On the final night of the Yule feast Grettir and Paradoxides ventured to Black Orc Rock, there to discover what power summoned the Fimbulwinter against Sequarl. Mounted upon the Niherain Steed that no mortal eye could see, they hoped to spy what was afoot and then return with more force. It was supposed to be a reconaissance.
Arriving at Black Orc Rock they discovered a newly wrought circle of five ice menhirs – a temple to the Jotun. Upon Black Orc Rock itself stood a mighty Frost Giant Shaman, arms raised aloft, engaged in a terrible summoning of the inimical Fimbulwinter against the lands of Sequarl. The Shaman was not alone. Its guardian beasts – a Fenris Wolf and a Golden Ice-Hound – had no difficulty in seeing the Niherain Steed and its riders. The Fenris Wolf pounced upon the hindquarters of the demon steed which reared and panicked. Grettir leapt clear as the demonic horse bolted but Paradoxides stayed in the saddle. Grettir swore vilely as the Nihrain Steed fled with the magician clinging to its back, leaving him alone to deal with the Shaman and his ice-temple. His only comfort was that both the Guardian Beasts pursued the Nihrain Steed.
The Shaman, focused upon his summoning, seemed to pay Grettir little mind. Perched as he was upon the high icy outcrop that was Black Orc Rock, there was little that Grettir could do to reach him, so he turned his attention to the menhirs. Grettir had brought with him an alchemical incendiary – an experimental device, wrought by some refugees from Basi, firework makers, in Grettir’s service. He also had his flaming Muspell Sword and the Master of Fire. Grettir had lost count of the wizards who had borrowed his helm and returned it to him with pitying looks upon their faces, marvelling at the powers it might give to one capable of deploying it as more than a stout head covering. He gave up a prayer to Osiris, using his own spiritual essence to gain his God’s ear. Osiris heard him and for that night the Master of Fire was not just a helmet but a powerful fiery demon in Grettir’s service. Grettir placed the incendiary device at the foot of one menhir and thrust his Muspell blade deep into another. He drew on the powers of the Master of Fire to enhance their heat and they began to melt the icy dolmens.
Now Grettir had the Frost Giant Shaman’s attention. Without leaving his perch upon the Black Rock, the Frost Giant cast black magic curses against Grettir, but Grettir was well-protected against such. He opened an icy pit beneath Grettir’s feet, but Grettir leapt clear. Then he opened a portal and through it leapt six mighty northern berserker champions – the oathsworn of the Jotun. However, they came through one by one and made no common cause, each with the other. Fierce warriors they might be but the were not of Grettir’s blade-skill or battle cunning. A couple he manoeuvred and shield-barged into the icy pit, the rest he slew one by one. At this point Paradoxides returned, still upon the galloping Nihrain Steed, still pursued by the Guardians. This time Paradoxides threw himself clear of the demon horse which galloped on pursued by the Ice Hound. Grettir spared a moment to throw a lightning bolt javelin (wrought by Utamo beyond the Emeo Gate F-12) that dispatched the Fenris Wolf.
The Shaman summoned a Thunderheart (the malevolent heart of the storm) to attack Grettir and Paradoxides with its lightning bolts. Paradoxides conjured a Vorpal Blade to strike directly at the Shaman. While Grettir fought to subdue the Thunderheart, the Shaman leapt down from the rock to engage Paradoxides hand-to-hand. Though but a middling warrior, Paradoxides bravely met him blade to blade while Grettir at last contrived to thrust his Gods-blessed spear into the midst of the Thunderheart and destroy it. Freed to support Paradoxides, Grettir made short work of the Shaman. The Golden Ice Hound made a belated appearance to try to save its master and died upon their blades.
Grettir and Paradoxides destroyed and desecrated the menhirs of the Jotun-temple. The biting wind dropped and the storm abated. They gathered the treasure and teleported home in time to join the feasting. They never did see that Nihrain Steed again.
G-10b
OE Date: December 694
Characters: Grettir, Paradoxides NPCs:
Real World: Autumn 2007; Where: Maisemore
See also Ubaron’s Diaries