Summer 5/Raid 1/Turn 0
[X] Plan Our First Raid
-[X] Lotharingia (Christian-Frisians/Franks/Saxons) (Middle-Distance)
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
--[X] Abjorn Vidsson, your husband
--[X] Ask about sparring/training with him once we get home
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (again)
--[X] The one who keeps watching the water
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (and again)
--[X] The one who is humming a tune
-[X] Train Reinforce Shield 8d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
--[X] Ask about what Fire Hugareida there are, and how they can be learned and combined (specifically, we're interested in learning Campfire and hearing what alloying it and Ignite would do)
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 1 Saliling, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (23 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 29 free for tricks
0~0~0
(Reinforce-Shield: 4, 6, 3, 2, 4, 5, 6, 5)10+6(Reward Dice)=16 Successes
One day, while rowing in the late-morning sun, you notice something a bit odd about your arms.

Truth be told, while you knew how 'entertaining' sailing would be, you didn't quite understand just how boring it truly would be.

The first few hours were terrifying on a deeply instinctual level. For a girl raised on the outskirts of a forest, the wide-open ocean struck some secret chord hidden deep inside your soul. It reminded you of your first time in Asvir, though you've grown a lot since then.

The next few hours were of wonder. Sure, you'd seen the ocean before, but you'd never been on it. Now, with the wind in your hair and that air in your lungs? It was wondrous!

And then the wonder subsided. And the boredom swept in.

So you started playing with your orthstirr. Anything to pass the time as you rowed and sailed — often both at the same time. Little animals grew on your arm and you formed little forests and plains for them to play in. At the corner of the woods was a little house surrounded by fields, your and Abjorn's smiling faces peering from the window.

Over time, you tired of even that and resorted to just making swirling designs and geometric patterns on your arms.

And then the oar ahead of you slipped free from the felagi's grasp. It sailed through the air, snapping out at you with tremendous force. Invoking Standstill, you did the only thing you could think of.

You raised your orthstirr-covered arms.

It didn't stop it, not at all, but what happened was far more interesting. You see, it didn't stop it, but it did slow the oar down. What would've been a heavy bruise or worse was instead just a light, stinging bump.

The oarsman apologized profusely and you waved him off, saying that everything was okay, no harm no foul.

But even as you spoke, your thoughts were awhirl with new ideas and potential tricks.

If you were just a little bit stronger, just a bit more skilled with its use, you would've completely deflected the oar.

Something to think about, for sure.

(Reinforce-Shield Mastered!)
(+4 to Reinforce Trick!)
0~0~0
(Hugareida Trick Training: 4, 4) 2+1=3 Successes
During one of the breaks aboard the Treadfast, you decided to practice your 'flying'.

Truth be told, it's not so much 'flying' as it is just shooting fire from your virthing and riding the recoil, but if it works, then it works!

The good news is that you didn't embarrass yourself. The better news is that you managed to refine it greatly!

Once you got back on board and the other felagi started showing off their abilities — Folkmarr has some kind of lion-projection? Whatever it is, it's not a fylgja — you took some time to yourself. You've got some questions for Blackhand and privacy is a boon when it comes to that.

"Can you teach me Campfire and also what happens when you Alloy Campfire with Ignition?" Your words are quick, quiet, and to-the-point. You've no patience for eavesdroppers, not at this time and likely not ever.

'It won't be easy, but I can do it. As for your other question, you can get Wildfire from an Ignition-heavy Alloy and Forgefire from a Campfire-heavy Alloy.' A light frown graces your face as you hear unfamiliar hugareida. Blackhand, of course, notices and explains, 'Forgefire is similar to Campfire, but is more suited towards combat. Very good for its aptitude towards working with arms and armor as well as its propensity towards melting things. Sten wields Forgefire, though his isn't an Alloy.'

You nod along, taking mental note of the lesson.

(Ember-Winged Cloak is now Refined!)
(Campfire (Grade 0) added to Hugareida)
0~0~0
Abjorn Time
"Abjorn?" You ask during the afternoon break, your husband stirring from his nap beside you.

"Mhyes?" He replies, dreary-eyed as he yawns. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he gives you his full attention.

"When we kissed, beneath the tree, I got a muna from it and a hugareida from that." You demonstrate Standstill by freezing an oar in the air. "Did you get anything?"

He blinks and runs a hand through his bedhead. Taking out your comb, you start to brush his hair as he starts to speak, "I think I did, but I'm not super sure how to use it." He shrugs, disrupting your work. You scowl, resolving to give him braids if he keeps this up. "I asked dad and he said that it was stupid and useless, that I'd best forget about it."

Your scowl deepens, for far different reasons. "Well that's bullshit. What've you got?"

He swallows, cheeks reddening. Is he embarrassed about this? You want to laugh, but... but that would just be cruel. "I, um, I-I think it's called 'Leverage', or something?"

"Leverage?" You brows furrow as you mouth the name. "Like, as in lifting stuff?"

"I think so, yeah," he bobs his head, "the tree was heavy." Stifling a snort, you pat him on the shoulder as you finish combing his hair. That was such an Abjorn-way to put things — when he does things like that, you can't help but remember why you married him in the first place.

"Well, if you want, we can figure out how to use it properly when we get back home. That sound good?"

"I'd like that, yes." He's quick to answer, almost like he hopes that your offer would take up a lot of time. You scoff to yourself, hasn't he ever heard of multi-tasking?

(Abjorn's Leverage Added to Training!)
0~0~0
Water Watching Guy (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 6, 1, 3, 1, 6, 5, 3, 4, 2, 3)7+1(FirstImpressions)=8 Successes
The man watching the water with a focused, intense eye doesn't even look up as you approach. He simply raises a hand, the other clutching a winged spear, and says, "Hail, sister."

"Good morning," is your response. Not the most eloquent of words, but it works. You sit down on across from him as he keeps watching the waters. "I'm Halla Longstride and, if you don't mind me asking, what're you doing?"

"Name's Audrikr Fishfighter, and I'm waiting for sea monsters." You eye the calm waters with a doubtful brow. Sea monsters? In these waters?

"Really?" You squint at the bark-haired man, who shrugs. "What kind of sea monsters do you think we'll run into?"

"Probably just serpents, but there're some different possibilities." Clicking his tongue, Audrikr nods his helmeted head towards a quartet of glowing dots deep beneath the waves. "Like draugar."

Sagaseeker almost leaps to your hand as you swallow a gulp. Fighting on a karve would be awful in perfect conditions, let alone with a polearm, so you instead lay a hand on Thievesbane.

"Calm yourself, sister." Audrikr shakes his head, though he doesn't relax his grip on his spear. "If they were going to do something, then they'd have already done it. They're just following, watching us."

"For now." You mutter, thinking back to the draugr you fought.

"And that's why I've got the spear." He shoots you the first look of the conversation, his eyes full of sardonic mirth.

Well, you can't argue with that.

(+2 Relations with Audrikr Fishfighter)
0~0~0
Guy Humming (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 4, 2, 6, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2)3+1(FirstImpressions)=4 Successes
All throughout the time you spent onboard the Treadfast, there's been a soft tune floating through the air. The source of it, of course, is a shorter man that looks vaguely familiar to you. It takes you a moment to place the memory, but then it hits you like a tidal wave.

"Hey, weren't you the guy who was behind me in the trials?" The humming stops as the smaller man flinches.

"Y-yeah, that's me? Why?" He winces, as if expecting you to... do something, you're not sure.

"No reason, just happy to see that you made it through." You hold out your hand and he stares at it fearfully, "Halla Longstride."

"B-barki Bertholdsson." He shakily takes your hand, his fingers soft and weak. His face isn't just beardless, it's downright smooth! There's not even an inch of peach fuzz!

How in all the realms did he manage to get on this boat? Your eyes trace his form and snap wide in surprise. He's not even bearing any sort of arms!

"Uh, if you don't mind me asking, why don't you have any weapons?" The moment you asked that question, you knew it was a mistake as he started shaking and shivering violently. His face paled and turned a sickly green as he rushed to the ship's wall.

The noises that immediately followed weren't very pleasant, to say the least.

Well, there've been worse introductions. Probably.

(+1 Relations with Barki Bertholdsson)
0~0~0
Arriving in Lotharingia (Events? Nothing)
Treadfast softly lands against the sandy beach — a first for you — and Folkmarr leaps from the prow.

"Welcome to Lotharingia, gentlemen!" He shouts, spreading his arms wide as he laughs. "Here we have Franks, Saxons, and the Frisians! And, best of all, they're all weak Christians!"

You and the rest of the felag hop off after him and gather around him as he gives you scouting directives. Upon returning from your scouting missions, he lays out the options for your first raid target.

"First, we have a collection of farmhouses on a shallow stream — but not shallow enough to ward Treadfast away." Folkmarr frowns as he recites the report. "Probably around, oh, fifteen men and half that in women and children. Very little in the way of gold or glory there, gentlemen."

"Next," Folkmarr seems a bit happier with this prospect, though it's clear his sights are on a greater target, "we have a fishing village. Likely around thirty to forty men and about eighty women and children. There's a decent chance we run into something valuable there, but also just as likely that there's nothing."

"Third on our list," there's a grin on his face as he lists this one off, "is what appears to be a merchant town. Around a hundred fighting men, thrice that in women and children. Very good chance that there're some stronger fighters among their number, too, which will provide ample opportunity for orthstirr."

