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[SeriousConcentrate]

Time seemed to stop. His heart beat was loud, so loud he couldn't even hear the sounds of steel clanging against steel, screams of man and beast alike as they fought and died in the darkness and mud. His breath was too heavy, his blood too hot. His muscles trembled with the need for action; even his injured arm curled its hand into a claw. Einar opened his mouth to call out a taunt, but all that emerged was a loud, wild howl more suited to a mad wolf than a man.

Existence responded to his call, and time moved again, but slow, so slow. To his right a goatman jumped at him, and he swung his axe backhanded into the beast's throat. A quick kick freed his weapon from the bone it had caught in, and he ducked instinctively. A sword - more like an oversized cleaver than a true blade - whistled overhead, and he turned with an upward strike that cleaved a Cimbri's jaw from its skull. Einar struck its face with his forehead, sending it to the ground, and he ended its suffering with a stomp to what was left of its face.

Movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. The minotaur was coming, along with several more Cimbri. Growling and snarling, Einar stalked toward them, letting them come to him rather than rush. The first Cimbri to reach him had its sternum split with a monstrous blow. The second was stopped with a front kick to the chest, followed by a downward strike to the skull as it lay on its back. He freed the axe again and launched it towards a third, burying it in the skull. He grabbed the fallen Cimbri's machete and lashed out at the fourth to reach him, cutting off its attacking arm with the first strike and decapitating it with the second. He left the machete in the chest of the next and retrieved his axe.

The minotaur was almost upon him, and now he ran to meet it. He ducked its first blow and jumped back to avoid the following gore; he had learned its tricks. Its head came up, its balance was off, and Einar went straight for the knees. His first blow cleaved the left in half; his second cut the right completely off, and the minotaur fell. Yelling a wordless cry of bloodlust, Einar hacked off the hand it held its own axe with. Leaving his own in the dirt, he picked up the large weapon, his strength fueled by the endless well of bestial rage he had tapped into. Lifting it with one hand, he brought it down on the minotaur's back once... twice... Even if he had been in a state of mind capable of counting he would have lost track of how many swings it had taken to cut the beast to pieces. He embedded it into the minotaur corpse's skull and grabbed his own axe.

The figures around him were giving him a wide berth, now. Perhaps they had lost their appetite for his steel no matter how he growled and roared at them, daring them to try to bring him down. With his vision clouded by the minotaur's blood, it was getting hard to tell who was friend and who was foe. Maybe they were all foes. The Sea Wolves should have completed their retreat by now. He was alone with the enemy. Left behind. Fine. He would just kill as many as he could before they managed to bring him down. Not that they could. He had never felt so strong, so alive. The scent, the taste of the enemy's blood was headier than any mead he had ever consumed; no wonder Boddyr had become addicted to the fight. The beast inside, the animal he like all men had tried so hard to bury with thought and reason, was loose and he never wanted to rein it in.

A beastman tried its luck, its weapon raised for a strike. Einar intercepted it with his broken arm, swinging it up into the sword's path and deflecting it while his right arm came around and buried his axe in the creature's eyes. He pushed it down with his elbow and scanned for someone else to fight, to kill, and his eyes settled on a group that had retreated to one side of the yard. But something about them was different. Something he felt he should recognize. What was it? The bloodlust tried to drag him back into its warm and empty depths as memory fought to free him.

"...Meyla?"

They hadn't left him. The fools. The damned fools. He stumbled toward the shield wall, all adrenaline washed away by the flood of relief and gratitude. He wasn't going to die this day. He was going home with his sister and his father. He just had to fight a little longer. Another beastman, sensing his weakness, circled in for the kill. He managed to parry the blow with the blade of his axe and follow up with a backhand to the side of the head... and the way was clear. He made it the last few feet and almost fell to his knees, exhausted, but forced himself to remain standing. If he was going to make it to the boat, he had to be able to run.

"...go. Let's go."

