[X] *hug Abjorn* "I don't like thinking about either of those things either. But, and I _can't_ talk about how, not _won't_ but _can't_, stopping what I'm doing would be a surrender to an enemy who wishes foul things for all of us, for our children and their children and all the generations afterward. I try to be as careful as I can, and I don't blame you if you never want to deal with some parts of this...but I can't stop, and the others deserve to make their own choices about what risks they want to take. I _do_ know what happened one those occasions and generally how to avoid or reduce those issues going forward, though _new_ issues are always possible. And...if you would like, I can try and arrange for you to walk the same path and share the risks with me."
0~0~0
Abjorn flinches as you touch him and your heart breaks.
"Oh Abjorn," you whisper as his arms slowly, hesitantly snake around you, "I, I'm sorry. I don't like thinking of those things either, but stopping now would mean surrendering to an Enemy that desires worse than death for us all."
"Who is this enemy?" There's no hesitation in his voice, no time taken to think thoughts through. Instead of the slow, methodical pace at which he normally speaks—a pace you've long grown accustomed to—there's nothing but raw, angry hate. His eyes are bleak, shadowed by the desire to seek out and destroy whatever drives you to such lengths.
The fact that you can't tell him—despite not knowing yourself—only breaks your heart further.
"I... can't tell you," your head rests against his chest as he tenses, "not because I don't want to, but because I cannot."
"Why?" His words are short and to the point—leaving no room for him to misspeak.
"Because," you frown, though he can't see it. "Because..." How do you explain something when you can't speak it? How do you express yourself when you lack the words to use? ...This is a truly evil thing the Enemy has done, this restriction on language he's enforced. "Because I can't tell you without you walking the same path as me."
"So guide me down it, show me why you must*endanger our children so."
You lift your head to meet his wet eyes, and nod.
As you do, the world changes.
Something, somewhere, wakes.
[ ] A pair of man-feasting giants rise again in Denmark
[ ] A dragon spreads its wings for a second time in Gnitaheath
[ ] A Witch-King seeks his sword once more in Valland
0~0~0
AN: I've decided to finish the turn up tomorrow. I've also decided to give you a choice of the bad thing that happens.
[X] A Witch-King seeks his sword once more in Valland
0~0~0 Playdates (Asgeirr: 2, Sigurdr: 6, Eyvor: 4, Hallbjorn: 4)
After a long day of play, your children's new friends leave while demanding fylgjur of their own from their parents. You suspect you'll see some cursory questions from curious parents in the coming days.
(Your children are now friends with Klaus, Kjaran, and Kadrina)
(Their parents may request that you unveil their fylgjur)
0~0~0 Exploring (Hamingja: 8) 8
While you don't find much of anything in your explorations, you do spy some rather well-travelled deer trails. After organizing a hunting party and heading out, you bring back enough food to keep you sated for a fair amount of time.
Enough food, in fact, to free up some very valuable time for more training!
(+5 XP, next turn only)
0~0~0
0~0~0
Personal (Pick 2/3, if no Exploration is picked. 1 Free Social):
[ ] (Here, Kitty-Kitty) Attempt to make friends with the skogtatt
-[ ] (Write in) How do you go about this?
[ ] (Violent) Pick a fight or spar with... (Sparring with people reveals a summery of their character sheets)
-[ ] Spar with Abjorn, your husband
-[ ] Spar with Stigmar
-[ ] Someone else (Write in)
[ ] (Personal) Spend time with... (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)
[ ] (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... (1 Left)
-[ ] The Witch... even though she's dead
-[ ] Asvir!
--[ ] (Optional) Attend the Thing
-[ ] Buriby, Osborn's Farm
-[ ] Glebby, Sverre's Farm
-[ ] Hasviby, Hasvir's Farm
-[ ] Halfdanby, Halfdan's Farm
-[ ] Jurgen's Cave
[ ] (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)
--[ ] (Optional) Range further from your home
0~0~0
Training: You have 74 XP 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)
[ ] (Training) Hamr (117 XP to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hamr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hugr (255 XP to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hugr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Fylgja (102 XP to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a fylgja skill or trick (Write in)
0~0~0
Orthstirr Available: 1244
How do you want to use your orthstirr? You can turn on passive tricks here. (Leaving this blank is assumed to be boosting all your stats to max)
[ ] (Orthstirr Usage) (Write in) (Optional)
0~0~0
Fylgja Capacity: 13/13
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 96 Work Dice Available
How do you want to use them? (Leaving this blank is assumed to be the same as last turn)
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0
AN: My apologies for the length. I had a really difficult time writing this one, just not a whole lot of inspiration with these two left-overs.
[X] Plan Spreading Ashes
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (1)
--[X] Cover and Binding for our Book (+16 successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Use the pelt of Moonless Night for the leather of the cover, hopefully making it very hard to damage
--[X] Wax the pages with a mix of wax and hearthroot oil to make it both flame resistant and water resistant
--[X] Use 1 Odr as ink in writing the title
--[X] Add runes to the cover saying "When this book is opened, the contents will be restored from damage." (Hopefully allowing instant repairs when colored and the book is opened).
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (2)
--[X] Various small but useful or pleasant presents for everyone in the family or household (+16 successes from Tools/Workshop)
--[X] Made of metal as this is a smithing action
-[X] (Crafting) Try to make something (3)
--[X] Reforge Tryggr and Trausti's Helms to attempt to improve them (+16successes from Tools/Workshop)
-[X] [Social] (Personal) Spend time with...
