Azura 28, 730

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Azura 28, 730

Postby Matt » Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:44 pm

Well before daybreak, with a cold wind blowing off the fjord, a banging came on the door of the Seld Clanhouse. “Awake!” a booming voice cried. “Awake, ye Selds!” Once again, a banging on the door which seemed like to break it in.

Instantly, all were awake, and instinctively groping for weapons. Could it be an attack? One of the servants asked no one in particular, “What do we do?”
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Re: Azura 28, 730

Postby Igon Seld » Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:28 pm

Matt wrote:Instantly, all were awake, and instinctively groping for weapons. Could it be an attack? One of the servants asked no one in particular, “What do we do?”


As Igon gets out of bed and reaches for Ice Hammer he answers. "We open the damn door and find out".
"We must drive the evil from our lands!"
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Postby Matt » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:12 pm

The servant unbars the door, and instantly a blast of wind chills the room. Standing there is a large, mailed man with blonde hair, his beard neatly tied off in two points. "Selds, awake!" he cried one last time. "Ah, good. You do not nest like mice, I see! I am Olgi Anaka, Lord of Anakaryn and captain of the warboat Nass. We must be off quickly if we are to make time and tide. It's a long voyage to Hoeg!"
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Postby Laenvan Hawkeye » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:21 pm

Laenvan has to struggle free from an entaglement of legs and arms, because he hasn't found not one but two willing lasses last night. Naked with shortsword in the right and buckler on the right he crouches ready to attack any enemy who comes through.

Relaxing after Captain Olgi Anaka introduction he hastens with a sheepish smile on his handsome face to get clothed and ready for departure.

He is one of the first to set foot on the warboat Nass.
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Postby Igon Seld » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:29 pm

After dressing and gathering his gear, Igon makes sure everyone is on board and ready to go.

Before the ship casts off, Igon blesses the crew and asks Sarajin to give them strength in the days to come.
"We must drive the evil from our lands!"
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Postby Matt » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:59 pm

Lord Anaka, seeing Laenvan's fierce mien, calls over his shoulder, "Stand back, Varined, this one holds us a bay with two swords!" Then, laughing at his own (little) wit, he waits as the warband gathers its gear (and clothing).

Before long, they follow Anaka down to the shore where three warboats, each 60 feet in length, lie beached. Each has men swarming about, and two of the ships are taking on significant provisions and warriors. Anaka turns and says, "The Aarawn and the Mil - they sail for Lorkin and we shall keep company with them as far as the Raze shoals. It shall be a mighty blow when they retake the fortress from the Jarin!" He comes before the Nass and calls out. "Hail my sons! Come forward!"

Some five of the dozen or so men working the ship come forward. "These are my sons," says Lord Anaka. "Bjarl, Horst, and Lars. And these are my nephews, Olgi and Hettar, who are like sons to me. The rest you see are my warband - strong men from my lands who will raid Hoeg and strike fear into the Southrons! Which of you is the leader of your warband?"

[GM: As good a time as any to determine this, I should think.]
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Postby Jorst Seld » Fri Aug 19, 2005 3:46 pm

Jorst steps forward.

"I am Jorst, Huscarl of Clan Seld. Our leader is my cousin Igon, son of our Valhakar, and Speaker for the Grey Slayer".

"These are my brother, Ulauf, and our clans' trusted retainer from the south, Laenvan - he of the two swords!"

Jorst chuckles.

"Here is my fellow Huscarl and companion, Haefnir of Clan Ralder, who fought with us at Fjaga, and spoke at the great Moot."

"And also with us are Erdrick, a cartographer, and our trusted clan retainers"

Jorst reaches out to clasp Lord Anaka's hand.
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Fri Aug 19, 2005 6:17 pm

After stubbling clear of his bedding Ulauf joins his companions.....

Gathering together his pack, sword, axe, bow and shield, he holds out his hand and greets Lord Anakaryn "Well met Lord Anakaryn, I am Ulauf son of Torsten Seld."

Tapping his beltpouch Ulauf says to Igon with a smile on his face "I have packed an extra bowstring as you requested cousin."
With the introductions over he joins his companions on the journey to the docks.

It has been some time since Ulauf remembers the spray of the sea against his face, he is rather looking forward to the voyage.
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Postby Erdrick » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:59 pm

Erdrick comes stumbling down to the gathering with his spear, bow, arrows, and pack. Sticking the butt of his spear into the ground, he leans against it looking around to those gathered.

