[GM Arcadius Blue] On The Fourth Day, We Kill Them All (Inactive)

Game Master B S 207

sorry, I don't usually lead the group unless no one else talking. But I'll try to kick it up a notch. :)

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and to be honest, I want real sure what that dude was getting at either.

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Yeah I'm a really active poster and have no problem leading, but Havark is like a military guy. You want him around and leading when your in the s+$#, but not when navigating a room of nobles :)

His mind had wandered off a bit while Havark and the Jarl were talking; the intricacies of the twisting, ever-changing patterns of the smoke from the hearth-fire proving far more fascinating to the distractible fey than talk of clan politics and history. Snapping back to the here and now, Tyv summarizes their tasks to keep get everything straight in his head, ticking them off on his finger as he goes.

Safeguard the Jarl's children while they compete in the thing. Don't interfere or assist them, but be on the lookout for Ranulf treachery.

Questions for the librarians? Hmm...I would like to know more about the armored beauty we found on the 9th floor. Her soul-light was ...radiant, Tyv says wistfully.

Once dismissed, Tyv circulates through the crowd looking for merchants or sages that can identify the last of the gear they salvaged from the towers. He is also a bit of a shyster, and sees what people will offer him to own one of the "evil icemen's war blades," while the impact of their stale is still fresh. See, this one's still got Jotun blood on it!

Glowen cannot contain the sudden laugh that bursts from his gullet when he hears the line about jotun blood.

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Welcome back Tyv. My interent's sucking for the moment but ill be back when i can.

LOL, nice Tyv. And good job on the recap! That's your list of tasks from the Jarl to be completed during the Þing. I don't believe I mentioned this either, but while we're discussing the razors, they've all stopped producing emanations.

Fastvi notes down the other questions from Tyv & Glówen, and then whispers nonsense to the miniature, "ופוועקן." At this, it grows and shakes itself to life, appearing to be a normal raven dipped in silver. She fetches a thread from her pocket and ties the note to its leg. "Deliver this to Faforgh at Castle Hávardr," she instructs as she takes it outside.

As the fey-child makes his way around the table, he finds no buyers for the razors. Most declare the items cursed, and won't even touch them. When Tyv pushes the sell, mentioning Azul's blood on the razors, he stands up in a huff and walks towards the door. Fastvi returns at this time, raising a quizzical eyebrow to the Jotun as he takes his things and leaves. She then offers to take a look at these other items for Tyv. "I may have seen something like these before..."

Fastvi Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Fastvi Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Fastvi Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
"I'm afraid I don't know, dear. I'm sure you can find someone to help you at the Þing." The rest in attendance finish their meals before retiring, and Forni shows Tyv, Havark, and Glówen to their room.

"Here ya be! You've had a troubling day, so ensure you rest well!" He pauses for a moment. "You know, I've been wracking the old noggin since your tale, boys. An old story was nagging at me, and just now do I remember!" Forni scratches his beard in a compulsive irritation and continues, "Those floating, terrifying corpses? I've heard of them before, called 'frights'. The legend I remember has more to say about their terrible visage: they cannot abide by it either. If you can force them to view their reflection, it would terrify them and buy you a moment's respite. Should fate conspire to face you against them again, I hope that can be helpful." He nods a few times, seeming satisfied, and then lights a couple candles for the three before bidding them goodnight.

Bye-bye Azul. At this point, let me know what you guys want to do over the next day - things will be uneventful until the Þing. Glówen can take another crack at the items tomorrow, by-the-by. After you do that, we'll get the Þing underway! :-)

If you are using detect psionics as detect magic with transparency were magic=psionics and vise versa Havark can try and Identify them.

"Get some rest all. Glowen. I may be able to aid you in unlocking the magic of those weapons."

Here are roles if we are playing that way.

Spell Craft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Spell Craft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Spell Craft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

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Glowen keeps the same spells for tomorrow.

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Yeah, we'll use full transparency. Hey Glówen, you not only rolled well, but it also counted for something!

One talisman remains unidentified, but Glówen learns the nature behind the ᛒ talisman and the mountaineer's staff.

Check the Campaign Info tab to learn what these do.

Cool. Glowen, you want the talisman or the staff?

Tyv sleeps deeply that night, with the whispers of his bound souls to keep him company.

Glówen, give the third talisman one more check, and Havark give it two. That'll bring it to three tries each on it, with the most recent being Day 1 of the Þing. I'll try to get us set up over the weekend to start said-Þing, but it's my mother's birthday Sunday, so it might wait until Monday morning.

