Episode 6: "Jarls, Messengers, Ormsburgers and other Yerks"
Campaign Date: Imperial Year 484
GM: Dave Nelson
Characters:
Bormund, son of Rathgar, human, fighter, level 3 (Andrew Smith)
Einar, son of Rathgar, human, priest of Gorm, level 3 (Pete Zollers)
Asward, son of Rathgar, human, fighter, level 2 (Chuck Fleurie)
Dagmar, human, vola, level 3 (NPC)

Log:

Vay 12th 484, Axeburg Hall
A ship from Jarlsburg arrived at the hall. Hersir Rathgar sent Einar to the shore to enquire about its business. The messenger on board delivered a summons for Rathgar to send 200 men within two weeks to aid Jarl Sigvhat. But he also poured scorn on Einar, dubbing him a mere "piss-boy." The enraged Einar drew blade on the messenger and they fought a savage duel that resulted in the messenger lying maimed and bleeding on the gangway of the boat. Rathgar was irritated by the Jarl's summons, since he had plans to sack a wealthy nunnery in the Holtens that summer. So, after consulting the Runes, he ordered captains to raise men and answer the Jarl in his name.

Vay 19th 484, Axeburg Hall
Einar raised 30 men and Asward 10 men. They joined several other captains in the chief's hall, where Rathgar rewarded them all for their duty. The 200 men shipped off to Jarlsburg.

Vay 20th 484, Jarlsburg
Einar, Asward, Bormund, Dagmar and their 40 men arrived in Jarlsburg in Bormund's knar. Beach-master Ingmar assigned them a small cottage for the captains, at the edge of the beach. When they arrived at the cottage, they found it occupied by 4 Ormsburg mercenaries who refused to give it up. Bormund offered to share it with them, but the Ormsburgers said that there were only 4 beds and they wouldn't share them. They went on to cast dispersions on the Axeburgers' sexual preferences, which soon led to a bloody fight. The Ormsburgers turned out to be 2 were-boars, and 2 were-serpents, but they died quickly enough all the same. Asward suffered a light wound, but was neither poisoned nor cursed with lycanthropy. The beach master reported the slaying to the Jarl, who was quite angered. He demanded that the Axeburgers atone to him for killing his mercenaries. Eventually he decided that the Axeburgers would, in punishment for their defiance, serve as bait in his upcoming war plan. It seems that a large force of skrallings and trolls had taken up in the ruins south of Jarlsburg. The Axeburgers were ordered to march along the coast and position themselves in sight of the ruins and draw out the trolls. The Jarl would be in the hills waiting for an opportune moment to sweep down on their rear.

Vay 21st 484 Jarlsburg
The Axeburgers, led by Einar marched to the edge of the ruins. At this point they debated whether to attack the troll army preemptively or to await their attack. At last they called on Dagmar to draw the runes. The runes commanded an attack while it was still light. Einar, Bormund, Asward and Dagmar stood boldly at the front of the Axeburg battle-wedge and crashed into the trollish lines. They destroyed 13 skralling soldiers and 2 great troll champions, and managed to capture the Army standard of the troll force, which sent the trolls and skrallings howling back into the ruins. When evening came they moved their camp to the base of the hills where the Jarl's army lay, hoping to raw the Jarl and the Trolls into battle.

Vay 22nd 484 Jarlsburg
At dawn the troll army stormed out again at the Axeburgers, who retreated drawing the trolls after them. When the troll army offered its flank to the Jarl, he unleashed Elsenmu, the troll-cow of horrors, against it. The entire army of the Jarl turned about and smote the trolls, and the Axeburg force wheeled about and charged in too. Einar, Bormund, Asward and Dagmar stayed in the middle of the Axeburg formation this time, but through several waves managed to slay more trolls and skrallings, and even a pair of skralling witches. The Jarl celebrated his victory by sharing out all of the plunder, but he seized the pile destined for the Axeburgers (as wergild for the dead Ormsburgers and his maimed messenger, of course).

Vay 25th 484 Axeburg
The Axeburg troops return home without much loot, but nevertheless covered in glory.