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Meta Board => Retired PbP Games => Archive => [D&D 3.5] Mythic Sagas => Topic started by: ksbsnowowl on January 23, 2014, 10:09:27 PM

Title: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 23, 2014, 10:09:27 PM
The spellcasters begin this chill morning by preparing their spells for the day while the others ration out some of the salted meat and mushrooms that you took from Litr's kitchen.  Finishing his preparations for the day, Bjartr begins to absently chew on a piece of salted meat as he searches about for where the human-skin scroll had been placed.  He chokes a bit on the meat, trying to finish with it too quickly so he can cast his spell and learn what was written in the odd pidgin language.

He casts his spell and reads the faded note on the stiff leather scroll, a slight look of confusion on his face.  Looking up to see some of you watching him, he turns his eyes back to the page and reads it aloud.  "'Breed furiously.  One day you and your children will be needed and rewarded.'  It's signed 'Quinixar.'  What kind of name is that?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 23, 2014, 10:19:57 PM
Skulda says "I don't know, but it is a name, and that is at least something to go on... I will ask the spirits about this name, when the eyes of the bird are not needed for scouting.

Ah, it is so good to see the sun again. I feel the darkness of the cave washing off of me, finally." She finishes cheerfully.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 24, 2014, 10:05:02 AM
Agni follows Skulda's comment.

"Aye. Not that I feel like the darkness was clinging to me, but it is good to be outside."

Then he inquires Bjartr.

"That's the message written in there? That... doesn't mean anything to me. Any ideas?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on January 24, 2014, 10:07:24 AM
Einar shakes his head.  What kind of man would write a letter to trolls encouraging them to breed? 

Finished with breaking his own fast, he says "We should leave soon, we need to catch up with the caravan."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 24, 2014, 11:33:22 AM
Skulda says "We can try... " and sends her bird of and upward to scout ahead and get a "bird's eye view" of the trail, to see if she can get a glimpse of the caravan ahead. She sends it before the casters have prepared their spells for the day, so that it can get some extra flying time in.
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: dna1 on January 24, 2014, 12:23:58 PM
"Hmm.. sounds like someone is breeding up an Army." Hymir ponders for a moment. "Where have I heard that name before?..." He lets his question hang in the air as he racks his brain for anything he might know.


Quote from: dna1 on January 24, 2014, 12:21:08 PM
((I'm going to add in the additional 3 ranks I'm going to pump into my character as soon as I update it. (should be soon) ))
(http://www.minmaxboards.com/Themes/Thing/images/dice_warn.gif) This dice roll has been tampered with!
bardic knowledge for Quinixar 1d20+14 : 10 + 14, total 24
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on January 24, 2014, 02:07:17 PM
"It sounds like advice you would give a man, Hymir." Thorgrim said. The warrior wondered 'Perhaps it's time I made some children. About ten would be good.'

He looked to Einar. "I had a dream friend. I think...I may have awakened my fury."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: dna1 on January 25, 2014, 01:44:38 PM
" Hahahaaa.. actually your right. It's eerily similar to the positive affirmations I tell my self everyone morning when I wake. " He cracks a smile before going back to a rather serious look. " Hmmm... I've never heard the name Quinixar before, but its very reminiscent of names I know of from nearly-forgotten tales.  All those names belonged to fiends.  Most of the tales that mention them deal with their ravaging of Midgard, and their eventual binding into the stonehenge circles that dot the globe. "
Hymir gives a concerned look to his friends.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 25, 2014, 04:13:48 PM
"I agree with Einar," Bjartr says.  "Even as slow as the caravan was going, with them a day ahead of us, without horses it will take us a while to catch up."  In response to Hymir's insight on the scroll's signature he says, "well, a fiend's name might make sense.  Didn't Agni say that tanarukk have fiendish blood?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 26, 2014, 08:13:55 PM
Skulda thinks for a moment, then says "If we could find a graveyard, or a site sacred to Hel, I could get us all horses to ride for the day, with saddles, if catching up is our main priority.

I could also examine the items we got off the dwarf, and giant, to try and determine more precisely their exact dweomers."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 27, 2014, 07:30:06 AM
"I say we move as we are for now and you can work on the items when we stop later. Should we find a graveyard on the way, the better..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: dna1 on January 28, 2014, 11:22:19 AM
" Hmm.. I'm certain there was a small graveyard around here somewhere. " Hymir spoke slowly as he was mentally recalling tales and storys of the local area.


((terribad rolls.
Quote from: dna1 on January 28, 2014, 11:20:12 AM
(http://www.minmaxboards.com/Themes/Thing/images/dice_warn.gif) This dice roll has been tampered with!
Bardic Knowledge 1d20+14 : 1 + 14, total 15
(http://www.minmaxboards.com/Themes/Thing/images/dice_warn.gif) This dice roll has been tampered with!
Knowledge Local 1d20+8 : 2 + 8, total 10
Trying to recall any graveyards nearby ))
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 30, 2014, 02:22:57 AM
Bjartr sneers a bit at Skulda's mention of wanting to find a holy site of Hel.  Woe be unto any sickly soul who falls into her care, he thinks to himself.  Trying to be of help, and steer his traveling companion away from the lady of the dead, he thinks back and plucks out a tidbit that may prove useful.
"There were some battles in this area several hundred years ago.  If my teachers were correct, the people of one side of that war preferred interring their dead, rather than burning them.  With a little luck, we might see some barrow mounds from the road, as we continue on."

Skulda's raven flies ahead of you, through the forest down the slope toward the road.  As it approaches the site of the butchered horse, she notices there is a figure standing in the road, inspecting the grizzly scene.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 30, 2014, 08:15:18 AM
Skulda says "There's company ahead. One figure, looking over the place where the trolls attacked Moeid's family." She directs the bird to fly in a bit closer, so she can get a better look at this person (race, age, easy to read emotions, holy symbols, weapons, etc).
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 30, 2014, 08:28:06 AM
Agni smiles wryly.

"Great. All we need now is more trouble. Is it a tanarukk, Skulda?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 31, 2014, 11:08:18 AM
Skulda moves the magical raven in for a closer look, and to her relief, she sees that it is a somewhat exotic looking woman, perhaps coming from the darker Rashemi stock, or from some unknown land. She is slim, and has almond eyes and brunette hair. She is dressed in exquisite dark clothing, and a pale leather cloak. On the inside of the cloak, you notice little white blocks, each in its own little half pouch. She moves breathlessly along the ground, stirring an uneasy feeling about her as she looks up and sets eyes upon the raven.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 31, 2014, 12:37:41 PM
"Looks like a human woman, but a bit unusual. It's hard to say more. Let's go introduce ourselves."

The raven lands on the corpse of the horse and begins picking at a bit of flesh, stirring up a cloud of flies.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on January 31, 2014, 12:42:24 PM
Einar shakes his head.  "Too many unusual things happening, I don't like this."  He follows along willingly enough however.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 31, 2014, 02:01:16 PM
"Maybe this woman knows what happened with the caravan? Also, if she's trouble, we deal with it accordingly...."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 01, 2014, 05:45:02 AM
"Agreed." Thorgrim, the sturdy seven-and-a-half foot tall barbarian said. "If it's but a lone woman, then we have nothing to fear."

She certainly can't be any stranger than Hergierr's mother. he thinks to himself.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 01, 2014, 10:10:19 AM
Skulda just smirks but doesn't say anything. She thinks to her self Men... only know how to think with their muscles.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 04, 2014, 10:48:57 AM
A few minutes later the hike down to the road nears its end, and you can make out the upturned cart on the south side of the hardpack.  The woman appears to have left, but Skulda had previously watched her cautiously hide behind a tree and some scrub upon hearing your group moving toward her through the forest.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 04, 2014, 11:15:38 AM
As they near the wagon, the raven flies over and alights on Skulda's shoulder, and she says loudly while turning towards where she knows the girl/lady is hiding "It's OK, Dear. You can come out. We know you're there, but we won't hurt you."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 06, 2014, 12:34:53 PM
you see a beautiful looking woman step out from the shadows, her strange cloak swirling around as she moves. after confidentially appraising you all for a second, she speaks.

why, hello, what do we have here?
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 06, 2014, 01:05:12 PM
"Tired travelers that got separated from their caravan due to troll attack." Agni replies. "We actually managed to spot you on our way here and then we decided to see if you could help us... We are looking for the caravan's whereabouts... it was heading to Eyrrinberg. Saw anything?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 08, 2014, 12:47:44 AM
Looking at each of your faces intently, stopping longer on that of Thorgrim, and then answers Agni I haven't seen the caravan that your are asking about, but i was.told it was farther east waves a hand farther down the road.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 08, 2014, 01:44:36 PM
A short, lithe woman with a snow leopard following her steps forward and offers her hand, which is covered by a black glove which twinkles in places as if studded with tiny stars. As she pulls her goggles up, you see that her green eyes are slightly almond shaped, and tilted inward, and you can just make out the points of her ears behind her golden hair. She says "I am Skulda. Pleased to meet you. The road can be a dangerous place for lone travelers. Would you like to go with us while we try and catch up with the caravan? That is... if we're heading in the same direction."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 11, 2014, 01:13:05 AM
The woman is indeed headed in your direction, and falls in with your group as you resume your march east.  The day passes slowly as you plod along the road, passing a few scattered farms; Moeid glanced longingly at one of those farms as you approached it, but quickly jerked her eyes forward and continued on stoically until it had fallen well behind you.  When asked about the farm she said only that she intended to head to Eyrrinberg with the rest of you.

Questions asked at farms you pass tell you that the caravan passed by the day before, or that they camped in the farm yard and set out early that morning.  You find signs of their camps, coming upon the first late the first day; a bit more than an hour before you were planning to stop.  The next day you find their camp a bit sooner, and the third day sooner still, around noon.  You can tell they are pushing themselves longer than they had been before your absence, and each night they have camped at a farm, not on the open road.  Each day you continue past these farms, inching ever closer to the caravan that had left you behind, and finding farms of your own at which to request a night's rest.  With an hour's work from some of you, chopping wood or stacking hay, the farmers are fairly accommodating, allowing you to sleep in their barn, or even in their own house.

Late on the fifth day of travel Skulda finally spots something she had been hoping to find much earlier:  three large earthen mounds on the south side of the road.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 08:41:18 AM
"Praise Hel! Maybe I can finally call us some horses. Agni, come with me. The rest of you go on. We'll catch up." Skulda barks, dropping her typical honeyed tone and speaking as if she just expects everyone to follow her orders unquestioningly. Not even looking to see if the others listen, she crouches next to the graveyard and starts drawing out a circle on the ground with crushed chalk.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on February 11, 2014, 09:39:37 AM
Einar shrugs and continues on ahead, Skulda has proven that she knows what she is doing.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 10:32:15 AM
As the others pass on out of view up the road, Skulda finishes her binding circle and sits cross-legged in front of it, but instead of going through the ritual summoning that Agni saw before, she begins to heave and retch, and eventually leans over and vomits forth what looks like black feathers mixed with black, caustic smoke. The swirl of smoke and feathers pours forth from her, but instead of blowing away in the light wind, it is sucked into the middle of the binding circle and vanishes.

When it is finally over, she sits up, visibly shaken and sweating, then moves over to another nearby site and begins drawing a second circle. At first, it looks the same, but after looking more carefully, Agni notices that the symbols which ring it are distinctly different. Then, in a slightly cracked voice, Skulda says "Come, Scion of Hel, Emerald One. I have need of your grace, and skill. I have made the proper signs in deference to your Mistress. Come, and taste the World again."

Abruptly the symbols within the circle begin to glow, and a black, swirling vortex forms in the center. Then silently and slowly, a figure rises from its center: a beautiful woman, in the ritualistic robes of a Priestess of Hel, her eyes glowing like emeralds in the sun. Wordlessly she points at Skulda with a hand ending in fingernails that look like ruby-tipped claws and then she vanishes in a flash, leaping into Skulda's body.

Skulda lurches backward and shudders, and then opens her eyes. The most obvious change is that her left eye now glows with the same green that the Green Lady's eyes glowed with, but the countenance of her face has also subtly changed. She stands with a deliberateness of her motions that is not typical of her, and says to Agni "Come, let us catch up with our comrades. Help me mount." and with a flourish of her wrist a horse appears, complete with saddle and bridle. She holds her other hand out expectantly towards Agni.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 11, 2014, 02:19:34 PM
Agni watches the scene silently, but can't stop thinking.

Quite different from last time... And I guess something is off... As if the spirit took over Skulda's body....

Then, when Skulda asks for his help, "As you wish... ma'am. And while we are away from the group... Are you still Skulda, or the entity that I just saw?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 03:54:33 PM
The woman says haughtily "Of course I'm still Skulda." and grumbles something about foolishness and men under her breath.

After about a minute has passed, she summons another horse for Agni.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 11, 2014, 04:10:23 PM
Agni mounts the horse summoned by Skulda and continues talking.

"I apologize. I did not want to offend you... But, I feel something about you has changed... And it happened right after that lady spirit entered your body. She saw it too..." Says Agni looking at the space where his "companion" is. "That's why I thought that spirit was controlling your body, or something..."

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 04:59:52 PM
Skulda, a bit more like herself, says "No, she is not controlling me... but I do admit that she might be influencing me a bit... Expelling the first spirit left me a bit weak... and she took advantage of it, gaining a bit more of a hold on me than I'd normally like."

After a moment, she says "Nothing to be alarmed of, though. I am still fully in control, when it comes down to it. It's just my emotions that are a bit altered... somewhat like looking through a colored glass."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 11, 2014, 05:56:06 PM
"For a second I thought something went wrong... Good to know you did not lose your mind. By the way... do you realize something is wrong yourself or only when someone mentions it?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 08:50:08 PM
"I can tell... but it is difficult to fight it. Possible, but there is a price... Each time I resist her urgings, I am weakened a bit until she leaves me. The influence of most spirits only impacts me in minor ways, and many times the binding is tighter. So I needn't worry about it at all. But some of them are stronger, and odder... This one is not so bad. She was once a mortal Priestess of Hel. Some of the others I am sure were never mortal..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 11, 2014, 09:24:05 PM
".... and what a Priestess of Hel did to end like that? Some kind of punishment from the Goddess herself?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 11, 2014, 09:31:35 PM
"I am not totally sure. Even she has been dead for so long that she's forgotten by all but a small cult devoted to her. I think she was tricked and betrayed by a creature from Niflheim who called himself the Green God. She died in the Cairn Hills, shortly after bargaining with it. More I do not know."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 12, 2014, 03:17:22 AM
Skulda and Agni's conversation drops off as they see the rest of the party ahead on the road. "I see you weren't joking about the horses," Bjartr says, a bit surprised.  "Too bad the day is nearly played out; dusk will be upon us in less than an hour."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 12, 2014, 06:49:32 AM
"Then might as well move while it's still bright... One hour in horses is quite a bit more distance than out feet can cover."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 12, 2014, 08:32:19 AM
"We can ride these horses full gallop and not worry about having to put them away at night. I think we should try to catch the caravan, even if it means riding after dark a bit."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 12, 2014, 01:03:42 PM
It must be done to catch the caravan, let's be off then. mentally startled by the unusual show of witchcraft from her now companion.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 12, 2014, 02:17:39 PM
Over the next few minutes Skulda summons enough mounts for the entire party, and you make use of the remaining daylight, galloping* for nearly an hour.  The sun falls below the horizon, and the twilight of dusk seems to enhance the green glow of Skulda's left eye.  About five minutes after the sun sinks below the southwestern horizon, you see a farm with several familiar wagons circled in the yard.  The workers hobbling the horses for the night wear a look of surprise at seeing you arrive through the opening in the low turf wall separating the farm from the road, and one stops what he is doing and hurries over to the longhouse.  Ospak emerges a few moments later, a broad smile lighting on his face, and his arms held up wide in happy amazement before he claps his hands together. "We had given you up for dead! I'm happy to see that we were wrong.  When you did not return we feared the worst, and the few men I sent to check the next morning, well, they said they only found a cave filled with troll corpses..."

"We pushed ourselves hard each day, traveling as fast and far as we possibly could; losing you like that was a bad omen.  Though it seems you've returned just in time to strengthen everyone else' spines.  This farm is disturbing; it seems abandoned.  We've not seen anyone since we arrived, and the hearth was cold.  There are no farm animals around either," he says as he glances around the trees and fields that surround the house.


*hustling at 120 feet per round.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 12, 2014, 03:17:44 PM
Agni replies to Ospak, a wry smile appearing halfway in his face.

"Good to see you are all fine and well... Although I wonder if our meeting in an abandoned farm would be 'good'."

Then he approaches Skulda and whispers to her.

"Do you have anything that could help here? Could you look for spirits or something?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on February 12, 2014, 04:53:39 PM
Einar chuckles.  "And of course you waited to take a look until the true warriors arrived."  He smiles warmly, it is plain that his words are just a small jest.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 12, 2014, 08:10:11 PM
Skulda replies to Agni "I will check to see if there are hidden spirits about. You and Einar come with me."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 14, 2014, 09:53:29 AM
Skulda opens her senses and walks around the farm.  First the small shack off the side of the longhouse, where the animals would have been kept; it lies empty with moldering hay on the floor.  The longhouse itself doesn't look lived in; what food stores were found have evidence of spoilage and rodents.  No spirits are detected; perhaps the farm is merely abandoned.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on February 14, 2014, 10:10:34 AM
Einar follows along, hand on the haft of his spear, as he looks around for any signs of danger.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 14, 2014, 10:14:41 AM
After Skulda checks the surroundings, Agni says "So... The answer is 'Ospak is scared'? Maybe we should just keep watch for tonight and move as soon as possible tomorrow."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 14, 2014, 12:51:23 PM
After arriving, he apologed to the caravan leader for their absence and explaining that they were delayed by a small cave-in - which, in a sense, was not far from the truth. Then Thorgrim did what any self-respecting barbarian guard would do and did a search of the premises for signs or danger or alcohol. He searched each of the buildings separately from the others, looking for signs of a struggle: blood stains or doors that look that they may have been forced open. He would be happy to find none. Perhaps some sickness had claimed the livestock and the farmers had chosen to leave? It was not wise to let so many untrained in the art of battle rest here without some clue of what had happened.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 14, 2014, 06:02:52 PM
so you know these people?
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 14, 2014, 08:44:37 PM
After scanning the area, Skulda tells Thane to Seek  (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/handleAnimal.htm)(command in Elven).
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 16, 2014, 04:21:01 PM
Thorgrim's thorough search turns up nothing dangerous, aside from a clay tankard with a cork that exudes a pungent sour odor when opened.  Thane's seeking turns up some more information; his attention eventually focuses upon something out in one of the hay fields, and his attentions there draw Skulda and the rest of you.

Hidden from view by the tall grass is a scattering of bones; probably a pony or small horse.  The bones have been mostly picked clean.  This hay field is two different heights; that to the northeast is less than knee high, while that to the southwest, between the longhouse and the bones, is mid-thigh in height.  Some of the other fields nearby to the home appear to have had other crops: barley or rye, beans, and onions, though all had been harvested, and had not yet become overgrown with weeds.  Whatever happened here must have occurred since harvest season in late August.

In answer to the question from their new traveling companion, Bjartr says "The farmers?  No, we don't know them.  At least, I don't.  This is the caravan we had been traveling with, however.  Well, some of us, at least."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 16, 2014, 05:11:17 PM
"Whatever harm has come, it has since moved on, it seems. Given the flatness of the land, this place seems very defensible - we should rest while it is still dark." Thorgrim said. Flat land was indeed a boon; should anything approach, it could be spotted from a safe distance. "Rune casters should get full rest. I propose two watches. I will take the first. I will whistle loudly should I require assistance."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 16, 2014, 05:49:25 PM
Skulda says caustically "And what of those who cast without runes? Are we to dance all night?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 16, 2014, 05:51:55 PM
"Sorry." Thorgrim said, scratching his head. "Force of habit. You may dance if you don't need rest for your spells."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 16, 2014, 05:54:59 PM
She turns with a Hmmph sound to look for a place to rest for the night.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 16, 2014, 06:10:54 PM
"I can tank the last round of watch if needed."

