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Outlaw (A Norse Xianxia)

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DeadmanwalkingXI said:
We use 1. Out of 7. Out of 14, including Aspects. It's a meaningful percentage, but not 'most'.
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I would like to note that I'm making a slight adjustment to how Aspects function as I just zeroed in on why including Aspects in maximum ordstirr counts always struck me as incorrect.

So, the ordstirr you get from stoking your Aspects isn't permanent. It flees you at the end of a battle, much like how the injuries healed with Aspects re-open once no-longer sustained by the Aspect, and the Aspect is only re-stokable at the end of restful slumber.
Jaguar2234 said:
Barki has 7 ordstirr and he will only spend 1 to stave of his exhaustion, and 1 ordstirr is enough for a fight in this system to my understanding so it should be okay.
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For the sake of not burdening you folks with an extreme amount to keep track of, I am saying that, barring extreme outliers, 1 ordstirr is abstracted as enough for any given thing
 
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I.F. Ister said:
I would like to note that I'm making a slight adjustment to how Aspects function as I just zeroed in on why including Aspects in maximum ordstirr counts always struck me as incorrect.

So, the ordstirr you get from stoking your Aspects isn't permanent. It flees you at the end of a battle, much like how the injuries healed with Aspects re-open once no-longer sustained by the Aspect, and the Aspect is only re-stokable at the end of restful slumber.
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If this brings you into negative Ordstirr do you KO?
 
I.F. Ister said:
I would like to note that I'm making a slight adjustment to how Aspects function as I just zeroed in on why including Aspects in maximum ordstirr counts always struck me as incorrect.

So, the ordstirr you get from stoking your Aspects isn't permanent. It flees you at the end of a battle, much like how the injuries healed with Aspects re-open once no-longer sustained by the Aspect, and the Aspect is only re-stokable at the end of restful slumber.
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Okay, that makes sense. It's still worth counting in this case because the big worry is a fight, but that's very good to know.

Shard said:
If this brings you into negative Ordstirr do you KO?
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I'd assume Aspect Ordstirr is always spent first, so that can't happen.
 
Shard said:
If this brings you into negative Ordstirr do you KO?
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Correlation does not equal causation. When a lot of ordstirr is being used in repetitive bursts--such as in combat--it puts immense strain on the body which expresses itself in exhaustion. It isn't the lack of ordstirr that knocks people out, it's the bodily stress from using ordstirr that does it.
 
We're on a clock, we are 6/6 and a half days left before our homicidal brother in law comes looking for us. Ideally we can tie up all our loose ends and get out of Iceland before then, so let's spend the ordstirr to get to Modolfr's place quick and in good shape.
 
I will note, without saying anything in particular, that, in order to visit the Althing, men from the remote East Quarter would have to spend up to 7 weeks traveling across the interior of Iceland, which is largely desolate, barren tundra.
 
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alexthealright said:
Wow, I didn't realize Iceland was that big.
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It's more that the interior of Iceland sucks in a travel sense.

From Wikivoyage:
"This is probably the harshest, most "away from it all" place in all of Europe. In addition to being largely covered in glaciers, this area is also volcanically active. The biggest danger to the average visitor, however, is their vehicles running out of fuel. Plan accordingly. No shops or gas stations are in the area (there are some at the edge of the area). Accommodation in the area is mostly huts with cooking facilities, with a minority of them being motels with restaurants. Tourist information centres exist but they are few and far between.

Of the land, 41% is barren, 10% is oases (often located near lakes), 3% is lakes, and the remaining 21% have varying amounts of flora. There are three glaciers in the region, covering 25%, including the largest glacier in Europe: Vatnajökull. The glaciers make it impossible to build an east–west road, and thus the main roads in the interior go from the south to north. The glaciers began to form 5,000 years ago and reached their current size 1,500 years ago. The whole area is 400–600 m (1,300–2,000 ft) above sea level. The region's main attraction is its remoteness and huge expanses of untouched scenery.

