Post by The Stranger on Apr 30, 2008 11:51:15 GMT -5
Mag was sitting on his throne. The halls of Deepdown, as always, were dark and mind-shattering silent. And Mag, as always, sat bare chested, proudly displaying his hard muscles. His wives were on either side of them, and the hall was empty. Mag lifted his giant mug of bear's blood and alcohol, draining to the bottom. Just then, a guard appeared, and knelt in front of Mag's throne.
"Magnar, I bring good news. Pirates have been sighted, off the northern coast. By your father's and Magnar's lair at Driftwood Hall."
Mag rose and smiled. "This is good news, indeed, brother of mine. I have went too long without smashing skulls of craven pirates. Let us sail." The guard nodded and swiftly left the hall, giving out the orders. Mag retrieved his stone axe and some light armor, then stalked through the halls. He led his wives to his lair where.
"I will return, wives. Pray to the old gods who watch us always for victory." Lhyema looked at him and merely nodded, but Valla appeared to have a twinge of worry in her expression. This was the first true battle Mag had left for since taking her for wife. "Do not worry, Valla. The old gods are fond of me." He smiled and then turned and left. He stalked down the narrow ledge that led out of Deepdown, to the mainland. Two hundred warriors were at his back. At the bottom of the "staircase", they rode atop their mirrikai until they arrived at Kingshouse, the strong of House Magnar. Ryk Magnar was already standing outside the stone walls, one hundred warriors with him. "What took you so long, Mag Sloth?" Ryk said with a grin.
Mag laughed. "Do you wish me to call you Ryk the Quick now?" When he nodded and smiled, Mag laughed even harder. "Ryk the Quick! The women already call you that, no? I think I heard your wife refer to you as that name." The crowd bursted out in laughter and Ryk gave Mag a joking, but stinging, punch to the gut. Turning serious, he said, "We have no time to waste. They have two ships, long and swift just as ours. I do not believe they have passed us yet."
Mag nodded. "We have enough men for three ships. Let us go win a victory and please our gods who watch us always." A cheer went up from the men. The warriors were beating their chest, crying their fierce war calls. The men led their mirrikai into the castle walls and left them there. The beasts, no matter how much each man loved his own, were no good in a naval encounter. Mag pet his closest friend, Burk, and said some soothing words to him before heading out to the nearby harbor. He climbed aboard his own nameless ship. Ryk commanded his own, as did Olf Stonesoar. The three ships silently moved through the narrow and treacherous harbor and into the open sea, heading north to cut off the path of the pirate ships. They were spotted not thirty minutes later, coming towards them. Mag stood on the prow of his ship, gazing at them. "Men, swing to the west!" he commanded. It was a common manuever for the Skagosi to perform when at sea; by circling over between their enemy and the mainland shore, it made it unavoidable for their foes to sail down the coast of Skagos. And more often than not, the rocks of the island sunk their enemy's ships for them. One could, in fact, sail past the rocks, if they were very skilled and went slow. However, when travelling slow, it enabled the Skagosi to approach from the west and smash into their flanks, ensuring victory. This time the plan went perfectly. The ships were indeed long and swift; they were modeled close to the Skagosi's own standards. They flew banners of unrecognizable sigils. However, the ships were going very slow, both to accomodate the rocks and because it was lying low in the water. "It must be heavy with stolen treasure," Mag said aloud. "They probably raided the mainland coast or Hardhome. I am surprised the Watch did not stop them. They are slacking on us. Stoneborn must stop them now."
The gap between their three ships and the enemy's ships was rapidly decreasing in length. The Skagosi were floating across the water, directly east, cutting off the enemy's route down the coast. In a last ditch effort, Mag saw their crew to begin throwing chests of goods and coins over the side of their boats, trying to lighten the load. It was too late.