"And last, gentlemen," Folkmarr seems almost ecstatic as he lays this one out, "is a Knightly manor. It's on a hill, with a large stretch of cleared forest around it. No sneaking up on this one, but the glory that comes from killing a Knight..." He smiles, sparkles in his eyes, "is more than worth its weight in gold."

What do you vote for?
[ ] The Farmhouses (Lowest Danger) (Lowest Loot) (+Heat)
[ ] The Village (Low Danger) (Low Loot) (++Heat)
[ ] The Town (Medium Danger) (Medium Loot) (+++Heat)
[ ] The Manor (High Danger) (High Loot) (++++Heat)

Note: There is a chance, however small, that there is a Knight in any of these locations.
Note2: The more Heat you accrue, the more pissed off the local nobility will get. The higher the Heat, the bigger the bounty + the better funded hunting parties will be. Right now, you've got the element of surprise so there's nobody hunting for you.
0~0~0
What personal actions do you take while raiding? (Pick 3)
[ ] Recite poetry to the felag (Hugr (Wordplay))
[ ] Try to make/fix something (Write in) (Hugr+Crafting)
[ ] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
-[ ] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
-[ ] Abjorn Vidsson, your husband
-[ ] Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother
-[ ] Barki Bertholdsson, the beardless boy
-[ ] The one with the luxurious hair
-[ ] The one with shaking, paranoid eyes
-[ ] The one who looks *incredibly* bored
-[ ] Audrikr Fishfighter, the sardonic hirdman
-[ ] The one who tries to sleep all the time
-[ ] The one who keeps making arrows
-[ ] The one with the sack of coins and many knives
0~0~0
Training: You have 8d6 training dice to spend as you see fit.
[ ] (Research) Try to figure out how things work (Write in)
[ ] (Blackhand) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hamr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hugr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Fylgja (16 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a fylgja skill or trick (Write in)
0~0~0
Orthstirr Available: 98
How do you want to use your orthstirr? You can turn on passive tricks here.
[ ] (Orthstirr Usage) (Write in)
0~0~0
Fylgja Capacity: 4/4
Do you want to withdraw or deposit anything in your fylgja?
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0
Equipment Management
What do you want to have equipped? Leaving this blank means that no changes are made.
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0

AN: Not much to say here.

25-minute moratorium.
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Turn 1
[X] Plan Raid The Town
-[X] The Town (Medium Danger) (Medium Loot) (+++Heat)
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
--[X] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
--[X] Make sure Abjorn is also involved
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (again)
--[X] The one who looks *incredibly* bored
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (and once more)
--[X] The one with the luxurious hair
-[X] Train Reinforce 8d6 + 1 Reward Die from [@DeadmanwalkingXI](https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/members/89786/)
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (22 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 30 free for tricks
0~0~0
(Reinforce Training: 6, 5, 6, 4, 2, 2, 6, 5)9+2(Reward Dice)=11 Successes
During a break in travel, you and Audrikr run through a light spar. Nothing serious of course.

He's... slippery. Even touching him is a tall order as he bends and weaves. He twists around each of your blows with an ease and grace that leaves you astonished. From how he moves you'd think that he's less a warrior and more a dancer!

But thinking such a thing would be the last thing you do, if the many shallow cuts littering your arms are anything to go off of. His spear darts out like a snake's tongue and like lightning it makes its strike.

He lunges, catching you off guard. Freeing your hand from Sagaseeker, you coat your palm with last-ditch orthstirr moments before he strikes. The power forces you back and pushes your feet into the sandy-dirt. Teeth grind together as your head rattles.

But you did it.

Your palm stopped the spear.

And since you did it once, you can do it again.

You grin and thank Audrikr for the spar.

(Reinforce Unlocked!)
(+3 Hamingja!)
(Boon: The Bloody Basics Added!)
0~0~0
Talking to Folkmarr with Abjorn (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 4, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 1, 5, 2, 1) 7 Successes
"Hey, Folkmarr!" You call to your Jarl as you put ashore close to the chosen town. "What was that lion thing you used earlier?"

"A muna!" His answer is rather non-committal, but you weren't expecting much anyways. After all, it's a rather foo- "I received it after my battle with this lion," he runs a hand over the mane wrapped around his shoulders, "and I believe it to have potential."

He glances between you and Abjorn — who joined you after securing the ship — with a curious look in his eyes. "If you want any more than that, I'll need some stories in exchange."

"What've you got in mind?"

Folkmarr rubs at his chin with one hand while the other plants itself on his hip. He snaps his fingers as a grin sprouts on his face. "Why don't you two tell me how you met?"

Abjorn flushes, red embarrassment creeping up his face. "Do we really have to?"

You weigh your options, but find that it isn't a competition. "Yes, yes we do."

"Fine," Abjorn huffs and turns to Folkmarr, "I got stuck in a tree, Halla got me out."

"Come now, surely there's more to it than that!"

Your husband heaves a heavy sigh and begins to recount the tale. He tells of how he was a young boy of six and you a young girl of five. He describes how he travelled to your house with his father and mother — who hadn't yet died — and was challenged by Stigandr to climb a large tree.

Even as a boy, Abjorn was heavier than most, so when he reached the highest of branches, they snapped under his weight and he plummeted directly into a hollow — which was just wide enough for him to fit through but narrow enough to get him stuck.

You had been the first to reach him, scrambling up the tree like a woman possessed. With knife in hand, you carved away at the wood and bark until there was enough wiggle room for Abjorn to escape.

Ever since then, he decided that he would follow you no matter where it took him.

"That..." Folkmarr begins, a happy smile on his face, "is utterly adorable."

There's a hint of something in his eyes, something that's quickly hidden by learned skill. It wasn't around long enough for you to identify it, but it reminded you of... jealousy? Envy? What does he have to be envious of? He's a Jarl!

"Remind me once we start sorting out loot and I'll tell you the tale of my kenning."

You nod, noting that down for later.

(+1 Relations with Folkmarr)
0~0~0
Talking to Bored Guy (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 6, 3, 2, 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 3, 1)4+1(FirstImpressions)=5 Successes
"I hate boats," the bald man declared the moment he disembarked, "I hate them. I hate them. I. Hate. Them."

You laugh. "I don't think you'd get along very well with my brother," you say as you follow him off the boat.

"Why, is he a boat-lover or something?" His brow's furrow as you offer a grin.

"He's apprenticing to build them." The man recoils full-bodily as you speak, like he was trying to get away from you and your boat taint.

"Horrific," he scowls, offering you his hand, "Gautrekr Klippsson."

"Halla Longstride," you shake his hand and note the axe at his waist, the sax on his belt, and the shield on his back.

He grumbles, pulling away.

Definitely a weirdo.

(+1 Relations with Gautrekr)
0~0~0
Talking to the man with the luxurious hair (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 1, 4, 2, 2, 6, 1, 1, 1, 5, 1)-2+1(FirstImpressions)=1 Failure. (Boon: Beautiful Triggers, turning it into a success)
On the prow of the Treadfast is a tall man with broad shoulders and the most beautiful hair you could ever imagine. It was long and golden, like straw in the summer morning. The way it caught the air as the ocean and air itself seemed to work together to give him the best possible appearance.

His chin and jaw look like they were chiseled from stone and the way the light catches his eyes... Wow.

He smiles as he catches you looking. Leaping from the prow, he lands before you with a light bounce — the wind stopping as soon as he touches down.

"Ah, Halla was it?" His striking blue eyes sparkle as he examines your hair. "I see that you too are a follower of good hair. Marvelous!"

"That's me, Halla Longstride," you take his hand in your own and give it a firm shake.

"Fabvir the Gorgeous," Fabvir lacks a beard, but he honestly doesn't need it. A sword hangs from his belt and the guard resembles antlers. "No, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my modelling."

He nods his goodbyes and leaps back up onto the prow. The wind immediately picks back up as he does.

...Weird guy. Handsome, though.

(Fabvir the Gorgeous Added to Relations)
0~0~0
Attacking the Town
You find yourself standing on a forested hill overlooking the town, the rest of the felag gathering around you as Folkmarr lays out the facts.

"Alright, it looks like they've got eighty fighters and about two-hundred-and-fifty non-combatants," the young Jarl begins as he points out locations of note, "they've got some wooden walls with a pair of gatehouses — about twenty fighters in each. Around fifteen fighters are scattered on the walls and the rest are probably either drinking, in their barracks in the center of town, or at the mayor's house."

"The places likely holding the most loot are the church," he points towards the center of the town, "and the mayor's house, which I believe also serves as their treasury." He changes targets, pointing towards a fancy house built on a small hill, well inside the walls of the town.

"Now then, the plan;"

He begins explaining the rough idea he's come up with. The majority of the felag will attack one of the gates, with another part leaping up onto the walls. While the defenders are distracted by attacks on their gate and walls, they'll be leaving the mayor's house mostly undefended, allowing him and one or two felagi to assault and loot at their pleasure.

People start volunteering once the plan is laid out. Audrikr declares that he's going with the Jarl. Fabvir volunteers to take the walls while Gautrekr says he's going for the gate. Stigmar decides that he's assisting Gautrekr while Barki sits there, trembling.

Abjorn waits to see what you do. He can't accompany you if you go with Folkmarr and will assist at the gate if you do.

What do you pick?
[ ] Attack the mayor's house
-Folkmarr is here
-Audrikr is here
[ ] Attack the walls
-Fabvir is here
-3 others are here
[ ] Attack the gate
-Gautrekr is here
-Stigmar is here
-Barki is here
-2 others are here

0~0~0

AN: Functionally, attacking targets isn't all that different than a combat encounter.


