Magnus twins

The **Magnus twins** were the leader of the slaver gang called the Vak'auga, which was one of the most powerful organization in Strand before the Third Great War, but was greatly weakened by Eirik and his allies.

## Background

The Magnus twins were brothers, who decades before the Third Great War, founded the gang called the "Vak'auga" in Strand. They mostly engaged in illegal slavery and never revealed to others, except a very trusted few, that the Vak'auga was headed by two people and not one, in order to make capturing them harder. They also spread the myth that "Magnus never slept". The brothers owned a unique ship called *The Destiny of the Weak*, which was quite nimble, but could not be properly docked in Denglr's Bay due to its size.

One night, the destitute Leiknir, who had been wandering the docks while drunk to take revenge against some fishermen for sabotaging his fishing boat, saw longships unloading slaves. Soon after, he also saw the Vak'auga unloading slaves as well. Realizing there were at least two gangs smuggling slaves in Strand who were unaware of each other, he approached one of the Magnus brothers with the information. Magnus sent his subordinates to verify it and also asked him how he came to learn the information, after which Leiknir told him about his situation.

Upon finding that Leiknir's information was true, Magnus ordered an attack on the other slavers and seized their cargo, after killing the captains of their ships. He then asked Leiknir why he should let him live, and was told by him that he could act as his spy since no one noticed him. Magnus realized that what he said was wise and was persuaded to let him join the gang as their spy. While hosting him for drinks, he taught him all he knew about navigating Strand, before sending him off with a sack of gold as reward.

Over the years, the empire of the Magnus twins grew as they dealt in brothels, slaves and smuggling. This was however not enough for them, and they started desiring to take over Strand. The opportunity soon presented itself when Nikolas, the son of the Governor of Strand's late brother Helvir, set up a gang called the Aetla Hilmir, and started making a play for the governor's throne. Nikolas approached the Magnus brothers with an offer for an alliance, and promised to smuggle in iron ore in exchange for them providing money and assistance to his gang.

The brothers found the Aetla Hilmir's offer tempting, but decided to first test whether they were serious about their stated intent. After Leiknir found that the governor's son Ragnar would be touring Karlshus, they sent the Aetla Hilmir to assassinate him. They also sent Leiknir to monitor them despite his protests. Though the Hilmir failed in their task, the brothers became convinced that they were dedicated to their cause, after learning about their wholehearted attempt from Leiknir.

The Magnus twins later also decided to ally with the Mársmidr and their varl leader Kjallak, who was ready to help them and Nikolas take over Strand in exchange for them assisting him in becoming the King of the Varls. As part of their bargain, the Vak'auga smuggled in consignments for him at the docks, including varl skeletons, which Kjallak wanted to use to fool the varl warlord Vilmundr into believing he could resurrect dead varl using the Gift of Hadrborg. They also let the Mársmidr use their warehouses for storing their goods.

About eight months before the Third Great War, the Vak'auga raided a village near a river and took many females as captives. Among them was a girl named Runa, who attacked one of the gang members when he tried to rape her. One of the Magnus brothers slapped her in response, but soon decided to give her to Leiknir as a gift. Leiknir however had grown tired of Magnus and crime, and freed her soon after. Runa then joined his service out of gratitude, while promising to kill Magnus. Meanwhile, one of the survivors of the raid named Stefnir also pursued Magnus in revenge.

## Recent events

About two months before the Third Great War, Olaf, Stefnir and Ulfvalgr came to Strand in search for the half of the Gift of Hadrborg the Mársmidr had stolen. Kjallak tried to capture them to get the other half they possessed, but his plans were foiled by the intervention of the Governor's Guardsmen Eirik and Valgard. He then told Skoegir to inform Nikolas and the Magnus brothers about what had happened. The brothers agreed to help him and also permitted the Aetla Hilmir to raid the Great Hall in order to capture their escaped marks. They told about this to Leiknir and instructed him to assist the triumvirate in completing their plans, though the spymaster decided to betray them.

