The look that crosses Jorgen's face is one of absolute horror as he explodes into motion at a full run towards the burning ship.
Kurn picks up the woman and carries her to where the young Lord and advisers are. He then lays her at their feet "this woman needs rest to recover. I found her dying after the undead attack and I saved her from death. Not the action of somebody who is here to harm your people. My colleagues and I were and are still trying to help you, which is why they are destroying the cursed ship right now. In fact, we seem to be doing a lot more to help you and your people than those around you. Things are hard, but if we all work together, maybe we can make things better my Lord?"
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As Jorgen and Anya burst away from the conversation, leaving Helga and Ragnar, they split off. Anya heads directly towards the sea, and starts negotiating the stony beach again just as Kurn lifts an old woman up to carry her gently towards Stuvoy's Lord.
Jorgen dashes down the slopes and along the quay to where Stefnir stands watching Ari swim like a fish towards the burning vessel and the still bobbing head of Saorise. Her arms are flailing about weakly in the icy water.
Anya reaches the shoreline first but both see Ari try to grab hold of the noble woman.
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When Kurn deposits the body of the old woman, the young Lord Mercik bends down to feel her cheek. "Thank you for saving Bruda. She was my wet-nurse and does not deserve to die like this. Her fate should be more peaceful."
Sawrik steps up and points down, "we agreed to your help for our village so long as the ship was destroyed. My Lord, these people offer much and they may have brought the ship but they are not at fault for this. Their eyes show no trickery, just honesty and bravery."
The Lord Mercik looks up at Kurn, "would you mind bringing her to her home?"
He gets up, "very well they may stay but no more surprises."
When Kurn deposits the body of the old woman, the young Lord Mercik bends down to feel her cheek. "Thank you for saving Bruda. She was my wet-nurse and does not deserve to die like this. Her fate should be more peaceful."
Sawrik steps up and points down, "we agreed to your help for our village so long as the ship was destroyed. My Lord, these people offer much and they may have brought the ship but they are not at fault for this. Their eyes show no trickery, just honesty and bravery."
The Lord Mercik looks up at Kurn, "would you mind bringing her to her home?"
He gets up, "very well they may stay but no more surprises."
"Yes of course my Lord" says Kurn. He gently lifts the woman and follows the your Lord or whoever leads the way!
Ragnar steps toward Kurn.
"Uh cuhn cuhrruh huh, Kuhn. Nuht luhck uh kuhn huhlp uhnuh uhthuh wuh."
Translation:
Ragnar steps toward Kurn.
"Uh cuhn cuhrruh huh, Kuhn. Nuht luhck uh kuhn huhlp uhnuh uhthuh wuh."
Translation:
** spoiler omitted **
"Thank you Ragnar" nods Kurn with approval and passes Bruda gently over to him. Kurn will go with Ragnar and the others to Bruda's home, as keeping the Lord happy at the moment seems a good idea!
Fort Save
Fort Save
CMB
Ari tries to grab Saorise, but she is flailing about so much she almost drags Ari below the surface of the water.
Not hesitating for a moment, Anya dives in and moves to help her one-time lover with the struggling woman.
Looking up finally after lobbing his last produce flame onto the ship...begins a spell.
Swim check
Fort save
Ari calms himself, then tries to grab the floundering Saorise.
CMB
Ari grabs her, before she slips beneath the surface of the water and starts the slow careful swim back to shore.
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Soon Saorise's body is on the quay with help from Stefnir above. The dolphin disappears with a cheerful chirp to him.
Beyond them all there is a splintering crash and the Marked Albatross begins to break up. It has stuck fast in a small maelstrom with no direction at the tiller it begins to turn in ever decreasing circles spinning round to face Stuvoy. The flames lick the sides and sizzle into the water, then Drago's ship collapses inwards, folding into the sea with no more sound.
Finally a dull thud echoes underwater in all directions startling the seabirds on the cliffs and adding an extra wave to the shoreline. The Marked Albatross has gone.