And with this Agni goes to rest for the night.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 16, 2014, 09:08:41 PM
Assured there is nothing to worry about, the caravan drivers fire up the hearth in the longhouse and begin cooking the evening meal as the twilight fades outside.  The hearth is fairly long, and they leave room for those not in the employ of Ospak to cook their own meals.

As you eat your meals Ospak and the others ask about the trolls you fought; how many were there, did they regenerate or not, did you save the two new women from them?  They leave the more grizzly questions unasked, and soon turn to other matters; two of the drivers pull out a hnefatafl board and set to playing a game by the light of the fire.  The house isn't large, but there is enough space that you can all sleep against the walls in the sitting position, which is typical of the Norse.

Conversations continue for a few hours, and the house slowly quiets as people drop off to sleep, while the guards take their turns watching the chill night from outside, beneath the late-rising waning gibbous moon.  Your rest is uninterrupted, aside from turns at watch, and as the first dawn light brushes the horizon you are all woken to begin warming leftovers from last nights' meal, and prepare the horses and wagons for the day.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 16, 2014, 09:20:43 PM
Skulda spends the evening trying to determine the nature of the items they got off the dwarf and giant, asking for help from the other casters as needed.

(click to show/hide)

Before nodding off, she discusses what they might expect to see on their trip the next day, and tries to decide which spirits to call upon the next day.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 16, 2014, 11:24:43 PM
After studying the array of magic items, Skulda is only able to decipher the properties of two of them.  Litr's ring protects against sword blows and the like, while the small ceramic bead that Bjartr found carries the power of the sun, and will shed its light when shattered.

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Ospak answers Skulda's quesions, letting her know that the road continues on as it has, through a mix of leafy and pine forest, though most of the leafy trees were pretty bare by now.  Trolls have been known to live in the forest south of this road, and occasionally raid farms.  The farms should be getting more regular the closer they get to Eyrrinberg; by the end of your travels tomorrow, the farms should all start to be within sight of each other, with no more than a mile of forest between each group of fields.  Even slowing the pace of the caravan a bit, you all should make it to Eyrrinberg by evening the day after tomorrow.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 17, 2014, 09:04:35 AM
Skulda calls the spirits that she wants for the day (prepares spells), and then after breakfast summons a horse for herself. "Anyone else want a horse for the day?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on February 17, 2014, 10:10:32 AM
Einar catches Thorgrim's eye and motions towards Skulda as he says, "I'm not sure how I feel about riding spirit horses."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 17, 2014, 07:14:30 PM
"If it's not too much trouble, I would like one, ma'am." Agni says while bowing somewhat exaggeratedly in a feeble attempt to look noble, when he notices Skulda is still affected by the lady spirit he saw last night.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 18, 2014, 09:30:39 AM
Skulda summons another horse and says "Let's be off, then. If anyone else decides they want a horse, speak up."

In much the same tone, she says to the cat  "Come, Thane."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 18, 2014, 01:38:30 PM
after silently watching the others, Three finally speaks softly of course, i'll take a horse
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 18, 2014, 01:40:52 PM
To Einar he answers in low voice, "I have seen Hathran do strange things as well, and they work with the spirits of the land." He wondered for a moment if Skulda wasn't similar in any way. She seemed rather interested in spirits - surely she deals with them from time to time. He shook his head. "The sword does not question the ways of the arrow if they seek the same heart. All we need know is that she has proven to be our ally."

To Skulda's offer he shook his head. "No need. At this pace I can walk all day."

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 18, 2014, 03:16:51 PM
yes, that is a form of magic that i have never see before.... very interesting
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 18, 2014, 03:20:24 PM
Skulda summons a horse for the newcomer and says "It is a common spell."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 21, 2014, 07:38:42 AM
"It may be a common spell, it may be interesting, but it is still useful anyway. Now, let us make haste to our destination."

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 22, 2014, 02:41:08 PM
yes, lets get moving
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 22, 2014, 03:55:17 PM
Skulda summons horses for those interested, and the caravan gets under way shortly after the sun rises above the horizon.  Lacking Skulda's raven for scouting, your group rides out ahead of the caravan, covering about two miles before turning back until the caravan was once again in sight, and one of you waved an arm indicating that all was well.

On your next scout you pass the next farm, noticing goats in a wicker pen and smoke coming from the smoke hole in the roof.  You enter the yard and a middle-aged man exits the home with some tools, and asks if he can help you.  When you ask about the abandoned farm, he tells you that a troll attack a couple months back killed the older landowner and one of his horses, as well as all his goats.  His wife had been visiting another farm at the time, but didn't want to live there by herself any more.  She was now living at a farm a few miles away, down a smaller road to the north, with her sister's family.  She had taken what she could along with her, and was planning to sell the farm in the spring.

You continue scouting back and forth, passing a few more farms with men working in their yards, chopping wood under the clear sky in preparation for the coming winter.  Though today's weather is nice, reaching the low-40's after just a few hours of sunlight, freezing nights will be upon the region soon.

After about three hours of your staggered travel you start to notice that there is no movement at the farms you pass, from either men or beasts.  The homes look well-kept, the split logs stacked in piles show the paleness of recently-split wood, not the weathered brown of fully-cured splits.  There is just no one around.

A quick check of the next farm you pass shows there is fresh hay stacked in piles on the far side of the longhouse, but the fires are cold, there are very little supplies left in the home, and there is no sign of any people or livestock around.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 22, 2014, 10:54:54 PM
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"Hmm... how odd... more abandoned farms. We really need to find out what's going on here."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 23, 2014, 08:56:23 AM
Agni frowns, looks at his sister's spirit, then says "We may be paranoid here, but we think the tanarukk are involved somehow. Let me consult something first..." The man then casts a spell that grants him greater insight regarding this matter.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 26, 2014, 12:56:08 AM
Despite Agni's hunch, nothing of note comes to mind, and you all continue your trek ahead of the caravan.  You range out three quarters of a mile, then return, putting the caravan in sight, then gallop forward again, working the summoned beasts nearly as hard as you can.

The farms become more regular and nearly constant, with the fields of one farm separated from the next by a relatively narrow line of forest.  Just yesterday there might have been a few miles of forest separating some of the farms.  All the farms you pass seem similarly abandoned.  The wicker pens of some have been smashed through, or charred nubs of the wicker uprights arranged in a circle are all that remain of some of the pens.  You notice items dropped upon the road, or left in farm yards; things either deemed too heavy, or discarded as unimportant.  Beside the road you come upon a weaving loom, still bearing its half-finished work; the loom was made with nails rather than removable pegs, and would have been quite an unwieldy thing to move without a wagon.

Midday passes and you continue to see uninhabited and abandoned farms.  Your own thoughts start to bother you as you contemplate what might have happened to everyone.  You approach yet another empty farm, note the lack of people or activity, and put your eyes back on the road.  Most of you do, anyway.  Einar and Skulda notice the glint of arrowheads in the underbrush, and act instinctively before those arrows are loosed.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 26, 2014, 01:26:27 PM
Skulda screams "AMBUSH! Archers in the trees!" and quickly causes the plants around the archers at the fallen tree to rise up and grapple them.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on February 26, 2014, 08:12:43 PM
Seeing that Skulda is covering one flank, Einar goes after the others.  He attempts to hop off of his horse but his discomfort with the animal's nature makes his dismount take more time than he wanted.


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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 27, 2014, 01:20:46 AM
The entangled tanarukk nearest the roots takes a wild shot at Einar, while the other two each launch an arrow at Agni.  The two tanarukk closest to Einar kept their arrows trained on target, also firing at Agni, while the one furthest to the west jerks to its right and sends its arrow at the threatening dismounted blond figure.  The arrows whistle through the leaves, and one arrow glances off of Agni's armor, but all the others fly wide of their targets, expending the trolls' advantage in a wasted effort.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on February 27, 2014, 03:36:56 AM
Three lets out a piercing shriek and curls her hands, like claws towards each of the nearby tanarrukk.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 28, 2014, 09:37:40 AM
Since the archers seem like bad shots, and those big dogs look more dangerous, Skulda decides to go after one along with an archer. The orange-lensed glasses she wears glow briefly and what looks like a comet streaks out of them, striking the ground between the dog and archer.
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 14, 2014, 09:09:37 PM
Three's force missiles strike their targets, though the middle one seems completely unfazed.  The other two jolted with the concussion of the hits, however.

Skulda's fireball erupts with a low hwump, singeing the flesh of both the troll and the large wolf to varying degrees, and setting fire to the dry and dying foliage of the fallen tree.  With a yelp of pain the large wolf ends its complacent stance; it and its companion from across the road leap to their feet and move to engage you, growling and howling as they begin to move.


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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on March 14, 2014, 09:22:21 PM
Einar rushes towards the nearest troll, drawing his sword and slicing at it as soon as he is within range.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 14, 2014, 11:59:53 PM
Einar's blade bites into the troll's left flank.  His eyes widen as a shriek of pain exits his tusked mouth, and he drops his bow from his now-useless left hand.  His sallow complexion pales to a lighter shade of yellow as dark blood flows down his injured arm, dipping off his elbow as he gingerly cradles the forearm with his right hand.

Bjartr wrestles with his horse's reins, bringing his mount under control, despite Skulda's uncontrolled horse trying to run through his own, then taps a rune carved upon his spear haft, and loudly prays a benediction (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-champion--57/benediction--582/) over Thorgrim.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on March 15, 2014, 01:12:53 PM
Seeing the threat upon them, Agni decides to dismount the normal way to avoid falling.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 18, 2014, 12:49:03 AM
The tanarukk on the west edge of the entanglement pulls himself free of the grasping vines and takes cover behind the root bulb that was pulled up when the now-burning tree fell.  The one near the middle of the fallen tree's trunk seems to have miraculously evaded the grasping plants, and carefully picks his way toward the west edge, though his short legs prevent him from fully exiting their grasp.  The northern-most troll standing in the midst of the growing inferno laughs and dances his hands through the flames, though he drops his bow as the bowstring catches fire and snaps.

The tanarukk grievously wounded by Einar tries to morph its whimper of pain into a ferocious growl as he draws his battleaxe and swings at the blond barbarian, adding force as best he can with the aid of his injured left arm.  His cry of effort seems to have aided him, as he strikes the human across the chest.  Meanwhile the two southern trolls loose arrows from their bows before moving toward the road, aiming at Agni and Bjartr; the first arrow glances off an unseen force, while the second misses entirely.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on March 18, 2014, 03:53:31 PM
Thorgrim, seeing that the archers to the North will be hard to reach and seeing Einar make his way to the archers to the South, notices the wolf ahead of him in the road. He carefully dismounts from the horse and moves forward towards the wolf while drawing his fang. The creatures whose way of fighting he and his lodge-mates had emulated...he would prove this day who the Alpha Wolf in these parts truly was.

He drew upon his adrenaline and stood his ground against the wolf, a fierce expression on his face. "Grrrrr...." was all he said as his eyes met the wolf from beneath the bear head that he wore over his head, its metal fangs shimmering in the sunlight while his own fang stood ready to pierce the creature's neck if it dared to approach....

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on March 19, 2014, 12:29:07 AM
Waves her hands slightly, speaking in whispers. Suddenly an ominous rumble vibrates from Three's body.

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points to the now friendly ones, if any, and shouts to everyone don't attack them!
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on March 19, 2014, 08:24:30 AM
Anticipating the wolves to close with Thorgrim, Skulda tries to time her next spell to hit them but not her ally.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 19, 2014, 08:51:41 PM
The wounded tanarukk in front of Einar does not seem ensorcelled by the new woman traveling with your group, nor does the middle one to the south, but the one toward the back of your party quivers slightly, holding out a hand as if trying to prevent his nearest companion from continuing his approach toward Three.

The wolves rush forward to meet Thorgrim, the one down the road charging straight for the warrior.  Thorgrim's ready stance meets the wolf, first burying his fang into the large canine's chest, then ripping the blade to the right, toward the next foe, cutting a deep gash across the first one's neck.  It falls to the dirt road with a thud, bright red blood staining the white fur of its neck.  Seeing its companion dispatched so quickly, the second wolf stops short, its growl and glare daring the warrior to come closer.  At that moment Skulda's fireball erupts near the dirt path branching to the south, catching both wolves in its flames.  The conscious one howls as the the smell of burned fur reaches Thorgrim's nose.

A second explosion in front of the skittish horses sends many of them into a panic.  Skulda just barely misses a hoof to the head as her horse turns and bolts back toward the west.  The other uncontrolled horses rear up and look as if they are about to bolt as well.  Meanwhile the raging flame in the fallen tree's foliage spreads, and a large from emerges from the farmhouse to the south, and begins making its way to the battle.


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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on March 19, 2014, 11:47:49 PM
Einar sees the large form through the undergrowth and perks up.  It looks to be a troll, and large trolls always make for the most enjoyable fights.  He then turns his attention back to the foe at hand, taking advantage of an opening left in its swing.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 20, 2014, 11:55:14 AM
Einar's large blade sweeps past the tanarukk's axe, cleaving the demonic troll's head from its shoulders.  Einar moves toward the large troll, who bares his teeth in a grimacing snarl at your approach.

Einar's horse finishes its rearing turn, slams its hooves back to the hardpack, and bolts toward the west, buffeting past Agni, Three, and Thane.  After it passes, Bjartr decides to stop fighting his frightened horse, and dismounts, though without a lot of grace.  As his horse also bolts off, he orders Geirr to engage the tanarukk north of the road, then brings his attention back to how best to help his comrades.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on March 20, 2014, 01:39:41 PM
After being struck by the horse, Agni moves towards the north and through the bushes.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 20, 2014, 08:52:34 PM
A tanarukk steps out from behind the mass of roots, takes cover behind a small tree, and looses an arrow at Geirr, who lets out a whimper as the arrow just barely misses its mark, but still places a hole through his upper front leg, bloodying his gray coat.
The other tanarukk hiding behind the roots does not emerge, and grunts of effort can be heard from back there, as well as from the middle of the now-raging inferno at the top end of the fallen tree.

The tanarukk to the south launches an arrow toward the frightening new woman as he moves northeast, the frightened and friendly tanarukk trailing behind with his hand extended, muttering a placating phrase in Giant.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on March 21, 2014, 02:52:09 PM
Thorgrim maneuvers around the first wolf, choosing a position that will keep the second's attention away from his comrades. He notices the large troll behind the wolf and is momentarily worried he would face both creatures at once. But then he notices Einar's approach and all concern vanishes as his fang swings towards the wolf...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on March 21, 2014, 03:18:24 PM
Glowers down at the two ogre-like creatures in front of her, snarls and shouts begone yee devils!

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 21, 2014, 03:42:33 PM
The waiting wolf unleashes a cold north wind from its jaws as soon as Thorgrim comes in range, crusting Thorgrim's flesh in a bit of frost.  The chill does not dampen his attack, however, and his fang wounds the wolf, knocking it to the ground.  Meanwhile, two of the remaining horses finish their rearing and bucking, and pound their hooves into the dirt as they sprint down the road to the west, clipping Skulda's prone form with their hooves as they pass.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on March 23, 2014, 03:08:24 PM
Cursing the reckless horse that stepped on her leg, Skulda stands up and moves closer to the action, enchanting the stones she picked up along the way in preparation for an attack.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 23, 2014, 10:24:07 PM
The large troll skirts the edge of the thicket to get closer to Einar before trudging through the undergrowth to swipe a claw at the Rashemi berserker.  Luckily he misses entirely, and Einar notes its skin is an unusual hue; a darker shade of green, with a tinge of darker red or purple undertones.  It breathes in deeply, then jerks its head in disgust; Einar can catch a faint whiff of burned fur on the light breeze.

The two tanarukk near Three seem in awe of her presence, one of them in such awe that it appears it might turn and flee.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on March 24, 2014, 12:05:29 AM
Einar lunges through the undergrowth as deftly as he can, his pulse pounding in his ears as a grin appears on his face.  Finally, an opponent worth facing against! 

Using the momentum of his rushing forward to his advantage, Einar swings his sword in an upward arc hoping to disembowel the beast in one fell blow.  He lets out a shout of triumph as he does, a part of his mind wondering if Thorgrim's battle lust is rubbing off on him.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 26, 2014, 12:01:28 PM
The troll reacts to Einar's lunge, dragging its sharp claws across the man's face before the large blade strikes home.  Einar's blade bites deep, cutting a vicious wound in the troll's shoulder; it screams in pain, grabbing the blade and shoving it out of the way, careless of the lacerations the action places on its hand*.

A bright eruption of energy strikes downward at an angle from in front of the foliage above Einar's head.  The bolt strikes Thorgrim's shoulder, damaging the flesh below his armor.  A bare-chested ugly female troll flies in the air where the bolt of energy originated, cackling in glee that her magic struck its target.

Bjartr rushes forward, trying to place himself in the midst of all his companions.  His thumb rubs another rune on his spear haft, and chants a blessing to aid his friends in their battle.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on March 26, 2014, 09:33:10 PM
Agni keeps moving towards the trolls near the tree.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 27, 2014, 12:02:49 PM
Agni follows Bjartr's wolf as it advances, seeing it sink its teeth into the tanarukk's leg.  The tanarukk snarls back and draws its axe from his belt, but only succeeds in scratching the dirt with his blade.  The two entangled tanarukk continue their fruitless struggles, while the frightened tanarukk flees from Three, and the last tanarukk gazes at her with a look of frightened love, still muttering things to his frightened companion in giant.

The winter wolf at Thorgrim's feet, seeing no other option before it, attempts to stand, but Thorgrim's fang is quick, and cuts a deep, fountaining wound into the creature's neck, the blade stopping only after striking bone.  The large wolf stops struggling and collapses back to the road.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on March 27, 2014, 09:39:20 PM
Thorgrim is satisfied when he sees the wolf fall. He then spots his friend up against two trolls, one of which seemed to disdain gravity. He moves over to assist.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 28, 2014, 09:27:28 AM
The mighty jotun-blooded warrior upends the troll with a mighty swipe to its legs, then follows through with a limb slicing backstroke.  In the carnage you note a single finger that was lopped off, and is wriggling through the leaves beside the troll's ass.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on March 28, 2014, 05:37:17 PM
moves back onto the road, then smoothly draws her longbow and fires at the trollwife in the air

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 29, 2014, 11:49:19 AM
Three's smooth draw finds a gap in the coniferous foliage, and her arrow strikes true, piercing the trollwife's leg, causing her to shriek in pain.  Perhaps even more impressive is that Skulda steps forward and performs a similar feat with a magically expanding boulder; it whisps through the pine needles, pushing intruding branches out of its path, striking the flying crone with dull thud.

Though the battle against the airborne is proceeding well, the landbound foes inflict some grievous wounds in return.  The prone troll snatches his jaws at Einar, missing, but claws at Thorgrim with his long arms, finding purchase in his flesh with both hands, and ripping his skin away in unfettered strips.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on March 29, 2014, 12:03:01 PM
Einar grins at Thorgrim.  "Come to join the fun?"

He then shifts his stance slightly and then swings three times at the troll on the ground, so sure of himself that he sacrifices accuracy for brute strength and speed. 

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on March 30, 2014, 09:26:50 AM
Agni keeps advancing until he reaches a place where he can strike at the tanarukk. The man then quickly analyzes the tanarukk's body in search of weak points. After that he attempts to trip the one within his guisarme's reach.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 30, 2014, 01:11:37 PM
Einar's blade fails to strike its foe, but Bjartr's magical spear appears to assist.  It strikes down upon the prone troll, but also misses, burying its point in the dirt.  Letting out a growling sigh of frustration, Bjartr moves down the road so he can assist his injured companions.

