I don't have great faith in our ability to navigate the tunnels (likely including traps and such) all on our own for any great distance. This tactic also feels deeply unsporting, which is usually a good sign it's hedging into odreng or nid territory, though not always, I suppose.
I don't see why it'd be nid. It's apart of our arsenal, and it doesn't edge into skald territory either. The dwarves also started using it first, too. Fair point about needing Duckling guides, though. I suppose it'll be useful if we find ourselves without dwarven allies, although that's pretty unlikely.
I mean, we'll go down side tunnels and use it to keep our (and our comrades) Hamingja from going sour, but yeah, using it in actual combat is something we might do at some point (I see no reason we wouldn't just use it to nuke a rampaging Troll or something...likely not much Orthstirr in that, but nobody cares if you fight trolls honorably, I don't think), but likely not on this expedition.
I don't see why it'd be nid. It's apart of our arsenal, and it doesn't edge into skald territory either. The dwarves also started using it first, too. Fair point about needing Duckling guides, though. I suppose it'll be useful if we find ourselves without dwarven allies, although that's pretty unlikely.
I don't think a knife that injects sunlight like Horra had (or the Lurkalings have been using) would be nid, because there's still a fight there, it's not actually an 'I Win' button. But walking around with a ball of sunlight kind of is. It just makes the fight not happen at all...Dwarves who see you die. It eliminates all risk in terms of actual combat and kills enemies with no chance at all for them to harm you...that seems like it'd be a problem to Norse sensibilities under the circumstances.
@Imperial Fister would tools or other items made with Dwarven bone-ash be destroyed by sunlight? Or would they just be, like, less effective when used in it? Because we can handle the latter, but the former would be a much bigger problem.
I don't think a knife that injects sunlight like Horra had (or the Lurkalings have been using) would be nid, because there's still a fight there, it's not actually an 'I Win' button. But walking around with a ball of sunlight kind of is. It just makes the fight not happen at all...Dwarves who see you die. It eliminates all risk in terms of actual combat and kills enemies with no chance at all for them to harm you...that seems like it'd be a problem to Norse sensibilities under the circumstances.
The Norse have no issues with things that instant kill, or giant strength disparities though? Granted, this situation is neither, but I don't see why they'd have an issue with something that'd trivialise a fight. Like, if we ever went up against an enemy that got fucked over by fire, that wouldn't stop us from using our fire hugareida. We still pay orthstirr for it, and we learnt it fair and square and added it to our arsenal. From what Imperial's said, the reason why poison is frowned upon is because it's seen as something that's 'other' and not an actual part of someone's arsenal. However a weapon that innately produced poison that could theoretically one shot/trivialise a fight would not be an issue to Norse sensibilities.
The Norse have no issues with things that instant kill, or giant strength disparities though? Granted, this situation is neither, but I don't see why they'd have an issue with something that'd trivialise a fight. Like, if we ever went up against an enemy that got fucked over by fire, that wouldn't stop us from using our fire hugareida. We still pay orthstirr for it, and we learnt it fair and square and added it to our arsenal. From what Imperial's said, the reason why poison is frowned upon is because it's seen as something that's 'other' and not an actual part of someone's arsenal. However a weapon that innately produced poison that could theoretically one shot/trivialise a fight would not be an issue to Norse sensibilities.
They have issues with things that let you kill people without taking any risks. It's been established that death-curses and stuff like that are nid...but not so much if you're within sword's reach when you cast them. Something that let us kill dwarves with a touch is fine, but something that keeps them from even fighting back might not be, and the ball of sunlight is in the latter category.
Basically, things that trivialize fights are fine. Things that make there not be a fight in the first place are not. I worry the ball of sunlight falls into the latter category.
I mean, sure, but it was also said that stuff like that would be fine if you actually went into a battlefield where you had a chance of dying, rather than doing it miles away from the target in safety.
I mean, sure, but it was also said that stuff like that would be fine if you actually went into a battlefield where you had a chance of dying, rather than doing it miles away from the target in safety.
