Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
I mean, yes, I get that.
I'm still snitty that I missed that bit because we could have avoided that if I had seen it to push back against.
It's still good to know, but it's a fucking nuisance.
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
I mean, yes, I get that.
I'm still snitty that I missed that bit because we could have avoided that if I had seen it to push back against.
It's still good to know, but it's a fucking nuisance.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Sorry about that, I did note the change was occurring. I also really don't feel like now is a bad time to deal with it. Maybe not ideal, but I suspect if we wait for 'ideal' we'll never achieve anything.
It was also pretty explicitly a 'cost to do a thing' rather than, like, explosive...anything potentially explosive or likely to lead to immediate advancement (and thus maybe a deathtrap) I'd avoid much more carefully.
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Hitting traps is part of the game. Part of Halla's job is going to be Barbarian trap finding - ie finding and tanking as much as she can for those who come after. We'll deal.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Side note; Sten forges good. Would've crafted Sagaseeker into a tier 7 weapon by himself.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
In fairness, Alectai's issue isn't that we're hitting this, but the timing. That said, I think we'd have to wait well over a year for a better time, which seems a while to wait for something that we know is a relatively minor trap/price comparatively.
Nice!
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Ooof, it's impossible to improve the quality later, huh?
Or is this actually going to be even better since we're helping him?
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
Wait and see ;P
Also, you're probably gonna want to get started on thinking up a name for the newest member of the family.
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Y'all think we might have selkie cousins out in the sea somewhere?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Given Blackhand's known proclivities it's not impossible. They're probably not named after him, though.
I'm back to liking Hallbjorn for this kid's name (I just think that's a cool name, to be honest). He has Stoic Silence and Terror-Bear's Loyalty, so 'Stone-Bear' seems pretty appropriate.
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- Location
- Norway
Ole, Olaf, Leif, if it's a boy. ("heir")
Signe, Signy for a girl. ("new triumph")
(For a later son I want to suggest Sunr which just means son, the Vikings got tired of naming kids at some point.)
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The current kid is a boy.
- Location
- Norway
Ah. I was reading "newest" as meaning next after the current one, thought we had named the current one already.
- Location
- scrabbling
That survey was only of relics claimed at that time, hundreds of years after half of Europe had sheared away from Catholicism and the remainder had been eroded through constant criticism for the practice. And it is a very small nitpick, because I assure you the people bandying about the milk of Mary and those clamoring to touch such relics were not asking if the relic in question was first, second or third class. That's the kind of intellectual justification that's made after the fact.
- Location
- Bretonnia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yikes, I guess I fucked up with the reminder? My bad. Yeah, it would've happened eventually, but it wasn't like it would've killed us to miss out on doing it. Shit. Sorry.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Clearly at least as much my fault as yours. Still, like I said, this isn't the worst turn for it by any means.
- Location
- Bretonnia
- Pronouns
- He/Him
In hindsight, this wasn't even hard to avoid. Halla explicitly mentioned that she got a feeling that the enemy had left a trap for us down this route, so it's... honestly somewhat funny we just blundered right into it.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That's not quite what she said...she said she wasn't sure if it was a trap or a price. My own feeling was that it probably wasn't a trap per se, just something that, like, permanently tied up part of our Orthstirr pool to achieve an effect. Apparently it is a trap, but I still suspect its more in line with that than anything too bad.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
It's a trap, but it's not a landmine, just the equivilant of a nuisance. And we were told it wasn't irreversible (At worst, I expect we'll have to unravel what we did, which'll be a pain in the ass). The question is the nature of that Trap and what we can learn from stepping into it.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I suspect more partially stuck than fully, but this is possible.
Summer 7/Turn 1
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They
(You have cultivated 13 Odr)
0~0~0
0~0~0
Rolled
(Hamr: 6x5, 5x1, 4x3, 3x3, 2x3, 1x1) 14 Successes. (Kindle Spinner: 1, 3) 1 Success. (EWC: 1, 2) 1 Failure. (Campfire: 2, 1) 1 Failure.
...