[chubby2man]

Spoiler: Rolls (click to show/hide)

Einar: Desperate ferocity roll(+1 berserker, -1 broken arm) : 6,6,5,4,2 !!CRITICAL!! -2 fate to resist injury, -1 to assist Sihylde (2/5 fate left). 1 wound, broken arm (-1 die)
Sihylde: Desperate ferocity roll, -2 fate to push men on, + 2 die due to push and assist: (4,4,4,3,2) (3/5 fate left)
Kol: -1 fate point to resist casualties, -1 to assist Jóra (3/5 fate left/ since you just assisted, no roll needed)
Jora: Finding bow: 3  Cunning, desperate situation, low effect, -2 fate to push, +2 die from assistance: (5,5,3,2,1) 1/5 fate left, 1 minor wound, sliced arm (- effect)
(Skjære resist -1 fate for outpost overrunning, 2/3 fate left)

The screams and shouts of fighting and dying men and beasts echoed over the island, as the Sea Wolves made their defiant stand. There would be no retreat no quarter. When the shield wall threatened to break, Sihylde raised her hammer and called out to Crom, and leapt back into the fight with a renewed ferocity, felling a foe with each swing. Her raiders started to chant CROM! CROM! CROM! And the war call was picked up by the rest of the men.

   Jóra, Kol, Skjære and the rest of their men assembled a wedge. Jóra found a crude shortbow carried by a beastmen, and quickly putting it to good use, sending arrows flying out as she commanded the formation forward. Instead of diving into the bulk of the formation, they took to the flanks and skirted around the bulk of the fighting beastmen.  Kol took point on the wedge, and his sword and shield dissuaded most of the enemy from trying him, and those that did were sent to their fates. Skjære took a flank, his spear flitting out of his shield, stabbing and bringing down both Cimbri and beastmen. Jóra spends most of the time directing the wedge, though she sends an arrow flying when she spots a target of opportunity. Though they killed few of the beasts, they arrived at the shield wall mostly intact.

Consequence: Little effect on beastmen morale, though reunited with the shield wall

   As the Sea Wolves reunite, a large thud resounds through the fighting, and all look to where Einar is standing over the minotaur with it’s large axe in one hand, and bringing it down in a vicious swing into its body as it squeals. He wears a maniacal grin, and is covered in blood as he chops the body into pieces. The beastmen howl and the Cimbri gnash their teeth, a good portion rush at Einar while the rest renew their attack on the shield wall.

   The anger at their leaders death, however, avails them little, as Einar cuts a swath through them. Their rage quickly turns into fear as this monster of a man wades through them as a hot knife through butter. They turn their attention on the shield wall, hoping to break it down quickly so they can focus their attention on the blood splattered axe man.

   Sihylde brings her war hammer crashing down on a Cimbri, disintegrating his shoulder in a spray of blood and bone. She growls as a spear glances off of her armor. Her hammer crashes into the attacker’s side, crushing it and sending him tumbling away. Men cry out to both Crom and their mothers as blows are exchanged, desperate fighting ensures as the discipline of the shield wall breaks down. One section completely collapses due to one skilled Cimbri, welding a two handed axe. He splits the skull of one man, and his next swing cuts another near in half. Sihylde rushes him, and he turns to meet her with a howl. They trade blows back and forth, dodging and parrying weapons with thunderous crashing. He spots and opening, and his axe cuts into her side, causing a wound ( resist for -3 fate or using armor). Crom gives her strength, and she ignores the pain and slams her war hammer into the Cimbri’s head. It explodes across the men behind him.

Consequence: Success, but at a cost of men and a wound for Sihylde.

   With his death, and the raging of Einar behind them, the beastmen force loses heart and  begins to flee out of the gate. Jóra and her archers send a few arrows after them, and only a few of them escape.

