Square Sails on the Horizon (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

"Full sails ahead, ocean painted red when the soldiers of fortune hunt for pirates"
(Turisas - Hunting Pirates)


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"Tomorrow then, Úlfarr . I have not had to ever strain myself in this way up to this point. The elders say I will grow stronger with practice."


"Thank you Jorlief. I hope it is the same with battle. Not even my damnable brothers have ever done as much harm to me as that revenant."


Torgeir nods thanks to the Crestefalla and hunkers into his furs as the group begin their march, a grim set upon his blunt face;


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

Much thanks, Jorleif.


Minor Crab-beast

Kitta and Ellisif assist you in the cleansing of the barrow. Kitta sees the risen draugr dragged back to their freshly turned graves and laid if not covered, then at least in the earth where they were first put down. The ax wielder does not seem overcome with too much emotion, but Ellisif is solemn as Gylfir lays to rest the revenant's prey.

After the barrow is left, Kitta goes to work on the earthen arch o'er the entrance - collapsing it so as to bar passage and trap what evil remains. You then set off at a steady jog towards the karvi and your fellow vikingr, Roluo keeping a rhythm with his voice to spur you onwards.

Fickle Winds of Fate:
1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 = 12 1d20 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (20) - 1 + 4 = 23

If I can get Con checks for the forced march? - results will impact on the timing of your arrival to the karvi...


Black Úlfarr struggles back to the karvi, weary and growing more so from his wounds. Having Surtr at his side and Roluo's tale helps him keep him moving, but he is as weary as he has ever been as he hustles across the tundra.
Con Check (Black Úlfarr) 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Con Check (Surtr) 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

Con Check -> 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Gylfir plods along, he had been healed but is truly weary.


Con Check: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14

Keeping a slow, but steady pace Torgeir remains near the back of the group. A sheen o' sweat covers his shaved scalp as he hustles with the rest of the vikingr...


Con Check 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Completely exhausted from the day, both from the fight, getting injured, and healing, it doesn't take long for Jorleif to lag.


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

Con Check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Driven to return as quickly as possible, and bolstered by the healing graces of Jorleif, Kjell returns to the longboat winded and wounded.


Male Ulfen Bard (Skald)/1

Con Check 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Don't forget you all have the Endurance feat for this action due to my song, so that's a +4, or an additional +2 if you already have Endurance.


I forgot, make it 14 and 11.


6 for Jorleif


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

17 for Kjell.


18 for Torgeir


Minor Crab-beast

The vikingr set their minds to their feet and in reasonably good time reach the karvi. Jorleif and Kitta struggle with the pace set, though Roluo and surprisingly Ellisif are able to shoulder some of their burden and stop their tiredness from slowing the group.

The bear skin has been mounted on the prow and meat brought aboard, but it looks as though they have only just begun the task of maneuvering the vessel off of the beaching and back into the waves. At the sound of your approach, all eyes turn towards you... especially those of the huscarls. As you draw nearer they see the blood and bounty both and a mixture of emotions begin to cross their faces.

Njáll moves a little forward of the others and holds a hand up in greeting. His face does not show too much emotion, but he does appear relieved to see you return.

Short pause to allow you to approach in whatever fashion you see fit... be it swaggering, nonchalant, harrowed, etc. Then I'll respond from the huscarl and crew's perspective.


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

Kjell nonchalantly and business like approaches the longboat and simply nods as he grabs ahold in attempt to assist with maneuvering the boat into the water.


Black Úlfarr straightens his back, but still weary from the battle and march, walks slowly to the karvi. Voice weak he calls, "Sorry for the delay, let me help." Eyes dark, he makes his way to the vessel to lend his strength to the task. At his side, Surtr bounds into the waves, ready to get back on the boat, eyes seeking out Hrónarr.


Male Ulfen Bard (Skald)/1

Roluo self consiously touches the longsword at his side, a few crude scraps of cloth holding it to his belt until a proper sheathe can be found.

"Where am I needed?"