The trollwife flies to the side trying to find a better angle on Thorgrim, and finds it.  She releases another bolt of energy, striking the raging warrior in his chest.

Agni's blade gets tangled up in the underbrush as he tries to trip the tanarukk, and Geirr too grabs a mouthful of bush while snapping at the demon troll's legs.
The troll attempts to return the favor upon Geirr, striking down with his axe, but fails miserably; his blade doesn't even touch the fur on the wolf's hide.

The two entangled tanarukk continue their fruitless struggling, but the defiantly resistant tanarukk to Three's southeast draws an arrow and neatly punctures the frightful woman's shoulder, ignoring the last tanarukk's words to stop attacking her.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on March 30, 2014, 02:52:42 PM
Thorgrim grits his teeth even as his flesh is torn asunder. He ignores the sting from the trollwife above, instead bringing his fang down hard to finish what he started.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on March 31, 2014, 04:59:57 PM
Thorgrim hacks a deep wound into the troll's torso.  Its claws go limp, releasing their lingering hold on Thorgrim's flesh; the troll falls back with its eyes rolled back into its skull, and lays there in a pool of its own dark blood, spattered on the forest floor.

At that moment you notice a second troop of tanarukk running down the roadway ahead of you, axes or bows in hand.  They slow up a bit, and the lead tanarukk points his axe at the closest of you, barking orders to engage, using a pidgin of Giant and some other tongue.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on April 03, 2014, 02:20:56 AM
Shouts at the 'befriended' tanarukk stop them points towards the new group. Then she moves towards the slightly scared tanarukk, chanting ominously and points at the troll

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 04, 2014, 10:19:15 AM
Skulda moves up to avoid the trees blocking her line of sight and throws another stone at the flying troll, which again expands to the size of a small boulder in flight. She then conjures an enormous block of wood from nowhere, and ducks behind it for cover.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 08, 2014, 09:38:10 AM
The previously resistant tanarukk falls to Three's repeated mental assaults and lowers his bow, standing there in a dazed stupor, lazily craning his head toward Three as she screams an order he does not understand, but turns his head back to follow her pointing finger toward the newcomers up the road.

Skulda's magic stone once again strikes true, bludgeoning the flying crone and drawing a scream of frustrated ire from her lips.

The large troll remains down and unmoving, though its wounds begin to knit shut, the flow of blood beginning to cease.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on April 08, 2014, 11:40:26 AM
"This troll's wounds are closing, someone kill it with fire!" Einar yells as he moves to stand near Skulda, facing the coming trolls.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 08, 2014, 12:17:09 PM
Skulda replies "I'm on it!" and begins weaving the strands of a fire spell.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 10, 2014, 09:43:23 AM
Seeing the oncoming troll's, Bjartr leaves the magical spear to do its work on the fallen troll, and moves into position to aid his allies and hinder his foes, but he has to wait for the right moment.  While advancing he looks over to see how his spear is doing, and his mouth falls agape as he sees it strike the troll's flesh and shatter into hundreds of tiny shards that quickly melt away into nothing.  Now angry with the trolls, he makes his stand in a space between Skulda and Einar, and waits.

Seeing that her magical strikes aren't doing much to stop you, and worried of any additional ranged attacks, the flying trollwife glides over to a spot above the main road, wiggles her fingers, and a large cloud of vision-obscuring mist sprouts, filling the area with thick fog.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on April 10, 2014, 09:43:26 PM
Agni curses the undergrowth for his miss and decides to move to the side, looking for a better angle to strike the tanarukk. Then he sweeps his weapon on the creature's legs.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 11, 2014, 09:56:34 AM
Agni hooks the short troll's leg, but he yanks his foot free before the warrior mage can pull it out from under him.

Geirr the wolf snaps at the tanarukk's ankles, but his jaw glances off the tree that the tanarukk is standing behind, barely missing him.

The tanarukk returns the aggression, slamming his axe down upon the wolf, drawing blood, but just catching a gray tuft of fur in his own jaws.

The two entangled tanarukk still continue their struggles ineffectively, calling out in giant for their newly-arrived companions to slaughter you all.

Three's first frightened tanarukk moves forward, glancing at her repeatedly as he cowers his way forward.  The other stands there in a stupor.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on April 11, 2014, 12:36:43 PM
Thorgrim is unable to make out much more than the shadows of his friends in the mist, but knows the tanarukk will see them no better. He charges forward in order to make himself a more attractive target to buy them some time to deal with the trollwife. As he charges, he leaps into the air, making a primal yell as his fang comes down.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 15, 2014, 09:45:11 AM
Thorgrim's swing slices through the front tanarukk's throat and chest, the force of it slamming the bleeding foe to the dirt.  Its fingers reflexively struggle, but the uncoordinated movements show there is no fight left in him.  The next three tanarukk, axes in hand, rush Thorgrim.  His fang thuds into the chests of two of them, drawing blood and knocking them to the ground, but one of the three escapes Thorgrim's blade, and ducks inside the circle of death that surrounds the raging warrior, striking his axe into a gap in Thorgrim's armor.

Two of the tanarukk were holding bows, and they hang back, loosing arrows as their compatriots advance on the lone warrior before them.  Their arrows miss their mark, and as they see one of their companions strike a bloody blow, their confidence grows, and they advance themselves, drawing their axes while still holding their bows in their left hands.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 15, 2014, 10:26:57 AM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on April 18, 2014, 02:06:50 AM
Wiggles a finger at the frightened tanarukk come over here, my pet. I'll help protect you from the others as soon as he gets close, Three calmly pulls out her manacles and locks them onto the creature, then says now, my pet, they will think you are no longer a threat, which will protect you from harm
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 18, 2014, 08:57:27 AM
The two scared tanarukk slowly approach, and do not resist Three's efforts to place chains lightly upon them.  They cower and try to lick at your hands as you bind them.

Skulda casts her spell and moves forward, skirting the underbrush, with her great cat at her heel.  Just before you reach the troll, its eyes snap open and a wicked grin curls its mouth.  It lashes out with both arms, attempting to strike both of you as it claws at you from its prone position.  But his flailing attempts fail miserably, succeeding only in batting away Thane's bite with his thick-skinned arm.  The fallen troll then attempts to focus his attacks on the fire-carrying woman, but these attacks also prove unsuccessful in striking her, both claws and teeth turned away by the shiny mail protecting her torso.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on April 18, 2014, 05:55:50 PM
Knowing that enemies are near, Einar makes his way out of the mist and moves to stand next to Thorgim.  He will not let Thorgrim face these beasts alone.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 22, 2014, 12:50:36 PM
Not near as quick as Einar, Bjartr stumbles through the mist, emerging just in time to see the flying trollwife exit the mist as well.  "Fleet-footed food," she grumbles in Giant as she redirects her attention from Thorgrim to Einar.  Her magical bolt of energy strikes the advancing barbarian in the right shoulder, bruising both flesh and bone.

Geirr's jaws find their way through the shrubby foliage, biting into the tanarukk's knee, and pulling him down to the ground.  The dark blood tastes bitter to the wolf's tongue, but he holds on to savage him some more and keep him down.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on April 22, 2014, 09:38:32 PM
Grateful for the wolf's help, Agni follows up with a powerful strike and roars in triumph as his weapon finally reaches his opponent's flesh.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 23, 2014, 11:17:26 AM
The tanarukk in front of Agni dies with a groan that trails off into the dampening sound of expelling air, and the vicious blow splattered the tanarukk's dark blood across Geirr's face and shoulders.  The entangled tanarukk who saw this butchery of its companion gives up its struggles to escape the entrapping shrubbery, instead drawing an arrow and fighting the foliage to take aim against Agni.  It looses its arrow, but the arrow is turned aside by Agni's invisible shield.  Grunts of effort can still be heard from the midst of the raging inferno at the other end of the tree, but no tanarukk emerges from the fiery foliage.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on April 23, 2014, 06:55:23 PM
Hearing the swift footsteps of Einar behind him, Thorgrim smiles. "Now you truly have no chance. Be angry at your gods that they did not bless you with the wisdom to never anger Rashemi berserkers!" He swings his fang in a mighty arc, then adjusts his position and makes a long swing towards another tanarukk's legs, hoping to knock it into a more vulnerable position.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 24, 2014, 08:42:39 AM
Thorgrim's first swing cuts deeply into the prone tanarukk's flesh, spraying the area with a gory mist.  The raging berserker steps forward to land his second blow upon the rear tanarukk, calling upon Bjartr's Benediction to ensure he struck his foe.  With a quick jerk of his fang's haft, the rear tanarukk falls to the ground, and Thorgrim's quick blade cuts it deeply.  In the midst of battle you hear a short chant that comes from the direction of the flying trollwife, as if she were throwing her gruff voice to ground level.

The rear tanarukk then stands up, drawing another cut from Thormgrim's fang, which disembowels it.  The tanarukk already standing beside Thorgrim strikes a blow with his axe, and also chomps down upon Thorgrim's weak-side shoulder with his tusked mouth.  The tanarukk behind that one steps forward, and Einar sees his friend struck with a vicious blow from that tanarukk's axe.  Luckily it is blunted by the thick bear hide hanging down from Thorgrim's helmet, over his shoulders.  The diamond rune on Thorgrim's breastplate glows softly as it absorbs blow after blow.  The tanarukk also follows up with a sharp-toothed bite, drawing yet more blood.  The mighty berserker yet stands, resilient against his foes' attacks.

Thinking he is covered by his forward comrades, the lone living prone tanarukk stands, but Thorgrim's quick blade strikes him down before he can cry out.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 24, 2014, 09:18:50 AM
...
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 25, 2014, 04:10:56 PM
Skulda's cat proceeds to dig into the prone troll with teeth and claws (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg229720#msg229720)

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 25, 2014, 07:17:40 PM
The great cat's claws do not seem to faze the troll at all; only Thane's bite leaves any wound marks in the troll's flesh.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on April 26, 2014, 08:54:59 PM
smoothly draws her bow, then fires an arrow at the airborne target

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 26, 2014, 09:18:27 PM
Skulda mutters a curse in elvish under her breath, then moves towards the two berzerkers facing off against the newly arrived tanarruks. As the spell rolls off her lips, you can see her visibly sag from the drain of the magic upon her body. An incredibly bright cone of light shines forth engulfing them all, and the flying troll-witch. Their flesh visibly burns as they wince and try to cover their eyes.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 29, 2014, 01:01:05 PM
The prone troll swipes his claw at Skulda as she walks away, but misses entirely.  Skulda's flash of magic works quite effectively, injuring all the tanarukk that she catches in its spray.  All those you see still standing begin blinking and rubbing their eyes before flailing about defensively with their axes.  Even the flying tanarukk crone claws at her eyes, attempting to end whatever foul magic has afflicted her.

The threat of fire gone, the prone troll stands, shrugging off the meager damage from Thane's maw.  He returns the favor, growling as he slashes Thane across the face with his hardened claws.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on April 29, 2014, 02:49:19 PM
Einar steps forward and lets loose a barrage of vicious attacks against the remaining trolls.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 29, 2014, 03:46:58 PM
Einar's first swing decapitates the tanarukk standing, waving his axe in a feeble attempt to shield himself.  The next swing buries itself in the other tanarukk's neck, and its body slides limply off of your massive sword.  Einar finishes it off with a decapitating blow.

Bjartr touches a rune on his arm, speaks a word of healing, and Thorgrim feels a touch invigorated.  The quiet priest then hurries forward and lays his palm on Thorgrim's injured shoulder, magically knitting shut the bitten flesh.

The blinded tanarukk crone flees to the south, then covers her escape with a cloud of fog.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on April 29, 2014, 09:34:32 PM
After his gory moment, Agni decides to strike down the tanarukk next to him. With a flick of his hand, he activates the wand within his guisarme and feels the surge on his speed. When reaching the tanarukk, Agni attempts to bring his target down.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 29, 2014, 10:10:39 PM
The entangled tanarukk falls as his feet are sweeped out from under him, and as he crashes down the vines and twigs wrap around his arms and fingers, pulling the axe from his grip.  Agni's follow-up stroke slashes deeply, and the tanarukk screams, trying to clasp his bleeding wound, the vines preventing him from staunching the blood.

The tanarukk screams curses at Agni, unable to move, and the burning tanarukk is still unable to free himself at the other end of the fallen tree.  The shaken tanarukk on the road continue to follow Three.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on April 30, 2014, 06:50:40 PM
Thorgrim says a word of thanks to both of his comrades. But that quickly becomes a curse as he loses sight of the troll-wife in the fog. He turns to the escarpment and makes his way up it to the most unfortunate tanarukk above.

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Edit: Three's turn.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on May 05, 2014, 05:07:54 PM
Three turns toward the Troll and moves closer, then growls at the troll
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 06, 2014, 09:04:23 AM
The troll cowers slightly, and meets Three's approach with a toothy grin.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 06, 2014, 09:43:29 AM
A bit amazed but also alarmed, Skulda says "Three, how long can you maintain control of the troll? I think we should finish him off before his wounds have all closed."

She calls off the cat for the moment (move action handle animal (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg232431#msg232431), heel trick), and readies an action to lob a ball of fire at the trollwife if she shows her face.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 06, 2014, 10:10:53 AM
The troll continues to gaze adoringly at Three's frightfully charismatic visage.  He bats his eyes and trembles as his sword wounds knit themselves shut.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on May 06, 2014, 02:37:40 PM
she'll be my friend for another five minutes or so, i just need to give her a very beneficial spell next round
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on May 07, 2014, 06:26:39 PM
Seeing the the nearest troll is in the middle of a raging inferno large fire Einar makes his way around until he can get close to the creature without being in the fire himself.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 08, 2014, 12:10:38 PM
Einar trudges through the underbrush and steps into the edge of the animated plants, batting them away, but still slowed by their expanded, writhing volume.

Unable to see any living foe aside from the burning troll and the large one to the south, Bjartr approaches Skulda, pulling out a throwing spear in case the fearsome woman's command of these foul creatures lapses.

The troll crone's retreat is obscured from most of you, but Three can see the creature dart out the southeast side of the magical cloud, then obscure her position once again as another cloud of vaporous mist condenses around her.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 08, 2014, 08:40:00 PM
Agni keeps the offensive on his prone target.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 09, 2014, 09:00:32 PM
Agni steps back, satisfied with his killing blow.  From the burning end of the tree you hear a snarl as the entangled tanarukk there grips the charred haft of his axe in a ready stance.  Thane heeds Skulda's call to heel; the troll is still entranced with Three, and pays him no mind.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on May 10, 2014, 09:12:17 AM
Thorgrim approaches the burning troll, nimbly moving through the vegetation.
He brings his fang down hard, and feels his heart racing as the adrenaline leaves him...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on May 11, 2014, 04:39:56 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 12, 2014, 01:17:10 PM
Thorgrim's fang bites into the tanarukk's flesh, and it howls in pain.  It batters the polearm away, still standing ready for anyone who comes near.

Three approaches the ensorcelled troll, attempting to convey the calm of her words through her tone and body language.  She lays a hand on the beast, then casts a spell.  The magic causes Three to retch, but it does nothing to the troll.  Feeling the effects of the magically-enhanced intimidation wane from his mind.  As his head clears, he glares down at the hunched-over little woman before him. Skulda hears him growl in Giant, "I will pick my teeth with your splintered bones."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 12, 2014, 02:12:06 PM
Skulda curses under her breath in elvish again, and yells at the troll (in giant) "Hey! Ugly! Catch!" and lobs a ball of fire at him. Then she says "Thane, kill!" to the great cat at her side, and it charges forward, a flurry of claws and fangs.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 12, 2014, 04:27:55 PM
The troll looks back over his shoulder as the apple-sized ball of flame strikes the his flesh, causing him to wince slightly.  The barest singe mark is burned upon the back of his shoulder.  He gives his shoulders a shake as he swings his claws at the incoming leopard, tearing open wounds across the feline's face before its lunge brings his slashing fury in contact with the troll's mottled green skin.  Claw after claw drags superficial scratches over the green hide; the troll pays them no mind at all, as he turns his attention to Three, standing before him.

One claw digs into Three's left arm, but the other claw gets tangled in a branch near her right shoulder.  The troll bites down into her left shoulder, and Three lets out a scream.  The troll releases her, then licks the blood off his lips with a wicked smile.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on May 12, 2014, 04:43:16 PM
At the sound of a woman screaming Einar's attention leaves the troll entirely and he whips around to see what's going on.  The plants around him try to take advantage of his distraction and start wrapping themselves around him to root him in place, however his adrenaline fueled reflexes allow him to slip out of their grasp.

His path of action is clear, he must protect the women.  He charges at the troll but doesn't manage to quite make it.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 12, 2014, 09:05:13 PM
Seeing the troll deal the fearsome woman a few bloody hits, he knows that this beast must be stopped quickly.  Hoping to bring forward someone better equipped to handle the troll, Bjartr steps back so that he can see Agni standing alone off to the west.  He traces his thumb over yet another rune carved in his spear haft, and magically swaps places with Agni, leaving the warrior in a place where he can charge at the troll.  Bjartr then calls Vita to his side, hoping to use her speed to spirit healing to any that are in need.

Agni can see the troll beyond the thin curtains of mist at the edges of the two magical clouds.

The troll crone flies south out of her cloud of mist, and swoops down, through the doorway into the longhouse.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 12, 2014, 09:54:03 PM
Agni, being rellocated to the real battlefield, thanks Bjartr in his heart and tries to identify the troll. However, the fog got on the way... With no time to waste, he calls upon his magic to enchant his weapon with the power to confuse minds and charges the troll anyway, hitting the troll squarely with his guisarme!

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 12, 2014, 10:34:07 PM
Agni cuts a nasty wound into the troll's shoulder, nearly severing its arm from its body.  The troll stands there defiantly, sizing up this new threat, and the blonde one behind him, with a touch of fear in its eyes.  Despite his unnatural ability to heal, he seems near to falling over.

The tanarukk nearest Three turns and flees at her display of magical power, despite its ineffectiveness against the large troll.  The other merely grunts disapproval at his companion's fleeing.

The burning tanarukk before Thorgrim draws in the power of the fire that engulfs him.  Even as the flames begin to heal the fiendish troll, the act distracts it from defending against the berserker's assults; Thorgrim's fang strikes the foul troll down, and it collapses, bleeding its dark ichorous blood upon the earth.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on May 12, 2014, 10:45:43 PM
Too focused on the burning troll, Thorgrim forgets about the vines. As one grabs his leg, he trusts his companions to handle the rest.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 13, 2014, 12:34:11 AM
You all hear galloping hooves approach from the west.  The growing sound of thudding hooves slows and quiets, then you hear a vigorous and inflaming melody being strummed on a stringed instrument.  A voice accompanies the tune, and before your eyes fire begins to limn the blades of your weapons.  Hymir's fire will aid you in slaying the troll.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 14, 2014, 12:27:10 PM
Skulda throws another small fireball, this one catching the troll in the head, but he manages to turn his face at the last second to avoid the worst of it.

Then thane, his claws and teeth covered in rolling flames, tears into the troll again, this time leaving singes along with his own marks.

rolled a natural 20 on the ranged touch, but terribly on the confirmation roll.  (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg234771#msg234771)
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 14, 2014, 12:58:40 PM
Skulda's small fireball impacting the troll's face is enough to knock the beast unconscious.  It falls to the ground in a heap; Thane's bite tears into the troll's flesh, and his flaming claws draw blistering lines of char across the troll's hide.
The troll's nearly severed arm begins to knit itself back to its shoulder; the murderous creature isn't dead just yet.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on May 14, 2014, 03:40:58 PM
Einar walks up to the troll, raises his blade up on the air, and like a headsman brings it down with the last of his adrenaline fueled strength.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 14, 2014, 05:08:51 PM
The troll's spine is all that prevents the giant's head from being lopped off by Einar's swing.  Dark, nearly black blood stains the earth beneath it.