   The outpost is in ruins. A few fires burn, and dead and dying men and beasts lie everywhere. Einar has crawled over to the shield wall, and though his eyes are still a little maddened, he has stopped trying to swing at anyone approaching him.  Around 35 Sea Wolves remain, and about 10 of the Outpost guard. Only about 15 or so escaped relatively unwounded, most of those being on the ship.  Rodrick bears a nasty wound across his face, and, exhaustion etched across his face, asks that you take him back to Freysakr.

You have won a victory here, but it was hard fought. What do you do next?


SC: Awesome write up!

[Taricus]

"...That was a vicious assault. They come back, there won't be an outpost. Roderick, get everyone to take anything useful down to the ships and then ensure that they can't hole up here by whatever means. Unless we get a lot more men here there isn't much hope of keeping the outpost."

[Funk]

"...That was a vicious assault. They come back, there won't be an outpost. Roderick, get everyone to take anything useful down to the ships and then ensure that they can't hole up here by whatever means. Unless we get a lot more men here there isn't much hope of keeping the outpost."

"Bah i still stand! do they?"
She points at the mangled corpses
"But your right we can not stay here, not like this.
you men gather there skulls and weapons, we will make war wreath for Crom to thank him.
And that Minotaur hang its skull from our stranded.
The rest of you carry everything worth takeing, we leave for ship."

[SeriousConcentrate]

SC: Awesome write up!

(Thank ye. ^^^ I'm at my best with action and introspection, though I'm decent at dialogue. Everything else is my weakness. >.>)

Einar, swaying unsteadily on his feet, abruptly realized that they had held the fort. "You all did well, but we cannot stay. Father is right. We should take anything useful and then we depart. Sihylde, you have time to make an offering to Crom while the rest of us gather materials, but be quick about it. As for the minotaur I slayed... someone retrieve its axe, and bring it to our ship. I'll be taking it home as a trophy." That was his right both as captain and as the victor over the monster. And perhaps, when he healed, he could wield it himself in battle. He still had no idea how he had lifted it with only one hand before, but the muscles of his right arm hurt; it must have been a harder strain than he realized.

And speaking of pain, his left forearm throbbed between brief periods of numbness. There was a cut along the back of it where he had blocked a blow without a shield; it had been a natural instinct to do so, but luckily he seemed to have deflected it enough that the cut wasn't too deep. Regardless, there was a disturbing bulge of skin along the underside, about 2/3rd of the way to his wrist, where the bone must have broken. "Jora, you know of the healing arts. Can you set the bone?"

Einar will do no looting in his condition, though he'll have some of his men grab the mino's axe for him. Instead he will rest on the ship (and hopefully get his wounds tended to).

[Tiruin]

Jora began to tally up what had occurred after ordering to work on the barricades as evacuation procedures became a unanimous decision--inasfar as she could infer, anyway. "Daglar, set to the few foes who are present but disarmed. Leave the severely wounded for interrogation, and then do with them as you will," she said to the Rune Priest who had accompanied them stoically since the last raid.

She heard her brother speak over her shoulder; she turned to look at him and gave him a sincere smile. "It will hurt, and we will improvise a splint if we can't find anything better, but I know you know better--I'll take care of all of you. But I will have to sleep on the way back."

Commence organization for the people here to evacuate.
Commence field healing on everyone.

She noticed Skaejre nearby and spoke her thoughts about how the outpost would be lost. She spoke, ending in a shake of the head as she checked on the battlefield: "Seems like a waste of material though. I've thought about trapping the place if they get curious and find it empty but-"

It was a desperate battle, and the runners would be regrouping whereever, as the forests and inlands were still uncharted. Their mission was made all the more important.

