[X] With the hunters, working to eliminate the wolves flushed out from dens
0~0~0
Led by Hymir Evershade, you and the rest of your hunting party arrive at a shallow den dug into the side of a dried-up riverbed. Shadows pour off his body as he turns to you with tired, sleep-deprived eyes.
"Framarr's ants found that there's only nine wolves in this one, so I'll flush them out for you." He stifles a yawn as he starts sinking into the shadows, "Oh, and before I forget, we figured out the typing," his next words turn your blood to ice. "They're water-wolves."
"Dammit!" You growl to yourself as he fully sinks into the shadows. Darkness surges into the den and, not ten moments later, a horde of howls and frantic yips echo from the pit.
You ready yourself as the first yellow-eyed monsters emerge from the dark.
0~0~0
The hunting group you wind up in is composed of five individuals, six including yourself.
The strongest member of the group is a Berserk of the Headsman's hird by the name of 'Nainn Rotting', who certainly lived up to his name. The stench of death clung to him like a fearful child does their blanket. He walks with spear in hand, sword on his belt, and no armor on his body—though it seems to be by choice rather than inability to afford it. From the rumors you've heard of him, he has a strong mastery over a 'rot' hugareida—from which he earned his kenning.
The next strongest is another Berserk by the name of 'Heima Smiles', though he's not part of the Headsman's hird like Rotting is—he's a recent arrival from the Kyrsvikingar. Heima, frankly, unnerves the blood from your body. He lacks cheeks and lips, so a constant trail of spit trickles down his chin and jaw as he walks with sword and shield in hand. He has this cold, empty stare that tells you all you need to know about his opinions on everything.
The last Berserk in the group is a broad departure from the previous two. Vagn Wheel-Drifter—a Geat and complete new arrival to Agder as a whole—is his name and he has a jovial, spear-holding gait. He doesn't hesitate to strike up a conversation when you join them, clearly hitting on you while he's at it—but backs off when you made it clear you weren't interested. In another life, perhaps you would have considered it—he's certainly handsome, after all—but he's no Abjorn. Despite his happy-go-lucky appearance, it's pretty obvious that he's itching for some adrenaline.
Fourth in line is Nokkvi Good-Oars who, as the name implies, is very good at rowing. He is also Giant-Blooded and fights with a sax in one hand and an axe in the other. There's not a whole lot to say about him other than that he seems to only care about ships and rowing in particular. To the surprise of absolutely no one, he's very good friends with your brother, Eric.
The last person besides yourself is a real ass by the name of Skoll the Hasty. He has a spear, axe, sax, and also shield. The first thing he did upon meeting you was openly ogle your chest. The next thing he did was open his mouth—likely to make a fatal error—but you put a stop to that by coating Sagaseeker in lightning. The implicit threat was enough to force him away, but something tells you that he'll be trouble later.
It's honestly a good thing that Abjorn isn't here, as few things anger him more then you suffering insults. If he had killed this 'Skoll' for the insult, he would've broken the felag bond and likely be declared an outlaw.
That's not exactly something you or your family need right now.
Abjorn actually decided to try his hand at trapping, which is why he's not here with you.
You will soon be fighting nine water-wolves. They posses water-based powers as well as their normal wolf attacks. Expect a variety of tactics.
These are dangerous foes.
For some reason, they seem unusually attracted towards fighting you. It's almost as if they can detect that you are weak to water...
Two are heading straight towards you while a third is trying to flank. They're not likely to be especially skilled combatants, but that doesn't mean that they're not a threat. They do have Frenzy, after all. They're also not likely to have very strong defense.
Endurance: (13/13) | Frenzy: (5/5) (+5 to all Combat Rolls) | Armor Health: (17/17) (+4 to Defense)
Orthstirr: (530/604) | Odr: (29)
( ) Frami: 202 | ( ) Virthing: 201 | ( ) Saemd: 201
Sagaseeker has 49 orthstirr in his reservoir.
Your Armor has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Shapeshifting is granting you (+1 Damage and +1Attack-Speed)
Your combat pool is 104d6 and you have 15d6 Stoked Dice
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: Sorry about this one, I should've let the vote go on till tomorrow, but, alas, I wanted to get combat started today.
[X] Plan Let's Try Stoker State
-[X] Before combat, de-assign Heated Shroud and assign Atgeir Counter-Stab
-[X] Invest 2 Orthstirr in Hugr, 1 in Composure, 4 in Tactics, 3 in Scouting, 5 in Wildcraft (-16 Orthstirr)
-[X] 31d6 Attack (22d6 tricks)
-[X] 73d6 Defense (73d6 tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Put 5 Orthstirr into 10 layers of Reinforce Shield before the combat begins (-5 Orthstirr) and Explosive-Reactive Armor (-9 Orthstirr) just in case
-[X] Activate Stage 3 Stoker State (-9 Orthstirr), Slipstream (-8 Orthstirr), and take to the air with Ember-Wing-Cloak (-6 Orthstirr, all numbers below include the +1d6 from Skyfire)
-[X] Put up a 75d6+9 (w/Hugareida) Orthstirr-Enhanced x5 Sword Guard (-15 Orthstirr) and activate an Atgeir Counter Stab (-16 Orthstirr) with a pool of 4d6 to attack those who attack us, using 13d6+5 (w/Hugareida) Sharpened x5 Basic Attacks to counterattack (-5 Orthstirr, -1d6 from pool each).
-[X] Open up with a 18d6+5 (w/Hugareida) Orthstirr-Enhanced x14 Inertia-Arresting Throw (-20 Orthstirr) to catch the wolf trying to flank us and use another identical one (also -20 Orthstirr) to trap any other wolves who join in beyond the two we know about already (or to trap the flanking one again if it gets free), or to stop any from escaping.
-[X] Make a total of three 24d6+5 Sharpenedx8 Lightning-Charged Stoking Strike attacks using 6 Stoker Dice, 3 Stoker Dice, and 0 Stoker Dice respectively (-15 Orthstirr each) to test out how those work and what different amounts of power into them do, following each of the three up with an instant follow-up Sharpened x4 (+8d6 on top of their free dice pool) Sword Strike (-12 Orthstirr each) and then proceed with nine 12d6+5 Sharpened x5 Lightning-Charged Basic Attacks (-6 Orthstirr each).
-[X] Against any melee attacks use Contested Movement to defend against them, adding one use of Fight of Our Life if we need to do so before we've made our first two Stoking Strikes (or otherwise need to do so without having Stoker Dice) and adding any Stoker State dice we possess after we've made said first two Stoking Strikes (-3 Orthstirr, 8d6+5, plus either 7d6 from Fight Of Our Life _or_ Stoker State dice) and counterattacking with Sharpened Lightning-Charged Skewer-Flick attacks (-6 Orthstirr) and if that fails to defend us use Focus Guard (-14 Orthstirr) or Sidestep (-2 Orthstirr) as appropriate to avoid harm.
-[X] When not able to use Contested Movement or against ranged attacks use Sword Guard to defend against everything. In response to anything that gets through Sword Guard use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr), and if something gets through that use up to five 75d6+9 Reinforcedx73 Sway defenses (-75 Orthstirr each).
-[X] Stoke Frami if our Orthstirr drops below 100 (+202 Orthstirr)
-[X] If targeted with an AoE too big to use Halting Vortex against, use Backstep combined with Ember-Wing Cloak to dodge (-15 Orthstirr total for both of them).
-[X] Tactics – So the idea here is to put up a big defense (suitable for stopping three or four wolves adding their attacks together), trap one wolf, then move into melee and kill at least one other while the first one is trapped, and then finish off the remaining one or two. This plan also involves a lot of counterattacking with both Atgeir Counter Stab and Contested Movement as double-counterattacking is also a very solid tactic. We definitely move on to attacking other wolves after we finish off our three if that becomes a viable option, though we'll try not to actually kill-steal (ie: killing wolves attacking someone else is fine, killing wolves they are attacking is less so).
0~0~0
The furnace of your soul fires up with blazing power as you rev your heart into gear. The steady, rumbling hum of a hungry flame pops and dances in your ears as your enemies' yellow eyes stay locked to yours.
Lightning crackles up and down Sagaseeker's blade as you gently lift up off the ground. Your flame-feathered wings drip wax-like fire as you float above the grass and fallen twigs. Floating around you are a pair of spectral weapons as you coat your armor in protective layers of orthstirr.