Nights are colder here than elsewhere in the country, largely due to the elevation. The average temperature at night is 3 °C (37 °F) and the lowest temperature is −5 °C (23 °F). Daytime average is 10 °C (50 °F) with 20 °C (68 °F) being the highest temperature. The weather can change frequently, every 15 minutes, like is the case also elsewhere in the country.

During the only available season in this region, summer, there is only a few hours of darkness. At average there is only 3 hours of darkness in June, 5 hours in July and 8 hours in August."
 
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Act 2: The Pursuit 2
  • Threadmarks
    • [x] Next Steps
    -[x] Carve a wooden comb for Bestla to remember us by
    -[X] Promise to do his best to reunite with Bestla
    -[x] Visit Modolfr and demand he tell you what he knows.
    [x] What do you choose to bring with you?
    -[X] Weapons
    --[X] Bow
    -[X] Small Pouch (3/3)
    --[X] Currency, accounting for what Bestla will need
    --[X] The Comb
    -[X] Ration Pouch (8/8)
    --[X] Filled up to 8 meals worth of food.
    -[X] Our Person (5/5)
    --[X] Quiver w/24 Arrows
    --[X] Carving Axe
    --[X] Whetstone
    -[X] On Olfossa (6/6)
    --[X] Tent
    --[X] Bedroll
    --[X] Spare Shield
    --[X] Rope
    -[X] Saddlebags
    --[X] Linen Undertunic
    --[X] Linen Underpants
    --[X] Spare Cloak
    --[X] Woolen Socks
    --[X] Sewing Kit and Supplies
    --[X] Personal Hygiene Kit (soap, if nothing else)
    --[X] Medical Supplies (Bandages and Herbs)
    --[X] As much spices as two inventory slot can carry, aiming for valuable ones for trade
    --[X] 6 meals worth of additional food
    Note: This scene replaces the previous wake-up scene because it's better.
    0~0~0
    Sunningskeld, South Quarter, Iceland, Early Summer of 9007

    All Norse longhouses are constructed in a very particular manner; they have a central room—often a long rectangular shape—with two doors at either end leading to smaller rooms used for storage and work. These smaller rooms then lead to the outside and serve the purpose to better insulate the central room—the 'hearthroom'—against the often-cold outside. As retaining heat is paramount towards winter survival, it should be no surprise to learn that most longhouses lack any form of windows from which heat could escape. However, because fires create smoke and smoke builds up, small ventilation shafts—called 'smoke-holes'—are cut into the ceiling above each fireplace.

    It is through these smoke-holes that dawnlight trickles in, tickling a trio of sneezes from the noses of master, mistress, and beloved hound alike. Wrapped in furs and encased by three-fourths of their bedcloset—Gunnvald would have cursed up a storm had he found his son sleeping with an open bedcloset—Barki and Bestla blink awake just as the final embers of the hearth wink out.

    "Husband-Barki," Bestla whispers as the spent fire vanishes up the smoke-holes, her hands gripping her Barki tight, "is this really happening? Can this not be some terrible nightmare?"

    "Would that it was, Bestla-wife," Barki says as he turns his head and plants a kiss on her brow, "would that the coming days be spent in your presence, among the hoard and boards of our home. Alas," he says as he disentangles himself and pushes aside the furs to rise to his full height, "the Norns have their say and so it shall be."

    Bestla frowns, her face creasing as her jaw sets. Throwing aside her furs and sending Keld scrambling to the ground, she leaps to her feet with words of passion on her lips, "Fate can have its say, but I will have my husband returned to me!" Darting across the room to where the birch-bark dries, she pulls free a fistful of paper and a well-loved charcoal pencil as she returns to the table, "Tell the tale of this farce, dear Barki, and your wife shall work her magics. A course of action is needed and who better to find it than I?"

