Glory of the Svartrsung

Glory of the Svartrsung: A GURPS Vikings One-Shot

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Norway. 939 A.D.

Jarl Olafir the Swineherd of the Svartrsung sends word to all the scattered farmsteads.

Jarl Brynjar One-Eye of the Gunnardung has challenged the clans to a great contest at his mighty hall Seggrhalla, by the little coastal town of Fiskrfjordr. Over the course of three days, teams will compete in running, spear-throwing, glima (wrestling), riddles, archery, hnefatafl (board games), lausatök (team unarmed combat), poetry, and hunting. All participants must compete in all contests. Nine finely-worked armbands of pure gold will be awarded. Their names are “Shining”, “Precious”, “Treasure”, “Freya’s Hair”, “Beautiful”, “Wonderful”, “Winding”, “Desire” and “Hero’s Portion”.

The Svartrsung have seen better days. You are proud descendants of Svartr Foe-Burster, trusted huscarl to Harold Fairhair, King of Norway. But today you are a small and unimportant family, doggedly hanging on to what remains of their ancestral territory. More powerful clans than yours plan to take those rings for their own glory. The Gunnardung, rich and powerful Vikings and traders. The Skogralfings, who carve their farmsteads out of the dark forest. The dour Halvordung of the frozen uplands. The islander Kjeldings, those lovers of the oar, whose eyes turn always to the sea.

Volunteers of good Svartrsung blood are to assemble at Jarl Olifir’s hall, Spjǫrheimili, on the first day of Sólmánuður, in the height of summer.

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Characters

Havardr inn Rakkr

("the Upright", also sometimes "inn Rakki", with the same meaning, but similar to rakki for "the Dog", and by extension "the Cur")

Attributes [180]
ST: 12 [20]​
DX: 13 [60]​
IQ: 14 [80]​
HT: 12 [20]​

Secondary Characteristics
HP: 12​
Will: 14​
Perception: 14
Fatigue Points: 12​

Basic Speed: 6.25​
Dodge: 9​
Basic Move: 6​
Basic Lift: 29​
Damage: 1d-1 t/1d+2 s​
Reaction bonus: 3 (+1 Status, +1 Reputation, +1 Attractive) (situational +4 from Lawspeaker)​

Social Background [17]
TL: 3 [0]​
Cultural Familiarity: Scandinavia [0]​
Languages​

• Norse: Native Speech, Writing [0]​
• Swedish: Accented Speech, Accented Writing [2]​
• Danish: Accented Speech, Broken Writing [3]​
• Latin: Accented Writing [2]

Wealth: Average [0]​
Status: 1 (old family) [5]​
Reputation: 1 (for honesty) [5]​

Advantages [44]
Appearance: Attractive [4]​
Empathy (roll against IQ to get a feeling for someone) [15]​
Talent: Lawspeaker 4 [20]​

• Small group talent: Area Knowledge, History, Law, Philosophy, Public Speaking, Writing. Provides a reaction bonus among other lawspeakers or when adjudicating matters of the law.​

Fit (+1 to HT rolls and recover FP at x2) [5]​

Disadvantages [-100]
Bad Temper (Make a self-control roll in any stressful situation. If you fail, you lose your temper and must insult, attack, or otherwise act against the cause of the stress.) [-10]
Code of Honor (Lawspeaker's) [-10]​

• The Viking Code of Honor, with the following addition: if a lawspeaker has adjudicated in good faith on a dispute or matter of law outside of a thing, another lawspeaker must not contradict it; the thing is the proper forum for disputes. To do otherwise is to besmirch the other's honor, do damage to one's own if the contradiction is weak or false, and invites feuding.​

Compulsive vowing [-5]
Duty (to Jarl Olifir, often) [-10]
Great Vow (and nothing but the truth) [-15]​

• A lawspeaker must give honest counsel regarding the law when asked in good faith, regardless of who asks. To fail to do so in informal conditions is still enough to do great damage to one's personal honor. To fail to do so when formally requested or during a thing, depending on the severity of the omission or falsehood, is punishable by death. Additionally, if formally requested by a person to whom homage is owed or during a thing, a lawspeaker must render honest testimony, with the same penalties for failing to do so.​

Honesty (must obey the law, and must assume others are similarly honest in this respect unless otherwise shown) [-10]​
Jealousy [-10]​
Obsession (get out from Stigandr's shadow) [-10]​
Selfish/Prideful (make a self-control roll whenever you experience a clear social slight) [-5]​
Sense of Duty (Svartrsung, large group) [-10]​
Truthfulness (make a self-control roll whenever you lie by omission, at -5 if you must tell the lie) [-5]​

Quirks [-5]
Pessimistic [-1]​
Sweet tooth [-1]​
Responsive (to the underdogs, weak, or otherwise overshadowed) [-1]​
Severe (resists carousing) [-1]​
Staid [-1]​