All around you, your allies prepare in similar ways. Nainn paints layers of orthstirr on his clothing as Vagn summons a quartet of ghostly wagon wheels to float by hip and shoulder. Heima's teeth click together as defensive bone-growths split skin as Nokkvi manifests a trio of spectral rowing oars to circle around him protectively. Skoll's body blurs at the edges as the swiftness of his already quick steps grows threefold.
By the time the last preparations are made, the first wolf breaks free of the inky darkness. Its legs are a pumping blur as it streaks across the grass-choked riverbed. Its fellows join it moments later as they naturally assume a spearhead-shaped charge—a deep-set, low-rumbling timbre accompanies their advance.
One of the wolves bearing down on you breaks off to the left, clearly aiming to circle around and attack you from the rear. You smirk as Standstill thickens in your off-hand. So it thinks to flank you, does it? Then allow you to correct this so egregious error! (Trick Attack: 53+5=58 vs Wolf Defense: 66+6=72, Defender Wins!)
As the spinning folds of Standstill unfurl as they fly, one of the wolves yips a warning to your target wolf. Immediately after the call, your wolf drives its paws into the ground as droplets of water pool in its fur. As Standstill bears down on it, a sudden jet of water sends the wolf hurtling back and out of the way as Standstill wraps around the wolf-shaped water statue left in its place. (Trick Attack: 66+5=71 vs Wolf Defense: 48+6=54, Attacker Wins!)
However, instead of being home free, its dodge merely took it from that Inertia-Arresting-Throw into the path of another. The water-wolf yelps as it finds its limbs immobilized in Standstill's folds.
Diving into motion, Sagaseeker crackles with lightning as your heart pounds ever-fiercer. Riding wings of flaming crimson, you send Sagaseeker whistling downwards as his ever-deadly edge bites deep into wolf-flesh. (Sharpened Trick Attack: 111+5=116 vs Wolf Defense: N/A, Attacker Wins! 1(Base)+2(Sharpen)+1(Lightning)+1(Shapeshifting)+2(Stoker Strike)=7 Damage!)
Freed from its body, the wolf's head tumbles to the ground as Sagaseeker purrs his utter delight.
"My gratitude, mother-mine, for allowing my first conscious kill to be against something most deadly to you," his silky voice purrs contently in your ear as you round on the pair of wolves bearing down upon you.
The first races ahead of the second, which leaves you with just barely enough time to pick your feet off the ground. Its fangs run slick with sharpened water as it leaps into the air! (Wolf Attack: 29+6=35 vs Sword Guard: 247+9=256, Defender Wins!)
Frankly, the precision and speed of your defending Sword Guard is vastly overkill for this wolf's attack. Still—your ghostly atgeir spins into action as it dives in with lethal intent—it's an attack that will be answered! (Atgeir Counter-Stab: 35+5=40 vs Wolf Defense: 33+6=39, Attacker Wins! 1+2=3 Damage!)
As the sharpened atgeir specter cleaves meat and blood from bone and skin, cracks run across its blade. It doesn't get to so much as draw back before its orthstirr shatters to pieces—it seems you over-Sharpened it. Damn.
You scowl as the first wolf bites down on the blade in its mouth. It wrenches its head to the side and brings your Sword Guard with it. Taking advantage of the apparent opening, the second wolf's jaw snaps open as its throat bloats to triple-size.
With a neck like a frog, the wolf unleashes a barrage of water bolts from its gaping maw. But despite the scale of the attack, you remain unfazed.
Your boots touch the ground just as the first shots reach you. Crimson orthstirr flows from your body and Sagaseeker alike as you let the currents of motion guide you like a leaf drifting in the stream. (Focus Guarded)
Your limbs are a whirlwind of motion as Sagaseeker blurs with calm, focused force. Every drop of incoming water that enters your reach meets its end on Sagaseeker's blade. He purrs at a strong tempo as he dashes death from the sky.
The very moment the barrage lets up, you drive a foot into the ground, pivot on the spot, and swing Sagaseeker up into the underside of the first wolf's jaw. (Sharpened Trick Attack: 93+5=98 vs Wolf Defense: 46+6-1=51, Attacker Wins! 1(Base)+2(Sharpen)+1(Lightning)+1(Shapeshifting)+1(Stoker Strike)=6 Damage!)
Cleaving head from shoulders, you free your spectral sword just in time for it to leap into action. It bursts from one mouth into another as the third and final wolf lunges in with teeth of sharpened water. (Not even going to roll for this one, lmao)
The ghostly Sword Guard stops the wolf in its tracks, leaving it wide open for your final Stoking Strike. (Sharpened Trick Attack: 76+5=81 vs Wolf Defense: 16+6-1=21, Attacker Wins! 1(Base)+2(Sharpen)+1(Lightning)+1(Shapeshifting)=5 Damage!)
Sagaseeker carves into the wolf's skull and reduces its brain to mush. The wolf slumps to the ground as Sagaseeker frees himself from the wolf's head.
Glancing around the battlefield, it seems that was the final beast of this lot.
Wiping the sweat from your brow, you turn and meet Vagn's smile with one of your own.
"Fine fighting, Halla!" You clasp hands as your eyes drift across the killing ground. Your gaze lingers on the tracts left from Vagn riding a wheel around the field and on the decomposing corpses left from Nainn's rot, evidence enough of combat prowess.
You go to respond in like, only for a harried shout to rip across the Hading.
"Fenriskin!" That's Bisi's voice! But despite the voice's familiarity, the name it speaks turns your blood to ice. Fenriskin, the spawn of the Fen-Dweller himself.
Very rarely, a wolf will be born with the blood of Fenrir coursing through its veins. These wolves inevitably gain a cruel, wicked intelligence and an intense hunger for the heart's blood of man. They gather wolves around them like a Jarl does a hird, a twisted mockery of the rightful order of the world.
It was suspected that a Fenriskin led this pack here, but only now was it confirmed.
You swallow the dryness in your throat as you realize that you're the closest party. Your eyes snap wide as you realize what that means. You're closest, so you get first dibs on fighting it!
The only question is, do you challenge the beast yourself or do you do battle with its so-called hird?
[ ] (Unlocked: Bold) Challenge the Fenriskin to single combat!
-The hide and other valuable parts of such a powerful beast will fetch a high price in Wessex. You will also have complete ownership over the corpse. Not to mention the massive orthstirr gains and also the other uses of a powerful beast's corpse.
[ ] Fight the beast as part of a group
[ ] Fight the beast's guard, letting someone else/s handle that monster
(Locked: Bold and Bloodlust) What do you mean 'don't fight it or its wolves'? You're no coward!
0~0~0
Endurance: (13/13) | Frenzy: (5/5) (+5 to all Combat Rolls) | Armor Health: (17/17) (+4 to Defense) | (10/10) Defensive Layers, with 1 ERA layer mixed in.
Orthstirr: (342/604) | Odr: (17)
( ) Frami: 202 | ( ) Virthing: 201 | ( ) Saemd: 201
Sagaseeker has 49 orthstirr in his reservoir.
Your Armor has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Shapeshifting is granting you (+1 Damage and +1 Attack-Speed)
Your combat pool is 104d6 and you have 6d6 Stoked Dice
You burst through the underbrush to find yourself in a bloodsoaked clearing.
The moment you cross the threshold, twenty-four uniform howls announce your group's arrival. Six armed warriors enter the clearing but, as your heart starts to hammer to the beat of the howls, you can't help but wonder if there will still be six by the time this is done.
After all, that's a Gods-damned throne of bones. Not just normal bones, but tooth-carved bones. Intricate, delicate designs cover every inch of that fell chair—a record of lives taken, of hearts devoured by its dread master. The stench of death clings to it, choking out hope's light with the shroud of the dead and dying.
Weaklings never have badass shit like that. They don't get to have them, in fact.
With fur the color of empty night and eyes like the fullest moon, the Fenriskin smirks as you meet his gaze. He rises to his feet—each paw easily dwarfing a dinner plate—and adds his voice to the choir, but the howl isn't the only thing leaving his lips. An inky black—a black so dark that you struggle to comprehend let alone describe—seeps from his mouth and into the sky.
Within moments, the tide of shadows swallows the sun and everything everything else in the afternoon sky. In its place sits the vaguest outline of a circular moon.