(+14 to Hamr)
(+1 to Kindle Spinner)
0~0~0
Pregnancy
The year, by the reckoning of the followers of Christ, is 8976 AD and you, Halla Longstride, have just turned eighteen.
Your third son and fourth child scowls as he's placed into his cradle — which is something he seemingly likes to do. Asgeirr, Sigurdr, and even Eyvor crowd around your legs as they try to get a look at the newest face of the family.
Though they're all only one-year-olds, their bodies and minds are more like that of a two-year-old's — which is normal when taking into account your and Abjorn's own developments. All in all, they're likely gonna be at least as large as their father — even Eyvor!
But, regardless, that grumpy lump of pink skin and chubby fat is gonna need a name.
What do you wish to call him?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
Dwarves
The door to the underhouse slides open and you are welcomed into the dwarves' home by a smiling Toki. He's missing a few teeth on the side of the mouth, but he doesn't seem overly bothered by them. As he gestures for you to take a seat, you notice that metal coats his arm from fingers to shoulder.
"So... your arm...?" You trail off as you shuffle around in your chair. Despite Abjorn's praise, not even you can get comfortable on a seat made of stone. Maybe he could, though the low height might prove a bigger issue for him.
Toki's smile falls. "The Lurkalings hit a mine and I happened to be on shift at the time. He took my arm," he grins, metal moving like skin as he shrugs, "but I took his life with it."
"And why didn't you just stick it back on?" That's what you do whenever your arm falls off, anyways.
"I'm a dwarf, we don't have that luxury."
"Oh, sorry."
He waves it off. "No offense taken."
After a moment of slightly awkward silence, you breathe in and get back to work. "So, I didn't just come here for the company, though it is nice," Toki beams, big and wide and greedy, "It has to do with the Lurkalings. Specifically, is there anything I can do to help without breaking the Ancestral Exchange?"
Toki scratches at his beard. "Like, as a mercenary?"
You shrug. "Something like that, I guess."
"Well, mercenary work for money isn't really something you can do, for the local dwarf Clans, at least. You can do it for foreign dwarf Clans, though." He laughs, slapping iron on knee. "It is not in our nature to hinder greed and humanity's greed for orthstirr is well respected amongst us dwarves."
"But...?" You trail off leadingly, an arched brow on your face.
"But, there's nothing stopping dwarf-friends from fighting alongside their Clan."
You grin, which he cracks in turn. "Why, I might just do that! Any information on when the next assault on the Lurkalings is going to take place?"
"Oinn and I are linking up with our brothers to collapse a Lurkaling mine." His metal fist clenches as fiery greed shines bright in his gaze. "Revenge for Patti."
His brother... "I'm sorry for your loss."
"When dwarves war, we have no restraints," Toki's eyes gleam with lethal greed as his words come out low and rumbly, "but wielding the Desire in war? That's a step too far."
"The desire?"
"Sunlight."
The conversation falls to quiet after that.
All the while, though, you think on what you just learned.
The Lurkalings are wielding sunlight in battle. Horra killed that troll with a sunlight-infused dagger.
...is Horra supplying the Lurkalings with sunlight weapons?
0~0~0
Re-forging Sagaseeker (Sten's Roll: 6x8, 5x3, 4x3, 3x2, 2x4, 1x5-1(Odr))20+15(Sten's Tools)+4(Orthstirr)=36 Successes. Adding the runes (6x3, 5x2, 4x1, 3x2, 2x3, 1x1-1(Odr))10+7+4=21 Successes.
Sten's hammer rose and fell with the strength of the Gods behind it.
CLANG
But it wasn't a hammer in his hands.
CLANG
In fact, it wasn't anything at all.
CLANG
All he had to work with was Sagaseeker and Storm Iron.
CLANG
His iron-hard fist was the hammer.
CLANG
His knee-like-rock the anvil.
CLANG
And his very soul the furnace.
CLANG
Sagaseeker shone with all the brilliance of the thunderstorm as you fed orthstirr and odr alike into its metal.
CLANG
In tandem with your brother, you work with hammer and chisel.
CLANG
Even with how hard it is to keep up with Sten's relentless pace.
CLANG
Even with arms like rubber and eyes stinging from soot.