--[X] Kurt Frogtongue and Haydis
--[X] Specifically, in addition to doing the requested fertility ritual, offer to make him a huscarl if he wants (no pressure, we're fine keeping him in his current position), give him the Superior weapon for his bravery in battle, and offer Fylgja unveiling to both if they want it.
-[X] Yule Divination
--[X] Attempt divination to determine who hired people to kill Steinarr
--[X] Contacting Odin
--[X] Draw lots from a bag of 9: Drysalt, Lidrun of the Red Sash, Dorri Rattlespear, Logi Flamehair, Buri Borruson, Erikaer Corpsemaker, Hasvir Horrason, Reinar Swordfury, and someone else. The "someone else" option is labeled "Someone Else"
---[X] Note that we're not publicizing this list and consider most of the names on it very unlikely (everyone but Drysalt and maybe Corpsemamker), we just want to be thorough and nine options seems better symbolically. We probably don't show or tell anyone the results of this unless it's Drysalt.
---[X] Further questions TBD based on results from the initial draw
-[X] (Exploration) Go on a walk through...
--[X] The coast!
---[X] (Optional) Send your fylgja in your place (Does not cost an action)
-[X] Trip to Gotland to spread Steinarr's Ashes
--[X] This is also a trading expedition and we'll recruit crew and acquire trade goods for it as such.
--[X] Details on this are likely their own vote.
-[X] Special Note: On all Crafting add the following if possible unless otherwise specified:
--[X] For metal items have Heat Hold available just in case
--[X] Using Sundersight (+1d3 Successes)
--[X] Burning Frami, Virthing, and Saemd (for +1 Success each, +3 successes total) to enhance the crafting process
-[X] (Seeress) Learn seidr with the Seeress (Only available during Summer)
--[X] Ask Solrun to explain the various uses a seeress has for a Fylgja. We feel like we're missing something fundamental here having had most of our Fylgja education from warriors.
--[X] Ask Solrun about the mountain of metal and that whole thing, noting we've had feelings that it's something in our family lineage. She's not likely to know the martial style itself, but she might know who or what it's based on.
--[X] Check with Solrun if our idea for the bridge and burl is on the right track...or at least not dangerous (we think we can capture the Experience of being on a bridge them imprint it into the burl to use as a beacon to come back).
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Teach Abjorn how to weave and start teaching him to needlebind, plus other general Odr cultivation preparations, including giving him our book to read.
--[X] Put three Hearthberries, honey, and water in our Brewery Pocket again like last time.
--[X] Finish teaching Bjorney Eyespeech – 1 Research
--[X] Try and see if we can put a Muna (specifically, Whistling Wind) or a Hugareida (trying with Gale) into our Hamr, allowing us to take on its aspects physically – 1 Research
--[X] Very carefully infuse Stigmar and then Tryggr's Hamr with up to **7 Odr** each, carefully going one point at a time and stopping if they seem to be having any problems, making sure Abjorn is on hand to see what we're doing as best he can – 1 Research
--[X] Meditate on the Mountain of Metal associated with Time Stands Still and our breathing, attempting to feel out the borders of what causes that feeling and its effects on us – 1 Research
---[X] While we're talking to Sten at some point, ask him about the mountain of metal and the sensations we experience, see if he knows anything about it or has experienced anything similar
--[X] Try and feed the lesser spirits in our Soulscape and grow them in the direction of being loyal to us, investing up to **9 Odr** total – 1 Research
--[X] Try and carefully invert Ignition away from ourselves and see what it does – 1 Research
---[X] Switch all Ignition effects from +6 damage to adding dice when we do this, then back afterwards, and make sure we have, like, 10 layers of Reinforce Shield up and are wearing Emberguard with its runes active.
-[X] (Drifa)
--[X] Make sure she learns Recall, the utility Hugareida, and the basics of rote medical and household seidr if we can 1xp
---[X] We'll mention the ways we beat Hooknails involved Scouring Cleanse and Sickness Sear, respectively, to get her interested...this lesson plan will take more than one turn, but we're starting it now and can hopefully inspire her to pick up the basics.
-[X] (Training) Hamr (117 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Hamr Itself 118xp (59xp)
--[X] Train Tree Split with Abjorn since we could use another guard breaker 3xp
-[X] (Training) Hugr (255 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train our new Unbinding Hugr Trick 10xp (5xp)
--[X] Train an Odr Drip Feed Trick to more safely initiate someone 6xp
-[X] (Work Dice Usage)
--[X] Buildings, Resources, and Livestock: 2 Living Space, 1 Storage, 1 Resources Goods, otherwise maxed out (58 Total)
--[X] Crafting: Make a Superior Forged Iron weapon (of his choice) for Kurt and a Superior Forged Iron Mail-Necked Helm for Agnar Bjarnesson, both as Yule presents (8 Total)
--[X] Construction: Make 3/10 of the Tournament Grounds (27 Total),
--[X] Seidr: Perform a 9 Work Die Fertility Ritual for Kurt and Haydis (9 Total),
--[X] Conversion: Spend for 6 Research Dice (12 Total)
-[X] (Incidentals)
--[X] Adding Taafl Board Capacity Gains to: Sigurdr, Hallbjorn,
--[X] Receiving Metal from Dwarves: 24 oz Forged Iron, 6 oz Storm Iron
--[X] Start carrying the Hag Stone with us everywhere
Research
0~0~0 Brewery Pocket Time
After putting heartberries, honey, and water into your Brewery Pocket, you settle in for the long wait.
...Maybe this time you'll actually get to taste it.
