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NorseQuest (A Norse Xianxia)

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DeadmanwalkingXI said:
On the other hand, nonlethal combat probably does work as long as it's taken seriously, since it's 'spoiling for a good fight' rather than 'must murder things'.
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You are correct. Wrestling was a favored pastime and the game of Knattleikr (which involved hitting each other with sticks while going after a ball) was so popular that it was assumed that everyone would already know the rules so they never wrote them down.
Constenanto said:
Can we expect monsters and what not? Stuff like draugr, etc. ? Perhaps monsters from the folklore of other countries?
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You absolutely can, though most monsters tend not to stray too close to humanity. And if you visit other places, you can be certain that you will encounter different creatures (should you go looking for them).
 
Imperial Fister said:
You are correct. Wrestling was a favored pastime and the game of Knattleikr (which involved hitting each other with sticks while going after a ball) was so popular that it was assumed that everyone would already know the rules so they never wrote them down.
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Correct in that non-lethal fights count, too.
Or correct in that non-fighting bloodshed doesn't count?
 
I mean, I said "Norse Nanoha" for a good reason. That is very much a friendly young genius lady who genuinely believes beating someone else to a pulp is a good icebreaker when it comes to making new friends.

And funnily enough, it seems to work!
 
Watched with interest.
Imperial Fister said:
AN: Welcome to NorseQuest! I hope that everything is to your liking. I've included some spoilers preemptively answering some potential questions you may have while I post the character sheet and mechanics informationals. Once I'm done with that, feel free to ask me anything and I shall answer to the best of my abilities. Some things I will not be able to answer, as you will have to find those out in-character.

The utter basics is that hamr is your body, hugr is your mind, fylgja is your spiritual animal companion, and hamingja is your natural luck and talent. I'll expand on how they play into mechanics when I post the mechanics informational.

By cultivating hamr, one can perform great feats of strength, move with the speed of the wind, sense all there is to sense, endure body-breaking pain, and even shift their form to another should they grow strong enough.

By cultivating hugr, one can sharpen their memory, calculate problems with superhuman speed, create new ideas and thoughts, and even cast all kinds of magic should they grow strong enough.

By cultivating fylgja, one can manifest them into the physical world, see the unseen, recieve tellings of the future, act through the fylgja as if it were your own body, and even strike out at enemy fylgja should one grow strong enough. (Important to note: if your fylgja dies, you die as well)

You cannot cultivate hamingja, it is something that you get at birth and changes based on your actions in life. It is how naturally lucky you are and how talented you are at whatever you try your hand at.
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I figured I could suggest snappy one-word translations for some these, though not entirely serious: ;)

Hamr: Shape (used both in the sense of "get in shape" and "shapeshifter")
Hugr: Thought
Fylgja: Patronus
Hamingja: Fortune (sometimes personified)
Imperial Fister said:
Orthstirr literally translates to 'word-glory'. For the purposes of this quest, orthstirr shall be the stand-in for qi. Unlike qi, however, you do not gain orthstirr through cultivation, but through the renown you gain by doing drengskapr, the work of a drengr (essentially, the model man in Norse society. A drengr is someone you want by your side in a fight, someone you'd trust with your life.)

By receiving nid (essentially, shame or dishonor either from someone else's actions or your own dishonorable actions) you stand to lose orthstirr if you do not respond with fire and steel or through the law. Any amount of nid can prove catastrophic to a Norseman's orthstirr, so deny it at all turns.

By doing odrengskapr, the work of an odrengr (similar in concept to nid, but without the supernatural aspect that lessens your orthstirr) your standing in the eye of the community worsens, making it harder to increase your orthstirr and easier for others to desire your death.

Essentially, by doing drengskapr you gain orthstirr. Orthstirr can be used to enhance your hamr, hugr, and your fylgja. Orthstirr is also the only thing remaining of you after you die, so protecting it is very important.
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Ordstirr: Name (as in "a good name", "make a name for yourself")
Drengr: Brave (the noun, as borrowed from Feather Indians)

Now this is a petty issue, but I think orðstírr should be written as "ordstirr" not "orthstirr" in 26-letter English orthography, because
1) Norse orð has become spelled as Norwegian ord and likewise in other Scandinavian languages (Danish, Swedish) after ð fell out of use
2) The ð character stands for a voiced dental fricative (as in "these"), but "orth" intuitively looks like the voiceless dental fricative in "earth" to me.
 
[X] Plan: Perky Murder Witch

I am absolutely a sucker for shounen-style "we beat each other up and now we're best friends!" relationships, which also happens to be very stereotypically Norse.
 