    Recounting the events of the day previous, not skimping on any details as he does, Barki begins the work of his own. Any man who sits idle while his wife works herself to the bone is unworthy the name, after all, and so Barki's feet take his hands on a journey of collections as he considers what to and to not keep by his side.

    An axe is vital to a man's long-term survival, for without it he cannot fell trees with which to construct a house. Though sod and daub remain options for the axeless, nothing quite compares to the comfort a wood-walled home provides. Furthermore, an axe is needed to split firewood and for certain crafts. Though hesitant to take his handaxe for fear of depriving Bestla, Barki has no such qualms for his carving axe.

    Hanging from the wall above his workstation in one of the side-rooms, the carving axe of Barki Gunnvaldsson is no ordinary tool. With an edge of fine iron and a handle padded for comfort, it was the last thing Gunnvald ever gave him before... Before...
    Heat on the skin, ash on the tongue.
    Swallowing a suddenly dry throat, Barki banishes the distant past as he takes a deep breath and his axe down from the wall. Tucking it into his belt alongside a whetstone, Barki casts one last glance at his workstation before returning to Bestla. As his eyes roam over the half-worked wood and lengths of whittle-make, one of the pieces brings his roving to a close.

    It isn't anything out of the ordinary, merely an arrow shaft still in the early planning stages, but the sight of it rings a memory-bell in Barki's head. Though no spectacular shot—especially not at range—Barki is still a Norseman and, like many of his name-kin, owns a bow with which to hunt.

    Carved with steady hands and worked with fine red paint, Barki's bow sits unstrung from its place of pride on the wall. As both bow and string were Yule-tide gift from Dumvald the year previous, the horsehair bowstring still has many hundreds of uses left in its lifespan. Taking it down from the wall, Barki spends a few moments working the string into place before placing the weapon in its new home on his back—his bloodline keeping the bow from slipping.

    Retrieving his quiver of arrows—twenty-four in total, though all save two broadheads are stone or blunt-tipped—Barki also loads Olfossa with some necessities like spare clothing, an extra shield, some of the valuable spices, and a extra days of food before re-entering the hearthroom.

    "You have an axe, yes?" Bestla asks as Barki steps foot inside, the door clinking shut behind him. Looking up from her work, she nods as the gleam of carving axe shines bright from his belt, "Good, I'd worried I would have to fight you on it, but it seems my fears were unfounded."

    "I love you, dear wife," Barki says as he slides into the bench-seat beside her, "but your fears often get the better of you."

    Bestla snorts, blowing a strand of hair from her face as a playful smile works across it, "If my fears are where my goodness lies, however did I manage to find a husband as good as you?"

    "I suppose your worries must have robbed you of your wisdom to marry a wretch like me," Barki offers a playful retort as Bestla leans into his shoulder, "and I thank it for that every day."

    "If you are a wretch and I wise-robbed, then I suppose a better match there could never be," Bestla says before tapping a forefinger against the birch-bark sheets. "Still, there is work to be done and things to discuss."

    "I eagerly await your words of wisdom, dear wife," Barki says as he leans in, the runes on the paper a struggle to parse—writing and poetry had never been Barki's strong suit, much to the chagrin of his father the skald.

    Taking a deep breath, Bestla launches into her writings, "Your only two real options are Sterki Godi and Modolfr, for both will have had to have contact with the Coward. However, it is possible—likely, even, given the shown proclivities of our foe—that Sterki Godi was paid by proxy, which makes Modolfr the best choice at this moment."

    "Is it not possible that Modolfr could have also been contacted by proxy?" Barki asks as he runs fingers through Keld's fur—the dog having taken position beneath the table. "And what of the seeress? Surely, pulling back the veil on this mystery is within her capabilities, could she not?"

    "Ladra Deep-well was good friends with Harald's mother, she will not want to aid the man her friend's son is hunting," Barki frowns as Bestla speaks, mentally striking that option from the list, "I'll provide you a list of the other seers and seeresses in Iceland, though, just in case you encounter any."