Unsure exactly who is hurt, or how badly, Bjartr rubs a rune on his forearm, imbuing a curative spell within Vita, and sends her to heal any humans who are hurt.  He orders Geirr to 'heel,' and eyes what path to take to trudge back to the road.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 14, 2014, 10:13:16 PM
Agni attacks the corpse troll.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 15, 2014, 12:02:24 AM
Agni steps to the side to gain a better vantage, and finishes what Einar's blade started.  He cleaves the troll's head from its shoulders.  But its body does not stop breathing.  The gory wound where its head should be strays a fine mist of blood as the body continues to breath, first sucking blood into its windpipe, then expelling it like water from a whale's blow hole.

One of the frightened tanarukk continues to flee away from Three.  The other yells at Three while gesturing angrily toward the troll that has been decapitated.

Thorgrim can't see much of what is happening due to the fog bank, but he does see a tanarukk bolting out to the west, away from the sounds of battle.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on May 15, 2014, 04:55:32 AM
Thorgrim begins to wonder if Skulda can send the vines away.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 15, 2014, 12:15:32 PM
Hymir continues to approach, slowly, on horseback, maintaining his tune and the fire on your blades and claws.  Despite the loud music, with the sounds of battle subsiding Einar hears retreating footsteps in the direction of the farm house.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on May 16, 2014, 03:21:43 AM
Three moves away from the now angry blinded troll beast

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on May 16, 2014, 10:25:18 AM
Thorgrim (as a free action) suggests that the foliage is foiling his movement.
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 16, 2014, 10:44:15 AM
Skulda dismisses the vines and branches grasping Throgrim and the troll near him, and moves towards the regenerating troll so she can help burn it.


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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 16, 2014, 11:29:08 AM
The tree limbs, creepers, and shrubs quiet their endless blind seeking, resting back to stillness.  Those near the fire hiss and sizzle as if with a last protesting gasp, succumbing to the spreading flames.  Freed from their embrace, Thorgrim is once again able to move freely.

Though Einar and Agni can still see the troll's flesh attempting to knit itself together, the leopard's fiery attacks are overcoming the creature's ability to heal.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 16, 2014, 02:35:49 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on May 16, 2014, 04:10:57 PM
Sword still in hand Einar makes his way to investigate the noise he heard and by proxy the longhouse.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 19, 2014, 12:07:57 AM
Einar takes off after the retreating noise.  As he approaches the corner of the farmhouse, he stumbles and stops dead in his tracks.  Einar has run into some foul-smelling obstacle on his approach to the house.

Seeing more blood on Einar than anyone else, Vita swoops through the bows toward the advancing warrior, screaming "HERE!" at Einar as he approaches.
Bjartr and Geirr struggle their way through the undergrowth, not quite reaching the road.

As Einar recovers from the sudden halt to his momentum, he sees the tanarukk crone fly out of the longhouse, clutching a dark box-like object to her bosom.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 19, 2014, 12:25:02 AM
Agni strikes the corpse troll once more.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 19, 2014, 09:57:14 AM
The troll continues to twitch feebly; every stroke of fire seems to still its writhing a bit more.
The two remaining tanarukk continue to look to Three, while pointing toward the slaughter of their companions and verbally protesting.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on May 21, 2014, 12:13:09 PM
Thorgrim heads towards Skulda and the others.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on May 23, 2014, 06:37:47 PM
talking to the tanarulkks under her spell come over by me where it is safe... now, then draws an arrow and waits to see if any threat becomes available to deal with
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 28, 2014, 12:57:58 AM
Skulda reaches down and holds her flaming hand over the fallen troll's throat, trying to end its life.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 28, 2014, 02:01:20 AM
Hymir's furious tune reverberates through the trees as Einar hears an authoritative voice chant something just in front of him, and then all sound cuts out.  Moments later his ears return to functioning, hearing a strangled groan from behind as Skulda's grip tightens on the troll's throat.  With a violent writhing the troll's form ends its protestations in a crescendo.  Its sword wounds, which had continued to stitch themselves as if with invisible thread, stop their healing.  As Skulda's hand releases the troll's blistered neck, those horrid burns tear open, slowly leaking bloody lymph around the limp creature's shoulders.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on May 29, 2014, 11:49:30 PM
Einar yells to his companions, "There is another creature over here, invisible with magic!"  He then drops his sword and runs forward, drawing his dagger as he does so.  He readies it to throw at the crone before she gets away but is prepared to stab the invisible menace if he runs into it again.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 30, 2014, 01:01:47 AM
Not realizing that the troll is done for, Thane buries his claws into the giant's flesh a few more times.  The wafting scent of burning troll flesh is revolting, but deep down you know it must be endured.

The last sound Einar hears is the dull metallic ring as his sword hits the grassy earth; after his first step the sounds of battle are washed away by deafening silence.  Suddenly the crone's screeching hiss of displeasure reaches Einar's ears as he stop beneath her.  He contorts himself for the awkward throw upward, but strikes his mark true.  Just missing the box in her arms, his dagger plants itself between her ribs, and her hiss becomes a yowl of pain as she reflexively grips the dagger by its hilt.

Too far away to be of any use against Einar's newly-declared threat, Bjartr casts a bit of quickening magic upon Geirr, and orders him to 'seek,' while pointing in the direction of the farm house.  The wolf moves that direction, nose to the ground.  The raven Vita swoops in over Einar's shoulder, as if to alight upon it.

A dark drop of blood splashes against Einar's up-raised cheek, fallen from the crone's wound.  She flees to the south, staying above the reach of any polearms.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 30, 2014, 08:20:57 AM
Skulda smirks at the fleeing crone, and bends over to pick up a couple more pebbles.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 30, 2014, 12:22:24 PM
Noticing the troll is finally dead, Agni looks around... and finds two other trolls following Three, apparently with no intention to attack.

Just in case, he goes closer to Three.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on May 30, 2014, 09:12:18 PM
Thorgrim's and Agni's progress is impeded by the underbrush and the fog in their way, but they both just about breaks free of it all as you see one of the tanarukk approach Three with a little too much enthusiasm.  A murderous light in its eyes, it charges at Three, attempting to lay the woman low before she can cloud his mind once more.  He strikes her, though it is not a killing blow.  The other tanarukk is still struggling through the underbrush, heeding the command in her tone, all the while looking back at the other humans with a confused look on his face.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on May 30, 2014, 10:11:30 PM
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Skulda looks at the tannaruk that is still enthralled and says (in giant) "Look! Don't you see your friend trying to waylay the Dread Mistress? Are you just going to stand there? What do you think she's going to do to you if you don't aid her now?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 01, 2014, 01:06:53 PM
Thorgrim continues his march, but is still far behind.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on June 02, 2014, 08:46:04 PM
you need to help protect me from any incoming enemies talking to the tanarukk, while point an arrow at the ground at looking around for any new enemies

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 03, 2014, 08:46:53 AM
Skulda lets out a gutteral shout and the stones she picked up glow briefly. Then she throws one at the fleeing crone, and once again it expands into a boulder mid-flight.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 03, 2014, 11:06:24 AM
The tanarukk crone is hit in the back of the head, and her form goes limp.  She begins to slowly slide toward the earth, dropping the box that she had been carrying.  It strikes the earth, splitting open, a few moments before she does.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 04, 2014, 12:26:13 PM
Seeing that his angle of attack is quite narrow, Bjartr calls upon his runes to aid him in slaying the tanarukk that is attacking Three.  He struggles forward through the underbrush, looking for a better shot, and trying to remember any helpful information about these creatures.  An opening will present itself, and then he will strike.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on June 04, 2014, 12:40:39 PM
Agni activates once more the wand in his guisarme in order to receive a boost to his speed. Then moves to the tanarukk attacking Three with the intent to knock him off his feet.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on June 04, 2014, 12:53:16 PM
Knowing he can't run to the crone as tired as he is, Einar hopes that she'll stay put for a bit.  He draws his flail as he moves around trying to find the area of silence, not swinging unless he runs into whatever it is that is the cause.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 04, 2014, 02:34:01 PM
The tanarukk in front of Agni crashes to the ground, then tries to block the follow-through with his own axe, but fails miserably.  Agni's blade slices a horrific wound across the troll's unarmored chest, and though it is still conscious, it has a glassy look to its eyes, and its gaze wanders around as if in confusion.

The crone apparently finished, Einar turns and moves back toward the dead troll.  He does not experience the deafening silence again, and looks around the area with frustration on his face.

Three's "friendly" tanarukk objects to the hostile man's slaughter of his tanarukk companion, and moves forward to attack, but Agni's blade is swift, and he sweeps the tanarukk's feet out from beneath him as he approaches.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 04, 2014, 06:28:55 PM
Thogrim is perplexed by Einar's actions. "You seem to be looking for something. Is it a foe?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on June 04, 2014, 07:41:25 PM
"An invisible creature that stops all sound."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 04, 2014, 08:48:37 PM
Thorgrim investigates

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 04, 2014, 09:01:21 PM
Skulda says to Three "I'm going to pretend you're giving me instructions and I'm translating" and then to the "charmed" tanarruk "Your mistress bids me ask you if you have other friends in the area, perhaps one who is invisible."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 05, 2014, 12:41:54 AM
Both tanarukk ignore Skulda's question spoken in Giant, one clutching at its vicious wound, and the other paying more attention to Agni's blade as the warrior picks it up for another swing.

Thorgrim arrives at the longhouse's front corner, but doesn't notice anything unusal in the area.

Geirr lopes forward through the underbrush, and Einar sees him emerge from around the back end of the house.  The wolf stops there, picking its head up, nose twitching as it tests the air.  Vita alights on Einar's shoulder, and the pain of a few of his wounds lessens as chill of healing courses through his body.

Hymir's near-gallop slows to a trot as he nears the scene.  Unsure if all the dangers are taken care of, he continues his singing.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 06, 2014, 08:27:47 AM
Skulda motions to Hymir and says "Give me a lift." She casts Detect Magic, and climbs onto the back of his horse, scanning the area for hints of invisible enemies.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on June 08, 2014, 08:59:06 PM
Noticing Geirr's behavior, Einar moves in to investigate.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 08, 2014, 09:42:30 PM
Three stands above the wounded tanarukk, watching events unfold before her.  Bjartr moves to the side, drawing a throwing spear as he fights his way through the underbrush.  He throws the spear and finds his mark, landing his spear tip in the side of the eastern tanarukk.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on June 08, 2014, 10:18:22 PM
Agni attempts to finish the life of the tanarukk closest to Three, then attacks the other one. Then as soon as the last remaining tanarukk tries to get up, the man aims to hit the foul creature with the flat of his blade.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 09, 2014, 11:59:42 AM
As the last tanarukk attempts to stand, Agni brains him across the skull with the flat of his blade, and he collapses in a heap, a puff of dust rising around him from his impact with the road.

Einar stands beside Geirr looking for any sign of a creature's passage.  The wolf's nose twitches in the wind, then sniffs the ground.  Geirr looks up at Einar and gives a short whine.  Then Einar's eyes see a disturbance in the grass.  At regular periods the grass has been tamped down.  Something ran past in a west-southwest direction, about twenty feet away.

The clanging of battle now stopped, the roar of the fire seems loud in your ears.  The heat of flame has finally overcome the natural moisture of some of the living foliage, and the fire begins to slowly spread through the undergrowth, fueled on by brown, fallen pine needles.  A tall pine near the edge of the fire gives way, lighting up like a torch, snapping and popping as pine cones rupture from the heat.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 09, 2014, 02:04:28 PM
Thorgrim checks the house anyone or anything of interest.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 09, 2014, 03:14:59 PM
The interior of the house looks like a normal longhouse.  About ten feet back from the door is a wall, making the front area a separate work area from the rest of the house.  There is a doorway in the middle of that wall, leading back to the living and sleeping area.  There is a long hearth burning along the length of the middle of the back room, and built-in benches line the walls, providing a place to sit or sleep.  A human hand is visible through the inner doorway, as if someone laying on one of the benches on the other side of the internal wall has let his hand slip limply to the side as he slept.

Hymir heels his horse forward in a controlled trot, and approaches Skulda, but running headlong through the fog was chancy; there might be something unseen that could trip up his horse and break a leg.  Skulda's view between her and the farm house shows no presence of magic hiding in plain view.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on June 10, 2014, 01:21:02 AM
now that there are no creature threats, Three says some words under her breath that sound wispy and smooth, then points at the fire.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on June 10, 2014, 10:04:46 AM

As the battle finishes, Agni finds himself in deep thought...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 10, 2014, 10:31:18 AM
Hearing no sounds of battle outside, Thorgrim will do a quick inspection (less than a minute) of the house and recover anything of value to protect it from potential looters.

He then returns to his companions and takes note of the fire. "I'll have to advise the caravan master to take a different road next time. Kidnapped families, troll raiders and burning forests does not a safe trip make."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 18, 2014, 04:15:26 PM
Agni and Bjartr get the Tanarukk tied up, and Hymir leans down to heal some of its damage as Skulda climbs onto his horse.  Within a few moments, he is frightened, and quite pliable, listening to Bjartr's words about stifling the growing fire.

After his brief search, and yelling to his friends about the fire, Thorgrim hustles over to check on the collapsed tanarukk crone just as Hymir and Skulda start to get on the trail of the fleeing invisible creature with Einar's help.  Einar tried to move quickly, but the trail became harder to notice, so he slowed down for them to catch up.

As Thorgrim approaches, he notices that the crone's wounds are slowly healing.  Just before Thorgrim can reach the foul troll with his pole arm, her eyes snap open, and she quickly floats away, her back facing the ground, rising as she flies south, out of the warrior's reach, then concealing herself once again in a mystical cloud of fog.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 18, 2014, 04:43:06 PM
Skulda screeches a curse in giant, and flings the other enchanted stone she'd been holding at the fleeing crone. She then urges the horse on after her as well.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 18, 2014, 04:43:38 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 18, 2014, 04:57:34 PM
Skulda's quick action brings the expanding boulder into contact with the tanarukk crone's head just as it rises above the weed-ridden crops.  Another groan issues from the crone's mouth as she falls back to the ground.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 18, 2014, 05:01:19 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on June 18, 2014, 05:18:08 PM
Einar continues to follow the tracks, not slowing down since his goal is to catch up to the creature.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 18, 2014, 05:28:33 PM
Following Einar, Geirr's nose hits the ground, and he soon begins to surpass the barbarian.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 20, 2014, 08:13:02 PM
Thorgrim moves towards the crone and prepares to bear his fang upon it if it tries to get up. "Should I kill this one?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 23, 2014, 10:33:29 AM
Skulda yells "Yes, quickly, before the treacherous witch escapes again!"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on June 24, 2014, 10:01:07 AM
While watching the woman Three do her tricks with the tanarukk, Agni goes to the big troll he killed last and takes one long glance at its corpse, trying to recall its traits. This time, he clutches his small figurine in dedication to Odin and while doing so, it almost feels like the god himself directed his thoughts...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on June 24, 2014, 12:32:48 PM
Thorgrim nods. Seeing no attempt to escape from the crone, he positions his fang to deal a mighty blow.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 24, 2014, 01:17:45 PM
Three and Bjartr muscle the bound tanarukk to his feet and walk him over toward the raging fire, Bjartr interpreting Three's chiding words, and the tanarukk tensing at each sharply-enunciated phrase.  He points toward the fire and tells Bjartr "Closer," offering little resistance as they pull him that direction.

Free of the distractions of combat, Agni is better able to study the fallen troll, and make note of its darker-than-normal hide, and scaly warts that cover its shoulders.  This troll is a descendant of fiends, carrying their blood, and some of their resistances.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 03, 2014, 10:13:22 AM
Thorgrim's blow decapitates the tanarukk crone, though her form continues to twitch, refusing to succumb.  Arterial spray is sucked into the open trachea, and spit out again on the body's exhale, repeating the gory effect with each breath until the wounded neck begins to heal over, stemming the flow of blood.  Her head lies on its side, reflexively chomping while her pupils are rolled up into her head.

Three and Bjartr haul the bound tanarukk over to the raging fire, and after a moment of concentration on the tanarukk's face, the flames die down to embers.  There is still great heat coming off those embers, but the licking flames are no longer spreading.  Bjartr steps aside and pulls out a small runestone; he chants and moves his fingers through a precise motion, and gallons of water appear in the air, raining down and sizzling upon the embers.  The fire's danger is not yet out, but it seems well in control.

Einar and Geirr follow the tracks through the fields, back to the far tree line, where the trail enters a stream bed.  A glance at the far bank shows no sign of the trail continuing.  Given time, you will likely be able to find where the trail picks up somewhere along the bank, but right now you aren't seeing it.  The only thing of note is a discarded bucket half-buried in silt near the edge of the stream, creating a small eddy in the water's flow.

Hymir and Skulda ride up beside Einar, and the older woman scans the area.  No magical auras stand out to her eyes.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 07, 2014, 02:31:21 PM
Deciding to leave the tracking to those better equipped to do it, Skulda returns and uses the flame burning on her hand to quench the life of the hag before she can wake up to cause more havoc.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 07, 2014, 02:59:08 PM
Skulda's flaming grip sears the demon troll's stump of a neck, and with a few final convulsions, the body comes to rest.  The head struggles on for a few more moments, but its snapping jaws also cease their fight.

With relative calm falling over the area, Skulda and Thorgrim note the fallen box.  It actually isn't a box at all, but rather a stout book with a black leather cover.  It lay open, face down upon the ground.  A crude red symbol overlays a partial yellow circle on its cover.  The symbol is unfamiliar, but somewhat resembles a jagged-edged ehwaz rune, though the top is flat, not pointed downward.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on July 07, 2014, 04:17:04 PM
Einar gives up and kicks the bucket in frustration.  He then returns to the group, concerned about the sword that he dropped in the heat of battle.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 07, 2014, 05:21:29 PM
When the crone stopped moving, Thorgrim relaxed. He looked at the book. "Were they after this or simply taking what they could find? I cannot tell the value of one rune from the next. I only know the value of a good blade."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 08, 2014, 02:32:41 PM
Bjartr pulls out one of his water skins, walks through the underbrush to the pine that had caught fire, and begins sprinkling water on the hot spots, creating sizzling steam as the water falls through the branches and onto the ground.  He walks over to the dead tanarukk inside the large ring of magically contained embers, pours some water on the lightly charred haft of its dropped axe, picks up the weapon, and starts delimbing the fallen tree.  The ground smolders under his boots as he works.  He drags a few cut limbs out onto the road.  He throws them down in the middle of the hard pack, where they continue to smolder under the bound tanarukk's watchful eye.

Bjartr steps gingerly, scowling at the blackened soles of his boots.  He looks to Agni and asks, "Can you help with this?" gesturing toward his feet.  He awaits a response, then walks back into the ring of sweltering embers, and cuts a few more smoldering limbs.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 08, 2014, 03:33:19 PM
Stuffing his miniature in one of his pockets, Agni replies to Bjartr "No problem. You can let me do the hard stuff if it's okay with you."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 08, 2014, 04:14:52 PM
Bjartr and Agni work together and delimb the fallen tree and the smoldering pine, piling their limbs on the road, and continuing to work as the caravan slowly approaches from the west.  Bjartr carefully uses what water he has remaining to douse any hot spots, and stamps out what remains as the tanarukk loses control on the fire, and the limbs in the road flare back to life, safely removed from any flammable vegetation.  The live vegetation in the ember field quickly dies down without the drier tinder feeding heat around it; the small bonfire in the road will burn through the smaller limbs in a few minutes.  The fire danger has passed.

A look at the dropped book shows pages filled with runes.  They look something like scrolls; Skulda recognizes the written form of a Barkskin spell as the pages are flipped through.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 09, 2014, 12:04:03 AM
Skulda says "I'm not sure what this book is. Maybe a book of spells? I recognize some of it as what looks like a scroll."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 10, 2014, 02:48:14 PM
Agni says to Bjartr, Three and the approaching Einar "Wait here. I have something to say and am going after the other two."

