[center][color=3cb371][h1][color=008000]U[/color]lfhild [color=008000]U[/color]lven[/h1][/color][/center]
[center][hr][b]Interacting with:[/b] Hrothgar [@Force and Fury]
[b]Opportunity:[/b] Eskand-aligned Players - Potential travellers that have seen Ulfhild entering Hrothgar’s council. And on the same boat for the siege.[hr]
[b]Event:[/b] Siege of Relouse[b]Location:[/b] Cape of Redame [hr][/center]
[indent]
[b][i]Two weeks prior:[/i][/b]

[color=gray]The air was ice cold in the early mornings wake on the tundra known as Eskand. While most foreigners would have a haggard look about them from the blood in their lungs turning to ice, Ulfhild’s breathing was steady and almost non existent. This was absolutely necessary when being both of Eskandr blood and the pride of being a ranger. The crunching of snow under toe was kept to a minimum, as if she were passing through the soft epidermis like a snow shoed hare. She had been tracking the beast for days now. Tracks scattered from constant bellowing of winds followed by a snowstorm to make said tracks invisible, scat turned frozen unable to tell how fresh the droppings really were, it was all giving her nothing to go off of besides intuition and instinct. Her magic was powerless in the face of this crucible, but she was not ready to give up. She had been leaving traps for smaller mammals scattered around the area. Some still had animals trapped within when she arrived and others were simply remnants of what could be discerned of what once was an animal. 

There was a trend to the hunting trails this beast was using to eat in preparation for the hibernation of winter. Cloaked in what shadow she could find in the series of dead trees, she followed the carcasses and carrion to what appeared to be the mouth of a cave. There was countless bones scattered across, littering the entrance and the walls of the cave. A snap of her fingers brought to life the breath of fire that jumped quickly to the tip of an arrow she had retrieved from her quiver. The arrow serving as a lamp aided in the illumination of the dark cave as she trudged on. The smell was a bit thick, betwixt the smell of blood that was new and rotten and the pheromones of what she thought to be a female. This only reinforced when she was greeted with a litter of cubs sleeping at the foot of her boot. Ulfhild was too slow off the jump to turn her pseudo-torch off when she awoke the sleeping cubs. Frozen like the wind outside she stood realizing her mistake. The cubs also in awe of both the fire and the towering predator, cried in alert to their mother. She must have been close if they were calling with such shallowness. 

Ulfhild flicked the fire off her arrow and knocked it onto her bow, racing for the tiny circle of light that was expanding into the exit. Once outside she felt the swipe of something likely four times the size as she. The blow to her side was enough to force all the air out of her lungs and send her flying into the fresh snow adjacent to the cave. Mother bear was angry and roaring angrily that the flaps of her lips wavered in the display of ferocity and jagged teeth. Coughing just as loudly, Ulfhild rose to her feet giving her lungs no chance for reprieve as she barreled off in search of the bow that was forced from her hand. The bear with no warning gave chance to Ulfhild in double the speed. Knowing she had no chance of outrunning nor out climbing the bear, she resorted to her arcane magic to give her time to find a moment to gather herself. A dazzling spark of light rose into the air before the bear before exploding into a wave of blinding light. Ulfhild covered her eyes with her forearm before finding the shadow of her bow. Rolling into the bow and planting her knee deeply for stability she knocked three arrows that were set ablaze. 

The bear rushed through the light only to be met with three arrows lodging themselves deep into her skull. Though this wasn’t enough as she charged Ulfhild knocking her back once more. Her fur began to turn red with embers erupting all over. Still the pain was second to her will to protect her children. Ulfhild retired her bow and retrieved the silver from her waist. Once more the bear charged Ulfhild, with only one chance to land a deciding blow for both parties, Ulfhild waited until the last moment to slide beneath the bear, plunging her wolf’s fang in the soft flesh of her gut as the bear charged and consequently disemboweled itself. Her own blood trickled down her face and body from injuries unaccounted for. A scream echoed through the wilds showing her triumph over the hunt once more. Her legs carried her to the defeated hunt where she would stop to pray to her gods and for the bear who gave its life to her so valiantly in defense of her kin. The rest of the day would be spent skinning for what she could salvage from the charred hide and packing the rest onto her sled that was a ways away. Ulfhild simply turned once more to look at the cave hoping the cubs could survive the winter, praying for them then setting off. 

