yay! thank u frame work people..
*I sit down in the shelter huddled up with killer for warmth, and proceed to pour him some mead in a little hole in the ground.. (viking dogs drink too) then prop myself up with my back to the sea to keep a look out over the land and along the beach. trying to decide whether to sleep now or keep watch..

the mead is kicking in though and I grow very tired, and being all uber-viking strong.. the sound of crashing thunder soothes and relaxes me. I tell killer to keep watch.

"I will stand guard first round along with others, any volunteers?

"We should finish setting up camp and get some rest!"

I begin to cut branches of pine and fix them to the roof of our shelter for some extra cover. I believe that such a vicious storm is a sign from the Gods. We should call on the wisdom of Thor and ask for his guidance in exploring OUR new home and ask for his blessings along the way.
BUT just in case we are what bring this storm we should be ready for whatever the gods are attempting to throw at us.

I begin to ask for the guidance from Thor and for a message of what it is that displeases him, and what we can do to appease him.

"Watchmen and women Keep your weapons near and be ready for anything ya drunken louses!"

I'll take 2nd watch.

I could really do with some food right now. My clothes have started to dry out a bit but now the hunger is setting in with a vengeance.

Maybe I could go and hunt for some wild boar or whatever is around here before my watch starts...

I pull out a bit of my dried food and hand it to doggy.
"I know it isn't much, but it'll tide you over until the morning. Its best we stick together tonight, who knows what the gods have inline for us...."

*Grabs knife and stands watch with MBK*

"So, lovely weather we're having, eh?"

since MBK and xiatethebish have the first watch...I'll head off to hunt some food with you, and take the 2nd watch. *i tighten my armor, grab my bow & arrows, and my sword.

The thought of a roasted boar or other animal filling me with anticipation.

*nevermind, lol. overhears MBK and decide that maybe it would be better to hunt when we can actually see where we're going.

I return to my previous position, of my ears alert and my eyes keen on the woods...except this time, i have my weapons close.

Takes the dried food gratefully from MBK and I start munching...

"Thanks MBK, I was starting to feel pretty faint then, but this is going to give me the energy I need to hunt with Rambo" (how cool does that sound, hunting with Rambo?!)

Hey doggy, i thought the temptation and the eating of the dried food was going to keep you at the camp. As i didn't want to venture out into the woods alone. But yea, if you down to do some hunting, i say lets go. We can stay within earshot of MBK and xiatethebish.

"I'd encourage everyone to stay close. We don't know what's out there, and any accidents will be worse at night--both for you, and for anyone trying to rescue you. Yes, we'll need food, but no one will starve overnight."

Presuming the shelter is complete, I curl up with some warm bodies and rest.

"wake me up if something happens or if help is later needed with 2nd watch"

*passes out with thoughts of Mead and adventures in this new land on my mind*

Hello? Anyone here?
Where the hell did they all go?

Is there anyone else waiting around to travel? I mean, I see the hundreds of people lining the dock, still, but they seem more like an angry mob than explorers.
If not, it's pretty ok; my items cover it.

#1: My three imported slave children from the Southern lands. They can row the boat and I can shout things like "Faster!" and "One handed!"

#2: A book. Surely there was more than just the one book in Viking times? I'm not sure what's in the local library but just get me something from non-fiction.

#3:
That sword that I... um.. inherited from my father. Yeah.

[Hopefully, three slave children come as a bundle]

#4: A large ham, smothered in preservative herbs.

#5: A large pouch of the finest Durban Poison? I hear the Vikings were well established traders with the South African port towns; Durban, especially...

Any ideas of wandering off alone to hunt in a dark, unknown forest on a beach during a thunderstorm (as cool and well thought out as that may sound) are set aside as the storm hits.

The winds are fiercely pounding the shore. Boat #1 is driven up the beach and onto the sand by a huge wave. Any fresh water in it has been ruined by the ocean. The other boats are all over the place, but you can see that you would definitely have lost them all if no one had drug them up further. You are forced to take turns holding your roof items down so they will not be blown into the sea.

Lightning is striking in the forest, you can hear the trees shatter as they are hit. Thunder booms immediately following the flashes, keeping anyone who wanted to sleep quite awake. The animals are huddled close to you as well, and so the smell is fantastic. Sixteen dirty sweaty Vikings, a wet dirty dog and a wet dirty pig all in the space designed for twelve. Even more like Viking sex than ever before!

Somehow through it all, you do manage to get a couple of hours of sleep, though it was not very good sleep and you all are going to be on edge and tired in the morning.

After what seems like an eternity, the storm finally passes over your island and heads south. It is very late as this happens, and despite any best attempts at keeping a useful watch, you all fall asleep.

At about 9 am the first stirrings appear as the dog heads out to take a piss. As the camp begins to rouse itself, you painfully stand and stretch. Maybe this trip was a mistake. Who knows?

When you go out to the beach, you see:

Boat #1, stuck high up on the beach, 1/2 full of seawater.

Boat #3 swamped where you left it. The top of it is peeking out of the water.

Boat #4 upside down near where you left it.

Someone eventually notices that boat #2 is not to be seen on the beach at all.

Discuss

"I suggest that we form parties. First party should immediately begin scouting for a more protected location. Party 2 should focus on shoring up and expanding this shelter to better accomodate all of us. Party 3 should scout out for some food, and see if they can find our missing boat. Party 4, get the boats safe and secure (ie, empty out the water, make any repairs. Please chime in on which party you'd like to be part of, and identify if I'm missing anything. I'll pitch in with the party scouting for a new site.

Or, tell me to bugger off and we can wander around aimlessly as individuals. Either way."

By some miracle (thanks Odin), everything that was brought ashore is still there - in other words, everyone still has all of the items they started with.

So no one has to focus on looking for anything that may be missing, because nothing is. Except of course for boat #2.

Suebesdottir volunteers to help securing the boats you do have and making repairs. It will take at least 4 people to get the three boats back into functionality, and that will take several hours assuming the boats are not heavily damaged.

Jerry volunteers to help look for boat #2. Anything to get away from that damn pig.

Where the hell is our boat? This must be the sign I asked for last night, but what does it mean. I hear maven talk about splitting up into groups and I volunteer to go search the woods for the boat and see what I can find. Anyone else (besides Jerry) wanna help?

I'm back. What did I miss?

Read Jerry, read.

I will join Party #3.

In the interest of moving things along, I'll check back later on and if not everyone is in a group, I'll put them in one.

*starts looking for boat # 2*

If that pig bothers me again, then we're all gonna be eating that thing for dinner tonight, I promise you that!

*pats sword handle*