    "As for Modolfr," Bestla sighs as she scribbles down a list of names and locations, "it isn't impossible that he was contacted through another damned proxy, but I can't imagine Modolfr doesn't know who he was working for, that's just..." She shakes her head, "It would be insane!"

    "Would it be sane for Sterki to not know who paid him?" Barki asks with a tilt of the head.

    "I..." Bestla pauses, brows furrowing in confusion, "No, no it wouldn't be. ...I think I may be letting my emotions get the best of me, for I dearly desire the deaths of those who had a hand in this travesty."

    "You are not alone in this want, beloved wife," Barki rubs the back of her hand as he nods to himself, "and so I shall pay Modolfr a visit to see if his words are worth anything. If they aren't, then I shall ask Sterki Godi for what he knows."

    "And if he knows nothing?"

    Barki purses his lips, brows knitting concentration on his face. Sterki Godi was, ultimately, the one who decided the punishment. He could have made it a fine and all would have been well, but he didn't. There was no fine, only an outlawing. An outlawing bought with three pounds of gold, the same price he demanded of Barki.

    At the time, it had seemed logical. One side paid a price, so the other must pay the same to balance the scales. But now... After a night spent surrounded by that which was once his, after all his wealth was put on display before his eyes, how could it be fair to expect a man like Barki to match three pounds of gold?

    Though Sterki Godi may not have been the man behind it all, he certainly isn't an innocent bystander. His hands held Barki's fate, his words spoke Barki's future, and he decided how it all played out.

    "I don't know," Barki eventually answers as he rests his arms on the table, fingers laced in a tight grip, "but no matter what, our relationship requires a rethinking. It is the Godi's job to represent those in his godord when presented with disputes from beyond. Though the law says that a man may pay gold to avoid such things, it does not say that the Godi must accept that gold. Sterki Godi is just as complicit as Modolfr."

    Sterki Godi had helped Barki back on his feet, after... After he arrived in Iceland. Barki had upheld his part of the godord agreement just last summer; he had fought for Sterki when a feud between him and Hakon Godi turned hot. Bjorn the Fierce and Lotfrey Gundasson both met their Fated Days on Sunning's edge, and this is how Barki's service is repaid? This is his grand reward, an outlawing?

    This will not stand. It cannot.

    First Modolfr, then Sterki, and the Coward after them both.

    "Wife," Barki says after a long silence, "Olfossa is ready and so am I. But, before I go," he sets the comb that started this all on the table, face grim and lips thin, "I want you to keep this, to remember me by."

    "Barki," Bestla doesn't miss a beat as she turns her big eyes on him, "that's stupid."

    Barki blinks, "W-what?"

    She gives him a rather dry look, "You're going to need that comb to prove your innocence, right?"

    "I... I guess?" Barki narrows his eyes as he sees where this is going, "But I'll be able to come back and retrieve it whenever I want, so what does it matter?"

    "Barki," that same flat stare goes unchanging, "when—not if!—somebody comes to try and steal it, to prevent its use in court, you will have a much better chance of stopping it than I."

    "I suppose that's true," Barki says, lips twisting down in a frown, "but I still want you to have something to remember me by."

    "And you say my fears are unfounded," Bestla teases as she rises from the bench. Making her way to a shelf, Barki's confusion turns to a red-hot flush as she pulls the shelf away to reveal the hollow in the wall, "after all, I'll have this."

    Reaching into the hollow, Bestla's hand returns bearing a crudely carved comb—one far too familiar to Barki. "H-how did you get that?" His voice is a harsh whisper as he stares in shock and horror, "I burned it! It was ash!"