The howling fades away as the Fenriskin brings his head back down, those eyes locking with yours once again. Even if you wanted to, you couldn't look away—it's as if the world were shining a light on him and him alone. The corners of his mouth pull back into a sharp-toothed, impossibly-wide smile.
"Long have I waited," the Fenriskin's voice is disturbingly human—a voice perfectly suited to tricking households out into the open, "long have I fed from the scraps thrown to me from the feasting table, but now it is time for me to feast. He calls me Moonless Night and I am why you fear the setting sun."
The wolves form a ring around you, the group, and Moonless Night—there will be no escape this day, er, 'night'. Honestly, you're not entirely sure what in all the realms you stumbled into here, but the night ritual thingy is making it really difficult to reach out with your senses. Seems to have some kind of sense-dampening effect—fucking great.
Regardless, if there's one thing that Moonless Night stinks of—besides death—it's arrogance. He won't take you or your group seriously, not at first.
It is extremely difficult to read him—in fact, you're fairly certain the little you can read is because he's so arrogant that he thinks it doesn't matter anyways. And maybe he's right.
'No the fuck he isn't!' Blackhand growls his defiance to the heavens, his wrath fueling your heart's hammer, 'Send this mangy mutt running with his tail between his legs! How fucking dare he use that fucking name.'
You know what? Fuck fearing this mutt. If he kills you, then so what? Either you get the fuck back up again, or you enter Valhalla and recieve a legend's welcome. And even if it is your Fated Day, then so fucking what? There's no avoiding it! Might as well go down fighting a terrible foe, least then you'll get to be avenged. Rather that then dying of sickness or by drowning.
He's planning on throwing out a couple half-hearted swipes and maybe also some kind of magical attack—he clearly doesn't think much of you.
Death is a very real possibility here, but if you have to die then you'd like to at least gouge his eyes out before you go.
Endurance: (13/13) | Frenzy: (5/5) (+5 to all Combat Rolls) | Armor Health: (17/17) (+4 to Defense) | (10/10) Defensive Layers, with 1 ERA layer mixed in.
Orthstirr: (342/604) | Odr: (17)
( ) Frami: 202 | ( ) Virthing: 201 | ( ) Saemd: 201
Sagaseeker has 49 orthstirr in his reservoir.
Your Armor has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Shapeshifting is granting you (+1 Damage and +1 Attack-Speed)
Your combat pool is 104d6 and you have 6d6 Stoked Dice
Punching Up is Available
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: You're not in the tutorial anymore, so it's probably a good idea you decided against soloing him, eh?
[X] Plan Rising Sun
-[X] Swap capacity from Fireside Barrage to Unending Time In The Sun and activate Punching Up (-35 Orthstirr)
-[X] Stoke Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (+604 Orthstirr)
-[X] 64d6 Attack (64d6 tricks)
-[X] 92d6 Defense (92d6 tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] If we have time while swapping Capacity and before the fight begins put another 5 Orthstirr into another 10 layers of Reinforce Shield (for 20 total, -5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Activate Slipstream (-8 Orthstirr) and Ember-Wing Cloak (-6 Orthstirr, all attacks and defenses have the Skyfire bonus)
-[X] Put up two 200d6+9 (w/Hugareida) Sword Guards adding 2 Odr to each (-209 Orthstirr each, so -418 total, -4 Odr total).
-[X] Activate Unending Time In The Sun with 9 Odr added (-72 Orthstirr, -9 Odr) immediately to try and break the ongoing night effect
-[X] Make a 71d6+5 Orthstirr-Enhancedx7 3Fold IAT from our Fast using Puncture at the Fenriskin to trap it (-27 Orthstirr), followed by a 71d6+5 (w/Hugareida) Sharpened x38 Lightning-Charged Flashfire Cleave Attack w/Puncture (-53 Orthstirr)
-[X] Against the first melee attack against us, use Contested Movement, adding our remaining Stoker Dice and all three uses of Fight of Our Life (-3 Orthstirr, total of 35d6+5) and using the 3Fold Sparkbomb from our Fast w/Puncturex3 as our counterattack (-27 Orthstirr), even before using Sword Guard. If that doesn't work, use Sidestep (-2 Orthstirr) or Focus Guard (-14 Orthstirr) as appropriate and available, and rely on our Reinforce Shield to cancel it if that doesn't work.
-[X] By default use Sword Guard #1 to defend against everything, not using Sword Guard #2 on any attack that Sword Guard #1 is used on (it only kicks in on the next attack after Sword Guard #1 is broken). In response to anything that gets through Sword Guard use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr), Sidestep (-2 Orthstirr), Backstep (-6 Orthstirr), or Focus Guard (-14 Orthstirr) as appropriate, and if something gets through that use up to two 100d6+9 Reinforcedx53 Hefty-Halter Chop defenses (-56 Orthstirr each).
-[X] Tactics – So, the plan here is to break the spell immediately after setting up some big defenses. The rest of the plan is a solid offensive plan to do some actual damage with a Bomb Boulder and a Flashfire Cleave, but to be honest breaking the spell is probably a round-break.
-[X] When we activate UTitS say something like "Then behold the Rising Sun and remember why your kind fears it."
0~0~0
You stare into the darkness of your closed eyelids as the final preparations are made. Wordless jeers fill your ears as you breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. On this battlefield, you are far from the strongest warrior. Nainn is a member of the Headsman's hird and one of the strongest warriors in the Valley. Heima chills your soul despite your immunity to magical fear. Every member of the hunting party has something over you. They are all older, stronger, more experienced.
But despite all of that, despite all their strength and power and combat prowess, Moonless Night has eyes only for you—and for good reason. After all, you and he both have odr. In the grand play on the world's stage, only you and he are illuminated.
Your heart pounds harder than it ever has before, something deeper rising to the surface as past, present, and future intertwin into one. Though diluted by countless generations, the blood of Odin runs through your veins just as the blood of his one-day-killer runs through the wolf's.
Rivals to the end, no matter how bitter it may be. It is only right that you and Moonless Night face each other here and now.
But though the Light-Eater will one day devour the All-Father, you are not the All-Father. Though the wolf shall drink Odin's blood, so to will it run through the veins of Vidarr as he avenges his father's death.
You open your eyes to meet Moonless Night's silver gaze. With crown of flaming iron on your head, cloak of smoldering feathers about your shoulders, and an aura of crimson flame outlining your body, you meet the wolf's gaze with steel as you raise a cupped palm.
"So you call yourself the reason why men fear the setting sun, the onset of night?" Your eyes flash crimson as sunlight sparks in your claw-like hand. "Then behold daybreak, herald of the coming dawn, and remember why your kind fear its song."
Stomping against the ground, you rise into the darkness-choked sky like a blazing beacon of power and pride. The spark in your hand grows to a raging bonfire as you fly. No longer does it hide away for fear of the slightest gust of wind. No longer does it fear the falling of winter snow and summer rain. No longer shall the cloying darkness snuff out the light.
For no matter how deep the shadows may be, it only serves to further strengthen the light.
A rising star in the night sky, you drive your sun-clad hand into the darkness.
Day meets night and the rightful order of things is once more asserted.
Ever-shrinking shards of broken night fall around you as you return to the earth.
"Impressive, I must say," Moonless Night says as the muscles beneath fur and flesh shift and shake, "but will it be enough?"
With the shattering of the Empty Night, you find your senses have regained function. Not only that, but you now find that you can actually acknowledge the presence of the rest of the hunting group. It seems that the spell also dampened your ability to work together...
Scary thing, that.
Regardless, Moonless Night is changing before your eyes. Growing larger and far stronger, you reckon he'll be the size of a horse by the time he's done. The real unfortunate part about this is that, with the speed he's changing at, by the time any of your tricks reach him he will have already finished.
Damn.
Looking to your companions, you quickly get an understanding of their general plans. Vagn intends to engage in high-speed melee, running rings around the wolf while dodging his attacks. Nokkvi intends to hit Moonless Night with his oar hugareida. Skoll will be shooting arrows with a bow he got from... somewhere. Heima... you don't know what he's going to do. Nainn, though, is probably going to be aiming to take out joints and other vulnerabilities.
Which leaves you with a question. The question. That same, unchanging query.
What will you do?
Moonless Night will be focusing most of his attacks on you. He is smart, fast, strong, and tough. He also likely possesses some manner of hugareida, maybe even multiple. He is taking you seriously now, so the conditions of victory has changed with it.
