Session Eight 22nd Peonu 720

Where we follow the vicissitudes of a separate viking pHarn Down Under ...

Moderator: Neil

Session Eight 22nd Peonu 720

Postby Neil » Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:01 pm

22nd Peonu 720

Some time after midnight the remainder of the warband move on to the last fire and arrive to find no one there either. They wait for a short time and then return to the previous fires and collect the rest of the warband, they move into the tree line and and take up a defensive position. They discuss what has just happened and decide that either the fires were lit as a decoy and left unattended or those guards left behind to watch the fires saw them coming and left. The reason that none of them stayed to defend the fire has them wondering.

The warband decide that they need to get into the villlage to see who is behind this attack. Making their way through the trees and fields they struggle to the other side of the village up near the cliff that they first used to watch the village from. The warband manages to skirt the village and aviod contact with anyone and find a place from which to spend the rest of the night. Arriving at this position an hour or so before the sun casts it’s first rays of light on the coming day.

The warband setup a rough camp with Kjarl on watch the warband await the coming day.

The rain falls intermitantly during the day as the ground becomes more sodden under foot.

With daylight around Anvil notices that this is not the same spot as the warband had first watched from, the position they now occupy provides good concealment from the village but if anyone should happen to wander into the woods they will be without much cover, so he begins to scout around for the area looking for a spot with better concealment while providing a good view of the village.

After several hours of wandering the woods trying to avoid any prying eyes Anvil finds a suitable area from which to view the village while having some concealment from anyone in the woods.

While Anvil is out wandering the woods Kjarl and Raan notice 8 individuals wander into the village from the northern road, 3 of the men are carrying shields and over half of them are carrying either spears or clubs at this distance and in this weather it is hard to determine. The warband break camp and move to the new location. Raan takes over the watch duty while the rest of the warband gets some rest.

The warband get what rest they can as the rain continues to fall.

The warband watch over the village during the day but the weather conditions do not make visibility to good and what they notice is a lot of nothing.

The fishing boats have not put to sea, the farmers are not tending their fields and there is a general hush over the village. This is quite out of place and the warband suspects that it does in fact bode ill.

Just before sunset Anvil wakes the sleeping warband and they chew on some dried pork and cheese while huddling under their now water logged cloaks.

The warband discuss what actions they should take. Should they wander into town and see what is happening or should they do as they were tasked and take the message to the Lord of Linon. It is decided that it would be best to deliver the message to Linon and find out if these actions are localised or are they taking place all over the island.

With about 45 minutes of daylight left the warband break camp and head north along the trail. The band of 5 heavily armed Ivinian warriors does not appear to draw any attention as they travel along the road.

Within 30-40 minutes of leaving Fornin they reach the summit of a small knoll just as darkness is complete, with nearly complete cloud cover and only a sliver of moon to light their way the warband are greeted with a view of a village nestled along a small bay. There are a few pindas and 1 nivik pulled up onto the beach. The light from around 8-14 houses peeks through shuttered windows, wisps of smoke exit the rooftops and all appears normal in the village.

As the warband makes their way along the trail through the village they catch shadows moving behind the shutters and the warband has the sneaking suspicion that they are being watched. The warband bring shields to the ready take weapons from their belts and Anvil looks to sky and as it is still raining decides against stringing his bow. The noise of 5 heavinly armed Ivinians walking along a rain soaked trail is obviously drawing some attention from the locals.

The warband leave the village without incident and around 40 minutes later after following the trail into a small copse of trees emerge at the other end, before them stands another small village around the same size as the previous one. The noise the warband makes draws attention from behind shutters as they wander through the village and again the warband get that sneaking suspicion that they are being watched.

The warband prepares for action but continue to walk through the village prepared for an encounter. The warband exits the village without incident and continues along the trail, the mud now making travelling more difficult.

Arriving at a village around 40 minutes later. This village is slightly larger than the previous one and the warband see nestled on a slight rise to the warbands left the silouhette of a pallisade compound what must obviously be the village thran. The village appears quiet with nothing out of the ordinary catching their attention but as the warband nears the village they notice that several of the buildings have been put to the torch and are now smouldering away leaving a smoke trail into the nights sky.

Entering the village the warband can see the trail leading out of the other side of the village, a trail leading up towards the thran, standing near the doulbe gate of the thran the warband can see a single guard standing duty, they also notice a small village square and an a third trail leading to the east of the village.

Turning towards the thran the warband head along the trail towards the sentry. As they near the thran the guard calls “Halt, who goes there!” with perhaps a touch of nervousness in his voice. The warband stops and Raan replies “I am Raan Jalten of Hilzstrom, we bear a message from Lord Ragan Valhakar of clan Ragan of Fornin.” Raan advances a few steps towards the sentry.