0~0~0 Bjorney Eyespeech
"Halla Sunshine," Bjorney keeps his eyes on yours as he takes a rest on his haunches, "may I inquire as to the circumstances of my mother? Does she yet live or has she unfortunately passed on to the Great Cave in the Sky?"
"I..." You frown, not having expected to have this conversation right now or ever, "I believe she... Is, well, dead."
Bjorney is silent for a long time as he lays his head on the floor, "Oh, bother."
Oh bother indeed.
(Bjorney can now Eyetalk. The Bear is now capable of Speech.)
0~0~0 Hamr experimentation
As you attempt to combine your Gale and Hamr into one, they fail to have any sort of effect on each other. Perhaps your body simply isn't malleable enough yet? Perhaps you're doing it incorrectly?
Regardless, it doesn't work.
0~0~0 Meditating on the mountain of metal
You wake up in a cold sweat after meditating, whatever you saw quickly slipping through your memory's fingers as you stare up at the sky.
The only thing you managed to keep hold of was the sensation of something looking back.
Sten had no idea what you were talking about when you asked him of the mountain of metal, but he said that it may have been some manner of spirit guardian that you encountered.
0~0~0 Inverting Ignition
Teeth gritting, you screw your eyes shut as you turn Ignition inside-out.
Upon opening your eyes, you find that the little campfire you'd set up to warm your mid-day meal had been extinguished.
...It seems that you've managed to figure out a way to replicate the Extinguish twist.
0~0~0
Development
0~0~0 Crafting
Everyone seems quite pleased with their gifts, earning you some drengskapr and some hamingja!
(+1 Hamingja)
(+3 Drengskapr)
0~0~0 Tournament (3/10)
After a lengthy period of time spent hard at work, you and your retainers manage to clear away a relatively large swathe of the Hading that rests upon your land.
This land, flat and ready, will be perfect for fighting in—once you've got everything set up, of course.
0~0~0 Teaching Abjorn to weave
The year, by the reckoning of the followers of Christ, is 8980 AD and you, Halla Sunshine, have just turned twenty-two.
Abjorn looks down at the stack of pages you've just handed him, a befuddled look on his face. "I, uh," a light dusting of embarrassed red splashes across his bearded cheeks, "I can't read, Halla."
You blink, "What?"
He looks away, face going lava-red as he whispers, "I, uh, I was never taught to read."
"But," you frown and plant your hands on your hips, "I've seen you write your name down?"
"I know enough for that," he says before gesturing at the writing on your gambeson and adding, "and to read your name."
...If Vidar wasn't already dead, you would've put him there yourself.
Well, guess you'll have to teach him that first...
Actually, now that you think about it, how many of your retainers can read?
Actually, the only reason you can read is a result of Blackhand teaching you... Can your brothers read? How many people do you know that can't actually read?!
This might put something of a damper on your plans to spread knowledge...
(Literacy isn't especially common)
0~0~0 Infusing Stigmar and Tryggr
"So," you begin while laying hands on your retainers, "can either of you read?"
Abjorn winces from off to the side as he watches intently. Tryggr scratches at his chin as Stigmar's lips thin, his fingers drumming against his shield as he answers, "I can manage."
"Trausti can, though I never really saw the need to," says Tryggr as you layer odr through his body, his muscles growing denser with every passing moment. As he flexes, his eyes narrow with sudden realization, "Hang on a second, there."
You immediately pull your hands away as you skip back a step, fear snaking its way through your soul, "What's wrong? Did I do something?"
"Nah, just had a thought, is all," Tryggr shakes his head, a light frown on his face. "Most women aren't as strong as men, so you have to pull the orthstirr out of your body in order to not accidentally break them in bed—which seems to be something of an issue, now."
Stigmar grimaces, "I had to learn that the hard way, when we were in Wessex," he scratches at his beard as a flush takes his face. "She seemed to enjoy it, though that's probably a bit out of the ordinary for women."
"Halla once broke my hips," Abjorn speaks up as you find yourself staring at a particularly interesting snail making its way across the ground. "Ever since then, I've had to keep strengthening my body just to keep my legs."
"Lucky man," Tryggr whistles before turning to you, a curious look on his brow-arching face, "Hey, Halla, can you break a watermelon with your thighs?"
"I don't know what a watermelon is," you're forced to admit as you rock back and forth on your heels, "but Sten once asked me to help him crack a geode. I didn't have any tools on hand, so I just used my legs."
Silence falls across the training field as three sets of eyes land on you.
(Tryggr and Stigmar now have infused hamr)
0~0~0 Feeding some Lesser Spirits
Unfortunately, it seems that 'loyalty' isn't really a direction that can be directed towards—not through feeding tomvaettir odr, at least.
Regardless, after poking through the hordes of tomvaettir moving about your soul in search of one that feels more 'on the level' than most, you set to work on feeding that chosen tomvaett a portion of odr.
As you hit three droplets, the tomvaett seems to change. It feels as though that, if so desired, you could direct the growth into one of three different direction. Seeing as, in your searches, you found a few other good candidates, you decide to just do them all.
The first tomvaett grows into what you describe as a 'skapandivaett'. This minor spirit seems far more creative than others of its ilk. Where tomvaettir merely graze, the skapandivaett searches. It upturns rocks, pokes its head into tree hollows, and even digs in the ground!
The second tomvaett, rather than growing into a skapandivaett, instead perches on a large rock as it turns its gaze to the heavens. The 'syngjandivaett'—as you've taken to calling it—begins to do what can only be described as 'sing'. While the noises have no clear meaning, it seems to have something of a positive effect on the lesser spirits around it as they bring all manner of food to the syngjandivaett.