No moratorium today, let's get this party started!
 
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Town 1
"Ready, gentlemen?" Folkmarr asks with hands on hips.

At the resounding chorus of spoken yeses and nodded affirmatives, he grins and plants hands on sword hilts.

"Alright, then", he says, pivoting on his heel as he draws his weapons. Raising his voice alongside his swords, he roars the battle cry of your people;

"Tyr!"

The felag joins him as you explode into motion. The clear word quickly devolves into meaningless noise as you charge.

0~0~0

Under the church bells tolling alarm and the clamor of panicked soldiery, Abjorn is the first to make it to the gate. With arrows starting to rain down on your heads, you're right behind your husband as he raises a leather-wrapped foot.

The gate buckles mightily as he brings his foot down. It splinters inwards, catching a too-quick militiaman in the neck. He goes down with a spray of blood. His spear clatters against the ground as he gropes at the length of wood sprouting from his neck.

You blink as you watch him still and go limp as his eyes glaze over. Wow, Christians really are weak! You would've easily dodged that length of wood — why in all the realms are they so damn weak?

The other side of the gate contains a hastily formed spearwall of about twenty soldiers in two rows. They're terrified and panicked, not the kind of warriors you would expect to have defending a wealthy town like this.

But then again, these are not your people so why would they follow Norse logic?

Regardless, battlelust pounds in your ears and sheer happiness spreads a broad smile across your face. This doesn't seem to help the Christians' nerves much.

0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 3, 1, 6, 2, 6, 2, 6, 5, 6, 2) 7 Successes

There are about 20 soldiers ahead of you, formed up in 2 rows with spears pointing your way. They are holding the other side of the gate — the inner doors having failed to close in time — which means that their flanks are secure.

At least, it would be if you hadn't noticed a fatal flaw; there's an opening on the underside of the gatehouse, likely where they would drop rocks and things from if the inner doors had closed in time. It looks lightly defended, number-wise, but you catch glimpses of glinting metal every once in a while. If there is someone up there, then they're probably stronger than the panicked masses down here.

You could make it up there with a leap, but it wouldn't be easy to do that while defending against an attack.
(Requires Overland roll to do it successfully)

Abjorn is leading the charge, shield up and steel sword glaring in the light. Gautrekr is beside him, axe and shield in hand. Stigmar is a few steps behind, sword and shield at the ready. Barki is nowhere the be seen while the two others are bringing up the rear.

Nobody on your side looks hurt or otherwise. Your morale is rock-solid.

The Christians look panicked, like they weren't ready for an attack at any moment. Where's the paranoia?! Where's the preparation?! And they call themselves guards! Disgraceful!

Regardless, they won't last long in a fight. More are running towards the gate from the barracks, about twenty-five or thirty in total.

Nobody on their side looks hurt or otherwise. Their morale is shaky at best

Of them all, only one stands out to you in any real capacity. He's a barrel-chested Sergeant with a flat-topped helmet and some manner of colored sheet hanging over his armor — which appears to be mail. He has a sword in one hand and an arrowhead-shaped shield in the other. He's bellowing out orders to the gathered soldiery and seems to be the one thing holding their line together.

The Christians seem to be planning on holding their ground as best they can while the Sergeant is ready to fill any gaps that spring up.

You have 5/5 Endurance | 8/8 Armor | N/A Shield
You have 30/98 orthstirr in reserve, your Frami (33), Virthing (33), and Saemd (32) are untapped.
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir
You can put 0 more points of orthstirr into your Combat Pool.
You have 37d6 in your Combat Pool

What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in

0~0~0

AN: And here we are, your first battle as opposed to a fight. In battles it tends to be more about breaking morale than killing enemies, though killing enemies does often lead to morale breaks.

25-minute moratorium.
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Town 2
[X] Plan Cut Off The Head
-[X] Stoke Frami (+33 Orthstirr)
-[X] 20d6 Attack (15d6 tricks)
-[X] 17d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Put 5 Orthstirr into 10 layers of Reinforce Shield before the combat begins (-5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Make a 6d6 Honed Leaping Cleave attack (-4 Orthstirr), followed by two 6d6 Honed Power Chop attacks (-4 Orthstirr) if, and only if. the sergeant is still alive, followed by 5d6 in normal attacks on any soldiers not fleeing yet (more if we don't need the Power Chops to finish the sergeant)
-[X] In response to any Trick Attack use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr). If we are attacked with a non-Trick attack simply defend ourselves (1d6 each) as long as we have Reinforce Shield at 3+, after it has been reduced to 2 or below instead use Reinforced Honed Defenses using our Defense dice (-2 Orthstirr each, 3d6 each).
-[X] Tactics – Charge and leap at the sergeant keeping people together, then work to kill him. After that lay about us with Sagaseeker with normal attacks...the goal isn't so much to kill them as scatter them, make them flee, and render them useless as combatants.
0~0~0
Abjorn leads the charge as the wave of screaming Norsemen crashes into a wall of shaking spears.
(Spearman 1's Attack: 3 vs Abjorn's Defense: 7, Abjorn Wins) (Spearman 2's Attack: 3 vs Abjorn's Defense: 7, Abjorn Wins) (Spearman 3's Attack: 1 vs Abjorn's Defense: 4, Abjorn Wins)
Three spearheads lunge for your husband's throat and three spears are batted aside as the near seven-foot-tall vikingr smashes into their ranks. Steel shines with rust-red orthstirr as he swings his marriage-gift at a man shaking in his boots.
(Abjorn's Honed Attack: 10 vs Defense: 5, Abjorn Wins. 4 Damage Dealt)
The blade separates the fibers of the man's low-quality gambeson with an ease unlike anything you've seen before. It carries on through shoulder and bone — meat and muscle completely unable to stop its cutting force.

A blood spray paints your husband red as he pulls his sword free — shock clear on his face just as it is on yours. Neither of you were expecting it to be that easy. It can't be, it has to be a fluke!
(Spearman's Attack: 2 vs Abjorn's Defense: 3, Abjorn Wins!)
A quivering spear darts forward, aiming to take Abjorn in the eye. Your husband barely even blinks as his shield smacks it aside, boss shining as it clangs against iron.
(Abjorn's Attack: 5 vs Defense: 1, Abjorn Wins! 3 Damage Dealt!)
This time, Abjorn leaves the Hone off his sword. This time, he only cleaves down to the hips and not through them.

You blink as the rest of the felag charges past you and the Christians' semi-orderly lines descend into chaos as a third of their number in vikingar hits them like a ship making landfall.

All across the line the same scene plays out over and over. Norsemen new to raiding meet unready spears and the Christians holding them are cut down like dogs — leaving the Norsemen shocked at the ease of killing. Sure, a few get a couple hits in here and there, but they are minor wounds indeed compared to the deaths that the Christians swiftly find.

You scowl as Sagaseeker whimpers in your hand. It wonders why you still haven't joined the fighting yet, when there is blood to be spilled and glory to be won. But that's what it fails to understand!

There is no glory to be won here! The only blood to be spilled belongs to the weak. Boys playing at war, children-at-arms.

Fine, if there is no glory to be won with the killing of these soft weaklings, then you'll have to find someone worthy of your atgeir!

Your eyes land on the Sergeant as he throws a fleeing spearman back into the fray, the gray in his beard shining like a beacon in a storm. He's a graybeard, surely he can fight!

Feet pounding against the ground, you plant the butt of Sagaseeker into the ground as you throw yourself into the air. Fiery orthstirr streams off you as you sail over the panicking heads of the Christians.

A frantic spear shoots up. Its gleaming iron aims to punch deep.
(Attack: 2 vs Defense: 4, Defender Wins!)
You kick it aside with miniscule effort. The force of your blow snaps it from the spearman's hand, leaving him vulnerable as Stigmar carves his head from his shoulders with a lazy, lackadaisical swing.

The Sergeant's head snaps up, some instinct warning him of incoming death. His eyes go wide as he sees your approach and raises his shield as quick as he can.

Will he do it? Will he manage to give you a satisfying fight?
(Honed Trick Attack: 24 vs Defense: 8, Attacker Wins! Shield Broken! 5 Armor Damage Dealt! Armor Punctured!)
He's thrown to the ground as his shield turns into kindling, but manages to scramble to his feet as you free Sagaseeker from the ground.

The shattered remains of his shield lay scattered around you as he grips his sword with both hands. There's a look of resolve in his eyes and a wordless whisper on his lips — a prayer, like as not.

He's not a cultivator, much to your dismay, but he's still a cut above the chaff. Honestly, how do they expect to work a field if they're so weak? Killing them is a favor!

The Sergeant says something in Frisian, but you don't speak it nor do you really care. Raising his sword, he throws himself into an attack.
(Attack: 7 vs Defense: 6, Attacker Wins! 1 Layer Stripped!)
And he actually manages to hit you! A glancing blow, yes, but a blow nonetheless!

All it does is strip a layer of Reinforce-Shield, but the fact that he did it at all is impressive. Perhaps you misjudged the Christians?

Well, only one way to find out!
(Honed Trick Attack: 18 vs Defense: 8, Attacker Wins! 3 Damage Dealt!
No, no you didn't.

After all, that was only a Honed Power-Chop and you slipped past his defense like a snake through water. Sure, it was a skillful block, but he just didn't have the strength to back it up so you just crashed through and cleaved his head from his shoulders.