    "And yet," Bestla says as she holds the first comb Barki had tried to woo her with, a piece of his early work when he had yet to master his craft, "here it is." Lifting it to her hair, the crude comb's teeth catch and scrape as she runs it through her locks, the pain failing to bring so much as a twitch to her gaze, "For as long as you are gone, my hair shall know no other comb than that which was worked by your hands. So, you'd better come back to me, else you're damning your wife to a shiny-crowned fate."

    "For as long as I am gone," Barki says as he lifts to his feet and takes Bestla's hands in his, "no hands other than these may work my hair." Leaning down, he plants a kiss on Bestla's lips as he smiles big and wide, "There, no I have double-the-reason to make my return a hastened one, if only for the sakes of both our hair."

    "A bald wife and a tangle-haired husband," Bestla says as she stands on her tippy toes to return the kiss. "What a pair we'd make."

    "I love you, Bestla."

    "And I love you, Barki."

    Keld barks his agreement as the pair break and the tears start to flow.

    As Barki mounts up on Olfossa's back and casts one last look at Sunningskeld, little does he know that never again shall he lay eyes on his home and nor will the land ever see its master.

    0~0~0

    The journey to Stacksdell—the home of Modolfr Jarnsson—is quickened thanks to the use of ordstirr to cut through rough terrain otherwise difficult to cross. Arriving after about six hours of travel, Barki is met with a squat, recently-constructed house built in the recess of a hillside.

    The house is a simple matter, all things considered. Daub walls support a roof of straw as a single window sits facing the outside world. What makes this plot of land a nice place to live is not the house nor do the people make fond friends. What does draw visitors is that the tree topped hillside provides ample shade from the summer sun, allowing those who call it home to relax outside without fear of the sun toasting their skin.

    Alas, such a sight is lacking to behold for all the doors are closed and the single window is blocked by heavy blankets.

    The front door swings open to reveal Modolfr's thrall, Glaumar. A man of more than forty winters, Glaumar's build is slight and willowy as, though his flanks are secure, his hairline makes a hasty retreat to the back of his head.

    "What business do you, Barki Gunnvaldsson, have with my master?"

    "I am here to see the inside of Modolfr's skull, for I seek what little information he holds in his head." Keld's fur stiffens as he sinks into a ready stance, lips peeling back into a growl.

    Glaumar pales as he swallows, "I... I see. One moment, please, my master is sharing a drink with his foster-brother and will be out to see you soon enough."

    Barki narrows his eyes as Glaumar disappears behind the closing door. Modolfr has a foster-brother? Who could tha-

    The door swings open, slamming against the wall, as a pair of men come charging out with shields and weapons in hand.

    Barki jerks back in shock as he instinctively rips Sunning free and settles into a fighting stance, ready to meet Modolfr Jarnsson and his foster-brother, Adamaz the Hawk, on the field of battle.

    What do you do?
    [ ] Write in

    (-1 Ordstirr)
    0~0~0
    Enemies
    Modolfr:
    -Shield and axe, sax on his belt
    -No known kunna
    -Middling fighting skills
    -Physically inferior to Barki
    Adamaz:
    -Shield and spear with a sword on his hip. Helmet on his head.
    -Commands the wind using his wind kunna
    -As skilled with the spear as Barki is with the sword
    -Quicker on his feet than Barki is, but Barki has him beat in strength
    Observed Tactics:
    -They seem to be trying to overwhelm Barki and either kill or drive him away, the latter more than the former. Neither men have the wealth to afford paying the outlawgild, not without having a hard winter, so killing him isn't as good an option as it otherwise might be.
    Other Details:
    -Glaumar said that they had been drinking, could that be something to take advantage of?
    -Will Glaumar lend aid to his master?

    Circumstances
    Ground: Firm and at a slight slope favoring the attackers
    Sun: High overhead, few clouds
    Visibility: Clear, smoke rises from Stackdell's smoke-holes
    Rocks: None
    Trees: Few, most having been cleared to build Stackdell. The few left are on the top of the hill.
    0~0~0
    Ask questions as needed. You have a day or two to plan.