Omegahugger said:
[X] Plan: Perky Murder Witch

I am absolutely a sucker for shounen-style "we beat each other up and now we're best friends!" relationships, which also happens to be very stereotypically Norse.
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I would personally try to push for much creepier personality, really go in on the murder witch part less than the perky.
 
Exmorri said:
Now this is a petty issue, but I think orðstírr should be written as "ordstirr" not "orthstirr" in 26-letter English orthography, because
1) Norse orð has become spelled as Norwegian ord and likewise in other Scandinavian languages (Danish, Swedish) after ð fell out of use
2) The ð character stands for a voiced dental fricative (as in "these"), but "orth" intuitively looks like the voiceless dental fricative in "earth" to me.
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You're absolutely right. I thought long and hard on which way to go with orðstírr's spelling and decided on orthstirr because it still kept the
'general sound' of 'ð' rather than how 'd' typically comes off as. I'm writing this with the assumption that most people going into it won't know how 'ð' is pronounced and wanted them to not get hung up on it.

If people want ordstirr instead of orthstirr, though, I'll change it.
 
Lunoros said:
Honestly not sure if that would be a good thing cause that might make us completely draconic instead of still human
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I'm assuming they're referencing the legend of Sigurd/Siegfried, which had him bathe in the blood of a dragon to become invulnerable. Unfortunately, a leaf (I believe it varies in some versions, although I'm not sure on that) covered part of his body when he did so, so he wasn't completely invulnerable. Ended up dying.
 
Omegahugger said:
... And the downside is?

Norse mythology notably allows for shapeshifter pregnancies, so we could definitely still have an heir!
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Technically we would be bathing in the blood of a probably evil dragon. Who knows how that would influence us into worse directions cause well dragons aren't really good things in Norse myths. But if we don't care about that as much it should be fine.

Plus I imagine us actually killing a dragon to be more late realm of cultivation and a major boost in fame. That's like a heroic feat after all.
 
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Alright, looks like it's time. Lets see what you've decided on.

Remember; if you're not happy with how the results have turned out, you won't always be playing as this character.
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on Feb 1, 2023 at 6:07 PM, finished with 65 posts and 37 votes.
  • [X] Plan: Perky Murder Witch
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child is sharp, always quick to put two and two together. They have a mind like a sail, always catching new ideas like the wind to sailcloth.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child shows the signs that they'll grow into a truly beautiful adult, should they reach that age.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child has a love for violence that would give even the mightiest vikingr pause.
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child is always spoiling for a good fight.
    [X] Viking
    [X] Plan: Seeker of mysteries.
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child seems to know things they shouldn't. They talk about some manner of creature that shadows their footsteps.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child has the spirit of a jarl. When they speak, others listen.
    -[X] The child yearns for adventure, for glory. They desire to see new lands and discover new things.
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
    [X] Plan: Odysseus of Scandinavia
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child is very lucky and has a natural sort of talent when it comes to all manner of sort. It's clear that they would be very good at whatever they put their mind to.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child has a talent for poetry and wordplay. Their poems are very advanced for their age.
    -[X] The child has the spirit of a jarl. When they speak, others listen.
    -[X] The child yearns for adventure, for glory. They desire to see new lands and discover new things.
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
    [X] Plan: Blessed of Freyr
    -[X] "Hallr" (Male)
    -[X] The child is very lucky and has a natural sort of talent when it comes to all manner of sort. It's clear that they would be very good at whatever they put their mind to.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child shows the signs that they'll grow into a truly beautiful adult, should they reach that age.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
    [X] Viking
    -[X] "Hallr"
    -[X] The child has a great deal of natural strength and sense of body. They already stand head and shoulders over their peers and certainly will be of prodigious size should they live to adulthood.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child has the spirit of a jarl. When they speak, others listen.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child has a love for violence that would give even the mightiest vikingr pause.
    -[X] The child yearns for adventure, for glory. They desire to see new lands and discover new things.
    -[X] The child wears their heart on their sleeve and often acts without thinking.
    -[X] The child is always spoiling for a good fight.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
    [X] Plan Lucky Penny
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child is very lucky and has a natural sort of talent when it comes to all manner of sort. It's clear that they would be very good at whatever they put their mind to.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child has a knack for making money.
    -[X] The child yearns for adventure, for glory. They desire to see new lands and discover new things.
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
    [X] Born for greatness
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child is very lucky and has a natural sort of talent when it comes to all manner of sort. It's clear that they would be very good at whatever they put their mind to.
    -[X] The child has a talent for poetry and wordplay. Their poems are very advanced for their age.
    -[X] The child shows the signs that they'll grow into a truly beautiful adult, should they reach that age.
    -[X] The child has the spirit of a jarl. When they speak, others listen.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child wears their heart on their sleeve and often acts without thinking.
    [X] Plan:Seeress
    -[X] "Halla" (Female)
    -[X] The child is very lucky and has a natural sort of talent when it comes to all manner of sort. It's clear that they would be very good at whatever they put their mind to.
    -[X] The child is far bolder than their peers. While the others stayed on the lower branches, they've already climbed to the top.
    -[X] The child has a talent for poetry and wordplay. Their poems are very advanced for their age.
    -[X] The child has the spirit of a jarl. When they speak, others listen.
    -[X] The child is naturally friendly. Wherever they go, they make friends and, more importantly, allies.
    -[X] The child yearns for adventure, for glory. They desire to see new lands and discover new things. -Gain Boon: Wanderlust
    -[X] While it wouldn't matter for many years, the child is completely incapable of growing any kind of facial hair.
    -[X] The child is, simply put, a runt compared to their peers.
    -[X] The child is an antsy thing, never willing to stay in one place for very long.
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Summer 1/Turn 1
  • Threadmarks
    • The year, by the reckoning of the followers of Christ, is 8970 AD and you, Halla Steinarsdottir, have just turned twelve.