"STONEBORN! Battle Speed!" Mag bellowed, as Ryk to his left and Olf to his right gave the same order. The gap was down to less than a hundred yards; now fifty. Arrows were flying into their ranks now, and Mag lifted his circular shield to block one from entering his skull. "Archers! Two volleys!" Mag bellowed. The men he had with him who were good with bows fired two arrows apiece, striking their opponents more often than not. Mag lowered his shield just in time to see their ships ten feet away. He backed off the rail and the next moment there was a gigantic collision, followed by two more, as all five ships were now tangled together. Mag aimed and fired with his slingshot, nailing a man in the temple, before leading his men onto the first enemy ship. Ryk and Olf were pouring into the second ship; this first one would be all Mag's victory. "STONEBORN! Kill!" he yelled, as he savagely swung his stone axe at the first men in his path. Maez Stonehead ran past him, shrugging off an arrow that glanced his arm, bludgeoning two men to death with his heavy club. Their enemy's ship was now falling to pieces, as were the men, who were diving overboard to escape their fury. "Kill them! Capture them!" Mag ordered. He ran down a fleeing man preparing to jump over the rail, dragging him back onto the center of the boat and bashing his brains in with his stone axe.
Ryk was leading the charge onto the second boat. A small, thin young man, probably no older than fourteen, was clutching a small chest filled with coins in his shaking pale hands. Ryk swung his war hammer, sending the chest flying and breaking the bones of the boy's right hand. He cowered down. "Please, mercy!" the boy screamed. Ryk swung and broke his jaw, sending teeth flying in every direction. He moved on.
A large man, dressed in furs and wielding an axe, most likely the captain of the ship, cut down Ryk's cousing to his right. Cursing, Ryk moved to engage him, swinging his hammer furiously. The large man parried twice, but moved backwards. He swung a desperate blow to Ryk's face, but he ducked under, retaliating with a blow to the man's stomach. The captain stumbled backwards, and then fell, as water rushed onto the ship and made the surface slick. Advancing carefully, Ryk moved on top of him and smashed his lungs and heart with a heavy blow to the chest. The second ship also fell quickly.
The three ships, needing repairs but ultimately victories, traveled back to the harbor and docked. The men jumped off with chests of furs, books, goods, and food, as well as many coins. They led thirteen chained prisoners behind them, with collars around their necks. They would be slaves.
Results:
Ryk improves to expert (improved) leadership.
Ryk improves to expert (double improved) stone hammer.
Mag improves to apprentice naval warfare.
Mag improves to expert (double improved) battle generalship.
"Magnar, I bring good news. Pirates have been sighted, off the northern coast. By your father's and Magnar's lair at Driftwood Hall."
Mag rose and smiled. "This is good news, indeed, brother of mine. I have went too long without smashing skulls of craven pirates. Let us sail." The guard nodded and swiftly left the hall, giving out the orders. Mag retrieved his stone axe and some light armor, then stalked through the halls. He led his wives to his lair where.
"I will return, wives. Pray to the old gods who watch us always for victory." Lhyema looked at him and merely nodded, but Valla appeared to have a twinge of worry in her expression. This was the first true battle Mag had left for since taking her for wife. "Do not worry, Valla. The old gods are fond of me." He smiled and then turned and left. He stalked down the narrow ledge that led out of Deepdown, to the mainland. Two hundred warriors were at his back. At the bottom of the "staircase", they rode atop their mirrikai until they arrived at Kingshouse, the strong of House Magnar. Ryk Magnar was already standing outside the stone walls, one hundred warriors with him. "What took you so long, Mag Sloth?" Ryk said with a grin.
Mag laughed. "Do you wish me to call you Ryk the Quick now?" When he nodded and smiled, Mag laughed even harder. "Ryk the Quick! The women already call you that, no? I think I heard your wife refer to you as that name." The crowd bursted out in laughter and Ryk gave Mag a joking, but stinging, punch to the gut. Turning serious, he said, "We have no time to waste. They have two ships, long and swift just as ours. I do not believe they have passed us yet."