You sigh as his corpse falls, blood spilling from the stump of a neck.

Christians are weak. It's about time you internalized that.

"If death is what you seek, Heathen," an unfamiliar voice says in Norse as a tapping approaches down the street, "then look no further than I, Father Gerrit."

A middle-aged man in fine white vestments strides down the path leading to the town-square. He walks with a staff tipped with a golden cross and red cloth hangs from his neck. He carries an odd wood-bound shape in his off hand. A cross has been carved onto the wooden surface.

But what excites you most of all is the smell of power pouring off of him like water off a duck.

"Mine!" You immediately call dibs on the cultivator walking down the street, much to the grumbling dismay of the rest of the felag as they finish off those who didn't flee.

"Your death, yes." Father Gerrit calls back as he comes to a halt in the middle of the street. Following behind him is a mass of soldiers, about fifty in number. They look grim, but determined. There are a few Men-at-Arms amongst their number as well — fifteen in total — while two more Sergeants wait on the wings.

Your friends on the walls leap down, joining the rest of the felag as they muster up a shield wall and ready themselves to meet the incoming onslaught.

You, of course, get ready for your duel with the cultivator.

0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 3, 5, 6, 2, 4, 6, 3, 1, 6, 6) 11 Successes

The enemy approaches you with 30 spears and 20 bows. 15 Men-At-Arms march alongside them as 2 more Sergeants keep order amongst the ranks. This is probably the last defenders this town has.

The felag is more or less fully formed at this point, save for Folkmarr, Audrikr, and Barki — who is still nowhere to be seen. They've lined up in an impromptu shield wall, wary of the archers amongst the enemy ranks.

Their side is ready for battle and unbloodied while your side is ready for battle but sports minor cuts and bruises.

You haven't heard anything from inside the gatehouse. Well, besides screaming.

More immediately important to you, however, is the cultivator standing across from you. He reminds you somewhat of Jerasmus, though... he lacks a certain something that Jerasmus has. You can't put your finger on what it is, exactly, but it's something fundamental.

He's fresh and confident, but so are you.

You don't know what he's capable of, but something tells you that he's going to be doing a lot of weird stuff, likely at range. He doesn't look physically strong, so his power is probably in his hugr — or whatever it is that Christians use.

You have 5/5 Endurance | 8/8 Armor | N/A Shield | 9/10 Temporary Health
You have 56/98 orthstirr in reserve. Your Frami (33) is tapped while Virthing (33) and Saemd (32) are untapped.
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir
You can put 0 more points of orthstirr into your Combat Pool.
You have 37d6 in your Combat Pool

What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in

0~0~0

AN: I'll give you a small glance behind the curtain here; Christians roll d4s instead of d6s.

25-minute moratorium. I don't think that there's going to be a second update today as wow have I got some things that need doing.
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Town 3
[X] Plan Knee A Priest In The Groin
-[X] Stoke Virthing (+33 Orthstirr)
-[X] 25d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 12d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Use Ember-Wing-Cloak (-12 Orthstirr) to close with Father Gerrit near instantly and make a 9d6 Knee-Groin-Trick (-1 Orthstirr) against him, make two 4d6 (5d6 w/Hugareida) Firebomb-Strikes (-8 Orthstirr, hoping to hit additional enemies) against him while he's dealing with the results of that, then two 5d6 Honed Power Chop attacks (-4 Orthstirr) to try and finish him off
-[X] In response to any melee Trick Attack first use Contested Movement (-3 Orthstirr) and if that doesn't work use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr). In response to any ranged trick attack just use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr). If we are attacked with a non-Trick attack use Reinforced Honed Defenses using our Defense dice (-2 Orthstirr each, 3d6 each). If we are out of Defense dice and it's a melee attack, use Contested Movement (-3 Orthstirr) on normal attacks, and if we are also out of Reinforce Shield and Armor _and_ that doesn't work for any reason (including it being a ranged attack) use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr) even on normal attacks to prevent Endurance loss.
-[X] Tactics – I mean, why mess with what works? Get into melee with the priest and go to town on him after a crotch shot.
0~0~0
"I doubt you know the meaning behind this, uneducated Heathen that you are," Father Gerrit says as he faces off against you and the battle turns into a chaotic melee around you, "but I am a Priest on the Sixth Bead of the Fifth Decade."

Sixth Bead of the Fifth Decade? Gabriel called himself a 'Squire on the Eighth Bead of the Second Decade', which obviously means something. But what it does, exactly, escapes you.

'It means that he is far stronger than Gabriel. Proceed with caution.'

For a moment, you consider discarding Blackhand's advice out of hand. After all, no Christian has managed to put up even a smidgen of a good fight since you got here! But, the memory of your fight with Gabriel shines strong in your mind.

He was on the Eighth Bead of the Second Decade and he fought you near equally while shackled. If he was unshackled... then your victory might not have played out the same way — or happened at all, for that matter.

How did you beat Gabriel? Is there anything from that spar that you can use here? When you pressured him, he struggled to keep up. Maybe priests are the same way?

You point Sagaseeker at your foe. "I'm Halla Longstride, a vikingr here to take your things."

"I'll remember that for your grave." The priest nods and battle commences.

Crimson orthstirr blazes into being as you rocket forward on jets of flame. In a blink of an eye you're across the battlefield and in the priest's unchanging face. His eyes don't even twitch as you stomp against the earth. Can he even see you moving?
(Trick Attack: 33 vs Defense: Declined, Attacker Wins! 3 Shield Damage Dealt!
Using the ground as a spring board, you throw yourself knee-first into the air. It's a beautiful kick, the sort of thing you could write poems about.

Shame that it was stopped by the sudden appearance of a golden, shimmering shield.

Your knee strikes the light with enough force to break bone. Yet all that it achieves is a small patch of hairline cracks in the shield.

The priest scoffs. "The light of God protects me, Heathen. Can you say the same for your false idols?"

The moment your foot touches back down, his palm presses against your face as noiseless words leave the priest's mouth. The scent of growing power sends your heart into overdrive.

Time slows to a creep as power flickers into being mere inches away. You can't attack back, not in this small of a window, but you can dodge it.
(Halla's Hamr: 30 vs Father Gerrit's Soma: 12. Halla Wins!)
In an instant, you drop to the ground as light blasts from his palm. It isn't fire, yet it boils the air all the same. You survived, good, time to capitalize.

Bouncing off the floor, you immediately throw yourself into a Firebomb-Strike. Fire streaks off Sagaseeker's edge as you swing with all your might.
(Trick Attack: 19 vs Defense: 20, Defender Wins!)
You impact the glowing shield and two explosions snap out, leaving you blinded and staggering as the screams of dying men surround you.

Blinking away the spots in your eyes, you find yourself standing in a small ring of fire-blackened earth. You caught a couple soldiers in that blast, yet their comrades, their brothers in arms, pay neither them nor you any heed as they throw themselves at the felag.

You watch, horrified, as a man calmly sacrifices his stomach and his life to carve a shallow cut into Stigmar. There isn't an ounce of fear in him, just the calm courage of the insane. Wisps of the priest's power dance in his fading eyes, the only clue as to why he did what he did.

'That... is insidious.'

"I seem to have underestimated you, Halla Longstride," Father Gerrit's voice pulls your gaze to where he stands atop a nearby house — how he got there a mystery. A dozen balls of white fire orbit around him as he snaps the odd, wood-bound box shut. "Believe me, that won't happen again."

He points his staff at you and your eyes widen as one of the orbs breaks off towards you at blistering speeds.

You barely have enough time to flick out a Halting Vortex, but it stops the ball of blazing white fire dead in its tracks.

And then the second hits, then the third and fourth. Each hit drains power and there are still more to go.

Balls of blazing white fire rain down on you from the rooftop. Each and every one you dodge, yet they follow you still — forcing you to spend orthstirr like a mad woman. In the blink of an eye, most of your orthstirr is gone.

Father Gerrit isn't idle as he stands on the thatch roofing. The moment he directs his attacks forward, he leaves his items floating in the air and clasps his hands together. Eyes closed, he starts to pray.

Golden light surrounds him in a corona of power. Energy trickles towards him as he slowly regains his power.

By the time the last bolt of power strikes Halting Vortex, he's already back to full strength.

Great.

(Premature Round End: Gerrit Replenished to Full)
(Unused Orthstirr Refunded)
0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 5, 3, 1, 3, 5, 3, 2, 5, 6, 3) 10+1(Rounds)=11 Success

Things aren't good, that much is clear. How bad, though, remains to be seen.

What is clear is that as long as Father Gerrit lives, the battle will go on. The Christians fight with a fervor beyond them, throwing themselves into death's maw just to wound your felagi. Maybe your felagi will win it, but it won't come easy. People will die if it goes on for too long, that much is obvious.

Father Gerrit stands atop a thatch roof, his weapons in hand once more. He is physically weaker than you but his sheer experience more than makes up the difference. He outclasses you magically, potentially massively so. He has untold tricks up his sleeve, that is certain.

Whatever his shield is, its not Focus. Maybe some kind of internal prayer or meditation? You remember Gabriel mentioning something like that.

He's planning to keep his distance and keep blasting at you with his magic. If push comes to shove, he'll have a counter in store, likely something that involves the ground.