Survive until help can arrive.
Endurance: (13/13) | Frenzy: (5/5) (+5 to all Combat Rolls) | Armor Health: (17/17) (+4 to Defense) | (20/20) Defensive Layers, with 1 ERA layer mixed in.
Orthstirr: (402/604) | Odr: (4)
(X) Frami: 202 | (X) Virthing: 201 | (X) Saemd: 201
Sagaseeker has 49 orthstirr in his reservoir.
Your Armor has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Shapeshifting is granting you (+1 Damage and +1 Attack-Speed)
Your combat pool is 156d6 and you have 6d6 Stoked Dice
2 Sword Guards, both with 200d6
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: Short one, I know, but I think that it was sufficiently cool, eh?
No moratorium and short-ish vote. If you need more time, then no biggie.
[X] Plan Delaying Tactics
-[X] 28d6 Attack (28d6 tricks)
-[X] 128d6 Defense (128d6 tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Activate Slipstream (-8 Orthstirr) and Ember-Wing Cloak (-6 Orthstirr, all attacks and defenses have the Skyfire bonus) and stay as far out of its reach as we can arrange.
-[X] Make an 90d6+5 Orthstirr-Enhancedx67 Chuck Attack Attack w/Puncture using a glue pot to try and trap the Fenriskin in place (-80 Orthstirr, including all Sagaseeker's current Orthstirr pool of 49), and pepper it with up to five 3d6+5 (w/Hugareida) Inertia-Arresting Throws (-6 Orthstirr each) just to hopefully keep it needing to dodge and show we're still in the fight (we will hold off on these for a moment if there are already 3 of them out and active)
-[X] After the Chuck Attack, stoke all of Sagaseeker's Aspects (+49 Osrthstirr), use the Orthstirr as necessary defensively.
-[X] By default use Sword Guard #1 to defend against everything, not using Sword Guard #2 on any attack that Sword Guard #1 is used on (it only kicks in on the next attack after Sword Guard #1 is broken). Against the first attack against us that pierces Sword Guard where the counterattck would be viable, use Contested Movement, adding our remaining Stoker Dice and all three uses of Fight of Our Life (-3 Orthstirr, total of 35d6+5) and using the 3Fold Inertia-Arresting Throw from our Fast w/Puncturex3 as our counterattack (-38 Orthstirr). If that doesn't work, use Sidestep (-2 Orthstirr) or Focus Guard (-14 Orthstirr) as appropriate and available, and rely on our Reinforce Shield to cancel it if that doesn't work. Also use this against attacks where the counterattack would not be valid if it is still unused and we are out of other rolled options.
-[X] Continue to rely on Sword Guards as above, but after the Contested Movement is used (or against attacks where we couldn't counterattack), in response to anything that gets through Sword Guard use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr), Sidestep (-2 Orthstirr), Backstep (-6 Orthstirr), or Focus Guard (-14 Orthstirr) as appropriate, and if something gets through that use up to one 240d6+9 Reinforcedx113 Sway defense (-115 Orthstirr, including all our Armor's 13 Orthstirr) and one 240d6+9 Reinforcedx238 Hefty-Halter Chop defense (-241 Orthstirr).
-[X] Burn a Calm Charge and stoke Frami again if we go below 100 Orthstirr (+202 Orthstirr), and do so again to stoke Virthing if it happens again (+201 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Okay, so, this is the full defense/delay as much as possible plan. The idea being to try and trap it in place for our allies and then do our level best to keep from dying while we wait for help to arrive.
0~0~0 (Perfect Fur'd)
Grass flings into the air as Vagn rides into battle with a light-green, ghostly wagon wheel between his legs. Four other wagon wheels float around him in a defensive formation as he tucks his spear against his arm. It reminds you vaguely of how the Squire rode into battle so very long ago.
Of course, when the Squire did it, it was actually effective.
Here, the layer of Vagn's light-green orthstirr coating his weapon shatters on impact with the Fenriskin's own so-dark-red-it's-black... orthstirr... Well, he has odr, so why the heck are you surprised he has orthstirr? (Sharpened Fang Strike: 1006+15=1021 vs Reinforced Wheel Guard#1: 406+3=409, #2: 373+3=376, #3: 376+3=379, #4: 421+3=424. Attacker Wins! Shield Layers Destroyed!)
The exact moment that Vagn's orthstirr broke, Moonless Night pivoted on the spot and opened his mouth. A howl split the air in half as spectral jaws leapt into action. They zipped from his maw, only to be intercepted by Vagn's ghostly wheels.
One set of fangs versus four wheels. It should've been a cakewalk.
It was, just not in the way you expected.
Vagn slams into a tree and crumples to the ground in a pile of limbs. He's fine, if dazed. He had coated himself with a number of Shield Layers that, well, did their job. Picking himself off the ground, he stands on woozy legs as he wobbles to and fro.
A bead of sweat rolls down your brow as you watch him stagger about. ...This is gonna suck, isn't it?
Regardless, nothing good will come from just standing around. Kicking off the ground, you take to the air on wings of fire as the rest of your group rush into battle. War cries and battle-shouts fill the world with a violent, frenzied fervor as Norsemen meet Fenriskin in battle.
Moonless Night smirks as you pull back your arm, the ceramic jar fitting perfectly in your palm. All it'll take is one good throw and you've got him. (Punctured)
The ceramic pot blurs through the air as the wolf's smirk widens yet further.
"You think something so weak could pierce my armo"—
The crack of baked clay shattering on his feet punctuates his words. He looks down in shock and astonishment, completely unable to understand what just happened. "H-how?! My defenses are perfect, unbeatable! Nothing can pierce them! First Empty Night, now this?!"
It's then that you realize something, something that you can't help but laugh at. Something that completely undercuts this entire situation's tension.
This is Moonless Night's first fight, ever.
Oh this poor bastard is about to get rolled. He's got a lot of raw power, but it's un=tempered, unrefined. He's got no idea about the intricates that can only be learned through actual combat, about the counters to things that can't be overcome simply by dumping lots of orthstirr into it.
'Did you not realize? Why did you think I was so confident you could kick his ass?'
It's then that you realize that all the more experienced members of the group are charging in with Puncture on their weapons.
...And Vagn is actually the same age as you, everyone else is a fair bit older.
Looks like you just learned a valuable lesson here, eh?
(Round Break: He doesn't know about Puncture, get his ass!)
(Unspent Orthstirr and Odr Refunded)
0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 6x2, 5x5, 4x2, 3x1, 2x1, 1x2)14+5+2=21 Successes
Moonless Night has a truly ridiculous amount of power to through around, but he's also got no idea how to use it in any other way then 'use more power'. There's no nuance to his movements. Every motion is just raw power being thrown around.
...He doesn't know about Puncture, which means that he's got no idea how to hard-counter Perfect Defenses, which means that this is going to be a real big joke.
...You're kind of sad, actually. You'd been hoping for a good fight and this is what you get.
Well, at least you'll be going home soon.
Still, it's strange that this is what had Dorri and Bisi so riled up
Unless... it isn't.
But then, what could it be?
Endurance: (13/13) | Frenzy: (5/5) (+5 to all Combat Rolls) | Armor Health: (17/17) (+4 to Defense) | (20/20) Defensive Layers, with 1 ERA layer mixed in.
Orthstirr: (357/604) | Odr: (4)
(X) Frami: 202 | (X) Virthing: 201 | (X) Saemd: 201
Sagaseeker has 0/49 orthstirr in his reservoir.
Your Armor has 13 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Shapeshifting is granting you (+1 Damage and +1 Attack-Speed)
Your combat pool is 156d6 and you have 6d6 Stoked Dice
2 Sword Guards, both with 200d6
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
**[X] Plan: FUCK 'EM UP!**
-[X] Slipstream and EWC active, as per usual (-14 Orthstirr)
-[X] Dart in with a 35x Sharpened, Lightning-Powered Flashfire Cleave with Puncture (30d6 + 70d6 (35x Sharpens) + 1d6 (Skyfire), total of 101d6 + 5 (Frenzy) 67 Orthstirr cost total) Attempt to land behind him while he's stuck to the ground by the glue
-[X] Then, use our Folded, Punctured IAT on him from that position, to keep him in place (26d6+5 x3, total of 27 Orthstirr)
-[X] Finally, deliver a Palm-Crush Trick with Puncture (30d6 + 50d6 Extra Orthstirr, total of 80d6+5 for 56 Orthstirr), on the moment of contact, unleash the Folded Sparkbombs from our Fast directly into him through that palm strike, each enhanced with Puncture (70d6+5 x3 for a total of 27 extra Orthstirr)
-[X] Use Perfect Defenses as necessary to defend ourselves, whatever is most appropriate for what we're trying to do. It's not like he can do anything about them! Draw on Sagaseeker's Aspects and our Armor's reserves as required.
