Day Four of The Odinsleep (In the Garden of Idunn)
Day Four of the Odinsleep (Pre-Dawn, roughly 6:30
am)
Despite the rigors of the previous day and ribald festivities of the night before, the group rises from their (in some cases drink-induced) slumber. A page, sent by a servant of the goddess Idunn and her husband Bragi, waits for the party outside the home of Völundr the Smith.
Grotto straps on the armor he acquired as his share of the spoils from the previous day’s battles. The new armor, while enchanted to insulate him from the deleterious effects of sonic attacks is not as comfortable as his other platemail and sits heavier on his shoulders. The dwarf makes his prayers to Hanseath, committing spells to memory for use later in the day.
Drax rises and performs his morning katas before dressing. He casts several spells in quick succession, as he does every morning, chanting the phrases, “هماهنگی غیر قابل کشف” and “عدم تشخیص”. With enchantments in place to conceal him from certain divination spells, the assassin joins the group, ready to spend the day in the goddess’ apple orchard.
Niklas seeks out Ivaldi and finds the dwarf with his feet up on a padded stool with a large bowl of porridge balanced on his rotund stomach and takes a seat. “Good morning, sir, if you have time, I’d like to bend your ear before our day begins.” The dwarf shovels in another spoonful of breakfast and nods, motioning for the woodsman to continue. “I’d like to further develop my skills crafting quality bows. I’ve more experience with arrow but I enjoy putting in the work. Also, Raven would like me to find a heavier sword to practice with so the one I wield in battle will feel lighter in my hand.”
Ivaldi snorts and spits, “The elf saved me life so I kin make a weight fer yer blade but I not be in the market fer an apprentice right now but suppose I takes a look at what ye got if’n ye survive the day. We kin negotiate a payment then.”
The rest of the group rises, eats, and dresses before they join the page out in the street, ready for what they hope to be an easier day in the company of the goddess. Only Grog, having just met the group the day before, is absent. The shaggy-haired spellcaster never returned to the home of the smith the night before and has yet to make an appearance this morning.
Snow fell at some point during the night and as the group is led down the powdered streets of Asgard, they spy several companies of Einherjar on their way to the fortifications from which they will defend the city from Loki’s army of darkness. Arthur enacts his shield’s power of flight and soars skyward to keep watch on the procession from above as they marc through the city. Spirits are high and if the “love bites” are indication, then more than a few of these warriors were luckier than Shadow in their carnal pursuits last night. The dead warriors killed in yesterday’s fighting and stacked like cordwood rise with their wounds healed. They yawn and stretch as if merely waking from a good night’s rest before making their way over to stacked piles of axes, hammers, swords and spears. They sift through the heaps until they find something they like before falling in at the back of the groups marching out onto the Plains of Vigriðr.
The smells of morning cookfires compete with the acrid smoke of forges and already the clang of hammer on anvil echoes down the wide gold-paved boulevards of the city. Even as the party is led through the streets to Idunn’s Orchard, the sun begins to rise, streaming brilliantly through the crenellations atop the battlements. The snow recedes rapidly and buds appear on branch and stem. Robins, the orange-breasted bird held sacred by Thor, stir from their nests, unbothered by the ravens already circling high overhead.
As the sun rises, the snow begins rapidly melting away and green shoots begin to appear all along the ground as buds form all along branches and shrubs. These buds quickly blossom, turning into fruits and flowers as the group is led along the streets toward Idunn’s orchard. A wrought-iron fence surrounds a grove of trees. As the sun breaks clear of the horizon, the last of the snow melts away and the aromatic bouquet of apple blossoms fills the air. A gate in the fence swings wide, pulled open by a caribou with bells sewn on to its leather harness. The page walks past the reindeer with a curt nod and down a gravel pathway that meanders through the trees until finally, the goddess herself comes into view.
Idunn wears a silvery gown and has her long, blond hair tied into a single braid that hangs down past the middle of her back. A woven basket rests on the ground at her feet. She smiles as the group approaches and she offers Cedron her hand, “Good morning, brave heroes. Are you ready for your day’s duties?”