Again, if there's anything you want to do on the off-day before it starts, just let me know.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 Add +1 if he can pick up a guidance from someone first

Glowen will explore the whole place, paying special attention to where the thing will be held. In addition to looking for hiding places, he is trying to get a good feel for the surroundings, so he might notice something odd or out of place. Yes, the everything will be constantly changing throughout the thing, but he is compelled to try.

He also tries to gather more information about the enemy clan (/whatever). Notable livery. Favored weapons/tactics. Descriptions of key figures.

Tyv, I don't have a strong preference for either, so you take whichever you want and I'll take the other. If you don't have a preference either, give me the staff and you take the amulet since the diplomacy and wood seem to be made for Tyv

You've identified the final talisman! I updated the campaign info accordingly. For the record, Tyv never got a clue to its function as I randomly determined that the ᛒ talisman went on first, and therefore was the one that was functioning.

Glówen walks a mile east down to Viezla the next day, a journey which could be warm if not for the biting wind. Tents have been erected in small communities around the village, and entering Viezla proper, he sees every home within bursting with occupants, where smaller families are lodged up with the life-long residents. He makes his way inward, and Glówen notes the nook and crannies near where Þing events will be held. Including Fisherman's Square, the Main Hall, and the Market Square, he carefully sidesteps half-erected merchant stands and the water thrown by laborers to wash animal refuse off of the street. Once exiting the east side of the village, he finds two fields that have been set aside to host the combat events - these offer little in the way of cover. Finally, he learns from a rotund young boy that a number of races are planned both through Viezla and around the neighboring Lake Ætla.

Glówen Diplomacy (Gather Information): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
The Ránulfr Hall stands a half-mile east of Viezla's edge. Well-guarded, it possesses the look of an armed encampment, and it is obvious to anyone that the Ránulfr severely outnumber Hávardr. Glówen learns the name of Ránulfr's Jarl, Varghoss Grimólfson, but does not encounter the man at any point in-or-around town.

I'll drop the Þing events tomorrow. I imagine Havark and Tyv may think of things they want to do the day before, and so let's make sure they get the chance rather than tangling up the chronology.
Finally, here's a couple more definitions for you:

• Ránulfr means plundering-wolf.
• Viezla means meeting-place.

Havark spends the days leading up boasting and stating in his direct fashion that he can't wait for the dress wearing, lady like, cowards of House Ránulfr to show. He only hopes they bring at least one or two men among them that could offer Havark a challenge.

Oh boy, you're asking for it... :-)
Follow up tonight after my Dungeon World game wraps up.

Tyv spends the day strolling the markets. He found the human game of "bartering" great fun. He started with several pine cones he picked up on the hike from the tower and moved up through a pocketful of sphagnum, a ball of twine, a bundle of sticks, a thimble, a thimble full of fey blood (a fortuitous accident while showing off one of the war razors led to that one) and ended the day with a rather tasty pickled herring.

All the while he kept his ears open for news of the thing and the rivalries of the clans, along with eyes open for any trinkets, both magical and mundane, that his friends might like.

Looking for buyers for the war razors and any unused arctic gear, and gathering info and rumors in no particular order

Gather info, haggling etc (diplomacy): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Edit: Hoo! Boy! Tyv OWNS that market!!

Havark runs his mouth about the village, and it seems that his words are falling on deaf ears: it seems the Ránulfr aren't around to react to Havark's insults. At least, not until he's in Fisherman's Square that evening. A voice rumbles from behind Havark as the fiendspawn spits his words. "What Hávardr whelp is this? Were it not for the shriveled raisin his mother dared call a teat, perhaps he'd stand as tall as a man." Pausing to revel in a venomous laugh, the seven-foot, bald-headed creature behind him could be mistaken for a jotun, but it is certainly a human. "So you think all Ránulfr are cowards, do you?" He draws his sword, but it's an easy stance, suggesting a genuine challenge but no desire to start a fight in this crowded street.

This is for everything except the war razors; I haven't kept track of how many you have, so I'll let you know once you let me know. :-) You're selling at 75%, getting half the gold now.
Half earnings: 147 gp
Meanwhile, Tyv finds the perfect buyer for the gear found in the tower: a merchant family who had crossed the same glacier on their way to Viezla lost much of their travel gear when a fissure opened beneath one of their carts and dragged two horses with it. The merchant's agreed to give pay half of the agreed sum now, and the other half at the Þing's conclusion when they pick up the gear.