Minor Crab-beast

Njáll gives a measured nod at your understated approach and starts to bellow once more, directing you to your places either aboard the karvi at the oars or pushing from below. Most of the other vikingr have grins the size of ice crevasses on their faces, though are themselves short of breath from their exertions. Soon enough though the karvi is back upon the water, and you all are back upon the karvi.

At that point Sámr's voice takes over the call once more and he begins to tell an ode to even out your oarstrokes. He sings a more lighthearted story of a young boy who continually sneaks away from his parents and clan to go a running on the tundra. There is little meaning to it, as the escapades the boy gets up to escalate with each verse. At the ending, as the sails are unfurled - the boy brings home a fair lass to marry straight away and soothe his parents anger to'ward him.

Seating plan is as before.


With the lull in rowing Torgeir takes the opportunity to once again take a draught from his leather flask. Hissing at the spirt warms his throat and bones he offers it once again to Grómr with a nod;

"Hoi félagi - good to "sjá" you again."

The dvergr mirthless smiles at his joke, as Grómr sits on his "blind-side" towards his dead eye...

félagi = comrade, fellow
sjá = see


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

Gylfir bloodied and muddy, takes a moment to splash some seawater in his face before grabbing the boat's flank and helping it get turned around. He shows no pleasure at returning with spoils.


Minor Crab-beast

Grómr accepts a swig of the brew with a smile, grimacing as the spirit worms it's way through his gullet. As he hands back the flask he gestures towards a spot on your neck where blod can be seen, concern on his face "You get betsla?"

betsla - bit

Gummi leans back in his seat once more, pipa in hand and looking to light. Looking over Gylfir and his lack of pleasure in coming back seemingly victorious, he asks in a steady almost paternal tone "Why the stern look Gylfir? Did you not come a viking for such times? If so, why the sorgligt hjärta?" His tone is not condescending or gruff, and the tinge of mist on his eyes suggests that he has felt as you do before.

sorgligt hjärta - sad heart

Roluo gets a tap on the shoulder soon after the ship is underway from Ellisif. As you turn, she smiles and offers you a slice of dried apple. "Thank you skald, if not for your ord we may not have made it back before they cast off." her face is flushed from exertion and tinged by tiredness, but you get a sense of serenity and satisfaction from her.

ord - words

Ingólfr gives Kjell a hearty slap on the back and beams a smile "You look like death man... a scar to impress the kvinnor when we get back to Bildt?"

kvinnor - women

Hrónarr looks first to Surtr when the vargr comes aboard, seeing the red in his coat and furrows in his brow. Unable to act until they had cleared shore and gone back to the sail, he soon turns to Úlfarr "Your beast is hurting... I've some grötomslag that may take the edge off... if you and he is willin?" looking over Black Úlfarr himself before adding "And some fer yourself if you're not above being tended with medicine meant for the fä?"

grötomslag - poultice
fä - beasts

At the bow of the crowded karvi, Jorleif has the tveeggat blessing of being at the feet of the huscarl. Sámr merely gives a sneer at the runa man, but Njáll looks to engage "So vikingr... did you find what you sought?"

tveeggat - double-edged


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

Kjell smiles broadly at Ingólfr.

Aye, lookin' forward t'showin' it off!


Male Ulfen Bard (Skald)/1

"Thank you Ellisif, and you are welcome. Although I feel useless in battle I was glad to be of some small use on our trip back."

Roluo keeps his gaze fixed on the apple as he says this, then concentrates on chewing.


Torgeir's jaw sets at Grómr's question;

"Já but a mere klóra... No need to mæla of it..."

With that he passes his oarmate the recovered ornate handled longknife;

"Found this... More your háttr of vápn... nei?

klóra = scratch

mæla = speak

háttr = kind, manner

vápn = weapon


Jorleif grins at Sámr then replies to Njáll, "Aye Njáll. We laid to rest one who would not stay dead, claimed his armor, and discovered this." Jorleif shows Njáll the stone with the rune on it. "Dagaz. Rune of the day and laying the dead to rest. I'll need some time to study it but then I should be able to use it to aid us."


