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Post by Conway on Nov 29, 2011 0:49:58 GMT -5
A heavy figure dragged out of the water along the shoreline, heavy with the early morning fog.
A dragon, and shortly after a broad set man.
They'll have to leave the boat anchored nearby and search on foot to renew their resources.
Boats would be expensive, he had little money to speak of now. It would all lay at the bottom of the sea by now except for the small amount tucked away in the small boat Bragsi had managed to save for him.
Crew...it won't be easy replacing that crew. It had taken years to put it together, some raised into their jobs from younglings.
Locx himself raised up to captain them, after the previous captain had an unfortunate meeting with the sea of course.
By evening they'd found the small settlement. It wasn't much, but alone he wouldn't be able to take all that much anyway. It would be a decent start to rebuilding what he'd lost.
They'd wait, wait for full night, wait for lights to go out and bodies to settle.
It was then that the dragons roar would sound and Bragsi would crush guarding obstacles with his great stony head.
Locx could use the chaos to his advantage, to take what he wants.
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Post by avisis on Nov 30, 2011 22:36:10 GMT -5
They'd been fools to head this far west. They'd been warned, and rightfully so: little would grow on these rocky shores, less on the peatbogs inland. They'd starve, their livestock would die out. They'd die before they ever carved a path inland.
But Onaemr had been stubborn. Had been set in what he wanted. And had known how to get it, too. Rocky soil? Yes. Hardship? Certainly; yet land of their own, with an inlet for the winter keep, free range for their rugged sheep, pastures open for the claiming?
All theirs.
And they'd never needed anyone else, anyway. They were small, for a settler group---no in-laws (no wives, either, but sacrifices must be made) and no thralls. They had had only themselves for a long time; they would make do with only themselves for longer. Who would build their walls? asked the neighbors. Who would dig up their peat? Who would herd their livestock? "We dig our own peat," declared Onaemr, "our arms are strong enough for the task. We herd our own stock; we know the way of it well enough already. As for walls---who will there be to keep out?"
It was that declaration of Onaemr's (made so boldly, the fortuitous east wind ruffling his shining ruddy hair, the brilliant determination illuminating his face) that Sveinungr saw in his head, with the clarity of a dream, as he threw himself upright out of bed, dragged headfirst out of sleep by the crashing sound. Even as he was leaping out of bed a solid, wheedling corner of his brain (the bit Blasius called Loki's tongue, poisonous, the bit that Onaemr would always correct as Loki's gift, precious) deigned to take note that the walls wouldn't have helped against whatever it was that had just managed to throw about their entire store of building materials so delightfully easily.
He was almost to the door when a powerful arm, corded muscles big around as both his own limbs together, wrapped around his chest from the right and pinned him back against an even stronger chest.
"Stay inside!" bellowed Brusi, and threw him back into the corner.
Sveinungr opened his mouth to protest, but Onaemr's voice---solid, steady, utterly complete---cracked down on him like a wooden spar. "Svin, inside." And then he was throwing the door open and bounding outside, his ax already in his ready hand.
"Like thunder come down!" whooped Vorfeitr, darting after him, sparing Sveinungr a gleeful grin as he went. Brusi lumbered after, having grabbed the shield Onaemr had forgotten.
"Stay," repeated Blasius, and unlike the others, he actually turned to check Sveinungr, measuring him up to see if he intended to listen. He could see the fury, the agony in his younger brother's eyes, it seemed, for his mouth softened and he said, "Keep your devil-ears perked, elf." Then, sword slung over his shoulder, he loped after his brothers, slamming the wooden door shut behind him.
Pressing down into the corner of the house, sliding down until he hit cold stone and his knees were pressed to his chest so tightly he could barely breathe, Svin waited.
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Post by Conway on Dec 1, 2011 2:45:02 GMT -5
Locx stuck to the shadows, watching his beast wreak havoc.
He didn't favor the weapon in his hand, but he would have to admit he was lucky to have the sword and the shield to go with it. They'd been on the boat Bragsi saved. His own ax was certainly lost to the sea.
There was a squeal when the dragon located some unfortunate animal, a treat of red meat after a long period of his normal ocean diet.
