Ǽdensor casts a grim look at Luke;
"Laddie... if Byrr dies then ye will have his kin to deal with... an rest assured his Clan will come knockin... Now iffen your boy drops, then at the very least his fellow Nordmann will kick off... all I see is more blod if it gets more bloddie..."
The old dweorg nods toward Bartliff who stands ready to open the barrel;
"You... open it and we'll deal with what we find there"
He turns to Kevkul and Skol who both stand quiet;
"YOU and YOU. Come with me and sort these scrappers out..."
Ǽdensor sprints toward the embattled Byrr and slams into his loyal guardsman;
:
Behind him Kevkul stands muttering an incantation
before drawing on the boon of the Spendig Wisa and moving toward Ragnar at haste
From the wagon Bartliff makes a cry of joy;
"Found a ring! A silverish ring with fur on it?! And more! Two bloodstone gems... like... like the ones on the goblets..."
The hefty drover looks puzzled and gazes down at his fellow drovers and the assembled party below.
Bartliff's reaction and those of the other drover's suggest they with this evidence (the ring and gems) they now know something more, but are wary to speak...
Maclise, who has cantered to beside the wagon reaches with an outstretched arm, taking the ring and stooping to show it to Luke;
"Well ciricweard... iss this your béag? Spakk sðjjsægen..."
Beside Nadia, the mute Swige taps her shoulder and points at the ground where he has drawn something in the snow...
Luke takes the ring and returns it to his finger.
Aye, tis' mine. Now, who is the thief?
Luke throws his head back and proceeds to activate the ring with a single primal Howl.
AAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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Muli pulls roughly away from those that sought to retrain him. "Muli told you that the ring be in the barrel." He taps his bracer, still concentrating on maintaining the eye, "Muli can see what thieves try to hide."
Just a standard +1 Bastard Sword mate... Will deal with the ring's activation once everyone else has posted
Nadia looks down at the drawing...
Blows in the Snow Round 3:
Noting that the dweorg seems hard pressed even at a single blow, part of Ragnar is disappointed. Stepping to one side of the dweorg's thrust the northman's incensed mind turns to the closing, and the joy to be gained from a battered foe that breathes... and the prospect of taking the dweorg's beard from him. Grip shifting subtly, Ragnar attempts to bring the flat of his axe down on Byrr's helmet...
Disa notes the dweorg's first blod on Ragnar. She purses her lips at Ragnar's return blow. This will not end well... as the duel continues.
As an unearthly howl sounds from Luke's lips all would be foes; dweorg, drovers and Nomen alike show surprise but no fear...
Ragnar's bludgeon flattens Byrr's nose across his cheek and drives the dweorgr onto his knees. The warrior's eyes roll skyward but he remains concious...
However before he can contemplate a coup de grace on the stunned Byrr a familar form slams into him attempting to bear hug the big vikingr;
:
"Hold gædeling! Do nei swebben! Stay thine hand for the Drunkard's sake!"
As you bend to examine the mute's drawing your feeling of curiosity is replaced with the very real kiss of cold steel against your neck...
The mute... Swige the friendly harmless mute holds a knife against you...
So you are involved too? And to think I shared part of my personal life with you. Is this the type of company you Dweorg's keep? Someone who uses trickery to attempt to cut a lady's throat?
Nadia speaks up making sure she makes a scene. She readies to cast vanish if the man attempts to grab her.
Luke trains his bow on the mute.
Stay yer hand mute, or die where you stand!
Skolrykk levels his spear on the mute.
Aye that you do! he says in agreement with Luke.
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Blows in the Snow Round 3 cont:
Ragnar sees Kevkul coming towards him, seeking to remove him from the fight. The raging northman checks the dweorg's charge with the butt end of his weapon...
Skolrykk shouts, not taking his eyes off the mute.
ENOUGH! We have other issues now....
The mute's knife is at your throat already. However you see a change in his face - no longer is Swige a fawning mute, no here is a man whose heart is as cold as the land upon which you travel...
Ragnar easily bats away his dwur comrade with the butt of his greatax. Byrr meanwhile slips to his knees dejected, blood streaming from the ruin that was his nose...
In the distance Nadia's shouts are heard snapping attention from the standoff and honour duel.
She stands with Swige, the mute, the glint of a knife at there proud neck...
Nadia lifts her hands and stands quietly staring at Luke. A tear falls from the corner of her left eye and slides down her cheek dropping to the snowy ground near her feet.
Luke winks at Nadia and with a grin, fires into the ground at the Mute's feet.
The next one is between your eyes unless you unhand her.
He draws a bloodroot arrow, ready to make the next one count.
Initiative:
Ragnar gives Kevkul a glare to ward the dweorg off further interference before growling to Byrr "Stay down beardling... know when you're beaten" making sure that the the guard yields before beginning to stalk off in the direction of Nadia's assailant. He trails skaggig behind him in the snow and breathes heavy with intent.
Swige
From the stance and intent of the mute, you can discern it would take a mighty quick hand to beat his blade to Nadia's neck...
Sense Motive:
[occ]AC: 17, HP: 33/33, Point Blank, Hunters Call[/ooc]
Luke looses the bloodroot arrow at the Mute's face.
LB ATT:
LB Dam:
[ooc]Not a good time for crappy rolls...ugh![/dice]
At the sight of Luke's aggression, Nadia uses the distraction to attempt to break free of Swige and cast a spell.
