Session 068

# An Elven Relic Obtained

**Age of the Wolf, Year 5, Autumn, Laelun Toil 1, day 10 - Toil 2, Day 1**

*The party enters Vidblainn, and speaks to Alvar the Half-Elven and Kylantha. Heida makes a sacrifice to obtain Gullinbursti's Harness from the fabled creature known as the Katogel. Bringing the forlarren Cirrha with them, the heroes leave the Boar's Wood behind and travel west to return to the Freehold. Esbjorn and Jor make plans for Droog in the event of the god Fireforge's ascension.*

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## Player Characters Involved

* King Nygäär the Fey Blooded Rogue/Fighter/Crusader played by Dana
* Esbjörn Fireforge the Fire Giant Blooded Barbarian/Cleric/Surtr's Chosen played by Greg
* Heiða the Mother Fucking Veleda the Dökkálfar Blooded Dread Necromancer played by Justin
* Vindr Skreevarson the Mongrel Blooded Human Scout/Ranger/Cleric played by Donnie
* Jor the Emberwrought the Giant Blooded Human Transmuter/Beguiler/Human Paragon/Ultimate Magus played by Jason

## Vidblainn

The heroes glanced up at the elven fortress and the armed archers above them, and the massive boars that had emerged from the surrounding foliage, and made ready to fight. Heida and Nygaar called out to Alvar, explaining that they had rid the forest of the evil plaguing it. Once Nygaar produced the large ruby that had once been embedded in Spindel Drottning's forehead, the half elf appeared nearby and took a closer look. The grizzled yet regal half elf nodded knowingly, and invited them inside. He then waved his hand, and stepped through a magical portal that he conjured. The party took minor offense at the half breed's brisk manner and rude exit, yet had little time to contemplate it:

*After a few moments, a pair of regal looking elven archers open the golden gates of Vidblainn, and you are led towards a towering and majestic hall. The palace grounds are opulent, as if the forest and the architecture have been fused as one in a bargain long ordained. It seems clear this place is ancient beyond the understanding of mere men; all of you are left in quiet awe at the majesty of the beautiful surroundings. Human settlements, and even the robust and stately confines of dwarven halls, pale in comparison to the impossibly beautiful arches, seemingly living walls and towers, and clearly seidr-infused paving stones, bridges, and flickering sconces. But all these things are as nothing compared to the hall standing with it’s gracefully constructed doors open before you. Made of white marble, with magical green light glowing in the lush vines covering the outer walls, you enter a large hall where a number of elves and fey blooded warriors are sipping wine and eating daintily of scrumptious morsels arrayed upon the finely crafted oaken tables. Alvar himself sits at a table before a glowing fireplace, a small serpent of some dragon-kind unfamiliar to you nesting comfortably in the embers. A number of glowing boars sleep or wander comfortably in the hall; none seem to bother giving the giant beasts a second glance. Alvar stands politely, and beckons you over to his table. Standing beside him is a beautiful elvish maiden, who looks at you with curiosity but no fear.*

The heroes approached, and were introduced to the elven maiden at the table. Kylantha was Alvar's mother, a full-blooded elvish sorceress, even though she looked some twenty years his junior. It soon became clear that Alvar deferred to her, and the party began talking to both of the fey in earnest about the rumors they had heard of Loki's corruption of the goddess Freya. The heroes also revealed why they had come; to obtain Gullinbursti's harness and free Esbjorn of his blood oath to the Verdant Prince. Kylantha agreed to give them the rune stick to obtain the harness, on the condition they swear to their gods that they would attempt to free Freya of the spell she was under. Kylantha explained that Jungo War-Tooth, the adogit sorcerer, had commissioned the dark dwarves of Nidarvellir to create a beautiful crown as a gift to the goddess. It seemed Freya's love of beautiful things was her undoing, as the dark sorcerer infused the diadem with a compulsion that caused the goddess to fall in love with Loki.