-[X] If he's still alive after this and manages to take a swipe at us, use Contested Movement boosted by all three activations of Fight of your Life and any remaining Stoked Dice (3 Orthstirr) in order to nail him with a Punctured, Knee-Groin Trick enhanced with Firebomb Strike to ruin his life and also hurl him into something scary if we can. (13 Orthstirr total, auto-hits)
0~0~0 (Punctured. 5 Armor Damage)
Skoll, being the fastest in the hunting party by way of an acceleration hugareida, was the first to deliver a blow upon the wolf. His arrow streaks furiously across the killing field as if with wings of its own. Soft-blue power hums in its iron crown as it punches through Moonless Night's armored fur, letting the thirsty grass drink deep of his blood.
The Fenriskin throws his head back and howls unfamiliar pain to the heavens. Skoll's arrow may very well have been the first injury Moonless Night had ever experienced, but you're already aiming to give him his second.
As he looks to the heavens, it's not the sun, or moon, or even the pale blue sky that he first spies. No, the first things he sees are a pair of shining crimson rings floating on a sea of polished steel. Still riding the wave of odr that broke the wolf's spell, your eyes have yet to return to normality.
Sagaseeker purrs as his aspects spring to life around him. The spectral, ghostly outline of a cat surrounds the weapon's body as you bring his lightning-shrouded blade down on the Fenriskin's head. (Punctured. 4 Armor Damage. Armor Pierced. 1+2+1+1+4=9 Damage!)
As blood and bone spray out, the force of the blow drives the Fenriskin's snout into the dirt. Riding the recoil, you flip over the stun-locked wolf, twist around while mid-air, and land behind him.
With his head in the ground and his rear in the air, you're given an entirely unwanted look at his unmentionables. But as you lay eyes on his underside, a truly wicked thought floats through your mind.
Your immediate reaction is to discard it out of hand. After all, it's unlikely that a foe of this strength wouldn't have some kind of damage reduction abilities. As you think that, though, another thought springs to mind.
Is it really all that likely for Moonless Night, somebody who assumed that having a perfect defense made him invincible, to have thought about reducing damage taken? Even if he did, why would he bother learning such things when he thought himself invulnerable?
A bloody grin stretches your face as your leg erupts with crimson might. No, it is not very likely that Moonless Night can resist damage.
Sparks spray from your knee in a crimson shower as you kick off the ground. A flap of your wings grants you greater velocity as your grin widens yet further. The ground rumbles and the air quakes at your passage.
Moments before impact, you pull your shoulders back as your leg swings up to bear.
Hard, orthstirr-enhanced bone meets something soft, delicate, and ever-so vulnerable.
The sharp crunch brings silence to the battlefield, stopping almost every man in his tracks. Horror and sympathetic agony play across their faces as they shudder and wince. Some even go as far as crossing their legs.
And then your knee explodes and poor Vagn lets out a yelp of fright. The force sends a pain-frozen Moonless Night spinning head-over-heels into the air.
Heima Smiles—the only man still in motion—falls from the sky with saxes in hand and the faintest flicker of glee on his face. It's only as he swings that you realize you didn't actually see him leap or fly up at all.
His saxes make contact with the Fenriskin's neck and their edges bite true. Where once was one mostly-whole wolf, there now is very little of one and most of another.
With their lord defeated and humiliated, the surrounding wolves turn tail and flee. You don't bother with hunting them down, as they'll be mopped up by the trappers and riders—if they don't run into another hunter team first, of course.
In the meantime, you can get to looting!
After skinning the three wolves you killed for their furs and depositing the meat off with the Headsman, you find yourself and the rest of the group gathered around the corpse of Moonless Night.
Heima only wanted the head as a trophy and, as nobody else seemed to really care all that much about it, he got it without any trouble.
As you destroyed the spell, Empty Night, it was agreed that you would get the pelt. Which leaves the rest of the body to divvy out. Nokkvi and Nainn, having not actually done all that much to assist in the slaying of the beast, bow out honorably.
Which left Skoll, Vagn, and yourself.
Vagn, having been injured while revealing valuable information about the strength of the wolf, is entitled to something. He wants the frenzy-fast and/or claws. Vagn doesn't seem to really care what he gets, as long as he doesn't go home empty-handed.
Skoll, having actually both landed the first blow and set it up for you and Heima to finish off, is entitled to much more then Vagn. He wants the heart and the bones and he's not budging on either. He also wants the frenzy-fast, but he's seemingly more ambivalent on that front.
What do you want to stake a claim on? (Pick as many as you'd like)
[ ] Heart - Consuming it grants enhancements (Staking a claim here will put you in conflict with Skoll)
[ ] Frenzy-Fast - The organ monsters use to store Frenzy (Vagn has a flexible claim on it, as does Skoll)
[ ] Bones - Can be used as decoration, as material for runes, or as bone-ash (Staking a claim here will put you in conflict with Skoll)
[ ] Claws - Can be used as decoration or as material for runes (Vagn has a flexible claim here)
[ ] Nothing
(If Vagn does not get any of his flexible claims, then you and Skoll will both be in conflict with him)
(If you stake a claim on Skoll's main claims, then you and he will be in conflict)
(Being in conflict with someone means that the matter will either be settled out of court via mediation or holmgang, or it will be settled in court. If relations degenerate between you and the person you're in conflict with, then you may end up in a feud)
0~0~0
AN: You'll get your rewards after you decide on what to stake a claim, if anything.
[X] Heart - Consuming it grants enhancements (Staking a claim here will put you in conflict with Skoll)
0~0~0
"That heart is mine," you say as you plant a foot on the skinned corpse. You pierce Skoll with a glare, as if daring him to say something about it.
And dare he does. He scoffs and folds his arms over each other, "So we are at an impasse."
"So it seems."
It's then that Nainn steps in as self-declared arbitrator. Reaching down, he plucks the heart from the corpse and sticks it with what you recognize as a meat-keeping stick. "I'll hold onto the heart until you find some way of settling this. I swear on my good reputation that nothing will happen to your prize."
There's never any hesitation in his voice, not even as he declares a binding oath on the spot. That's just the kind of man Nainn Rotting is, a stern-faced man who treats each situation with the seriousness it deserves. When he says something, he means it.
You can respect that.
(+19 Orthstirr)
(+1 progress to Nut-Cracker)
(+1 Fenriskin Pelt)
(+3 Water-Wolf Pelts)
(Muna: Banish the Night)
(The Valley as a whole ended up with 450 extra food)
0~0~0 Searching for other Underhouses in the hills (Hamingja: 6x2, 5x2, 4x4, 2x5, 1x3) Neutral Outcomes = 1 Success
Unfortunately, as your owl flies over the hills near your home, you're not having much in the way of luck looking for old Underhouses. The only thing you spot that could be one has collapsed inwards.
Still, at least it's something.
0~0~0 Owl Gacha (Do you get anything? 1/20) Looks like you don't get anything this time around
It's only as you finish feeding Hallbjorn that you realize why today feels so weird. Your fylgja hasn't brought you anything!
...Strange, normally there's something. Maybe there's just not a lot of luck right now?
0~0~0
Personal (Pick 2/3, if no Exploration is picked. 1 Free Social):
[ ] (Heart-Shaped Fruit) Go and dig up that heart-shaped plant
[ ] (Playdates) Set up a playdate between one/multiple of your kids and one/multiple of other kids. (Write in)
[ ] (Violent) Pick a fight or spar with... (Sparring with people reveals a summery of their character sheets)
-[ ] Spar with Abjorn, your husband
-[ ] Spar with Gabriel, without armor
--[ ] (Optional) With armor
-[ ] Spar with Stigmar
-[ ] Spar with Stigr
-[ ] Someone else (Write in)
[ ] (Personal) Spend time with... (Write in)
[ ] (Personal) Gather information on... (Write in)
[ ] (Shopping) Ask Abjorn to buy something for you (Write in) (Can only be used to buy or sell things you are already aware of and cannot haggle)
[ ] (Court) Send Abjorn to make a case at the Thing (Write in) (Unavailable)
[ ] (Crafting) Try to make something (Write in) (Hugr+Some kind of crafting skill)
-[ ] (Optional) Focus on repairing something (Write in)
[ ] (Poetry) Try to realize an Inspiration (Write in one of your Inspirations)
0~0~0
Exploration/Travel (Pick 1 or none):
[ ] (Visit) Go visit...
