Day Four of The Odinsleep (In the Garden of Idunn - The Walls of Asgard)
Day Four of the Odinsleep (7:33 am)
Idunn turns and faces the group, extending one graceful hand to Cedron, “Come. I know a place atop the wall where we can watch the battle.” She glances toward Kysek, “Mayhap, it will set some of your minds at ease if we are in a position to lend our strength if needed.”
Kysek eyes the goddess warily, “My mind will ease when I compete the tasks before me and finally reunite with my wife and child, not before milady.”
Ra’ziir nudges Kysek with his elbow, “Cheer up! We’ll be home before you know it!” He throws the former thief a wink and smiles broadly, trying to lighten the mood, “TO THE WALL, I SAY! LET US AWAY!” With that, Ra’ziir begins heading toward the wall, leaping and bounding, veritably dancing his way toward the massive fortifications. He sings to himself as he strides along the orchard path.
“TO THE WALL!” Shadow adds, caught up in the bladesinger’s infectious cheer.
Cedron takes the goddess’ hand. The very touch of her skin sends tingles of energy racing through his fingers and causes warmth to spread throughout his body. His mind and soul feel freer than they have in decades and the memory of his murdered fiancée dims, replaced with a wistful hope for the future. The minstrel shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts and glances over his shoulder for signs of her husband’s ire, “We shall be ever vigilant in our duties, milady. Lead onward.”
Desmond, Drax and Niklas in behind the group, Drax keeping his eyes peeled for threats while Niklas continues to ponder the kidnapping that Bragi mentioned.
Grotto takes up a position beside Idunn, ready to grab his axe and defend the goddess should the need arise and Arthur lands and takes up a flanking position to guard her as well.
Korbin flits from one tree to the next following the group as Idunn leads them through her orchard toward the wall surrounding Asgard. The crow, ever watchful and wary, begins to sense the presence of something watching him – not a malevolent force per se, but something or someone who is paying far more attention to him than he would prefer.
With Hansuke riding upon his shoulder, Raven hurries to catch up with Ra’ziir and Shadow. Once he has their attention he holds up his forearm, “I need you to look at this” he says, revealing the cracked gems in the leather and clockwork bracer. “This happened yesterday during the battle when the scouts returned from being pursued by the four Jotuns. Everything went horribly wrong in the battle. Korbin and Niklas were killed and the three of us and Desmond were all near death so I reversed time, resetting everything and restoring our health. We shifted tactics, switching from blade to bow and spell but the gemstones burst and burned. I fear their magic will no longer function and I won’t be able to alter the course of events should they go awry again. I need to know what you think.”
As the fighter explains, the party passes through a towering forest of trees. Each branch is heavily laden with apples of all colors, golden, red, green, and other hues not found on any terrestrial tree known to man. The sounds of distant shouting, the clash of blade, mace, hammer, and shield are carried to the group on a chill breeze. A light rain falls, melting the remaining snow and washing it away as new grasses erupt from the ground and begin to grow, forming a lush carpet of green along the forest path. The trail climbs and narrows and the trees grow further and further apart until finally, Idunn leads the adventurers into a cleared buffer zone between the wall and her trees. A long series of stairs leads to the top of the battlements and within moments, the group is looking out over the field of battle.
This side of the city looks out over a fjord. A narrow inlet carved by the sea out of the mountainous coast ends at a beach less than a mile from the city wall. From the party’s vantage, they can see a small island with a wooden cabin of some sort in its center. Along the shore, rank upon rank of troll hurls boulders at the fortifications. Svartaflar ride back and forth across the front lines, driving into the massed rows of einherjar with long spears and slashing swords. The noble dead defend Asgard with a terrifying ferocity, shunning armor and leaping into the fray bare-chested with only shield and hammer to lay waste to any attackers foolish enough to come within reach. Longships, crewed by the dead warriors, stand offshore, ready to discharge reinforcements where needed. Of the Jotun, there is no sign – the mighty giants are likely watching the raging conflict from a secure viewing point of their own, waiting to lend their strength when or if an opening is revealed.