[chubby2man]

   The Sea Wolves fought their most difficult battle yet, but they had prevailed. They lasted through this dark night, through blade and claw, and emerged bruised, battered, but unbroken. That being said, they were not sorry to see the last of the Crag Outpost behind them.
   Kol and Sihylde oversaw the stripping of the outpost, but there was little undamaged and worth taking, only scrounging together 4 coins worth, though much of your fallen allies’ equipment is recovered, which will make restoring the company to full strength a bit easier.
   Jóra takes over healing the group. Under her ministrations, no one dies from their injuries, and Einar is set up with a splint, and downs a foul-tasting potion that Jóra was quickly able to mix together. She told him that it’ll accelerate the healing process, though it may be a bit more painful, she said with a grin.
   Daglar sacrifices 5 Cimbri who were too wounded to escape, sending them raging to the gods, and adding their life’s blood to the ground. Skjære and his hunting hound Fenris, face grim, goes out to try to track down any survivors with a hunting party. They come back, quivers empty and weapons bloody, saying they tracked down several fleeing beasts and Cimbri.
   Shortly before the ship departs, Rodrick sets fire to the main hall. He turns around, stoned face back to the long ship.

End of Chapter 1
Alright, everyone's fate is full and heading back to town. So that means time for experience and leveling up! I'm increasing the cost of perks if you had bought one already to 15, making it equal to the cost of a new die. I'll also be coming up with new perks, like specializations or favors from gods. Or dark curses that bring power at a cost 

As you may have noticed, raiding and fighting the beast men doesn't bring much in the way of loot. It does give your prestige though, and the satisfaction of defending your homeland! Your warriors do need to be paid, however, at some point. So start to think of what you would like the Sea Wolves to do next. It can be more battles with the beastmen, more raids for plunder, or starting a new outpost somewhere. Or it could be searching for rare artifacts or something.

Anyways, here are the questions for this Chapter!

1. Did you attack (Ferocity), defend against (resolve), or circumvent (cunning) a problem or situation?

2. Did you express something new about your character or your background?

3. Did you give into your rage (ferocity), refuse to change your mind (resolve), or manipulate someone to further your own ends (cunning)?

4. Did you make a desperate action? What was it? +1 point for every desperate action you made. That last battle had a lot of them.

5. Did you kick ass?

[SeriousConcentrate]

Questionnaire:

1. Einar attacked the minotaur in the beginning and got a six for Ferocity/killed it, so that was good. Then he used resolve against the encampment before switching back to ferocity for the night battle.

2. I'm not sure if it's new or reinforcing something we already knew about Einar, but he did show he takes his role as leader and his training as a berserker equally seriously, to the point that he was willing to solo a losing battle so his men could escape. Also he's a little too ambitious for his own good by taking the blood of a minotaur rather than a more normal animal like a bear or wolf.

3. Yeeeeah, you could say Einar got pretty damn ferocious. In fact almost every combat action he took was weighted toward ferocity this chapter, except the shield wall at the attack on the beastmen encampment. He also refused to change his mind about eating the mino heart despite his father not wanting him to, so that might count toward resolve. Cunning remains ever Einar's weak point.

4. The attack against the first minotaur counted as desperate. So did his first and final attack against the second minotaur, so three total. Does taking a dark bargain count? if so, that makes it four.

5. Oh, yeah. Einar stepped up to the plate as commander by tanking the fear for everyone like a boss during the minotaur ambush and striking the killing blow on the monster, leading a very successful shield wall against the beastmen encampment, and then soloing not only a second minotaur but also several Cimbri - with a broken arm and no shield.

[Funk]

So start to think of what you would like the Sea Wolves to do next. It can be more battles with the beastmen, more raids for plunder, or starting a new outpost somewhere. Or it could be searching for rare artifacts or something.

We could mix plunder and an starting a new outpost.

Questions

1. Did you attack (Ferocity), defend against (resolve), or circumvent (cunning) a problem or situation?
Used both Ferocity and Resolve this time.

2. Did you express something new about your character or your background?
Sihylde show that she not mindless, takeing the table to shield her self, she not totally blood thirsty, see her not pursuing them in the woods after attacking the encampment and does care about the others.