Kylantha went on to explain that the companion item to this so-called Dream Circlet was a weapon called the Svefnthorn (Sleep Thorn), an old item of Loki's used to put an adversary into a deep sleep from which they can never awaken. Used on the goddess, it left her in a dream state where she was susceptible to the circlet’s seidr, and she fell madly in love with the Trickster.  In order to break the curse upon the goddess, Kylantha informed them that the Sleep Thorn had to be sought out and destroyed. She showed them the rune said to adorn the wooden box that contained the thorn, and directed them to seek the thorn in the treasure horde of the Tor Linnorm known as Fafnir the Red Death. Alvar objected to this, saying that the beast could not be slain. The two fey then told the story of Sigurd and Fafnir:

* Fafnir was once the son of the famous Dwarf king Hreidmar, and was responsible for killing his own father to steal all of the wealth and treasure that Hreidmar himself had originally stolen from the Aesir gods. However, after Fafnir had taken the valuables in his greed and lust for power, he soon learned that the hoard was cursed, and that any mortal who claimed it would be driven mad and turned into a beast commensurate with their nature. In Fafnir's case, this meant a transformation into a mighty mythical linnorm with red armored scales that couldn’t be penetrated by any weapon, even the weapons of the gods themselves.
* Sigurd was the ancient king of the now extinct Volsung Clan, a hero of great renown. Legend says his famed sword Gramr could slay any beast of gods or men, and that this weapon alone could damage Fafnir's seidr-infused hide. Sigurd angered the gods for reasons now long-forgotten, however, and his once mighty kingdom fell into ruin. It is said his crypt is in Kongr Haugr, the hallowed graveyard of kings in Wulfling lands.

The party had heard of both Fafnir and Sigurd, and a plan began to formulate. They would seek out the sword Gramr, and go to the Hreidmar Holdfast in Nidavellir to slay the beast. They needed to go to the dark dwarf realm in any case, as they had unfinished business concerning the sentient weapon Byrmoor. More importantly, Alvar made it clear that any hero who could produce the head of Fafnir himself would be recognized as a king in the eyes of men, dwarves, and elves. Arn Odinsight had also told Nygaar that the rune stick to claim Odin's Axe was rumored to be in Fafnir's treasure hoard. Bearing all this in mind, Nygaar swore upon his own blood and the All-Father that he would free Freya from her curse. Esbjorn and Heida soon followed suit, although Jor and Vindr remained quiet. Vindr spoke of an oath they had already made in this forest, to take the forlarren Cirrha into the wider world, and would not commit to the quest to free Freya. Jor simply said nothing, and Vindr suspected he knew perfectly well why that was; he had heard the Trickster's offer to Jor after all. In any case, Kylantha accepted that at least some of the party had agreed to help the goddess, and gave Nygaar the rune stick that would remake the harness. Alvar informed them that the sacred glade where the harness was guarded was not far away.

Before going on their way, the heroes were healed by Alvar, and met Kylantha's familiar Ember, a wyrmling magma dragon that Jor immediately made friends with. Alvar gave Esbjorn some healing potions as well, and he warned the party that the harness was guarded by an ancient being known as the Katogel. It seemed the heroes must make a choice; whoever used the rune stick to obtain the harness must either allow the owl creature to take some of their wisdom, or fight the beast in single combat. Wanting to waste no time, the heroes decided to depart immediately, and Alvar's troops saluted them solemnly as they departed Vidblainn's main hall. Alvar walked them to the front gate, and told them to head south.

## The Katogel

The party marched, assured by Alvar that their destination was not far away. Unsure of what to do, Heida eventually bid them to stop, so that she could consult the spirits on the best approach in regards to claiming the harness. She asked if they should make the sacrifice to their wisdom or if they could or should simply slay the beast. The ancient fey spirits infused in the very fabric of the forest answered that a sacrifice would grant them a key bit of knowledge, whereas killing the owl would result in Nygaar losing one of his newly recruited groups of allies. Heida wondered which group of allies that could be. She told the party what the spirits had said, and proclaimed that she was willing to make the sacrifice herself. That decided, the party continued on:

*You walk for perhaps an hour, due south of the palace of Vidblainn. After a time, the sky darkens, and strange blue and purple lights begin to dance upon the ground, spiraling up into the canopy above you. All the colors of the landscape seem to brighten and sharpen in your eyes, and you hear a booming hoot echo through the forest. Suddenly you see her; a massive and fearsome bird, tilting her strangely adorned head menacingly in the odd manner of all owl-kind. Upon the ground nearby, you notice an outline of stone, consisting of moss-covered rocks that seem out of place in this landscape. Surely you have found the ancient being known as the Katogel. The harness that you seek is nearly in your grasp; now the choice of how to obtain it must be made.*

Heida shouted to the strange owl that she was here to make the sacrifice, and the beast wasted little time. Hopping from its perch in a nearby tree, it swooped forward, and the party watched in trepidation as an energy of some kind seemed to be visually drained from Heida's skull. Seeing the toll this eventuality had taken on the volva, Jor decided to act, once again creating a momentary distortion to change the flow of chance, in order to attempt to limit the effects of Heida's mental injuries. It worked, and Heida emerged largely unscathed. It seemed the owl was satisfied with it's "meal", and it opened a portal that the party could clearly see led to Hel itself. With little fanfare, the strange creature passed through the portal and left them alone to recover the harness free of further interference.