With this he goes after Thorgrim and Skulda and asks them to come with him since he has something to say. When everyone is gathered, the man starts the discussion.

"Do you guys know what that is?" As Agni says this, he points at the troll he himself killed, but doesn't wait for a response. "After the fight, I took some time looking at it. That thing is different from a common troll... That one has fiendish heritage flowing through his blood, like the tanarukk... Though the parent fiend is his grandparent."

He pauses, as if figuring out how to proceed with his talk. After a deep breath to organize his thoughts, Agni continues.

"Some of you may not know this, but there are stone structures scattered around the world built with the objective of sealing fiends away from our world. Creatures like the tanarukk and these mixed-breed trolls are capable of escaping the seals due to their mixed heritage and regenerative powers. What's worse... Their females offer their bodies to demons in a way to bolster their tribe's power.

That letter we got before... Said something about breeding warriors and such, right? It is our opinion..." the man glances at where his fylgja is."...That the letter and our encounters with the tanarukk are related. What do you people think?

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 10, 2014, 08:59:31 PM
"Yes... sounds very reasonable. Let us discuss this further with our new... friend." Skulda says as she looks to the enthralled tannaruk. To it, she says harshly in giant, as she waves a particularly wicked looking dagger at it "Tell me, what are you and your friends up to? We've seen a lot of abandoned farmhouses, and other things that add up to something more than random bands attacking the unwary. Speak truth, or I'll know... and I'll show you how well I know how to use this dagger to make you scream but not die."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 13, 2014, 01:43:59 AM
"So what you're saying...is they are coming from somewhere, and that we can can expect to more in the future." Thorgrim says. He looks back to the arriving caravan. "I will inform the caravan master. My pay is already more than well earned already..." he says, then looks at the others, stopping at Einar. "But it is worth the trouble, to be able work with strong companions."

Having said all he intends to say, he leaves the others to discuss, knowing they will fill him in when he returns. He made for Hymir and the caravan master, to inform them of all he them: that there were fiendish creatures afoot, and perhaps something darker still working in the shadows...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 13, 2014, 06:09:21 PM
As Skulda talks with the tanarukk, the caravan pulls to a stop in front of the smoldering pile of tree limbs, and Ospak asks the approaching Thorgrim what happened.  "We heard shouting and saw smoke.  Hymir stopped his banter and took off at a gallop, though it seems you've all handled yourselves well," he says as he takes in the carnage along the road.  "Did you all make it?"

The tanarukk sneers and spits as Skulda begins her talk, but at the threat of torture without death his resolve cracks a bit more.  "We and the other warbands ... the land, ... in preparation of the days of ruin!"  He speaks mostly in Giant, but a few of the words he speaks are unfamiliar to your ears.  He tries to bolster his resolve, spitting threats... "You humans may have defeated us today, but you will fall before what it coming, and be ... into the earth."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 14, 2014, 09:57:43 AM
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Agni  talks with Skulda, "Would this fellow tanarukk here be willing to tell us more about these Days of Ruin?"

While the tanarukk is convinced, the man tries to recall anything about such event...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 15, 2014, 03:34:33 PM
"I'll ask the troll of course, but maybe Hymir has heard of it?

Hymir!" she calls to the charismatic giant of a man. "What do you know of something called the Days of Ruin by the trolls or tannaruk?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 15, 2014, 04:18:00 PM
"I tried remembering something related, but this Days of Ruin thing seems more like a curse towards us... Like we are already doomed or something. Hopefully Hymir can confirm this."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 15, 2014, 09:42:36 PM
Hymir smirks and says "Yeah, sounds like someone trying to be poetic in trollish. I don't think it means anything."

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Skulda says to the troll  "Tell me, was there someone invisible with you? Another witch perhaps?" She points the dagger casually at his man parts as she speaks.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 16, 2014, 02:14:55 AM
""Yes, we made it." he says to the Ospak. ""They tried to ambush us, but it was our wit and not theirs that won the day."

He briefly describes the encounter. "It seems like there are far more of these fiend-trolls - they are called 'tanarukk' by some. There are females that know sorcery, but it is nothing like that of the witches of Rashemon. It is some kind of devil magic. One had the ability to make it dark in broad daylight, and seemingly at will. And like the hill trolls, that kind can regenerate, though strong fire can overcome that."

He surveys the battlefield once more. "Something is wrong with these lands. I suggest you not travel far without skills warriors to defend you. I do not believe those farmhouses were abandoned for no reason. Perhaps the farmers fled to the city. There may be enough of them to raid the land, but strong city walls should still gold them at bay."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 16, 2014, 12:50:56 PM
Trying to squirm and move his groin away from Skulda's knife, the tanarukk's voice starts to rise in a panic.  "Maybe.  Uthog had a book of picture talking; he used it to study magic!"

In reply to Thorgrim, Ospak says, "Then it is good we have capable warriors such as yourselves seeing me home on this last day of my journey... though Eyrrinberg does not have a strong wall to hide behind.  Still, I hope the farmers have found safety there, as I hope we will."  There are murmurs from the others in the caravan as they observe all that occurred here just minutes ago.  A few of the other guards talk to each other, pointing toward fallen tanarukk and the corpses of the winter wolves.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on July 16, 2014, 02:25:46 PM
Einar ignores the discussion around him, first moving to retrieve his sword from where he dropped it and then going to pull his dagger of out the fallen crone.  He cleans the blades of both before sheathing them.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 16, 2014, 03:27:02 PM
Quote from: ksbsnowowl on July 16, 2014, 12:50:56 PM
Trying to squirm and move his groin away from Skulda's knife, the tanarukk's voice starts to rise in a panic.  "Maybe.  Uthog had a book of picture talking; he used it to study magic!"

"Ask him who and where is this Uthog? Is he among one of the dead here?"

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 16, 2014, 03:43:59 PM
Skulda asks the question in Giant, and interprets the tanarukk's response: "He is the leader of this band that you slaughtered.  I can't see who all you killed; he might be!"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 16, 2014, 03:47:59 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 16, 2014, 09:18:32 PM
"Agreed. I suggest we make haste. We can rest when we arrive." he says. "Now I must attend to something.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 17, 2014, 01:06:04 AM
Taking a few minutes to search the tanarukk themselves, Thorgrim finds a total of 12 battle-axes (one slightly singed - Bjartr used it) and 11 longbows (and the charred remains of one from the large fire), as well as the equivalent of 11 quivers of arrows (220 arrows in total), and thick gauntlets on all their arms.

The rune-filled book that was dropped by the crone seems of interest, as does the interior of the longhouse.  Inside the home you find a total of four bodies.  Two of them are wearing studded leather armor, with arrows still sticking through them.  Two finely-crafted longswords lean against the side bench near their bodies, with signs of dark blood still staining them.  Another of the bodies looks to be fairly well dressed; too bad about the dried blood splashed across the finery.  The fourth body is the first one Thorgrim noticed before, and its clothing is unremarkable.  He also appears to have been dead the longest.

Tucked against the wall, near the finely-dressed corpse, you find a leather backpack.  Reaching inside you find an assortment of silver and gold coins (90% silver, 10% gold); the weight tells you there are probably no more than 200 coins inside.

The fire pit running through the middle of the longhouse glows in the dim of the house, and puts out a welcome warmth on this cool October day.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 17, 2014, 09:34:30 AM
Agni speaks with those close to him.

"Unless we force his head with magic, I don't think he will tell us anything more. However, we can take him with us to the city as evidence of the increase in troll activity... He and all the stuff here as a way to persuade the city into thinking seriously about this. What do you think?"

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 17, 2014, 11:34:39 AM
"I think he'll be lucky if we give him a quick death."  Skulda says grimly.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 17, 2014, 12:41:37 PM
Agni winces at such strong words coming from this woman, but then he remembers what happened with the spirit back then... And how the spirit is affecting Skulda's behavior.

"Very well then. Do what you will. After that we depart."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on July 17, 2014, 12:55:49 PM
Einar nods approvingly.  "Kill the troll."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: zook1shoe on July 18, 2014, 09:23:47 PM
agreed Three says emotionlessly
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 21, 2014, 08:06:46 AM
Thorgrim returns, his arms literally overflowing with loot.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on July 21, 2014, 08:58:24 PM
Skulda says "I'm done with him. I'll let one of you do the dirty deed." and turns and walks away from the troll to look over the things Thorgrim has brought back.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 23, 2014, 08:14:31 PM
Seeing no one is willing to do the task, Thorgrim drops everything, creating quite a clatter. He picks up one of the tanarukk axes and without saying a word, puts his weight behind his blow, hoping to put the troll out of it's misery in a single fluid motion so that it would have no time to feel pain.

He looks back at all the items scattered along the ground. "Come. Let us take these things and quit this place."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 24, 2014, 09:15:26 AM
Agni moves beside the dropped loot and helps Thorgrim.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 27, 2014, 03:48:04 AM
Thorgrim, with Agni's help, recovers the items he dropped.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on July 31, 2014, 03:16:22 PM
All the tanarukks' gear is collected, and the corpses are moved off the road.  Other members of the caravan finally corral all of your horses, which had bolted from fright when the tanarukks first attacked, what seemed like a very long time ago.  The smoldering limbs on the road are stamped out and doused using the leaky bucket that Einar found and kicked into the stream.  The dead are left to their own, and the grim farm slowly falls behind the silent caravan as you head out, continuing your journey east.

After your group passes a few more abandoned farms in silence, one of the drivers wonders aloud if Eyrrinberg will be abandoned, too.  Ospak glares at him, and the driver sinks into his seat, returning to silence.  You continue on, noticing more bits of the discarded detrius of fleeing people; a broken comb, the wooden arm of a doll, beads that broke free from the decorative strand hung between the brooches on the front of a woman's dress, a half-finished leather shoe, a small stone with a hole that Skulda recognizes as a spindle whorl.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on July 31, 2014, 03:19:14 PM
Agni whispers in a way to avoid getting caught by Ospak, mostly to himself.

"Things are not looking good..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on July 31, 2014, 04:37:31 PM
Intimidated by no man, Einar thinks aloud.  "At least it looks as if survivors made it out of whatever happened."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on July 31, 2014, 05:28:16 PM
"We can only hope." Thorgrim said. "These are not simple trolls playing tricks...they deserve a swift death should we run across them."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 06, 2014, 12:21:17 AM
The afternoon wears on, and with an hour or so of light remaining, you come upon another empty farm.  Ospak calls for camp to be made, and the wagons are circled in the farm yard.  There are no grisly scenes inside the house or the smoking shed; there is just no one here, and most anything of value has been removed.  A long night passes with very few in the caravan getting any good, care-free sleep.

Ospak orders everyone to break camp early the next morning.  The night was long enough, and he wants to finish this journey and return home.  He looks to you, asking if you would again serve as forward scouts in what has troublingly become a seemingly dangerous land.  Maintaining an intense level of alertness is very tiring, and by the mid-afternoon you are all exhausted, though the day has thankfully passed uneventfully.  Every farm you have passed today has been abandoned, and the road continues to have occasional dropped items littering its path.  The smell of salt begins to barely tinge the air, and your bellies begin to groan for an evening meal when you at last sight a proper village ahead of you.

You break out of the remnants of the thinning forest, walking the last mile or so toward Eyrrinberg in the open.  A descent stream flows toward southeast, between Eyrrinberg and the forest, and a sturdy wooden bridge crosses its fifteen-foot span.  The western edge of the town is demarcated with a turf wall, about four feet high, running around the town's edge.  Wooden poles have been erected on top of the turf wall, extending a palisade up to about ten feet in height.  The village's eastern boundary stands upon a cliff, which drops off 100 feet to a beach, and fishing boats, below.

As the caravan draws near, you see four armed men standing in a gap in the wall, where the road enters town.  One of the men nods at Ospak, sitting in the lead wagon.  Another asks "how fared your travels?"  Beyond, you can see the small village of Eyrrinberg, busting at the seams, filled with far too many people and livestock.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 06, 2014, 09:24:43 AM
"Everyone who fled is now here." Says Agni to no one in particular when noticing the village's hustle.

This isn't good. The man doesn't know why, but suddenly he doesn't feel so well... At least, worser than the last hours of travel. At the border of his vision, his companion also shares the same bad feeling.

When the guard asks Agni simply replies with "It could have been better, in my opinion."

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 06, 2014, 11:13:57 AM
Skulda, still under the influence of the pining traitorous spirit of Malphas, smiles widely and says "Our travels were troubled, Dear. I think we'd better speak to whomever is in charge about them, once we've filled our growling bellies. I'm sure they'll be interested to hear of the many trolls we slayed upon the road, and how organized they seemed."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on August 06, 2014, 11:30:37 AM
Einar nods in agreement, happy to see this many survivors of the trolls depredations. 
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 06, 2014, 11:46:59 AM
"Trolls!?  Where?  Bands of those murdering savages have been skulking near town for days now.  You’re lucky you came through it!” the questioner replies.  "Indeed, King Northri will want to speak with you."  With that, he nods to one of the other men, who shoulders his spear and heads off into the throng of people.  While you wait, he continues, "Did they set upon the whole caravan?  How many were killed?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 06, 2014, 11:53:43 AM
"Our forward scouting party mostly dealt with them before the main caravan had came through. I don't think we got a count of them, but it was several, and in a couple different attacks. They were mostly the smaller, fiendish tannaruk, but also had a much larger troll and at least one spellcaster, and we suspect another escaped. We managed to capture one and question it. I think further details should await your king, though, Dearie." She says with another smile. While speaking, it was possible that her blackened tongue had shown through, though she tried to remember to keep it hidden.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 08, 2014, 01:36:45 PM
The guard returns a few minutes later, addressing Ospak and saying "King Northri would like to speak with you, and any who fought the trolls."  He leads you through the throng of people and animals, and smells, packing the village.  He brings you to the largest building in the village, a grand hall twice as large as any other building in Eyrrinberg, with a thatched roof and upright timbers with crossbeam planking composing the walls.

The guard opens the door at one end of the hall and waves you inside.  The late afternoon sun is left behind and you step into a gloomy interior.  You see a fairly large room with a hearth running half the length of the hall, stopping just shy of the midpoint.  There is a gap in the middle before a second hearth fills the middle of the other end of the hall.  Two long tables with chairs are to the right of the hearths, and the area to the left of the hearths is left free, aside from a high seat near the middle of the hall.  Sitting there, flanked by an old-looking pair of carved prow beasts, is a sturdy-looking man of about 50 years, discussing something with a younger blonde woman who is dressed in the padding one would wear under chain armor and has a sword slung at her belt.

"Ospak!  I am happy to see you returned safe." the older man says, stepping down from his seat and clasping the trader's arm.  "I knew you were planning to return around this time; with the raids I was worried we might never see you again.  Come, you and your men must be famished; please, eat, and tell me of your travels."  He holds out his arm, motioning toward one of the tables, where servant women are filling wooden bowls with a spicy-smelling fish stew.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 08, 2014, 02:07:27 PM
Agni bows to the King, sits and waits until everyone else is seated, then tastes the fish stew. He also grabs some bread to eat.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on August 08, 2014, 02:12:14 PM
Einar nods and takes a seat, digging into the stew with relish.  He has been eating trail rations for much too long.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on August 08, 2014, 02:27:15 PM
Thorgrim sits next to Einar and begins to eat. He savors the stew, it being a while since he had had a warm meal. He looks between Skulda and Ospak, wondering which of them would do the talking. He felt like filling his belly was his only concern for the time being.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 09, 2014, 01:41:28 PM
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Hymir, who loves to hear himself talk almost as he loves the feel of a woman against him, says "Ah Sire, thank you so much for this feast, for we are weary from our trials and tribulations. About two weeks after we'd set out, we pursued some trolls under the mountain, and found ourselves within the realm of Nidavellir, where we had to deal with a scheming dwarf, and his two giant enemies. Then..."

He continues on for some time, even breaking into song occasionally, as he retells the adventures of the group over the last few days, with little embellishment even needed, due to its inherently dramatic nature.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 10, 2014, 02:14:41 PM
When Hymir reaches the part in the story where you found the note written on tanned human hide, Northri loses interest in his food, and listens to the remainder with rapt attention.  By the time Hymir gets to the end, and discusses the revelations from the interrogated tanarukk, Northri's face is a touch pale.  He takes a long drink from a mug of mead before speaking.  "My lands are under attack by trolls, and they've been harrying us for nearly a week now.  They have attacked and killed people on the outlying farms, and, as you've seen, most of the farmers have abandoned their farms for the relative safety of the village."

The blonde, whom Northri had introduced as Svala, one of his Jarls, speaks up.  “We’ve had trouble with trolls before – a quick raid on a homestead that costs a family some livestock, or a daughter – but this is different.  It looks like a larger tribe has moved down from the mountains.  With the farms now abandoned, I fear they might be numerous enough to sack the town.”

"What the troll told you is true," King Northri continues.  "At least three different warbands have been seen around my lands at the same time, each about the size of the group you took care of along the road."  He drains the last few drops from his mug before continuing, "We had been most worried for the farmers and their livelihoods; we don't have enough hay stored in Eyrrinberg to sustain their livestock for long, and losing those animals would ruin them."  He takes a deep breath before finishing, "But if that note is real, and the troll's threats were not just defiant bluster... the thought of what might be coming scares me a bit."

A few silent moments pass before he asks you, "Can you help me learn the truth of this menace, and clear it from my land?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on August 11, 2014, 05:28:43 AM
Thorgrim stands, a fierce expression on his face.  "I will fight these trolls and slay as many as dare stand before me in battle." he says in a non-boastful, matter-of-fact tone. "While they live, families suffer and trade ceases along the roads. Even my homeland of Rashemon will suffer if I let this be. Therefore, as a Berserker of the Wolf Lodge, I Thorgrim, son of Sigmund, shall lend my fang to aid Lord Northri and his people in this cause."

He looks at those that had travelled with him to see if they would also heed the call.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 11, 2014, 08:49:32 AM
Skulda stands and bows, saying "We will aid you as we can, Sire."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 11, 2014, 10:10:38 AM
"I think everyone here will provide a hand to this matter. One thing bothers me, though. Has this village been attacked before? What was the size of the enemy?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on August 11, 2014, 10:12:57 AM
Einar stands as well and claps Thorgrim on the shoulder.  "You will not stand alone my friend, Einar of the Ice Troll Lodge will join you.  Sif has always guided my hand in the hunting of trolls, that shall not stop now."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 11, 2014, 04:12:34 PM
Svala answers Agni's question.  "No, never the village itself, at least not in force, not in our lifetimes.  One or two trolls have been known to sneak in and steal items in the past, but never a full assault.  That unpleasantness has only ever been directed against lone farms."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 11, 2014, 04:17:03 PM
"May the gods prove me wrong.... But I think everyone seeking protection here might attract the trolls here. Are you working on any sort of defensive measures in case Eyrrinberg gets attacked?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on August 11, 2014, 04:39:54 PM
"Then we should find their camp and raid it at night. Even trolls must sleep. Better to fight them then than when they are all awake and at our doorstep." Thorgrim suggests.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 11, 2014, 05:00:46 PM
"I am afraid they are capable of fighting perfectly in the dark, while we need light. Yes, they sleep but we don't have any advantage over them once they are awake." Agni's face is serious, grim.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 11, 2014, 07:23:26 PM
Skulda is thoughtful for a moment, then says "We'd have the advantage of surprise... which can be enough sometimes. If they are camped in a forest, I dare say Hymir and I could tie quite a few up with the trees and vines. You hale young men could then certainly take out many, as you've done in the past. However, if their numbers are great enough to actually threaten Eyrrinberg, we'd no doubt eventually be overwhelmed.