Eirik was able to foil the Aetla Hilmir's ambush at the Great Hall and Leiknir later guided him and his allies to a Vak'auga warehouse, where they found a varl skull and discovered the Mársmidr had been smuggling in varl skeletons. Eirik later made a plan to lure one of the commanders of the triumvirate of gangs, by getting Olaf and Ulfvalgr out in the open. He also told Leiknir to inform Magnus about it very late, so the gangs will struggle to find anyone in time. The Magnus brothers eventually found out about his betrayal, but it was too late. Eirik and his allies succeeded in capturing the Mársmidr lieutenant Ottar, who told them about a shipment Magnus was bringing for Kjallak at the Ninth Pier.

As the Magnus twins docked at the Ninth Pier, Hallvard, Olaf, Runa, Stefnir and Ulfvalgr, boarded *The Destiny of the Weak* after slaying some of the gangsters. Hallvard, Runa and Stefnir made their way to the captain's quarters alone and found one of the Magnus twins. What they did not expect however was that there were two Magnuses, and the second soon found the group surrounding his brother. The trapped brother took advantage of the group's confusion and pulled a chain that brought out a ladder below the window of one of his cabin. After blocking an attack by Stefnir, he escaped by jumping out of the window and grabbing the ladder.

Hallvard sent Stefnir and Runa after the escaped Magnus, while he went after the other one with Olaf and Ulfvalgr. Stefnir however proved too unskilled for the Magnus he fought, despite Runa wounding his arm with a spear, and the force of one of his attacks sent him hurtling into the sea. As she tried attacking him with another spear, he hurled an axe at her. This caused her javelins to fall into the sea as she evaded, leaving her with only a dagger. Knowing Magnus was too skilled for her to beat in a fight in close quarters, she jumped in the sea to escape him.

The Magnus Hallvard, Olaf and Ulfvalgr were chasing meanwhile succeeded in alerting his crew, forcing Ulfvalgr to improvise and create an escape route for them by ramming the side of the ship with his horns, allowing them to jump into the sea. They later told Eirik, who had arrived at the Ninth Pier with the City Watch of Strand to take down the gang members, about there being two Magnuses. Stefnir and Runa were meanwhile soon captured by the triumvirate gangsters led by Skoegir, and Leiknir was captured by the Vak'auga.

Skoegir took Stefnir and Runa to a warehouse. Nikolas, who was also there, tried to kill the captives, but was stopped by Skoegir, who told him to wait until Kjallak was done with them. Nikolas berated for ordering him, but the Magnus brothers soon came in and told him that unlike him, Skoegir had been successful in his tasks. In response, Nikolas insulted them as cowards and stated how they did nothing except smuggle or bribe people, while not taking part in any of the raids. A fight almost broke out between the three, but Kjallak soon arrived and calmed the tempers.

The Magnus brothers then had Fiske bring in the captured Leiknir, and suggested torturing him first, knowing Runa loved him, before torturing her in order to find out where the other half of the Gift of Hadrborg was from Stefnir. Kjallak then demanded from their captives that they tell them about its location, but Skoegir soon realized it was on Stefnir the entire time. After getting what he wanted, Kjllak handed over Leiknir to Nikolas, as his betrayal had led to the near decimation of his gang. Nikolas however allowed the Magnus brothers to kill the turncoat, stating he needed to control his anger and maintain his alliances.

After executing Leiknir, the Magnus brothers desired to take back Runa, but Nikolas reminded them they first needed to finish the task they had with Vilmundr, with Kjallak stating that they will decided their fates later. Nikolas and Kjallak went to the temple of Hadrborg in northern Strand to host the varl warlord, while the Magnus twins sent some of their guards and slaves who were good at cooking. Both of their allies were however soon killed along with many of the members of the triumvirate, after Stefnir and Runa escaped and led Eirik and his allies to the temple. The Magnus twins soon fled Strand along with their ship and remaining gang members.