A party comprising Eggo of the Holy Brotherhood of Osiris, the dwarf Ivar Forkenbeard, Kinness the Cunning and Grettir explores far to the west of the Ranger base in Edgewere Mountains. They are accompanied by a young slave named Eargh Skolson (a.ka. Erc the Jerk) who Grettir is training as his armour bearer.
They find a strange forest where they discover walking and speaking trees called Ents. The Ents are not hostile, though they do not like Ivar’s axes. However, when they learn that Kinness is studying to be a bard and has a harp and a great store of songs and tales they are invited to stay a while as guests. The Ents host them generously and ply them with great quantities of a nourishing and intoxicating brew that they make. The party comes to an end only after Kinness finally runs out of material. They leave with the best wishes of the Ents and discover that more time has passed than they expected. It was early spring and there was still patchy snow on the ground when they entered the woods, it is now summer. Even more strangely those who have been drinking the Ent-draught are subtly changed. Grettir in particular has grown a couple of inches in height, his dwarf-wrought armour somewhat tighter-fitting. He has a new glow of robust health and his red beard and hair grows thicker – and so it proves, more quickly.
On their way home, quite close to the Ranger base, they encounter a Wyrm. It is young and flightless but is nevertheless a true dragon. It hesitates to attack a group of well-armed warriors but instead seeks to engage the party in conversation to take their measure. The adventurers for their part are far from confident that they can kill even a small dragon in a straight fight so they too are willing to talk. However, a serpent’s tongue is almost as perilous as claws and teeth. With honeyed tones it ensorcells both Ivar and Kinness and robs them of their will. Eggo stands firm but makes the mistake of looking the dragon in the eye and is lost. Only Grettir retains his own will – along with, surprisingly, Eargh. The dragon remains wary – no doubt its dam warned him against heroes armed with elven blades and clad in magic mail.
In the end, Grettir talks his way out of being eaten by challenging the dragon to a riddle contest and winning. Its forfeit is to release his enthralled comrades. It is also promised a magic item, which Kinness provides (a bag which appears to devour anything put into it, and which is thus of limited use). A rescue party of Rangers and Druids are issuing forth from their base – so the dragon leaves quickly. Eargh, who has stayed alert and unaffected by the dragon’s spell throughout, shows more pluck than sense by propelling a slingshot at it as it departs. Luckily he misses.
On his return to Chittagong, Grettir is summoned by the King who bids him tell his tale. The King praises his Strong Arm, gives him a gold armring and offers to make him a King’s Man. Grettir accepts and he is known thereafter as Grettir Strongarm, and becomes man of status in Chittagong.
Ref: A10
OE Date: Winter/Spring 674
Characters: Grettir, Eggo, Ivar. NPCs: Kinness, Eargh
Real World: When – Summer 1980; Where – Aberdeen