Ugh, I'll get details of Tyv's info-gathering exploits up tomorrow sometime. I won't bore you with the details, but s**&'s going to be kind of hectic on my end for a while, though it should wrap up mid-June at the latest. On a normal day, you guys won't notice the difference, but unwelcome interruptions are going to throw me off, and my life is full of unwelcome interruptions.

"You must be one of the whelps of House níđingrs. You see the name Ránulfr is no longer spoken here as they must have been overtaken by a bunch of no ball having eunuchs. Only a níđingrs would draw a weapon on an unarmed man. You want to prove your worth. I accept your defeat. You will be made an example of what House Hávardr thinks of níđingrs."

Havark walks up to the man and looks up at his towering stature.

"Say goodbye to your family if you managed go have any before loosing your manhood."

"Says the babe who wanders lost in the crowd, choking on falsehoods without a blade to his name." He sheathes his sword and addresses the crowd as well as Havark, "I will hear them no longer! Witness that I, Ørlygr Gestrson of the Clan Ránulfr, challenge Holmganga against this wretched Hávardr dog! He has three days' time to apologize for his lies in the public of Fisherman's Square, or he shall answer for them before my blade on Vætta Isle." He turns back to Havark before leaving, "I would bring a blade, whelp." Feel free to take your parting shot, Havark. ;-)

~~~~~~~

Tyv exchanges many questions for answers as he learns the art of bartering. He discovers that Jarl Varghoss, when seen on the other days leading up to the Þing, was accompanied by no less than twenty of his huskarls at any time. What's worse,Tyv discovers that there are many more allied clans of Ránulfr in attendance than the four clans Hávardr still counts among their friends. As a result, it is all-but-guaranteed that Varghoss, not Ásvaldr, will control rulings in the Þing council. Finally, Tyv finds a friendly old man to tell him the Legend of the Spring's Kiss, and how it is tied to the traditions of the Ice-Break Þing:

"The goddess Idun grows the Apples of Youth that keep the gods young. It is said Idun once lingered beneath a glorious apple tree on Vætta Isle, right over there, surrounded by her beloved wild-animal companions. Boreas, believing this tree was the Æsir’s immortality source, descended in a sudden blizzard and froze Idun and her animals solid. Just as she froze, Idun moved her animals’ souls and her own essence into the tree’s leaves, which turned silvery white and never fell.

"All Midgard fell into perpetual winter. The gods aged, searching for Idun in vain. Finally, the Fates chose Bragi, god of music and poetry, to find her. Idun’s crystalline form was so beautiful Bragi pledged her his love with magical words and kissed her. The lake’s ice shattered, melted, and vanished. Idun awoke in Bragi’s arms, her animals revived, the silver leaves fell, and the world’s winter broke.

"Every year, Lake Ætla freezes before all other local waters. A white-bark apple tree grows on Vætta Isle with leaves that turn silver in winter, gleaming beneath moon or starlight like candle flames. On the equinox, revelers perform their Spring’s Kiss ceremony beneath this tree. A young man, chosen by Fate, says a short verse and kisses the Vetrdís. Usually, Lake Ætla’s ice will crack and the tree's leaves will fall that same day."

~~~~~~~

Alright, that covers that! We'll hit the Þing next. Here's the list of events happening on Day 1, broken into each general time of day. Anything you want to participate in will eat up all of 90-95% of your in that time slot. Keep in mind that while Dalla and Hákon have stated what events they plan to participate in, the other four of Ásvaldr’s children haven't settled on anything yet, but will be involved in some events. You'll get a bit of warning.

Day 1 - Morning

• Þing Council in the Main Hall.
• Longsword Duel, part 1 at Field 1. Will be concluded on Day 2. Dalla plans to participate.
• Greatsword Duel, part 1 at Field 2. Will be concluded on Day 2.
• Non-Combat Dogsled Race will take you into the wilds; the course will be 20 miles long.

• Archery at the Field 1.
• Arm Wrestling in the Main Hall.
• Horse Race from Market Square to the far end of the lake and back.

• Dancing with the Bear at the Market Square. This is a drinking game that involves crossing a balance beam over a pit with a bear inside.
• Weapon Juggling in the Main Hall.
• Dog-Pit Fighting at Fisherman's Square.