Right, that's exactly my point though. Given how sunlight works on dwarves an actual floating ball of sunlight seems like it makes there not be a battlefield, or a battle, at all...any dwarf touched by it just dies. Which means they have no chance to attack and Halla has no chance of dying (barring traps, which are a separate thing).
@Imperial Fister would tools or other items made with Dwarven bone-ash be destroyed by sunlight? Or would they just be, like, less effective when used in it? Because we can handle the latter, but the former would be a much bigger problem.
I mean, sure, but it was also said that stuff like that would be fine if you actually went into a battlefield where you had a chance of dying, rather than doing it miles away from the target in safety.
Unleashing the ball of sunlight on the Lurkalings would be nid. It would be like if you walked onto the battlefield, stuck a scorn-pole down that killed anyone who looked at it, and then started mind-blasting those who looked away.
Fair play is drengskapr.
0~0~0
Alright, voting is closed a fair bit later than I intended — I was playing Sailwind, you see — but this probably isn't going to be a long update so I don't think I'll be hurting for time.
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on Jun 20, 2023 at 10:07 PM, finished with 134 posts and 25 votes.
Unleashing the ball of sunlight on the Lurkalings would be nid. It would be like if you walked onto the battlefield, stuck a scorn-pole down that killed anyone who looked at it, and then started mind-blasting those who looked away.
Unleashing the ball of sunlight on the Lurkalings would be nid. It would be like if you walked onto the battlefield, stuck a scorn-pole down that killed anyone who looked at it, and then started mind-blasting those who looked away.
Does our sunwater TM naclance also count as Nid/odreg?
Also, would using our sunball count as Nid if used to lock down a room/hallway? like, after the battle ended or we need to retrait for some reason and can't let the lurkalings chase us, but we make sure there is no lurkalings in its AoE when we activate it and we do not fight or otherwise harass them.
Our sunwater doesn't do anything to dwarves unless we splash it on them. Doing that is probably fair enough that it wouldn't be nid, but it's also a huge waste of something highly expensive.
Also, would using our sunball count as Nid if used to lock down a room/hallway? like, after the battle ended or we need to retrait for some reason and can't let the lurkalings chase us, but we make sure there is no lurkalings in its AoE when we activate it and we do not fight or otherwise harass them.
Hmmm. For purposes of future plans (including next turn):
@Imperial Fister do we determine Work Dice before or after our Training Dice are used? Like, next turn, our Management will hit 3 during Training, upping the Work Dice Pool to 75. Does that occur before, or after, we use Work Dice that turn? My instincts say after, but an answer one way or the other is needed.
As a related question, we could use a list of things we can do with Work Dice other than upkeep on our 'Farm Stats'...Meat Keeping Sticks (at 2 each), getting extra Research Dice (at 2 each), and presumably making Explosive Charms (presumably at 3 each?) are on the list, but is anything else? Are Work Dice what we'd use to set up home security stuff or would that be an action, or what?
@Imperial Fister do we determine Work Dice before or after our Training Dice are used? Like, next turn, our Management will hit 3 during Training, upping the Work Dice Pool to 75. Does that occur before, or after, we use Work Dice that turn? My instincts say after, but an answer one way or the other is needed.
As a related question, we could use a list of things we can do with Work Dice other than upkeep on our 'Farm Stats'...Meat Keeping Sticks (at 2 each), getting extra Research Dice (at 2 each), and presumably making Explosive Charms (presumably at 3 each?) are on the list, but is anything else? Are Work Dice what we'd use to set up home security stuff or would that be an action, or what?
Also, would using our sunball count as Nid if used to lock down a room/hallway? like, after the battle ended or we need to retrait for some reason and can't let the lurkalings chase us, but we make sure there is no lurkalings in its AoE when we activate it and we do not fight or otherwise harass them.
It follows behind you, so it doesn't work this way. However, it would be, conceptually, the same thing as if they had just ran outside. The Ducklings will giggle about it and the Lurkalings will gnash their teeth, but that's about it.