"Tis quite early, let's hope our initiative gives us luck and success in this endeavor," he says as he tries to fight back a yawn.
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Postby Matt » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:43 pm

In addition to Lord Anaka, his three sons, two nephews, and Varined, evidently another huscarl, there are nine other warriors on the Nass. It doesn't take much time for the Seld Warband to stow their gear, and once aboard, Igon conducts his blessing in the name of Sarajin.

Afterwards, Lord Anaka confers with the other captains, and they agree that all are ready. Several men from each ship and a few from shore push off each ship, and as the ships float out into the fjord, each unships oars, and begins to move away from shore. The Nass takes position to the far left, and Lord Anaka, at the tiller, calls out "Sweeps, on the alternate beat!" There were eight oars to a side, and most of the men aboard were oarsmen now. The glow of the rising sun could be seen to the east, beyond the mountains, and the small squadron rowed northeast along the fjord towards Ebein. "I shall ask your band to serve as relief after this watch for some of the oarsmen," Anaka said to Igon. "If the wind stays this light, we should arrive at Hoeg just before nightfall - perhaps an hour of daylight will be left to us." He looks up at the sky. "Not much cloud cover, but it smells like rain. Probably not today, maybe tomorrow - certainly by the next day."
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Postby Laenvan Hawkeye » Sat Aug 20, 2005 2:31 am

To the teasing of his new nickname "Two Swords" Laenvan adds with a friendly laugh "and of many true shots". Then he greets his new companions.
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Postby Matt » Sat Aug 20, 2005 3:37 pm

Lord Anaka comes over to Igon and says, "I have heard you are a priest of Sarajin. Tell me, what does the Lord of the Icy Wind think of our times? What say the runes?"
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Postby Igon Seld » Sat Aug 20, 2005 4:14 pm

Matt wrote:Lord Anaka comes over to Igon and says, "I have heard you are a priest of Sarajin. Tell me, what does the Lord of the Icy Wind think of our times? What say the runes?"


Igon takes a small leathern bag from his belt. "I will cast the stones Captain to see if our lord will reveal his plans for us".
"We must drive the evil from our lands!"
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Postby Matt » Sat Aug 20, 2005 4:28 pm

Igon goes down on one knee and holds the runestones in his hand. Uttering a silent prayer to Sarajin, he casts the stones to the deck. Squinting, he strives to read the portents therein. He smiles. "The stones refuse to reveal much, but this much they do say: our voyage is pleasing to Sarajin, and Hoeg will be ours for the taking."

Olgi Anaka nodded. "So it shall be." He sniffed the air. "The wind," he cried. "It picks up. Ship oars! Make sail!"

And so it was. The rowers shipped their oars, stowing them along the gunwales, as several others stepped the mast and raised the broad, square sail. On the other two ships, similar activities were taking place. About the fjord, other ships could be seen, mostly small fishing vessels, but also a nivik heading in the opposite direction, and healed over in a beam reach. She sailed in the opposite direction from the warboats, no doubt to Geldeheim.
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:01 pm

Ulauf spends the rest of the trip familiarising himself with the maps shown to him by Erdrick and then helping Laenvan prepare the 40 tar arrows that will be needed.

Again confirming with the captain on what time we expect to make landfall...will the wind make our landfall earlier than expected.
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Postby Matt » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:18 pm

"Ah," Olgi says with some disgust. "At this point, the wind'll slow us down. It blows from the west, just enough to impede our progress under oars, but not enough to keep us going as fast as we can row. It'll only get worse when we round the point and head into the wind. Although then our friends over there will be running before the wind. If it dies down, we can row again, but at this rate, we'll lose at least a watch. We'll be landing after nightfall for sure."
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Postby Igon Seld » Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:15 am

Matt wrote:We'll be landing after nightfall for sure."


Igon smiles coldly: "That will work for us. A grim night for grim deads."
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:58 pm

With the fire arrow preparations complete Ulauf turns to Laenvan and Erdrick and says " I think I will give my equipment another once over and then try to get some rest"

Ulauf then goes to his weapons taking each in turn, checking the blade, running a sharpening stone over each a few times. He then moves on to this ring byrnie giving a thorough check making sure all the straps and links are in good condition.