The third tomvaett, however, takes a radically different approach than its fellows. Instead of singing or searching for its meal, this tomvaett hunts. The 'veidvaett' stalks the tomvaettir with frenzied efficiency as it cleaves a bloody trail through your soulscape.
All three spirits are far more intelligent than their once-peers. They're probably smart enough to actually communicate with, should you be so inclined.
(You now have a skapandivaett, a syngjandivaett, and a veidvaett in your soulscape)
0~0~0 Spending time with Kurt and Haydis
Humming to yourself, you mash up rabbit ovaries, powder deer antlers, and mix it all together with a heifer's first milk while a vaguely off-put Kurt and Haydis watch. Haydis, laid out upon a birthing bed, doesn't look especially pleased to be drinking it while Kurt breathes a sigh of relief.
As you work, a thought comes to mind, "So," you begin, nodding towards Kurt, "I know you fought well during the raid, but I wasn't able to find many stories of your heroics?"
"I really didn't do all that much," Kurt shrugs, eyes flicking to where his spear, sax, and shield dangle off the wall as he downplays his efforts.
Haydis, the good wife that she is, scowls and delivers a loving flick to the side of his head, "You slew two men, both slayers themselves! I didn't marry a liar, so you'd best tell Halla of your feats if you want to keep it that way!"
"Well, I guess it can't hurt..." Kurt sighs as he rubs the back of his neck. Gathering up his courage, he turns to you and says, "I'm not sure if you knew of this as it was happening, as you were in the thick of it at the front, but the Aggilsfjordmen managed to sneak ten fighters around our flank to strike at the rear." His rubbing picks up the pace alongside his quickened breathing, eyes fixed to where his weapons rest, "They were fighting like mad dogs, all of them shape-strong, and cut down seven men before anyone knew what was happening. It's difficult to recall it clearly," he admits as his neck turns red, eyes distant but he can't stop now, "but I remember throwing my spear into their leader's shield, which disabled it and allowed me to almost c-cut off his head with my sax. A man I assume to be his brother ran at me with sword held high and death in his eyes, but I managed to retrieve my spear just in time to run him through. He impaled himself up to my hands and would've taken my head off if I hadn't slipped on the blood and fallen. He bled out after that."
Kurt seems to collapse in on himself as he finishes his story, the retelling taking a lot out of him. Haydis, however, couldn't be prouder of her husband as she beams like the sun itself was peaking through the storm clouds gathering in the distance.
"And that's my husband!" She nearly leaps to her feet as she pulls Kurt to her ample bosom. Her arms wrap around his body as she holds him close, his arms returning the favor just a few heartbeats later. "Isn't he something?"
"Sure is," you reply as you hurriedly return to your potion-making, having forgotten it while listening. "A feat like that deserves ample reward, how would you like to be a huskarl?"
Kurt tries to refuse, but Haydis isn't having it. With voice full of vim and vigor, she answers for her husband, "He'd love nothing more!"
When Kurt doesn't move correct her, you shrug and bring down the superior-quality sword from where it hangs on the wall. Taking both the blade and the completed potion to the couple, you offer one to Kurt and Haydis respectively, "This sword does yet bear no name, but it shall serve as symbol of your office." As Kurt's lips thin and he accepts the sword, you turn to Haydis with potion in hand, "Every morning for the next nine days, you'll drink this potion. Once the last drop passes your lips, you'll find yourself ready to bear fruit."
Leaving the lovers to their celebrations, you find yourself sitting on the porch with your head in your hands and your mind lost in thought.
Kurt... Has nidheart, you're sure of it.
He's no fighter—though Haydis would violently disagree—and was never meant for the battlefield. The fact he killed two men doesn't change that fact in the slightest. He simply doesn't have the mental strength to withstand the horrors of combat, not without bringing it back to the bed with him.
It doesn't seem to be especially damaging to his soul—thank the Gods for small mercies—but you wouldn't trust him on the battlefield, not as he is now. He'd shiver and shake, dropping his weapon as he turned tail and ran.
If you have it your way, he won't end up in such a situation. Unfortunately, life rarely works to your desires. You'll have to do something about his nidheart, if only to spare Kurt the embarrassment.
Nine days later, Haydis finds herself pregnant and you find yourself one huskarl richer.
(+1 progress to Jarlsoul-in-the-Making)
(Kurt Frogtongue is now a Huskarl)
0~0~0 Book (36 Successes on the Cover and 31 Successes on the Runes)
As you put the finishing touches on the Hallamal—a droplet of odr to write the title with—you step back to admire your work.
As you do so, however, you get the feeling that you just did something truly impactful. For all the death and destruction you've wrought in all the years you've lived, none have been quite like this.
For, with the writing and binding of the Hallamal, you've ensured your name will live on forever.
(Lesser Win Conditions Reached: Ensure your name will be in the history books)
[ ] End the Quest here, with a victory
[ ] End Halla's Run here, with a victory
[ ] Continue on and risk defeat
-[X] Yule Divination
--[X] Attempt divination to determine who hired people to kill Steinarr
--[X] Contacting Odin
--[X] Draw lots from a bag of 9: Drysalt, Lidrun of the Red Sash, Dorri Rattlespear, Logi Flamehair, Buri Borruson, Erikaer Corpsemaker, Hasvir Horrason, Reinar Swordfury, and someone else. The "someone else" option is labeled "Someone Else"
---[X] Note that we're not publicizing this list and consider most of the names on it very unlikely (everyone but Drysalt and maybe Corpsemamker), we just want to be thorough and nine options seems better symbolically. We probably don't show or tell anyone the results of this unless it's Drysalt.