While I'm at it on Work Die questions, what happens if we don't assign any Work to a stat like Living Space? Right now we have Living Space 4 which provides for a total of 18 people, but we only have 14...what happens if we only assign 2 Work there (just enough for our current people), does the higher stat degrade or is it just not usable until we decide to assign them?
While I'm at it on Work Die questions, what happens if we don't assign any Work to a stat like Living Space? Right now we have Living Space 4 which provides for a total of 18 people, but we only have 14...what happens if we only assign 2 Work there (just enough for our current people), does the higher stat degrade or is it just not usable until we decide to assign them?
I'm counting it as 'overwritable' if you assign dice to it, same for Storage. This would, in story, be things like you helping to move all the person's stuff out from their living space and so on and so forth.
I'm counting it as 'overwritable' if you assign dice to it, same for Storage. This would, in story, be things like you helping to move all the person's stuff out from their living space and so on and so forth.
I'm not sure I'm following, would we keep the higher stat until we needed it even without assigning dice? Like, no need to rebuild or anything, just assign the dice and it's available? Or would we need to, like, rebuild it?
Like, obviously, we need to assign dice to use it, the question is what happens when it goes unused and we assign no dice (this is primarily for Building stats, not the others...I assume they stick around).
While Asva and Jordan were off enjoying themselves, it settled on the shoulders of the newly unified family to clean up the celebration's aftermath.
As you clean up a mouthful of knocked-out teeth — it's not a wedding without somebody bleeding, after all! — you watch from the corner of your eye as Halfdan and Steinarr stand opposite the other.
"So," Halfdan's words are slow and carefully chosen he runs his fingers across the top of a chair, "it seems we're family now."
"It would seem that way, yes." Steinarr acts in much the same way, though his hands are occupied with getting a barrel down from a tree. He pauses as his hand twitches, thoughts racing through his head.
Neither Steinarr nor Halfdan are all that sure of each other. Their faces twist as their lips thin, neither side wanting to make the first move — whatever that move may be.
Eventually, though, Steinarr's eyes harden. His arm swings out, fingers splayed wide, and a glimmer of hope rings in his voice.
"No hard feelings, Halfdan?"
Halfdan is quiet for a long time as he makes up his mind. But then, like lightning striking, he slaps his palm to Steinarr's and nods.
"No hard feelings, Steinarr," Halfdan says as he shakes Steinarr's hand. A wave of relaxation washes over the gathered family as both men nod and break away, returning to what they were doing. They're not friends and likely never will be, but — even if only for the sake of their children — they'll have each other's back.
May the Gods have mercy on the poor fool that draws the ire of three former members of the Varangian Guard.
However, as you bid farewell to old and new family alike, you find yourself alone with Steinarr. Not intentionally, mind you, it just sort of happened that way. Abjorn's off putting your children to bed, Eric was last seen stomping off towards the nearest lake after a particularly argument with another Kyrsvikingr turned violent, and Sten had disappeared off to the forge for some project or another.
Which left you alone with Steinarr.
You're not going to get a better chance than this, are you?
For a moment, you hesitate. For a moment, your nerve wavers. Thoughts race through your head as vague, undefined fears swirl before your eyes.
But the idea of not knowing, of perhaps never knowing...
You're no coward.
Asva is your sister, no matter what. Nothing can change that and nothing will.
"Dad?" The single syllable questions hangs in the air a moment too long as Steinarr inclines his head.
"Yes, Halla?" There's no hiding your trepidation from Steinarr, so you don't bother.
"I... Why does Asva have black hair? Did something happen with our heritage? Or with Asveig? Is Asva adopted or..." You trail off as you realize you were starting to ramble.
"Asva is my daughter." There's no hesitation in his voice, not an ounce of thought was put into his words before he spoke them. "But..." his eyes search for the right words as an odd sense of dread pools in your gut, "Asva is your half-sister."
The multi-headed implication hangs in the air like a malignant specter. Branching paths of possibility fall from the boughs of potential. Your thoughts follow each route to their end, no matter how horrible.
Few are pleasant, to say the least.
"Asva," Steinarr's voice draws you from the mire of gloomy thoughts, "is the result of an unfortunate mistake in runes, a mistake that three men died for."