Merchants will be free to truly start trading tomorrow as well, so I'll post a summary of what'll be available for purchase throughout the Þing. Now that I think I've covered everything, what is everyone's plan for the morning?

"I accept." He then looks to the crown.

"And know... This women of House Níđingrs will be given no apology from me and House Hávardr will accept none from them. Their cowardice came with a high cost to House Hávardr and it is time one of their lady fighters pay."

He then looks back to Ørlygr a few moments before going on about his business.

Day One Morning

Havark will attend the longsword duel to watch out for Dalla and any treachery.

Glowen plans to attend the council in the main hall. He will keep his ears and eyes open for information and subplots. Plus he'll try to talk to some important people or play smoother. Later on, he's thinking about the archery and weapon juggling. But keep an eye on the other kids.

Cool. Just waiting on Tyv.

Listening to the council sounds boring to Tyv, and Havark didn't ask for his help guarding Dalla, so he decides to check out the dogsled races. He will see if Havardr is entering a team, and try to talk himself along for the ride.

In the afternoon he will attend the arm wrestling competition, as it seems like a likely place to pick up information about the champions of the other clans - he spends time there looking for representatives of Havardr's allied clans that he can talk to.

In the evening he goes to see people dancing with the bear because, well, how could he not?

Day 1 Morning - Glówen
When Glówen arrives at the main hall that brisk morning, he finds that the first day of the Þing Council sees many in attendance as he waits behind a crowd. Once folk are inside and settled, they bring their disputes one-by-one to the council. These matters cover a wide variety of topics: the first brought forth is one family's accusation of another stealing their thralls. In this, the Jarls ask questions of both accused and accuser in regard to the perceived severity of the crime, and then argue over the wergild, or compensation owed, which all in attendance then vote upon.

As the council continues throughout the morning, Glówen learns this to be typical of justice in the north: while many trials do see to determining a guilty party, the end goal of the proceedings is to dictate what the fines should be. The accused are gently reminded that if they do not pay their debt through coin, goods, or bonded service, they will be declared níđingrs and made outlaws.

Anyone can bring their issues to the council, so if there's something that Glówen thinks to add, he's welcome to do so. Otherwise, feel welcome to grab the attention of one of the allied Jarls when the council adjourns.

Day 1 Morning - Havark
On the eastern side of town, two fields see a turnout of powerful warriors - men and women, young and old alike. The northern field holds the longsword duels, which Dalla excitedly pulls Havark to. "Come on! I don't want to miss one fight!" she exclaims, her red hair bouncing in the wind behind her.

Havark keeps a close eye on Dalla throughout whether she's currently in the center dueling, or he is. Though they are plenty present in the competitions, no Ránulfr dogs bother Dalla, and she duels against one member of a similar age early on, winning the fight. In fact, each do fairly well throughout on the first day, and a very close duel sees that Dalla will continue on to the next day. Havark seems poised to do so as well, but his last fight pits him against a powerful Hávardr fighter - Gunnar's eldest brother Stein!

The blunted longswords do non-lethal damage, and the duel ends either when one side concedes defeat or is knocked out. None wear armor at these fights, which puts you at a pretty significant advantage! We won't bother a battlemap, so let's see how you do.

Havark Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Stein Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
A horn sounds, signaling the start of the duel, and Havark is quicker on his feet...

Day 1 Morning - Tyv
Starting at the south end of Lake Ætla, two-man teams form up to lead twice as many dogs through the wooded wilds nearby. Upon arriving, Tyv hasn't a moment to worry about looking for a partner, as Ásvaldr's middle son Eyvindr calls to him immediately, "Tyv! Tyv! Join me over here! Let's show 'em what a couple of youngsters like us can do!"

We'll resolve this as a chase with obstacles specific to the dogsled race. Regarding the chase rules, how do you feel about using this variant? I've had good experiences with it in the past, but if you'd rather go with the published rules, that's cool with me too.

Oh, I guess being hard to hit has worked out well for him. Though he is terrible without his mind blade :) Would it be frowned upon to disarm and take their weapon? Never mind that doesn't seem like that fun of a strategy.

As the horn blows the muscles in Havark's legs fire. He bounds across the arena to Stein.

Leaping Dragon: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27 He lands in the Superhero landing before bringing the blade in an upward motion Flurry Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 missing the mark he spins and attempts to strike Stein in the head. Flurry Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 the blow lands solid.Well I assume it does damage: 1d8 + 1 - 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 1 - 2 + (4) = 11

"Give up now and avoid the embarrassment of being dragged from the arena Stein."

