The Saga of RU-Gar, son of Vokan the Thunderwatcher

FIRST BLOOD:

It was the end of winter, the days getting longer and the nights less bitter, when the untested heroes were called to the longhouse by Jarl Vokan the Thunderwatcher.   OOgnar the Strong and his brother, Agnar, the Puny; Varkun the Treehugger; Kol-den the Bear; Æsa the Skald; and their leader RU-gar the Brave, first son of Vokan.  

The heroes shook the snow from their furs and took up seats at the Jarl’s table, where a feast was laid out the likes they never ate.  They were given mugs of the finest of ales they ever drank.  Only after all had ate and drank their fill did the mighty Jarl call to his greatest advisers; Krag Stoneeye, the Blood Hawks mightiest warrior, and Mara Windwhisper, his most trusted scout.  Mara told of a Fruztii scouting party that were brazenly camped at Trazzi Pass.

The Jarl turned his battle-scarred face to his son, RU-gar and asked him to take his trusted friends and attack the Fruztii and kill all but two.  “Find out why they are here and send them back to their tribe with their tails between their legs so they can remind their clan that the Corusk Mountains belong to the Blood Hawks.”

With mugs lifted in the air the heroes did cry death to the interlopers by the blue boots of Kord!

Trazzi Pass was but a stroll from the village and with RU-Gar leading they arrived before the sun was at its peak. Agnar the Puny scouted ahead and came back and told of 25 (11) Fruztii in a somewhat fortified camp along with a half-man with orange hair. He said the wear no clan markings, no banner marking them Fruztii except for their darken skin and style of leathers.  What sort of men are these with no clan?  Agnar told of a fine Winter Warg also in camp, a pelt the color of the Grendep Bay during winter.

Without hesitation RU-Gar ordered his warriors to first take out the guards and the attack the camp.  Bravely the heroes moved forward and OOgnar the Strong scrambled up the embankment like a mountain goat. He brought his mighty axe down upon the head of the Fruztii cleaving his skull in two. The sound of axe to bone alerted the camp.  With the sound of the War Gong, RU-Gar raised his great sword and called his warriors to battle! 

There was one of the Fruztii that was known to the Blood Hawks, a young berserker called as Ravki the Young who stowaway at 14 suns to the spring raids.  That was two seasons ago and he has only grown stronger with the red rage. He turned from his argument with the half-man with orange hair, hefted his battle axe and roared a challenge to RU-Gar. 

Kel-den the Bear jumped into the frey his battle axe high above his head, his axe bit deep and the Fruztii head did fly.

Agnar the Puny, used his short swords like Krag had shown him…once in the stomach and one in the groin…and down another warrior went.  He shoved his swords in the snow and pulled his bow eye the Warg who was running toward the fray.

Swords and axes clashing, the Fruztii fell like young saplings and Æsa and Varkun were called upon to knit only minor wounds.  True to their word, they let one Fruztii go and kept another for questioning along with the half-man.

After taking one look at RU-Gar the Fruztti dropped to his knees and told him that they were trying to make a deal with the half-man who know a way West to untapped lands ripe with riches. The half-man said that the Fruztii were to protect him and he would show them the way to the West.  This half-man disrespected RU-Gar who made the very wise decision to gag the half-man with orange hair with a boot.

The heroes plundered the camp for gold (105) and vials of unknown substance (Raider Powder); the great axe of Ravki the Young (Kol-den) the pelt of the Winter Warg (cloak Kol-den and belt for Æsa). There was parchment and Varkun showed the heros ship drawings, but no long ship ever built.  The Fruztti said that their leader had made a deal with a Shanai ship builder named Oobet, a traitor to his clan, to build them this ship so they could launch an exploration to the West. 

With the Fruztti camp burning behind them and blood staining their furs and weapons, the young heroes made their way back to their Jarl to tell the tale of their successful first raid under the leadership of his son, RU-Gar the Brave.

The Jarl was most impressed by their victory for the clan and RU-Gar and his warriors reveled in his praise.  The half-man with orange hair said his name was Abek Wolfbane, and the Thunderwatcher told the sharp tongue stranger to watch his words, or he would be half-man with no head.

Jarl Volkan gave his son a new quest, take up the Fruztti quest of guarding the half-man with the orange hair and find new lands to pillage and bring glory to the tribe.  RU-Gar looked over his band of warriors and knew he had chosen well. That night there was much drinking and toasting about what was and what will be for the Blood Hawks.

The next morning the Jarl called Uu-Gar and his warriors to him and told RU-Gar to go to Knudje ahead of him and the other leaders and find OObet the Wild. Enlist him to build the ship.  Half-man the Orange was to come as well and once the ship was built he would lead RU-Gar west. 

RU-Gar and his followers never had ventured to the Schnai city and with the Corsuk Mountains to their back they followed the road through the Spiky Forest. 

The first Schnai they encountered was a tinker.  He was not the well ladened tinkers that came to the Blood Hawk clan in the summer months, but, like all his kind, he was friendly and liked to chat.  OOgnar bought some divination bones and began to throw them while RU-Gar talked to the tinker and Varkun talked to the tinker’s donkey. He told RU-Gar that three Jarls were already in town. RU-Gar bid him good travel as he led his party forward.

Ever vigilant RU-Gar saw the bandits in the woods long before their leader stepped out.  Agnar the Puny melted in the woods and RU-Gar continued down the road to meet this outcast of his tribe.

He wanted RU-Gar to pay a toll, RU-Gar said no, and hit him in the head and smote the bandit down.  The other bandits came out of the trees and RU-Gar the generous gave them silver and food and they called his praises as he led his brave warriors into Knudie.