3. Did you give into your rage (ferocity), refuse to change your mind (resolve), or manipulate someone to further your own ends (cunning)?
Well i did manipulate Rodrick to stand and fight.

4. Did you make a desperate action? What was it? +1 point for every desperate action you made. That last battle had a lot of them.
Yes the counter-charge.

5. Did you kick ass? [/b]
Yes.
[/quote]

[chubby2man]

Einar:
1.2
2.2
3. Hehe 2
4. 3 Dark bargains don't count
5. 2
11 xp

Sihylde:
1.1
2.2
3.1
4.2
5.1
7 xp
Einar got a lot of +2 because I would say he went through the most growth in this section. If this was a TV show, the last episode featured a lot of our raging captain. Doesn't mean you won't get as many twos as him, though!

[SeriousConcentrate]

Cool. ^^^ I believe that gives me 16 XP counting what I already had. Hopefully Tar, Tir, and Mardent do their summary soon.

Also, I'm voting for a raid next. We probably ought to do one every other (or at least every third) mission, to keep our crew well-paid.

[Taricus]

Anyways, here are the questions for this Chapter!

1. Did you attack (Ferocity), defend against (resolve), or circumvent (cunning) a problem or situation?

2. Did you express something new about your character or your background?

3. Did you give into your rage (ferocity), refuse to change your mind (resolve), or manipulate someone to further your own ends (cunning)?

4. Did you make a desperate action? What was it? +1 point for every desperate action you made. That last battle had a lot of them.

5. Did you kick ass?

1. Yep, first in the shield wall near the beastman camp, and again with rescuing Jora (And I'd say Kol defended so hard he was aggressively defending)

2. Kinda? I'd presume that his actions regarding his disapproval of Einar eating the heart and his relative experience in dealing with the smaller beastmen compared to the others.

3. Not really? Wasn't much of a chance for Kol to do any of those things.

4. Definitely had one with rescuing Jora, and maybe another in assisting Jora with rejoining the line

5. You tell me if slaughtering a swath of beastment to rescue your kid from beastmen in an awesome fashion (Like blocking a javelin and returning it to sender) isn't badass

[SeriousConcentrate]

I guess we know where Einar gets it from.

[chubby2man]

Kol:
1. 2
2. 1
3. 1 (didn't accept Einar eating the heart)
4. 2
5. 2
Total: 8 XP
I'm mostly going off of your descriptions based on my XP granting, so the more detail of your actions I'm probably more likely to give out a 2 

[Tiruin]

Anyways, here are the questions for this Chapter!

1. Did you attack (Ferocity), defend against (resolve), or circumvent (cunning) a problem or situation?

2. Did you express something new about your character or your background?

3. Did you give into your rage (ferocity), refuse to change your mind (resolve), or manipulate someone to further your own ends (cunning)?

4. Did you make a desperate action? What was it? +1 point for every desperate action you made. That last battle had a lot of them.

5. Did you kick ass?

1. I think all I did was normal actions all around. Or...wait, this chapter includes the beastman raid!
I recall just doing the jar and fire trick costing me a bit of fate to that may be OOC cunning due to creativity
And probably something else but that's on the top of my memory right now.

2. Just backstory I believe Unsure if this counts as 'new'.

3. Manipulate someone to further my own ends o_o ...I am honestly planning to get Roderick into our crew when we sail back home to replenish and report--because he's like a scout for us; knowledgeable on past happenings and the terrain.
But otherwise nope!

4. Oh goodness.
I'm unsure if this or this is a desperate action[/url] but:
> I broke my bow to up my dice [probably going to spend a coin for a better bow <_< Plus side: Better bow; downside, one coin]
> Unsure here too

5. Not really given the average! Or this is just my shyness speaking.
But I healed a lot of ass! Which I guess saved a few folks from dying without treatment!
Also I'm planning to use our tales of valor to give us stuff worth in coins. :3
Practically I was more support character here, but anything is fine with me as long as everyone has fun anyway.