Upon arrival to her home she was confused at the greeting of laughter and merriment. While there were times where they would have song and mead, those events were typically reserved for celebrations of their gods or the successful raids of Quentic lands. A bit annoyed that she wasn’t privy to this knowledge and the bath she so desperately needed, she sough to confront her father. Instead before she could make it even a meter from the entrance she was met by two very inebriated brothers she had the pleasure of sharing blood with. [color=3cb371]“Arvid, Haldor, what is the meaning of this?”[/color] The two [url= https://pin.it/71jT4J7]brothers[/url] who were practically twins, born just minutes within each other, were conjoined at the hip. Arms half wrapped around each other while they swayed back and forth spilling mead from their goblets all over themselves while singing some old folk song. [color=3cb371]“You two reek of piss and mead, now answer me before I stack both of you onto this hunt of mine.”[/color]

The song stopped with a frown, [color=black]“Uufhill-da, you made i-“[/color] Arvid burped, [color=black]“it sister, huwhy so grim?”[/color] Haldor finished. 

[color=3cb371]“Father didn’t speak of this to me before I left. Get out of my way you two and give me that”[/color] she scoffed, parting Arvid from his mead. She took a swig, spat it out, and threw the goblet behind her. She left the remains of the bear on her sled with confidence that her clansmen in the longphiurt would know no one else would be daring enough to attempt such a feat. She entered the longhouse where she was greeted by ravenous cheers at her arrival, with her father at the helm. There were assorted fruits, meats, and cheeses surrounding the table with an overflowing amount of mead. 

[i][b]“Welcome home Ulfhild! How did the hunt go?”[/b][/i]

[color=3cb371]“Sloppy, if my ragged vestments couldn’t tell you otherwise. Now what is going on?”[/color]

[i][b]“Oh my child, Brother and Father have brought us good news. Hrothgar has called for war and is calling upon all of Eskand to support him.”[/b][/i] 

She was a bit taken aback, she knew of Hrothgar, but never expected him to call upon them and their small village. [color=3cb371]“And what did you say?”[/color] 

[b][i]“I said yes of course, your brothers were the first to volunteer and they will make me and the Gods proud.”[/i][/b]

[color=3cb371]“You can’t expect me to stay here. I will fight for glory alongside them.”[/color] 

[i][b]“Father’s hammer of course!” He erupted with boisterous laughter, berry juice staining his beard a dark red. “I expect you and Sister to watch over them. You know they aren’t as smart as you.”[/b][/i]

Her father’s consignment put her at ease and let her tense body ease, allowing for the pain of her battle to seep in. Her legs buckled under her, forcing her to sit alongside her father with an attempt to gather herself. One deep breath pushed her back up and toward her room where she would rest a good while. 

Later that night after sharing in the festivities, bathing in the nearby lake, and tending to her wounds she had made it to a nearby temple that their clan had erected. She lay flowers in front of the statue of sister while she gripped Father’s hammer and her wolf totem in hopes her gods would hear her prayers and give her the strength to fulfill her role in the ensuing battle, along with the protection for her brothers. Statue after statue she prayed to the five gods before leaving and preparing for the journey ahead.[/color]
[hr]
[i][b]The Feast before War[/b][/i]

[color=gray]Ulfhild would have been delighted to take part in the feast, but her priorities eschewed her from them. The mead was good and the food even better, but while her brothers feasted she wanted to speak to Hrothgar himself. For a man she was about to risk her life for and the change of having glory, she wanted to speak to him first. If the legends were true he was a man considerable of the title and the armor that came with it. Perhaps she was being too critical or too used to ensuring that her plans were fleshed out with an inclusion of a contingency. She intruded in his planning, not before knocking of course, [color=3cb371]“Hrothgar, I am Ulfhild Ulven daughter of Ulfbjørn Ulven. I believe I could be of use to you in the upcoming battle”[/color] she said with a slight touch of pride, some might say arrogance.[/color] 
[hr]
[i][b]Drums of War[/b][/i] 

[color=gray]There was a tinge of excitement, half of her still wondering if this was real and the other half beginning to grow anxious. She had her fair share of excursions and raid’s but nothing compared to the grandeur presented before her. The air was thick was black smoke, to the point it felt intentional, like the spirit of Hrothgar was watching over his encampment. Banners of every sort with mascot a plenty flew across the fjord, some which she had never seen nor heard of. It’s what happens when you’re tucked away in your own hamlet thinking you knew the world. Her brothers didn’t share the same sentiment, the allure of etching your name in chronicles and legends was too great for any other point of reason and logic to enter and for that she was grateful. Arvid and Haldor were just a small representation of the war parties present. Hrothgar finally emerged, true to his name, dawned in all black armor. 

The waters seemed to calm almost instantly in wake of his voice. Everyone was silent, losing themselves in the conviction of his speech. The crescendo of his voice delivered the besmirching of their enemies that rallied the troops in their wooden seats. And there it was, the finale and the promise of Grønhalle. While the others cheered she stretched her vision to the steady approach and appearance of Cape Redame, most likely protected by men of Parrench. She grabbed her hammer necklace once more before steeling herself for the battle to come.[/color][/indent]