The Skraeling ( Gaeirmund, Gudrun, Ingvar)

[DSIGFUSS]

After Gaeirmund had knocked the Skraeling down, Logain had quickly moved in to examine the Eskimo and ensure that Captain Gunharr’s orders were followed.



Nice work Gaeirmund! Now back away skags! This Skraeling dog’s for the captain.

Logain drags the Eskimo back down the hill and drops him roughly at the Captain’s feet.

Captain Gunharr takes his sword and begins prodding the Skraeling’s furs, searching for something until finally a wide unnatural grin crosses his face.



Ahhhh! There it is lads. The scramasax. The little Skraeling bastard found it!

Captain Gunharr removes the Eskimos fur belt and a long sheathed scramasax falls to the snow. He holds any greedy Vikings back with his gloved hand.

Don’t touch it boys! It’s chosen it’s vessel most carefully. Don’t expect it will take kindly to intruders. That there dagger’s one mean magical mother fucker! Harr!

Logain who seems to know more on the subject than the oarsmen present pulls at his beard.

I thought the Bard Thorrin held this knife Gunharr? This Skraeling must have killed him for it… savage that he is!

ooc- For those of you not familiar with Bards. Alrik (played by pianoman) was the Icebreaker’s bard. Thorrin was the bard on the first ship. There is one more bard coming on the third and final ship. Bards combine song and rune to create magical effects that aid Vikings in combat and morale.

[She Devil]

Gudrun stares openly at the eskimo laying in the snow, then leans down to interrogate him. "Thought you could keep it from us! Thought we wouldn't know? Did you kill him! You did didn't you!" He reaches for his sword, then thinks better of it and lets his hand relax, looking uncertainly at the Captain afterwards.

After a moment he realizes the eskimo couldn't possibly know what he was saying, and his face breaks into a toothy grin. "What now captain! Can we tie him up and take our vengeance from his flesh! I'd be happy to do your bidding, if you choose it! A little fun don't come around too often in these parts!" He straightens, and smiles at Ingvar and Logain, then the smile falls self consiously.

"What......I just thought we could have a lit'l fun is all..." He kicks at the snow and furrows his brow.

[DSIGFUSS]

The Skraeling doesn't move as Gudrun shouts his unpleasnatries. His eyes flutter behind his lids. It appears as though the Inuit man is dreaming.

[She Devil]

"What! You ignorin' me!" Gudrun pokes him in the ribs, and if he still doesn't respond, he starts to tap his cheeks. "'Ey! Ey you!"

[Basketvector]

"Ah look... he's dreaming I think. Look at him. All cozy."

"Pssst. Skraeling, wake up." Ingvar nudges him with his foot. "You've got to show us back to your village!"
Ingvar cracks him on the head with the blunt end of his axe.

(6 damage) 1d10=2, 1d6=4

[She Devil]

"Ohhhh! Yaaaa...good one!" Gudrun grins, pleased with the company in his heckling. "We should tie him up by his hands and feet. If 'e's gonna lay there dreamin, may as well 'ave some fun with it."

[Mi-Go Agent]

Gaermund looks carefully at the man.
"Thought the knife was supposed to lead us somehow...we can tie this guy to the horses. He'll make a good slave back home - he won't die in the cold like southern slaves. We just have to remember to tie both legs to the same horse."

[She Devil]

"Awww...don't take all the fun outta it," Gudrun grins, and begins to tie his legs together. "C'mon Ingvar, heave ho! Gaermund, get the horse ready. This skraeling's gonna be fun to toy with. We can throw our cleaned bones at him if he chooses to be insolent. Starvation has a way of changing a man."

[DSIGFUSS]

Gudrun binds the skraeling’s legs as Captain Gunharr and Logain approach.
The Captain eyes the Eskimo’s Viking dagger.

That’s’ the scramasax we’re after alright! None of you touch it lads. It’s magic is old and powerful…. Unpredictable. Keep it on the Skraeling’s belt for now. He’ll be needing it if’n he’s too lead us to Asgard.

After a short time Hildegarr walks up behind the captain and stares longingly at the prisoner.

Eaaaaat! Skrling!

Then Gunharr pushes him to the side.