CLANG
Even with a soul a third the size of what you once had.
CLANG
You carve the runes into the iron.
CLANG
And turn Sagaseeker from a mere work of art.
CLANG
To a legend in the making.
CLANG
Once, Sagaseeker sought to work its master's saga.
CLANG
But now?
CLANG
It has its own to establish.
(Sagaseeker has been upgraded to Wondrous. It now provides 9d6 to your combat pool, has a pool of 20 orthstirr, can channel orthstirr into lightning damage, and delivers attacks quicker.)
0~0~0
Exploring the Hading with Abjorn (Enemy Interrupt)
Abjorn notices them before you do.
His nose flares as he pivots on the spot. The smiling conversation cast aside in favor of the sword. He shrugs his shield from his back as his eyes peer into the thickly forested woods — the shadows far too dark for the high noon sun.
It's then that you see what he does — the six pairs of eyes gleaming in the dark.
'I know them only as Foemen.' Blackhand's words do little to soothe your nerves as a sound like rattling bones fills the air. 'They are The Enemy's men, its most common agent.'
"Any tips for fighting them?" Your heart races, drawing a smile on your face as you finally get the chance to battle The Enemy head-on.
'Strike without hesitation nor mercy, for they have none for you. Their hearts know not the grip of fear and their bodies are as strong as the earth. They wield weapons of flint and bone, yet fight with deceptive skill. Fight like your life depends on it, for it does.'
You relay all that to Abjorn as you ready the improved Sagaseeker. Your mail jingles in the wind as you assume a fighting stance — it pays to be prepared when wandering the Hading, as is well shown here.
0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 6x1, 5x2, 4x1, 3x2, 2x2, 1x2)5+1(Frenzy)=6 Successes
You struggle to make out any details of the Foemen beyond their number — which is six. Three Foemen on each side of the path, three for each of you.
You were walking along a path in the Hading, your husband at your side. On either side of the path is thick trees and leafy bushes. You can hear a stream in the distance and where there's water, there's rocks. There's a hill up ahead — a shallow, sloping one but a hill nonetheless.
Abjorn has Avow and his shield. He looks to you for advice.
Endurance: (9/9) | Frenzy: (1/1) | Armor Health: (17/17)
Orthstirr: (120/120) | Odr: (23)
( ) Frami: 40 | ( ) Virthing: 40 | ( ) Saemd: 40
Sagaseeker has 20 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Ashen Kiss has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
You can put 30 orthstirr into your combat pool.
Your combat pool is 24d6.
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: Well, well, well, looks like The Enemy is making a move.
I refunded you your odr spent on infusing Weaponcraft, as I think that you'd like to have every drop available for this one.
25-minute moratorium.
[X] Plan Dwarven Studies
-[X] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] The Dwarves
--[X] Ask if there is anything we can do to help without breaking the Ancestral Pact
--[X] Specifically, ask about sunlight attacks underground or anything resembling the arrow-throwing machine, explaining that we have a theory that might help but need more information
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something
--[X] Storm Iron Atgeir (+7 Successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Specifically, get Sten to help reforge Sagaseeker (since his power and skills are needed)
--[X] Invest **1 Odr** into Weaponcraft Roll
--[X] Invest 24 Orthstirr into this for 4 extra successes on Weaponcraft Roll
--[X] Try and put runes onto it as we reforge it, specifically: "I come down as the corpse-gulper rises, leave them wanting for what I arrived with." = I strike fast and leave my enemies slow.
--[X] Invest **1 Odr** into Artcraft Roll
--[X] Invest 24 Orthstirr into this for 4 extra successes on Artcraft Roll
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The Hading!
--[X] With Abjorn, probably
-[X] (Surplus) Spend 105 oz. Silver on charity (+3 Drengskapr)
-[X] (Rolled)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Hamr itself 17d6
-[X] (Research)
--[X] With Sten, look over the arrow-throwing machine and attempt to figure out where it's from and how it work. Is it Dwarven design? 1d6
--[X] Try using nalebinding to 'weave' together our virthing and saemd 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks
--[X] Train Halting Vortex 1d6 x
--[X] Train Mire Ward 1d6 X
-[X] (Training) Tricks
--[X] Talk to Sten about how to make other rare weapons.
