When Saga and Sasha arrived at the longhouse after their visit to the Hall of Gods Saga found that Attrids longhouse was one of the biggest buildings in the outer section of the city. It had to span at least 30 meters, with a massive curved and sloped roof that reminded Saga of the shape of a upside down Viking ship. Massive pillars of some kind of dark oak held it up, with walls made out of sheared lumber and red, burnt clay. The house also seemed to have been partially dug out of the ground rather then being built on top of foundations out of rock and lumber.
“Is that a ship?” Saga wondered out loud as they came down the street, the berserkers eyes all but glued to the the quite impressive building. IT wasn't as big as the Hall of Gods by any means, but it was a mightily impressive building none the less. And they were growing more and more aware that they had lucked into a group of very powerful friends.
“It was.” Vetra said with a hint of amusement at the wide eyed wonder on Sagas face. The halfgiant always enyoyed playing tourist guide and took the opportunity to teach her new charge more about her world. “One of the ships that the first northern human arrived in, if the tales are to be believed.” She said, motioning the ship turned roof.
As soon as the three of them passed the threshold to the grounds in front of the house, a prompt appeared for Saga.
{ You have entered the grounds of Clan Angar. As an ally and friend, you gain a +15 percent bonus to recovery and the rested status should you sleep within said grounds boundaries. }
Around them the preparations for the feast was in full swing. Several large cauldrons was being heated over fire as various men and women that Saga assumed where chefs were stirring boiling soups and broths and stews for what must be a pretty sizable gathering. A large half giant woman and a dwarf were pushing a large wagon full of casks and at one end of the yard a pair of young folk were tuning instruments while a slender, rakishly handsome man was doing vocal exercises.
Olaf came walking out of the longhouse almost as soon as the Saga and the others had made it through the gate. He was out of his armor and had cleaned himself up quite a bit. He wore a large blue tunic and his red bushy beard and wild hair had been combed and braided to near perfection. He still carried his axe in a loop on his belt, but otherwise, he looked less the warrior and more the son of a powerful player in the city. The change was quite startling and Saga actually took a lap around him, eyes narrow.
“You look so strange, not dressed in armor or covered in blood and mud.” They said to a chuckle from Olaf.
“I take it you came directly from the Hall of Gods?” He asked which immediately made Saga realized that they hadn’t stopped to properly clean up. Vetra had clearly taken the time while they and Sasha talked to the goddess. But right now both Saga and Sasha looked somewhat in need of a hot bad and some quality time with a comb. Saga especially.
“Yeah. I was going to ask if you know a place were I can find a bathhouse and someone good with a pair of scissors” Saga said and remembered how divine it had felt to relax in a heated pool some weeks earlier. Sasha seemed to agree, as she inspected her own clothes and made a face of disapproval at he state she was in.
“We have a large bath in one of the smaller houses. You are welcome to it. As for your hair, would you trust my little sister? She did mine.” He pointed to his head and the very neat, very proffesional looking braids. Saga was more suprised by the notion of Olaf having a sister. They weren't sure exactly why this came as odd to them. Most people here seemed to live in large families from what they had seen so far.
“You have a sister?” They asked and Olaf grinned.
“I have 3 sisters to be exact Two younger, one older. And two younger brothers. I got a pretty big family as you are about to become very aware of. Both my brothers are out at sea however, and are not expected to be back weeks. Yrsa is the youngest and the only one of us to not take up arms and walk in our parents footsteps. She is more of a mercantile persuasion” He said and Saga found that hard to believe. They had seen what Olafs father looked like, and apparently his mother was just as brawly and big. How his family could be anything but warriors in a world such as this confused them more then they cared to admit.
As if called by someone mentioning her, a pale, ginger haired woman came strolling purposefully towards them. She was dressed in a blue, long dress made out of wool as seemed to be the fashion for the most part around these parts. It had some very fine, gold and green embroidery in complicated, hexagonal patterns that all but the arms. Her hair was fixed in a very complicated braid that had been rolled up and fixed with two carved pieces of bone.
“Brother, have you seen the brats. I swear I looked away for a second..” She stopped as she saw Saga, and her eyes lit up like she just saw a mountain of gold.
“By Beska, is this your new friend?” She inquired and Saga found themselves the subject of an incredibly intense stare. Much like they had walked around Olaf, it was Sagas turn to be scrutinized. She didn’t much care for it, but fair was fair. The woman stalked around them, staring Saga up and down, taking them in and judging them from the look on her face.
“Yrsa, this is Saga. Saga, this is Yrsa.” Olaf said while trying to keep a straight face. Sasha and Vetra both gave Saga a thumbs up as they were circled like a swimmer who just jumped into a school of sharks.
