Aside from enjoying the day overall and the scenarios Kampi got swept up in, I personally feel that the concept of multiple lesser stories unfolding more interesting than the more common one large plot; it presents more of a living world and gives PCs a variety of events to choose from to incorporate themselves in.
I hope to see 'scenarios' more regular thing, even if its a single one tacked onto a regular mission or perhaps a tournament day. As for this past Saturday, I gave myself a tiny break from MC.
The second Day of the Moon
Month of Autumn
Local Year 5315
Rune: Raido
Divine Association: Signá, the Leader of the Valkyrja
Literal Meaning: Ride
Interpretations: Journey, Movement, Transition
- Right-side: Beginning, Evolution, Progression
- Inverted: Ending, Stagnation, Termination
Once again my faith has been tested.
Once again I was shown wanting by the gods I follow.
I am beginning to feel that no matter how strong my devotion, how much I strive to do the correct thing, perhaps I shall never be able to the ideal follower.
I began that day in Dagger Deep, as always, prepared for whatever dire events were to come. After weeks of practising and training with it, I finally carried my personal roundshield, engraved with the protective runes algiz, the rune of the goddess Brynhilda, the Shield-Maiden. May she sanctify it to ward me from the strikes of my foe.
As the quiet day progressed I began to feel imbued with confidence in my own ability and vigour, my mind filled with familiar revelations, and the vessel of my soul filled beyond its normal bounds.
I was ready to prove myself.
Events unfolded slowly before they became a cascade:
I was finally able to follow up on the invitation I was garnered over a fortnight past to join the Town Guard. The Mare was present that day and he directed me to the Captain of the Guard, Milo, who had recently returned from being abroad for some time. With several recruits, he went over the standard rules of the Guard and the laws we are expected in keep.
Odd fae-folk began to appear in the township; It was amusing to witness that the gallant fighter Ajax, so quick to boast of his deeds hunting sizeable beasts by his lonesome, was even quicker to flee the presence of a small fairy. Many say his apprehension stems from having his sex briefly altered from ingesting their lark food as a gift.
Rumours eventually began to trickle into town of some sort wight raising undead creatures out by the river Galadriel; just as Ajax and I were having a discussion of risking ones' life for the safety of others and undead were the used example. Kalliades of the Wild Ones was mustering a scout force to check the veracity of these rumours; I volunteered, and with a bit of goading, Ajax joined with us.
As a small party, we trekked all the way out to the elven river but encountered nothing but one individual during our travels: an accented man calling himself Alexandros, who claimed to be a member of a moral order called the Exorists. He questioned about the lay of the local lands and any sovereignty they belonged to, expounding he very recently arrived unto this land. We permitted him to accompany us since he seemed no immediate threat, through we watched him closely.
The woodland by the river appeared bereft of reports of undead; we broke off into small groups to search the surrounding land for any signs. Ajax pointed out sections of upturned soil and bent foliage, but he believed they were dated; perhaps there is some truth to his abilities as a keen hunter despite his boasting.
As the pair of us thoroughly scouted the riverbank, we quickly responded to shouts of alarm. Once we had burst through the thicket, we saw a shambling force of undead monstrosities pursuing members of our company southerly, led by a animated corpse that practically radiated magic: a lich. We opted to loop around and attempt to regroup with our allies in lower Ork's Field. When we did, the group soon found ourselves becoming potentially trapped between the undead force in front of us and an antagonistic band of ork and goblinoid beings approaching from our rear.
A handful of us withdrew to a more defensible position, whilst those who lacked in such tactical insight, such as a pair of dimwitted jötunn, lumbered off in search the stones they had thrown. Despite meeting otherwise, some are still prosaic examples of their race.
After we narrowly avoided a violent encounter we rejoined the remainder of the friendly forces in town before we became caught with a vice between the onslaught of the undead forces and the marauding band of goblins demanding the whereabouts of 'Ogesh'.
After both groups had continued on their way, leaving many slain, we regrouped and decided that if we could obtain this 'Ogesh' (which we believed to be a sword of some sort given witnesses related seeing the 'skins rifle through the weapons of the fallen), we could perhaps use that as bargaining leverage to gain their assistance against the lich and his undead force.
During our quest for 'Ogesh', we decided send off a small scout force to search the deeper wilderness to the river; I joined the pair of Wild Ones selected for the task: Kalliades, whose soul was successfully recovered and returned to it's mortal vessel following the ritual fortnight prior, and Mortenkien, a 'witch hunter' in the service of the Wild Ones.
There was little time for conversation as our time together was travelling steadily and silently through the wilds; we encountered few friendly parties and staved off altercations with several unfriendly, but we were ultimately unsuccessful in discovering more information on the details or whereabouts 'Ogesh'.