--[X] Train Skewer-Flick 1d6 X
--[X] Train 'Rare Weapon' Weaponcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
-[X] (Training) Hamr (43 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Chop 1d6 x
-[X] (Training) Hugr (22 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 1d6 x
--[X] Train Artcraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) X
--[X] Train Housecraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
--[X] Train Weaponcraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
-[X] (Training) Fylgja (6 success to rank up)
--[X] Train Fylgja Itself 1d6 x
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 3 Orthstirr to Hamr
---[X] 3 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 3 Cut, 3 Farmwork, 3 Labor, 3 Overland (36 total)
--[X] 5 Orthstirr to Hugr
---[X] 5 Artcraft, 5 Armorcraft, 3 Barb-Tongue, 4 Composure, 5 Housecraft, 3 Management, 4 Scouting, 4 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, **1 Odr** and 4 Orthstirr Weaponcraft, 4 Wordplay, 5 Wildcraft (52 total)
--[X] 1 Orthstirr to Fylgja
---[X] 3 Command
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 224 free for tricks (maybe 176 after crafting?)
-[X] (Fylgja Capacity)
--[X] Remove Sway, Halting Vortex, Kindle Spinner, and Ember-Wing Cloak
--[X] Add Boulder, Shield, and Thievesbane
-[X] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] The Dwarves
--[X] Ask if there is anything we can do to help without breaking the Ancestral Pact
--[X] Specifically, ask about sunlight attacks underground or anything resembling the arrow-throwing machine, explaining that we have a theory that might help but need more information
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something
--[X] Storm Iron Atgeir (+7 Successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Specifically, get Sten to help reforge Sagaseeker (since his power and skills are needed)
--[X] Invest **1 Odr** into Weaponcraft Roll
--[X] Invest 24 Orthstirr into this for 4 extra successes on Weaponcraft Roll
--[X] Try and put runes onto it as we reforge it, specifically: "I come down as the corpse-gulper rises, leave them wanting for what I arrived with." = I strike fast and leave my enemies slow.
--[X] Invest **1 Odr** into Artcraft Roll
--[X] Invest 24 Orthstirr into this for 4 extra successes on Artcraft Roll
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The Hading!
--[X] With Abjorn, probably
-[X] (Surplus) Spend 105 oz. Silver on charity (+3 Drengskapr)
-[X] (Rolled)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Hamr itself 17d6
-[X] (Research)
--[X] With Sten, look over the arrow-throwing machine and attempt to figure out where it's from and how it work. Is it Dwarven design? 1d6
--[X] Try using nalebinding to 'weave' together our virthing and saemd 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks
--[X] Train Halting Vortex 1d6 x
--[X] Train Mire Ward 1d6 X
-[X] (Training) Tricks
--[X] Talk to Sten about how to make other rare weapons.
--[X] Train Skewer-Flick 1d6 X
--[X] Train 'Rare Weapon' Weaponcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
-[X] (Training) Hamr (43 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Chop 1d6 x
-[X] (Training) Hugr (22 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 1d6 x
--[X] Train Artcraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) X
--[X] Train Housecraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
--[X] Train Weaponcraft 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten) x
-[X] (Training) Fylgja (6 success to rank up)
--[X] Train Fylgja Itself 1d6 x
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 3 Orthstirr to Hamr
---[X] 3 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 3 Cut, 3 Farmwork, 3 Labor, 3 Overland (36 total)
--[X] 5 Orthstirr to Hugr
---[X] 5 Artcraft, 5 Armorcraft, 3 Barb-Tongue, 4 Composure, 5 Housecraft, 3 Management, 4 Scouting, 4 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, **1 Odr** and 4 Orthstirr Weaponcraft, 4 Wordplay, 5 Wildcraft (52 total)
--[X] 1 Orthstirr to Fylgja
---[X] 3 Command
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 224 free for tricks (maybe 176 after crafting?)