"You'll find Surtr is better than he looks, but he'll appreciate the grötomslag nonetheless. Probably try to lick it off knowing him, but I'll make sure he knows its good for him. Fortunately, Ellisif has a gift for healing and was able to heal him after one of the skeletons got him. I hear he really showed his mettle against the revenant though. I went down from a stupid mistake, but Surtr dropped it to the ground to help Gylfir land the telling blow."

He looks down at the wound on his chest. "I'm certainly not too proud to take some of the grötomslag too. Thank you Hrónarr."


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

Gylfir looks out over water and answers in a soft voice. "I nearly got them killed....I nearly got myself killed...I saw the signs...led them to the barrow...we put to rest a great evil, but to see such...to be exposed to that hatred of the living. How does one get over that? How do I close my eyes and not see those hollow glowing eyes?"


Minor Crab-beast

Kjell:
Ingólfr snorts a chuckle before replying "Well, least ye're back without being broken... rowing's more difficult on my own."

Roluo:
Ellisif speaks quietly to you "You were not useless in battle... to even approach that thing is to do an act greater than many could manage. You should not be so unfair upon yourself."

Torgeir:
Dropping the issue of the wound, Grómr takes the blade and draws it from the sheath. He gives the hilt a firm squeeze and moves the blade about for balance before testing the edge on his forearm - easily drawing blod. "Aye, she's a fair one... why would you part with her though?"

Jorleif:
Njáll raises an eyebrow "Aid us with the runa you say? I'd be hoping it's not needed. I am glad that your quest did not leave us weakened... we will need all the blades we can muster when we reach Varisia."

Úlfarr:
Hrónarr leans forward to tend to the vargr regardless and gives a grudging nod when he finds there little to tend. "Feh, bloody witch words and such aren't to my liking. I'd sooner trust the hand of nature." He then gives your own wound a wet but warming smear of the ointment "She'll likely scar some, but that should stop the blood-shivers. Good to hear that your hund was stout and true..."

Gylfir:
Gummi regards your burdened soul with the steady and tired gaze of age. Puffing upon his pipa he replies "Time lad, naught but time. Even then you'll still feel it in your bones." eyes misting slightly with remembrance "Don't lose it though... to feel nothing brings ye closer to them..."


Torgeir shrugs his fur covered shoulders;

”Feh. Vápn like that deserves to bita a foe. My preference is for þungr brandr… Keep it. Use it…”

vápn = weapon
bita = cut, bite
þungr = heavy
brandr = blades


Male Ulfen Bard (Skald)/1

Roluo smiles.

"You're very kind Ellisif, I will do my best to live up to your words. My father has cost my family so much honor I sometimes worry if I can reclaim it."


Minor Crab-beast

Grómr grins wide and makes no further attempt to return the blade "Thanks to you dvergr."

Ellisif take's Roluo's praise, though you can sense some sadness when you mention the loss of honor of your far. "Aye, some of us bear a heavy burden..."


"Thank you Hrónarr...for Surtr and for myself. And Ellisif acquitted herself well at the barrow. Without her healing, several of us might not have come back, including myself and Surtr. It was a near thing."


Minor Crab-beast

Hrónarr nods "Aye, but ye all made it back in one piece... which bodes well fer future"

I've a visitor arriving tomorrow, so probably won't have the big plot advancement post up till Sunday / Monday - but you can always talk among yourselves or your other shipmates... or eat chocolate eggs ;) - up to you.


Minor Crab-beast

The karvi sails onward at the beck and call of the wind, forging Southwards towards Varisia, blood and plunder. Days pass slowly and surely as your path remains bound by the waves around you. The bearskin totem on the prow does not smell as much as you would expect - as the huscarl salted it before it was hung.

Torgeir:
Can you give me a couple more Fort saves please

Four days hence your path brings you near to a small island of mostly ice... but there is a longship beached upon one side. The longship is a small karvi, similar in size and cut to your own. It is still distant and difficult to make out fine details, and the fact it is beached make it difficult to see if it loaded or not.

Perception DC 15:
The vessel does not appear to have been handled since it's beaching. No attempts have been made to secure the ship, and the sail still flaps free upon the mast.