When Ulauf has completed his checks he takes his backpack and places it under his head, closes his eyes and tries to get some rest.

As he drifts off he can hear the gulls calling, the wind rustling through the sails and rigging and the water lapping against the hull of the warboat with the murmour of the crew in the background.

He is awoken ervery so often by the captain bellowing commands to his crew.
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Postby Laenvan Hawkeye » Tue Aug 23, 2005 1:13 am

"He's a fine lad, this Ulauf" Laenvan says to Erdrick. "and I think I will follow his lead. We have to gather our forces and be ready when our time comes." He goes over to his place and checks his equipment as miniticolous as Ulauf. Then he stretches his long frame as good as possible and falls asleep. Contrary to Ualuf not even the commands of the captain awake him...
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Postby Jorst Seld » Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:33 am

Jorst has already checked his equipment the night before, so he takes the time to assist the crew, where he can, and watch the passing fjords...

He wonders if they will return again, and if they can safeguard this beautiful land for their people....
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Postby Igon Seld » Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:07 am

After consulting the runes, Igon leands a hand where needed then rests, knowing that in the days to come rest will be hard to find.
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:00 am

Ulauf is awoken by Captain Anaka shouting orders to the crew to adjust sail.

As Ulauf lifts his head from his pack he notices the conditions are still the same and notes that not more than 1/2 a watch has passed since he first rested.

He reflects back to a time just over a ten day ago when there was feasting in the clanhouse celebrating his 24 season. He seemed far removed from those times now as he sailed off to his first war.....
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Postby Laenvan Hawkeye » Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:53 am

Laenvan stirrs in his sleep and changes his position without waking up.
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Postby Matt » Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:17 am

Once the Nass was under sail, headway dropped off. The ship could not make as much speed on its beam reach as under oar, but with current that so aided the return trip, impeded the outbound. The oarsmen could not fight against both. As mid-afternoon approached, the three ships rounded the two points marking the passage from the inner fjord to the outer. Here the ships turned northwest, and had to sail very close to the wind indeed. Turning to Jorst, Lord Anaka says, “Not as much shipping as I would expect. Just a few fishing craft and the one merchantman. We should have seen two or three more by now. I like it not.”

As the ships passed Chulainn Island to the west, the wind began to die down again. “Ha!” cried, Lord Anaka. “Sarajin has stayed his icy hand! Reef the sail!”

At once, men sprang to the task. One limber fellow shinnied up the mast and unhitched the rakke from the masthead, and as men hauled the sail down, used his weight to help push it down to the deck. Even as this was happening, other men were positioned to catch the sail, and fold it in alternate layers and then secure it to the yard. This accomplished, the men swung the yard parallel with the keel and secured the yard to the t-posts fore and aft of the mast.

“Unship oars!” ordered Lord Anaka. “And, on the alternate - heave!”

All through the late afternoon, the three ships rowed northwest, pausing only to relieve the rowers with those who had rested. As the Nass was short-handed, everyone took a spell, including Lord Anaka. By nightfall, the flotilla had passed the Raze Rocks - the teeth of the fjord. A few hours later, steering by the stars in the near darkness - for the risen moon was but a slivered, silvered crescent - the Nass parted company with the other ships. They hailed and cheered as the other two warboats turned to the northeast, raising sail now that they would be running before the light winds of the night. The Nass, by contrast, continued to row steadily northwest, alone now but for the starry night.

Soon, Lord Anaka pointed to the west. “There is Thuinn Island. Once we clear the north point, we must turn due west.” Shortly before midnight, they could see a storm brewing inland to the southwest, with lightning strikes. “Bjarri’s hammer,” murmured some of the men, as the sound of thunder floated across the fjord. As the warboat approached the shore, Anaka turned the tiller and the warboat proceeded north, hugging the shoreline. “There it is,” he said at last, pointing. The mariners could just make out a part of the shore which seemed darker - a small cove. “There we shall spend the rest of the night,” Anaka proclaimed. He turns to the Seld warband. “We are about half a league north of Hoeg. Will you spend the night here, or will you scout the village now?”
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Postby Igon Seld » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:30 am

Igon steps forward...

"We should scout it out now while we still have the advantage of surprise. If we wait then that will increase the chance of someone spotting us or the ship."
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