-[X] (Fylgja Capacity)
--[X] Remove Sway, Halting Vortex, Kindle Spinner, and Ember-Wing Cloak
--[X] Add Boulder, Shield, and Thievesbane
Mire Ward
Skewer-Flick
Rare Weapon Skill-Trick
Artcraft
Skewer-Flick
Rare Weapon Skill-Trick
Artcraft
Rolled
(Hamr: 6x5, 5x1, 4x3, 3x3, 2x3, 1x1) 14 Successes. (Kindle Spinner: 1, 3) 1 Success. (EWC: 1, 2) 1 Failure. (Campfire: 2, 1) 1 Failure.
...
(+14 to Hamr)
(+1 to Kindle Spinner)
Looking over the arrow machine with Sten
With birds chirping and the first trickles of snowmelt coming down from the mountains, you find yourself in Sten's workshop with that strange arrow-launching machine laid out on a table.
The early morning sun tickles your face through the window as Sten rubs thumb and forefinger on chin and jaw. "So, this is the machine you were talking about? The one that shoots big arrows?"
"That's right," you offer a nod as you tap a fingernail against the iron of the machine, "saw the designs and everything."
With a light grunt, he tucks it under his arm as he holds it up to the light. His fingers run over the metal, examining the quality in detail. The tip of his tongue sticks out of his mouth, a leftover from his teacher.
Eventually, he drops the machine back down with a derisive sneer. "Whoever made this did a shit job at adapting it."
You arch a brow. "Oh?"
"It's obviously not of human design," as he says that, he points out various small details that, with him directing your gaze, you now notice how weird they are, "the proportions are all off, like it's built for someone much shorter."
"Like a..." your eyes narrow as two and two come together, "dwarf, perhaps?"
Sten nods, a knowing gleam in his gray eyes. "Yeah... yeah that'd do it."
Your eyes share that gleam as one more piece falls into place. One more bit of evidence to nail Horra to the wall with.
0~0~0
Needlebinding Virthing and Saemd
You made a mistake today.
An idea had occurred to you late one night or early one morning — you can't quite recall which it was now. The idea was simple, yet cunningly clever; what if you weaved your virthing and saemd together using needlebinding? If the problem is it unraveling, then the solution is to use something that can't unravel!
It worked.
The problem is that it worked too well.
In hindsight, it was obvious that always using every drop of virthing and saemd you had was going to bite you in the ass. You got complacent, didn't even stop to think about what that might mean when using a technique that can't unravel.
You paid the price for your complacency.
Two thirds of your orthstirr was now locked away in your soul in the form of needlebinded pockets. Twenty-four in total, each with the ability to store things inside.
On the bright side, it's not permanent. Needlebinding can be undone... But you have to go step-by-step, undoing every single knot individually...
And on the brighter side, you can store the fruits of your soul-plants in them!
And on the brightest side, though it takes three Pockets to do so, you can store your Frenzy away!
To think that the trick to it was to use what Asveig had tried to teach so long ago?
It really makes you wonder...
With birds chirping and the first trickles of snowmelt coming down from the mountains, you find yourself in Sten's workshop with that strange arrow-launching machine laid out on a table.
The early morning sun tickles your face through the window as Sten rubs thumb and forefinger on chin and jaw. "So, this is the machine you were talking about? The one that shoots big arrows?"
"That's right," you offer a nod as you tap a fingernail against the iron of the machine, "saw the designs and everything."
With a light grunt, he tucks it under his arm as he holds it up to the light. His fingers run over the metal, examining the quality in detail. The tip of his tongue sticks out of his mouth, a leftover from his teacher.
Eventually, he drops the machine back down with a derisive sneer. "Whoever made this did a shit job at adapting it."
You arch a brow. "Oh?"
"It's obviously not of human design," as he says that, he points out various small details that, with him directing your gaze, you now notice how weird they are, "the proportions are all off, like it's built for someone much shorter."
"Like a..." your eyes narrow as two and two come together, "dwarf, perhaps?"
Sten nods, a knowing gleam in his gray eyes. "Yeah... yeah that'd do it."
Your eyes share that gleam as one more piece falls into place. One more bit of evidence to nail Horra to the wall with.
0~0~0
Needlebinding Virthing and Saemd
You made a mistake today.