    "Dad!" Your beloved father, Steinarr Hallsson, pauses putting his cloak on as he hears your indignant outcry. He slowly turns around, his face a mask of red hairs and bushy eyebrows.

    "Yes, Halla?" He asks like he doesn't know why you're stopping him.

    "You said that I could help with the sheep if I finished my needlebinding!"

    "Did she?" His eyes flick to where your belabored mother, Asveig Rovisdottir, stirs a pot of melting snow over the hearth fire — the last of winter's kiss. She and Asva, your older sister, look up from their work.

    "It's not perfect but..." Asveig sighs, picking at a loose length of yarn in your work. "She did it."

    Asva huffs as a broad grin threatens to split your face in two. The two of you have never gotten along, bossy and mean as she is, but not even she can put a damper on your excitement right now.

    Steinarr smiles, but you can tell that he's not happy about something. "Well," he begins, "it might be dangerous," your smile widens, "and you might get dirty, but if you're sure you want to..." He trails off as he sees that you've already got a staff in hand and a cloak about the shoulders.

    He laughs and ruffles the blazing red hair he gave you. You follow close behind as he exits the longhouse. You stop as you feel the sun on your skin and take a deep breath of the brisk air of the north.

    It's good to be alive.

    0~0~0
    Seasonal:
    [ ] The sheep need to be moved to higher ground, so that any potential vikingar coming by don't have as easy as a time getting to them.
    [ ] The fields need to be cleared.
    [ ] The cows and goats need to be milked.
    [ ] The river is full of fish, go set up a net or two.
    0~0~0
    Personal:
    [ ] Stigr says that he's found something weird in the woods, but you and Abjorn aren't certain on that one
    [ ] You've heard about the nearby village of Asvir for many years now, but have never been. Lets see if you can't wring a promise out of your father to take you some time
    [ ] Ask Randi to tell you some stories
    [ ] Pick a fight with...
    -[ ] Eric, your older brother
    -[ ] One of the local boys
    -[ ] Asva (You doubt she'd be willing to fight you, but maybe you can needle her enough?)
    [ ] Spend time with... (Write in)
    [ ] Go wandering in the...
    -[ ] Woods
    -[ ] Hills
    -[ ] Fields
    0~0~0
    Training:
    [ ] Train your hamr (2 successes to rank up)
    -[ ] (Optional) Train a hamr skill (Write in)
    [ ] Train your hugr (2 successes to rank up)
    -[ ] (Optional) Train a hugr skill (Write in)
    [ ] What in the heck is a 'fylgja'?
    0~0~0
    Random Event: (6)
    A friendly dog has shown up and seems to like it here.
    [ ] Does it want to be friends? (Can be repeated)
    [ ] Leave it alone (Can be returned to later)
    0~0~0

    AN: And so your saga begins. Character sheet has been updated.

    I picked 12 as your starting age to 1) give you an ample amount of time before you hit 16 (when you become an adult, if you don't find a way to prove yourself beforehand) and 2) because 12 was the minimum age one had to be to be a judge in Iceland and I thought that it was fitting.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Oh the character sheet got updated. We got some friends, foes and a not so good relationship with our mom. Honestly should have expected that with how we made our character an adventurous and feisty girl.

    How many actions can we take per turn actually?
     
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