I though about Inevitable strike for the +20 dodging his attack and taking his blade with my open hand then asking him to yield. I think Havark would be more of the beat all them into unconsciousness because of his anger issues.

Sure! Variant rules ho! Or, Mush, in this case

Tyv's eyes gleam with excitement as he hops up behind Eyvindr. Just so! We shall fly though the snow like zephyr's through the wind. We'll be so far ahead of these others that we may even have time to stop and pick an apple from the tree of silver leaves.

Day 1 Morning - Tyv
Glad you're on board. Apparently this guy went and polished this up a bit, including more concise rules for animals. Use this link: Variant Chase Rules

"Haha, yes we will! Come on, try and stop us!" Eyvindr calls to the others lined up, taunting them. Including Tyv and Eyvindr, a total of nine sleds are lined up to race down the trail ahead.

To everyone's delight, Fanna has the honor of starting the race, and she gives Tyv a wide grin as she tests the weight of a handaxe. "Glad to see you, Tyv! I hope fate finds favor for you and Eyvindr in this race. Okay, here goes nothing!" She flips the axe into the air, and a chorus of mushing and dogs barking erupts the moment it buries itself into the ground.

Sleds 1-8 Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 221d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 151d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 151d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 101d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 151d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 71d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 41d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Tyv Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Dogs have a speed of 40 ft, meaning your base move check is +16.
A pair of trappers are the first off the line, pushing forward into the wilderness.

Sled 1 Move Check: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

.
..
.

Round 1
Sled 1: Leader @ DC 24
Tyv's Sled
Sled 8
Sled 2, 3, 5
Sled 4
Sled 6
Sled 7

Day 1 Morning - Havark
Regarding the disarming idea, I also think just angrily beating him to a pulp seems more Havark's style. Besides, it's a great show of ofermod, or reckless courage, that makes up about 1/3 of that Northman concept of honor. ;-)

I did forget to mention, thought - your inertial armor has a display, right? Definitely a no-no for the duel. If that's not true and you want to hide it and try to get away with it, go nuts; doesn't seem your style though, so that's not what I'm assuming below.

Stein winces slightly at the pain, but the blow must have hurt more than he lets on. "Hmph, Havark! We shall see. You know how to swing alright, but that bit of wood looks heavier than you're accustomed to, eh?" He then snaps forward, swinging with deft violence.

Stein Longsword: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 261d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 61d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
A veteran of many raids, Stein's blade strikes as true if not as hard as it always does, and Havark is left with large welts blossoming on the flanks of his ribcage.
Ignore the second damage roll if you do somehow maintain your armor bonus to AC.

Stein AC/Touch/FF: 14/14/10

Yeah he is still a 20 AC without it. The display is only when it manifest and it can be invisible but he wouldn't risk getting caught manifesting it and being called a cheater. Wow with the numbers above this guys has to be eighth or ninth level geez :), but his HP are so low. So I have to try and recover here to have a chance to win so here goes.

Havark winces as the blows strike him.

Round 2

Swift Inevitable Strike
Standard recover Flurry Strike
Immediate Counter Attack

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 1 - 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 - 2 + (6) = 6

Round 3 If I survive his round 2 attack

Flurry Strike 1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Flurry Strike 2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Flurry Strike Confirmation: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Damage: 1d8 + 1 - 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 - 2 + (4) = 7
Damage: 1d8 + 1 - 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 1 - 2 + (6) = 11

[ooc]Oh well fell short. No reason to play it out then.

Instead of the Above:

Havark takes a step back.

"You are a true veteran Stein, and are better then me at least with these toys of children." He tosses the wooden sword on the ground. "You win this game. I have a real duel in a few days. Come and watch if you want to see some real fighting. I give up."

Day 1 Morning - Havark
It's not THAT many levels. No rush, let's play this out one round at a time; Tyv's part will take a few posts to get through, as will Glówen's provided he chases down one of the Jarls. And as you'll see below, Stein did not do so well this round. ;-) What is this immediate action Counter Attack business, though?

Round 2
Stein Longsword: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 161d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Emboldened by his previous successes, Stein quickly turns careless, and the howl of split air accompanies his wild swings.

Fortune smiles. I was sure you would put me down with two full attack rounds. I just assumed the conclusion was decided sorry about that. I guess he still could end it now in round 3 if he hits with both and does good damage. His go again.