An idea had occurred to you late one night or early one morning — you can't quite recall which it was now. The idea was simple, yet cunningly clever; what if you weaved your virthing and saemd together using needlebinding? If the problem is it unraveling, then the solution is to use something that can't unravel!
It worked.
The problem is that it worked too well.
In hindsight, it was obvious that always using every drop of virthing and saemd you had was going to bite you in the ass. You got complacent, didn't even stop to think about what that might mean when using a technique that can't unravel.
You paid the price for your complacency.
Two thirds of your orthstirr was now locked away in your soul in the form of needlebinded pockets. Twenty-four in total, each with the ability to store things inside.
On the bright side, it's not permanent. Needlebinding can be undone... But you have to go step-by-step, undoing every single knot individually...
And on the brighter side, you can store the fruits of your soul-plants in them!
And on the brightest side, though it takes three Pockets to do so, you can store your Frenzy away!
To think that the trick to it was to use what Asveig had tried to teach so long ago?
It really makes you wonder...
Pregnancy
The year, by the reckoning of the followers of Christ, is 8976 AD and you, Halla Longstride, have just turned eighteen.
Your third son and fourth child scowls as he's placed into his cradle — which is something he seemingly likes to do. Asgeirr, Sigurdr, and even Eyvor crowd around your legs as they try to get a look at the newest face of the family.
Though they're all only one-year-olds, their bodies and minds are more like that of a two-year-old's — which is normal when taking into account your and Abjorn's own developments. All in all, they're likely gonna be at least as large as their father — even Eyvor!
But, regardless, that grumpy lump of pink skin and chubby fat is gonna need a name.
What do you wish to call him?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
Dwarves
The door to the underhouse slides open and you are welcomed into the dwarves' home by a smiling Toki. He's missing a few teeth on the side of the mouth, but he doesn't seem overly bothered by them. As he gestures for you to take a seat, you notice that metal coats his arm from fingers to shoulder.
"So... your arm...?" You trail off as you shuffle around in your chair. Despite Abjorn's praise, not even you can get comfortable on a seat made of stone. Maybe he could, though the low height might prove a bigger issue for him.
Toki's smile falls. "The Lurkalings hit a mine and I happened to be on shift at the time. He took my arm," he grins, metal moving like skin as he shrugs, "but I took his life with it."
"And why didn't you just stick it back on?" That's what you do whenever your arm falls off, anyways.
"I'm a dwarf, we don't have that luxury."
"Oh, sorry."
He waves it off. "No offense taken."
After a moment of slightly awkward silence, you breathe in and get back to work. "So, I didn't just come here for the company, though it is nice," Toki beams, big and wide and greedy, "It has to do with the Lurkalings. Specifically, is there anything I can do to help without breaking the Ancestral Exchange?"
Toki scratches at his beard. "Like, as a mercenary?"
You shrug. "Something like that, I guess."
"Well, mercenary work for money isn't really something you can do, for the local dwarf Clans, at least. You can do it for foreign dwarf Clans, though." He laughs, slapping iron on knee. "It is not in our nature to hinder greed and humanity's greed for orthstirr is well respected amongst us dwarves."
"But...?" You trail off leadingly, an arched brow on your face.
"But, there's nothing stopping dwarf-friends from fighting alongside their Clan."
You grin, which he cracks in turn. "Why, I might just do that! Any information on when the next assault on the Lurkalings is going to take place?"
"Oinn and I are linking up with our brothers to collapse a Lurkaling mine." His metal fist clenches as fiery greed shines bright in his gaze. "Revenge for Patti."
His brother... "I'm sorry for your loss."
"When dwarves war, we have no restraints," Toki's eyes gleam with lethal greed as his words come out low and rumbly, "but wielding the Desire in war? That's a step too far."
"The desire?"
"Sunlight."
The conversation falls to quiet after that.
All the while, though, you think on what you just learned.
The Lurkalings are wielding sunlight in battle. Horra killed that troll with a sunlight-infused dagger.
...is Horra supplying the Lurkalings with sunlight weapons?
