Nargenstaal ; Epilogue

Hildigunn stood next to Skallagrim at the end of the villages simple dock, the both watching the sun settle and with it, the settling of many strange events of the past tenday. They talked quietly as they threw scraps from last evenings feast to Exeklactus, the pet giant crab that lived around the docks.

"Doesn't it bother that neither of us could feel that portal to the shadow realm?"

Skallagrim thought a bit before he answered. "Well, I don't need to tell you that it would just be the next one in a list of things we can't do anymore." The bitterness in his voice was outwieghed only by the sadness.

"The blessing of Freyr and Freja still protect this village, that was in full evidence. Your wisdom and devotion have served us all over these many years and they still do." Hildigunn reached out for the hand of her old friend, and the warmth of her touch seemed to comfort the old man.

" It is true the maiden of Sif brought us a wealth of new fresh blood into the village. It is easy to see several weddings this summer. Still, if we couldn't sense the door before they showed it to us, how do we know it isn't still there". Skallagrim was struggling to accept that strange events were just going to stop happening.

"Listen to the wind. Hear the lowing of the goats and sheep that we got back. Look into the eyes of the widows and hopeful brides of this village. All is right. The shadow door was for those strangers, and it showed here to draw them to us to avenge the Mossback Reavers. The shadow door is gone with them, perhaps even following them, forever a loop in their tapestries. Trust an old woman's intuition" She smiled warmly and looked into his eyes as she reassured him.

"The new band of warriors is most welcome. Heinrich's leadership certainly blossomed with the instruction of the great warrior Draco Morn. It is clear that his men, and all those of this village respect his strength and recognize him as a leader they will follow and respect." His voice warmed with admiration, as he also personally saw the same qualities in the ferocious northman.

The next words were spoken cautiously by Hildigunn. "Still, Loki's influence in whatever these events boil down to is troubling, don't you think? "

A long pause filled the air before he answered, but his voice and his conviction were strong. " A Lokisson founded our village, it is well that one should help defend it. May the blessings of Freyr and Freja greet every step of the journey of The Javelins Of Thor, even unto the edge of the world"

Review 02/07/2014 (The Phantom Menace and To The Edge of The World)

Our session began a three days after our battle with the drake and with the return of Elisa and the six maidens with their new barbarian husbands. Opposite them, approaching from the nearby hills were a wave of six giants. It was eventually learned that these ‘giants’ were actually spriggan under the command of the troll-kin witch and our fey-like voice visitor in the night.
 

The battle was heroic; each of the barbarian husbands survived to a feast after the troll-kin’s attack. Recovered were items and weapons off the spriggan for the village: small chain shirts, halberds and short swords, but the items from the witch who was killed were ours: a magical spear, leather armor and some coin (already split up).

 

We decide to rest and address the shadow road on the morrow; though it's pull by this time was palatable. Our rest was interrupted however, by Arnum’s fitful laughter. Vorware rested below, but it was Elisa who flooded Arnum’s chamber with light, lessening the shadows allowing Arnum, and the rest of us, a full night’s rest.

The next morning under a stormy sky we were seen off by the village elders and stepped through the shadow door both Arnum and Vorware ceremoniously opened. The shadow road featured vague landscapes and structures too distant to discern; behind us our entry to the road disappeared into the void in our wake all while the silky voice of the elven-woman suggesting we step into the shadows. Man-sized spiders occupied the shadows off the path sometimes threatening to veer a traveler off course.

After twenty minutes a voice congratulates us as fools as we arrive before an alter surging with power and the stunning appearance of Loki and Thor themselves. On the alter are six spears in the shape of thunderbolts, symbolic weapons in the crusades to come.

Thor extends his gratitude as an irritated Loki looks on and offers his own word of compliment. Thor goes on to explain that a team of mortals must be assembled to perform certain key holy events. Loki: Events to venerate Loki and Thor in the south lands versus ‘false-name’ gods wearing masks. Thor: The threads of fate are being woven and a rising threat is coming but is still in the shadows. He further indicates our crusades will expose this phantom menace.

Each of us take up one of the Javelins of Thor and are engulfed in a quickening marking us with the sign of Thor - our moment of ascension. 

Produce Lightning (Su): Once per day as a ranged touch attack the touched individual can produce lightning causing 1d6 points of damage +1/CL. There is no save or spell resistance against this attack. 

After the quickening spiders emerge from the shadows and hoist us on their backs and transport us to our first task: answering the prayers of Simez Rothgazzi of the Tower of the High Order of Geomancers, a handsome and well decorated man of Thor. He needs our help in requesting permission to open the Tomb of Koraz in/on Karn’Lothra to retrieve the Ancient Book of Vael Turog. We were also awarded 2,400 xp and