Idunn turns and faces the group, extending one graceful hand to Cedron, “Come. I know a place atop the wall where we can watch the battle.” She glances toward Kysek, “Mayhap, it will set some of your minds at ease if we are in a position to lend our strength if needed.”
Kysek eyes the goddess warily, “My mind will ease when I compete the tasks before me and finally reunite with my wife and child, not before milady.”
Ra’ziir nudges Kysek with his elbow, “Cheer up! We’ll be home before you know it!” He throws the former thief a wink and smiles broadly, trying to lighten the mood, “TO THE WALL, I SAY! LET US AWAY!” With that, Ra’ziir begins heading toward the wall, leaping and bounding, veritably dancing his way toward the massive fortifications. He sings to himself as he strides along the orchard path.
“TO THE WALL!” Shadow adds, caught up in the bladesinger’s infectious cheer.
Cedron takes the goddess’ hand. The very touch of her skin sends tingles of energy racing through his fingers and causes warmth to spread throughout his body. His mind and soul feel freer than they have in decades and the memory of his murdered fiancée dims, replaced with a wistful hope for the future. The minstrel shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts and glances over his shoulder for signs of her husband’s ire, “We shall be ever vigilant in our duties, milady. Lead onward.”
Desmond, Drax and Niklas in behind the group, Drax keeping his eyes peeled for threats while Niklas continues to ponder the kidnapping that Bragi mentioned.
Grotto takes up a position beside Idunn, ready to grab his axe and defend the goddess should the need arise and Arthur lands and takes up a flanking position to guard her as well.
Korbin flits from one tree to the next following the group as Idunn leads them through her orchard toward the wall surrounding Asgard. The crow, ever watchful and wary, begins to sense the presence of something watching him – not a malevolent force per se, but something or someone who is paying far more attention to him than he would prefer.
With Hansuke riding upon his shoulder, Raven hurries to catch up with Ra’ziir and Shadow. Once he has their attention he holds up his forearm, “I need you to look at this” he says, revealing the cracked gems in the leather and clockwork bracer. “This happened yesterday during the battle when the scouts returned from being pursued by the four Jotuns. Everything went horribly wrong in the battle. Korbin and Niklas were killed and the three of us and Desmond were all near death so I reversed time, resetting everything and restoring our health. We shifted tactics, switching from blade to bow and spell but the gemstones burst and burned. I fear their magic will no longer function and I won’t be able to alter the course of events should they go awry again. I need to know what you think.”
As the fighter explains, the party passes through a towering forest of trees. Each branch is heavily laden with apples of all colors, golden, red, green, and other hues not found on any terrestrial tree known to man. The sounds of distant shouting, the clash of blade, mace, hammer, and shield are carried to the group on a chill breeze. A light rain falls, melting the remaining snow and washing it away as new grasses erupt from the ground and begin to grow, forming a lush carpet of green along the forest path. The trail climbs and narrows and the trees grow further and further apart until finally, Idunn leads the adventurers into a cleared buffer zone between the wall and her trees. A long series of stairs leads to the top of the battlements and within moments, the group is looking out over the field of battle.
This side of the city looks out over a fjord. A narrow inlet carved by the sea out of the mountainous coast ends at a beach less than a mile from the city wall. From the party’s vantage, they can see a small island with a wooden cabin of some sort in its center. Along the shore, rank upon rank of troll hurls boulders at the fortifications. Svartaflar ride back and forth across the front lines, driving into the massed rows of einherjar with long spears and slashing swords. The noble dead defend Asgard with a terrifying ferocity, shunning armor and leaping into the fray bare-chested with only shield and hammer to lay waste to any attackers foolish enough to come within reach. Longships, crewed by the dead warriors, stand offshore, ready to discharge reinforcements where needed. Of the Jotun, there is no sign – the mighty giants are likely watching the raging conflict from a secure viewing point of their own, waiting to lend their strength when or if an opening is revealed.
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