0~0~0
Re-forging Sagaseeker (Sten's Roll: 6x8, 5x3, 4x3, 3x2, 2x4, 1x5-1(Odr))20+15(Sten's Tools)+4(Orthstirr)=36 Successes. Adding the runes (6x3, 5x2, 4x1, 3x2, 2x3, 1x1-1(Odr))10+7+4=21 Successes.
Sten's hammer rose and fell with the strength of the Gods behind it.
CLANG
But it wasn't a hammer in his hands.
CLANG
In fact, it wasn't anything at all.
CLANG
All he had to work with was Sagaseeker and Storm Iron.
CLANG
His iron-hard fist was the hammer.
CLANG
His knee-like-rock the anvil.
CLANG
And his very soul the furnace.
CLANG
Sagaseeker shone with all the brilliance of the thunderstorm as you fed orthstirr and odr alike into its metal.
CLANG
In tandem with your brother, you work with hammer and chisel.
CLANG
Even with how hard it is to keep up with Sten's relentless pace.
CLANG
Even with arms like rubber and eyes stinging from soot.
CLANG
Even with a soul a third the size of what you once had.
CLANG
You carve the runes into the iron.
CLANG
And turn Sagaseeker from a mere work of art.
CLANG
To a legend in the making.
CLANG
Once, Sagaseeker sought to work its master's saga.
CLANG
But now?
CLANG
It has its own to establish.
(Sagaseeker has been upgraded to Wondrous. It now provides 9d6 to your combat pool, has a pool of 20 orthstirr, can channel orthstirr into lightning damage, and delivers attacks quicker.)
0~0~0
Exploring the Hading with Abjorn (Enemy Interrupt)
Abjorn notices them before you do.
His nose flares as he pivots on the spot. The smiling conversation cast aside in favor of the sword. He shrugs his shield from his back as his eyes peer into the thickly forested woods — the shadows far too dark for the high noon sun.
It's then that you see what he does — the six pairs of eyes gleaming in the dark.
'I know them only as Foemen.' Blackhand's words do little to soothe your nerves as a sound like rattling bones fills the air. 'They are The Enemy's men, its most common agent.'
"Any tips for fighting them?" Your heart races, drawing a smile on your face as you finally get the chance to battle The Enemy head-on.
'Strike without hesitation nor mercy, for they have none for you. Their hearts know not the grip of fear and their bodies are as strong as the earth. They wield weapons of flint and bone, yet fight with deceptive skill. Fight like your life depends on it, for it does.'
You relay all that to Abjorn as you ready the improved Sagaseeker. Your mail jingles in the wind as you assume a fighting stance — it pays to be prepared when wandering the Hading, as is well shown here.
0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 6x1, 5x2, 4x1, 3x2, 2x2, 1x2)5+1(Frenzy)=6 Successes
You struggle to make out any details of the Foemen beyond their number — which is six. Three Foemen on each side of the path, three for each of you.
You were walking along a path in the Hading, your husband at your side. On either side of the path is thick trees and leafy bushes. You can hear a stream in the distance and where there's water, there's rocks. There's a hill up ahead — a shallow, sloping one but a hill nonetheless.
Abjorn has Avow and his shield. He looks to you for advice.
Endurance: (9/9) | Frenzy: (1/1) | Armor Health: (17/17)
Orthstirr: (120/120) | Odr: (23)
( ) Frami: 40 | ( ) Virthing: 40 | ( ) Saemd: 40
Sagaseeker has 20 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Ashen Kiss has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
You can put 30 orthstirr into your combat pool.
Your combat pool is 24d6.
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: Well, well, well, looks like The Enemy is making a move.
I refunded you your odr spent on infusing Weaponcraft, as I think that you'd like to have every drop available for this one.
25-minute moratorium.
Ha! Called it on the sunlight weapons. Nothing like validation.
Foemen - okay, due to a reference by our QM I picked up Eaters of the Dead and I'm going to be eyeing these very closely for Neanderthal/Denisovan signs.
Foemen - okay, due to a reference by our QM I picked up Eaters of the Dead and I'm going to be eyeing these very closely for Neanderthal/Denisovan signs.
I.F. Ister
Fortifying The Thread
- Pronouns
- He/They