This is a kind of an actual play slash playtest thread for my game Valravnar for ﾃ《agrimmr. The game is about the ravens of Odin, Hugin and Munin, who go out and have adventures of the avian sort in Midgard, the world of men.
The game is a bit different in that it has this loose Internet-interactive part: the game is played in the form of scenarios that begin in the Internet and end in the Internet. At the beginning of play the players access this thread right here and find out what Odin wants of his ravens. Then they go play the scenario in question, and hopefully report on what they found in Midgard, so Odin can rest peacefully.
I've asked Odin to provide the first scenario for play here; if anybody feels like giving the game a whirl, go ahead and write an actual play report about it here. The game is probably a bit rough and I don't really know if it has legs, but I'm sure that Odin'll provide more scenarios for play if anybody plays the first one for him. If you end up actually playing and writing to Odin about it, please spare a sentence or two in my direction as well; I'm interested in where the weak points of the game are.
O ye valravnar of ﾃ《agrimmr, listen to what have I seen while sitting upon the throne Hliﾃｰskjﾃ｡lf: a chief lies in state, his estate in ruins, glory scattered to the four winds. A returning son, estranged daughter, scheming ﾃｦtt turns upon one another. The shadow of yesterday, a horrible secret looms, arises Nifur of Jﾃｶtnar-kin to lay waste upon the deeds of his blood.
O ye valravnar, seek thee upon the airs of Miﾃｰgarﾃｰr, seek far and wide, for Nidlirraholmen upon the coast, who have called for the judgement of ﾃsir and Jafnhﾃ｡rr the Grey. Who stands for king-right in Nidlirraholmen? Who stands for the bereaved? Who stands against the Fury of Nifur?
The Tide of Hugin: 15 dice The Tide of Munin: 15 dice
The Situation
The small village of Nidlirraholmen lost its chief, Thorvald, a week back to his deathbed. No burial has been effected yet, however, for the village has been plagued by Nifur, a brutal giant with the strength of a hundred men, who strides into the steads and demands all sorts of appeasement from the villagers. Foremost among his demands is to gain access to the body of Thorvald, who lies in state in the clan hall.
Meanwhile, the vikings are returning from a 3-year long journey, headed by Bulfar son of Thorvald, long thought lost. His men are tired and the boats worn, but the journey was a success with plenty of trade and loot. The villagers at home live with the understanding that Bulfar has been slain, thanks to a missight or lies by some men earlier returned.
The village is currently being led by Sigurd, a lowly armsman who keeps the clan together only barely, and has no valor to spare for getting rid of the giant. The only living relative of the old chief is his daughter Frﾃｭﾃｰa, who sigurd is keen to pressure into promises of marriage.
The true sight of my eye reveals that Thorvald, who died of disease and old age, held a horrible secret that eggs on the giant Nifur: Thorvald, born son of a giantess and named Mistrl, forsake his giant nature, took a name of the ﾃ《a and beget children off a woman. Now his brother Nifur seeks to desecrate the body of Thorvald to strenghten his own Jﾃｶtunn nature. Thorvald's is a fitful sleep that knows no true rest as long as he lies unburied and vulnerable to shame of his dark secret.
Odin's Wish
My eye is upon the fate of Nidlirraholmen, a village of good ﾃ《atrﾃｺ people who cry for aid against the ungodly assault of Jﾃｶtunn. Find out the fate of these people, whether they escape and abandon their homesteads, or choose a new chief. Find out the fate of the giant and his brother. And find out what happens to the children of Thorvald, who should seek no blame to their father's deeds.
Geography and destinations
Nidlirraholmen is a small village in Gautar, a land of dark forests, wide beachheads and petty kingdoms of men. The village is mostly isolated, a nominal part of ﾃ穆tergﾃｶtland of Helgi Hundingsbane, though it rarely sends men for the king. It is easy to miss in its small inlet by the sea.
Bulfar's boats are to be found at Eystrasalt, the eastern sea, on which they are approaching the village at their own pace. They are easy to miss, being small boats in a large sea.
Nifur the giant makes his lair in a filthy cavern in the forests near Nidlirraholmen. The lair is easy to miss, doubly so if one doesn't know that it's there. Going inside the cavern is seriously difficult for the birds, and Nifur might set traps if he knew that Odin is involved.
King Helgi of ﾃ穆tergﾃｶtland can be found at Lionga, the set location of the landthing, whence he may set sail and arrive in three days, should he decide to answer the call of Nidlirraholmen. Lionga is much easier to find than the small village of Nidlirraholmen.
Chief Thorvald may be found in Lﾃｭtillhel, the upper reaches of nether realms, where he is wracked by itches and despair, and vague sights of the world of men. Travelling to Lﾃｭtillhel is easier on the last leg of the journey than Hel proper (-1 profile), but it is covered by light mists that make it difficult to see.
Other things
I saw many things upon Hliﾃｰskjﾃ｡lf, but they concerned me little. Still, should Hugin and Munin encounter them, who knows what proves of import.
A high-born maiden of Hﾃ･logaland pines for her love, far across the sea, and prays.
Vanlandi, the king of Uppsala has taken a Finn girl in marriage.
Out of Niflheim new rivers flow, upon sleet boatmen with oars of teeth.