Heida reeled, her head throbbing in agony. In a flash, she saw a vision of the Katogel. Heida listened entranced as Loki's wife, the goddess Sigyn, explained to the owl that in his painful ramblings Loki often spoke about the blood of the boy containing still greater mysteries than any knew, and that even he feared this secret. It seemed the Katogen was a friend to the goddess, and visited her when the Trickster was benumbed by the pain of the serpent venom that sometimes dripped upon his forehead when Sigyn had to pause to empty the bowl she held above her husband's head. Heida told the party this, then spoke the words to obtain the harness. The ruins broke free of the earth, and swirled above their heads. They soon coalesced into a massive leather saddle, embossed with silver and gold and of the finest craftsmanship.

Heida immediately knew exactly how the item worked, and assured the party that this was indeed Gullinbursti's Harness. With nothing left to accomplish in the wood, the party sought out the edge of the forest, with those who could fit riding the massive ghostly boar that was summoned with the use of the command word "Griss." Vindr's stallion Glaer gave the phantom boar a wide berth, shaking his equine head in displeasure. As promised, Alvar met them at the edge of the wood with the girl Cirrha, and wished them good luck on their journey going forward. The party stepped free of the canopy, blinking as they came out into the sun of the plains once more. There still being some daylight hours left, the party headed west, agreeing to return to the Freehold to speak to Kettel and convince him to give up his stronghold to the Harii clan.

After marching until nightfall, Jor decided to scry upon Fang Li, to see if she had yet obtained the heart of the frost worm. The party had talked about Jungo War-Tooth, and wondered whether to fight the frost giants or the dark dwarves as their next step. After a number of hours, Jor was finally able to use his large scrying mirror to find Fang Li, and saw her in what he reasoned was the hall of the Rime Citadel. It seemed likely she had not yet obtained the heart, as her killing the frost worm would make her an enemy of the frost giants, who drank and feasted all around her. The party discussed their plans further, but beyond their journey to the Freehold no decisions were made. Esbjorn sent Droog off to scout, and spoke in seidr whispers about the quasit's loyalty. It seemed he had plans for his little demonic servant, and wanted to be assured that Droog wasn't a spy for the demon lord Graz'zt. Jor said that he would use his seidr to charm Droog in order to make that easier to ascertain, and proceeded to do so upon Droog's return.

## The Smoke of the Forge

In the morning, it was decided that they would walk in the shadow realm to reach the Freehold. After placing a spell upon his companions that allowed it, Jor made ready to open up the dark passage to the in-between lands. Strapping the bulky harness to his back, Esbjorn made ready to depart. The heroes stepped into the darkness, and sped across the land westwards. As they walked, Jor and Esbjorn continued their discussion about Droog. Esbjorn had big plans, foreseeing his rise as Fireforge and what that would mean if he could trust his diminutive little servant. He confided to Jor that he planned to use the god rune to mark Droog, but was unsure of what might happen if he did so. Jor consulted his esoteric tomes, and thought long and hard about what might transpire. Eventually Jor realized that if a lawful artifact were to mark such a chaotic creature, it would change that creature utterly. In other words, Droog would become an imp, and would no longer be ruled by the whims of his chaotic nature.

Esbjorn thought about this, and then revealed to Droog what he was thinking of doing, asking the quasit if he wanted to become "the smoke of the forge" and be infused with power as Fireforge's trusted minion. Droog agreed, asking if he could seek revenge on Graz'zt and be rewarded with nine human maidens for himself. Esbjorn chuckled at this, and said he would think those demands over. For now, Esbjorn decided to wait on using more of the god rune's power. The heroes marched on through the darkness, and eventually reached the outskirts of the Freehold in the early afternoon. Stepping out of the realm of shadow, Nygaar was deep in thought, mentally preparing himself to have a difficult discussion with his old ally Kettel about the future of the Freehold.

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