Chapter 2 : V-DAY! : VIKINGS!!

[DSIGFUSS]

There are axes everywhere on the deck of the Icebreaker, Orm has his pick of the lot as Vikings begin to lose their nerve or their mind and drop their weapons before throwing themselves into the sea. They swim for shore with madness and fear in their eyes. It’s a long swim and the tusks of the Narwhales fill the ocean with blood and carnage.

Logain looks out onto the water and calls for Ingvar.

Ingvar! Don’t leave us! COWARD!

Ingvar seems preoccupied with his own difficulties and doesn’t answer.

Just a handful of Vikings remain standing in over a foot of rising water aboard the Icebreaker. The lower levels of the massive Viking ship are now completely filled. If Alrik, Weoulf and Torvog didn’t get out, they are surely drowned by now.

Oddlog runs up beside Logain and shakes his fist at Ingvar as leans over the railing.

You son of a whore Ingvar!

Hildegarr scowls and looks around as the water, now beginning to spill over the sides of the ship as the waves from the churning ocean find their way over the rail. He lowers his head in defeat!

We’re doomed!

Logain grabs hold of Orms’s armored shoulder as he picks up the axe. He grabs his own axe and lends a hand.

Yes brother! I’ll help you! C’mon lads get to it. There’s plenty of death for everyone! You’ll just have to wait your turn.

Both men get to work chopping down the larger of the two masts. The remaining six or seven Vikings with their courage still in tact quickly get the idea and go to work on the other smaller mast. Soon, both masts are down and Logain looks at Orm intensely for further instructions.

[Henrik]

"Grab the mast or if you have the opportunity tie yourself to it! We can use the masts to float! I would not want to swim in this water!" Orm shouts. "We may yet live to see another dawn!"

[DSIGFUSS]

After the Vikings chop both masts to the deck of the Icebreaker, Logain searches frantically for some rope and quickly uncovers a few sacs of thick hemp just sticking of the water. In a few more minutes, nothing will be visible on deck. Five Vikings had the presence of mind to stay with Orm and follow orders as they were given. Logain begins to uncoil the rope and passes it out to his men. A few of them tie loops aropund their waist as Orm recommended. The other's hold the rope loosely in their hands; scared and skeptical. Its obvious Logain is much more comfortable giving orders on the battlefield in comparison to all this chaos. His eyes are wild with fear.



What now Orm!

Then Tristan appears through the water (from the lower submerged deck) carrying two sacs of his own. He wades frantically up to Orm and Logain looking out over the sea at the Dragon Boat, now more than 50 feet off.



Damn! Ingvar! Melkorka! Bastards!

[Basketvector]

SEE YOU IN THE AFTERLIFE BROTHERS~!!!

Ingvar is pleased with himself for escaping doom, and he rows furiously away from the Icebreaker. Looks like you were right witch... that ship will not reach Helluland. Heh heh. I shall not weep for Gilliog's lash.

Sigfurd. Sigfurd can you hear me?

[Henrik]

"Well tie yourself to the mast and hold on to it for all of your life! If we try to swim we can perhaps steer this make-shift raft to the shore. I know it's a long-shot but together we can at least try! If we are content to just die without a fight we are not worthy of the halls of Valhalla!" Orm shouts.

[DSIGFUSS]

Logain orders what few Vikings are left on the IceBreaker to do as Orm had ordered. It seems Logain has gladly taken to receive orders from Osvauld’s confidant. With a plan in motion, the war master is quick to mobilize his fellow Vikings.

Into the sea with it lads and kick for your lives. Scramasax’s out and to the ready. We’ll not be a meal to these demons without giving what’s been taken. Strap your shields and loosen your amour boys. If you’re taken, be quick to cut yer straps or you’ll sink like a bloody stone.

Logain waits for all the Vikings to do as they’re told.

