Posted: 5 December 2021 (reading time: 8 minutes; 1500 words)
Recap by Melissa Savlov
Vali convenes a Thing to generate local support and rally the troops before they make their way from Vestrí Keep to Vogsal and eventually Belmunt, the seat of power where the avaricious King Thorvald currently reigns.
Everyone is there: Osk, Asgarday∂a, families of local farmers, and of course Vali’s army of loyal men. Even the Frost Giants are there, although they’re more interested in playing with the huge dice that ‘Little Giant’ gave them than paying attention to the silly speeches from the humans.
Most of the day, Vali just listens to the local villagers, who are amazed that he actually listens to their speeches, no matter how long and rambling. His actions prove that he is not just a “man of arms” but a “man of the people” who actually cares about the people he hopes to lead.
Throughout the day, Vali can be heard making earnest declarations such as: “I want to inspire you, not control you.” and “I don’t want to run your life. I simply seek to preside over things and make sure they’re fair.” He announces that he will not rule as a dictator, as do most kings, but to rule by Thing, and that every village will get to choose its own representatives. He also adds: “And this isn’t just for humans, but all the peoples of Haetrrland, whether Giant, Elf, or Dwarf, all will be welcome.” Even Ofrik the Frost Giant seemed impressed by that.
After a full day of speeches and morale-boosting, it’s time to come up with an action plan. Of Vestrí Keep’s 500 soldiers, half will head to the Great Hall in Belmunt, while around 250 will remain to protect Vestrí Keep if the king decides to send ships to destroy it and the local villages. Of the five Frost Giants, four (including Ofrik) join Vali and one stays behind with the villagers. Vali appoints Asgarday∂a to his war council during the journey. Osk consecrates the mission, and they all bed down for the night, prepared to march toward Vogsal at sunrise.
As Vyshka, Greunthrn, and Belnirith sleep, they share a dream. They find themselves in the gigantic hall of Valhalla. Standing before them is Odin, Thor, Heimdall, Freya, and some Valkyries, including Nadira, Belnirith’s guide. But Laguza is not there…
Her dream brought her to Moradin’s great, golden forge, where he forges a great hammer with painstaking care. Next to Moradin stands a beautiful, androgynous giant elf. Together, Laguza and this lovely creature observe Moradin as he hammers, fires, and polishes the great weapon. Then, finally, Moradin holds up the weapon, the glorious smárnr, face gleaming with pride. Corellon, the chief Elven god, praises and blesses this glistening creation. Then, the great elf wraps an enchanted wooden handle around its bottom edge. Corellon says: “Give this to Vyshka – and may all the hopes of the Selune Elves go with you!”
Before Moradin grabs Laguza to take her to Valhalla, he looks at her axe and smiles. “I think there’s a little time to sharpen this, don’t you think?”
When they arrive, Thor’s face is red with anger. “Took you long enough!” said Thor ungraciously as Moraddin hands him the smárnr. Miraculously, the moment Thor wraps his mighty fist around the weapon, his grimace is replaced with an appreciative grin. Instead of thanking Moraddin, he gives him an appreciative glance and nods. Thor takes Vyshka’s old hammer and crushes it in his fingers, thend hands her this brand new one. “Use this smárnr with my blessing.” Vyshka’s eyes gleam with wonder as she accepts it. Then, everyone turns their attention to Odin.
“So you’re going to war then.” He crosses his arms across his broad chest and nods. “We cannot directly intervene; but know that you are going with our blessing.”
They all wake up and it’s time to get on the road. It will take 3 days to get from Vestrí Keep to Vogsal. Greunthrn joins the scouts at the front of the pack. Belnirith stays with Osk, who is fairly close to Vali but not in the same row. Vyshka stays in the same general area as Belnirith but stands a bit off to the side. Laguza decides to walk with the giants, who are off to the side of the human army.