You have 5/5 Endurance | 8/8 Armor | N/A Shield | 9/10 Temporary Health
You have 29/98 orthstirr in reserve. Your Frami (33) and Virthing (33) are tapped while Saemd (32) is untapped.
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir
You can put 0 more points of orthstirr into your Combat Pool.
You have 37d6 in your Combat Pool

What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in

0~0~0

AN: Welcome to the deep end. Hope you know how to swim.

25-minute moratorium.
 
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Town 4
[X] Plan Lock Him Down
-[X] Stoke Saemd (+32 Orthstirr)
-[X] 37d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Defense
-[X] 0d6 Intercept
-[X] Use an 11d6 Honed Leaping Cleave + Ember-Wing-Cloak (-22 Orthstirr total...oof) to close with Father Gerrit near instantly while still being maneuverable and hit him real hard, respond to whatever he does next with an 9d6 (11d6 w/Hugareida) Inertia-Arresting-Throw (-6 Orthstirr) to trap him in melee with us, then use a 7d6 Knee-Groin-Trick (-1 Orthstirr) and one each 7d6 and 6d6 Honed Power Chop attacks (-4 Orthstirr) to really put the hurt on him and hopefully finish him off.
-[X] In response to any melee Trick Attack after we've used IAT, use Contested Movement (-3 Orthstirr) and if that doesn't work use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr). In response to any ranged trick attack after we've used IAT (or before we can) just use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr). If we are attacked with a non-Trick attack we take it, unless it would kill us and we still have Orthstirr, in which case we use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Leap at him using EWC for mobility then lock him down with IAT and go to town with Honed Power Chops.
0~0~0
Your heart pounds in your ears as a crown of iron spikes sprouts from your head. Candle flames flicker on as the last dregs of your orthstirr flood your system. Sweat beads on your brow and sticks your hair to your head.

One way or another, this can't go on much longer.

Father Gerrit looks down his nose at you. Wordless prayers leave his lips as a trio of white fire bolts orbit around him.

He flicks his staff and you burst into motion.
(Trick Attack: 40 vs Defense: Autopass (Leaping-Cleave), Defender Wins!)
The trio of bolts smash into the earth with a wicked hiss as you launch into the air. Crimson power wraps around Sagaseeker as your virthing spreads out behind you like an owl's wings. You twist at the torso, bringing Sagaseeker back behind your head.

Father Gerrit scoffs, looking rather bemused with this turn of events. White fire flows around him as he laughs, "How foolish can you get, heathen girl? An attack like that leaves you wide open!"

The moment he points his staff your way is the exact moment you reach the apex of your leap. The exact moment you eclipse the sun with your cloak of singed feathers.

The bolts fire and so do you.

Crimson flame jets from your virthing as you throw yourself into a crescent-shaped dive. You spin, rolling through the air as blasts of white-fire turn in a wide arc to follow. You miss the roof's edge by inches.

The bolts don't.

Father Gerrit stares, wide eyed as his magic rocks the house and you make your move.
(Honed Trick Attack: 41 vs Defense: 17, Attacker Wins! Shield Stripped!)
Golden shards rain down around you as your blow reduces the roof to splinters.

Gerrit smashes through a table laden for the mid-morning meal and the family of four it served screams in fear as you follow him. Light glares in his palm as he staggers to his feet. But by the time he turns to cast, you've already thrown out Standstill.
(Trick Attack: 39 vs Defense: 16, Attacker Wins!)
Wrapping him in a shroud of stilling force, he's helpless as you touch down and burst into motion.

Pivoting on the heel, you bring your knee to bear. Your aim to deliver a strike that men everywhere know to fear.
(Trick Attack: 21 vs Defense: N/A, Attacker Wins! Focus Disrupted!)
His teeth lock together as your knee finds something soft and ever-so vulnerable. His pupils dilate to pinpricks as Standstill frees him from its bonds.

His hands dart to his waist as you raise Sagaseeker high.
(Honed Trick Attack: 29 vs Defense: N/A, Attacker Wins! 3 Endurance Damage Dealt!)
'Kill him!' Blackhand roars his pride as you bring your crimson-blazing atgeir down. Sagaseeker sings its songs of joy as you leave Gerrit half the man he once was.

At your utter limit, you turn and stumble from the house — leaving the residents to their hollow whimpering.

Christians are weak, until they very suddenly aren't.

(19 Orthstirr Gained! (Includes Drengskapr!))
(Feat Gained: The Frisian Father)
(+1 to Nut-Cracker)
Pick one as a reward:
[ ] Muna: Fighting Father Gerrit (Upgrades Fight of Your Life)
[ ] Muna: Fighting Father Gerrit (Provides Twist: Punching Up)

0~0~0

With Father Gerrit gone and the mortal defenders massacred, the town swiftly surrenders to your gentle mercies.

What to do with the population?
[ ] (Population) Thralldom
-[ ] (Optional) Only take those of use while letting the rest go
-[ ] (Optional) Offer an opportunity for those you choose to Ransom themselves
[ ] (Population) Let them go (Reduces Heat)

What to do with the buildings?
[ ] (Buildings) Pillage for everything of value
-[ ] (Optional) Then Raze it to the ground (Potential for extra loot but Raises Heat)
[ ] (Buildings) Leave it all as is, as a message and show of power (Reduces Heat)

And finally, as reward for your service against Father Gerrit, you get an extra share of the loot. Where do you take it from?
[ ] (Loot) The Mayor's House
[ ] (Loot) The Church
[ ] (Loot) The Food Stores
[ ] (Loot) Leave it up to the Nornir

(Loot: 32, 45, 60) 137. Not the best loot roll the world's ever seen, but not awful either.

Current Raid Lootbag:
(63oz Silver, 1oz Gold)
(27oz Bog Iron, 3oz Forged Iron)
(14 Food)
(36 Fodder)

0~0~0

AN: That was a fun end to a hard fight. Good job everyone! Excellent planning, if I do say so myself. That wasn't a matter of luck, you out-planned that nerd!

No moratorium, as it's starting to get a little late. Remember, please vote by plan for the sake of my sanity if nothing else!

One of the original drafts of this fight had mind bullshit happening, but I decided to throw it out in favor of wizard-blaster because I decided that it was just a little bit more fair than mind shenanigans when this is your first fight since the tutorial, iirc.
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Town Final
[X] Plan: Let's Rob A Church
-[x] Muna: Fighting Father Gerrit (Provides Twist: Punching Up)
-[x] (Population) Let them go (Reduces Heat)
-[x] (Buildings) Pillage for everything of value
-[X] (Loot) The Church
0~0~0

It's... odd.

The people praise you and yours for such a simple act as not killing them. Is that something that happens often?

'I don't remember much, but I heard many tales of Charlemagne's atrocities when I was young. Perhaps they were expecting us to treat them as they treated our cousins?'

"Charlemagne?" You frown, something about that name sending shivers down your spine.

'King of the Franks, Emperor of the Christians. He was devoted to spreading Christianity by any means necessary.'

"Good thing he's dead now, right?" Your grin slips into a grimace as the church looms before you. It is a sturdy, permanent thing made of stone and good, solid wood. It has double doors and they seem to command the respect of all those that enter.

'Gone, not dead. Never dead. Not him, not ever.' You swallow a gulp. Right, well, on to the looting!

Ignoring the screams of generational trauma, you plant your hands on doors of strong wood and push. They open with a smooth, well-cared-for glide — not a creak or a peep to be heard!

Holding your breath, you step through the threshold and bask in the church's interior.

...

It's... it's disappointing. Sure, it's grand and sure it reeks of wealth, but... there's something missing. Something fundamental. It's like a house without a resident. Like a ship without the wind. Like an empty husk waiting to be filled.

Something stirs deep within the wooden benches and stone walls. It wafts through carpets and shines through glass. It curls around you, invisible yet present.

But it is a hollow presence. It's there, but only just — like a snowflake on your tongue. It tastes familiar, like the power of the priest.

Something used to live here. Probably still does, but it exists in a reduced, half-living state. Rendered inert by Gerrit's death, like as not.

You brush it aside like cobwebs in a house and it vanishes, disappearing back into the mortar of the church.

The church was stripped clean by the felag, which makes itself clear as you walk through the deserted, empty rooms and basements. Even the candlesticks were added to the lootbag.

But as you wander the backrooms, you happen to look up as you enter climb a small staircase. The church bell meets your gaze and realization strikes you like a thunderbolt.

This... the bell... it's made from iron! Bog Iron, sure, but iron nonetheless!

Leaping up the tower, you take the bell in hand and regard it with a careful eye. Taking a moment to thank Odin for your high hugr, you quickly calculate the weight of the bell.

Two-hundred and sixty-three ounces of Bog Iron. Good find!

(263oz of Bog Iron added to Lootbag!)
0~0~0
Pillaging: (Hamingja: 6, 3, 5, 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 1, 3) 13 Successes! Wowee
It seems you hit them immediately after a harvest, as their food stores were stocked to the brim!