---[X] Further questions TBD based on results from the initial draw
0~0~0 Yule Divination
In a secluded spot far away from the laughter and festivities of Yule, you find yourself in the company of swaying trees and curious creatures. Squirrels watch with cheeks full of their winter store as you walk under the canopy above. Birds chirp as they fly about overhead, the complex dance of their courtship a sight to behold. Even a noble elk stops to watch as you come to a stop before an old, gnarled oak.
Kneeling down before the wisdom of the Gods, you close your eyes, reach inside the bag at your side, and pull out two sticks.
Drysalt Hadingsbane...
...and Dorri Rattlespear.
As you stare at the names written in runes on the wood of an ash, you struggle to keep yourself contained. Flushing your emotions with a use of your soul's ice, you consider what the names on the sticks mean.
What are your next questions?
[ ] Write in
0~0~0
AN: Not much to say here other then that I wish to get one more update out today.
[X] "Who can be my greatest ally in revealing this treachery?"
-[X] The list of options would be: most of the notable people in the valley
0~0~0
Swallowing, you stare down at the sticks you've drawn. Five names peer out at you, when you'd only desired one.
'Halfdan'
'Solrun'
'Veny'
'Buri'
'Corpsemaker'
...Gods damn it, you're going to have to play nice with damn Corpsemaker of all people.
Gods.
Damn.
It. (Hamingja: 21) 21 Successes
Just as you were about to pack up and leave, the bark of a familiar dog draws your gaze to the right, to where a bush starts to rattle and shake. Darting over to the bush, you wrench it from the earth to find none other than Flekkr—his graying snout pressed firmly to the ground as he barks and growls.
Pulling him away, you find nothing but the remains of a bug—an ant, by the looks of things.
...You've got a bad feeling about this.
(Journal Entry Added: Dorri)
0~0~0 Exploration (Hamingja: 3) 3 Successes
As your fylgja flies across the coastline, you spy a small creek's outlet, where an odd amount of driftwood seems to gather en mass.
Flying in close, you realize that this driftwood is actually... Rather high quality?
Very odd, but perhaps exploitable?
(You may now use High-Quality Driftwood as Bling, should you so wish it)
0~0~0 Trip time!
The fact that you stand not five-hundred feet from your father's killer but can't do anything about it fills you with enough rage to make veins stand out on your forehead.
Fortunately, you can shapeshift, so it's not a problem—but the fact remains that you can't fucking kill the bastard.
Regardless, you've got work to do.
Namely, setting up a trip to Gotland.
First things first, finding friends to crew the ship with.
[ ] Go with the people who went last time
-[ ] (Optional) Add in some newbies
[ ] Go through the process again
Second things second, finding goods to trade with.
[ ] Take some of your own goods along
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Go shopping for some
[ ] Buy it on the way
Third things third, plotting the route to travel with.
[ ] Go straight to Gotland (~5 Days)
[ ] Stop some places along the way
-[ ] (Optional) Stop in Denmark (+2 Days)
-[ ] (Optional) Stop at Uppsala (+5 Days)
-[ ] (Optional) Pick somewhere else (Depends on choice)
0~0~0
AN: I'm going to be very busy tomorrow, so there will probably be no update, unfortunately.
[X] Go with the people who went last time
-[X] (Optional) Add in some newbies
[X] Go shopping for some
[X] Stop some places along the way
-[X] (Optional) Stop in Denmark (+2 Days)
-[X] (Optional) Stop at Uppsala (+5 Days)
0~0~0 24 damn people...
After setting up shop on the shoreline, you find yourself inundated with people wishing to join your expedition. With a ship as big as Wavedancer, you'll have no trouble fitting all of them on if you so desired their help.
Regardless, there's a lot of people wishing to join your crew. Some are familiar faces, while others are virtual unknowns.
Who would you like to bring?
[ ] Write in
Furthermore, what will you be doing with your children? (Sten is coming along with his family while Eric is bringing his family too)
[ ] Take them with you
[ ] Leave them behind, in the care of Halfdan
Upper Top
-Heima Smiles (Berserk, very scary dude)
Lower Top
-Nokkvi Good-Oars (Oar Hugareida, Can do the rowing work of four men, not especially social)
-Eric, Your Brother (Wind Hugareida, He is Your Brother)
-Hakon Thunderclap (Youngest brother of Haklangr and Haleikr Underfoot)
-Kare Wolf-Seek (Wolf Hugareida, unusually good at working in a group)
Upper Middle
-Barki Bertholdsson (Fylgja Specialist, Folkmarr's Felag Member)
-Fabvir the Fabulous (Deer Hugareida, Handsome, Vain)
-Bjorn Bjornsson (Berserk, kind of weird, talks in the third person)
-Njal the Tall (The tallest man in the entire Valley, but not Giant's Blooded, oddly enough)
-Gorm Bloodslick (Berserk, a man with an unusually large amount of blood)
-Roar Shiningspear (Fleinn Hugareida, Light Hugareida, has a good throwing arm)
-Arnfinn Heavystep (Actually 15 now. Still hardcore for his age)
-Trygve Ironoath (A man who has always kept his word, even when drunk and/or a small child)
-Torgny Shocker (Another younger man in search orthstirr, unusually fleet-footed and in possession of a Storm Iron enhanced spear)
-Halle the Hairless (A man... at least, you think they're a man. Has an unusually feminine face and overall slender appearance.)
Middle
-Bo Burisson (Rumored to be an actually decent person)
-Gordon Wiggles (A man who can make things... bouncy?)