Meanwhile Kurn and Ragnar manage to take Bruda to her mother and return while Sawrik and Mercik are dealing with the rest of the fisherfolk. The voices of many of the fsihwives are beginning to rise in temper when they hear that the crew of the Albatross are still welcome in the fishing village. Words like Cursed, Evil and Bad Blood are bandied around and the two men are having difficulties calming their people.
"Ragnar", Stefnir turns to his travelling companion. "Come let me tend to your wounds".
Seeing the problem developing with the villagers, Kurn whispers to Ragnar "I think we should clear the temple and prove our worthiness. I wouldn't want this village as our enemy, as we seem to be having enough problems! Anyway, that's up to Stefnir I guess"
The look that crosses Jorgen's face is one of deep concern mixed with blinding rage.
"You didn't check the boat before you decided firing it was the only answer??!! IF DHE DIES SO DO YOU UNFETTERED. sHE NEEDS HEALING!"
Seeing the problem developing with the villagers, Kurn whispers to Ragnar "I think we should clear the temple and prove our worthiness. I wouldn't want this village as our enemy, as we seem to be having enough problems! Anyway, that's up to Stefnir I guess"
The mute nods.
"Nnnnn. Wuh cuhn muhck Kruhk-uhz huh-puh uht luhst..."Translation:
Tired, cold, and continuing to swear, at pretty much everyone in general at this point, Anya turns around and takes her aching body back to shore.
Helga wraps her sister in her cloak as she struggles out of the bitterly cold water.
"It was I who went abaord the ship, Jorgen, not Stefnir. The fault was mine, not his," Helga sinks to her knees by the sorceress. "You have to get her inside and her wounds dressed, I can take my bow and deal with the creatures in the shrine at least."
Ari, shivvering and wet, says to the others, "I at least, will need to dry out and get some hot food inside me, before I venture back into the temple, the cold water has taken its toll on my body and I need time to recuporate"
Kurn looks at Ragnar "we had better check on the others and then talk to Sawrik and the villagers before we have a riot on our hands". Kurn will move to the others with Ragnar. Unless Ragnar plans to do something else?
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Sawrik starts talking furiously, explaining why the party are being allowed to stay. The fishwives begin by being very angry but slowly he talks them round explaining the problems that the village faces and the way that the Albatross was the real curse and not these people.
One by one the people start muttering and shaking their heads, until there is only one or two dissenters, angry but not having too any real effect. Sawrik finishes with a warning,
"Votagor is waiting for this village to fall apart. For us to show we cannot remain strong and protect our children and future until Bombur returns. You must see how important it is for us to have true warriors and brave defenders." The one-eyed bard nods with each point and eventually the last two women begin to nod uncertainly too in agreement.
Lord Mercik and his bard make sure that everyone is cared for and the two other bodies are taken to the stockade by their families. That is where Breda has gone with her father.
As the early morning turns into full daylight the village seems to settle. No one is paying much attention to the party now, other than to keep out of their way.
Soon the shrine to Krakis is quiet and the moist air is filled with the tang of the sea, stronger even than anyone remembers from earlier that day.
Whilst there, Kurn places the trident on the altar of Krakis and prays.
"Lord Krakis, bless this village with your presence, guidance and protection. They have strayed but a little from your path, but have proven their worth by helping your servant. Thank you for your gift and I hope that I can use your trident in a worthy cause. I also ask for your blessing for my colleagues as they help me and especially for Ragnar, a fellow warrior of the sea"
I'll help at the shrine.
Anya nods a shivering thanks at her sister and wraps the fur even more comfortably about herself. "So, now what? she asks no one in particular
"What now, sister? I know not. We should get you and Saorise into the warm, though, and Kurn must tend her injuries. Then ... perhaps you should call on your friend Breda? I will sing her father's funeral song with honour if she wills it so."
Stefnir has had enough of the shrine (He's just not very effective there). He will spend his time discussing future plans, and needs with the village elders.
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With help and that healing from Stefnir, Saorise settles down and her burns calm leaving reddish scars. Her beautiful cloak is wet and burnt in places.
Jorgen takes her back to the party's longhouse. She is restless and moans alot until finally she sleeps.
