[center][b]Ards[/b][/center]

[b]X) Send scouts into that forest to find out more about whatever killed the lumberjacks, and H) Expand Military[/b]

[hider=Preparations for War]
When they heard word about the fate of the missing lumberjacks, every last one of the Ards was enraged. It would seem that there were some sort of hostile skraelings after all! Danr had been right to think to look for the skraelings, yet that thought brought him no satisfaction. It only made him angry now that he knew that if he had looked harder, perhaps those lumberjacks wouldn't have been caught by surprise and slain.

In any case, he needed to retaliate. They all wanted revenge, and if Danr looked weak by refusing to fight, they would shove a knife into his throat and find a new chieftain. So, he would retaliate all right...but he wouldn't be a fool about it. Clearly whatever things killed the lumberjacks had weapons and there could be thousands of them. Danr decided that he would send some of his best hunters, along with several beastmasters. There would be 15 men and 12 wolves going, split evenly into three groups. Aside from the wolves, they would of course be armed with bows and their choice of what axes and knives the tribe had to offer. Their goals would be simple: find out what killed the lumberjacks, where they lived, how many of them were out there, what weapons they had, and so on. If at all possible they were also to find the missing lumberjacks whose bodies weren't found, in addition to capturing one of the skraelings and bringing it back for questioning.

It was a lot to ask for and it was dangerous work, but that was why they would split into three groups. They wouldn't be far apart, so if one was attacked and the other two heard, they quickly come to help. Being separated would also make them able to more effectively and quickly do what needed to be done.

The tribe wasn't as big as they once were, but Danr knew that they could all fight like devils. They were no strangers to war. But before they attacked the skraelings, they would need more than the few rusty old weapons and pieces of armor that they had brought to this new land. While the scouts were away, the Ards would put to use their new smithy and the shipments of metal coming from the mine. The smiths would make armor, weapons, and arrows for as many warriors as they could. When the scouts came back, Danr and his warriors planned on being ready to attack their enemies.[/hider]

[b]X) Accept Father Frost's Offer[/b]

[hider=Ragnal the Godi]

When it became apparent that Ragnal was the only one to successfully communicate with Father Frost, he was quickly bestowed with the ancient title of Godi. While some suspected that he had made up the story and many others were wont to give him a position of power, Danr believed Ragnal. Some of the other elders would still pray and try to communicate with Father Frost, of course. Perhaps they too could become Godis in time.

However, for now they would have Ragnal as the tribe's representative to the gods. After a long discussion at the meeting, it was agreed upon to accept Father Frost's offer. There were many omens at play: the snows were already coming in, showing that Father Frost still held power in this land and that he might very well return. The Leviathan showed the Ards that though they were mighty and had a great destiny, there would some forces too great to be overcame and they would need the help of the gods. Finally, the recent attack of the lumberjacks had showed them that there would be war on this land too. Just as Father Frost had blessed them and allowed them to thrive in their war-torn, frozen homeland, he could help them here.

As the stone statue of Father Frost was finally completed, they hauled it to the shrine and placed it on top of the altar. Animal blood was smeared on the stone slab and allowed to freeze into red hoarfrost. Then they gave the usual offerings of food. With that, Ragnal hoped to gain Father Frost's attention once more. He would tell the god of ice that they would serve him and become his chosen once more. While the Godi did not dare to ask favors of the god so soon, the tribe was secretly hoping that he might aid them in the battle to come with the skraelings, or at least tell them of their enemies.[/hider]
[hider=Summary]
-Three groups of scouts were sent to where the lumberjacks died, each group having five armed men and four wolves. They want to find basic information about whatever killed the lumberjacks, and if possible rescue the missing ones or capture one of the enemies for questioning.
-While they do that, the Ards are making weapons and armor with the metal coming from their mine.
-Ragnal is going to try to talk to Father Frost once again and say that they have accepted his offer and will become his chosen people once again.[/hider]