From the front lines, Greunthrn perceives that there is a strange songbird way off in the distance. He points it out to Bersi, who shrugs. Then, Greunthrn gets Belnirith’s attention, and she sends her raven familiar Asja ahead to check it out. Laguza and Vyshka notice that something is going on, so they listen closely as Belnirith reports on what the raven sees. “The entire bird appears to be copper – not just the color, but copper metal. It has red eyes. Otherwise, it looks just like a warbler.”
Laguza says: “Copper… Oh, like that dragon Kar!”
Vyshka agrees that it’s likely connected to the copper dragons. Greunthrn consults his longbow. They decide that it’s probably not a good idea to shoot it down. Consensus made, Greunthrn shares the information with Vali, who is impress by the range of Asgardeytha’s friends. He agrees to grant the dragons safety under his reign.
Vyshka moves toward the front, where she spies a cart and wagon that appears to have been decimated. There are claw markings, but it wasn’t burnt down. Laguza, Vyshka, and Greunthrn decide to approach it. There are a couple of skeletons (human and horse), and it looks like whatever was on the cart decayed quickly. They find a rune that’s very similar to the knowledge rune on Vyshka’s scroll. Seeing this, Belnirith joins her friends to inspect it. But the group can’t quite translate it because it’s pre-Giant. Laguza puts it in her bag.
Finally, Vali and his followers reach Vogsal, where they find 500 soldiers waiting for them. They are led by Edgar Svartenssen, the jarl. Harold the Bloody, the Hesir of Vogsal’s army, stands beside Edgar. Vali informs Asgarday∂a that Edgar was appointed by King Torvald and is perfunctorily loyal to him, but mostly Edgar just wants to live well and for his people to be okay. But Harold hates Vali. Lüngr, one of the King’s men, is also with Edgar. Of Lüngr, Vali says: “I don’t know him well. He avoids me like the plague. But I’ve been told that he’s a cruel man, and he knows I don’t tolerate people like that.”
While Vali and Gaetrr engage Edgar in discussion, the Frost Giants start tossing rocks around, just to show their strength and power without confrontation. At it seems Vali, Gættr, and Bersi are beginning to get through to Vogsal’s troops and make them question their resolve, Lüngr freaks out and teleports away with Edgar, and the battle proper begins.
As the troops clash, Vali asks the Frost Giants to try and kill as few of the enemy as possible. Vali and Harold’s forces clash, with the Frost Giant’s knocking down Harold’s men, then picking them up and using them as bats to knock down other soldiers. As Vali side seemed to be winning, Lüngr blew a horn, and opened a portal that brought giant, horrible creatures from beyond to the battlefield that had no allegiance to any side, and just wanted to kill and maim. Gruenthrn blew his own horn to warn Vali’s men of the danger.
The Frost Giants and Asgardeytha engage in battle with a group of ferocious Gugs. A few of the giants got very injured because they underestimated their foes initially. But they were healed by Asgardeytha and eventually –- between the strength of the giants, and the power of the new weapons and spells – the Gugs were overcome.
With the eldritch horrors defeated, Lüngr flees the scene. Vali kills Harold, but he is sad about it. Edgar sits on a hill, his head in his hands. Vali joins him. Together, they count their losses. Vali came with 250 men; he has 225 left. 300 of Edgar’s 500 men died in battle. Of the remaining 200, many ran off and some decided to join forces with Vali. Asgardeytha healed about 50 of the Vogsal soldiers who decided to follow Vali.
Edgar confesses to Vali: “Lüngr told me he was going to call some things over from a realm of horror, but I had no idea that this would happen. Torvald is going to continue sending these things over.” He is quite distressed and Vali pats his shoulder.
Having received Edgar’s blessing, Vali’s troops can now enter Vogsal safely. They are given food, drink, and a place to sleep. The people of Vogsal are dumbfounded at what they witnessed. Many of the villagers recognized Vali from when he was a captain in Vogsal long ago. Vali makes sure everyone knows that Lüngr summoned the evil Gugs, at the behest of King Torvald. There’s a public ceremony, during which Vali reaffirms that Edgar will continue as jarl.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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