Perception DC 20:
As above, and you also spy a body lying face down on the ice near to the ship.

Both of your huscarl are resting with their eye-level below the hull, so have not yet spotted the vessel.


Perception 1d20 ⇒ 4
Black Úlfarr is down below feeding Surtr when the longship is spied.


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

Perception -> 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20

Out of the corner of his eye, Gylfir spies a boat seemingly run aground in the ice and a body lying beside it. He looks to the others. No one seems to have taken notice. Is this another trick? Am I to lead us off the path....again?

Gylfir digs an elbow into Gummi's ribs and nods over the rail toward the boat. "You see anything out there? Something that shouldn't be out there? I need to know you see it too."


Minor Crab-beast

Gummi starts at Gylfir's elbow and squints out into the distance "Aye, I see it. A ship aground..." mulling things a few moments before adding "Best we let the boys up front know." making to move forwards to rouse the huscarl.


Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Jorleif see it about the same time as Gylfir. "I see it too. Get everyone up and ready."


DM VoV:

Fort Saves: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 & 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Torgeir casts his baleful gaze to the fore;

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

The dvergr scowls and looks to his oarmate...

"Karvi... beached and unmanned... Grómr... Your harðr auga vita anything ella?"

harðr = sharp
auga = eyes
vita = see, understand, know of
ella = else


Two Handed Fighter/4; AC: 21; HP: 47/47; F: +6, R: +4, W: +1; Init: +3; Perc: +1

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Kjell was practically dozing at the oars when the hue and cry goes up.

He peers towards the island.

I canna' see anythin', but I'll take your words for it!

He shakes his head and spits into the water as he doubles his efforts at the oar.


Male Ulfen Bard (Skald)/1

Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

"I see nothing, but let us go closer."

Four days of rowing, it will be good to take a break.


Hearing the commotion, Black Úlfarr tries to get a look. He runs his fingers across Surtr's head and ruffles his mane. "Well, would certainly be good to get off the ship for a bit and stretch those legs, wouldn't it Surtr?" He turns to Hrónarr, "Can you see it any better than me, Hrónarr? All I hear is a karvi."


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

"It's not abandoned...there is a body there too. Although likely dead, as it's just laying there." Gylfir gives his chain a little jingle where is drapes over the oarwall into the cold sea.


"Lets hope it's truely dead this time"


Minor Crab-beast

The huscarl are roused and exchange some hushed words before turning to regard the group. Njáll speaks "We make for closer... but stay wary." and Samr begins to bark orders to make adjustments to the sails that would bring your karvi on a closer approach - though still in the water.

In a few hands of minutes you draw nearer to the stricken vessel and can make out more details. The cut of the sails and trim suggests that it ran aground at full sail and uncontrolled. At this low angle you cannot see within the hold of the vessel, but the only body you can see is the one face down in the ice on the island. From this distance you cannot ken much of the dead one, apart from the fact he was stout and retains all of his limbs.

The wind is coming towards you from the stricken longboat and carries a sickly sweet smell upon it. Surtr grows wary and unsure at the scent, he is not fearful as he was at the barrow... but still there is unease at what the smell might portend.

At the stern of the vessel there are some crates stacked high, carrying a burned imprint that is difficult to make out at this distance.

Knowledge Nature DC 14:
The body hasn't rotted through - but you see no carrion birds and no creature of the water has come to eat... that usually does not bode well.
The scent on the wind is partially that of decay.

Heal DC 13:
The man is not heavy set - but bloated. Combined with the scent on the wind... and you're confident the man perished at the hand of pestilence.


Male Human (Ulfen) Magus (Myrmidarch) 1

K. (Nature) -> 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Gylfir pulls in his chain and reattaches it to the Ancor. "It is a fell wind that blows off that ice. The body rots but no birds come to feed. Don't know any gulls that pass on a free meal."

Gylfir grabs the coin dangling at his throat and gives it a kiss for luck. Casts Shield


DMVoV, can this Heal check be attempted untrained?


Minor Crab-beast

Yeah - go for it.

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