2 Nuzyael 720

As the afternoon passes the wind shifts around to the north west and continues to blow lightly, the clouds begin to gather and darken and the day takes on more of a chill.

The 'waverider' appears to maintain it's 2-3 knots as before.

With the sun now and orange orb just above the western horizon, it colours the clouds with the orange and crimson hues of an evening sky.

Ahead several hundred yards approaches the vathran of Froyaheim. The thran sits close to the river, a small beach and dock seperate it from the river bank. It's tall, thick walls rising above a sloped earthern embankment. The shoreline rises slowly eastward from the river with houses and small gardens dotting the hillside. A small thran lies on the westward bank of the Froya river.

From both sides of the river, wooden piling have been driven into the river bed, they cover about 1/2 the width of the river but seem to stop.

Smoke emerges from hearth fires from the dwellings and light emenates from within from the glowing fires, candles and lanterns. The people of Froyaheim still go about their daily business and on the docks news of your boats arrival seems to have stirred the longshoreman and fisherman near the docks. A small crowd of about a dozen people begins to gather.

As the 'waverider' nears the dock the journeyman pilot steers the boat easily along the shoreline avoiding the dangerous shallows.

A well dressed, bearded man perhaps in his early 30's about 70" tall stands on the dock, a handaxe and keltan are tucked into his belt and are the only weapons he carries. "Well met captain." he yells to the captain of the 'waverider'. Sheld holding his hand to his mouth replies "And greetings to you too. We are the 'waverider' of Ygesdram bearing emissaries and letters for you Jarl."

The man turns to another man standing him and speaks, the man turns and heads towards the thran, disappearing through a door near the docks.

You also notice that several other people leave the docks some run others walk off, you feel that news of your arrival will soon be all over the vathran.

As the boat pulls alongside the dock a smile beams on the mans face as he replies "Sheld, good to see you again my friend, it has been some time since we have seen you on the river." Sheld smiling back says "Good to see you too Malby, it must be at least two or three years. My friend the Daas has stores for your Jarl loaded aboard how quick can you unload them". Malby looks to the west and pauses before saysing "Tis late now, we could have you unloaded by midday tomorrow!" Sheld nods with satisfaction.

A crowd is beginning to gather around the docks.

Your warband are allowed to disembark onto the docks. When Malby says to you "I have sent for someone to guide you into the thran, they will be here directly, I would ask you wait here until they arrive."

As Thorin steps from the WaveRider, he begins to survey the Vathran....where are the huscarls, what is the mood of the village, armed camp or busy market?
Looking specifically for any dangers.
He moves to Daas' side, his right hand rests on the pommel of his sword.

It would not do to have the messenger not deliver his message.

Kugald steps confidently from the "Waverider" to the dock. He leaves his shield and spear in the nivik. They are messengers not invaders. However, he takes a firm grip of the pommel of his sword with this left (off) hand. He notes Thorin's presence, and is glad to have him at his side. He surveys the assembled crowd, smiling and saying hello. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Madrin, looking for anyone moving toward him.

TTYL

- Kerry Mould

Thorin Ulfhednar wrote:As Thorin steps from the WaveRider, he begins to survey the Vathran....where are the huscarls, what is the mood of the village, armed camp or busy market?

Looking specifically for any dangers.

The vathran has a seems to be caught between the armed camp and the busy thran a solemn air hangs over it.

The mood seems to be lifted even if only for a moment by your arrival, perhaps the thought that clan Daas is coming to their aid has signalled a change in the wind.

The assembled crowd bussle towards you but hold at a respectful distance and do not appear to have any evil intent, they begin to ask when the Daas will march and when should we expect the warriors of the Jarl to arrive.

From the gate near the river a group of 6 men exit, they march directly towards your group. They wear mail byrnies or hauberks and carry either a sword or axe in their belt, none are wearing helmets or carry shields. One of the men in the group you recognise as Cunate's son - Anders Daas. They quickly push their way through the crowd and come face to face with you. A male not more than a few years older than you says "I am Ingolf, please come, we have been waiting for your arrival."

He turns and leads you towards the gate of the thran, the others in the group push the crowd aside so as to give you easy passage.

Entering the thran you see the crowd on the dock begin to disperse, 2 guards stand near the gate both wear quilt gambesons, kurbul hemets, sheilds, spears and swords. They merely nod their heads to you as you enter. Passing through the gatehouse you enter the thran itself. Passing by Jokul's residence, a temple of Sarajin and another unidentified dwelling you enter the walled enclosure of the Storzar's clanhouses.

