Alfheimr Renaissance

As soon as we get back, Alith ambush me wondering if I can show her fighting from something that Alith completely mangles the pronunciation of and has to say it a couple of times and mention it's a movie, before I understand she means 'Atomic Blonde'. Jane mentioned it while they were sparing and weapons practise, and Jane thinks Alith should see it. So I say I have to get back to her about it. I get that Jane means the fighting sequences, but I need to check the specific parts of the movie, if it's too shocking or exactly what is shown and also in the shot, and the time stamps for the scenes.

It doesn't take much time, and yeah, it's fine for them to see it. Might be hard to get since they're not really used to seeing movies, so I expect to rewind a couple of times. When I offer to show Alith, the other bodyguards ask if they can see it as well, and they have learned that as long as they ask, I'm likely to show them or explain something. Of course they have already heard what a movie is and seen 'short movies', which is the music video's. It's mostly made-up stories where people act characters and pretends pretty much like in a role-playing game, but it looks very realistic. After all, there is a much, much simpler type of theater here, even if few have seen it as it is generally in larger markets, and more common in countries south of here. The Norse Elves are more about storytelling and Saga's. Once again I have to prepare them for the jumps in camera angle, and that a pistol is a compact firearm that is weaker than the ones I made but can fire several times without using a flintlock, and everything is made up and there are no real bullets. The action and speech is practised and repeated and there is a cameraman running around in the scenes, and there are retakes, etc. Like a dance in violence and battle, where blood and is smeared on between takes and the actors are not really that injured, although injuries happen quite often during movie shoots, and deaths have happened when things go very wrong because it is not completely harmless.

Then I get them to gather behind my tablet, point out Lorraine, the heroine of the story, and show them what Jane means.

We see the scene in Gascoigne's apartment, and I have to show them several times, since the first time is just too shocking for them. Three impressive minutes until Lorraine walks away after throwing the policemen's guns away. Of course they react to the guns and that such compact firearms can fire multiple times. Yeah, she is suppose to win, so of course the guards make mistakes. Then they get to see the fight in the stairwell and house from when Lorraine and wounded Spyglass reach the stairs where he rests until the fight is over, and he tapes his stomach and they walk out. Seven more impressive minutes, which are repeated several times, as it appears to be one long take. They have been glued in front of the tablet's small screen and press their heads together, which makes it hard to not laugh. As far as they're concerned, Lorraine is a shieldmaiden goddess!

They have so many of questions! I explain that yes, it is more realistic combat in modern Midgård by someone who is well trained in what we call close combat, using every available tool and going for weak spots like throat, groin, knees and such, and hitting the hand holding the knife to make a more forceful stab. The actors have to practise, practise and practise just to be able to act their part well. When I say that actress Charlize Theron is 40 years old or older in the movie, and looks so stunningly good, they hardly believe me - she would be a grandmother here! In Midgård quite a lot of 40 year old women haven't had their first child yet. Gunhild seems even more motivated to stay here and live well and healthy.

I have to calm down the excited bodyguards, before anyone gets hurt, and tell them that if they try to copy the things they just saw - which I suspect they will try to do - they need to be very very careful, because I won't accept them truly hurting each other, and the pavilions stone floor is not particularly good for that even with the thick training mats. At least they need to wear head protection. They're probably not ready to see the John Wick movie, but it's probably a matter of time.

Perhaps I should have Jane write down, sketch and translate parts of one of my pdf book that has chapters on close combat, or well, 'The gentle art of assault and murder' as it is referred to there. Combat is not beautiful choreography - it is a brutal struggle for survival where the goal is to as quickly and efficiently as possible ensure that the opponent cannot fight. The only real rule is to emerge victorious from the battle while being as unhurt as possible, and most of them understand that better than me. Gunhild have killed and been in duels. Speed, aggression and surprise are always important, but if you can avoid having to kill, it is more practical in more situations. The bodyguards are already good, and getting better from Krav Maga and how often they now practise, but everyone can learn to fight better and practise more.