Mag nodded. "We have enough men for three ships. Let us go win a victory and please our gods who watch us always." A cheer went up from the men. The warriors were beating their chest, crying their fierce war calls. The men led their mirrikai into the castle walls and left them there. The beasts, no matter how much each man loved his own, were no good in a naval encounter. Mag pet his closest friend, Burk, and said some soothing words to him before heading out to the nearby harbor. He climbed aboard his own nameless ship. Ryk commanded his own, as did Olf Stonesoar. The three ships silently moved through the narrow and treacherous harbor and into the open sea, heading north to cut off the path of the pirate ships. They were spotted not thirty minutes later, coming towards them. Mag stood on the prow of his ship, gazing at them. "Men, swing to the west!" he commanded. It was a common manuever for the Skagosi to perform when at sea; by circling over between their enemy and the mainland shore, it made it unavoidable for their foes to sail down the coast of Skagos. And more often than not, the rocks of the island sunk their enemy's ships for them. One could, in fact, sail past the rocks, if they were very skilled and went slow. However, when travelling slow, it enabled the Skagosi to approach from the west and smash into their flanks, ensuring victory. This time the plan went perfectly. The ships were indeed long and swift; they were modeled close to the Skagosi's own standards. They flew banners of unrecognizable sigils. However, the ships were going very slow, both to accomodate the rocks and because it was lying low in the water. "It must be heavy with stolen treasure," Mag said aloud. "They probably raided the mainland coast or Hardhome. I am surprised the Watch did not stop them. They are slacking on us. Stoneborn must stop them now."
The gap between their three ships and the enemy's ships was rapidly decreasing in length. The Skagosi were floating across the water, directly east, cutting off the enemy's route down the coast. In a last ditch effort, Mag saw their crew to begin throwing chests of goods and coins over the side of their boats, trying to lighten the load. It was too late.
"STONEBORN! Battle Speed!" Mag bellowed, as Ryk to his left and Olf to his right gave the same order. The gap was down to less than a hundred yards; now fifty. Arrows were flying into their ranks now, and Mag lifted his circular shield to block one from entering his skull. "Archers! Two volleys!" Mag bellowed. The men he had with him who were good with bows fired two arrows apiece, striking their opponents more often than not. Mag lowered his shield just in time to see their ships ten feet away. He backed off the rail and the next moment there was a gigantic collision, followed by two more, as all five ships were now tangled together. Mag aimed and fired with his slingshot, nailing a man in the temple, before leading his men onto the first enemy ship. Ryk and Olf were pouring into the second ship; this first one would be all Mag's victory. "STONEBORN! Kill!" he yelled, as he savagely swung his stone axe at the first men in his path. Maez Stonehead ran past him, shrugging off an arrow that glanced his arm, bludgeoning two men to death with his heavy club. Their enemy's ship was now falling to pieces, as were the men, who were diving overboard to escape their fury. "Kill them! Capture them!" Mag ordered. He ran down a fleeing man preparing to jump over the rail, dragging him back onto the center of the boat and bashing his brains in with his stone axe.
Ryk was leading the charge onto the second boat. A small, thin young man, probably no older than fourteen, was clutching a small chest filled with coins in his shaking pale hands. Ryk swung his war hammer, sending the chest flying and breaking the bones of the boy's right hand. He cowered down. "Please, mercy!" the boy screamed. Ryk swung and broke his jaw, sending teeth flying in every direction. He moved on.
A large man, dressed in furs and wielding an axe, most likely the captain of the ship, cut down Ryk's cousing to his right. Cursing, Ryk moved to engage him, swinging his hammer furiously. The large man parried twice, but moved backwards. He swung a desperate blow to Ryk's face, but he ducked under, retaliating with a blow to the man's stomach. The captain stumbled backwards, and then fell, as water rushed onto the ship and made the surface slick. Advancing carefully, Ryk moved on top of him and smashed his lungs and heart with a heavy blow to the chest. The second ship also fell quickly.
The three ships, needing repairs but ultimately victories, traveled back to the harbor and docked. The men jumped off with chests of furs, books, goods, and food, as well as many coins. They led thirteen chained prisoners behind them, with collars around their necks. They would be slaves.
Results:
Ryk improves to expert (improved) leadership.
Ryk improves to expert (double improved) stone hammer.
Mag improves to apprentice naval warfare.
Mag improves to expert (double improved) battle generalship.