-Skarde Sharpshooter (One of the better shots in the Valley)
-Svend Sulsson (A young man in search of orthstirr)
-Ivor Thinbow (He's an archer with a thinner-than-average bow)
-Snorri Deepsleeper (Sleep Hugareida, a little lazy)
Lower Middle
-Svend Sulsson (A young man in search of orthstirr)
-Ivor Thinbow (He's an archer with a thinner-than-average bow)
-Snorri Deepsleeper (Sleep Hugareida, a little lazy)
-Audman Audsson (Audrikr's little brother)
Top
-Ketill Farcaster (Wields a fishing pole as a weapon. Something of a jokester, but knows his way around herbs and plants)
-Gunne Warstalker (Newcomer to the Valley, is a potent combatant, Third-Grade Berserk)
Lower Top
-Rikhvatr Strongbite (First-Grade Berserk, Known to have once bit through solid iron. Fights with two swords, a spear, and a shield)
-Sigfasti the Sparrow (Spear-wielder, quick and deadly. Is said to be able to fly and has some manner of 'bird hugareida')
-Skavidr Skatasson (Relative newcomer to the Valley. Fought bravely during the revenge raid)
Upper Middle
-Alvis Torleifsson (Archer, fairly wise all things considered)
-Magni Little-Rock (Has a rock hugaredia and Giant's Blood)
-Adalsteinn (Newcomer to the Valley. Fought bravely during the revenge raid, but seems to lack a patronym)
-Gudbrand Gunnesson (Gunne Warstalker's eldest son, accompanying his father in search of orthstirr)
Middle
-Trond Big-Fish (A short man with a fish hugareida)
-Gunnar Shivers (A swordsman who has some manner of 'shaking hugareida')
-Asketill Lucky-Helm (Developed a 'Helmet Hugareida' after his helmet saved his. Unusually lucky)
-Alvar the Half-Elf (A newcomer who is, apparently, half-elf)
-Haldor Stink-Cheese (A large man with a penchant for rather smelly cheeses)
-Holger Trip (Spearman with an unusual talent for tripping people)
-Brandr Fireflinger (Sword, has some fire hugareida)
-Eysteinn Egilsson (Unusually lucky, newcomer)
-Snorri Reidsson (Newcomer)
-Helge Nun-Kissed (A nun once kissed him goodbye)
Lower Middle
-Bjarne Rock-Chomp (He once tried to eat a rock, thinking it was an egg)
-Bjarni Egg-Eater (Bjarne's brother, successfully ate a rock thinking it was an egg)
-Snorri Slippy-Shoes (Has an ice hugareida)
-Ingolf Ulfsson (Kare's younger brother, in search of orthstirr)
-Orvar Long-Shoes (Archer with notably long shoes)
0~0~0
AN: I was intending for you folks to have an opportunity to purchase things this update, but you rolled really high on new people, so I had to go and create them and that took a lot out of me.
[X] Plan Bring Everyone
-[X] Bring everyone who showed up.
-[X] Of our own people, Kurt and Haydis are staying home to take care of things on the farm (with a request from us for Halfdan to look in occasionally), we bring the rest.
0~0~0 What's Available? (Hamingja: 16) 16 Successes
While your entire extended family—those that live in the Hading Valley, at least—board the Wavedancer alongside the expanded crew you've taken on, you find yourself looking around for trade goods to bring along.
As is customary, those looking for trade passage paid for the valuable space with a share of their cargo. As such, you don't really need to go looking for further cargo, but it is always a good idea to get an understanding of what is and isn't available in your local area.
From your own observations, it seems that the recent raid depleted the local supply of linden wood—a type of wood most suitable for making shields. The Hading does not much like linden trees, so linden saplings struggle to grow in the Valley at best. Unless the Hadingmen want shields of pine or hadingtree wood, Asvir has to import linden wood if it wants to make high-quality and durable shields.
Fortunately, the hadingtree is, as always, well in abundance. Being extremely buoyant and lightweight, the wood of the hadingtree is well-suited for the making of ships—though its tendency to splinter makes it a poor shield material. Growing solely in the Hading Valley, hadingtree wood is the main export of Asvir and the reason anyone would want to live in a forest-choked, monster-swamped valley like this one.
In addition to the hadingtree, chilling clay is also abundantly available in the Hading Valley. Chilling clay, when left unfired, constantly cools whatever it touches—even freezing it if left long enough! As such, it allows for quicker preservation of food and other perishables.
What do you wish to do? (You have 2,082 and 1/2oz Silver)
[ ] Write in
Available Goods
300 Units of Hadingtree Wood (1/8oz Silver per 1 Unit, 1 Unit = 10 Capacity)
220 Units of Chilling Clay (1/16oz Silver per 1 Unit, 1 Unit = 2 Capacity)
(+500 Capacity of Miscellaneous Cargo)
(-1500 Max Capacity taken up by crew and their cargo)
0~0~0
AN: Shield mechanics have been adjusted and added to the iron cost informational, both of which were done by the ever-reliable Deadmanwalking.
No moratorium. This'll be a short vote as I wish to allow you to plan your voyage
[X] Plan Mostly Wood
-[X] Purchase 240 units of Hadingtree Wood (30 oz. silver)
-[X] Purchase 50 units of Cooling Claw (3 1/8 oz. silver)
0~0~0
Smiling to yourself as the cargo finds new homes aboard the Wavedancer, you call for oars to ready up and for the sail to be unfurled.
Rudder in hand, you gently guide the Wavedancer away from the shores of Asvir and towards the southern land of Denmark—the destination of the first leg of the journey.
What do you do along the way?