The warband can see the sentry turn and whisper to someone nearby. After a wait of several minutes “Advance and be recognised!” calls the sentry. Kjarl begins to head towards the thran and Raan follows him “Only one of you come here the rest wait behind if you please!” yells the sentry.

Raan stops and Kjarl continues the journey towards the thran alone. Nearing the gates he can see the senty is perhaps a few years younger than himself and looking rather nervous. The gates are opened slightly and Kjarl is admitted into the thran.

On entering Kjarl can see around 10 warriors standing in a half circle around the gate all carrying shields and weapons. Kjarl pulls up on entering and surveys his surroundings. Kjarl notices that several of the warriors in the shieldwall are sporting bandages over recent wounds. Taking the message from his beltpouch he holds it in his right hand while holding his spear and shield in the other.

Throw down your shield and spear calls a voice from the shieldwall. Kjarl complies dropping his spear near his foot and places his shield over his shoulder.

A heavy set man pushes through the shieldwall and makes his way towards Kjarl, he wears a 3/4 plate helm and a ring hauberk, he approaches Kjarl and kicks the spear from near his foot and then takes the message from Kjarls hand and returns behind the shieldwall.

Another voice calls “Let them in!” and with that the remainder of the warband are allowed entry into the thran.

The warband are disarmed by the local warriors and are shown to the clan longhouse where a fire is set in the hearth and food and drink is out for all to share.

On the floor of the main hall lies 2 men obviously badly wounded but they are recieving the attentions of several women of the clan.

Kalyn leaves the group to offer her assistance and is allowed to check the wounded. Kalyn finds that the wounds have been treated well and both men should make full recoveries the Grey Slayer willing.

The remainder of the warband are shown to a table near the fire where a tall man a ring hauberk is seated, a plate 3/4 helm sits on table in front of him all of fine craftsmanship.

“Lord Ragan has sent you. For what purpose does he send you here.”

Kjarl with a bow of his head replies “Lord Honin, the Jarin population in Fornin have taken it upon themselves to strike at Lord Ragan’s thran. He was concerned whether this matter is isolated to his thran or whether it has occurred in other places. We were tasked with his mission to travel here and find this out, Lord Ragan also asks that if you are able, could you send assistance to him so that this attack could be put down quickly.”

“I see, tell me what took place at Fornin.” says Lord Honin.

“Late yesterday afternoon, Lord Ragan was leaving his thran with us, his huscarls and another man from Sherwyn all on our way to Caer Sherwyn, when it appears the Jarin attacked the thran, they shot the man from Sherwyn and Lord Ragan was nearly thrown from his horse while arrows flew in his direction. The clans have been beseiged in their thran since then.”

“Very well” continues Lord Honin. “Tell Lord Ragan that I too have been attacked and thus will be unable to send him any assistance. My thran needs my protection for now.” Lord Honin gives his huscarl a worrying look and then says “You have the hospitality of my hall this night stay and rest yourselves, eat if you need.”

Kjarl bowing his head says “Lord Honin, I thankyou for your hospitality in this time of peril. But if it pleases you, we would like to rest for a few hours, eat a hot meal and with your permission let us take our leave and take your reply to our Lord?”

“Certainly as you wish.” answers Lord Honin. With that the warband are lead away from your council and shown towards the hearth fire where the warband takes their fill of food and ale. Not long after taking their place by the fire they are joined by Kalyn.

Kalyn has learnt from some of the women that early yesterday afternoon the guard on the main gates noticed something unusual and raised the alarm, he had noticed and large number of Jarin gathering in the square of the village. With the alarm raised the Ivinians were able to arm themselves and sallied from the thran and into the midsts of the gathering Jarin. They put up little fight and fled but not before around 10 or so of their number were put to sword or axe. No Ivinians were killed during the raid but 2 were badly wounded in the foray while another 4 or so are lightly injured.

After resting and eating the warband makes preparations to leave the thran of Linon. While the warband enjoyed the hot meal and drink they heard the rain begin to fall more heavily on the ground outside.

As the leave the main hall they gather together their weapons and equipment and leave the thran via the double gates that gave them protection not 2 hours or so earlieer.

Heading out along the trail into the village the rain has washed away the signs of battle and the village looks quiet and at peace for now.

Turning right along the trail the warband begins their journey back to Fornin.

About an hour later the warband enters the first village and at this time of night the fires have died down and little light shows from behind the shutters now. The warband hear little to disturb them as the splash through the mud and rain along the trail.

Nearly an hour so later they arrived at the second village and find that it too is quiet and peaceful, little light shows from behind the shutters and doors of the buildings. The warband enter and leave this village without event.