A hint of pain flashes in his eyes, but it's an old pain. It's a pain that has long since scabbed over, a pain that was healed long ago. A pain that saw justice done.
"But no matter," the flicker of pain vanishes as Steinarr speaks again, "wergild has been paid and grudges have been settled. His remaining family has left these parts to never return. I ask that you not talk to Asva about this, not today and not ever."
"Does... does she know?"
"I wish I had the answer," Steinarr sighs, his shoulders heaving in a shrug. "Asveig said that she would tell her when she came of age, but it hurt Asveig a lot harder than it hurt me. I've never known her to give up, but like I said, that's not a question I have the answer to."
A silence descends between you and Steinarr, a silence neither feels like breaking.
Later that night, you lay wide awake with Abjorn's arms wrapped around you. By all rights, you should be sleeping as soundly as he, but a certain terrible thought won't let you.
If a mistake is capable of causing that... Then what might happen if it was on purpose?
You've faced terrible, horrific foes and laughed in their face. No matter the horror, you met it with a smile on your face and a sparkle in your eyes.
There is no smile on your face, no sparkle in your eyes. There's nothing but the sticky chill of ice-cold fear.
But then, all of a sudden, it's gone — banished by the warmth of that familiar, ever-lingering flame.
"Blackhand?" You keep your voice quiet, not wanting your words to wake Abjorn — that specific discussion isn't one you want to have with him.
'I am here.'
"On two separate occasions you took control of my limbs," Blackhand immediately goes to apologize, but you cut him off before he can. "If what I fear were to ever happen... could you... could you do that again?"
'In such a situation, not even the Gods could stop me from righting that wrong.'
"Even if I was begging you to stop?"
'Your words would be as incomprehensible to me as ice is to the desert. You have my word of this.'
Sleep soon finds you in your husband's loving embrace, your thoughts finally free.
Your dreams that night are of Abjorn and your children, not a nightmare to be found.
0~0~0
"Ah, Halla Longstride! We've been waiting for you!" Toki pulls you into a hug as you step through the door, his metal arm oddly warm to the touch.
"It's Skyfire now, actually." You smile as your dwarf friend pulls away. "It's good to see you too, Toki."
"Skyfire, eh?" Toki grins, a bloodthirsty spark in his eye as he gestures a hand at the crowd of about twenty dwarves all crammed into the entranceway. "You hear that, brothers? Halla here is as deadly as the sun! With her help, we'll slaughter those Lurkaling dirt scratchers!"
Toki's gathered brothers all nod together, suitably impressed by their interpretation of your kenning. They all wear heavy-looking armor and carry a variety of weapons — though the most common is the humble pickaxe.
"Out of the way, Lorn!" A grumbling dwarf shoves his way through the crowd. The heavy-browed Oinn bursts from the densely-packed group of brothers with a grumpy scowl on his face. He eyes you up and down with a suspicious squint. "While my brother here seems certain of your help, we dwarves don't accept charity. So, mercenary, what is the prize you are ready to spill blood for? What is the centerpiece of your greed?"
What is it you seek?
[ ] Glory, fame, and honor! (Increased gain of orthstirr)
[ ] All that glitters! (Increased gain of gold, silver, and other valuables)
[ ] The respect of those underground! (Increased gain of relations)
[ ] Write in
Also, are there any last minute preparations or changes you wish to make before you set out on this adventure? (Examples include shapeshifting, capacity, inventory, equipment, and so on)
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
AN: Not much to say here other then that this one escaped from me a little bit.
Halla, though, is rather excited to get a chance to destress through acts of extreme violence!
[X] The respect of those underground! (Increased gain of relations)
[X] Prep: Leave our Fylgja outside in the sunlight (with our friends).
In terms of prep...are we bringing anyone with us? I'm honestly not sure whether we should (and we likely can't bring Abjorn or anyone else Giant-Blooded), but it's a question worth asking. We should also leave our Fylgja up in the sunlight to extend the duration between needed doses of sunlight.