-[ ] The Witch... even though she's dead
-[ ] Asvir!
--[ ] (Optional) Attend the Thing (Unavailable)
-[ ] Vidby, Vidar's Farm
-[ ] Kerby, Stigr's Farm
-[ ] Buriby, Osborn's Farm (Has a solid chance of ending in a fight)
-[ ] Glebby, Sverre's Farm
-[ ] Runby, Aki's Farm
-[ ] Hasviby, Hasvir's Farm
-[ ] Halfdanby, Halfdan's Farm
[ ] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
-[ ] The fields!
--[ ] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[ ] The Hading!
--[ ] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
--[ ] (Optional) Try to find the Heart of the Hading
-[ ] The hills!
--[ ] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
[ ] (Battle) Go and attack somewhere...
0~0~0
Training: You have 57d6 training dice to spend as you see fit.
[ ] (Research) Try to figure out how things work (Write in)
[ ] (Seeress) Learn seidr with the Seeress (Only available during Summer)
-[ ] Write in up to 3 things to request of her
[ ] (Drifa) Teach Drifa some of your tricks (Write in)
[ ] (Blackhand) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
[ ] (Steinarr's Training) Ask Steinarr to teach you a trick/some tricks (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hamr (74 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hamr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hugr (53 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hugr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Fylgja (27 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a fylgja skill or trick (Write in)
0~0~0
Orthstirr Available: 577/623
How do you want to use your orthstirr? You can turn on passive tricks here.
[ ] (Orthstirr Usage) (Write in)
0~0~0
Fylgja Capacity: 8/10
Do you want to withdraw or deposit anything in your fylgja?
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0
Equipment/Capacity/Shapeshifting/Alloy/Pocket/Whatever Management
What do you want to have equipped on your person, in your capacity, or for your shapeshifting? Leaving this blank means that no changes are made.
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0
Property Management: You have 77 Work Dice Available
How do you want to use them?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
[X] Plan Trading Expedition
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The fields!
--[X] Looking for any resources that might help our soulscape's fields
---[X] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[X] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] Gabriel
--[X] Talk to him about heading to Wessex for trade and what goods they'd likely value most that are cheap locally, see if he wants to come along and in what context.
-[X] (Visit) Trading Expedition
--[X] Go to Asvir, recruit men, buy trade goods
--[X] While in Asvir, handle the mediation with Skoll if possible
--[X] Head out on Wavedancer for Wessex (or wherever the Seeress advises if she thinks Wessex is a bad idea) to buy food, maybe the Danelaw as well, depending
--[X] While there we may do a bit of exploring, and will offer our services to quickly deal with monsters or bandits for a very reasonable fee (though we won't fight for them against the Danelaw or other Norse...we have friends and relatives over there)
-[X] (Personal) Clear Out The Underhouse
-[X] [Social] (Playdates) Set up a playdate between one/multiple of your kids and one/multiple of other kids.
--[X] Inviting Rinda-Ryggia (Fjord Family) and Markvard-Brigida-Siggunr (Asvir Family)
--[X] Suggesting our children spend time especially with Ryggia, Markvard, and Siggunr
--[X] Keeping a particular watch on Asgeirr to ensure there are no further incidents (well, none involving physical violence anyway)
-[X] (Seeress) Learn seidr with the Seeress (Only available during Summer)
--[X] Ask her the best place to go on our food expedition (if more specificity is needed, maybe the best place in Britain, or even specifically in Wessex). She's a seeress and should have some insight into this.
--[X] Learn Banishing Rebuke
--[X] Talk about how the fylgja interacts with seidr and ask for a list of seidr spells involving the fylgja to potentially study on our own
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Taking the same precautions we do when Infusing Hugr try infusing **1 Odr** into Stoker State
--[X] Attempt to use our Unending Time In The Sun and some of the healing water to help our soulscape's farm by giving it magical water and sunlight 1d6
---[X] If rolls are involved stoking Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (+3 successes)
---[X] Again, if rolls are involved, using Frenzy if possible (+5 successes if it works)
--[X] Continue otherwise trying to improve our soulscape's farm 1d6
---[X] Starting over from scratch if necessary if the healing water/sunlight doesn't help
---[X] Stoking Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (+3 successes)
---[X] Using Frenzy if possible (+5 successes if it works)
--[X] Continue working on our house in our soulscape 1d6
---[X] Stoking Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (+3 successes) and likely using Tools (for +9 successes)
---[X] Using Hearthroot Oil for heating our home and thus re-purposing what would otherwise be firewood for this to keep our wood consumption inconspicuous outside the household.
---[X] Remember to add Glowstones to the house at the appropriate stage of things to improve it
--[X] Try feeding Sagaseeker up to 12 oz. of Molten Iron (one oz. at a time) and see if he can absorb them and what effect that has...if it allows him to duplicate its properties, stop once he can fully do so 1d6
--[X] Try and start teaching Sagaseeker the Atgeir Bodyguard Trick, the Long Lunge Trick, and the Skewer-Flick Trick 1d6
--[X] With Abjorn's help, teach Shadeclaw how to use her Aspects 1d6
--[X] Research the multiplying fish 1d6 (Refund)
---[X] Make sure to use Identify Concept as part of this
--[X] Experiment with using glue from the sealwood trees inside the pottery of our Explosive Charms to make a glue bomb. If we can do it as part of the same research, also try and use Hearthroot Oil in the same charms and make what amounts to magic napalm grenades 1d6 (Refund)
-[X] (Rolled)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6) (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Hamr Itself 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Hugr itself 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Fylgja itself 44d6 (22d6)
--[X] Train Silver-Tongue 3d6
-[X] (Drifa) Teach Drifa some of your tricks
--[X] Teach her Leaping Cleave (with warnings about the dangers involved), Heated Shroud, Sway, and Shatter-Wrist 1d6
---[X] Accompany this with a discussion about when it is wise and appropriate to fight and when it isn't, and other standards of appropriate behavior needed to be a dreng.
-[X] (Training) Solo Seidr Training
--[X] Bone Settlement 1d6
--[X] Doorway Ward 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks
--[X] Train Halting Vortex 1d6
--[X] Train Sword Guard 1d6
--[X] Train Atgeir Counter Stab 1d6
--[X] Train Atgeir Bodyguard 1d6
--[X] Train Forceful Lever 1d6
--[X] Train Spring Source 1d6
--[X] Train Scouring Cleanse 1d6
--[X] Train Sailwind 1d6
-[X] (Training) Martial Style
--[X] Train Stoker State 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Fire Poker 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Devouring Blaze 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Stoking Strike 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Stoking Guard 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Flame Tending Blade 1d6 (+1 Success from Born of Fire)
--[X] Train Glima 1d6
--[X] Train Fang 1d6
--[X] Train Momentum Reversal 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hamr (74 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Focus Guard 1d6
--[X] Train Backstep 1d6
--[X] Train Long-Lunge 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hugr (53 successes to rank up)
--[X] Talk to Sten about how to make an Axe and Ranged weapons (the latter with an eye towards remaking or reforging the bolt thrower)
--[X] Train Facial Schooling 1d6
--[X] Train Talent Tell 1d6
--[X] Train 'Axe' Weaponcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten)
--[X] Train 'Ranged' Weaponcraft Skill-Trick 1d6 (+1 Success from Sten)
-[X] (Work Dice Usage)
--[X] Buildings: 6 Quality, 1 Living Space, 5 Storage, 5 Workshop (17 Total)
--[X] Resources: 6 Quality, 7 Food, 7 Goods, 5 Silver (25 Total)
--[X] Livestock: 5 Quality, 4 Food, 4 Goods, 4 Silver (17 Total)
--[X] Crafting: Making 2 Exploding Charms (6 Total)
--[X] Conversion: Spend for 6 Research Dice (12 Total)
-[X] (Incidentals)
--[X] Adding Taafl Board Capacity Gains to: Asgeirr, Eyvor (Asgeirr: 4, Eyvor: 4)
--[X] Receiving Metal from Dwarves: 6 oz Molten Iron
-[X] (Capacity Slots)
--[X] Assign Banish The Night, Identify Concept, and Banishing Rebuke
--[X] Unassign Vows of Love, Fireside Barrage, and Forceful Lever
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 1 Orthstirr to Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 5 Dodge, 4 Bash, 4 Pierce, 4 Throw, 4 Cut, 4 Strike, 4 Shoot, 3 Farmwork, 4 Labor, 4 Overland (48 total)
--[X] 2 Orthstirr to Hugr
---[X] 6 Artcraft, 5 Armorcraft, 4 Barb-Tongue, 1 Composure, 4 Design, 6 Housecraft, 4 Management, 3 Scouting, 3/4 Silver-Tongue (depending on whether it increases), 5 Sailing, 3 Strategy, 4 Tactics, 5 Weaponcraft, 3 Wordplay, 5 Wildcraft (61/62 total)
--[X] **16 Odr** and 1/2 Orthstirr to Fylgja (depending on whether it increases)
---[X] 3 Command
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 46 Stored Tricks
--[X] 460/458 free for tricks (depending on whether Silver Tongue and Fylgja increase)
Infusing Stoker State with Odr
As you try infusing a drop of odr into Stoker State, you find that it simply doesn't. The odr just sits there, unresponsive.