“Nice to meet you” Saga gave the the woman a smile and she stopped. Straightening up she held Sagas gaze untill Saga was wondering if they had made some terrible mistake. They shifted nervously from foot to foot until finally Yrsa spoke again.
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“What happened to your hair.” Yrsa's words were thoughtful and not at all approving. Saga ran a hand trough their greasy, matted hair and winced as it was all trussed up and messy.
“My hair? I mean. I only really got to bathe twice in two weeks.” Saga said with a sigh and was going to say something more when they were cut off again.
“We have to fix that. And get you something tailored.” Yrsa tapped her chin as she seemed to try and figure out exactly what to get Saga.
“Ah. I was going to later.” Saga began, hoping to keep Yrsa from running away with the situation. Saga didn't want to impose themselves to much and the whole buying them a outfit if need be was a lot to take in.
“Do you prefer trousers or skirts, dresses or tunics?” Yrsa produced a small bit of parchment and a stylus of some sort as she started to jot her observations down.
“I. Well I am actually rather fond of thick long skirts?” Saga said, hesitating a bit as they did not know exactly where this was leading.
“You do look like the skirt-wearing kind.” Yrsa nodded to herself.
“I do?” Saga raised a single eyebrow at that.
“Mhm. I know these things.” Yrsa continued as she began to take quick measurements of Saga before they could escape to the bathhouse.
“She does?” They looked to Olaf who grinned and gave them a shrug, indicating that they should just roll with it.
“She does.” Vetra confirmed.
“Well. Good. I’ll have a skirt?”
“You will indeed. One that is practical and of fine quality but screams “Getting me angry will end your life.”
“How does one do that with a skirt?”
“Trust me. I am a wizard.” she said and Sagas eyes widened. They turned to Olaf for confirmation.
“She is?”
“No. She just knows every tailor and clothier in the north. She trades in fabrics our brothers bring home.” Olaf assured Saga with a chuckle.
“I see..”
“Now. Both of you come with me.” She said and pointed to Sash as well. Sasha blinked and was about to say something but thought better of it when Yrsa raised a single eyebrow at her.
“Alright. I wont say no to a hot bath.” Sasha shrugged with her hands held at her sides in surrender. Yrsa nodded her approval as she clearly did not allow any arguments on the matter. She grabbed both Saga and Sasha by the arms, and tugged the two warriors away to a smaller building that lay the side and further in. It made Saga realize just how big this compound of Attrid was. The large house was the front facing building but there were several smaller building behind it. It felt as if this small part of the city was entirely Attrids. Halfway towards what appered to be thier private little bathhouse, two young boys ran up to meet them. The boys both had light brown skin and brown eyes, but where one had had short, dark brown hair the other had a mop of unruly and frizzy red hair. Both were so caked in mud they might as well have been mud elementals. “Mom. Mom. We found one of the pigs was on the loose, we wrestled him back in the pen.”” The redheaired one exclaimed, holding out his hand as if expecting a reward. Saga knew the execution of a 12 years old ‘grand plan’ when she saw one and had to stiffle a laugh. The boys mother was less pleased as Yrsa took a step back before her son could get the mud all over her dress.
“Arlan. Orm. Was this pig in fact, not out of the pen when you found it?” She said, eyes sharp and judging. The two boys stopped grinning and blanched visibly. As if they didn't not understand how their mastercraft of a plan had been twarthed so easily.
“No?” Arlan, the redheaded kid said. But the trepidation and the way he fidgeted gave him away immediately. Saga laughed softly as Yrsa rubbed her temples and gave the two kids a look perfected over many generations of tired parents admonishing their kids.
“Alran. You take your brother go find your Father and let him use his magic to hose you off. Then you do not go by any pigpen or similair animal pen , to our house and switch into something clean. No buts or ifs. Go. Now.” The last part was delivered with the kind of sharp tone that every childs mind associated with immidiete trouble. The two kids made for a quick exit, yelling for their dad to save them. Yrsa rubbed the bridge of her nose but had a smile on her lips.
“They are gonna grow up to be absolute menaces.”
“Aren’t they already?” Sasha asked with a smile and Yrsa scoffed.
“True. But they haven’t figured out how to keep a straight face or stop fidgeting when put on the spot yet.”
“Oh. Right. They have yet to learn how to properly lie.”
“As I said. They are gonna be absolute menaces.” She pointed to a house where steam was pouring from holes in the wall right wher it met the roof. “You can go over there,. The bath is already going since we have a lot of othes friends who might also need a quick bath from their travels.” Yrsa all but shoo’d them ahead of her as she headed towards the little house. And neither of them protested as they headed for that sweet, warm water.
They had made themselves more then worthy of some relaxation.