[CaptainofDespair]

War. Brodda, like all the others who were in the hall, had heard the Elves’ summons. After mulling it over a bit in his mind, keeping it safely locked away from the ears of his enemies and allies, the young man began what called his ‘tour’. Usually there wasn’t much to this, besides gathering information from his rivals that his master, Uldor, the eldest of Ulfang’s sons, might find useful for one plot or another.

Scheming was always best left to Uldor, though Brodda himself was quite capable in his own right. He preferred not to have the huntsman’s axe fall on his own neck if something went a foul and he was fingered as the brain behind it all. At least Uldor, as the son of the chief of chieftains, could avoid punishment by virtue of his station. Though, most of the Ulfings with power dared not to look into Uldor’s dealings to begin with. They often sensed there was one disturbing event or another behind that veil of shadows, and would prefer to be able to sleep at night…and wake in the morning.

But Brodda, as his lord’s favored servant, played at least a decent role in the plots. He was a listener, something any good opportunist must be able to do. A good number of Ulfing vassals were always present in Ulfang’s hall, and out of those several were drunkards. These men were easy pickings for the crafty Brodda, though they were not much of a challenge. Almost anyone could loosen information from the lips of their ilk.

In the midst of his wanderings, the silent Brodda was disturbed by a youth named Drenda. Only half paying attention at first, his mind zeroed in on the question. But this inquiry was more than a question. There was no idle talk, though perhaps the gravity of the day’s happenings was slightly lost in the tone of the asking. “What do I think,” he quizzed, his eyes continuing to scan the hall. “I think, Drenda, that the summons to war is a turning point for us Ulfings. The younger generation shall assume power when this is all done, as I believe this shall be Ulfang’s last campaign. The only question is who to side with…but that must wait.” Brodda knew this last comment was vague. His meaning could be one of many choices.