually makes it better. If we're looking at flaws in our own culture, and looking for ways to adjust it... then we're going to have to go to people who are not part of that culture.
I mean have we even really talked to people in our own culture that much. Like we have mainly interacted with warriors and occasionally our neighbors. Not other people in actual towns/keeps with their different perspectives. Especially the traders and other positions like that.
Asvir isn't an actual place, neither is the Hading or Jurgdby. These places and their names are all made up. I'm probably not going to be featuring too much actual geography as, well, I get too caught up in map shenanigans.
Oh ok, there a village called Ausvika in the Kommune of Kristiansand in the Fylke of Adger which might fit location as there is farmable land nearby and it has a bay out to the sea. I mean that if you want the location of Asvir to be real you could treat that as the place it is set @Imperial Fister .
Oh ok, there a village called Ausvika in the Kommune of Kristiansand in the Fylke of Adger which might fit location as there is farmable land nearby and it has a bay out to the sea.
That's hilarious, have a Reward Dice for both finding a good location for Asvir (in relation to a real life map, at least) and drawing a good few hearty chuckles from me
As far as "multiple people we could approach".... no. No there's not. Basically everyone we know how to find are either Norse or Christian. Arguably the Witch would count as a third, but I don't think that actually makes it better. If we're looking at flaws in our own culture, and looking for ways to adjust it... then we're going to have to go to people who are not part of that culture.
No?
Before we try to fix the flaws in our own culture we may start by looking at our position in it, and look at other parts of the culture.
For that we could look at people that inhabit other parts of our culture, examples:
"Sten Iskearauta" who is a crafter, a smith good enough to have a kenning based on that.
"The Seeress" is... a Seeress, very decidedly not a "For loot and the glory of violence" position. Should also be a very respected position.
"Steinar" is a retired warrior that actively rejected a kenning because he doesn't like how it made him behave.
All people Halla could talk to to make sense of her issues. (Granted, Steinar may take the warrior life for granted and be less useful.)
Making sense of her issues that could lead to her deciding that the culture has issues, that issues need fixing, that she should look at alternatives.
Note: This is not intended to be 100% historically accurate and the exact placement of things is incorrect as I was limited by the restraints of the tools I was using to color the map
Even as a non-colorblind person, those shades of red look awfully similar to me...close enough that distinguishing them is hard and I'm still not actually sure I've got it right. An alternative would be good.
Alright, I've made a map and have added it in. If you were making a map then feel free to continue as I'll still give you a reward dice for the effort.
[X] A 'book' bound in soft leather, a red ribbon serving as a place-marker
[X] Plan Securing Our Gains
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
--[X] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
--[X] Privately (aside from Abjorn and/or Stigmar) ask his advice on the Horra situation
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (again)
--[X] Audrikr Fishfighter, the sardonic hirdman
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (and again)
--[X] Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother
--[X] Discuss regular sparring to keep in shape once you're all home
-[X] Train Sidestep 1d6
--[X] Train Magnify-Sight 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Talk about bodily death, how that works, and how to fix it
-[X] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Labor 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Management 1d6
-[X] (Fylgja Capacity) Withdraw Work Knife from fylgja (keep it on our person), and add the Bell to our Fylgja to replace it.
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (22 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 122 free for tricks
0~0~0
(Hamr Trick Training #1: 2) 1 Failure. (#2: 5) 2 Successes
Releasing a deep breath, orthstirr flows back from your eyes and your vision returns to its blurry standard.
Guess you'll need to work on that some more.
(+2 Magnify-Sight Trick)
0~0~0 (Hugareida Trick Training #1: 1, 2)-2+1=1 Failure. (#2: 1, 5)1+1=2 Successes. (#3: 3, 4)2+1=3 Successes. (Campfire: 6, 5)4+1=5 Successes.
"Blackhand?" Your words are met with silence. "Hallr?"
'Sorry,' his apology is faint and muffled, like he's talking through thick layers of cloth, 'Christian lands are... difficult to stay awake in. I...' he trails off and the only further answers you get are light snores in the back of your head.
Great.
(+2 to EWC)
(+3 to FBS)
(+5 to Campfire)
0~0~0 (Labor Training: 3) 1 Success
Helping around the camp helps you refine your laboring skills.
(Labor Rank Up!)
0~0~0 (Management Training: 6) 2 Successes
After counting and recounting the money you made, you find that you're a little bit better at it!
(Management Rank Up!)
0~0~0 The Owl-Gacha
That morning, when you woke up with the rest of the camp, you woke to the Wizard-Owl preening before the entrance to your tent — an odd, empty sack in its talons.
Patting it on the head, you reach down and hold the sack up to the light.
It's... You frown as the wind unfurls the long lengths of cloth.
It almost resembles a person, only with six limbs instead of four. Four arms, two legs with each limb ending in a glassy, black spike. It's tall, very tall. Taller than Abjorn, even! Pieces of straw stick out from the empty sack — the only clue to what once stuffed it.
On its 'face' is a single letter, of a language you don't understand. However, you've seen a language like it once before, on the shell of the meteor.
Shrugging, you bundle it back up before slipping it into your pack. You can stuff it full of straw when you get home. For now, though, it's time to get to work loading all the loot onto the Treadfast!
(Empty Sack Body added to Inventory)
0~0~0 Talking to Folkmarr about Horra (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 3, 4, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 5, 1, 2) Autofail (Horra's Trait: ??? Triggered, revealing as Deep Family Roots)
After stowing the sack away, you catch Folkmarr as he stretches in the morning light. He yawns as big and wide as the lion he won his name from.
"Good morning," he yawns again, "Halla."
"Good morning to you too, Folkmarr." You return the greeting before glancing around the camp. With Abjorn busy helping with the heavier things and Stigmar collecting his own loot, there's no one to eavesdrop. "Hey, uh, I have something I wanted to talk to you about."