I talk to Iselin and Ciara, and they just have to accept that I will be 'unnecessarily nice', but it's not a major thing. Iselin remembers his own not even three weeks employment half a year ago, and I want to give all the 'more important' full-time employees like the bodyguards extra time off. The norm here isn't an 8 hour work day and return home; it's full-time positions, work every day, around the clock, and often hard. Which feels like I'm taking advantage of them, no matter what the norm is here, hence 'unnecessarily nice', because I have decided to give them one day off every two weeks, plus two days per year. They can choose which days it is as long as it doesn't cause any huge issue and they notify in time, and it is possible to collect the days so that they get 28 days and four vacation weeks per year when they are completely free. Still pretty bad with modern Midgård standards, but it was easier to talk them into this, and everyone will see me as very generous.

Looking like a saint, while being a crook.

Gunhild stay in our service for 12 ounces of silver per year, and for indefinitely. We have to talk her into it, as she flat out refuse to earn more given the life here, especially with my generosity, and she likes the days off. When Gunhild smiles slyly and says she can take a day off every two or three months and then isn't our bodyguard, and we are not her Lord and Lady, we both quickly understand what her sly smile is implying. Before I can even say anything, Iselin offers her arm to Gunhild, who immediately accepts the arm grab that a deal is made. Gunhild swears the usual oath of fealty and service, valid hence forth.

Iselin and Gunhild just smile and laugh at my disbelieving face. When Iselin, with a twitch of her eyebrow, says that maybe she would have agreed to more days off, Gunhild laughs and pretend to lament that she didn't even try that. Holy shit. My wife Iselin is like 'my pimp'! I've had small hints before, but I'm starting to suspect Iselin seems to like the idea of me having sex with other women, and not just my sambos. Lucky, Kari Jane and Ciara don't have quite the same point of view.

Gunhild says her days off might not be anything special or for a special reason, but she likes to have the option and knowing she can take a few days and just lie around and be lazy, or travel to some market or whatever, and know that we want her to use those days off. I whisper that if she ever need time off for something important, just say so.

Alith frankly has a fairly more constant work as she selflessly sticks to me most of the time, but at the same time she usually doesn't take a night watch so she can protect me when I'm awake and go for a walk, ride etc. We really need more guards and bodyguards. Both me and Kari are Storman too, and we can afford it. We'll have to try to make a deal with Hillevi when she returns with Kari, and then also show her the 'Atomic Blonde' segments.

After some nagging and nudging, we have a shorter role-playing session this evening as well, and it's easier to play, but they fail their escort mission when their client dies, while still reaching their intended destination. The atmosphere was loud at times, although some alcohol in the players probably was a bad idea. The discussions afterwards gets me thinking about whether I can roleplay situations with the bodyguards to see if they can learn from mistakes they might make in the game, where I as the GM can do fairly sadistic but realistic ambushes, traps and problems.

I don't know who was more uncomfortable, me or Jane, because Caecilia was adamant that Jane should come along with her to my room for the evening and spend the night here, although Caecilia made it clear that she would leave before we fell asleep, so that Jane will be alone with me during night, and that I should prioritise Jane.

Admittedly, the discomfort pass for both of us, and Caecilia is mostly a supportive third party. Still a bit weird. At least Jane is pleased as before Caecilia leaves, Jane declare this to be a top ten for her, and that she understands a bit better why Iselin and I have nothing against Caecilia's company. Frankly, that it's not just because sex with Caecilia is very good at sex - she's a nice knowledgeable person, a good musician, and charming with humour and very talented in many ways - but of course the sex contribute, along with the fact that Iselin seems to be in love with her too.

It's a bit interesting actually. Of my sambos, the one I have the most normal sex with is Iselin, followed by Jane and Caecilia, and there after Kari. Ciara's placement feels more perpendicular to the others although I can't say why, as we actually have mostly normal sex, just not in a situational way.