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“Once
upon a time..,” the old norsewoman berzerker in her worn
leathers pauses and chuckles, “well that IS how a story
is supposed to start isn’t it?” She glances around at her
small audience, gathered at a tavern in Jordheim. Her once
bright golden hair has faded to a soft wheat color, and
white lacings of scars are visible on her arms, testament
to her profession, when she fought more and sat by a comfortable
fire less. The troll skald sitting beside her glances up,
stopping the intake of his crab cakes for a moment, and
cracks a stony smile at her. She smiles lovingly back at
her not inconsiderably sized husband and continues.
“Well
it was quite a time ago regardless. We were up at the frontier
doing a scouting mission for our division, the Ravens. It
was colder than a.. “ she stops again realizing that there
were youngsters among the grown men and women gathered,
and clears her throat, “ ..a lonely deep winters night.
We had left the safety of Fensalir Faste a few days past,
and had just broken camp scant hours ago to continue our
exploration. We were proceeding as quietly as possible so
as not to startle any potential invaders or game. About
when the sun was midway across the sky we heard a racket
and the sound of those who were not learned of walking in
such a snowy part of the land.
You
see, we had been charged with a duty from one of the guards
at the faste. It seems that a new weapon was in creation
and they needed a special type of crystal.” She waves her
hand in indifference, as if the workings of those such as
runemasters were beyond her. “We’d been asked to keep an
eye open for one during our scouting mission. We’d had a
few skirmishes with local beasts, roaming thralls, and ghosts
during the last few days, but neither the thralls had it
on their persons or the spirits could say where these crystals
could be found.
Grimthar,”
she gestures towards the big troll sitting beside her, “decided
to do a little reconnaissance, seeing as how he can shout
a stun and hightail his butt back in quick time. Lo’ and
behold can ya guess what he discovers? If ya were thinking
of some foolish elves ya would be correct. There was an
Isalf camp just ahead. Seems these elves had the idea that
they wouldn’t be found out in the midst of snow and forest.
It seems they were wrong.” She gives a bloodthirsty smile
that would have bode no well for those who had seen such
a look.
“I
suppose I should mention who ‘we’ were shouldn’t I! You
already know of my stone faced skald husband there, Grimthar
Ravenstone.” He nods his head and leans back in the chair,
propping his feet up on a nearby stool. “Our healer Saebian
that refused to let us die and has come in mighty handy
when our Company has fought more than one foe at time, and
his blood-brother Ketil, Ravens mightiest Thane, wielder
of lighting and gifted with Thor’s hammers.” She motions
to the old dwarf and the large troll sitting by the roaring
fireplace.
“Don’t
be forgetting to introduce yourself Rosehild… as you often
tend to do,” Saebian lifts a mug of ale in a little salute.
“Ah
yes, and me.” She winks at the mixed audience. A ripple
of laughter goes through the crowd that has grown as she
tells her tell.
“As
I was saying, Grimthar took note of the group and joined
us in short time, appraising us of the situation. Saebian
buffed us as best as he was able, we checked our armor over
quickly, and with a quick whispered prayer to our deities
we advanced. It was a terrific fight!“ The crowd gives a
unified gasp at this point as Rosehild leaps up, whipping
the axe from her back. She performs an intricate flourish,
the ax’s trail showing in a faint glimmer as she whirls
in a complicated style. “It was full of the blood of the
elves and the sounds of their howling death cries. Grimthar
shouted with a giant rumble and one fell stunned to his
knees, unable to move. Saebian cast a mez that prevented
others from pressing forward and the hammers of Thor himself
were called from the heavens. I engaged with one of these
foolhardy creatures, my axes cutting easily through his
pathetic armor. As the elf that was stunned, slowly regained
sense, Ketil and Grim jumped in and dispatched him with
ease. With the vengeance of Thor himself on our side, we
mowed our way through their pitiful defenses!” She heaves
a great breath, and slides the axe back into her back sheath
and sits down. The crowd erupts with approval, mugs banged
on the tables in cheers. She gives a grin and settles back.
”When
their bodies lay cold, we honored them with a burning death
pyre and being the thrifty folk we are, searched the camp
for any…” She grins mischievously. “how shall I say… bounty.
Ya never will guess what these wretched elves had been hiding.
The crystal asked for by the Faste guard! Not just one,
but two! I still to this day do not know where they had
gathered these crystals, and I don’t know if they ever knew
what potential they had in their possession, but we did.
We
preceded post haste back to the Faste, resting little and
traveling quickly. When we arrived, we were greeted with
delight, as it seems the local priests were close to finishing
their workings on the weapons. All that was missing was
the crystal that we bore.”
She
beamed at the crowd. “In appreciation, one of the guards
let us take one of the crystals. He told us to take it to
Kran in Haggerfel. It seemed that he had a talent for magical
cloaks and may be able to use the crystal to make mantles
for us. He did.” Rosehild stands and whips the cloak that
was draped over her chair. She spreads it in front of them,
showing the bold red “V” that was on the grey cloak, the
black raven carefully stitched onto the back shimmering
with a crystalline quality. “This is it. It may not look
like much, but the powers it invokes to its wearer is amazing.
Ya should see what situations it has helped keep me safe
in...” Rosehild pauses and winks once more, “… but that
is another tale.”
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