He shoots a squint your way. "...right."
It occurs to you that you've really not spent all that much time with him and the time that you *have* were mostly trying to convince him of things. Successfully, true, but the point still stands.
"In private."
He sighs, head tilting towards the mid-morning sky. "Alright, let's meet in my tent."
Once inside, you find yourself in a familiar spot as he sits across from you. Unlike the last time you were inside this tent, he's not in the middle of maintaining his weapons and you're not concerned for the future. Well, actually that's just not true.
"Go ahead," his shallow nod bears a small drop of unexpected Jarlsspeak, which forces you to start off balance.
"A-ah, well," he's clearly not pleased with you, if he felt a display like that was needed. Swallowing a sudden lump in your throat, you continue on at a quick pace, "my family is currently feuding with another family in the Valley and I wanted to know if you had any advice for me..." The tired look in Folkmarr's eyes has your words trailing off.
"I can't do anything about the Burissons, there's simply no evidence." His words sound practiced, like he'd heard them spoken hundreds of times over.
"It's not about them," you're quick to follow, "it's about Horr-"
"Horra Hasvisson." Something about how he says that name stops you in your tracks.
"...yes."
He pinches the bridge of his nose as his fingers drum against the table. "Don't try anything with him."
Your mouth hangs open, eyes aghast. "He killed my uncles!"
"And he's related to half the people in Asvir and the Valley," a heavy sigh escapes his throat as his shoulders slump, "myself included."
You recoil as if struck. "I... what? How?"
"His family have lived here for generations." He chuckles as if something was funny about this, "You know, I was actually worried that you were going to try to get in my way, what with you stealing Stigmar right outside my tent, but..." he shrugs, a sardonic smile on his face, "I guess that's not something I really have to worry about anymore."
"Guess not," you suddenly don't feel very safe in the camp anymore. As long as you're a part of the felag, no fighting can be had, but as soon as you're out of it...
If Folkmarr really is related to Horra, you're going to be crossing blades eventually.
It's... it's difficult to swallow this one. Eyes wet, you don't wait for permission as you rise to your feet and leave the tent — Folkmarr stays silent as you make your exit
This quest for seidr just keeps getting better and better.
(Relations with Folkmarr set to -1)
0~0~0 Spending time with Audrikr (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 2, 4, 4, 6, 2, 6, 1, 6, 5, 5) 9 Successes
"Ah, Halla, I was looking for... Are you okay, sister?" Audrikr's voice is the first thing that greets you as you leave Folkmarr's tent. He pauses as he sees the look on your face and you're reminded that, despite you and him getting along rather well, he's still part of Folkmarr's hird.
Which means that when you fight Folkmarr, he won't be on your side.
"I'm fine, Audrikr." Thankfully, he gives you your space.
He shrugs, seeming to accept your answer as you keep moving. He's called into Folkmarr's tent soon after as your soul despairs.
0~0~0 Asking Stigmar to Spar (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 1) 1 Success
What was once a camp full of friends and comrades in arms is now little more than a land of future enemies. So when you come across someone you know to be your friend, it's like you found a hot spring after a year of nothing but ice baths.
"Stigmar!" Your words fall through choked, barely-held-back tears as you bury your face in your friend's chest. He takes a step back, arms held clear away from you as a distinctly uncomfortable shimmer passes across his eyes.
"W-what's wrong? Do I need to kill someone?" Gently but firmly, he pries you from his chest and you realize that it would probably look really, really bad if someone saw you like that.
"No, well, maybe. I don't know." He opens his mouth, likely to offer a solution or try to help, but you don't need that right now. So instead of letting him speak, you start up again instead.
He listens, voice silent as you tell him your plight.
As you finish, a grim mask covers his face. "We're going to have to start preparing, when we get back to your land."
You nod, happy that you and Abjorn aren't alone in this.
(Sparring with Stigmar added!)
0~0~0 (Getaway Roll: 94) And you're out of there!
The Treadfast slips away from Frisia without a sound. The only sign it was ever there to begin with was a shallow depression in the sand.
0~0~0
The return to Asvir should've been glorious.
And, for most of the felag, it was.
For you, Abjorn, and Stigmar, however?
The cheering crowd was nothing more than salt in the wounds of betrayal.
For a moment, you consider just leaving Asvir while the felag's bonds still keep you more or less safe, but recall the fact that this might be your last chance to shop properly before, well, it becomes less safe to do so.
Do you go shopping?
[ ] Yes, go shopping
-[ ] (Write in) what are you looking for?
[ ] No, go straight home
(+29 Orthstirr)
(+1 Drengskapr)
(Lootbag has been added to Character Sheet)
0~0~0
AN: Fuck me running, I'm a bit out of practice with these 'normal' turns, lmao.
Also, we just hit 100k words, woo! Sure, that's not that big of a milestone for a lot of people, but it means a lot to me!
Good to find this out now, but god damn was this bad, it means Horra now knows he's on our radar, and we burned that contact as well, hard. And more importantly, it means he's basically invincible because any attack on him will effectively bring half the fucking valley in to kill you because apparently he's somehow managed to secretly not only be related to half the fucking valley, but nailed in "Defend me at all costs" traits in the most important ones.
Of course, it'd be nice if someone fucking told us this in advance. Christ. How does an Outlaw manage to form close family bonds with half the fucking valley? He might not be an Outlaw anymore, but is this what protected him in the first place?
Ugh
I like this game, but I'll admit that I don't appreciate how the Seeress basically railroaded us into this and when we brought it up to Halla's mom she didn't say a word about it. Did he really need more help than apparently being an evil sorcerer who's of an age cohort with the Absolute Unit that is Steinarr?