When we returned to town just in time to bolster our allies during a conflict, we soon learned 'Ogesh' was a dagger the orks desired to complete a savage ritual of their own, which they succeeded in doing once they forcefully acquired the athame from an elderly bearded traveller (possibly Wodin in disguise?); given the folk of Dagger Deep were also busy with the undead scourge and other diversions, I'm sure they were unable to prevent them from doing so.
After much trial and tribulation, we routed the lich and his lifeless army; as before, when the threats to the Deep had been quelled, the abilities and confidence granted to me by the Æsir ebbed from my body, mind, and soul as exhaustion and doubt replaced them.
In my devotions that evening, I felt much... contempt and indecision; I recounted the actions of the day I performed, seeking the reason why. I had attempted to channel more fervour in the deeds I performed in the name of my gods and I felt I never faltered in my faith to them, yet still I had spurned them.
At last the epiphany came to me: unlike other deities, whose followers believe them to the highest embodiment of all that is physical, emotional, and spiritual, the Æsir (as related to my kin from the tales and sagas), their ardour reflects that of mortals; they are not stoic and indifferent, but passionate and prone to the same foibles as those born in the realms of Midgard. Other faiths would proclaim such sayings as some form of sacrilege; within my own creed I feel it is not.
In how this relates to the recent events is thus: I sensed that my deities felt that I was unfaithful when I received grace from outside of their domain; a blessing upon my blade, fully unbidden in actuality, from my mentor Relan in the name of his god, Ithus.
Though blessed by another god, that blade was wielded righteously and did true by this servant in the name of the Æsir. I respect Relan and his deity too much to cast aside their assistance just because I think some my consider such aid to be unfaithful to my own gods. I had learned that lesson before; despite initial reluctance I was even willing to eventually garner the divine boon proffered by the unsure alliance that was struct with high priestess of the Morrigan.
I understand if the Æsir forbid that I trust in trinkets enchanted with lesser forms of magic, but I will not forsake divine favour granted by other faiths in my duty, just as I would not keep my own gifts from my allies because of their own beliefs do not necessarily conform with my own.
The folk of Dagger Deep are a varied lot in race, culture, and creed; if it were of sufficient size, I would compare it to the fabled city Miklagard in its sheer cosmopolitan depth. I feel now that perhaps the best way to keep faith is to be willing to adapt and aid others.
If the Æsir continue to lose faith in me as their loyal servant, I shall endeavour to keep my faith in them, even if it is by another pursuit.
I wonder if Ajax is looking for an apprentice, I am interested in possibly continuing my martial studies...
Once again I was shown wanting by the gods I follow.
I am beginning to feel that no matter how strong my devotion, how much I strive to do the correct thing, perhaps I shall never be able to the ideal follower.
I began that day in Dagger Deep, as always, prepared for whatever dire events were to come. After weeks of practising and training with it, I finally carried my personal roundshield, engraved with the protective runes algiz, the rune of the goddess Brynhilda, the Shield-Maiden. May she sanctify it to ward me from the strikes of my foe.As the quiet day progressed I began to feel imbued with confidence in my own ability and vigour, my mind filled with familiar revelations, and the vessel of my soul filled beyond its normal bounds.
I was ready to prove myself.
Events unfolded slowly before they became a cascade:
I was finally able to follow up on the invitation I was garnered over a fortnight past to join the Town Guard. The Mare was present that day and he directed me to the Captain of the Guard, Milo, who had recently returned from being abroad for some time. With several recruits, he went over the standard rules of the Guard and the laws we are expected in keep.
Odd fae-folk began to appear in the township; It was amusing to witness that the gallant fighter Ajax, so quick to boast of his deeds hunting sizeable beasts by his lonesome, was even quicker to flee the presence of a small fairy. Many say his apprehension stems from having his sex briefly altered from ingesting their lark food as a gift.
Rumours eventually began to trickle into town of some sort wight raising undead creatures out by the river Galadriel; just as Ajax and I were having a discussion of risking ones' life for the safety of others and undead were the used example. Kalliades of the Wild Ones was mustering a scout force to check the veracity of these rumours; I volunteered, and with a bit of goading, Ajax joined with us.
As a small party, we trekked all the way out to the elven river but encountered nothing but one individual during our travels: an accented man calling himself Alexandros, who claimed to be a member of a moral order called the Exorists. He questioned about the lay of the local lands and any sovereignty they belonged to, expounding he very recently arrived unto this land. We permitted him to accompany us since he seemed no immediate threat, through we watched him closely.