Current Destination: Denmark (3 Days, travel time increased from extra weight, 15% risk of suffering bad luck)
Personal (Pick 3)
[ ] Talk to a Crewmember
-[ ] Write in who and about what
[ ] Pay Close Attention to a Crewmember
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Craft or Repair
-[ ] Write in
Training (You get 30 XP per day spent travelling, for a total of 90 XP)
[ ] Training
-[ ] Write in
Night-time (3 Nights)
[ ] Night 1
-[ ] Put to shore (+5% bad luck per night spent sleeping ashore)
-[ ] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale)
-[ ] Sleep on the ship (No XP per night spent sleeping aboard the ship)
[ ] Night 2
-[ ] Put to shore (+5% bad luck per night spent sleeping ashore)
-[ ] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale)
-[ ] Sleep on the ship (No XP per night spent sleeping aboard the ship)
[ ] Night 3
-[ ] Put to shore (+5% bad luck per night spent sleeping ashore)
-[ ] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale)
-[ ] Sleep on the ship (No XP per night spent sleeping aboard the ship)
0~0~0
AN: I've decided to have you folks choose where you'll sleep at night. Every day spent traveling in a leg of a journey results in +5% chance of having bad luck (which could manifest itself in a variety of different ways). You may spend Reward Dice to improve your odds (+1d6 to the final result).
Putting to shore leaves you vulnerable to ambushes, monsters, and other forms of bad luck.
Lodging with local landowners means that you run the risk of getting into a scuffle with the locals, should the rolls be particularly poor. You do, however, have the chance of making friends with the locals and getting news! Your crew will also be happy to be lodging in a real house.
Sleeping on the ship is difficult, it'll leave you tired and sore in the morning, costing you a day's worth of XP to shake off. However, you are completely safe while aboard the ship.
(Bad Luck Roll: 98) You're safe and sound, good roll
[X] Plan We Have Silver-Tongue For A Reason
-[X] Talk to a Crewmember
--[X] Sten
--[X] Ask him about the true nature of Steel, including its Price. We understand his concerns, much better now than when we first spoke of it years ago. We have no desire to forge Steel for any useful purpose, and are willing to swear an oath to that effect. But we need to understand more about it if we are to learn how to defeat it, as we may need to deal with Steelfathers in the future. If he says this is impossible, remind him of our grandfather.
--[X] Using various means to ensure this is as private a conversation as we can arrange (Sten may have his own methods, we'd do Eyespeech and Warding and likely do it somewhere a bit away from others on land). If Abjorn, Eric, or our huscarls want in they could potentially do so, but nobody we know less well.
--[X] Kare Wolf-Seek
--[X] Get to know him better, with an eye towards seeing if he's a recruitment target
--[X] Alvar Half-Elf
--[X] Discuss with him what elves are actually like, if he's willing to open up about it. We've met dwarves and trolls and other creatures, but never actually dealt with elves.
-[X] Night 1
--[X] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale)
-[X] Night 2
--[X] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale) (again)
-[X] Night 3
--[X] Lodge with local landowners (Silver-Tongue Check, -1 Success for every 10 crew you have, +1 Morale) (and again)
-[X] (Research)
--[X] Teach Eric and Stigmar Eyespeech. If we can set up a class and teach more of our retainers for the same investment, we would do so – 6 Research
-[X] (Training) Hamr (511 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Stoker State 64xp (32xp)
--[X] Train Glima 24xp (12xp)
-[X] (Training) Hugr (254 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Silver-Tongue 32 xp (16 xp)
-[X] (Training) Fylga (102 xp to rank up)
--[X] Train Fylgja itself 48 xp (24xp)
-[X] (Pockets)
--[X] Add Tafl Board, Weighted Harness, Fylgja Training Harness, Silver Drinking Horn, Forged Iron Chain, and Mastercraft Cooking Pot to our Pockets.
-[X] (Shapeshifting Slots)
--[X] Assign our empty slot to High-Twitch Muscles
0~0~0
Glima 5-6
Stoker State 6-7
Silver-Tongue 5-6
Research
0~0~0 Teaching Eric and Stigmar Eyetalking
In the break time between travel and rest, you set to teaching Eric and Stigmar how to Eyetalk. After a few days of that, you and your retainers are fully capable of holding conversations between the three of you.
All in all, a resounding success!
Roll 1: 3 Successes. Roll 2: 2 Successes. Roll 3: 1 Success
None of the landowners you lodged with were all too pleased with your presence, but none dared to do anything about it. They feed you basic vittles, gave you beer to drink, and let you rest your heads under their roofs, but nothing more than that.
While you weren't welcomed as friends, you weren't met as enemies—and that's all you can really ask.
0~0~0 Speaking with Kare Wolf-Seek
Kare Wolf-Seek scratches at his elongated snout as he stares at the tafl board between the two of you. With the wind in the sails, there's no need for rowing—which leaves you plenty of time to get to know your crew.
Kare Wolf-Seek is an interesting man, to say the very least. Sometime between you returning home from your adventure in Wessex and now, Kare developed a wolf's head to replace his old one with. It's a bit disconcerting, truth be told. Watching his jaw snap open and shut as he talks, his tongue flopping around when exhausted, his ears flicking this way and that in response to noise.
Still, it doesn't seem to have affected his cognition at all—as he demonstrates by beating you for the third time in a row. He's a smart fellow, that much is certain.
He offers hand your way as he grins a toothy grin, "Looks like you lose again, Hallsa." He pronounces your name in an odd way, like he's got some kind of mostly-controlled speech impediment, "You did very well, though, almost had my king a couple-a times there."