Wotan smiles upon the brash but brave warrior as the old veteran swings wildly. Havark manages to counter one of the attacks and then follow up with two more strikes leaving the man beaten and near unconsciousness.

Explain to me the counter attack, please - I'm glossing over whatever's giving you that ability.

War Soul

It is how the War Soul recover maneuvers as a standard action. It works with the Full Round Action as well, but he is doing it as a standard now just to get back Flurry Strike. Bolded for you bellow.

War souls may recover their maneuvers in one of two ways. The war soul may concentrate on his mind blade to recover an expended maneuver from its psychic projection as a standard action and recover one maneuver. Alternately, he may flood his psychic being with martial knowledge by expending his psionic focus to recover a number of expended maneuvers equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum of two) as a full round action. While recovering maneuvers, the war soul's mental state makes him react violently to those who would attack him. When attacked, he may make an immediate counter-attack against his attacker at his full base attack bonus; he may only make one counter-attack against a given enemy per round, and he may make no more counter- attacks then his 1 + his Wisdom modifier per round.

OK, so I read the full document on the variant chase rules. One question - What do the riders contribute in this situation? Can we make aid another checks to help the dogs? Ok, more than one question - I assume that out and out violence against the other racers is prohibited, but how far are we allowed to push it? Ehaustive ghost strikes on competitors dogs? Demoralize checks ( a la smack talk) vs other drivers?

Tyv whoops happily as the dogs take off and he is nearly jerked off his feet as they get under way.

Mush!: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35

Yes, Glowen tries to find a jarl to talk to. Whichever he sees first.

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Awesome, thanks; Hero Lab's community files don't call out the War Soul text specifically, so I wasn't seeing it anywhere. You spent on 1 PP on Inevitable Strike, yeah?

Day 1 Morning - Havark
Stein pays dearly for his thoughtlessness, opening himself to three quick attacks from Havark. The blows bruise the muscular man further, and he throws his sword to the ground, exclaiming, "Enough! I yield!"

Throughout the morning's fights, Havark had become something of an underdog to the crowd; at his final victory of the day, many of them joyfully whoop and holler. Stein then clasps Havark's forearm in congratulations while an easy laugh, indistinguishable from Gunnar's, bubbles forth from behind his chestnut-colored beard. "Well-fought, brother! Someday I will know better to underestimate you, but you must continue to instruct me until then, for I am a slow learner."

Nice job! You just bested a 6th-level fighter, if you're curious. :-)

I cannot keep track of who is who, especially with these names. If I buddy up to an enemy or snub am ally, I've probably gotten confused again. Please warn me.

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Answering in order:

• The Northlands setting book has obstacles specific to dogsled chases that we'll be using. These obstacles are designed for the participants to overcome, rather than the dogs themselves. Following that then, the dogs will only be responsible for movement checks and saves vs. exhaustion. I will however, post Eyvindr's mods for his skill checks as they come up, and you can roll for both after deciding who aids whom.
• Yeah, attacking outright is bad, and magic would be at best cheating (specifically witchcraft is fairly taboo in the North, and not everyone probably knows the difference between that and other magic). Given your magic signs and somatic casting drawbacks, you're going to be up against concentration checks to ultimately not get away with it. The edgyist-edge case is if you and one other sled are far away from the rest, you could possibly use subtler stuff with Nature Sphere, and Bluff away the event as those racers being sore losers; even then though, you have no idea how Eyvindr would react (maybe he tells people later, maybe he jumps off the sled screaming mid-race, etc.). Demoralizing would totally play a part, though. Definitely do that.

Day 1 Morning - Tyv

Sleds 8, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7 Movement Checks: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 261d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 241d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 281d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 301d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 191d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 261d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
And it's a starting lead for Tyv and Eyvindr!

Round 2
Obstacle Chance (30%): 1d100 ⇒ 11
Obstacle: 1d10 ⇒ 10

The racers disappear into the wild woods, where Tyv & Eyvindr's small statures have granted them an early lead. The course takes them up a moderate incline almost immediately, and the dogs are slowed by the ascent. The riders now struggle to bring push their sleds to renewed speed at the top!