What I think would be more useful to start is if we could get a better estimate of their numbers, and whether they could actually pose a threat to Eyrrinberg. If the numbers we find are small enough, we will of course take them out. If we find too many to eliminate, we could instead perhaps try and distract them by attacking and fleeing to lead them away on a wild goose chase, while the King and his men fortify the town properly against assault, and maybe call for help from their neighbors."

Then she abruptly stands up and says "I'd like to get started on looking into this, with your permission, Sire. Could I get private quarters to conduct a Divination?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 19, 2014, 12:08:55 PM
"There is not much space in town, but you can use my bed chamber for a few hours." He motions to one of the serving women, who leads Skulda down the length of the hall to a partitioned-off room at the far end.  It is not large, but has a bed and space to move around.  There are furs on the floor around the bed.

After Skulda has left the area, Northri addresses the warriors as they continue eating.  "I am encouraged by your success along the road, and hold high hopes for your success going forward, but I must stress care on your parts.  After the farmers started showing up in droves, I sent my son, Eyvind, with a dozen men to investigate the reports of trolls... That was nearly a week ago, and we've not heard from them since."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 19, 2014, 08:25:52 PM
"And where is the area you sent this scouting party? We could start there..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 19, 2014, 10:18:32 PM
"Eyvind was planning to head out west to some of the farms that had been attacked.  There they'd pick up what trail they could and follow it back to its source.  He suspected it would lead into the deeper forest southwest of here."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 25, 2014, 08:49:19 AM
"So I guess this is our next destination. As soon as Skulda is done with her rituals we can leave towards west."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 25, 2014, 10:27:10 AM
Skulda takes the king up on his offer to use his chambers for privacy, and goes and conducts her binding ritual. She takes the items the party has acquired but not yet identified with her.
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 27, 2014, 12:05:36 AM
Skulda binds the Green Lady, then retreats to a corner of Northri's hall to use the Green Lady's arcane gift and inspect several of the items that had been acquired from the treacherous dwarf.  During the first hour conversation between Northri and Skulda's companions washes over her as she concentrates, learning Litr's axe was a Small +1 Keen Battleaxe.  The conversation draws down over the course of the next hour, during which Skulda identifies a pair of supple leather gloves as Gloves of Dexterity +2.  By the time she has identified a Ring of Jumping, Northri's serving women have made pallets for her companions, Bjartr having waved off the serving women from disturbing Skulda.

Soft snores waft over Skulda as she studies the flecked stone, glittering in the firelight of the king's hall.  It's known as a Glitter Stone.  In the wee hours her inspection of the flask reveals it to be an Eversmoking Bottle; the word "veðr", or "wind" will allow the flask to be recapped, and the smoke to disperse.

Already tired, but pressing on, Skulda expels the Green Lady, and sneaks out with a torch and a pitcher of water.  She walks out near the cliff edge on the east side of town, and finding a narrow space between two small buildings, she burns the stone ground with the torch, then douses the stone with the pitcher of water.  In the dark of night she binds Astaroth, and slips back inside Northri's hall before anyone notices she is gone.

Skulda sets to work contemplating the things she will seek insight about, and then asks her first question. 
"Who or what is organizing the trolls?" Skulda intones.
"Sires raise their children, with a mind to raze the lands of men."

Was that Astaroth's own voice that answered?  Surely not, but it sounded familiar...

"How many trolls are organizing?"
"One squad for Gormánuður.
Another squad for Frermánuðr.
One platoon for Mörsugur.
A company for Þorri.
One battalion for Gói.
Another battalion for Einmánuður.
A battalion for Harpa.
A regiment for Skerpla.
Another regiment for Sólmánuður.
One brigade for Heyannir.
A brigade for Tvímánuður.
A third brigade for Haustmánuður."

The growing onslaught caused Skulda's eyes to bulge before the response had even made it through the seventh month.  Her understanding of armies and formations was not great, but this sounded like a very large horde indeed.

"Where are the trolls gathering?"
"North, south, east, and west. Mountain, hill, sea, and forest."

"Is the King's son still alive?"
"Northri's seed is choked out by another."

"Is there a seal or seals that have weakened, allowing these demonic trolls to escape into Midgard?"
"..."

After the barrage in response to her second question, the silence following Skulda's last query loomed ominously in the quiet night.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 27, 2014, 09:41:11 AM
Skulda, with the paranoia of the vestige creeping into her mind, is very disturbed by the results of her questions, but also exhausted from her exertions. And so after quickly jotting down a few notes about her results, she settles down to sleep for the night. Her dreams are plagued with visions of hellfire and demonic trolls.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 27, 2014, 01:18:39 PM
When Skulda awakes, she notes the smell of incense and sees Bjartr sitting quite close to her pallet, concentrating deep in prayer over a smoldering block in a stone bowl.  The central hearths have been stoked back to life, and dim, pale light can been seen peeking in through the east-facing covered smoke hole in the ceiling.

The other members of the party have already risen, and were either readying spells or being served bread with reheated remnants of last night's stew.  As Skulda rises to a sitting position, Bjartr ceases his prayer for a moment to whisper something in her ear.  "One of the serving women was sniffing about, attempting to track down the source of the brimstone smell.  My incense seems to have camouflaged it well enough."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 27, 2014, 01:34:44 PM
Skulda opens eyes that seem to be clouded with cataracts and whispers "Thanks."

She goes to sit with the others to discuss the results of her nocturnal activities, and make plans for the day. First she tells them of the enchantments upon the items, then gets down to the topic of her divinations.

"There is something very ominous going on. Maybe you can tell me just how many are in each of these groups. When I asked "How many trolls are gathering?" I received this answer:

"One squad for Gormánuður.
Another squad for Frermánuðr.
One platoon for Mörsugur.
A company for Þorri.
One battalion for Gói.
Another battalion for Einmánuður.
A battalion for Harpa.
A regiment for Skerpla.
Another regiment for Sólmánuður.
One brigade for Heyannir.
A brigade for Tvímánuður.
A third brigade for Haustmánuður."

When I asked who was raising the army, I got:
"Sires raise their children, with a mind to raze the lands of men."
So I think it is the demonic ancestors that are rousing these trolls for some purpose.

When I asked whether the King's son yet lived, I got an odd answer:
Nothri's seed is choked out by another."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 27, 2014, 01:56:01 PM
Agni ponders over Skulda's information. Before he starts, he looks around, searching for the King.

"Considering the seed was 'choked out'..." his voice a whisper, "I guess his life was choked out."

"As for the troll army... It seems enormous. And... Troll Kings are rallying them? These sires can't possibly mean human lords behind the trolls, right? Thinking some more, Agni continues. "Maybe the answer came on a monthly basis to show us how many trolls arrived or are yet to arrive? And what about the question regarding the seals?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 27, 2014, 02:02:37 PM
"There was no answer to the seals..." Skulda says ominously.

Then after a silence, she says "I think there are other explanations for the King's son. The reply could mean that he's been possessed, or something similar, and not literally choked."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 27, 2014, 02:12:58 PM
"Or maybe the son was captured? So many ways to read this...". A few seconds later, Agni continues. "And the silence is bad. It's almost screaming an affirmative answer. We need to confirm this."

Need to find a Hathran and see if they can help here... Agni's mind begins to wander...
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 27, 2014, 02:29:19 PM
"Well... Nothri's seed has been choked out by another implies another seed. It makes me think that something has been done to him to change his very nature, altering his lineage."

Whatever it means... it doesn't bode well for Eyvind."

Then after another moment she says "I am still bound to the... spirit... that answered these questions. I can ask him further questions, if we think of more."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on August 27, 2014, 02:49:59 PM
Einar nods at Agni.  "By Sif you are right, we need to bring this to the attention to the Hathran!  At least one will be within the confines of the city walls, she must be found."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on August 27, 2014, 03:21:49 PM
"If the trolls organize as men do, that would put their numbers at fifteen to thirty thousand. What bothers me most is the term regiments. This implies some form of cavalry." Thogrim said. He looked worried.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 27, 2014, 11:43:19 PM
Bjartr finishes his morning prayers, and joins the others, thanking a serving woman as she hands him a bowl of fish stew.  "How many did you say?...  With numbers like those, I've no idea how we should even start to deal with them..."  Lowering his head, Bjartr's eyes fall upon the watchful eye medallion hanging around his neck.  "We need to better understand what we are up against if we are to develop a good strategy to defeat them."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 28, 2014, 09:12:24 AM
Skulda had slumped over in response to the numbers and sat quietly. Now she says "Yes... impossible numbers. We need to confirm this, and then our only hope is to try and convince the surrounding leaders of their truth, and get them to organize a response.

I agree that we need to discuss this with the Hathran... but I fear they may not like the source of the information..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 28, 2014, 09:22:04 AM
"What do you mean the Hathran will not like the source of information?" Agni inquires Skulda.

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on August 28, 2014, 10:54:06 AM
Thorgrim nods. "A few dozen small trolls would be simple. But this many organized for war will require the work of many. I suggest we contact the Lodges. The berserkers will not run from a challenge, and should make it easier to defend the Wall, should they seek the soil of Rashemon."

"The note we found should interest the Hathran, at least enough to seek answers from the spirits. And if I recall correctly (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3657.msg285744#msg285744), they may have already received some warning from the Druids. I remember seeing a letter once, but it did not make much sense and I did not think to question Hathran business. But maybe it concerns the trolls..."

Thorgrim describes what he can recall from the letter.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on August 28, 2014, 11:27:24 AM
To Thorgrim she says "This is good. So they should have more than just our words to rely on."

Then she pauses for a moment while looking at her hands, then says to Agni "I might not be unknown to those Hathran, or other leaders of Rasheman, who have long memories. I was not always a reclusive hedge witch. Most who might remember me have likely died of old age by now, though.

And although I haven't inquired with them about it, I imagine that they would likely frown on my practice of binding spirits into my body."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on August 28, 2014, 12:49:18 PM
"...Traditions, huh. Things that are generally good to have, but as time flows become antiquated... Obsolete." Agni pauses for a moment and his past comes to mind... He pushes his thoughts to more useful thinking. "Then it's up to ourselves to show them your real value. And you already did quite a few times in the last few days. And if all the years I've spent working with them mean something, they might be willing to hear me out."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on August 28, 2014, 02:36:43 PM
"I agree, we should confirm this information with our own eyes," Bjartr says.  "With others of us testifying to the truth of your prognostications, I doubt they will care about your involvement."  He says that last with a bit of a question in his voice, as if wondering what Skulda is alluding to.

"So, with trouble brewing in every direction, where do we start?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 03, 2014, 11:16:17 AM
"West, to check the King's son."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 03, 2014, 12:50:35 PM
"Yes... that seems the best option.  If Eyvind was going to search the farms and backtrack them, we could do the same."  After pausing and looking to the others for input, Bjartr asks, "So, back to the farm where we were ambushed, and see what we can find?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on September 11, 2014, 11:52:12 AM
Einar shrugs.  "I still think we should talk to the Hathran before we leave."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 11, 2014, 05:48:30 PM
"Is there a Hathran here?" Bjartr asks.  "Rashemen is on the other side of the Ashane Sea..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 12, 2014, 03:06:06 PM
"I work with them, but it's been a long while since the last Hathran I've seen. Probably a few months before taking this job... And normally they come looking for me, not the other way around..." Agni comments while remembering the time before this job to guard a caravan.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on September 12, 2014, 03:09:54 PM
Einar shrugs again.  "They do roam outside of Rashemen.  If one is not here then so be it, but to give up without a search is foolish"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 12, 2014, 03:17:30 PM
Agni urges the man to accompany him. "Then let's take a look around and see if there's one, Einar."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on September 12, 2014, 03:27:22 PM
Einar nods and leads the way, trying to find out if there is a Hathran in the area.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 12, 2014, 03:48:10 PM
Agni also starts asking around for a Hathran...

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 15, 2014, 01:06:46 AM
A few questions of Northri's servants reveals that they know nothing of any Hathran or Rashemi witches being in town.  Northri himself overhears one of you ask someone, to which he replies "No, we do not have a Hathran visiting Eyrrinberg; at least not that I know of.  We do have an Angel of Death, though.  Perhaps she could be of help in some way?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 16, 2014, 08:56:03 PM
"Hm... Could you please tell me where can I find the Angel?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 17, 2014, 12:19:48 PM
"She lives on the edge of town, though it would perhaps be best if I summoned her here," Northri says.  "Katla, run and fetch Ásdís."  The serving woman sets down the bowls she had been collecting, and hurries out the far door.

The seconds stretch into minutes before the servant returns, lending an arm to aid an old woman as she walks through the door.  Her hair is long and white, and though wrinkled, her face still holds hints of delicate features.  Once in the door and again standing fully upright, the woman gains a steady posture, and slowly but firmly walks toward Northri's seat.  Her dress is somewhat worn, but is still a fine and well-made garment.  She carries a staff that splits to a small "Y" shape at that top; talismans and amulets hang from the crotch of the Y.  Her neck is adorned with several grim talismans as well; at least one leather thong dangles a shriveled dark green finger, nearly the length of her forearm.

"What aid do you request of me, young one?" she says to Northri as she leans on her staff.  He nods toward your group, and the Angel of Death cranes her head around.  Her piercing eyes size you up;  Her face does not betray if she approves of the value of your measure.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 22, 2014, 07:37:27 PM
"We wish to seek your knowledge and wisdom, Revered One." Agni is clearly unconfortable trying to talk so formally. "We would like to know if you know anything regarding the seals put in place by the Hathrans to hold off the demons long ago. Would you happen to know anything about it? Is there one such seal in the region?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 24, 2014, 12:15:13 PM
"Seals?  I know nothing of seals," she says.  "But I do know of prisons..."  She lets the word hang in the air a moment before continuing.  "There is a large henge about a day's travel north of town, on a cliff overlooking the sea, and there are smaller cairns located throughout the forest."  She breathes deeply before continuing with a chiding tone, "You'd do best to heed the words of your elders and stay away from them... but if you go, you will likely encounter Bram, who might be able to tell you more," she finishes with a gentler voice.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 24, 2014, 12:23:47 PM
"And this Bram works as a guardian or watcher to these prisons?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 24, 2014, 12:49:30 PM
"A watcher, yes."  As an afterthought, she adds, "If you seek him out, see me first; I've finished a talisman for him."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on September 24, 2014, 12:57:19 PM
Skulda regards the old crone with a suspicious eye (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg258551#msg258551), thinking to herself that many such as this are little better than charlatans preying on the superstitions of fools. She says "Is this Bram man or beast?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 24, 2014, 01:20:23 PM
Returning Skulda's discerning glare, Ásdís answers, "Either, based upon his mood and whim."  Skulda gets the sense that the old woman is being truthful in what she's said so far.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on September 24, 2014, 01:39:23 PM
Skulda makes a HRMPH sound and says "And phase of the moon? Or is he a druid? Speak plainly. I've no need of abstruse aphorisms."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 24, 2014, 01:52:16 PM
Ásdís gets the barest hint of a quizzical look on her face at the mention of moon phases, but that is snuffed out by the fire that kindles in her eyes.  Glaring at the woman before her, Ásdís answers in a cool, deadpan voice, "Some would name him a druid."  The tension is palpable, and one of the serving women forgets what she is doing, and just glances back and forth between the older women, her mouth agape.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on September 24, 2014, 04:43:59 PM
Skulda smiles with her mouth, but her clouded eyes are shining daggers as she says "Thank you, Young One. We'll be glad to deliver your bauble to this druid as well."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 24, 2014, 06:06:59 PM
Ásdís looks to Northri to see if he needs anything else, then she motions for one of the serving women to accompany her.  She strides to the door in chill silence, waiting for the serving woman to go through first and support her hand as she stoops to exit the low door.  As she lowers her head, her long white hair falls forward; Skulda, Bjartr, Einar, and Thorgrim all notice a small but distinct point to her ear, clearly visible in the morning light from outside.

Bjartr purses his lips, squints his eyes, and raises his brow; the look he gives Einar and Thorgrim seems to say "that can't be good."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on September 24, 2014, 08:03:01 PM
Skulda can't help but be taken aback, but she does her best to hide it, and turns to the others and says "So, guess we're heading towards this henge, then?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on September 25, 2014, 01:36:05 AM
Thorgrim notices the pointed ears and looks at Skulda's ears, then back to the Angel of Death's ears. Were they related or did hedge magic make your ears grow pointed? Either way, Skulda was treating this witch much like a female cat would treat another that entered it's territory, hissing to display her superiority. He imagined she didn't do well at family reunions...

"That would be wise. The druids seemed to know the seals were weakening before even the Hathran. They may have insights about the fiendish horde that others would not."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 25, 2014, 12:26:27 PM
Agni speaks to his friends.

"Then as far as I know, we have two steps to take for now. Inspect these henges and seek Bram is one of them. The other is investigating what happened to the city's scouts, including King Northri's son. Is that correct?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 25, 2014, 12:59:17 PM
"Those are the options I see" Bjartr says.  Lowering his voice, he adds, "Given the ominous portents Skulda learned about Eyvind, I'm not sure that hurrying after him will alter the outcome at all."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on September 26, 2014, 10:44:13 PM
Einar nods but keeps quiet, these things are outside of his knowledge.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on September 29, 2014, 10:26:33 AM
"If everyone agrees with this we can go to the henges.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on September 29, 2014, 03:07:42 PM
Northri sends servants on a few errands, and soon you have been given a sack with a few loaves of bread, some dried fish, and fresh waterskins.  A woman comes in with a small leather pouch on a leather thong; the pouch is little bigger than a large coin, sewn shut with stitching around its edges.  "This was the talisman the Angel of Death spoke of," she says meekly, as she hands the item to Einar.

You soon find yourselves on horseback traveling on a small trail heading north of Eyrrinberg, with thick fog rolling in from the south.  This third day of Gormánuður* does not seem as though it will be a pleasant one...  Still, despite the fog, with the lack of a strong wind and the temperature still quite a ways from freezing, things could be worse.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on September 29, 2014, 04:57:21 PM
Einar accepts the talisman and smiles in thanks.  "We shall deliver this to Bram."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 02, 2014, 06:34:31 PM
The fog slows your travel a little, but isn't so thick that you lose your way on the trail north.  The fog certainly does give the forest an erie feeling, though.  Bird calls are few and far between, but rustling movements are heard occasionally from various directions, adding to the sense of something being wrong.  But a few short reconnoiters checking the sounds show them for what they are; squirrels finding a few last morsels before hibernating, and hares munching away at undergrowth.  On one of those reconnoiters, Einar noticed an odd standing stone about two feet high, scrawled with arcane runes.

You continue through the afternoon, and as the fog-shouded sun nears the southwest horizon, Skulda and Einar both notice that a nuthatch has been following your group for the last few minutes.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 02, 2014, 10:53:25 PM
Knowing that the man they're seeking is a druid with shapeshifting powers, Skulda tries to discreetly scan the nuthatch for magical auras.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 02, 2014, 11:48:59 PM
Skulda casts her spell, and directs her magically-enhanced vision toward the nuthatch.  There is magic somewhere close behind the party; two auras, both upon the bird.  The bird flits over to another tree, closer to the party, landing on the trunk, head down, as nuthatches typically do.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on November 03, 2014, 07:53:21 AM
Thorgrim continues his Constant Vigilance(!) as they move along, ever on alert for large and dangerous creatures.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on November 05, 2014, 06:13:35 AM
"Is everything okay, Skulda?" Asks Agni when he sees Skulda casting a spell.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 05, 2014, 10:15:23 AM
Skulda says in a whisper "We're being followed." Then smiles, turns toward the bird, and raises her voice (in Rashemi, I guess) "Bram, I presume? We've come here to deliver the talisman Ásdís made for you, and speak with you about a growing menace of fiendish trolls that we're investigating. I am Skulda, and my companions are Agni, Bjartr, and Throgrim*."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on November 05, 2014, 11:26:20 AM
Thorgrim, startled, turns to find who or what Skulda is talking to. He blinks - twice, and nods his head in acknowledgement. He puts the blade of his fang on the ground as a gesture of peace, but keeps a firm grip on it in case he is mistaken. He will let those that can speak to the land speak to each other.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 05, 2014, 02:49:10 PM
Einar keeps an eye on the bird but does not make any movements threatening or otherwise.  He is unsure if this bird could truly be the man they seek.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 10, 2014, 09:22:33 PM
The nuthatch continues to move in sudden bursts, hopping down a tree trunk, or flitting across the road to another tree.  It doesn't seem to respond to Skulda's address in any way.  As you all stand around waiting for an expected response, Bjartr's face grows increasingly bored, then annoyed.  Hymir looks to the priest of Odin, opening his mouth to crack a joke, when his eyes divert past Bjartr, looking in the opposite direction from the nuthatch.  Several of you see an osprey glide out of the fog to the north, and swoop down behind a cluster of pines about 70 feet away.