Entering the open gateway your are shown into the first building on your left. Three hearth fires burn in the middle of the room, 4 long benches line the lenght of the room while at the end nearest the door stands a small stage upon which are two ornately carved chairs. The room is currently empty.

Ingolf bids you sit and rest for now. Taking your place at the nearest table you sit and wait, your wait is short before an woman perhaps in her late twenties enters the room carrying several tankdards and two pitchers of ale. She places them on the bench gives each of you a slight smile and then leaves.

Jurri Grebel wrote:If he gets an opportunity, he'll ask Neirin to teach him a few of his people's songs.

Aboard the Waverider, Neirin sits with Jurri for a time and teaches the skald some of the more popular songs of his people. They are rhythmic and chant-like, and most are pleas to the god of the Yarili people for a successful hunt and protection from the harsh environment of the north. Neirin teaches Jurri some of the words in his native tongue, and tries not to laugh (too much) at the skald's trouble with the pronunciation.

----------

When the group disembarks at Froyaheim, Neirin gathers all his possessions. His people frequently do not return to a place for quite some time once they leave it, so Neirin is quite efficient about taking everything with him wherever he goes. He remains at the back of the group, hoping not to attract much attention to his tribal heritage.

Hovik hangs out with Neirin, doing his best to appear calm and upbeat. He gives thought to Kugald's orders to not make eye contact, but that's pretty close to impossible for the outgoing Hovik. At least he doesn't speak unless spoken to.

Jurri returns the woman's slight smile and takes some ale, then stands near the hearth to warm himself. While he waits, he will glance around the hall, making note of any trophies, heraldry, or other decorations, and imagining the stories behind them.

Are there other sources of light besides the hearth fires? He will make it a point to notice the lighting and where he will need to stand (or which way he will need to face) to take best advantage of it if this is where the "performance" will take place.

Jurri Grebel wrote:While he waits, he will glance around the hall, making note of any trophies, heraldry, or other decorations, and imagining the stories behind them.

Shields hang from the walls they would from their positions seem to indicate where the various members of the thrangaard would be seated.

Jurri Grebel wrote:Are there other sources of light besides the hearth fires? He will make it a point to notice the lighting and where he will need to stand (or which way he will need to face) to take best advantage of it if this is where the "performance" will take place.

There are several windows along the eastern wall, they have shutters but they are open for now. There are various wall brackets for some extra lighting when the light fades.

Looking at the room their is an open area on the western wall opposite the door, it should give you a good view of the audience, the door and offer you a good position close to the Jarl should he decide to stay and partake of the entertainment.

While the group waits alone in the hall some of you begin to pace the hall anxiously.

The door opens and Ingolf has returned.

"What message do you bear for the Storzar" he asks.

GM wrote:"What message do you bear for the Storzar" he asks.

Jurri will turn towards Kugald, hoping to thus indicate his status, and if he manages to catch his eye, will give him a confident nod.

OOC: If I understand correctly, I am addressing Ingolf Storzar and not some other Ingolf.

Kugald turns to speak to the huscarl, nodding a polite greeting. In a coversational tone loud enough for the others to hear and perhaps anyone straining to hear from the doorway, Kugald says, "We bear letters for 'the Storzar', the Daas' sister, Busla and his son, Anders."

"The wyrdsman," nodding towards Madrin, "carries them. He also has a verbal message for the Valhakar." Kugald looks at Madrin and gives a subtle head nod to indicate that he should decide whether to say anymore to the huscarl before meeting the Valhakar.

Kugald picks up his tankard from the table and fills it with ale. Turning his back to the door so no one can see his face, he brings the tankard to his lips and whispers, just barely loud enough for Ingolf to hear (and no further), "We come." Then, he takes a large quaff of ale. "Tis a fine ale you serve your guests," he says loud enough for those nearby to hear.

The weaponcrafter looks to Madrin, in a normal coversational tone, he says, "When we see the Valhakar, it is best if you do the talking, I am ill-suited to delicate diplomacy. It is a wyrdsman's touch we need here."

TTYL

- Kerry Mould

[OOC] Yes you are indeed talking with the one and only Ingolf Storzar!

When Kuglad has finished talking Ingolf nods and says "I shall take the letters for Busla and Anders with me and I shall see that they recieved them directly."

Ingolf steps towards Madrin and holds out his hand to take the letters.

Looking at Kuglad Ingolf adds "Yes, I think it best you deliver the message to the Storzar yourselves during the next thrangaad. They seem to be everyday now so you will not have to wait long."