Obstacle - Second Wind: Handle Animal DC 20
Eyvindr's Handle Animal: +6

Sled 1 Movement: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17
Sled 1 Aid vs Second Wind: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Sled 1 Main vs Second Wind: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Initiative
Sled 1 - Short
| | Movement: 17, obstacle overcome
Tyv's Sled - Leader
Sled 8 - Short
Sleds 2/3/5 - Medium/Short/Short
Sled 4 - Long
Sled 6 - Short
Sled 7 - Medium

I can sympathize Glówen. I'll move you forward next and by the time I do, I'll have put the allied Jarls' names in my quickbar for your reference. :-D

Havark returns the embrace with what little might he has.

"You as well Stein. It was an honor to share the field with you before you are too old to take it again." Havark lifts his hand to the crowd as he does his own. As a show of respect to the veteran fighter. Because Havark can't give a compliment without sticking his foot in his mouth.[ooc]

He then finds Dalla and congratulates her on her well fought bouts at least for a woman and the honor she brings to the Jarl. [ooc]Because Havark can't give a compliment without sticking his foot in his mouth.[ooc]

"I will spend the day with you Dalla as my protection of your father extends to his family and he is in meetings this day. What shall we do next?"

[ooc]Yeah 1pp on inevitable strike. noting now.

Day 1 Morning - Glówen

Before the council adjourns, the Ránulfr Jarl brings his own issue to the discussion. An imposing figure, Varghoss Grimólfson's dark-brown beard doesn't quite hide the massive scars across his throat: they look to have originated from a bear's swiping claw. "Clan Hávardr has not answered for their slander. No, instead, they send their pet Havark to spread more lies in the street!" Varghoss explains. "Ránulfr will suffer these falsehoods no longer; I demand that, for the duration of the Þing, all outstanding and future holmganga have their apology period reduced to a single night! Hávardr will think twice before they hurl more insults, and Havark will answer for his foul words TODAY!"

Though Ásvaldr raises his protests, he is ultimately outvoted, and the ruling stands. Council is then finished for the day, and people begin leaving the hall, their angry murmurs filling the air.

As I've provided you the names and have already been doing PbP stuff for a few hours now, I'll let you pick a Jarl to talk when you're ready, Glówen.

Movement: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Eyvindr, there! Watch the hill. Tyv points and yells to the Jarl's son.

Not sure if I'm even allowed to make an aid another check for a skill you can't use untrained, but here it is just in case.
Second wind aid another: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Second wind: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Nope, you can't. Good try regardless. Movement check should be +16, not +12 btw.

Ah, well failed the check either way :>

Also, if it wasn't clear, we're playing a little loose with the timing; we're resolving this round-by-round, but in-fiction this is more like minute-by minute.

Day 1 Morning - Tyv

Sleds 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7 vs Second Wind: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 151d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 191d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 121d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Sled 8 Aid vs Second Wind: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Sled 8 Main vs Second Wind: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Tyv, 2, 3, 5, 6 nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 5

Sleds 8, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7 Movement Checks: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 241d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 271d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 211d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 171d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 221d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 261d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29
And Sled 4 is out of the race. The dice like you, Tyv. :-)

Round 3
Obstacle Chance (30%): 1d100 ⇒ 57
Though Evyndir indeed watches for the hill, he fights with the dogs, and they turn to run up it at a steeper pace. A few sleds follow, and unfortunately for them, they are all caught off guard when a ridge hidden beneath a snowdrift causes their dogs to stumble and yelp in pain. Despite this,Tyv & Evyndir's early success lets them maintain their lead. However, even as another sled falls far behind enough to have already lost, another shortens the gap between themselves and 1st place.

Sled 1 Movement: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17

Initiative
Sled 1 - Medium
| | Movement: 17
Tyv's Sled - Leader
| | Non-lethal: 1 of 13
Sled 8 - Point-blank
Sleds 2 | 3 | 5 - Medium | Medium | Long
| | Non-lethal: 3/13 | 4/13 | 4/13
Sled 6 - Short
| | Non-lethal: 5/13
Sled 7 - Short

Day 1 Morning - Havark

Stein raises an eyebrow at the back-handed compliment, but accepts Havark's words with dignity. When Havark catches up to Dalla and levels an unintentional insult at her, she opens her mouth for a fiery retort before being cut short. "You’re the Hávardr jarl’s pup," interrupts a petite, black-haired woman with shimmering green eyes. A longsword hangs at her waist, and her monotonous tone chills the morning air. "So you think all Ránulfr are cowards!"

Dalla immediately snaps back, "I know Ránulfr to be cowards."

"I'm Ránulfr!" she yells, drawing her sword. Faces in the crowd begin to turn. "You call me coward!"