A few moments later a lanky man with a modest frame steps out from behind the pines.  His light brown hair is tied back, away from his face, exposing slightly pointed ears.  He wears sturdy leather boots, and wool garments colored in browns, grays, and dark greens.  "Could you repeat that, please?  What you said a few minutes ago.  I only saw the last bit, and was only using his eyes."  As he speaks, he walks toward your party a bit, but moves to place a birch tree just in front of his left shoulder before he stops about 50 feet away.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 11, 2014, 09:55:33 AM
Einar snorts in amusement.  He knew the little bird wasn't him.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 11, 2014, 10:13:27 AM
Skulda hides her surprise and continues to smile, and even curtsies to the man, and says "I said, we've come here to deliver the talisman Ásdís made for you, and speak with you about a growing menace of fiendish trolls that we're investigating. I am Skulda, and my companions are Agni, Bjartr, Hymir, Einar and Throgrim."

As she speaks, those of you nearby might see her cheeks flush a bit, making you wonder what's going on with the old gal. Does she have the hots for this new guy or something?

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 11, 2014, 10:52:58 AM
"Ah, the talisman!  And delivered to me, no less.  Quite fortuitous, as I used the last one just a few days ago."  The man steps forward to accept the small leather pouch, and when he bends forward to place the thong around his neck, you can see he has a few other assorted talismans hanging inside the neck of his shirt.  "I am Bram, the watcher of this region of the Yuirwood."  His friendly tone turns more serious as he asks, "What is this troll menace of which you speak?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 12, 2014, 08:52:39 AM
Skulda unfurls their tale, saying "We traveled with a caravan for many days to reach Nothri's land. Along the way, we saw many abandoned farms and fought several battles against trolls, including some that could use magic, some which could only be killed by fire, and most of which had fiendish blood in their veins. When we arrived, we found that the king's son, Eyvind, had gone out with some of his warriors to battle trolls at a nearby village and none had returned. Through a divination, I was warned that there is an army of trolls forming which numbers in the thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Due to their fiendish nature, and also due to us blundering through a portal into Nidavellir, we believe that perhaps the cairns which hold many fiends through these lands are weakening, allowing these trolls to muster."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on November 12, 2014, 05:23:33 PM
Thorgrim nods, adding what he knew.
"I was among a party that found a message in a pack that a troll had stolen. The message was from the Nentyarch to the Hathran, and told of seals that would weaken by midwinter and a tide that would trickle out. We had no idea at the time, but we now believe the 'tide' to be these trolls. And we believe the release of their brethren to be their true aim. We seek the wisdom of one who communes with the land. While we have learned bits and pieces, our knowledge cannot stop an army nor hold it at bay. Any aid you or other druids could lend would be a boon beyond measure."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 13, 2014, 01:29:05 AM
Bram rubs his chin as Skulda and Thorgrim speak their information, and as the Rashemi warrior finishes relaying his part, the druid's eyes begin to meander upward, lost in thought.
"An interesting tale, full of adventure and ominous portents.  Yet though you have the pieces before you, like a blasphemous Halruaan unable to grasp the meaning of a godly kenning through the cloud of his own ignorance*, you do not recognize the pieces for what they are, or how they work together as a whole.  I mean no disrespect; it is the burden my people have taken on..."  He says that last bit while looking at Skulda.  "... and in so doing, spare most people from the necessity of knowledge."

"I take it from your accent that you are Rashemi?" he asks Thorgrim.  "The witches teach your people to avoid standing stones, do they not?"**  "They do this, as do our people in these lands, because such stones are dangerous.  They imprison ancient fiends, locked away and warded so as not to inflict their malice on the world of men.  Still, the fiends found a way to exert their influence.  Though they cannot leave their prisons, and wardings strong enough to kill a healthy warrior were erected to keep out troublemakers, there was an unforeseen flaw, of sorts.  Some trolls are unable to be killed by the wardings."

"Evil beings that they are, trolls approached the imprisoned fiends for aid and succor; though trapped, many of the fiends are still able to wield powerful magics.  Aid was given to the trolls, for the giants were in a unique position to collude with the bound demons.  Whoring themselves to fiends for magic or trinkets, trollwives would bear fiendish progeny for the demonic sires; heirs to act as hands through which the bound fiends can exert their will."

"Now the trolls see such half-fiends as boons to their own tribes, performing errands and tasks for the privilege of being raped and strengthening their tribe with fiendish blood.  They horse-trade both ways, offering a womb for magical assistance, or trading something to the fiend for the chance to strengthen their tribe through the womb."

"No, the fiendish trolls are not coming here through weakened seals; they were bred right here in Midgard.  Beneath the very noses of their jailers..."  He says that last sentence quietly, almost as an afterthought.  "We are too few to watch them all, all the time, and we have other matters to attend to, as well."

He shakes his head as if to wake himself, and says, "my apologies; I didn't mean to carry on like that."

*
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 13, 2014, 10:41:48 AM
Einar pats the hilt of his sword.  "Some of us have become very good at hunting trolls, fiendish or otherwise."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 13, 2014, 10:57:51 AM
Ignoring the bragging berzerker, Skulda says to Bram "No apology necessary. What do you mean by your people? Those of elfen blood? I would like to hear more of that. I was raised by my mother, a human, and so have no knowledge of elven ways, and indeed have met very few others who share my heritage. I had heard tales of Alfar-blooded who watch over the cairns, though, and wondered if they were true."

She looks around a bit self-consciously and says "Perhaps this isn't the proper time to discuss such things, though."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 14, 2014, 12:15:45 AM
"Then perhaps we should make time.  Come, dusk is almost upon us; we should be able to make it to my home before all the light has failed."  He leads you a bit further north along the trail you had been following, then leads you west on another trail.  The trees press in, to the point that you must all dismount and lead your horses rather than ride atop them, and your view of the trail ahead is occasionally obscured by errant rays of the falling sun piercing through the canopy and blinding you.  The sun finally sets, and you walk for nearly an hour in total, noticing a rise in the terrain as you head west.  With about fifteen minutes of usable light remaining, you step into a small clearing that faces a rocky outcropping from the slope ahead of you.

A very large wolf laying at the north edge of the clearing picks up its head and begins to growl, until Bram orders him to quiet down.  As Bram continues walking toward the small rocky cliff-face, you notice that the middle of it has an odd bulge about twenty feet in diameter, and half as high as the twenty-foot cliff it exudes from.  It also has a wooden door, which Bram opens.  "It'll be a bit cramped with all of us in there, but at least that'll help keep us warm," he says as he gathers up an armload of various-sized pieces of wood and sticks, and heads inside to stoke the banked coals.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on November 18, 2014, 07:36:45 AM
Agni follows after the druid with a curious face.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 18, 2014, 09:40:47 AM
Skulda smiles and says "Thank you for your hospitality, Bram." and follows the man into the cave.

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"I had guessed much of what you revealed to us. Part of the divination said that "Sires raise their sons with a mind to raze the lands of men." So I thought the fiends were behind organizing this army, but I did not know that the fiends could impregnate trollwives from within their prisons. That is the missing piece to the puzzle.

There is more to our tale that we should probably share, though. Nothri's son is missing, and when I inquired as to what happened to him through my divinations, the answer I received was disturbing. It said that Nothri's seed had been choked out by another. I wonder what this means. It could mean that the son of another has strangled and killed Eyvind, but I suspect that it means that Eyvind has been corrupted somehow, making him no longer the son of Nothri, but the son of a fiend..."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 18, 2014, 09:52:37 AM
Einar follows as well but remains quiet, he is not sure what to say to this man.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 20, 2014, 01:13:50 PM
Down on his knees before the coals, Bram pauses in his gentle blowing to listen to the divinations as Skulda relays them.  He returns to his work, giving no reaction to the information that was provided.  He works methodically, using sticks to reposition the live coals where he wanted between two split quarters, and continued to blow as he added the smallest of twigs and thinnest shavings of wood to the coals.  Before long the glowing bed gave way to bright flame burning through the tinder, and catching the kindling he had arranged on top.  Within a few minutes the roughly 20-foot by 12-foot room began to warm, and larger logs placed on the fire began to catch.

Bram points toward the small table and two chairs, as well as the raised bench along the back wall.  The bench looks much like what you would find in a longhouse, complete with his sleeping pallet on the end near the fire, though the sidewalls of the raised bench are formed of solid stone, not wood.  Bram takes a seat on the ground beside the fire, eyes distant, as if still thinking.

After everyone finds a seat, he says "The first one makes sense; trolls, fiendish or not, have been known to convene large warbands in the past.  But the second... perhaps he was subjected to possession?  But that would mean there is a fiend running free... quite an unpleasant idea, though not impossible.  Your guess is as good as mine."

With that he stands up, picks up a pot and several clay jugs, which he places together, and then recites an incantation above them.  They are instantly filled with fresh water.  Bram hangs the pot on a hook over the fire, then rummages around for items stored in barrels and sacks.  He begins placing leeks, turnips, and other various vegetables into the pot.  A small amount of dried fish goes in as well.  As he works he asks a few questions about what else you know about the trolls' activities.  "Do you know where they are mustering?  What are your plans regarding figuring out what has happened to Northri's son?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on November 21, 2014, 08:37:46 AM
"We thought about following Eyvind's trail and see what we find... As for the troll army, the Hathran must be made aware of this." Agni pauses for a moment to breathe then continues. "On our travels we met a few of them, but sadly we do not know where they are gathering yet."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 21, 2014, 10:15:22 AM
At the mention of telling the Hathran, Einar nods in agreement.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on November 21, 2014, 11:50:37 AM
Nodding his head in agreement, Bram says, "I would suspect the best way to find them is to look in the witches' homeland.  I might be able to help you send a message to them, but having never visited anything but the north-most regions of Rashemen, I would have no idea where to tell the bird to go."

Bram pours himself a cup of water from one of the clay jugs, then gazes into the cup of water for a few moments before drinking it.  "If you told me the name of someone in Rashemen, I could try to contact the person more directly.  It's not a sure thing, and it would be best if it were not a Hathran herself."  He sets down the cup, then turns his attention to the soup, stirring it as the weak broth began to bubble.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on November 21, 2014, 02:56:36 PM
Einar speaks up again.  "I know someone who could carry such a message.  His name is Trogdor, he is a practitioner of fire magics but also a lodge brother.  He knows of my desire to serve the Hathran, a message sent in my name would get to where it needs to go."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 01, 2014, 10:24:57 PM
The soup is a tad weak and thin, but it is hot, and it fills your bellies.  The stone crockery also warms your hands as you hold the bowls.  After dinner is finished, Bjartr and Hymir find spots to lay out their bed rolls and settle down for the night.  The other men in the party set up to watch out a small shuttered window and keep each other company a bit, and decide on what order in which to take watches.

Bram offers up the final bit of soup to Skulda.  That done, he settles back down and looks at the older woman in the firelight before saying, "Yes, we Alfar-blooded watch over the cairns and henges, among other things.  We do what we can to prevent trolls and others from working with the fiends, but there are not near enough of us to watch them all the time, and the fiends are too powerful to deal with directly in an adversarial manner.  What else would you like to know?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 02, 2014, 11:17:58 AM
Skulda sups the soup for a moment, then says "I have quite a bit of experience dealing with spirits, and would be interested in learning more about how you're working to keep these fiends contained, and maybe lending a hand in doing so.

But before I can commit to that, I need to find my son. He went missing a few months ago, and I fear for his safety given the things that are going on in the land. He had traveled with some of the men in our group for a while, but split with them some time ago and they haven't heard from him since. His name is Hergierr."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 02, 2014, 02:35:50 PM
"The fiends were contained long ago by those with magic more powerful than our own; we are but caretakers to ensure they stay that way.  The most powerful fiends were locked in henges; they can't be freed, but they still pose a danger to mortals who approach too closely, and they plot and breed with the trolls who can survive meeting with them.  We do what we can to stop such troll breeding, hunting down any of the whoring bitches that we learn of doing so; but like I said, we are too few, and spread too thin."

"Of more immediate threat are the individual cairns which trap fiends in an unconscious slumber.  The lone runestones are more numerous, and ensnared lesser fiends in a much less-intricate trap.  The stones have been hardened against damage, and laced with wards that will alert me if they are disturbed, but triggered wards must be reset, and a determined group could eventually damage the stones enough to set the lesser fiends loose."

He pauses here, and pours himself another cup of water before continuing.  "I know nothing of your son, but a bit of tutelage in the abilities of my order may help you in your search for him, if you have the aptitude.  One of the first things we learn is how to make the menhir circles function as they did in the days of old, traveling reliably to other mehirs many days' travel away.  That is the only reason we are able to watch over as many fiends as we do."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 02, 2014, 02:46:51 PM
Skulda sighs and says "I am not surprised you have not heard of Hergierr. I didn't actually expect you had, but I had to ask. Someone must know where he is... "

She pauses for a moment thinking to herself Maybe I should try another round of divinations while I have Astaroth bound...

Then she continues, saying "I would love to train under you in the maintenance and use of these circles. Do they allow travel only? Or can you use them for communication as well?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 02, 2014, 03:35:21 PM
"Travel only," he answers.  "But as one practices and masters the power of the Yuirwood's menhirs, they can be used several times a day.  Or so I am told; I myself have only just scratched the surface of these abilities. Once every day or so is all that I can manage."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 02, 2014, 04:20:02 PM
"Well, even that is quite an achievement, I'd say." Skulda says as she begins dropping some mint leaves into a steaming mug of water.

She gestures to Bram and says "Want some?"

Whether he accepts her offer or not, she continues "I know the training you're offering is not something you'd bargain over, as it carries its own obligations, but I can't help but feel that I should offer something in return. I am a spirit binder, and the spirit I currently have bound can be used to divine the future, and present. Given your responsibilities, perhaps this could be of use to you? If so, I would be happy to perform some divinations for you."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 02, 2014, 11:35:38 PM
Declining the offered tea, Bram's eyebrows slowly climb as Skulda describes what she is offering.  ”Aye, an ability such as that would make my task much easier.  How far into the future can the spirit see?”

”Seven days, or thereabouts,” the older woman answers.

”Knowing that far in advance if I’ll have days free to complete other tasks… Being able to forego precautionary rune preparations in favor of other tasks at hand.  This is a marvelous gift you offer.”  He falls silent after that, thinking a moment before forming his question.  ”Will any of the cairns or henges under my watch be disturbed by trolls or other miscreants in the coming week?”

The druid watches carefully as Skulda sets to work on his question.  As the minutes stretch on, his attention does not slacken, as most men’s would.  Though there is not much of anything for Bram to observe, he does his best to drink in what information he can about the process.  Finally feeling the spirit within her poised and ready, Skulda poses the other half-alfar’s question.

"Will the cairns, henges, and fiendish prisoners under Bram’s care be disturbed by trolls, miscreants, or other ne'er-do-wells?” Skulda asks confidently.
”Untriggered wardings do not warn.
A new whore’s loins
shall be torn in the morn’.
After her body rejoins
an unborn will grow horns.”

After hearing the relayed answer, Bram "hmm's" to himself while rubbing his finger under his lip.  "I'll need to go deal with that in the morning...  With me being down a few spells to send your messages, do you think you all could help me slay a troll or two come morning?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 03, 2014, 10:32:53 AM
Skulda smiles and says "I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem.

And now I think I'll ask the spirit a few questions of my own, before it departs me."

She sits cross-legged and in a strong voice says "Where is my beloved Hergierr now? How does he fare?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 03, 2014, 01:23:14 PM
”Beneath the leaves of the Ashenwood
In the arms of a lover
Looking toward fatherhood
he loves her, the mother.”
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 03, 2014, 01:46:44 PM
Skulda sits in stunned silence for a moment as tears of joy begin to trickle down her cheeks. Then finally she says "Well... it sounds like he's doing just fine. Ashenwood... Do you know of this place, Bram?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on December 03, 2014, 03:11:43 PM
He nods, agreeing to the morning troll-slaying. His fang was always ready to taste the blood of such beasts.

"The Ashenwood is a sacred place in Rashemon filled with spirits. I have only been there once as part of a hunt. I won such privilege among a competition between many lodgemates during the year it was my lodge's responsibility to safeguard the Master Hunter." Thorgrim says. He pauses, as if weighing something in his mind."After we deal with the trolls, I can take you there if you wish."

Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 03, 2014, 06:39:31 PM
Still sounding a bit raw emotionally, Skulda manages to stammer out "Thank you... Thorgrim."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on December 03, 2014, 06:44:05 PM
Einar stays quiet, unsure of how to respond to all of this.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on December 05, 2014, 05:09:40 AM
"For now, let us rest. On the morrow, we shall put some whores to rest and then seek out this Trogdor."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 11, 2014, 01:27:51 PM
The night passes quietly, and in the morning Bram sets about preparing his spells, first reading from a bound book by candlelight, then quietly praying as the sun lights the horizon.  Busy as he is with his preparations, his care as a host suffers a bit; he merely points out a small sack of barley flour when Bjartr says something about the morning meal.

Breakfast and spell preparations finished, Bram asks who will write the first message for the Hathran.  "I can send this message on a bird's wing before we deal with the trolls; it will take but a moment, once we find the right bird.  There might be a few still around.  My attempt to contact Trogdor will take more time than we have at present."  He opens the bench along the back wall, and brings out a small strip of parchment, ink well, and quill, then sets them down on the small table.

Once the message is composed, Bram carefully rolls up the parchment into a tight roll, and wraps it with thread, tying it shut, and leaving several inches of thread coming out either end of the knot.  Once everyone is ready, he leads you out of his home, and toward the path back toward the main trail.  He motions for you to continue on ahead, and meanders off the trail several times, with his eyes turned up into the trees.  Thankfully, yesterday's fog has completely dissipated.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 12, 2014, 11:29:23 AM
Skulda asks Bram "How far do we need to go to reach where you think these trolls are? Would horses be useful to shorten our travel time? Or is it not so far, given your abilities to use the cairns?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on December 12, 2014, 11:33:26 AM
While Skulda talks with Bram, Agni writes the message to be sent to the Hathran.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 15, 2014, 11:32:46 AM
"We should be there in less than an hour by foot," Bram says in answer to Skulda's question.  "The henge is on a cliff overlooking the sea."

After about twenty minutes of walking, Bram appears to spot what he is looking for.  He whistles a call while pulling a handful of dead insects out of a pouch, and sprinkling them on the ground before him.  He steps back from the scattered bait and waits as a small bird flutters down from a near-by tree.  It is gray with a white belly, and black bands across its eyes, wings, and tail.*  Still clutching a few of the bugs in his hand, Bram pulls out a small rune stone, draws his fingers through a series of complex gestures, and utters a few words in Druidic.  The small bird stops plucking the insects from the ground, and looks at Bram.  The half-elf stoops low, and ties the small scroll onto the bird's leg with a secure knot.  He then picks up the bird, holds it close to his face, and whispers to it.  With an upward motion he sets the bird free, and it wheels around to fly off toward the east.