A further hour or so passes before the warband sees the first signs of the village of Fornin. Nori Denensens the Ivinian hideworkers place of work is the first building the warband come across as they enter the town. Raan wanting to find out what has been happening in the town since they left tries to kick the door in but after several goes and the door not giving in decides that it is secure and needs no futher investigation.

The warband as they enter the village are talking amongst themselves in whispers about what they should do next and as they approach near 3 houses a group of 2 maybe 3 men break from between the houses and run away from the warband towards to the wooded hill that the warband used to survey the village. The men crying out something that the warband do not understand.

Atol sensing something is not right calls the warband to form a shieldwall facing the 3 buildings. There they wait for less than a minute and then move as a group in amongst the buildings.

The voices are fading into the distance and are now moving to the warbands right towards the village itself.

The warband seeing that no attack is forth coming move to the first of the houses and Raan yells “Open the door.” There is no answer “Open the door or I will break in down!” this time the door opens slightly and Raan gives the door a push sending the women behind it sprawling across the floor she gathers herself and crawls across the floor to put herself between Raan, Atol and Kjarl as they enter the house.

Anvil decides to wander around the outside of the house to check what doors or windows there might be.

“Where are the men?” yells Raan. The frightened women does not answer a boy about 12 years of age stands kneels behind his mother with a mix of fright and defiance on his face while next to him 2 girls about 10 years of age are crying uncontrollably. The mother is trying to hold them and keep herself between the warband and her children.

The mother shakes her head in response to Raan’s question. Raan yells the question again again the women shakes her head. Atol tiring of this leaves the house and makes his way to the second building.

Kjarl steps forward and says in a quiet voice “Tell us where your men are and no harm will come to you. Take us for fools and you will pay dearly.” Again the women shakes her head without saying a word.

Atol makes his way over to the door of the second house and after several axe blows has opened the door to the building. On entering he sees sleeping gear spread over the dirt floor of the dwelling. Atol enters and moves to one end of the building and opens up a curtained doorway and in this room are several stalls, pigs, goats, several chickens and geese are kept in this part of the house. The geese are making a racket as Atol enters the room.

Moving no futher in Atol conducts a quick search and moves to the other end of the house and finds a bed which had been slept in recently now empty. There is no sign of the inhabitants of this dwelling anywhere.

Anvil enters the first building via another door and finds Kjarl kneeling near the women talking softly to her, while Raan hovers nearby with his axe swinging threateningly. Kjarl has learnt that the woman does not know where her man is now.

Kalyn stands guard near the doorway.

Atol by this time has moved on to third house and after yelling for them to open the door and recieving no answer has opened the door using his axe. He finds another women trying to shield her young son and her teenage daughter.

“Where is your man?” yells Atol the women does not reply. Atol grabbing the young son hauls him to his feet “Where is your father you welp?” The boy appears to frightened to be able to respond.

The mother leaps to her feet in an attempt to free her son. Atol swings at her with the butt of his axe striking her in the shoulder sending her sprawling across the floor and she shrieks in pain whilst holding her now shattered shoulder.

The young boy sensing that Atol is not watching him launches a kick directed at Atol’s groin, Atol just manages to dodge the strike but still catches the blow in the stomach, however, his armour protects him from the blow. Atols rage increases as he launches a head butt back at the young boy, the young lad falls to the ground and rolls away and disappears into the back room, leaving Atol standing there with a handful of the boys hair.

A quick pursuit of the lad finds him disappearing outside via another door Atol giving up pursuit returns to the room and grabs the daughter by the hair he hauls her to her feet and says “Tell me where your man is or I will defile your pretty young daughter right here in front of you while you watch!”

Atol looking towards the mother says “If you do not tell me where your man is I will kill you in front of your children do you hear me?” With a defiant look about her the Jarin women replies “I am not yours to kill, Ivinian, my Lord will see you pay dearly for killing us!” she yells.

Atol stands tall and replies “I will approach MY LORD and see that you are removed from here with your children with little to provide for you!”

Anvil, Kjarl, Kalyn and Raan having heard the women cry in pain with her shoulder leave the first building and make thier way into the open. They can see about 12 torches bobbing along the trail towards them and in the glow from their light they can see around 24 men making their way along the trail towards the buildings.

“ALARM, ALARM!!!!!!” yells Anvil. Atol hearing the cry turns and makes his way to the door. Looking in the direction that his companions are pointing notices the advancing mob.

Atol releases the daughter and she joins her mother on the floor. As Atol leaves the building the womans yells “That is if you live long enough to make it back to your thran.” Leaving the woman says still gripping her broken shoulder.