Back you damned abomination. The Skraeling is mine. Set camp lads. We’ll be needing to have words with this one. I’ve me own magic that’ll see to that.

Hildegarr backs away and stands close to Ingvar.

Ingvvvvrrrr! Oddddlog!

[Basketvector]

Ingvar helps the men hoist the captive onto the horse. That'll hold 'em. If that dagger's magical, then maybe it'll lead us to the native village.

He leans over to Gaeirmund. "I don't know what these zombies eat, but I'm feeling quite peckish. We better find that village or die out here - we'll keep the skraeling alive allright, he may not lead us anywhere, but he'll make good eating if it comes to that."

Ingvvvvrrrr! Oddddlog!

Ingvar shakes his head, forlornly. He didn't actually know what happened to Oddlog, but was happy to ruin Hildegarr's day.

[She Devil]

Gudrun smirks at Ingvar's words as he helps lift the man on the horse, and laughs out loud.

"Ha! Eat this scrawny bugger! I think there's plenty o things we could do with 'im without resortin' to knawing on his bones, don't you! Perhaps the witch can speak to him in his tongue. We'll find the village one way or another."

He straps the man on to the horse's saddle and secures the ropes.

He looks at the scramasax and his eyes glaze over, as though entranced. He puts his hand out to hover over top of it, eyeing the captain carefully.

"Captain...please....just for a moment! I just want to touch it! Promise, I won't pick it up."

[Mi-Go Agent]

Gaeirmund's heard this kind of thing before, usually before fights.

"Why, Gudrun? You got some kind of knive fetish?"

Then he turns to Ingvar.

"I've had worse, but he's worth more as a slave than food. It is good knowing we have another choice if the food runs out, though."

[DSIGFUSS]

As the Vikings argue amongst themselves on what to do with the captured Skraeling, he awakens with a frustrated sigh and looks about impatiently.

[She Devil]

"Why, Gudrun? You got some kind of knive fetish?"

Gudrun shakes his head, blinks his eyes, and sighs. "Naw, it just looks so purty is all. An' why is it so special anyways. I just wanna know." He puts his hand down, regardless though.

"Aw look, the beauty's awake. This should be fun. Eh skraeling! You wanna tell us how you found that knife o yours!" Gudrun motions at the knife and points, then gestures to the man as though drawing a line between them.

[Mi-Go Agent]

Gaeirmund looms over the skraeling, fidgetting with the massive warhammer in his hands. He grins without mirth but with teeth.

"He's a foreigner - they don't think right, sometimes."

[DSIGFUSS]

Captain Gunharr approaches the bound Skraeling and puts a hand on his forhead.



Good work men. We need this one to guide us to Asgard lads... but We will need his tongue to cooperate first.

Gunharr pulls out a long scramasax of his own and scrawls a rune onto the Skraeling's neck. He then whispers a few words in an old Norse language practiced mainly by witches and bards.

He stands back and glares at the skraeling.

Where did you find that knife skraeling?

[Andrew]

Tornuaq lifted his head and took a few deep breaths, "Skraeling? What's that? Are you talking about me? As for the knife, well it washed upon the shore I supose. Sedna purges her waters of all sorts of junk... why that's why you're here I guess. Sedna throwing her trash on the shores." He then braced himself for the beating he knew was coming.

[Mi-Go Agent]

"The Skraeling speaks Norse like a real man! Is that your magic, Gunharr?" Gaeirmund is too surprised to be insulted.

[She Devil]

Gudrun had never claimed to be levelheaded and can't hold his anger like Gaeirmund, so he belts the man once in the side of the head. He falls on him, pulling his tongue out of his mouth and holds his dagger to it, so that the man can feel the cold blade against him, and perhaps the warm saltiness of his own blood.

"You'll mind your tongue or lose it, skraeling! Answer the captain! Where'd you get the knife!"

[Andrew]

"Kill me. You kill me or cut out my tongue and I won't be able to talk or lead you anywhere. Hit me again and I'll make sure to kill you personally." Tornuaq said with a sadistic smile. They wanted him for something and he knew it. "Also clean the whale blubber out of your ears, I already said where I found the knife. You don't hear to well do you?"