Well, looks like that was a bust.
0~0~0 (Unending Time in the Sun + Healing Water) + Farm Plots = ???
As you let the fistful of sunlight shine across your soulscape's farm plots, not only does the plantlife perk up a little bit, but the ground simply looks... You're not entirely sure how to describe it other then 'healthier'.
...It makes sense that plants used to the sun's glow would do better when exposed to it.
Either way, the healing water helped, but it seems to have bolstered the effects of the sunlight rather then done much on its own.
0~0~0 Trying to improve your soulscape's farm...
You stare blankly at your soulscape's farm, no ideas coming to mind.
(With research, you need to be more specific then 'we do this'. I'd accept 'we do this in this way' or 'we do this with these materials' or a combination of the two or even something else entirely. I'll refund you the dice this time.)
0~0~0 House building (Labor: 6x2, 4x2, 2x6, 1x2)2+12=10 Successes
Unfortunately, you make dismal process with building the house in your soulscape. Firewood, you see, is not the greatest material to erect buildings with. Fortunately, the firewood is only a small portion of the wood, so you at least get the framework set up.
It'll take more work, but you're getting there!
0~0~0 Feeding Sagaseeker Molten Iron
After the first ounce of molten iron sinks into his blade, Sagaseeker wrenches himself from your hands and throws himself across the forge, where he proceeds to sulk in a dark corner.
"Too spicy, mother-mine! Too spicy by far!"
You shake your head as Sagaseeker hisses from his corner. It seems that Realized entities have their own personal preferences one what they allow inside them.
0~0~0 Teaching Sagaseeker some tricks
Overall, the process goes well. However, when Sagaseeker does the Atgeir Bodyguard, he himself floats rather then simply generating a ghostly copy.
Interesting!
0~0~0 Teaching Shadeclaw about aspects
"Many greetings, She-Who-Rides-The-Great-Bear-During-Nightly-Naked-Times! I, the great and powerful Shadeclaw, am pleased to finally meet my maker-mother's acquaintance!" You nearly fall from the stool you perch-down on as Shadeclaw bellows out her greetings. Abjorn simply stares at the hearth as his armor lays across the table. "...What? Why are you quiet? I couldn't have said something wrong, because I, Shadeclaw, do not make mistakes, so something must have happened! Is there an intruder? Shall I point and laugh as they fail to pierce my skin? Shall I see how sharp weapons can bite?"
The first thing you notice about Shadeclaw is that, unlike Sagaseeker, she loves to talk.
"And this is why I don't like her, mother-mine," Sagaseeker grumbles in a very cat-like way. "She scares away the butterflies."
The second thing is that she is very, very self-unaware. Honestly, she reminds you more of Drifa than anyone else.
Still, she's a quick learner and roughly five minutes after you started teaching, she's already grasped how to stoke her Aspects.
As a side-note, her virthing grants her bear-paws and, as a result, she can now interact with the world in a far greater way then before.
...This may have been a mistake.
0~0~0 Using Identify Concept on the multiplying fish
You nod as you set that strange fish down. Clearly, this is a result of Ran and Freyja working together!
...or maybe it's somehow related to that Jesus fellow from the Bible.
Nah, it's definitely a gift from Ran and Freyja.
Anyways, there's enough fish left to feed, maybe, twenty people for a season?
0~0~0 Glue and Explosives
Unfortunately, it seems that filling an explosive charm-carved pot with sealwood sap just sets the sap on fire as it flings itself all over the place. Useless!
...Wait a second. What were you thinking?! That's not useless at all!
(Explosive Glue-Bombs are now able to be mass-crafted for 2 work dice and 1 sealwood sap each)
0~0~0 (Kindle Spinner: 3, 1) 1 Success. (Firebomb Strike: 6, 2) 2 Successes. (EWC: 2, 5) 2 Successes. (Hamr: 3, 1) 1 Success. (Hugr: 2, 2) 2 Failures. (Fylgja: 6x13, 5x7, 4x7, 3x4, 2x7, 1x6) 38 Successes. (Silver-Tongue: 4, 3, 2) 1 Success.
As you finish the day's training and work, you find yourself pausing. Your fylgja...
Something is happening to it. It, it's changing!
Deep in your soul, your fylgja slowly moves one way, but then swaps to another. Back and forth it shifts, changing from one evolution to another. Eventually, it will land on one of them, but, if you so desired, you can hone your will and push it towards a particular outcome.
What do you push your fylgja towards?
[ ] Searchingbird Owl
Boon: Searchingbird Owl - Grants you the ability to pick something for your fylgja to seek out and bring back. Your ability to spot hidden things is also improved.
Flaw: Ooo, Shiny! - Sometimes, when you see something shiny, you just have to pick it up. Can be resisted by Composure.
Other Effects:
-Your pupils now dilate faster and to a far greater degree
-Your hair and eyes are now shinier then before
-You have a weak subconscious desire to pick things up and hold them, sometimes including other people
[ ] Frenzyfeather Owl
Boon: Frenzyfeather Owl - When in battle, your Frenzy is increased by half its current level rounding down.
Flaw: Lashing Out - Sometimes, you involuntarily make swings. This isn't an actual attack and would do no damage if it made contact, but it still may hamper relations.
Other Effects:
-Your hair can sharpen when you get annoyed or stressed
-You find yourself climbing onto larger things to get a better vantage point
-When safe, you never have difficulty sleeping
[ ] Cindersoot Owl
Boon: Cindersoot Owl - Forging things just comes easier now. You can tell exact temperature at a glance, even when it's stopped glowing, which allows you to complete projects quicker and more efficiently. You also have a greater resistance to heat and flames and can eat coal and/or coke for sustenance.
Flaw: Sooty - You don't feel quite right when you're not covered in soot or ash which, as a result, can make you a little grouchy. Fortunately, this doesn't make you smell or anything, though significant amounts of dirt will negatively affect your appearance.
Other Effects:
-You now have a coal-black gradient ranging from fingertip to knuckle.
-Ash-speckled feathers now grow in your hair
-Bright sparks flash in your eyes when you get excited
-When content and warm, you find yourself making soft hooting noises.
[ ] Starsong Owl
Boon: Starsong Owl - When the moon rises and the stars come out, you find yourself with deeper reserves of orthstirr and capacity.
Flaw: Blinding Lights - The sun is so damn bright! Your overall capabilities are lacking when exposed to direct sunlight.
Other Effects:
-Your pupils now resemble stars
-White feathers grow in your hair
-Your voice is clearer and you can project it further
[ ] Leave it up to fate
[ ] Refuse to evolve and push it back to the next Rank Up
(+1 to Kindle Spinner)
(+2 to Firebomb Strike)
(+2 to EWC)
(+1 to Hamr)
(Fylgja Rank Up! 117 Successes to Rank 8!)