Twelve in all strap themselves to two long masts. Orm Logain , Tristan plus three other Vikings take up one mast and Oddlog, Hildegarr, Gilliog and three oarsmen strap themselves to the second mast. One group after the other, the Vikings plunge themselves into the sea; kicking furiously for their lives with Orm’s team in the lead.

ooc – Orm roll a DEXx5

[Henrik]

Dex x 5 roll (1d100=41)

[DSIGFUSS]

Orm kicks with all his might beside Logain as Oddlog and Hildegarr’s mast tumbles clumsily into the frothing sea. Now, closer to the water, the screams of dying men can be heard more clearly. The ocean is red with their kinsman’s blood. The six Viking strapped to the mast seem to be making some headway. Orm looks up and sees that the shore is just a few hundred meters away and getting closer. He looks back and sees that Oddlog’s team has fallen behind and they appear to be wrestling with some underwater opponent. Then Orm sees a long pointed Narwhale tusk break the ocean’s surface and begin its charge towards them. Before the Narwhale even arrives at Orm’s mast, one of the Vikings suddenly is pulled below the water. The other two Vikings cry out in fear and panic as the mast begins to dip down, the rope still attached to the unfortunate soul who was pulled under.

Tristan cries.

Gods! Someone cut the rope!

oc – initiative. Orm is on the opposite side of the mast where the Viking was pulled under. The Narwhales long tusk seems to be pointed in his direction. It will most likely target him or the man next to him. What do you do?

[DSIGFUSS]

Ingvar helps Sigfurd up and the injured Viking grabs an oar. Melkorka seems to be enjoying the carnage all around her as she urges Berger and Ingvar to row to shore.

Row for your lives yah dogs. Leave the dead to Odin and the lucky few will make it! Row! Damn you Row!

Ingvar can see Osvauld swimming to catch up but the Viking Dragon boat, with so few passengers, is quickly gaining distance on Osvauld. (The captain’s second in command.) Ingvar will have to order the dragon boat to slow down if Osvauld is to make it. Then suddenly 2 white Beluga whale fins appear behind Osvauld. He hasn’t noticed them yet but they will be on him soon. All around the sinking Icebreaker, more and more Vikings scream and shout as they are pulled under in a white frothy explosion of blood and water.

[Henrik]

Orm tries to pull out his sword to cut the rope. There is nothing that can be done to save the poor man.

Initiative; Cut rope (1d10=6, 1d100=61)

[G-Dizzle]

"Aye, I'll row witch," Berger responds in a slurred voice to Melkorka. "I'll row and everyone be dammed!"

As Berger pulls on his oar, he begins to belt out a song, singing at the top of his lungs into the driving rain and up at the threatening storm clouds.

"Drink, for the wind blows cold and
Drink for The Wolf runs free.
Drink to the ships with sails like wings and
Drink to the storm-tossed seas.

Drink to the lasting nights
and those who warm our beds.
Drink to the mead that warms our hearts
and the cold that clears our head.

Drink to the Allfather's Eye
for Odin's sons are we.
Drink to the World-Tree where he hung
and the Runes of Mystery.

Drink to the truth of steel
and blood that falls like rain.
Drink to Valhalla's golden walls
and to our kinsmen, slain.

Drink to the Glory-field
where a man embraces death, and
thank the gods that we live at all
with our joyous dying breath!

Drink for the wind blows cold and
Drink for the Wolf runs free
Drink to the ships with the sails like wings
for Odin's sons are we!"

[DSIGFUSS]

Orm draws his scramasax. (Viking long knife) It’s much easier to manipulate in these cramped conditions. He quickly cuts the rope and the Viking disappears beneath the frothing sea. They continue along undisturbed for some time. Orm has a chance to look around. He was sure he saw Osvauld reaching for Ingvar’s dragon boat but then he was suddenly gone. Pulled under like the poor Viking he just cut loose.

ooc – Orm tell me if you are heading for shore still or if you want to try and help anyone. It’s absolute chaos in these waters. No one would hold it against you if you kept paddling the mast to shore.