"It may take a week to hear back on that, but it's never a bad idea to have a back-up.  Come, we should be there in about a quarter hour."  He leads you onward along the north-northwesterly trail.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 15, 2014, 12:02:03 PM
Skulda clenches her hands together and blows into them, and when she opens them a raven flies out and off in the direction Bram pointed. She says "I'll take a look ahead, to see what we're up against."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 15, 2014, 03:22:27 PM
The raven flies above the canopy of mixed conifer and increasingly skeletal deciduous trees, cutting a bit east, toward the sea, now visible from above the tree tops.  The bird's eyes start to make out a clearing up along the cliffs overlooking the sea.  It cuts back to the west, finding the faint trail beneath the canopy, and following it forward.  Skulda stumbles a bit as the sweeping view of wheeling and passing trees flies across her normal vision, disrupting her sense of balance.

As the raven approaches the clearing at a high angle, the trees begin to reveal what lays beyond them.  The clearing is roughly 300 feet across.  Twenty-five feet in from the back tree line is a curved line of standing stones, spaced about 30 feet apart, each about two feet wide, and six feet high.  Their faces are squared, and covered in carvings.  As the raven draws even closer, the trees give way to a greater view of the clearing's contents; the curved line of standing stones seem to complete the circumference of the clearing, in total describing a circle roughly 250 feet in diameter.

In the center is a henge a full 100 feet in diameter, and the crossing lintels top 30 feet in height.  In the midst of the henge is a massive beast; massive in height, his eyes clearing the tops of the lintel stones, and massive in girth, as his porcine face sits atop a blubberous pink gut, and his body is covered in dark brown hair.  A ridiculous set of tiny feathered wings flutter as the creature's beady red eyes lock onto the approaching raven. Surprisingly, those tiny wings begin to lift the demon's incredible bulk off the ground... then it jerks its head, as if it hit a rafter, or an invisible ceiling, while its feet are a mere foot or so off the ground.

As the raven nears the edge of the clearing, the full ring of outer menhirs now visible, the fiend licks his lips with a slavering tongue.  Then his attention seems distracted by something; he cocks his head to the side as if listening, but still keeping the raven in his peripheral vision.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 15, 2014, 03:49:41 PM
Skulda gasps and says with a start "By Thor's hammer! Are you sure that thing can't get out of there? Why is it visible? I thought they couldn't normally be seen?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 15, 2014, 10:30:06 PM
Bram chuckles a bit as he says, "He cannot leave.  There are some that obscure their presence nearly all the time; this one only does so on rare occasion."  After a few more steps, Bram responds with a few questions of his own.  "How close did you get the bird to approach?  I've always had trouble getting them close enough to do much of anything beyond ensure I could still see him; they avoid the stones when possible.  And summoning it from nothing, for so long?  Interesting."

Turning her attention back to the raven's eyes, Skulda sees the large fiend split his attention between the bird, now perched on one of the six-foot-tall outer menhirs, and some approaching sound from the north.  The wind ruffles the fiend's fur as it blows out toward the sea.  The treeless view east from the cliff is quite picturesque, if not for the disgusting demon.

The demon's attention is pulled away from the raven as three trolls step out of the tree line to the northwest.  Immediately a bolt of lightning strikes down out of a clear sky, striking the middle one, who lets out a high-pitched yelp, then a string of curses in Giant.  Skulda hears the crack of the lightning through the raven's ears and her own.  One of the two flanking trolls claws the cursing one across the face, telling her to shut up.  The middle one is a her; green-skinned mammaries sway with her hunched gait.

The trolls continue to approach, and the demon walks over to the north side of the henge.  One of the males stops not far inside the ring of menhirs; the other male and the female continue forward.  Sixty or seventy feet from the henge they both scream out in agony as their flesh is torn asunder and they collapse to the ground.  Their wounds knit slowly back together, and before a minute passes, they slowly collect themselves and stand up, staggering under the pain of their still-healing wounds.  The raven watches the two of them approach the stone bars of the fiend's prison, and stop ten feet short.  The male begins to address the demon, holding up a few small items; scroll cases and rods or wands.  From nearly 200 feet distant, it is too difficult to make out what the troll is saying, but it sure seems as though he is offering some sort of trade.  The fiend unconsciously pats at a large sack hanging near his right hip, slung over his left shoulder by a rope hanging diagonally across his bulk.

"It's just up there," Bram says, pointing forward along the trail.  About 300 feet ahead of you the trees start to thin out.  "It's important we stay below the demon's notice; if he notices you near the edge of the clearing, he could melt your mind with a thought.  I must utilize misdirection when using the menhirs to travel."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 15, 2014, 10:40:23 PM
Skulda, with a distant look in her eyes, says "My bird is perched upon one of the outer, smaller, stones. There are three large trolls, one is a female. The wardings knocked them out, but their wounds soon healed and they stood back up and are now bargaining with the fiend.

How are we to draw the trolls out? Or should we wait until their... business... is done, and then ambush them on their way back out? That might be safer, but we have to make sure they do not escape."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on December 16, 2014, 12:46:39 AM
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"Since they are already there, it would be best to wait and kill them when they leave.  Unfortunately, the demon will likely gain whatever prize the trolls were offering him, but there's not much we can do about that now.  If you are able to keep eyes on them, we can circle around and wait for their departure, and strike beyond the reach of the fiend."

Keeping the raven's eyes on the trolls, the bird flew to another menhir a little way around the circle.  The trolls apparently done with their negotiations, the male wrapped the offerings in a cloth and tossed the bundle in to the gargantuan fiend, who caught it before it could hit the ground.  He set it aside without taking his eyes off the troll whore, who began to advance to enter the henge; just before she reached the outer edge of the upright stones her flesh was torn again by the magical wardings.  She screamed and fell forward, and the demon grabbed her arm as it fell between two upright stones.  He forcibly dragged her into the confines of his prison, and before she had even regained consciousness he had torn off and discarded her loin-cloth, and was violating her unconscious form.  Her limp body was impaled, and dark troll blood dripped onto the rocky ground.  When she had finally healed enough to regain consciousness, the screams of agony shattered the relative silence of the forest.  A stroke of lightning struck her head and cut off her screams for a few moments.  When she awoke again and the screams returned, she was begging to be let go.  She was not.

Skulda had heard of the savagery inflicted on those unfortunate human women kidnapped by trolls.  She had even saved young Moeid from such a fate.  Those horrific tales paled against the brutality of what she saw here.  The glee with which the demon inflicted pain, both mental and physical, was... sickening.

The group had plenty of time to circle around toward the north, for the demon took his time, exacting a price of terror and pain in addition to the offerings that had been given.  Broken bones.  Flayed skin.  Bleeding orifices.  It didn't take long before he spared a moment's thought to strike Skulda's raven with a bolt of lightning; it was almost a blessing, removing the horrible scene from her eyes.  He toyed with the whore, and Bram would lead you forward as her screams resumed, and halt your movement as the screams cut off.  Soon you were positioned along the trail the trolls had used, and everyone could just make out the clearing.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 16, 2014, 09:45:45 AM
Having lived alone among monsters, and dealt with strange powers from the Great Beyond for many years, Skulda manages to hide her disgust fairly well, but it is obvious that the blood has drawn from her face, and she hesitates for a moment before summoning another raven, not wanting to witness any more of the violation, but knowing that she does need to provide information about the movement of the trolls.

As the new raven flies away, she says with as much mirth as she can muster "So who wants an extra pair of arms?"

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on December 16, 2014, 11:27:06 AM
Thorgrim raises an eyebrow. "You can summon weapons? I didn't know you were an arms dealer."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 16, 2014, 12:16:36 PM
Skulda thumps him on the head and says "No, dummy. Literally a pair of arms, with hands and fingers... you know?

It will just be temporary, don't worry, but it could help you swing that poleaxe harder."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on December 16, 2014, 12:44:07 PM
While genuinely confident in his own ability, Thorgrim was not the kind to turn down offered help, even the unusual kind. "I prefer being forewarned to four-armed, but I will give it a try." The barbarian says.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on December 16, 2014, 12:45:58 PM
Skulda chuckles and says with a grin "I can provide both."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on December 17, 2014, 03:43:19 PM
Einar rolls his eyes.  He does not appreciate these silly puns.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on December 18, 2014, 06:17:07 AM
Noticing Einar's reaction, Agni approaches and pats his shoulder while showing a wry smile.

"Relax friend. Sometimes we need to laugh in order to lighten the weight we carry in our hearts." After a small pause, Agni asks the group as a whole. "So, what's the plan? Let the demon have his way then kill all trolls?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on December 18, 2014, 06:24:56 AM
"Are we safe from the demon as long as we stay out of the circle?" Thorgrim asks?
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 03, 2015, 09:06:43 PM
"We should be safe from him at this distance," Bram replies.  "... Unless he has acquired a scroll or other item with a vastly greater distance to it.  It is best we not antagonize him; he can still summon lesser demons to act as his henchmen for a sizable span of Sköll's pursuit of Sól across the sky."

Skulda's new raven perches in a tree a few dozen feet back from the edge of the clearing.  The bare birches and full pine trees created a gap that provided a good view of the clearing.  Skulda's eyes, and everyone's ears, are subjected to another twenty minutes of grunting and screaming brutality.  When it finally ends, all you hear are the demon's grunts; the screams had ended minutes ago.  Finished, Skulda sees the fiend pull the limp form off his erect member, and toss her aside like a filthy rag.  The demon steps over to inspect the offerings provided by the male trolls, unfurling the contents of the scroll cases, and studying the pages intently.  Luckily for the troll whore, there were several scrolls.  After a minute or two, she begins to stir, and feebly begins to crawl away from the demon, clutching her groin with one hand to hold in his seed.  When she exits the henge's circle, she again screams and collapses to the earth.  The male who had waited inside the first warding walks over to her, grabs an arm, and starts dragging her back to the second male.  By the time they reunite with the one who stayed outside, the whore is well enough to stand with a little help from the males.  They all turn and walk past the ring of menhirs, toward the mouth of the trail.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 05, 2015, 10:00:18 AM
Skulda speaks a few words and an extra pair of arms grows out from Thorgrim's torso, and all of his four arms grow large, troll-like claws. A few more words and a small fire springs forth from her empty palm. She then positions herself and her great cat to be hidden by the nearby foliage until the trolls get a bit closer, and before they cross into view, she vanishes.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 05, 2015, 12:36:05 PM
Agni takes a bottle filled with distilled spirits, douses his fingers with it then using those fingers he traces runes over his face, arms and chest while casting a spell meant to increase his vitality for a while. After that he grabs the miniature dedicated to Odin and casts a spell as if praying to the Allfather. Agni also conjures a brilliant shield made of energy to protect him. Finally, he channels some of his arcane energy into his everpresent companion.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on January 05, 2015, 03:20:23 PM
Einar moves about twenty-five feet up the path from his companions, remaining in the underbrush so as not to be spotted.  He then pulls out his spear, deciding that the extra reach will be best for this fight.  Spear in hand, Einar hunkers down so that the trolls will pass on by and he can attack them from behind.

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Map
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on January 07, 2015, 02:35:02 AM
Feeling armed and dangerous, Thorgrim waits, gripping his fang with all his arms. He feels the call of battle lust, but does need heed it until they come closer.

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Combat stats:
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 16, 2015, 11:58:52 AM
The trolls pick their way along the trail, taking about a minute to get halfway to the location of your ambush; by that point the troll whore was walking fine on her own.  As the column of trolls approaches, the lead one casually looks about.  A short distance from Einar's lead position, the head troll's inhale abruptly transitions into a sharp sniff.  His eyes lock onto Thorgrim's position, and a low growl deep in the troll's throat transitions into a single word.  "Grrrrr...humans."  The whore and the other male peer over the front one's shoulder, also looking at Thorgrim.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on January 16, 2015, 12:04:25 PM
Einar waits in hiding until at least one of the trolls passes by his hiding place.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 16, 2015, 12:49:11 PM
Bjartr calls upon the rune etched into his spear's haft, and blesses the swing of each of your weapons.  He then closes his eyes briefly, calming himself and calling to mind how best to defeat these trolls.  Bram takes advantage of the trolls' clustered formation; a column of fire rains down behind the head of the whore, singeing the two rear trolls.  The half-alfar's large wolf steps out into the road, snarling.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 16, 2015, 04:05:25 PM
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on January 16, 2015, 06:08:33 PM
Thorgrim takes one of his many hands off of his fang for a moment, pulling his knife from his belt as he moves onto the path. He feels the power of Hymir's song as he throws the knife at the closest troll.

Gripping his weapon again with all four hands, he yells in a fierce voice, "Scum of the earth, fear my fang." Hopefully they would understand his tone if nothing else.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on January 19, 2015, 07:00:06 PM
Agni takes his time until the trolls are closer.

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Combat Stats
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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 28, 2015, 10:19:00 PM
Skulda waits until the trolls are within short range, then lobs a ball of fire (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg270812#msg270812) into the female one's face (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg270813#msg270813) and at the same time sicks her pet cat onto them.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 03, 2015, 01:48:23 PM
The trolls take Thorgrim's bait, the front one charging the waiting warrior, to disastrous effect.  Thorgrim's guisarme meets his lumbering green flesh, cutting a deep wound as Thorgrim sweeps the blade around to the giant's feet, knocking the troll to the earth, and following through with a bloody strike to the troll's neck.

The whore cautiously walks around her fallen companion, positioning herself to strike Thorgrim when he shows an opening in his whirling blade of death.  She did not seem to notice Einar's hidden location as she moves to Thorgrim's side.  Her attention was then diverted away from Thorgrim as a small ball of fire streaked past the warrior's shoulder and splashed the troll whore in the face.  Her vision clears enough to see the snow leopard bounding in toward her, and she swipes at the feline, missing, and receiving a face of fiery teeth and claws, knocking her to the ground.

Having already noticed Agni's waiting form, and seeing the death descend upon his companions, the third troll turns and flees back in the direction of the fiend's prison, screaming as he runs.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 03, 2015, 04:09:49 PM
Skulda says "Well... at least we got the female, and so can deny them their fiendish prize." as she walks over to the fallen whore and begins searing her flesh with her flaming hand.

As she does so, she has a momentary look of pity, saying "Not a good day for you girl..."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on February 04, 2015, 10:31:57 AM
"I don't think we would gain much running after that one... Maybe getting killed by the demon." Agni moves to attack the other troll so it doesn't rise again...
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on February 12, 2015, 03:43:52 AM
Thorgrim eases his grip on his weapon as he waits for the battle lust to subside. It was stronger than normal, but he found he could control it. He nods.

He assists Agni with disposing of the trolls, using the flames from Hymir's song.

Afterwards, he inspects their bodies for anything of use.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on February 15, 2015, 07:50:14 PM
Skulda has her bird follow the fleeing troll, just to see what becomes of it, as she continues to finish off the two fallen ones.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 27, 2016, 08:43:22 PM
Skulda’s raven follows the troll as it retreats down the path, then skirts around the clearing, into the forest north of the hog-faced demon’s prison.

The bard’s singing continues to power the flaming blades of the warriors as they work the trolls’ bodies to minced piles of green skin, red-black blood, and hunks of seared meat.  After a time, Bram waves off the swinging blades.  ”That ought to be enough.”  The swinging subsides, and the druid watches the slashed and burned piles of fleshy pulp.  No movement, no growth.  After a few moments of focused study, Bram rises from a crouch, and takes in the lot of you.  ”We’ve done good work today.  Let’s get away from him…” he says as he nods toward the stone-filled clearing up ahead, ”and I will try to contact your friend.  What did you say his name was? Trodgor?”

The troll continues to scurry away from the site of his companions' demise, throwing a glare over its shoulder at the raven that continues to follow it.
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 28, 2016, 12:27:22 AM
Skulda says "I have an eye on the troll that fled. Should we track it down to finish the job here?"
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on April 28, 2016, 11:16:39 AM
Einar nods to Bram.  "Yes, Trogdor in Rasheman.  He can carry the message to the Hathran to alert them of the situation."

He then turns to Skulda.  "Would we be able to catch up to it?  We have other priorities than spending days tracking a lone troll."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on April 28, 2016, 01:06:08 PM
Thorgrim returns, having finished searching the bodies. "Indeed. We have gained much knowledge here, and must consider what to do. One task, however, still remains incomplete. We left Eyrrinberg to find King Northri's son, Eyvind. And while the chances of him being safe are fewer than there are warm days in midwinter, I would still want to see his fate with my own eyes and tell Northri that his son died a warrior's death."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on April 28, 2016, 02:44:33 PM
”Then let us make haste away from here.”  Bram sheaths his scimitar, calls his dire wolf, and starts striding down the path, back the direction you had come.  You leave the slain trolls behind, bitter that they carried nothing of value.  Bram leads you in a southerly direction through the forest, and after a half hour or so of walking, you come to patch of rocky ground with a water-filled depression.  The half-elven demon watcher sits down in front of the pool, crossing his legs.  He motions for you all to sit or take your ease, then begins concentrating on the small pool of water before him.  He draws out a sprig of mistletoe from a pouch, setting the plant on his knee.  Then a small plaque of wood with a rune carved upon it, which he balances on his other knee.  He then starts casting, drawing invisible runes in the air as he incants strange words.

At first it is a bit mesmerizing, but after a few minutes it loses the attention of the warriors.  Bram continues his casting for what seems like forever, and you grow bored long before he is finished.

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on April 29, 2016, 05:43:36 PM
"So, Thorgrim, about the task of tracking Eyvind...  Agni starts speaking after a while. "How many days are we going to invest in this search? Seeing as time is rather short for the many things we need to do, we need to decide it now so we can fit everything together without losing to the troll army. "
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on April 29, 2016, 09:46:24 PM
Skulda ponders what spell Bram is using (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11182.msg305180#msg305180), then says "Perhaps our friend Bram here might be able to help us discover what has become of Eyvind. Though given the portent of my divination, I suspect that he is beyond our help."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: skydragonknight on April 30, 2016, 10:04:31 AM
Thorgrim speaks, drawing from teachings of the senior members of his lodge. "To win a war, you need allies and knowledge of your foe. To achieve knowledge of the foe, we can scout for trolls to see what we can learn of their movements. Gods willing, we may find some clue to Eyvind's fate as well. Or we could seek allies and make south for the port city and ask for their aid. But there is risk that they may choose not to help until the threat is at their own gate, if their courage is not strong."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on April 30, 2016, 12:15:33 PM
Einar nods.  "The strategy is sound, and Trogdor will ensure that allies will come."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Risada on May 04, 2016, 09:14:30 AM
"Hopefully the message I wrote will bear some fruit as well."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: ksbsnowowl on June 03, 2016, 03:20:31 PM
After Bram finishes his hour-long casting, he peers deeply into the pool of water, and begins whispering.

”Trogdor, Einar Bjornsson has an urgent message for the Witches of Rashemen.  Demons are building a troll army near Eyrrinberg.  We do not know their goals, but they are already wreaking havoc in the area.” After a short pause, the druid answers, "I am a friend of Einar, helping him get the message to the Hathran.  Inform them of this situation, and they can scry him directly for more information."

The druid looks up to the lot of you and asks, "was there anything else you wanted me to relay?"

Bram whispers any other information you deem important, then ends with "Hurry now, the Hathran will want the message as quickly as possible."

Once Bram's spell is finished, Bjartr stands.  "I've rested my legs long enough.  We've got days of travel to cross before we can learn the true fate of Northri's son.  We best be about it."

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Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: Nanshork on June 03, 2016, 03:32:05 PM
Einar shakes his head when asked if there are any more messages, Trogdor will know what to do.


Einar stands with Bjartr, picking his weapons up from the bench where they lay.  "Yes, if he still lives then there is no more time to waste."
Title: Re: Mythic Sagas: Chapter 1
Post by: phaedrusxy on June 03, 2016, 09:58:10 PM
Skulda says "Bram, you wouldn't happen to know of any nearby graveyards would you? Or any shrines or other holy places dedicated to Hel?"