Luck
DC:17
Spell=Vanish
Luke's shot veers past the murderous mute, but it does indeed distract him long enough for Nadia to break free and suddenly vanish...
Frustrated he stabs at the air around him
The colour drains from the knife wielder's face as he realises he now stands alone in the tundra, with no leverage and stone cold killer slowly advancing upon him...
Round 1: Kill the Mute
Initiative:
Seeing Nadia disappear, Ragnar needs no invitation. Skaggig is left to drag as he lumbers heavy footed through the snow. Just as he reaches the mute he plants his left foot as a pivot and brings the bearded axe violently upwards in a sweeping arc as he spins....
Charging Power Attack Greataxe: for
If the mute could have screamed a defiant oath or craven plea for mercy he may have... but being mute he cannot...
"Gahk!"
Skaggig bites deep into Swige's armpit and scythes through before embedding in the mute's chin with a sickening "clunk".
Blood spouts from the stump where the thief's arm used to be, and all that keeps the corpse upright is Ragnar's grip on his greataxe...
Kill the Mute Combat ended :)
Well, that certainly handles the problem of the thief, eh? Nadia, are you ok?
Muli looks about, "Where did our pika get off to?"
He moves over to the fallen mute still looking about. "Muli thinks 'lying' is how this scum lost his tongue."
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Ragnar spits in the mute's riven face as he lets the rage fade from his body. Keeping grip on skaggig, though letting Swige slacken into the snow, Ragnar drags him over to Ǽdensor, affixing the dwarf with a heavy lidded stare as fatigue makes his breath dense and forced. "I found your thief dweorg... What price do you give me for your man's head? He was bested fairly and the choice of taking it is mine by right." dropping what's left of Swige into the snow to bleed at the dweorg's feet.
"Seems we were right anyway... one of your men was a thief... tjuv mästare... So I ask again, what price your man's head?"
Nadia reappears and picks up her bow. She catches Luke's eye and mouths thank you silently. Dweorg...your choice of friends leaves much to be to be desired!
Ǽdensor looks downcast and it seems Swige's betrayal is a deeper wound that any slight Ragnar now casts at the auld merchant.
The rest of the Company stands in silence; save for the Nomen who thump the tundra with their hoofs at the words of Ragnar, Muli and Nadia.
Shouts of "Efhes!" and "Pay their Hangwíte!" come forth from the centaurs.
The merchant nods slowly as if understanding what has been done and what must be done;
"To he who was victim to the mute's fácen... I gift him his blade recently bought... I will takk no coin for it lad... As for the Vikingr, the lass... name your ángild..."
The dwur sighs and awaits your answer while his kinsmen attend to the fallen Byrr and Bartliff replays Nadia and Luke their coin.
Luke nods to the merchant and leans in to Nadia after receiving the return of the coin.
I do not forget your gift even though the coin for it was returned. I still owe you a great debt, Nadia, and you shall have yer payment, one day.
Nadia smiles at Luke. Your friendship in this strange land has been payment enough.
She turns to the Ǽdensor. Her countenance changes at the sight of the pain the man exhibits over the betrayal. I will not demand an ángild. If it will restore your honor, I will accept a gift of your choosing.
Chewing on his cud before spitting blood flecked phlegm Ragnar grunts "I'll take all that's his" gesturing to the crumpled Swige that still bears skaggig as a prop, before looking to the insensate Byrr "and I'll trade min skold for his... so he's something to remember me by"
Luke addresses as many of the Company as he can find around the campfire, and is sure to include the merchant and leadership.
Now that internal hostilities have been fixed, can we presume that we will be moving on as scheduled in the morning?
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Well that was exciting. Skolrykk smiles wryly.
I guess we can move on then, hopefully without bad blood between us...
Grimfaced, Ǽdensor makes the arrangements for compensation to the group;
"This is a debt o' honour... and Highmettle's a'ways pay their debts..."
The auld dweorg spits in the direction of where Swige's corpse lies crumpled;
"THAT hornungsunu is not us. Not me."
He gestures and several of the dwoerg bring forth some items;
"The Warden's sword, the vials o' edstaðelen and the enchantments upon the blod pine. These I offer as weregild for wrongs done... What say ye all?"
As the dwoerg await a response Byrr limps up to where Ragnar stands. Through bloddied teeth he tries to smile and offers up his own bulwark to the Northman;
"Minn shield... yours now by right o' combat blod sonen of Olof Skötkonung. She is called "Durak" in our tongue it means "Hard - she is edged and bossed with Adamantine. Wear her well vikingr - honour her as I did not..."
The wounded warrior's jaw clenches and he offers his shield (
Ragnar gives Byrr a short nod before kicking Swige's corpse off of his axe. Shucking his own shield off his shoulder he tosses it at Byrr's feet as he takes the dweorg's skold "Take minn in return... she has no name, but let her remind you that you may be a dweorg... but you are no Norrman" clapping the dweorg heavily on the shoulder before laughing heartily. Turning to Ǽdensor he raises the skold before moving away "Debt is paid."
Aye, brother, I agree!
Byrr scowls for a fleeting moment afore flashing a pained smile back at Ragnar;
"I will wear your skold and earn it a befitting name Nordmann"
Weregilds paid, the dwoerg Company make slow and dour arrangements to move off. The centaurs move out earlier ranging the surrounding terrain.
Maclise approaches your group, prodding the body of Swige with her lance;
"This one must be bedolfen. The fell Nord Wind favours sweart hearts and will surely wake him up on ceald, áspringe shanks..."