Skills [64]
Acrobatics (DX/H)-2 (11) [1]​
Animal Handling (IQ/A)-1 (13) [1]​
Area Knowledge (Norway) (IQ/E)+1 (19) (+4 from Lawspeaker] [2]​
Area Knowledge (Sweden) (IQ/E)+0 (18) (+4 from Lawspeaker] [1]​
Brawling (DX/E)+1 (14) [2]​
Climbing (DX/A)-1 (12) [1]​
Crewman/TL (IQ/E)+0 (14) [1]​
Diagnosis/TL (IQ/H)-2 (12) [1]​
Diplomacy (IQ/H)-2 (12) [1]​
First Aid/TL (IQ/E)+1 (15) [1]​
Games (hnefatafl) (IQ/E)+1 (15) [2]​
Hiking (HT/A)-1 (11) [1]​
History (Scandinavia) (IQ/H)+0 (18) (+4 from Lawspeaker) [4]​
Interrogation (IQ/A)-1 (13) [1]​
Jumping (DX/E)+0 (13) [1]​
Law (IQ/H)+1 (19) (+4 from Lawspeaker) [8]​
Literature (IQ/H)-2 (12) [1]​
Leadership (IQ/A)-1 (13) [1]​
Merchant (IQ/A)-1 (13) [1]​
Naturalist (IQ/H)-2 (12) [1]​
Navigation/TL (IQ/A)-1 (13) [1]​
Observation (IQ/A)+0 (14) [2]​
Philosophy (IQ/H)-2 (16) (+4 from Lawspeaker) [1]​
Physician/TL (IQ/H)-2 (12) [1]​
Public Speaking (IQ/A)+0 (18) (+4 from Lawspeaker) [2]​
Riding (DX/A)-1 (12) [1]​
Search (IQ/A)+0 (14) [2]​
Stealth (Dx/A)-1 (12) [1]​
Survival (Land) (IQ/A)+0 (14) [2]​
Swimming (HT/E)+0 (12) [1]​
Tactics (IQ/H)-1 (13) [2]​
Tracking (IQ/A)+0 (14) [2]​
Writing (IQ/A)-1 (17) (+4 from Lawspeaker) [1]​
Weapons
Axe/Mace (DX/A)-1 (12) [1]​
Spear (DX/A)+1 (14) [4]​
Broadsword (DX/A)-1 (12) [1]​
Shield (DX/E)+1 (14) [2]​
Bow (DX/A)+0 (13) [2]​
Thrown Weapon (Spear) (DX/E)+1 (14) [2]​

Possessions on person [WT 35]
Spear (DX+1) | DMG 1-h thr+2 imp/2-h thr+3 imp | WT 4 | ST 9 | $40
Spear (thrown) (DX+1) | DMG thr+3 imp | Acc 2 | Range x1/x1.5 | WT - | RoF 1 | Shots T(1) | ST 9
Longbow (DX+0) | DMG thr+2 imp | Acc 3 | Range x15/x20 | WT 3/0.1 | RoF 1(2) | Shots 1(2) | ST 11 | $200/$40 (20 arrows in hip quiver)
Large Shield (DX+1) | DB 3 | WT 25 | $90
Hip Quiver | Holds 20 arrows or bolts. | WT 1 | $15

Other possessions [WT 47.75]
Backpack, small | Holds 40 lbs. of gear. | WT 3 | $60
Blanket | A warm sleeping blanket | WT 4 | $20
Candle, Tallow | Smoky! Lasts 12 hrs. | WT 1 | $5
Personal Basics | Minimum gear for camping: -2 to any Survival roll without it. Includes utensils, tinderbox or flint and steel | WT 1 | $5
Lantern | Burns for 24 hours on 1 pint of oil. | WT 2 | $20
Oil (1) | For lantern. | WT 1 | $2
Rope, 3/8”, 10 yds | Supports 300 lbs. | WT 1.5 | $5
Cord, 3/16” | Supports 90 lbs. | WT 0.5 | $1
Tent, 1-Man | Includes ropes; no poles needed | WT 5 | $50
Sleeping Fur | Warm unless wet | WT 8 | $50
Traveler’s Rations (5) | One meal of dried meat, cheese, etc. | WT 2.5 | $10
Bandages (2) | Bandages for a half-dozen wounds. Clean cloth. Basic equipment for First Aid skill. | WT 4 | $20
Whetstone | For sharpening tools and weapons. | WT 1 | $5
Wineskin | Holds 1 gallon of liquid (8 lbs. if water) | WT 0.25 | $10
Wax Tablet | For writing; erasable. | WT 2 | $10
Arrows (20) | WT 2 | $40
(strapped to the backpack with cordage)
Spear (DX+1) (2) | DMG 1-h thr+2 imp/2-h thr+3 imp | WT 8 | ST 9 | $80

Pouch or Purse, Small | Holds 3 lbs (can contain equivalent of $212 in coins) | $10.