(+1 to Silver-Tongue)
0~0~0
AN: Here's the first bit of the update, to give you something to chew on and vote for while I finish up the rest
0~0~0 Exploring the Fields (Hamingja: 6x4, 5x1, 4x3, 3x1, 2x4, 1x3) 7 Successes
The massive shadow of your roughly Abjorn-sized cindersoot owl passes over the landscape of your fields. A small family of deer feeding on your hinterland crops scatter as the shadow passes overhead.
Rather then annoy you, it only draws a smile to your face. After all, with the wolves running around, it had been some time since you last spotted such things. Where once you would've grabbed your Abjorn and started swinging, now you simply enjoy the fact that live is returning to normality.
"Hooo..."
You flush bright red as Abjorn's chest—which you, of course, are resting your head against—rumbles with laughter. He chuckles and runs a hand through your hair, gently stroking the fresh, ashy-gray feathers sprouting from within that sea of deep, dark-red. Fortunately, your face can't quite reach that same shade, else you would literally be a redhead.
Though now your eyes do, quite literally, light up whenever you lay them upon Abjorn's stupid, handsome mug...
Soon after your newest additions came in, Asgeirr started collecting the ones that inevitably fell out—you moult now, by the way. Like some kind of bird! But, rather then eating them or something—though he did immediately stick that first feather in his mouth—he instead has taken to weaving them into his hair... just like you.
You know, now that you think about it, you do see a lot of yourself in Asgeirr. When you were young, you used to fly into a rage at the slightest insinuation that you were worth less just because you were a girl. Now, of course, you just have to unsheathe Sagaseeker and most problems resolve themselves. Wasn't always like that, though.
At the moment, Asgeirr's just staring at the smoke wind– Oh, by the Gods he's started climbing a pillar!
"Asgeirr, no! Bad!" Abjorn frowns as you leap to your feet—don't worry, Aby! You'll be back soon enough!—and scoop up your eldest before he can get very far.
Asgeirr folds his arms as you plop him down on his father's chest. He glares at you. You stick your tongue out at him. He cracks a smile and rolls his eyes.
"You can't stop me forever, Mama."
That... stops you in your tracks. It feels like just yesterday your eldest were little babies, but now they're three. Old enough to start learning about the world and the things in it.
...They're gonna be all grown-up before you know it, aren't they?
While you didn't find much beyond confirmation that nature is healing, you did find out that you're a bit more attached to your children then you may have otherwise realized.
0~0~0 Seeress talk
"Nice hair," the Seeress pithily observes from over the rim of her mug.
"Thank you so much," you grit out through a strained smile. "That is definitely not the only thing I've been told for the past three full days."
"Of course it hasn't been the only thing, that would be hyperbole," she declines hiding her wry grin as your eyes spark with annoyance. "I kid, I kid," she chortles as her tea cup finds a home on the table and her hands find residence in her lap. "Now then, in light of recent developments, why don't we have today's lesson be about fylgjur, hm?"
"Sounds good to me," you pause as a thought comes to mind. "Oh, and, if you could, can you take a look at Wessex and see if there is anywhere with a notable surplus of food?"
She arches a brow, but an eye swivels westward nonetheless. Purple orthstirr flows like smoke from her eye as she gazes into English lands, "The city of Winchester, the seat of the Lone-Standing King's court, has the food you seek." She winces and screws her eye shut. A palm leaps to her eye as blood starts to trickle down her cheek. "Strong defenses, that city has," she manages to grunt out before turning to you, "my apologies, but we'll have to cut today's lesson short as I'd rather not lose the eye."
After she stops her eye from degenerating any further, she does actually manage to show you the proper way of performing a Banishing Rebuke—it's a right-turning double-wrist-spin, not a left-turning triple-wrist-spin, obviously.
0~0~0 Asvir
Striding from the Seeress' tent, you immediately spot Gabriel leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. He's watching the busy goings-ons of a harvest-time village, an odd look to his eye. It's like he's committing it all to memory.
The market is teaming with life, with a notably large amount of water-wolf furs on sale this month. Looks like a good portion of the felag decided to sell. So, good news there!
There's a large crowd hanging around the beached ships. With around two-hundred people in it, you're looking at the vast majority of men in the entire Valley. All of which are clamoring for a seat on a ship.
...While most of them may not starve, they've been reminded that death is just around the corner. No wonder they want to get as much food as possible.
What would you like to do in Asvir?
[ ] Go shopping!
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Talk to Gabriel about Wessex
[ ] Start sorting through the options for your ship's crew
-[ ] Write in what sort of attributes you're looking for
0~0~0
AN: Apologies for combining Gabriel and Asvir together, but I was getting very tired and wanted to get this out because I said I would.
Gabriel shoots you with a pained, mixed-feelings glance as you make your approach. He pushes off the fencepost and tucks an odd rosary into a belt pouch—though you catch the faintest glimmer of polished black before it disappears into leather. That's a rosary you haven't seen before, where'd he get it from? You certainly didn't make it and, not to insult Gabriel or anything, but his crafting skills leave a lot to be desired.
"Time to get going?" Gabriel's eyes flick from you, to the bustling crowds of Asvir at work, and then to the sea and back. He swallows his dry throat, his complicated feelings leaving a shallow crease on his brow. His chin is missing more than a few hairs—a nervous habit he just can't seem to break.
"Thereabouts, yeah." You tilt your head towards the market and crowds, "There's a few things that still need to be done, but other then that," you shrug before turning your attention to him. "The only thing I'm really wondering about is if you are ready. And are you?"
His brow creases further as he huffs a heavy frown. Eventually, he crosses his arms and nods to himself, "I... I'm ready. Yeah, I'm ready," he repeats, as if trying to convince himself of it, "armor's loaded up, Sparrowflight's on my waist, and home is in my sights."
"Where is your home, exactly?"
"On the border of Wessex and Gwent is a small castle near the village of Arlingham. That's Blackstone Keep," he swallows, "and it's home."
You have absolutely no idea what this 'Gwent' is. Well, obviously it's a kingdom or nation of some kind, but that's as clear as day. "Gwent?"
"Welsh lands," the flicker of disquiet that crosses his face is all you need to know his thoughts on the matter. Welsh and Englishmen must not get along particularly well—though that may very well be something of an understatement.
"Right, right... Well, we're heading to Winchester, do you think you can find your way back from there or...?" You trail off as he stares at you, brows shooting high on his head.
"Winchester. Winchester."
Your eyes flick from side-to-side, "Yes? Is there something wrong with that?"
"It's the capitol of Wessex, the seat of King Alfred's power."
"Yeah."
He blinks, long and slow, before sighing a silent prayer, "Sure, why not, let's just sail right up to Winchester on a viking ship, what could go wrong?"
You snort and roll your eyes, "It'll be fine. Besides, we're not going a-viking so what's the worry?"
"My worry," he begins, "is that they'll shoot first, stab second, and ask never. Maybe they'll pray over our bodies, but, like I said, that's a maybe."
You shrug, not really seeing the problem. "And if we die, then we'll either get back up or we won't."
"You," the word hangs in the air like bait on a fisherman's hook, "will get back up. Me?" An odd flash of jealousy sparks in his eyes as he snorts and presses a hand to his chest, "I'm not so lucky."
"I..." You don't know what to say. It's just not something you've really given much thought to. "I'm sorry, Gabriel."
"For what? For walking a different path then me? You didn't choose to be born Norse, just as I didn't choose to be born English, yet here we are all the same—a Norsewoman and an Englishman." He sighs and lets his head hang. "I... I have something I need to tell you, but I can only tell you it when we get to Wessex, alright? It would be too awkward if I told you before, you know?"
"Alright," you nod, thoughts racing over what he might have to tell you.
"I'll be on the ship, if you need me." He waves his goodbyes and heads towards the Wavedancer, but before he can get far, you call out to him with a question of your own.
"In the lands of the English, what is it they desire most?"
He pauses as the words fall across him like a blanket. He laughs, once, and looks over his shoulder. His eyes, blue as glacial ice, meet your gaze of steel, "We men of Wessex want nothing more then good, strong weapons and cold, dead Norsemen."
You watch him leave, thoughts filled with feelings. A bad yet terribly familiar feeling comes to rest at the bottom of your stomach. Something awful is going to happen, you just know it.
What do you do next?
[ ] Go shopping
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Start sorting through the options for your ship's crew
-[ ] Write in what sort of attributes you're looking for
