Session 2 - Seeking the Axe

We begin, dear friends, a week from the last time we saw Ael and he's setting off on another quest, this time to fulfill the vow to the Aesir. He doesn't expect the spirits are very patient, so he's going to get rolling. Perhaps he'll find some evidence of the Horror he hunts while he's on the way.

I've reset Ael's stats back to full, since he's spent a few weeks recovering at home.

First though, let's spend his experience points.

I decide to spend 3 XP and get the #fated asset, meaning that Ael's harder to kill while his quests are left unfulfilled. This represents both the mark of the Aesir and his iron determination to avenge the death of his wife.

Here's the text of the first part of the asset track:

When you Face Death or Face Desolation while your epic background vow is unfulfilled, it is not yet your time. Instead of rolling, you may take an automatic strong hit. If you do, this asset counts as a debility (and you no longer have this protection) until you next Reach a Milestone on the background vow.

With that out of the way, let's begin!

Setting out for the Cairnlands

Ael must set out for the Cairnlands and then Find the Axe of Hulgrinn Wulfsson. He doesn't know where Hulgrinn's axe is, or where Hulgrinn himself is buried, but he does know that there's a settlement out there. Let's consult the oracle and figure out what this settlement s and what's going wrong there.

Well, the Cairnlands seems like it's a series of barrows dotting the landscape, but maybe there's a massive crypt there as well, and the majority of the settlement takes shelter within its walls. So let's call the town simply "Tomb". What problem is it having?

Alright! So when we get there, they'll need to undertake an urgent expedition. I'm not sure what that expedition is yet, but I'll have a better idea as we get going.

Now, Ael has packed his belongings, told his son and Naewyn where he's headed, let's make some progress.

Reaching the First Waypoint

Ael arrives at the Statue of Selyn, and he takes a seat below it - pulling out some iron rations and taking a swig of his ale. While he's never been here before, other Ironsworn have been this way in the past and the statue is a well known landmark.

He stares up at the featureless face, stone worn smooth from years of wind and rain.

"I wonder," Ael says, addressing the statue, "would you be happy with your legacy? The only thing we know about you is your name. No legends, no deeds. Did you have children? Do your descendants still walk the land, with no memory of your deeds?"

He stops and takes another swig from his flask.

"Well, there won't be a statue of me, so of the two of us I suppose your legacy will last even longer."

Ael turns and looks off into the distance, it's a long way yet until Tomb and he's burning daylight. He stands, slowly packs up the remnants of his lunch, and slings his pack back to his shoulders.

"...and that's okay. Farewell, Selyn, may your name live on."

Reaching the Second Waypoint

Ael continues along the trail, heading further westward towards the cairnlands, as the weather turns dark. Those who have come before say that there's nothing out this way for a good half of the day, but as the dark clouds gather overhead and the thunder peels, Ael searches for somewhere to shelter. Deviating from the trod path for about a half of a mile and he encounters what looks like the ruins of a village, many stone structures long since abandoned. Most of the buildings don't have a roof any longer, but he's able to find one that has a stonework roof and he shelters inside and sets out to make a fire.

Things are going a bit well for Ael, so let's see what odd thing occurs to him while he's taking a break from the rain. We'll ask the oracle.

As Ael takes stock of the building he's in, he realizes that it's a small shrine to a god he doesn't recognize. There's a small statuette carved directly into a stone altar that itself seems to be a part of the foundation of the building. There are charcoal marks on the altar which form some sort of script.