The Ballad of Bjorn the Berserker: Return of vi King

[cullam]

It's been like two years since I tried this, and I thought i might make a fresh go of it, with the amount that's changed in the game since my last hurrah. Bjorn the second was doing quite well at 65 days into the game, after some harrowing adventures, but I barely remember what he was up to.
So, here's the challenge:

Bjorn is a mighty warrior, who only eats raw meat. So yes, he will be dealing with food poisoning, constantly.

He can drink water, and potions that he brews - tea and coffee included.

He only wears skins. No artificial clothing of any kind!

Stalker difficulty (I'm not nearly good enough to try this on interloper yet)

Using Snow walker, Free runner, Efficient Machine

Bjorn the Third, Day One

As the mighty sound of the battle trumpets fade, Bjorn stands up from the snow, his trip from Valhalla complete. His skin is wrapped in cloying fibers, which he immediately sheds. Gathering his bearings, he is in a clearing full of dear, half way up the mighty mountain. He ponders. To start his journey with the trek of the valiant, towards the height of glory would be a grand take to tell... He decides to go for it! The mountain top contains riches for those who brave it's peaks - even for a mighty warrior who has no use for the paltry fabrics and meager snacks of modern life.

Almost the first thing he encounters are the sacred mushrooms; the key to his sleeping drug, and the one thing he must never leave behind. He gathers the fungi, and then immediately hears the bark of some beast. He'd best be on his way. Making a quick path across to the mountainside, the beast is soon distracted by easier prey. Bjorn gathers some sticks, then uses his great strength to climb the rope.

Freezing, he enters the cave. Even with his bedroll, the cave is too cold to rest, but he makes a fire, to take the torches he will need. In the cave is a bounty of firewood; this will serve him well at the top! Hoping for the best, he sets enough of a fire to warm himself, then gathers as much sleep as he may.

As expected, he wakes up freezing, but has not been so for long. The journey must continue! Being so fresh a warrior, and so lightly burdened, he makes the great climb to the top in one uninterrupted assent! But he has only the flimsiest little matches with which to start a fire, and alas by the time he finally gets one to catch, the cold has entered his very bones. The journey from the mountain will be a hardship...

As hoped, there are fine tools, befitting a warrior, the remnants of a thunder staff, and even a selection of furs! Some day, Bjorn shall make a fine set of clothes from these! He stokes his fire high, and takes his rest, while there is still food in his stomach. Once it is gone, there shall be no more, until he can find his first kill.

He wakes with his fire having gone out. Did he err in his building of it?? There's no time to wonder, the freezing is upon him, and he must fly to the shelter below. He drinks his fill of water, places charges in the thunder staff, and proceeds to scurry down the mountain side. The cold is biting, and by the time he reaches the lake, his vision is fading. He stabs himself, just to feel alive, but the darkness in his vision means he cannot see the wolf that he knows stalks him. His hands can barely hold his staff, and his attempts to fell the creature are of no avail. Brandishing his axe, like a true viking, Bjorn makes for battle, but falls...

The trumpets call him to Valhalla. Mayhaps Bjorn the 4th shall prove stronger and wiser...

[cullam]

Bjorn the Fourth, Day 1:

Bjorn awakens in a cold marsh, and quickly sheds his funeral pall. The closest shelter is the great red boxes, but there are beasts on all sides! A pack of wolves stalks, just across the ice. But to go around them, he must sneak past a mighty bear. In a low crouch, he passes as near the bear as he may dare. The wolves are getting closer, and he makes a break for it. He can hear the bear's roar behind him, but if the beast gives chase, then it appears that Bjorn was the faster.

The box cars contain feeble cloths, not befitting a mighty warrior, but lo! There is a tool of value here. This saw may fell trees, and carve meat. It takes Bjorn 4 tries to start a fire with these flimsy matches, but eventually, he is warming himself. He brandishes a torch, and makes haste towards the cabin of a lowly trapper. But upon exiting the tunnel, his path is blocked by a wolf. To the great camp house instead!

The house provides little of value, and is too cold to be of much comfort, without a fire. Bjorn sleeps an hour by the fire, but then must be about his way. Winds howl, as great gusts of snow shake from the skies. While a coward may think twice about running naked through whatever wrath the gods may throw down, Bjorn streaks through the snow, towards the cabin. The path is clear of wolves, after all!

His way zigs and zags more than a wise man might, but he eventually reaches the cabin, feeling in very poor health, but having picked several mushrooms along the way. Once he finds succor, he shall be able to draft his potions, to keep the daemons at bay. But his belly is not yet empty, and the cabin is cozy. The locked box reveals a truly beautiful pair of boots, but not one befitting a warrior. There is little of interest, but some pots, fire wood, and a snare. Bjorn sleeps away his injuries, and awakens, ready for the new day.