"You as well, Kare," you cheerfully take his hand—his palm rough with warrior's callouses. "You're a fine tafl player, that's for sure."
He shrugs, an embarrassed flush rising on his furry cheeks, "Ah, well, it isn't all that impressive." He tries waving it off half-heartedly, the praise clearly raising his spirits.
0~0~0 Speaking with Alvar Half-Elf
One evening, as you, Alvar Half-Elf, and Abjorn make your way towards the ship to tell the crew the good news regarding the night's lodging, you figure you might as well strike up a conversation with the young... man? Is he a human?
You're not all too sure, now that you think about it. On the surface, his eyes are as normal as anyone's, but rather then dilate like a normal person's, his pupils extend and retract in response to light. His ears are as long as the sax on your belt and his chin is sharped than any blade. His lips are lacking in the extreme while his hair is speckled with an odd dust. His skin seems to burn far easier than most, if the size of his hat's brim is anything to go off of.
Alvar sighs as he catches your stare, "No, I'm not an elf. Yes, my father was one. No, I haven't met him. I haven't met any elves." You go to apologize but stop as he raises a hand—his fingers longer than any two of yours put together. "Sorry, that was rude of me."
"No, I was staring," you wave him off with a laugh, "I was the rude one!"
"If you say so." He shrugs and scratches at his chin, eyes flicking off to the side, "I, uh, I sometimes have trouble telling who is in the right versus who is in the wrong." He speaks in an odd way, like his mouth isn't right for his face.
"Well, I was in the wrong here," you grab Abjorn's attention with a poke, "Right, Abjorn?"
He blinks, "I wasn't paying attention."
Alvar chuckles at that, the noise like waves splashing against the shore.
0~0~0 Speaking with Sten
Early one morning, as you help your children and younger siblings to wake up, you find yourself alone with Sten as you carry drowsy-eyed youngsters to the ship beached upon the shore. Laying Sigurdr's still-sleeping body gently against some empty sacks, you greet the rising sun with a yawn and a stretch.
"Your children doing okay?" Sten asks as he too yawns, eyes sunken with heavy bags. "Drifa's being a real," another yawn breaks his words, "handful."
"About as well as can be expected," you scratch your face as Asgeirr trods up the gangplank, a sleeping Hallbjorn in his arms. "Siggy's just full of questions."
"Drifa's the same way," he laughs and nods to where she's curled up in a tight ball, a stuffed bear clutched tight to her snoring chest, "'least she drops like a rock once worn-out."
Asgeirr falls face-first into a pile of rope, his snores gently rising soon after. You shake your head, a small smile on your face, and help him get comfortable as Sten does the same with his youngest children.
As the last of the children are stowed safely away, you find yourself completely alone with Sten—the rest of the group still either waking up or assembling for a light breakfast in Sturli Longtrot's large house, the man who fed and lodged you for the night.
Sensing the opportunity, you turn and grab hold with both hands.
"So, Sten..." You begin as he sends a brow arching your way, "If you're not comfortable talking with me about this, that's fine, but I was just wanting to know about the true nature of Steel."
He stares at you for a long time, the only sound the call of seabirds on the gentle wind, "Are you planning on making it?"
"Not at all!" You hurriedly answer, "I'll even swear an oath!"
"No need. I know you and I know that you'll go ask someone else if I don't tell you myself," he sighs and hooks thumbs into his belt, the breeze playing through his red hair, "You wanna know what Steel is?" He snorts, letting his head dangle from side to side as he takes a deep breath, "Steel is the antithesis of progress. Steel is stagnancy made manifest, the physical status quo of existence. It doesn't change, it doesn't grow, it simply is."
"Thats..." you frown, struggling to wrap your head around it, "I don't understand."
The sky darkens as the sun fails to rise. Shadows drape themselves off Sten's body as he looms like a specter in the night, suddenly towering over you like the mountains in the distance.
"You wanna know what the the Price of Steel is?" He whispers, time seeming to stutter to a halt as your heartrate picks up to an ear-splitting pitch. "It's you," he pokes you in the chest. "It's me," he drives a thumb into himself, his eyes never leaving yours for even a moment. "It's all of our children," he waves a hand across the ship, gesturing at each and every thing he speaks of, "It's the very ground beneath our feet. It's the air we breathe. It's every damn blade of grass growing in every damn field! The Price of Steel, the price to lock the present in place," he drives a finger towards the heavens as hundreds of headless fish bob in the churning waves, "is the future!"
Sten breathes heavily as the skies clear up over head.
"How," you whisper, voice full of frozen horror, "how do you defeat it?"
"I," Sten collapses in on himself, face contorted in agony, "I don't know. My teacher died before he could tell me."
"Fuck," you whisper, wishing very much that Blackhand were here with you.
"Fuck is right," Sten whispers in response, eyes locked to the blood-slick seas.
0~0~0
The wooden walls of Hedeby stretch high in the distance as you pull into shore. Built on a river near to the border between Saxony and Denmark, Hedeby needs good, strong walls to keep itself safe. A city of well over a thousand people, Hedeby is one of—if not *the*—biggest city in all the Norselands.
And yet, it still doesn't compare to Winchester.
What would you like to do in Hedeby? (You'll get up to 3 turns to do stuff in Hedeby before moving on)
[ ] Look for people willing to buy and sell cargo
[ ] Mingle with the populace, see whose who in the city and surrounding lands
[ ] Listen to the local Skalds, learn what news there is in Denmark
[ ] Go to the Jarl's hall and greet him
[ ] Wander the roads, see what you can't find