(36 Food added to Lootbag)
(58 Fodder added to Lootbag)
0~0~0
Current Lootbag:
(63oz Silver, 1oz Gold)
(290oz Bog Iron, 3oz Forged Iron)
(50 Food)
(94 Fodder)
0~0~0
What is the next course of action? Thanks to more extensive scouting parties sent out, your information is more comprehensive. There are 2 Knights in the region. 1 is in the Manor, the other is out on patrols. They are both accompanied by a Squire.
[ ] Lay low (-Heat) (20% chance of hunting parties finding you, on account of your Heat. 5% chance of a Knight finding you, on account of your Heat)
[ ] The Farmhouses (Lowest Danger (15 Fighters. 10% chance a Knight is there) (Lowest Loot) (+Heat)
[ ] The Village (Low Danger (30 Fighters. 15% chance a Knight is there)) (Low Loot) (++Heat)
[ ] The Manor (High Danger (100% chance a Knight is there. 30% chance a second Knight is there)) (High Loot) (++++Heat)
0~0~0
What personal actions do you take while raiding? (Pick 3)
[ ] Recite poetry to the felag (Hugr (Wordplay))
[ ] Try to make/fix something (Write in) (Hugr+Crafting)
[ ] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi (Optional: write in the reason for visiting with them)
-[ ] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
-[ ] Abjorn Vidsson, your husband
-[ ] Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother
-[ ] Barki Bertholdsson, the beardless boy
-[ ] Fabvir the Gorgeous, the weird model
-[ ] The one with shaking, paranoid eyes
-[ ] Gautrekr Klippsson, the boat-hater
-[ ] Audrikr Fishfighter, the sardonic hirdman
-[ ] The one who tries to sleep all the time
-[ ] The one who keeps making arrows
-[ ] The one with the sack of coins and many knives
0~0~0
Training: You have 11d6 training dice to spend as you see fit.
[ ] (Research) Try to figure out how things work (Write in)
[ ] (Blackhand) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hamr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a hugr skill or trick (Write in)
[ ] (Training) Fylgja (16 successes to rank up)
-[ ] (Optional) Train a fylgja skill or trick (Write in)
0~0~0
Orthstirr Available: 117
How do you want to use your orthstirr? You can turn on passive tricks here.
[ ] (Orthstirr Usage) (Write in)
0~0~0
Fylgja Capacity: 4/4
Do you want to withdraw or deposit anything in your fylgja?
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0
Equipment Management
What do you want to have equipped? Leaving this blank means that no changes are made.
[ ] Write in (Optional)
0~0~0

AN: Not too much to say here other than that you did good work all around.

Twists are, essentially, 'twists in the myth' or 'twisting your words'. They're folds in the story that allow for a boost of power at great cost.

25-minute moratorium.
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Turn 2
[X] Plan And Now The Manor
-[X] The Manor (High Danger (100% chance a Knight is there. 30% chance a second Knight is there)) (High Loot) (++++Heat)
-[X] Get to know/spend time with the other felagi
--[X] Folkmarr Manetaker, the Jarl in charge of the felag
--[X] Convince him to make sure nobody challenges any Knights to single combat
--[X] Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother
-[X] Recite poetry to the felag (Hugr (Wordplay))
-[X] Train Sidestep 1d6
-[X] Train Magnify-Sight Trick 1d6
-[X] (Blackhand's Training) Try to develop old/train new hugareida tricks (Write in)
--[X] Train Kindle-Spinner 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Ember-Winged Cloak 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Firebomb-Strike 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Campfire 2d6 (1d6)
--[X] Train Halting Vortex 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hamr (30 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Farmwork 1d6
--[X] Train Labor 1d6
-[X] (Training) Hugr (31 successes to rank up)
--[X] Train Management 1d6
--[X] Train Sailing 1d6
-[X] (Orthstirr Usage)
--[X] 5 Hamr
---[X] 4 Chop, 4 Defend, 4 Dodge, 4 Glima, 3 Bash, 3 Pierce, 3 Throw, 2 Labor, 3 Overland (30 total)
--[X] 6 Hugr
---[X] 3 Composure, 3 Scouting, 3 Silver-Tongue, 3 Strategy, 3 Tactics, 4 Wordplay, 3 Wildcraft (22 total)
--[X] 4 Fylgja
--[X] 1 First Impression
--[X] 49 free for tricks
0~0~0
(Hamr Trick Training #1: 6) 2 Successes (Hamr Trick Training #2: 1) 1 Failure
Back and forth you bounce. Orthstirr surges and throws you left and right, over and over again.

Well, looks like you've gotten the hang of Sidestepping! Ain't that something!

(Sidestep Trick is now Rough!)
0~0~0
(Hugareida Trick Training #1: 6, 3)3+1=4 Successes. (#2: 4, 4)2+1=3 Successes. (#3: 1, 4)1+1=2 Successes. (Campfire Training: 3, 2)1+1=2 Successes. (Halting Vortex Training: 5) 2 Successes
You practice your fire-based hugareida a lot, which has some nice results.

(+4 to Kindle-Spinner)
(+3 to Ember-Winged Cloak)
(+2 to Firebomb-Strike)
(+2 to Campfire)
(+2 to Halting Vortex)
0~0~0
(Farmwork Training: 2) 1 Failure. (Labor: 3) 1 Success
Helping out around the camp gives you a better understanding of how labor works

(+1 to Labor)
0~0~0
(Management Training: 1) 1 Failure. (Sailing: 2) 1 Failure
With all the preparations going on for the raid on the manor, you don't have time to practice management or sailing. A shame, but oh well.
Childmaking Rolls:
(Halla's Hamr: 6, 5, 5, 6, 5, 6): fucking Max Success. 24 Successes. God. Damn. Halla.
(Abjorn's Hamr: 4, 3, 6, 4, 2, 2, 6, 1, 6) 6 Successes
That's 30 Successes between you.

...

Well, looks like it's time for children.

Oh, also, Abjorn has Boon: Fecund, which increases the max amount of potential children rolled by +1. So, uh, quadruplets are on the table.

(Child Number: 9)

Looks like you're having triplets! This roll, by the way, works on a scale based off the level of children rolled. In this case: 1-4=Single, 5-7=Double, 8-9=Triple, 10=Quadruple.

You have 10 Hamingja to spend. How do you wish to spend it?
Boons:
-Snake's Tongue - +1 to starting hugr and makes it easier to raise.
-Bold - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to gain orthstirr.
-Beautiful - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to charm others.
-Friendly - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to make friends.
-Bloodlust - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to do acts of violence.
-Charred Soul - A trait guaranteed to be passed down to your successor. This trait gives the recipient access to the counsel of their predecessors as well as parts of their knowledge.
-Born of Fire - A trait guaranteed to be passed down to your children. You are resistant to fire and find it far easier to develop fire-based hugareida (+1 Success to Training Fire-Based Hugareida), but take additional damage from water-based hugareida.
-The Bloody Basics - The basics of combat are so ingrained in you that they're passed on to your children. Guaranteed to be passed down. (Your children start with Hone and Reinforce already unlocked)

Flaws:
-A Woman in a Man's World - Makes it difficult to gain recognition for your actions. (Auto-Passes to Girls)(Not Available for Boys)
-Bloodlust - You will struggle to stay focused on tasks if your Bloodlust has not been sated. (Auto-Passes with Boon: Bloodlust)
-Nearsighted - You vision is blurry at distance, making it harder to fight at range.
Boons:
-Giant's Blood - +1 to starting hamr and makes it easier to raise.
-Seeing Eyes - +1 to starting fylgja and makes it easier to raise.
-Godly Luck - +1 to starting hamingja and makes it both easier to gain and harder to lose.
-Poet - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to both write and understand poetry.
-Leader - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to lead others.
-Prosperous - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to gain money.
-Wanderlust - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to go on adventures.

Flaws:
-Beardless - Makes it very hard to earn orthstirr if you are a man. Has no effect if you are a woman.
-Hemophobia - Makes it very hard to battle to the fullest extent as well as perform medical activities.
-Low Self-Control - Makes it harder to stop yourself from doing things.
-Undersized - Makes it harder to improve hamr and to battle. (Cancels out Giant's Blood)
-Unlucky - Bad things are more likely to happen to you and people try to distance themselves from you, for fear of your bad luck spreading to them. (Cancels out Godly Luck)
-Unintelligent - Makes it harder to improve hugr and to use magic (Cancels out Snake's Tongue)
-Dirty - Hygiene is no longer automatic. Low levels of hygiene will make it harder to be around you.
-Wanderlust - You will struggle to stay focused on tasks if your Wanderlust has not been sated. (Auto-Passes with Boon: Wanderlust)
Boons:
-Giant's Blood - +1 starting Hamr and makes it easier to raise.
-Wolf's Nose - Increases smell sensitivity and unlocks certain events.
-Bearheaded - Allows the holder to keep on going even under extreme duress.
-The Terror-Bear's Loyalty - Once earned, your loyalty is for life. Makes it easier to raise relations with your superiors.
-Stoic Silence - You have a calmness to you that steadies not only yourself, but also others. Grants immunity to panic and fear, while allowing nearby allies to re-roll failed Composure checks.
-Bloodlust - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to do violence. Comes with Flaw: Bloodlust.
-Wrathful - Unlocks certain events and makes it easier to do violence. Comes with Flaw: Irritation
-Fecund - Allows for +1 more children even if under the threshold for multiple births.