Standing near the 3 buildings the warband weigh up their options they could stand and fight in the street, move into one of the buildings and fight or retreat to the thran at best speed. The warband decide that flight is the best option on this occassion and take to their feet.

In the darkness the warband seem to have made their escape from the mob.

As the warband make their escape they notice that the mob numbers around 50-60 instead of the 24 they first saw. Suddenly as the warband draw level with the mob a section of the mob draw away from the main body and begins to give chase on the warband.

Anvil draws ahead of the warband turns and in the midst of the rain strings his bow. As the warband near his position he looses an arrow into the oncoming mass. The arrow strikes true and hits one of the men in the head. The man falls to the ground without a sound.

A second arrow is fired but the string breaks due to the weather and the arrow falls harmlessly short.

The mob having lost one of their number draws to a halt and decides that they need not give chase as the warband are nearing the thran and they may well fall within bow range of the archers in the thran soon.

As the warband close on the thran they notice several heads peering over the pallisade watching the events before them.

The warband gather around the main gates to the thran in a half circle with Anvil in the centre with his bow ready again. Soon the warband can hear the inner gates being opened and the sounds of men running through the mud to open the outer gates. Before long the warband are safe with the thran once again.

The warband are shown into the main hall soaking from the rain and covered in mud and dirt from their journey.

Lord Ragan approaches the warband and says “What news from Linon?”. Kjarl steps forward and bows his head “My Lord, it appears as if the Jarin have rebelled all over the island, Lord Honin caught the Jarin mustering for an attack on his thran. Despite dispatching the Jarin in a battle it appears that as yet his lands are not yet safe as he is unable to send you any aid at this time.”

“I see” says Lord Ragan. “It appears our situation is worse then I first suspected. Thankyou that will be all, I suggest you get some rest and tend to your equipement.”

On that note the warband are lead away from Lord Ragan and begin to tend to their equipment. Atol strips down and wanders out to the well in the rain and begins to wash to mud, dirt and grime off.

Shortly after one of the sentries posted in the compound points to the night sky and yells “Look a falling star!”

Atol looking towards the night sky notices 1 then 2 then 3 and before long about half a dozen fire arrows filling the sky.

Most strike aimlessly amongst the outer compound but 2 strike home amongst the thatching of one of the buildings in the outer thran. The thatching is wet and the fire does not look like it will take but a second volley soon follows and more arrows land amongst the thatching.

One of the guards yells “We are under attack, ALARM!!!” and turns and runs into the main hall. Atol turns and walks into the hall as a third volley of arrows lands amid the outer compound.

The warband leap to their feet and begin to prepare themselves for the attack, doning wet clothes and grabbing wet gear. They are joined by other warriors preparing themselves for the attack. Lord Ragan walks from the hall closely followed by Charrin and Madin his 2 huscarls.

By the time the warband have prepared themselves and have arrived outside the rain has stopped there are around 10 warriors forming a shieldwall behind Lord Ragan and his huscarls.

4 men are left behind to man the gates and tend the walls while the warband attack.

Lord Ragan has the inner gates opened and 2 of the buildings are starting to burn while a 3rd has the thatching starting to smoulder. Lord Ragan at the head of his warband leads the warriors through the inner compound in two files as they arrive at the outer gate, the gates are opened and the warriors move into the open fields outside.

As the warband form up they can see around 12 men standing by 2 fires preparing to loose another volley of arrows. The rate of fire has dropped off considerably since it first started with only a volley every 30 seconds or so.

The warband once formed up begin to move towards the Jarin archers, a volley of fire arrows flies over the warbands heads landing amid the buildings of the outer thran.

Nearing the archers Lord Ragan breaks into a jog and begins his assault. As the Ivinians charge the Jarin break and run in all directions the warband maintain their loose formation and give pursuit just beyond the 2 fires.

As the warband pass by one of the fires they can see numerous bowstrings laying near the fire, obviously broken because of the weather conditions.

Turning to 6 of his men he says “Fire the torches” the men turn and using the fires lit by the Jarin light torches of their own. Lord Ragan turns to these 6 men and points “That one, that one, that one, that one, that one and that one.” Indicating the houses he will have torched in response.

The 6 men move forward the warriors move forward to provide protection for their bretheren. The warband move forward protecting one of the torch bearers as he sets ablaze the indicated building. Moments later the occupants flee their burning building, 2 women and 4 children flee in terror and disappear into the darkness.

Only one of the buildings has a male leave a young man on the verge of becoming a man flees but is cut down by the Ivinians in his attempt.

The 2 fires are extinguished, the warriors watch the Jarin buildings burn and then in good order retire back into the inner thran.

With feet dragging the warband retire to the inner thran exhausted from their days effort.
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Neil
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