Decisions were made and they weren't all good

General Summary

We exited the Rainbow Bridge (Endless Fighting is fun? ) and were greeted by the sight of a mostly empty village and three groups in front of us. Closest was two thanes. The one on the right stood by himself, and the one on the left had about half a dozen men with him.
To the right of the thanes stood a woman with mist coming off of her like the air around her was very cold. I assume this was Maab, next to her stood a young elf woman holding a sheathed two-handed blade. Next to her stood a group of four warriors and a carrion bird.
Ahead of the thanes was a plinth with a group of people on it, some standing and some sitting. On the far left the raven fae sat nonchalantly on a chair with her raven feather cloak spread out underneath her as she played with the Dark One's Scythe. "The Morrigan," I said and uttered a curse. "I wish she would just die. (Follow the bloody footprints and It's a Puzzle Dungeon! )" "Agreed," Cap said. "Maybe it can happen today." I looked at the next man, a tall strong man with a silver hand. Tyr, I thought. Next to him sat a lady with well-made armor that gave the impression of wings, Freya. In the middle of the plinth sat a man perched on the edge of a throne. Perched on the back of his throne were two ravens, and he sat balanced on the edge of the throne holding a long spear as he stared at us with his one eye. Next to him sat a tall blonde man with a braided beard twirling a Warhammer with a short handle. Perched on the arm of his chair sat a woman with a war skirt and black hair in brainds. She looked slightly crazed as she leaned over and played with the man's hair. "Odin, Thor, and Sif," I said.
Behind us a giant of a man stepped forward and swung a giant two-handed sword and the Rainbow Bridge faded away.
On the plinth Odin gestured us forward. Beside me I heard Cap pray, "Creator, I beseech thee, which of those within my sight are powers that thee has deemed for su to return to thine task?" "Though there be some before thee bearing this title, none now have fully abandoned their roles thought they bend it a bit," the Creator answered him (as he told me later, because I certainly didn't hear it)
"Before us stand three worthy thanes who have made it to be judged. Biola arrived first having left his followers behind to fare for themselves. Rasfastas brought with him all whom he followed. Bjorn has broth with him outsiders, and has lost a few of his people behind," Odin gestured to the others on the plinth with him, "What say you? Who shall lead the seafolk?" Sif stirred, stroking Thor's arm and he spoke up first, "I like Biola. He got her first." "This is not a race to be first," Tyr responded, "But a goal to prove your worthiness. Rasfastas came through with all his men, it shows his worth as a leader." "I like Biola's passion," Sif said. "He showed it with his speed. Unlike some who came slowly." She glanced at Bjorn slightingly. "I agree with the Lady Sif," Freya said gesturing at her. The Morrigan sat forward a little bit and grasped the Dark One's Scythe a little more firmly. "Clearly Bjorn is the one." Odin turned to look at the Morrigan. "I worry, he might be unduly influenced by a dark power." "Why should you worry about that, my lord?" Morrigan waved the scythe carelessly. "He is his own man." "And yet, you are not your own woman as you claim?" Maab said.
I watched in frustration as the debate seemed to settle towards a man of questionable merit, Bjorn made some arguments and made some progress. Finally, frustrated with the impass I stepped forward as I saw Sif again seem to influence Thor's wavering decision. "Lord Thor, does your wife control your vote? I see your lips move but her voice comes out." "Well that put the fox in the hen house," Cap said to me. "Someone needed to do something," I answered under my breath.
Thor sputtered and blustered, "I am my own man, you bring a good point. Enough of this nonsense, let's decide. I follow Bjorn. He and his followers argue well." Swiftly Freya, Sif, and the Morrigan voted for Biola. Tyr voted for Rasfastas. Maab voted for Bjorn. Odin opened his mouth to speak, when I felt something into Bjorn and he spoke calling for his votes to go to Rasfastas. I narrowed my eyes, but I'm fairly sure it wasn't Odin nudging Bjorn.
"Nice Kobuki. Come my sisters," and she gestured and opened a dark portal. A large wolf stepped through and behind it a giant worm flew. Himdal ran to the gate and held it, keeping anyone from stepping through. "It's broken. I am here for the rest of you," Fenrir said and ran to engage Tyr. Jormungadir came through the portal closing on Thor. On the plinth Freya opened another portal to the einherjar and said, "Odin has gone crazy. He has turned on us. Einherjar to me!" Sif bounded off the stage and attacked Rasfastas. Maab leaped across the open space and attacked the Morrigan yelling at the elf, "Keep the sword safe and get it to Rasfastas." Hugin and Mugin turned to attack Odin who tried his best to hold them off without killing them.

And the fight starts

Marcus turned and attacked the Morrigan. The Morrigan missed Marcus and cursed. Maab gestured and the bridge in front of Heimdal turned to ice and the attacking horde slipped off. I ran to close the portal with my sword. The elf summoned a dragon spirit and sent it to attack Sif and she turned throwing a spell at Fenrir, and Cap rushed over to block the attack Biola turned to Rasfastas. Biola turned from his failed attack and thrust a knife into the elf's back. As she stumbled dropping the blade, he picked it up, and thrust it through Rasfastas. I sliced through the magic holding the portal open, and it collapsed with a splash of magic. The Morrigan screamed in frustration and disappeared in a murder of ravens. I had a flash of insight and yelled over at Cap and Marcus as I ran back from the portal, "We need to switch Thor and Tyr's combat." Marcus heard my shout over the crowd of combat and ran to fight Fenris. As he ran away the Morrigan reappeared and cut through Maab slitting her gut open. The land covered in ice and somehow at some point Biola suddenly had the Thane's blade. Marcus' cohort ran and bashed Biola in the face with his sword, and picked up the Thane's sword from where it fell. Maab called out to me, meeting my eyes and said, "You, bearer of the bladeless hilt. I challenge you to a duel." I ran to her and we exchanged a flurry of blows before I hit her and she died. My left hand burned and I looked down to see a blue snowflake on my hand. One of the warrior who had stood near Maab had run over and he called forth the einharjaren, and they overwhelmed Fenris and the world worm causing them to retreat.

It's time for a feast!

"A good battle calls for a feast," Odin shouted as the einharjaren cheered his declaration. We all ate a delicious meal. As the meal ended Odin stood up again and turned to address us, "You have been gifted with a difficult job. I have another for you." He looked at each of us in turn and his voice turned to ice, "Break the Morrigan." He turned to Marcus, "Awaken the sleeper now, before the Winter's Meet." He turned and looked at the einharjaren, "I require one of you to go with their party. They will need help." The woman who had called forth the einharjaren from the keep stepped forward. "Very good, it only seems right you should choose to join them." Then he turned to the elf who had accompanied Maab, "And you Lady," he paused and she supplied her name. He smiled, "Lady Torsatra, would you accompany them and help them with their mission?" She nodded assent. "Good. Now let us drink one last toast for Bjorn the thane of thanes!"
As you might imagine, it was a long night of drinking. We left Asgard and Bjorn sailed us back to the Prism.

Housekeeping: We all gain 1 level to level 16 and can change our class if we wish. In addition, we all gained 1 stat point.

Report Date

10 Sep 2022