The woodland by the river appeared bereft of reports of undead; we broke off into small groups to search the surrounding land for any signs. Ajax pointed out sections of upturned soil and bent foliage, but he believed they were dated; perhaps there is some truth to his abilities as a keen hunter despite his boasting.
As the pair of us thoroughly scouted the riverbank, we quickly responded to shouts of alarm. Once we had burst through the thicket, we saw a shambling force of undead monstrosities pursuing members of our company southerly, led by a animated corpse that practically radiated magic: a lich. We opted to loop around and attempt to regroup with our allies in lower Ork's Field. When we did, the group soon found ourselves becoming potentially trapped between the undead force in front of us and an antagonistic band of ork and goblinoid beings approaching from our rear.
A handful of us withdrew to a more defensible position, whilst those who lacked in such tactical insight, such as a pair of dimwitted jötunn, lumbered off in search the stones they had thrown. Despite meeting otherwise, some are still prosaic examples of their race.After we narrowly avoided a violent encounter we rejoined the remainder of the friendly forces in town before we became caught with a vice between the onslaught of the undead forces and the marauding band of goblins demanding the whereabouts of 'Ogesh'.
After both groups had continued on their way, leaving many slain, we regrouped and decided that if we could obtain this 'Ogesh' (which we believed to be a sword of some sort given witnesses related seeing the 'skins rifle through the weapons of the fallen), we could perhaps use that as bargaining leverage to gain their assistance against the lich and his undead force.
During our quest for 'Ogesh', we decided send off a small scout force to search the deeper wilderness to the river; I joined the pair of Wild Ones selected for the task: Kalliades, whose soul was successfully recovered and returned to it's mortal vessel following the ritual fortnight prior, and Mortenkien, a 'witch hunter' in the service of the Wild Ones.
There was little time for conversation as our time together was travelling steadily and silently through the wilds; we encountered few friendly parties and staved off altercations with several unfriendly, but we were ultimately unsuccessful in discovering more information on the details or whereabouts 'Ogesh'.
When we returned to town just in time to bolster our allies during a conflict, we soon learned 'Ogesh' was a dagger the orks desired to complete a savage ritual of their own, which they succeeded in doing once they forcefully acquired the athame from an elderly bearded traveller (possibly Wodin in disguise?); given the folk of Dagger Deep were also busy with the undead scourge and other diversions, I'm sure they were unable to prevent them from doing so.
After much trial and tribulation, we routed the lich and his lifeless army; as before, when the threats to the Deep had been quelled, the abilities and confidence granted to me by the Æsir ebbed from my body, mind, and soul as exhaustion and doubt replaced them.
In my devotions that evening, I felt much... contempt and indecision; I recounted the actions of the day I performed, seeking the reason why. I had attempted to channel more fervour in the deeds I performed in the name of my gods and I felt I never faltered in my faith to them, yet still I had spurned them.
At last the epiphany came to me: unlike other deities, whose followers believe them to the highest embodiment of all that is physical, emotional, and spiritual, the Æsir (as related to my kin from the tales and sagas), their ardour reflects that of mortals; they are not stoic and indifferent, but passionate and prone to the same foibles as those born in the realms of Midgard. Other faiths would proclaim such sayings as some form of sacrilege; within my own creed I feel it is not.
In how this relates to the recent events is thus: I sensed that my deities felt that I was unfaithful when I received grace from outside of their domain; a blessing upon my blade, fully unbidden in actuality, from my mentor Relan in the name of his god, Ithus.
Though blessed by another god, that blade was wielded righteously and did true by this servant in the name of the Æsir. I respect Relan and his deity too much to cast aside their assistance just because I think some my consider such aid to be unfaithful to my own gods. I had learned that lesson before; despite initial reluctance I was even willing to eventually garner the divine boon proffered by the unsure alliance that was struct with high priestess of the Morrigan.
I understand if the Æsir forbid that I trust in trinkets enchanted with lesser forms of magic, but I will not forsake divine favour granted by other faiths in my duty, just as I would not keep my own gifts from my allies because of their own beliefs do not necessarily conform with my own.
The folk of Dagger Deep are a varied lot in race, culture, and creed; if it were of sufficient size, I would compare it to the fabled city Miklagard in its sheer cosmopolitan depth. I feel now that perhaps the best way to keep faith is to be willing to adapt and aid others.
If the Æsir continue to lose faith in me as their loyal servant, I shall endeavour to keep my faith in them, even if it is by another pursuit.
I wonder if Ajax is looking for an apprentice, I am interested in possibly continuing my martial studies...
Praise Be To The Æsir
-Ref 'Kampi' Vandillson
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