Gusi af Thor: Return to shore (Solo)

[Wargie]

See the vast ocean, a dark blue mass that roll so gently. Caressed by the rays of light and the breeze of wind. A spray of water rise into the sky followed by a great wing that rise up and then sleekly glides down. Vanishing into the depths, hidden to all of men.

A fleet of ships, striped sails in red and white filled with the wind. The ships lie low in the winter sea, filled with riches of trade. At each steering oar a man stand, eyeing the sky and horizon. Each man stare upon the same star that guides them to the north and then east. Many men and animal sleep under the cloudless sky, under heavy furrs, gently rocked into a secure sleep, as a child in a crib.

The night sky lights up, nine stars begin their tumbling path. Helmsmen raise their fingers and follow the swirling stars. An omen they say, an omen! From far away a petrified scream is heard, cleaving the night. Startled men open their eyes, they look at eachother and they look at sky. And then at the horizon. All men have one thing in common as they see the horizon. Fear.

That was two days ago and the fleet is no longer. Gusi sits with his back against the rail of the ship staring at hands and fingers, bloodied and scratched. He struggled through most of the night and most through morning, tugging ropes, adjusting sail, trying to throw ropes to the other ships that went down, in hope to save any of the sailors.
Of the crew remaining on the ship he is on, only half remains. The helmsman Olaf hangs from the steering oar as he bound himself to it in the middle of the night when the storm raged at its peak. The crew is exhausted, and so is Gusi. This was not how Gusi had expected his journey to the southern lands to end. Of six ships, only one remains.

[Wayloss]

Gusi af Thor peers at his bloodied hands. The Druid of Thor booked passage to the south to spread the word of Thor. By the grace of Thor his ship had managed to survive the storm. He knows it was because he and the crew had worked their hardest.

His head rocks back against the rail that supports him for now. Throughout the storm his booming voice could be heard, shouting prayers to Thor and enhearten the crew to do their best before the storm. To bring the favor of Thor upon them.

Nearly half the crew had failed this crucible, those still alive must now persevere and fight in to shore. Gusi looks around for the captain or his mate. Seeing only the helmsman Olaf he must disturb him. "Olaf! By Thor, what a night. You have proved yourself before him, and in the eyes of men. Do you know where we are?"

[Wargie]

Gusi attempts to speak with the helmsman Olaf, but there is no reply from the man. The head is slumped to the chest and the only movement of the body is transferred from the oar that the body is tied to. Gusi raises the helmsman's head and sees nothing but a pale face and closed eyes. The blood of the man has stopped and it is clear that the sailor is dead.

Gusi begins to cut the dead Olaf away from the steering oar when he hears a shout from one of the other sailors.

"Look on the horizon! Black sails!"

And then from the stern of the boat another voice makes itself heard,

"Land! Land ahead!"

And all of a sudden the ship goes silent, looking between the shore that lies ahead and the three black sails that are coming towards them.

[Wayloss]

Gusi looks to the black sails and his blood chills. He drags himself to his feet and realizes the crew is nearly all gone. He looks up to see what remains of their sail, the crew to few to man the oars.
"Up! Up men of Thor! If you want to live this day we must make land!" His voice deep, rumbling, and booming, akin to a thunderbolt calls out to any sleeping or injured sailors. He hauls Olaf from the tiller and grabs it himself turning the longship towards shore.

[Wargie]

Gusi takes a firm grip of the stearing oar, allowing the former helmsman fall to the deck of the ship. He grunts as he steers the ship towards shore and it is still long off. As he glances over his shoulder he sees the ship, and he realizes that the ship is far away, very far, and the only reason why the see it, is because it is very large.

The sailors on deck are suddenly filled with energy as they attempt to fix the sail as much as they possibly can, and after a few hours of work the longship is making good time towards the shore, but so is the ship behind them. The ship is closing in, but will probably not reach them before they reach shore. Though now they see large shapes on the ship, larger than any man.

[Wayloss]

"Well make shore, by Thor! You are a fine half a crew that has ever sailed. Though it looks like we are being followed! We will make a stand on the shore. "
He looks around at the small crew and finds a man not nearly as busy as he. "Come here, take the tiller for a minute I must dress for battle." Gusi waits to be relieved at the tiller before finding his armor and donning his shield. The heavy wooden shield with a metal hammer emblazoned upon it. He checks himself.

"Thor! Grant us strength! We braved the Storm in your name! Now Ragnorak has come and the Giants sail towards us! Give us Strength!"

Action

Perform Oratory to see if i can inspire the crew!

[Wargie]

Gusi raises his voice and speaks towards the sailors on the ship. All of them stop to look at him, inside them all there a light of hope begin to burn and they nod in his direction. With new strength in the souls and bodies they begin to trim the sails, to use every last ounce of wind to speed up their arrival to the shore. Gusi meanwhile prepares himself for battle as their ship makes good time to the shore. Behind them the large ship carrying the giants are closing in on them, quickly.

GM

Oratory vs DC 15: Roll: 15! Success, sailors inspired.

As the ship comes closer to shore you see that it is just a thin piece of sand below a set of cliffs and that there is only a small path going up to the plain above. It appears that the gods are favouring their cleric.

[Wayloss]

Gusi finishes his Oratory and see's the men leap to their tasks and the boat seems to glide to shore. The Longboat beaches with a scraping growl that lets everyone on board know they have made landfall. He leaps form the shift pointing to the small single file trail up the cliffs.
"Men of Thor! Our Prayers are answered! To the wall and up! We will give the giants hell by Odin! The Valkyries will escort us all to Valhalla!"

Gusi turns and slogs through the surf and beach to the trail. Taking up a rear guard position unless relieved by another Viking and sent up the trail. His hammer now in his hand!

[Wargie]

The ship rocks heavily as it hits the shore and even before it comes to a stop the sailors are in the water and make their way up to the shore. Above them the sky is crimson as the sun is setting but still there is perhaps two hours of light left. Gusi finds himself being patted on the shoulder and then waved on to make his way up the slingering path. Behind him two other sailors make up the read as they lock their shields together and slowly begins to back their way up the path.

The large ship with black sails comes thundering up against the shore, and with a large roar, men of giant proportions jump into the water and begin to charge towards the path leading upwards.

Gusi is close to reaching the top of the cliff as he hears the first loud clash of weapons. He looks over his shoulder and sees how the two sailors work together on the thin path against one giant, and so far they appear to do a good job keeping the advance of the giants at bay.

[Wayloss]

Gusi takes a moment to look around the headlands trying to discern if there is shelter nearby. He knows the few of them are not likely to keep the giants at bay for long. With darkness building around him he can only hope to find shelter.

Gusi also looks over the giants trying to count them and see how many they face.

He also looks at the clif face for logs or boulders, items to throw down upon the giants. "Quickly! Find things to throw down upon the giants, and ready yourselves. WE must either hold here or find shelter! Night comes!"