Misc > The Duck & Spackle Tavern
The Battle for Tihr
Kalnia:
The sun was setting over the flat land of weathered stones and rugged coastal grasses as the few men sat around small fires, chewing on salted fish and hard stale bread. Johtain was sat around one such fire, still wearing his armour as the others where. He drank water and let the men drink the last of the mead. The day had passed in unrelenting miles of cold winds, hard ground and harsh sunshine, and some men had almost slept in the mind-numbing trot, whilst others sharpened weapons as if they were sitting by a campfire. The sun's retreat past the horizon marked another break and so the men had stopped and rested again, as the encroaching darkness swept from the sea like a heavy mist. One of the men approached Johtain and knelt;
"The runners we expected from the other Thanes have yet to arrive... they should have been here at noon. If one dissapeared it might be an accident but... one of ours dissapeared. One of ours simply dosn't dissapear." the man said and Johtain nodded. Without warning he stood up and looked around, beckoning two of the sitting men to him.
"Before the sun sets, find any tracks within an hours run. Take two others with you, full armour and arms. Go." The stell in his voice marked no discussion and the men shouted at brothers or friends and bounded into the night into two groups. Uneasily, the Thane sat down again and picked his great axe up, putting a wetstone down its edge in silence.
Several hours later in a night illuminated by a near full moon, the men came back, panting like dogs who had brought down a fine stag. There hair was slick against their heads as they pulled off their helmets and sat down heavily with their brothers, the two leaders kneeling by their leader's fire. After a quick exchange, they too joined their brethren. Johtain looked up at the stars and yawned. SO there were others in the area, maybe just another sea raider's warband, or maybe the reason so many runners had not returned...
With a roar he shouted at the band of Huskarls and ordered them into a march. Grabbing their equipment and slanging it over their shoudlers along with their weapons and shields, the men set into a trot into the stygian darkness of a Nordic night, bounding over the grass in the direction the tracks where heading. The Swadians could wait one more day. One of his men had not returned to his brothers; Thane Johtain felt anger in his bones and smelt blood on the night air.
Dragon13:
Wow. You guys are good at coming up with stories. As much as I want to join in, I just wouldn't make much sense, so I'll stay out.
Kalnia:
((The problem with the Z thread was that so many people joined, I'ms till in it but rp's only work if theres about 5 people in playing constantly, so if you want to join go ahead! And I dont think a planning thread is neeeded but if you think it will help then sounds good. And you're stories are pretty damn good too Ludial. I'm not sure if they know yet, but theres a band of 30 pissed off huskarls coming you're way :D))
As the first spear of molten dawnlight thrust itself over the horizon, the Huskarly warband approached a coppice of rare woodland on the coastal flats. To the south was the Yalen Valley, and Johtain had long wondered at the fireside tales of cities of architecture and silks and velvets and wines. There was good cattle ground there, maybe he would boost his band with whatever captives and peasents he could find on the way and take Yalen or someother fine southern city after this conflict. No, he thought, a castle near the coast with cold halls, large fires and thick walls would do well enough. Maybe even Tihr, Ragnar could be generous. Johtain would make sure he and his men were the first over the walls to stake their claim...
Snapping back to the frigid morning, the Thane signaled left and right, 4 groups or 5 splitting off form the main contingent to search the woods, all armed with the savage throwing axes they loved. The tracks were fresh an ex hunter, now wearing the scarlet of a Huskarl, told him.
"If they have any runners like we do, any scouts on horseback of foot, or any stragglers they will pass this way, Lord-Thane. I've no doupt. Witht he freshness of these tracks I'd bet my shield-arm that they're within an hours storm-pace." The storm-pace, a savage and unrelenting march that varied from fast to murderous speeds that Johtain had invented himself. In training it often killed of left the raw recruits behind, and even the Huskarly hated the need for such a pace for fear of arriving without the energy to kill as well as they might. The Thane nodded and looked as the groups came in from the woodland. They all showed no signs of an enemy in the thicket, so Johtain detailed sentries in threes and full armour, ex hunters or trackers or woodsman and all now Huskarls, to hide in the low trees and bushes at the woodlands edges. No fires were lit.
"If the group left anyone behind, or are still following us, the tracks lead ahead so their runners will follow them as we have. Our tracks look like we've passed through here. If you see anyone, send one of you back to me and the other two to apprehend whoever it is. Hold them but a moment and the warband will be at you're back to aid you."
Johtain moved to turn away, but looked back over his shoulder with a rare grin. "Stop anyone who comes this way, but try not to kill them. We want to give a good impression of Nordic hospitality."
Kalnia:
((I know of the modify button but I choose not to use it this once. Is the dude behind me, who wanted to attack us in our sleep, the psyco nutjob that you were talking about earlier? The guy who comes and goes as he pleases with the great axe? Sounds like my kind of guy if he is! Just let Johtain get into a fight with him if theres the chance... please! Now just got to choose what to use.... one-handed axe, Great axe, seax, warhammer, shield... :twisted:))
Kalnia:
((Nah I figure that a band of heavily armoured men in full arms can't really compete with a lightly dressed and expereinced lass in a race, so wholed up in that coppice with some sentries watching and waiting for anyone to catch up with us, before moving on to Tihr. And is you're band all skirmisers? I'm hoping so hehe))
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