    No moratorium.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Oof, two guys, one of whom is as skilled as us in their favored weapon and with a formiddable kunna on top of it.

    How well do we fight on horseback? It's a significant advantage, but on the other hands, spears are a well known counter to horses.

    I will point out this doesn't need to be a fight to the death. Killing us here costs them wergild x3. We really just want information. That's something we can leverage, especially if we can create an opening and corner Modolfr.
     
    Hmmm. Whatever else we do, I think we should say outright we're here for information rather than a fight. The servant could have misrepresented what we said.

    From there, I think we probably want to disable Adamaz somehow and then try and leverage being better than Modolfr into getting him to tell us things rather than get stabbed. How we do that I'm less sure...maybe Keld can hold Modolfr off for a moment while we go hard at Adamaz? Or if Keld is too weak for that maybe leverage the terrain somehow? Hmmm.

    Actually, @I.F. Ister how well does our bloodline work through items? Could we, say, make something stick to our shield with it?
     
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    By the way, if anyone remembers the old NQ1 ranking system here's what everyone is on that scale


    Barki is Upper Middle
    Brothers were Lower Middle
    Keld is Upper Bottom

    Modolfr is Middle
    Adamaz is Upper Middle

    For anyone who hasn't then here's the relevant tiers.

    Upper Middle

    Middle

    Lower Middle

    Upper Bottom

    Bottom

    Lower Bottom

    Lmao
     
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    @I.F. Ister should Stacksdell be destroyed in this fight it would still count as a place of immunity, right?
    If yes: I would recommend that we take full advantage of our Grip-Bloodline tricks to ensure every attack they send our way damages their property.
    If not: Do it anyway cause fuck those dudes.

    Edit: Reasoning. This might dissuade Moldfr from simply attacking us every single time we come here. Even if it doesn't it'll be a point of embarrassment for him since he'll lose the prestige of his house and will have to spend a lot of time, resources, and money on the repair in addition to the triple-weregild owed to us. He's a greedy son of a bitch so will probably damage him a lot more.
     
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    At the moment my thinking is something like

    [] First, explain to the pair that you are here for answers, not vengeance - not today. If that doesn't dissuade them, tell Keld to send a barrage at Adamaz before ducking back behind the hill. Coordinate with Keld's attack with a flurry of Sword Intent and Mirage Sword Intent strikes to distract Adamaz and create an opening. While Adamaz is on the backfoot, use an aspect to leap and tackle Modolfr, with the intent of forcing him to yield and give up what he knows. If that doesn't work, try to deal a disabling wound to Modolfr and engage Adamaz, trying to close as soon as possible while trapping his spear with either your shield or bloodline, then get in close and disable him.
     
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    I really doubt they will listen or engage in diplomacy. I'd rather just cut their limbs off and then...pressure Modolfr for answers.
     
    weeblypanda said:
    I really doubt they will listen or engage in diplomacy. I'd rather just cut their limbs off and then...pressure Modolfr for answers.
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    The servant might easily have implied we're here to straight up kill him. I think trying to clear up any misunderstanding is worth a few words.

    KreenWarrior said:
    At the moment my thinking is something like

    [] First, explain to the pair that you are here for answers, not vengeance - not today. If that doesn't dissuade them, tell Keld to send a barrage at Adamaz before ducking back behind the hill, and combine it with a flurry of Sword Intent and Mirage Sword Intent strikes to create an opening. While he's busy with that, use an aspect to leap and tackle Modolfr, with the intent of forcing him to yield and give up what he knows. If that doesn't work, try to deal a disabling wound to Modolfr and engage Adamaz, trying to close as soon as possible while trapping his spear with either your shield or bloodline, then get in close and disable him.
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    That said, this worries me. Adamaz is faster than us with an option for ranged attack. I dunno if we can afford not to focus on him like this. He has a lot of opportunities to intervene and completely screw the plan up here.
     
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