Flaws:
-Follower - For all your martial prowess… you are not a leader.
-Content - You are happy with what you have, not really seeing the need to obtain more unless necessary.
-Reactive - Though you may be a great warrior… you simply aren't very proactive.
-Stubborn - You struggle to change your ways.
-The Terror-Bear's Loyalty - If someone who has earned your loyalty is attacked, you are obligated to take the hit for them — even if it would mean your death. (Auto-Passes with Boon: The Terror-Bear's Loyalty)
-Irritation - You can't let things go and the longer you go without releasing your anger, the worse the eventual explosion will be. (Auto-Passes with Boon: Wrathful)
-Bloodlust - You will struggle to stay focused on tasks if your Bloodlust has not been sated. (Auto-Passes with Boon: Bloodlust)

Child 1
(Gender Coin Flip: Heads) That's a Boy
[ ] (Child 1) Write in Traits
[ ] (Child 1) Don't spend

Spawn 2
(Gender Coin Flip: Heads) That's a Boy
[ ] (Spawn 2) Write in Traits
[ ] (Spawn 2) Don't spend

Offspring 3
(Gender Coin Flip: Tails) That's a Girl
[ ] (Offspring 3) Write in Traits
[ ] (Offspring 3) Don't spend
0~0~0
Speaking with Folkmarr (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 3, 4, 4, 2, 1, 6, 4, 2, 6, 4) 6 Successes
"Folkmarr? I need to talk to you."

It's the early afternoon when you catch Folkmarr alone. He was sharpening his swords, making sure they were honed and ready for battle against a potentially overwhelming foe.

He looks up as you enter his tent. "Yes, Halla?"

He gestures for you to take a seat at the small table he'd brought along, which you do. Smoothing out the folds in your dress, you take a deep breath and go for it, "I... I'm worried about the manor. Or, more specifically, I'm worried about the Knight who lives there."

You weren't intending to talk to Folkmarr about this. Heck, you hadn't even worried until... until this morning, when you woke up next to Abjorn. Something was different and that something has you worrying.

He nods, giving you his full attention as only a Jarl can. It's like you're the center of the world, that he respects you enough to devote all of himself to understanding where you're coming from. You swallow the small lump in your throat and keep going, "I think that if we fight the Knight one at a time, we'll only taste defeat."

He frowns, running a hand across his barely-there beard. "You're right... even if such a thing won't go over very well with the felag. It is, after all, infringing on their rights beyond the scope of my status."

"But, you'll do it, right?" Your hand subconsciously snakes its way to your lower belly, for reasons beyond your ken.

He sighs, staring at the cloth ceiling of the tent. "I'll do it, and I'll take the blame for it, but you'll owe me for this. Is that clear?"

You smile as relief floods your body. "It is, yes. Thank you, Folkmarr."

"Anything for my felagi."

0~0~0
Spending time with Stigmar (Hugr (Silver-Tongue): 2, 3, 6, 5, 3, 3, 5, 3, 5, 5) 13 Successes
As you exit Folkmarr's tent, a familiar-looking man approaches you. Stigmar Kersson, Stigandr's brother, stands before you with a thankful look in his eyes.

"I heard what you did for my brother, before we departed. You're the reason he's getting better." He takes your hand in his. "No matter where you go, I will be there to keep your guard. I swear it on Tyr's name and before Odin's gaze."

There's a weight to his words. A weight that you can't really explain. It takes root in your soul, lighting a tiny, infinitesimally small fire in the very depths of your being.

(Incomplete Boon: Jarl-in-the-Making added)
(+5 Relations with Stigmar)
(Stigmar added to your Household as a huskarl)
0~0~0
Reciting Poetry (Hugr (Wordplay): 5, 6, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3, 5, 3, 4, 3) 15 fucking Successes. Okay
Before the felag heads out to raid, you leap up onto a nearby rock and clear your throat.

The words that flow from your mouth are like liquid gold as you speak of fates, glory, and good times spent in good company. By the end of it, Barki weeps openly and all listening have moistened eyes.

All in all, a good poem.

(+8 Orthstirr (Drengskapr Included))
(The Felag are at Perfect Morale!)
0~0~0
Is there a second Knight there? (28+6(Reward Dice)=34) There is not a second Knight there
The manor stands atop a hill and is surrounded on all sides by cleared forest. No matter how you approach it, you're going to be spotted by the inhabitants. However, that doesn't mean you have to be stupid about it!

After discussing it with the felag, Folkmarr lays out the plan.

"The felag will split in two, with one side outnumbering the other. The smaller section will hit the manor from the other side, hopefully drawing out the Squire while the Knight handles the larger portion. Abjorn," he points towards your husband, "I'd like you in the smaller team. If the Knight chooses that one to attack, then we need someone who can dish out damage and that steel sword of yours will help tremendously."

Abjorn doesn't look especially pleased by this, but nods his assent anyways.

With that, the rest of the felag starts to volunteer for different roles. Stigmar waits for you to pick, as he's going with you no matter what.

Which team do you go with?
[ ] The Larger
-Folkmarr
-Gautrekr
-Barki
-5 others

[ ] The Smaller
-Abjorn
-Fabvir
-Audrikr

[ ] (Unlocked: Pregnancy) Actually, call this whole thing off. (+1 Odrengskapr. -1 Relations with everyone in the felag (sans Stigmar and Abjorn))

0~0~0
Edit: Because I forgot, here're the options for interludes

Pick 3:
[ ] Steinarr out raiding
[ ] Steinarr squints at his daughter's shenanigans
[ ] Abjorn battling on the ice
[ ] Abjorn on his Sword Quest
[ ] Eric travelling to Jurgdby
[ ] Blackhand's Perspective
[ ] Folkmarr at the trials
[ ] The Gunslinger (A sneak peak at a future Wild West Cultivation Quest)
[ ] The Greaser, the Cyborg, and the Slave (A sneak peak at a future Post-Post-Apocalypse Cultivation Quest)
[ ] The Samurai

0~0~0

AN: You are pregnant, by the way. If you take Endurance damage while pregnant, you may suffer miscarriage.

If you've got Reward Dice, the child generation rolls are a good place to use them.

25-minute moratorium. I was intending to have a second update today, but I'm going to give you guys as much time as you need to hash out child generation stuff.

Huskarls provide less management dice than farmhands, but are always ready in case of a fight
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Manor 1
[X] The Smaller
[X] Plan The Best For Our Children
-[X] Boy #1
--[X] Lock In Godly Luck with Vows of Love
--[X] Lock In Giant's Strength with Hamingja
-[X] Boy #2
--[X] Lock In Godly Luck with Vows of Love (again)
--[X] Lock In Snake's Tongue with Hamingja
-[X] Girl #1
--[X] Lock In Godly Luck with Vows of Love (and one more time)
--[X] Lock In Snake's Tongue with Hamingja (again)
[X] Steinarr squints at his daughter's shenanigans
[X] Folkmarr at the trials
[X] Abjorn on his Sword Quest
[X] The Greaser, the Cyborg, and the Slave (A sneak peak at a future Post-Post-Apocalypse Cultivation Quest)
0~0~0
(Simply because I feel like it would just be a lot of needless chaff, I'm not going to include the rolling here)

Boy 1:
Locked In:
-Godly Luck
-Giant's Strength
-The Bloody Basics (Auto-Locked)
-Born of Fire (Auto-Locked)
Rolled For:
-Snake's Tongue (Reward Dice)
-Bloodlust
-Wrathful
-Wolf's Nose
-Stubborn
-Bold
-Low Self-Control
-Seeing Eyes

Boy 2:
Locked In:
-Godly Luck
-Snake's Tongue
-The Bloody Basics (Auto-Locked)
-Born of Fire (Auto-Locked)
Rolled For:
-Giant's Strength (Reward Dice)
-Friendly
-Stoic Silence
-Bold
-Nearsighted
-Handsome
-Seeing Eyes
-Wanderlust

Girl:
Locked In:
-Godly Luck
-Snake's Tongue
-The Bloody Basics (Auto-Locked)
-Born of Fire (Auto-Locked)
-A Woman in a Man's World (Auto-Locked)
Rolled For:
-Giant's Strength (Reward Dice)
-Bloodlust (Improved!)
-Beautiful
-Bearheaded
-The Terror-Bear's Loyalty
-Wrathful
-Seeing Eyes
-Prosperous
0~0~0
(Does the Knight and Squire split up? Heads) Yes. (Which group does the Knight go after? 5) He's going after the larger group.
"Knights are extremely dangerous," Audrikr's words trail behind him as he leads the way — spear in hand and helmet on head, "but their Squires should not be underestimated."

Stigmar grimaces as he adjusts his gambeson. "My brother, Stigulf, was on a raid a few years back," that's the raid that Steinarr went on, "and he and his felag ran into a Knight. There were thirty-four vikingar there — all of them veteran warriors — and only eighteen came back. It was only thanks to Halla's father," he nods towards you, "being there that they made it back at all."

"How strong was this Knight? Do you know?" Fabvir asks as he runs a polishing cloth over his sword.

Stigmar bites his lip. "Eh... Ninth, Tenth Decade maybe? Stigulf didn't say much about that."

"More than a match for us, then" Audrikr scowls and tightens his grip on his spear, "let's hope the Knight here isn't that strong. I've been on two other raids and I've only ever seen a Knight once... and that was at a distance. I did fight a Squire, though, but that was a younger one."

You take a deep breath and settle your roiling stomach. "How should we fight the Squire? Anything stand out?"
(Hugr (Scouting): 3, 4, 4, 6, 5, 2, 4, 6, 2, 5) 10 Successes
Just as Audrikr turns to answer, a sharp, whistling noise reaches your ears. What is that sound?

'Spear!'

Eyes snapping wide, you catch the glare of iron in the sunlight. It's high in the sky, but even from here you can tell its brimming with power.

Quickly calculating the trajectory, you pivot on your heel and shove Audrikr with all your might. He goes sprawling and lands several yards away.

"What the fuck is wro-" He's cut off as something lands between you and throws up a giant plume of dirt and grass.