Despite the rigors of the previous day and ribald festivities of the night before, the group rises from their (in some cases drink-induced) slumber. A page, sent by a servant of the goddess Idunn and her husband Bragi, waits for the party outside the home of Völundr the Smith.
Grotto straps on the armor he acquired as his share of the spoils from the previous day’s battles. The new armor, while enchanted to insulate him from the deleterious effects of sonic attacks is not as comfortable as his other platemail and sits heavier on his shoulders. The dwarf makes his prayers to Hanseath, committing spells to memory for use later in the day.
Drax rises and performs his morning katas before dressing. He casts several spells in quick succession, as he does every morning, chanting the phrases, “هماهنگی غیر قابل کشف” and “عدم تشخیص”. With enchantments in place to conceal him from certain divination spells, the assassin joins the group, ready to spend the day in the goddess’ apple orchard.
Niklas seeks out Ivaldi and finds the dwarf with his feet up on a padded stool with a large bowl of porridge balanced on his rotund stomach and takes a seat. “Good morning, sir, if you have time, I’d like to bend your ear before our day begins.” The dwarf shovels in another spoonful of breakfast and nods, motioning for the woodsman to continue. “I’d like to further develop my skills crafting quality bows. I’ve more experience with arrow but I enjoy putting in the work. Also, Raven would like me to find a heavier sword to practice with so the one I wield in battle will feel lighter in my hand.”
Ivaldi snorts and spits, “The elf saved me life so I kin make a weight fer yer blade but I not be in the market fer an apprentice right now but suppose I takes a look at what ye got if’n ye survive the day. We kin negotiate a payment then.”
The rest of the group rises, eats, and dresses before they join the page out in the street, ready for what they hope to be an easier day in the company of the goddess. Only Grog, having just met the group the day before, is absent. The shaggy-haired spellcaster never returned to the home of the smith the night before and has yet to make an appearance this morning.
Snow fell at some point during the night and as the group is led down the powdered streets of Asgard, they spy several companies of Einherjar on their way to the fortifications from which they will defend the city from Loki’s army of darkness. Arthur enacts his shield’s power of flight and soars skyward to keep watch on the procession from above as they marc through the city. Spirits are high and if the “love bites” are indication, then more than a few of these warriors were luckier than Shadow in their carnal pursuits last night. The dead warriors killed in yesterday’s fighting and stacked like cordwood rise with their wounds healed. They yawn and stretch as if merely waking from a good night’s rest before making their way over to stacked piles of axes, hammers, swords and spears. They sift through the heaps until they find something they like before falling in at the back of the groups marching out onto the Plains of Vigriðr.
The smells of morning cookfires compete with the acrid smoke of forges and already the clang of hammer on anvil echoes down the wide gold-paved boulevards of the city. Even as the party is led through the streets to Idunn’s Orchard, the sun begins to rise, streaming brilliantly through the crenellations atop the battlements. The snow recedes rapidly and buds appear on branch and stem. Robins, the orange-breasted bird held sacred by Thor, stir from their nests, unbothered by the ravens already circling high overhead.
As the sun rises, the snow begins rapidly melting away and green shoots begin to appear all along the ground as buds form all along branches and shrubs. These buds quickly blossom, turning into fruits and flowers as the group is led along the streets toward Idunn’s orchard. A wrought-iron fence surrounds a grove of trees. As the sun breaks clear of the horizon, the last of the snow melts away and the aromatic bouquet of apple blossoms fills the air. A gate in the fence swings wide, pulled open by a caribou with bells sewn on to its leather harness. The page walks past the reindeer with a curt nod and down a gravel pathway that meanders through the trees until finally, the goddess herself comes into view.
Idunn wears a silvery gown and has her long, blond hair tied into a single braid that hangs down past the middle of her back. A woven basket rests on the ground at her feet. She smiles as the group approaches and she offers Cedron her hand, “Good morning, brave heroes. Are you ready for your day’s duties?”
Comments
Post a Comment