..
Stefnir
Sawrik spends some time with Stefnir and lays out the various needs of the village, the winter stores of fruit, fish and cavemead. Also their womenfolk needs guarding to go foraging for all the other herbs and roots, while someone should be setting traps and hunting for furs and meat.
....
At the shrine, Ragnar, Kurn, Helga, Anya and a now warmer Ari feel the words of the priest impact on the walls and floor.
There is a feeling of the ground moving and undulating under your feet and the stone walls beginning to become translucent and rippling deep.
Helga will bite her lip, dither, and then offer the item of greatest value she has: her masterwork harp. It's plain this item means a great deal to her, she places it on the alter as if she were cutting her own hand off.
"This is my mother's harp, Stormlord, her heart was in that instrument, with it she taught me all my trade. Let it play now for you, for the sake of the children of the village of Stuvoy," she declares, openly weeping.
Seeing her sister's pain Anya snatches the harp off the alter and shoves it back in her arms "What would the Stormlord want with a Harp you silly girl?" she says roughly. "Obviously a fine Weapon would be of greater value" and with no further ceremony she places her masterwork longspear on the altar instead.
Only those who look closely will notice the very small smile she has on her face as she watches her sister cradle her precious harp again.
When the group returns from appeasing their angry god, Stefnir will begin to organize them to help the village get ready for winter.
"Some of us need to go hunting and try to find meat, and other goods to store".
"Some need to go with the women and guard them while they gather roots, and herbs".
"I will lead a hunting party, and ask for volunteers". "Perhaps someone else could organize a guard contingent for the gatherers".
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Party in the shrine
The carved spear glistens wet after a few seconds, then it rises tilting and turning slowly until it "sinks" into the ceiling. Gone the rocky roof shows a view of the clouds gathering and blackening into thunder and lightning. Then the sight changes into an island shaped like a crab's claw upon which sits another symbolic entrance to an larger shrine, however the whole area suddenly cracks and fractures under the weight of snow and blizzards of breath that cover the isle. As the entire scene fades a shadow of a flying winged creature slips across the island, hovering above it as a predator at the end.
The shrine goes quiet then and the chamber fills with lightning bolts that criss-cross and bounce around the place.
Afterwards everyone that takes damage is tattooed on one shoulder with the rune of a long sharp fish like a barracuda or gar. Anya gets two such runes.
Reflex:
Fortitude to stabilize:
Reflex
Kurn collapses unconcious next to Ragnar
FW
How fares Saorise?
Reflex Save:
Helga manages to avoid the worst of the damage but is still battered by the blast.
Knowledge (geography):
Knowledge (history):
Knowledge (religion):
Does she recognise the Island in any way?
Reflex Save
Ari avoids most of the lightning bolts and seeing his brother fall to the floor, rushes to his aid and tries to drag him from the shrine.
Reflex:
Weakened from battle and freezing cold water Anya's reflexes are not as they normally are and she crashes like an oak to the floor after being sizzled by the lightning.
Fort to stabalizw:
Yet to tenacity to cling to life is as strong as ever...
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So Anya, Helga, Ari, Kurn and Ragnar all bear the shoulder runes of the Gar.
The sudden lightning strikes disappear and the crack of thunder rolls over the party inside the shrine. Before Ari can get out of the cave, the sonic energy shakes up the altar, causing fragments of vines to fall off the walls.
Then the shrine goes silent and still, and although it needs cleaning the shrine is now appropriate for the faith. Prayers take place every high tide and services should be conducted once a week from now. That was the opening service. Fisherfolk and the other villagers should arrive with a small portion of the sea's bounty to return to Krakis or face his wrath.
Ragnar rises with a grunt, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs (and the voice of Krakis). He offers a hand to any felled companions, before pulling his shirt and armor padding off to look at the mark on his shoulder. With a last amazed look at the shrine, he limps outside and splashes his face with cold ocean water before climbing back to the oars to ferry everyone back to Stuvoy so they might better convey Krakis' mission to Jorgen and Stefnir and the townspeople.