As it clears, he's left staring wide-eyed at the spear quivering in the dirt. Swallowing a gulp, he shakily nods his thanks. "I... I owe you for that."

"Pay me back later," you say, hauling him to his feet before shouting at the group, "Did anyone catch where that came from?"

It's Abjorn who answers, a finger pointing to the manor. "The Squire threw it. He's readying another one. We should move."

"Lets!", Audrikr grunts as he clenches his jaw — clearly suffering from rather high stress.

With that, you start to move.

0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 6, 5, 3, 6, 6, 5, 6, 3, 1, 6) 15 Successes, hot damn! Unfortunate, really, that it's rendered more or less useless by your Nearsightedness.

The Squire... you can't see him, he's little more than a blurry-if-shiny blob in the distance. At least, that's what you think is him, from where Abjorn was pointing.

You do catch an odd sound in the distance, something that sounds like a horse's whinny. That's when it hits you — Knights and Squires are mounted combatants primarily.

He's going to keep throwing high powered spears at you. Abjorn says he has three more, besides the one he's aiming now. Get too close and he's going to engage you on horseback, which is going to be really screwy — you just know it.

Unfortunately, there isn't any cover between the tree line and the manor — nothing but open ground. And, of course, it's up hill. Great, wonderful, you wouldn't have it any other way.

Sigh.

Oh well, at least this won't be as disappointing as the town — you hope.

You have 5/5 Endurance | 8/8 Armor | N/A Shield
You have 59/127 orthstirr in reserve, your Frami (43), Virthing (42), and Saemd (42) are untapped.
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir
You can put 0 more points of orthstirr into your Combat Pool.
You have 37d6 in your Combat Pool

What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in

0~0~0

AN: Alrighty, looks like it's time for violence! I'm not sure I got all the math right, so if someone could double check that would be great, thanks!

25-minute moratorium. I was intending to get a second update out today, but... Unfortunately, I need to be conservative with my medication as I need them for work and I'm not getting a refill until Tuesday. Sorry everyone!
 
Last edited:
Summer 5/Raid 1/Attacking the Manor 2
[X] Plan Shieldwall And Fire
-[X] Stoke Frami (+43 Orthstirr)
-[X] 9d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 1d6 Defense
-[X] 27d6 Intercept (all tricks)
-[X] Put 2 Orthstirr into 4 layers of Reinforce Shield before the combat begins (-2 Orthstirr)
-[X] As soon as the squire is in range, toss a 9d6 (10d6 w/Hugareida) Kindle Spinner attack (-5 Orthstirr) at his mount, hoping to force the horse to panic, or both of them to close.
-[X] Prepare three 9d6 (11d6 w/Hugareida) Inertia-Arresting-Throw Intercepts to use if people other than Halla are attacked at range (-6 Orthstirr each). If he charges while we still have one ready, use it on his horse's legs to stop the charge.
-[X] In response to any Trick Attack directly targeting us use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr)...if an attack somehow gets through that attempt to Sidestep (-4 Orthstirr) if possible. If our fylgja is attacked use Halting Vortex no matter what (-4 Orthstirr). If we can also shield Abjorn on top of us and our Fylgja (or the Fylgja has fled) use Halting Vortex to defend him as well if it looks like his own defenses have failed (-4 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Bring up a shieldwall and advance as a unit, Abjorn taking point. Bring out Halla's Fylgja and keep it with her to play spotter, attempt to intercept incoming Javelin throws with Inertia Arresting Throw to support the defense. Stay together at all costs. Fylgja is to be veiled again when the range closes (using the mundane Defense die to leave if possible). If he charges, we use any remaining IAT to trip his horse, which should be nasty.
"Shield wall!" You find yourself roaring alongside Audrikr — your minds landing on the same solution at the same time — "Form a wall!"

The press of bodies is warm and the clatter of overlapping shields fills your ears. You can't help but feel for Abjorn. His sense of smell is far stronger than yours and there's not exactly much time for bathing while out raiding. Even you are starting to get a little ripe.

"Forwards!" Audrikr's voice cuts through the chaos and his spear points the way. As one, you advance slowly, carefully, but steadily still.

There is little room for your owl in the throng, but you make do with what you have. Placing it on your shoulder, you cast your vision to its eyes.

The world seems to gray slightly, darkness creeping in at the edges. But what strikes you the most is how everything is just so *clear!* The world shines with a level of clarity you're certain it lacked even when your eyesight was perfect.

Man, it really would be useful to use this more. Your owl hoots its agreement.

With your owl lending its vision, two things stick out to you.

The first is the bird circling high in the sky — a falcon, if your owl's eyes aren't failing you. It seems to watch with a careful, studious gaze like it was closely examining you for weaknesses both real and imagined. Your nearsightedness had left it little more than another blur against an already blurry sky.

The second is the Squire himself. Specifically, it's the water splashing around him in great waves of power. Your blood boils at the sight of your hated enemy as it urges you forward and warns you away in the same breath.

"Incoming!" Somebody yells as the Squire hurls the spear. Swallowing your fear, you prepare to meet your potential doom.
(Targeting? Stigmar) (Trick Attack: 35 vs Trick Defense: 44, Defender Wins!)
The spear streams forward with the weight of the oceans behind it. It tears through the air with a deadly scream and flashing iron.

Throwing your hand forward, you hurl Standstill just before it would've hit Stigmar. Invisible cloth wraps around the spear and pins it in place. It doesn't *stop* it, not really. It still brims with angry, watery power and is eager to let it fly.

But Standstill holds it at bay, at least until the shield wall moves past and you let it fly free. It hits the ground behind you with sodden force as it showers the felag in mud and dirt. Spitting out a mouthful of slick grass and mud, you scowl and swear to pay back that insult.

"Incoming!" Audrikr shouts it this time and you prepare once more — now halfway across the field.
(Targeting? Abjorn) (Trick Attack: 49 vs Trick Defense: 29, Attacker Wins) (Trick Intercept? HV Autopass)
Flicking your hand forward, you catch the spear on a spinning vortex of halting energy. It shatters in a spray of water droplets and wood splinters as Abjorn nods his thanks.

You nod back just as something tickles on the edge of your senses. Spinning your head around, you lock eyes with the falcon as it throws itself into a dive.
(Attack: 8 vs Trick Defense: HV Autopass, Defender wins!)
Shifting on your heel, you bring Halting Vortex to bear as you rebuff the falcon's assault.

As you do so, Audrikr shouts a third warning — a warning you can't respond to in time.
(Targeting? Halla) (Trick Attack: 45 vs Defense: 15, Attacker Wins!) (Intercept? 43, fail. The Terror-Bear's Loyalty Triggers! Shield destroyed!)
Abjorn's shield explodes as you fail to react in time. A heavy price to pay for your failure, but far cheaper than your or his life.

Swallowing your fear, you turn your attention as the fourth spear is thrown and you make it three-fourths of the way across the open, hilly field.
(Targeting? Halla) (Trick Attack: 47 vs Defense: HV Autopass, Defender Wins!)
The fourth and apparently final spear explodes against your whirling vortex of a shield.

You made it across the field and now stand before the manor in all its glory. The Squire claps his hands together and Fervor returns to him swiftly. As he does that, though, you eye the armored mount standing underneath the balcony.

Smirking, you free your hand from Sagaseeker and whip up a Kindle-Spinner in your cupped palm.
(Trick Attack: 34 vs Defense: AH Autopass, Defender Wins!)
With spinning ball of tightly-packed fire in hand, you roll it forward with whiplash force.

It tears across the grass with fury and rage, leaving a trail of cinder-coated blackened grass in its wake. It bounces once, twice, before launching up into the horse's chest.

You smirk. That'll teach him to leave his horse in the ope-

The horse sneers at you as the smoke clears, revealing its completely unblemished and armored chest. Its eyes hold a spark of intelligence that seems oddly familiar... The same one the falcon had...

Oh.

Oh shit.

The Squire finishes praying as he hefts the last spear — a lance — and leaps from the balcony. Landing in the horse's saddle, he points his lance at the felag as he plants his helmet firmly on his head.

You're not fighting just one cultivator. You're fighting three.

The Squire.

The Horse.

And the Falcon.

Shit.

Dismissing your owl, you take a deep breath and focus on the fight at hand.

0~0~0
(Hugr (Tactics): 5, 2, 1, 4, 2, 5, 1, 4, 5, 3) 5 Successes

You stand before the manor, where it is mostly flat ground. The Squire sits atop his cultivator warhorse with his cultivator falcon in the air above you. This is going to be a hard fight. Somehow, you just know that at least one of your number is going to die here.

The Squire is fresh. The Horse is fresh. The Falcon is fresh.

Abjorn is down his shield and has tapped his frami. It flows from him in heavy, rust-like flakes.

A sense of cold determination flows through the felag. There will be no cowards on this blood-soaked day, thanks to your poem.

The enemy seem inscrutable to your senses. All you know is that the falcon will harass and distract while the Squire and Horse deal damage.

You have 5/5 Endurance | 8/8 Armor | N/A Shield
You have 77/127 orthstirr in reserve, your Frami (43) is tapped, your Virthing (42) and Saemd (42) are untapped.
Sagaseeker has 8 orthstirr in its reservoir
You can put 0 more points of orthstirr into your Combat Pool.
You have 37d6 in your Combat Pool

What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in

0~0~0
AN: Knights are fucked up.

25-minute moratorium. Good luck.
 
Back
Top