After Kugald passes on the verbal message a brief smile flashes across Ingolf's face and in almost a whisper he says "Yes it is. Excellant I shall convey your message to the Storzar." Then in a more conversational volume he adds "I shall pass on your compliments to our brewer."

Before turning to leave he asks "Is there anything else the Storzar may offer you?"

GM wrote:
Before turning to leave he asks "Is there anything else the Storzar may offer you?"

Kugald smiles at Ingolf. “You have been very generous, thank you. If it is going to be a while until the thrangaad, then perhaps a light meal would be appreciated. If it isn’t too much trouble. Does anyone else require anything of our host?” The weaponcrafter looks around at the rest of the party.

After Ingolf leaves, Kugald makes himself comfortable, taking a seat at one of the tables. He gestures to the rest of the party to join him if they like.

“And now we wait.”

“I imagine it will take a while for Ingolf to deliver the letters and let the Valhakar know we are here.”

He pours himself another tankard of ale. He paces himself, taking only a sip and savouring the taste. “That was no empty complement. This is truly excellent ale.”

Three young women enter carry wooden bowls of steaming stew and several loaves of bread, still warm from the oven.

Kugald smiles at the young lasses and say, “Thank you, me’dears.”

He wastes no time in digging into. Looking up from his bowl, he gestures to the others, “Dig in, if the Valhakar dislikes the message we bear, it might be our last meal,” Kugald grins wolfishly at his own gallows humour.

TTYL

- Kerry Mould

Thorin playfully slaps Kugald on the back, smiling wolfishly at the others, and grins with mirth as he tears off a hunk of bread and sloshes some ale into a cup. He raises the cup above his head in toast, and says "To fine companions and our first last-meal together! May there be plenty more in our future!"

He drinks only lightly of the ale however, a wary eye on the door, and a steady hand on his hilt.

After finishing the fine meal, he suggests that the others get some rest. "We dont know how long we have, or when we will get the chance again".....he pauses as he catches Hovik eyeing one of the wenches,"...to rest, Hovik....to rest!!"

Thorin Ulfhednar wrote:
After finishing the fine meal, he suggests that the others get some rest. "We dont know how long we have, or when we will get the chance again".....he pauses as he catches Hovik eyeing one of the wenches,"...to rest, Hovik....to rest!!"

Thorin is obviously quite mistaken. Hovik does not "eye wenches". Hovik is looking at one wench very closely - unsure whether she is a refugee from Froyby. She looks a lot like one of the wenches of the meadhall there, Jarda. And if Jarda made it here, her boss may have made it here as well - her boss, and Hovik's master!

Hovik glares at Thorin - is he drunk? Or maybe he wants Hovik back in chains? Hovik doesn't know Thorin, and has little reason to trust the burly huscarl. Maybe Thorin is just one of those brainless, self-important warriors that thinks that any man who doesn't swing an axe is fit only for thralldom.

No, Hovik, you can't think that way. Thorin just isn't used to subterfuge. Keep your chin up.

Hovik walks quietly over to Thorin, and in a very low voice says, "You forget yourself, Thorin, and address Kugald's thrall with overmuch familiarity. But I shall take your advice and retire. Kugald may have need of me later."

The serving girls enter every now and then to take the empty jugs and return with ones full of ale. The plates are cleared after you have eaten and the hearth fires fed with more wood.

As you pace about you see standing outside near the gates into the walled section of the thran 5 men all armed and wearing armour. Two of the men carry swords and shields and are wearing mail hauberks and plate helms the other 3 carry spears and shields and have hand axes tucked into their belts each also wear quilt gambesons and either leather or kurbul helms.

They stand near the only tree within the walled compound near the building that Ingolf entered with the letters. Over the next watch or so as the light fades rapidly you see that they do not roam the compound but remain fixed near the gate.

As you watch the compound with the fading light there is a constant trickle of people entering and leaving the building directly across from the one you are in. Some nod in greeting to the 5 guardsman as they pass other pass by with barely acknowledging the guards at all.

During the 5th watch pallets are brought into the hall and placed down on the floor, straw mattresses and heavy woolen blankets are also provided for each of you. Several chamber pots are also provided for your 'conveniance'.

At the end of the 5th watch the serving girls each bring in 3 jugs of ale and place them on the tables and for the first time they speak to you saying "Days End, to you all!" and with a smile they leave the greathall and disappear into the darkness outside.

Madrin still seems to be pre-occupied with something.