Day 2:

 As morning arrives, Bjorn boils water and brews potions, awaiting the passing of a storm. The grace of his feasting in Valhalla has run out, so running out tackle to the cold would not be wise, until he is sure that he can feed himself, to recover his strength. As the storm eases, he travels to the north. Perhaps great dam would be a place worth visiting? And there are fine rest stops along the way.

Quite soon, Bjorn encounters a welcome site: a deer, lying slain upon the snow. The wolves have stripped much of it, but there is sustenance to be found yet! Plus, if Bjorn wishes to protect his progeny from the cold, he must gather materials to cover himself. He builds a fire, and is to work, with his saw. Then, the northward path, he resumes.

He comes to a small hunting shelter. Just as he is approaching it, he hears a might roar! A bear is coming for him! He quickly ascends the steps, and is safe... for the moment. But what should he find? Ha! A bow, with an arrow ready to go, practically notched, and calling his fingers! He lets fly, and the arrow lodges itself deep within the bear's skull. The beast does not fall, but it's run of terror gives Bjorn all the time he needs to move on to his next shelter.

Upon warming up, the winds are whipping again. However, back by the hunter's hovel, there was another deer upon the ice. With the weather being what it is, it would be death to skin it; but to butcher the creature could be a worthwhile endevour... Bjorn quickly makes his way, and recovers a kg of meat, enough to have been worth the trip. He scurries back to his shelter.

While it is true that Bjorn's belly is pinched with hunger, his strength has not yet faltered. Maybe it's not time to indulge himself, just yet. The weather is still deadly, but it should keep the hounds at bay. The brave warrior decides to warm himself, and press forward! There is little to be found at the huts of the loggers, but a brief rest from the cold, and a lantern. The storm passes, leaving only the dark night, but Bjorn believes himself to have strength enough to continue. It would be well to sleep in the dam tonight.

Keen ears sweep the night, listening for any sign of wolf, but the darkness is truly empty. Bjorn arrives at the dam, tired, and truly in need of looking after his health. But curses, the night is too cold, even in the shelter of the dam. So Bjorn must retire to the nearby trailer, to face his night terrors.

The time has come. Glory awaits the bold.

Bjorn's stomach bursts into flame, as the cold venison plunges down like a rock into frigid waters. He devours every morsel that he has, then drinks deeply of the potion. He falls into sleep, as the night terrors consume him.

 

[cullam]

Bjorn the Fourth, Day 3 + 4:

After waking shortly before the terrors cease, Bjorn makes a quick trip to start exploring the dam. He has recovered none of his strength, but will need to be tired enough to do so. Between poking around the ancient structure, and getting a final restful sleep, the days are uneventful. He skins another deer, and harvests the flesh of another. Having survived his first ordeal of the flesh, the time has come to form a plan. Bjorn must gain a steady supply of food, and start gathering the means to make clothes. Arrows would be a great asset, but t'is a long journey with many perils. So first, Bjorn will make camp around the lake, fishing and trying to outfox wolves, to cease their kills. A difficult week lies ahead...

[tulkawen]

I remember you doing this challenge. It seems super hard to be poisoned day and night, however, Bjorn is quite the character! Best of luck to him braving the wilds once more. 😀

[cullam]

Bjorn the Fourth... Day 45

Bjorn's time in this world has been... harrowing. He eats one meal every 3 days, to stretch out his time between the nightmares as well's he may, but it means he spends many of his days weakened to a husk of a viking. He has woken up from his terrors at but a single percent of his health, desperate to find the bed again to slumber. He has wrestled wolves, desperate to plunder them of their flesh, but leaving their fowl tainted meat to rot. But at last, a mighty milestone has been pushed aside: Bjorn is wearing mittens and hat of rabbit fur, boots and pants of dear, and hide of a wolf adorns his chest. The very day he was to complete his wolfen coat, the snake-bite of frost struck his bare arms. He'd assumed a warm night asleep in a tower would cure his chilled limbs, but it was not the case, and the morning air quickly robbed him of the feeling in his right arm, once and for all.

But on the 45th day, he has his coat. He has two bear hides curing, waiting to make another, even finer. He shall make for the mighty ship, truly a warrior's resting place, to forge arrow heads, to feed his great hunger. Traveling without being able to carry any food has left him needing to constantly be ready to make a kill. But with his full suit of fine furs, and soon a wealth of arrows, he shall soon be a true warrior, ready to take on this world as it finds him. Maybe he'll find a small thunder staff. His next needs are a fine pack, to carry his gear, and spikes for his feet, to help him trudge through the endless snows. The world is dark, and cold, and full of mushrooms. Onward warrior. To go viking, we must.