Cthulhu Vikings: Growing up Norse

First  party all start as siblings and cousins in the Stonedale clan.

Breidr the Dauntless, a farmer lad from the back hills, follower of Thor armed with a crude short sax sword and a hatchet, also quite good with some crafting skills including hide and whale ivory. Has thick hide armour made with his brothers help. He is brave and most handsome of the party.

Thorhaddr the lame, a clumsy unlucky boy sent to serve the Jarl and being raised by the more wealthy rival clan and ended up with lords scalds learning language and poetry. Has treated hard leather all over, a full round shield and a sword. Has fanciest weapons even though he is weakest of teens. Mistreated by his own and adopted clans he has become devious. He likes Odin best and can read some runes a bit.

Alrek the Unruly a strong, handsome and outspoken youth who's almost a year older brother Hrafn keeps him inline as he is a bit smarter and quieter. The brothers are hunters from the hills and both keen for adventure. Hrafn keeps looking for warriors and beserkers and raiders to impress. Alrek has tried to a lesser extent and they ignore him. Alrek likes Thor and Hrafn likes Odin.

Twin sisters Throa Wartooth and Thora the Red are daughters of a crafting family. Throa likes to brawl and bite and many boys are scared of her. She is plain but her sister Thora is a great beauty famed for her long red hair. Boys for miles around are wary of them and father doesn't know what to do. Both are crafty but Throa likes wood, metal, amatuer butchering and has an interest in boats. She isnt commited to any god yet but Thora is interested in Freya and is always helping older women treat the sick and cook. She learns
Im running stuff from RQ3 box set for now.

Party have been gathered as all the clan youths of good age to try to develop the clan hearth which is ailing and whole clan so poor in danger of becoming thralls. Hope to have youths help prosperity and get noticed by the right people. Raiding business is booming and Clan leader Hord hopes these kids can get in on some action.

So Yule festival is full swing, the extended family have gathered for drinking and a roast sheep, warm inside from the terrible cold and snow. Suddenly the door opens and in comes a cousin with broken ribs and bite marks. He collapsed and was rushed to bed speaking of wolves, starving mad and fearless attacked his stead house.

A rescue party was sent and able men and party left the house to see if any more kinfolk alive. On way passed another house and youths told to check another house while veterans went to the house under attack. Trudged through blizzard to see house and smoke from chimney. Wolves were circling and yapping and one was huge and black. They charged with Hrafn and Thora using arrows badly hurt two wolves.

The great black one went around to rear while the other four youths charged a wolf and easly killed it. Thinking that easy they split up and attacked a seperate wolf each resulting in Breidr getting bitten in groin and Alrek getting his left arm mauled twice. Several more wolves were killed and two fled bleeding, but the great black one prowled in and out behind the building galring with evil red yellow eyes. Thorhaddr and Thora tried to treat wounds and others begged to be let inside. Youths entered dragging dead wolves and grateful women and old man aided them. Foul black wolf scratched and holed and fled. Troa did some shoddy butchering and Thora Cooked wolf stew. Briedr prepped the pelts and Alrek gathered some teeth.

In morning they found wounded bleeding wolves that fled were dead. Older men came to find them and everyone ate more wolf (dont eat livers). Returned home to find story of the wolf fight had spread.

All returned to respective homes and worked at their normal family occupations over the year. Youths met at Thing the following year. A great ritual at a rock with holy folk, law suits before the community, animal fights and feasting.

Breidr the Dauntless traded some goods and made prayers to Thor and Hiemdall and went to help work on boat a few days before important stuff started.

Thorhaddr the Lame met some scalds and talked poetry. Told he could be taught songs of inspiration. Looked at shrines to Odin and Balder.
Alrek the Unruly tried to impress some raiders and hunters and they seemed put off by his flashy looks and manner for one so young. He made some small sacrifice of food and expected to be lucky. Was warned to be careful talking like that or Gods offended.

Hrafn spoke well and met some sea raiders who good naturedly said in a few years he might be big enough maybe. Tried to gift a psychopathic beserker beer but he just growled. Hrafn decided guy is scary.

Throa Wartooth when not watching her sister Thora the Red, went boat building too. She made a mistake and was told off but boat builder let her off as he had not had a girl be so keen on boats before.

Thora spent time with Freya priestess helping sick and preparing for community rituals. Managed to gain a 1pt healing spell and impress the holy women who helped her feel the elves inside the huge beutiful rocks the Thing was near.

All gathered for ritual to Tyr then watched various legal battles including two murders (killers paid but not happy) and a divorce. Hrafn had to vote against the beserk he tried to befriend before and got a cold look. He deslared the law was a bother and he did not want to learn about Tyrs laws and proceedings. Older vikings thought him foolish.

As all began to party vikings began to boast. Briedr boasted he was most handsome and demanded women vote. His cousins abstained but he still won. Alrek boasted he could have the most sex and dared women to take him on. The now very rich widow invited him home and spent a few days with him. He wanted to get away but best bed and food he ever had. Living in a palace compared to home. Eventually went to leave and she gave him a proper sword which we was impressed by.

 Thorhaddr conducted himself well and elders thought him promising speaker.

Throa scared off some more boys and her Thora sacrificed a goat in thanks.

A following year and all meet in again. A loveley day all taling of last meetings when a child came running calling out "Vikings"!

Throa thought "but we are vikings why would they raid us"?

The answer of course is with all best fighters gone it is easy.
Next episode: A Stead In Need