Handing over the letters to Ingolf, Madrin sits back and enjoys some ale vaguely aware of Kugald mentioning something to him. Madrin nods as though his full attention is on what was said. He hopes within himself that he is more cognisant of thought when in front of Storzar.

Ignoring the offered bed, Neirin props himself in a corner and prepares to sleep with his back to the wall. The 'invaders' in this village seem to be even more rude than those in Ygesdram. The huntsman cannot imagine accepting visitors to the village with the barest of greetings, and then letting them sit in a room for the better part of a day! They are up to something in this place. He will be watchful.

"I suggest we sleep in watches.....I dont expect trouble, but it may be wise."

Jurri examines the door. If, as he expects, it opens to the outside and has some sort of stone threshold, he will produce a horseshoe and place it across the top of the door. If the door is opened by someone from the outside, the horseshoe will fall onto the stone and alert us.

"Something I learned in Vulenheim. Just remember it's there before you go out to find relief."

He smiles and waits for a moment to see if anyone presents an objection to his improvised alarm. If not, he'll make ready to sleep, repeating his nightly ritual of listening to the sounds and rhythms of the people and things around him.

(If we take watches, he will stand his whenever directed, but he'll leave that decision to others.)

"Look at the bright side, guys. No Surenaal has shown up to pick a fight over his thrall. I'm not complaining."

"I do have to admit I'm having a hard time understanding the subterfuge. If the Storzar shared the Daas' desire to keep the secret, I would have thought he would have marched us into his presence immediately, so all could hear the message. Perhaps the Storzar himself is in the dark."

GM wrote:
They stand near the only tree within the walled compound near the building that Ingolf entered with the letters. Over the next watch or so as the light fades rapidly you see that they do not roam the compound but remain fixed near the gate.

Once it becomes clear that nothing is going to happen today, Kugald decides to go down to the nivik and retrieve the rest of his gear.

“I’m going to grab my gear, anyone wish to join me?”

Presuming none of the Storzar guards stop him, Kugald (and companions) walk(s) down to the dock.

“Greetings Master Sheld! It seems like this is going to take a while, at very least overnight. I will take some of my gear. If it seems like we are going to be here longer that you are, I will return again for my sea chest before you sail.”

Kugald gathers up his gear, including his shield, spear, half-helm, a leather bag with his spare clothes, his bedroll and the warm woolen blanket out of his sea chest.

He puts the half-helm in his bag, throws the shield over his back and heads back up to the thraan with his spear (point facing down and to the rear) in his left hand and his large leather bag slung over his shoulder held by his right hand. Kugald is careful not to appear a threat; rather he is just a man carrying all his gear up to the hall.

When he arrives back at the hall, he smiles at the guards and nods acknowledgement.

GM wrote:
During the 5th watch pallets are brought into the hall and placed down on the floor, straw mattresses and heavy woolen blankets are also provided for each of you. Several chamber pots are also provided for your 'convenience'.

At the end of the 5th watch the serving girls each bring in 3 jugs of ale and place them on the tables and for the first time they speak to you saying "Days End, to you all!" and with a smile they leave the greathall and disappear into the darkness outside.

“Thank you, and day’s end to you as well!”

After the girls leave, Kugald turns to the others. “Although we are among friends, I imagine there are some here who might not welcome our presence. I suggest we lay out our pallets at the north end of the hall, past the braziers, furthest from the door. I also think that we should not all sleep at once. At least one of us should stay awake and keep the fire going at all times. Madrin, you look tired my friend. You must be at your best when we meet the Valhakar. I suggest you don’t take a shift. Get some rest.” Looking around at the rest, the weaponcrafter asks, “Who will assist me to stand watch?”

OOC: I am assuming there will be sufficient volunteers and so we set a watch schedule.

“Good. That is settled. I will take first watch. Whoever is on watch, be sure to keep the fire burning high enough to give a decent amount of light so you can see if anyone enters the hall. Right. Those who wish to go to bed best get to it. It will be morning soon enough.”

Kugald sheds his gear in a neat pile near his pallet and sits down by the fire, his spear close at hand.

OOC: Unless directed otherwise, I presume we pass a quiet night in the hall.

TTYL

- Kerry

As you leave the hall the guards approach you and ask what business you are on, once you state your intentions you are not stopped from returning to the 'waverider'.

Three of the guards accompany you down to the dock. They make sure that none of the locals dare approach your warband as you go about your business.

Hovik, accompanying Kugald to the boat, quietly notes to the others, "It would seem the ill news has beaten us here. The Daas was right about spies. I wonder who has come into this thran in the past day besides us?"