When the fighters came for him, the bulky dragon would face his opponents. He was all rocky skin and rumbling bellows. A species they'd probably never seen before, something they wouldn't immediately know how to take down.
The Dragon wouldn't just be left to it, He'd certainly be injured. but as a distraction he afforded Locx the time to get a look at what he faced.
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Post by avisis on Dec 4, 2011 20:55:24 GMT -5
"Gods' stones," swore Onaemr, as the four of them stilled, a line of steel-tipped defense between themselves and the sleeping lodge. The dragon currently storming across their keeping pen was small, for its species, but marvelously thick, and its hide looked hard as stone. Blood was spurting down its chin, it and pink, wooly bits the only remnants of their breeding ram. "Damn the thing," he cursed again, and re-found his grip on his ax, fretfully. A leader, he was strong; faced with the unknown, he rebounded quickly. That didn't mean he couldn't mourn the loss of livestock not easily regained.
Still, mourning to be continued later. He jabbed a finger to the right, but said, "to the left, Brusi, Blasius. Vorfeitr and I will rush him; come down on him fast when he lunges, from behind the jaw! Try the eyes, Blasius."
The sheep were an acceptable loss; in their low shed they had food enough stored to last until the trip to a trading place and back. As long as their food stores remained untouched, they were all right.
Even then, they could survive; they had enough stashed away to make one trip over, to find others. And they had silver---like any smart family, they had their silver hoard, the metals hidden deep away under rock on their property. As long as that remained untouched, they could buy more. They could rebuild, slowly. As long as their silver remained---and as long as their boat was uncrushed---they were fine.
The massive Brusi was fast on his feet, and his loping run was complemented by Blasius' silent lope alongside; they vanished behind the longhouse, and Vorfeitr leaped up, punching the air, whooping. "Come on, come on, you hearth-melter, come! Over here! I'll make a necklace from your teeth!" Onaemr had to bolt to stay with him as he charged the beast head-on.
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Post by Conway on Dec 4, 2011 23:35:13 GMT -5
Bragsi wasn't a completely stupid animal. Head tipped and eyes followed the two that split away before his attention was dragged back to those in front of him. The beast turned it's side to the oncoming attackers, wigs dropped between them and his body. A defiant roar thrown out to the hyper one.
Come, he is not weak. He will fight.
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Post by avisis on Dec 6, 2011 11:37:19 GMT -5
"It wants a fight!" shouted Vorfeitr in glee, and his run was straight-on, sword raised to slash at stony wings. "What are those, flippers? Can you even fly, you big rock?"
Onaemr was mildly more thoughtful, ax aimed for where the wing attached to the body; get the thing grounded, keep it from lifting up. Could it lift up? He second-guessed himself even as he swung. It was so bulky, so small-winged---what if flight wasn't even within realm of ability?
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Post by Conway on Dec 6, 2011 17:58:34 GMT -5
His wing began drawing up when his attackers closed in, only to be snapped back out into them when bodies were close enough. A sharp bark or a roar following after before his great head swung around; taking advantage of the time they'd need to get up to check for the other two.
Locx could leave him for now. The time he took to check the building wouldn't leave the dragon at any great disadvantage. He took a route distanced from the fighting and as shadowed as was available to avoid being spotted by anyone left out of the battle.
They must have women, and a hostage would make things so much simpler.
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Post by avisis on Dec 6, 2011 18:07:22 GMT -5
"Whoops!" Vorfeitr rolled, shoving himself upright with a stumbling lack of grace; Onaemr was surer-footed, lunging up onto all fours, hand digging hard into the rocky earth, eyes narrowed. He pushed himself upright.
Brusi and Blasius had been halted in their charge, coming face to face with a remarkably ugly dragon. Blasius reconsidered the situation; Brusi, however, was not one to be put off by ill-arranged faces, and he barreled forward with a roar, sword swinging.
In the lowhouse, Svin could only barely hear the noises of battle; they were mostly the dragon's roars. Peace, he counseled himself: there have been no screams. Peace. Hold.
Then the door creaked open on its raw hinges, and his fingers dug into his shins. He scooted harder back into the corner. No. No, no, no. He was going to be slaughtered, they'd come back and find him bled out in a pool of his own insides---
No! He jerked upright, suddenly defiant, and bolted for the bed to his right. There was a blade under the boards; he could get to it, defend himself.
