Saturday, February 27, 2016

The Heroes of Havardr

Olaf Wotankarl sat himself into the brushed lion hide cushion. As a favored scribe and historion of Odin's, this Asgardian lived in one of the tallest spires of the Academy of Asgard, giving him a commanding view of Midgard below it and the astral above it. From this tower he records the deeds of history, using his magic crystal rods of visions to view in closer detail things that catch his interest. the old sage lit a pipe, poured a mug of mead and ambrosia, and wetted an intricate mechanical quill. He then brought the crystal rods of vision and wrote the details from these scenes of the Battle of Viezla, and noble house Havardr's strength and victory, even when their warriors are thought gone...

Forni, the eldest of Harvardr, had finally learned his life lesson. After the failed attempt to kill the family, he saw to it to make sure Jarl Ranulfr and his son were indeed dead, as traitors deserved. But then he offered pardon to all living Ranulfrs, claiming they would face no shame or dishonor, as they served their jarl well, despite his twisted alliances. A young, tough, bold viking stepped forward, Karl Ranulfr, and announced acceptance on behalf of his clan. He heard no dispute among his clansmen and so continued. He offered all weapons, armor and treasure of the dead Ranulfr as spoils to the victors. He swore his clan would send 5 longships this season to discover the fate of the unreturned vikings. He pledged himself and his clan to revere the temple long house Arnum Stormcloak chose. He offered a mighty weapon, smithed by his clans most experienced weapon makers, a large hammer called an earthbreaker to the champion of the temple, where upon a warrior frome his own camp fell to his knees and begged to be allowed to serve this temple as its servant.

Arnum was seen smiling and agreeing as the crystal powered off. Both Loki and Thor had by now arrived, as he requested, and had seen most of that vision.Thor smiled broadly and thanked the sage for allowing them to see. Below, Arnum couldn't know that Thor smiled, nodded and agreed just as he had while watching the formation of his church. He knew instantly, however when Thor touched his hammer in the crystal, forever allowing him to fly as his Lord Thor.

Sverrir Asvaldr, the youngest, was living up to his name. As he crept through the window, and "down" the sharply tilted stairs of the tower, he practiced all the tips he'd heard from Vorware Undhin over the past 4 days. He felt so confident from his contact with the heroes of Havaldr, that he worried not over what those less sly, less dextrous, less better than him would be deterred by. He knelt in the chamber that onced housed the frozen lady. He heaped his spoils upon the stone she had stood frozen upon. Three days now of fooling simpletons, taking advantage of the unwary, of seeing what others overlooked. He prayed, then, that Loki would not overlook him, and offered his small hoard to be seen and accepted. He watched the stone platform, for what he didn't know. Then he heard noise, as if from great gears or machines at a distance, and saw an arm of ghostly form, equal parts shadow and gold, reach out from the treasure pile and touch his chest, exactly over his heart. As he watched the hand recede and normal light conditions returned he knew he'd been touched and chosen by Loki.

Loki was likewise pleased with what he saw, and quickly made his leave before his brother started asking him questions.

The crystals lit up again, showing the thawing grasses around the hut of Asdis, the witch of Viezla. Here, Horace Krondor, a northman of enormous size and quickness was giving over a female dire wolf and her pups he had caged to the witch. He said he had seen the battle of Viezla, and watched Oratian Bjomolf fight for life and limb, side by side, the wolfs loyalty to his friend enyielding as he served to his last biting breath. He then saw the tears of the great druid heal the wolf, and took it as a holy vision. He said to the witch that he and his remote clan of northmen would never again hunt wolves for meat nor fur. He claimed his name was now Horace Krondor Wolffson, and all his clan would take the Wolffson name. Known already as the greatest of hunters and trappers of the north, their clan would now look at the wolf as brother, and work to be sure Three Glaciers Fjord would always enjoy the protective watch of Brother Wolf. As the witch took the wolves and witnessed the northman's divine inspiration, she wondered if the heroes of Harvardr realized the protective wards thier temples created extended as far as they did. Even the mythic Firth Monster had been forced from the fjord, and swam out to open sea.

The next scene showed some two hundred ancient Harvard warriors assembled at the outskirt of Viezla, preparing an ornate litter to be carried with the still frail frozen lady inside north to the home of the Harvardr clan. She is seen walking toward the litter holding hands with her rescuer, the lucky boy that kissed her. She had managed to find the strength to give the kisser his customary reward over night, and now looked forward to the halls of home where she could find a better curse for her curse of Boreas' Cold.

As the crystals began to dim, he could hear the plotting of Loki and Thor as they made their way down his tower, their triumphant conspiratorial laughter, and see the flash of rainbow energy as the heroes gathered in the new temple of Thor.

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