[DSIGFUSS]

As Berger bellows his drunken ballad, he catches the wounded Sigfurd smiling and noding his head to the song. Then suddenly the Dragonboat comes to a sudden stop. A Narwhale has blocked the path leading to shore and a second tusk rises out of the water and stabs out at some unlucky soul aboard the Dragonboat.

ooc – Ingavar and Berger... your Dragon boat is stopped. One Narwhale has blocked your path while the other is stabbing up at your boat with his long tusk. I’ll need initiatives from you guys and strike/ parry/ damage rolls if you plan on moving anywhere anytime soon.

ooc - welcome G-Dizzle. If you've never used Invisible castle before here's how. First go to http://www.invisiblecastle.com and click roll dice. Under character write Berger. Under rolls write 1. Under dice write 1d10,1d100,1d100, 1d8, 1d6

Under decription write rolls

Those rolls are for initiative which in my game is DEX + 1d10. strike = 1d100, parry = 1d100 and is equal to your strike % with your sword, damage is 1d8 plus 1d6 for strength bonus. I find it easier to do all the rolls at once so I can then pick the ones that apply. It goes much quicker.

- OK good luck chiquita!

[G-Dizzle]

Berger will attempt to slam his oar into the narwhale's head.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/191220/

OOC: and i'll go ahead and let you sort those out, dsigfuss dear.

[Henrik]

Orm grits his teeth. In such dire circumstances they must reach the shore or they will all die. "Swim you sons of whores" Orm shouts. "Swim or we will all meet in Hel!" Orm begins swimming against the shore.

[Basketvector]

Ingvar lunges forward instinctively, chopping the narwale's head apart with quick blows from his hand axe.

"DONT JUST SIT THERE WITCH!! USE YOUR MAGIC!!"

initiative (1d10), strike (1d100), parry (1d100), damage (1d8), str (1d6) (1d10=2, 1d100=15, 1d100=4, 1d8=4, 1d6=4)

[DSIGFUSS]

The Narwhale lashes out at Berger with it’s long tusk but Berger sidesteps the great horn, thrusting his sword into the creatures thick blubbery head. Blood sprays a beautiful fountain of thick red goo all over Berger and the witch who howls with pleasure.

Yes my chosen ones… Destroy these foul creatures! Send them back to the sea. Let Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Ingvar follows Berger’s lead and breaks the narwhale tusk in two sending a three foot piece of gnarled ivory to the floor of the Dragonboat.

The Narwhale cries out with an inhuman raspy voice before slipping back into the sea; it’s hollow red eyes glaring at Berger and Ingvar.

Aaaaggggghh! Damn you meddling humans! You’ll never reach the mountain!

ooc – Sanity check 0/1d6 (You've never heard a whale talk before)

Melkorka pulls a dark black stone from her robes and tosses it into the sea. The stone becomes a long shimmering Viking spear in mid flight and narrowly misses the red-eyed hornless Narwhale as it flees into the ocean depths.

The Narwhale, blocking the Dragon boat’s path, lifts the front end high into the air. The boat seems almost ready to tip before the whale drops it sending the front end crashing to water. Everyone on the dragon boat lurches forward finding it very difficult to keep their balance.

oc – DEXx5 rolls please.

[DSIGFUSS]

Orm looks behind him and sees Oddlog and Hildegarr’s mast rise out of the water, dangling poor the Viking souls high into the air by the ropes attached to the mast. A great Orca whale like no beast Orm had ever seen has one of the Vikings in his mouth as he waves the pole about like like a tooth pick.

Orm's group continues paddling to shore.

With only a few hundred feet to go, Tristan looks back and with panic clear on his face, he cuts his rope and swims. Logain looks to Orm for some sort of instruction as Tristan quickly break away from the group. Tristan however wasn’t wearing any heavy armor like most of the Vikings aboard the Icebreaker.

We’re moving too slow! What should we do Orm?

ooc - make a swim check. Just looking to judge your progress! High = little progresss, low = much progress.

ooc – Atta boy Henrik. I’ve been waiting for you to kick your potty mouth into high gear.

[Henrik]

Orm shouts: "Then swim faster you bastards and try to keep up the pace!"

Swim roll (1d100=74)

[G-Dizzle]

OOC: dex roll is a d20, yes?