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Post by Conway on Dec 7, 2011 20:49:11 GMT -5
Bragsi roared right back, massive jaws snapping at the incoming blade. It would hurt maybe if he caught it, but he learned long ago that a man without a blade was rarely a danger.
Movement spotted. Locx, swift for his size when after it. It would be troublesome if this apparently lone hostage managed to slip away from him. He's hindered slightly by unfamiliarity with the terrain, but he won't loose his prey. He'll reach out to grab the small figure when he's caught up to it.
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Post by avisis on Jan 31, 2012 18:25:11 GMT -5
Brusi roared in anger as his blade was clamped between stony jaws; he wrenched at the handle, willing to risk handicapping (or worse) if he could only injure the beast's soft insides before he was forced away. Blasius, shouting at him to back away, nonetheless ran forward in an attempt to slash at the beast's eyes.
Onaemr lunged forward, trying to get close enough to help. Only Vorfeitr, in all the chaos, stilled; only Vorfeitr heard the brief cry.
Svin did not give another. One arm pinned uselessly by the muscled intruder, he swung the blade with his other, mouth clamped stubbornly shut. If his brothers were fighting a dragon, they had no need of distraction.
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Post by Conway on Jan 31, 2012 19:21:41 GMT -5
A small amount of blood seeped at the dragons lips near the blade, something was cut minimally at least. The beast rumbles and rears back, throwing his head up. If the man doesn't let go of the blade he'll take him with it and throw them both.
His free hand reach out to stop the blade, but it was miss judged in the darkness and he only half met the hilt, slicing half his palm on the blade. But it didn't seem to hinder the man, he grasped it anyway, twisting it out of the boys grasp and tossing it away.
He pulled the un-armed body close, pinning both arms with one of his own. The voice that came was low and soft, yet a little gravely.
"Come now, it's in your best interest to play nice."
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Post by avisis on Jan 31, 2012 19:28:01 GMT -5
Brusi gave an unmanful yelp as he was thrown, body cracking back down to earth to roll a few feet. Blasius staggered back, barely avoiding him. Onaemr darted back as well to regroup; it was only then that he realized Vorfeitr was gone. "Vor!"
"Elf!" shouted back the wiry man, already fleet-footing it back towards the sleeping hut.
"Bite me, you devil," hissed Svin, struggling viciously, and smashed his heel down on the top of the larger man's foot.
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Post by Conway on Jan 31, 2012 19:47:16 GMT -5
Bragsi Roars after the group, blood spattering from his wounded mouth. They aren't proving much of a challenge.
The stomp is barely felt through the larger mans sea harded boots and he chuckles low and close. His free hand drawing a thin blade from his belt to hold up below his prisoners neck.
"Don't tempt me now."
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Post by avisis on Feb 4, 2012 0:23:37 GMT -5
"Hold to," ordered Onaemir, still gulping in breath. His eyes darted back towards their lodge, then to the oncoming dragon. "Damn! Move!"
They scattered like leaves before a whirlwind, Blasius whooping in an attempt to gain the beast's attention once he realized Brusi was still staggering upright. None of them were thinking of attacking now---Onaemir, distracted by Vorfeitr's vanishing act, failed to shout further orders, and Blasius and Brusi fell into a tangle of trying to distract the dragon from each other.
Svin sucked in short breaths, trying to avoid breathing deep; in his fear, it felt like too large an inhale would be enough to slice him open on that thin edge against his throat. "Make it quick, then," he whispered manfully into the dark.
Or at least it tried to be manful. It came out more whimper-high than he'd wanted.
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Post by Conway on Feb 4, 2012 1:06:21 GMT -5
Bragsi's tail lashes in frustration as his quarry splits, head swinging to watch each go in it's direction, a barking roar sent after each, but he chooses Brusi. he knows where the other two are but this is the one to fight, it's only a plus that the man's already been disarmed.
A short laugh before the large man sheaths the blade and in a quick movement whips both his victims arms behind his back to force them to walk in front of him.
"Sorry dear, but you're much more use to me alive."
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