Chapter One.
The bite from the wolf itched. Rognvar the Unready began to worry that he might die of an infection. The Healer looked at it and placed a poultice of mold and holy water on the wound but it was growing wolf fur all around it, and now he was getting sick. He went to the Healer again and the healer wrote runes on a bone and burned the bone in a fire but still it grew worse. Finally the Healer shrugged his shoulders and said plainly: "Your future is that of a Weirwolf. Try not to lose your consiousness when you change form so you won't murder us all." said the Healer. You can seek out the High Priest but I doubt he can help. This is a condition that only the gods can reverse." said the Healer. After that visit, Rognvar left the hut and wandered around the valley until he fell exhusted on the ground. He looked as his fur-covered arms and felt his face as he transformed. He passed out, not able to stand the pain. When he woke up, he stood on his four legs and let out a vicious, primal howl. He went hunting, to sate his blood lust. Deer, elk, Orcs, just not humans. He took down an Orcish hunter that was tending to his traps. He grabbed the Orc by his jaws and shook the body wildly until the Orc was dead, then he ate the intestines of the Orc and buried the body near a river. He ran around for hours, picking fights with bears and other wolves. He then fought another wolf that seemed to have supernatural strength. "You are another Weirwolf!" said Rognvar. "Not just another Weirwolf, I am your thane. You were bitten by a sword brother. Welcome to the Whitepaw Clan!" said the Alpha wolf. "This power seems useful in fighting the Orcs, they just die when we grab them!" said Rognvar. "Indeed. We always try to hunt Orcs in pack instead of formation unless we are fighting alongside another thane or the Yarl, if our secret ever got out, we would be hunted down and killed." said the Thane wolf. "We have 40 members of our pack." said the Thane. "The only member that was cured of this condition was old Geirmundur but he went to the Temple of the god of mercy in Hafsteinnborg and swam in the springs on the Temple grounds. After several days, he was cured. He didn't reveal our secret but he remembered us and let us sleep in his barn and even fed us raw meat chunks while in changed form. He would laugh and call us his "dogs" but it was all in good humor." said Thane Halldórsson. "Come, let us hunt some Orcs!" said the Thane. The pack gathered around and howled and then ran at a supernatural speed to a local Orc village they often raided. The attack was swift and lethal, ten armored Orcs fell to the ground, dead while the other Orcs fled to a nearby cave to hide. "Ga'rroc har thinar!" shouted the Orcs in a panic. "They know we are changelings. They will try to warn the other villages up the river but we will put them to flight. They are on my lands, illegally!" said the Thane wolf. "Do we worship the god of the hunt while in this form?" asked Rognvar. "Only if we cannot overcome an obstacle." said the Thane wolf. "But watch out for the dark god of the hunt! He will try to lure you with promises of strength and power. If he appears to you, change back to human." said the Thane wolf. "We also fight against the Darkpaw Clan, they all worship the dark god of the hunt and they hunt and devour all they meet. Extremely evil and cursed they are." said the Thane wolf.
Chapter Two
Rognvar and the others changed back to human form and changed back into their clothes and went back into the Hall to get some food and sleep. "Let's stay in human form for awhile men, I am getting weary of this constant raiding." said the Thane to his men. The kelti servants served the men a platter of vegetables, all of them thinking that their Masters were vegetarians but not knowing the real reason why their Masters shunned meat dishes. As a part of the nightly entertainment, a kelti man and his wife, both cooks in the Hall kitchen, would trade insults with each other in Vyir, causing much merriment amongst the Vyir warriors. The kelti villagers knew that their Masters were werewolves but they knew that they and their families were safe because this pack followed the Light and not the Darkness. The Vyir spent a week in human form, training in their armor during the day, as well as carrying logs on their backs and other games of challenge. Night times saw drinking and feasting at the Hall, as neighbor Thanes paid visits and sometimes even dropped their sons off for warrior training. The pack was careful not to bite the visitors, least the secret got out. Another week went by and the men stayed in human form. "We have a problem, if we get a beserker in our pack, he will instantly change form in battle and our secret gets out. No berserkers! If they visit our Hall, we politely discourage them." said the Thane. "Then you do not have that added honor that many holds have!" said a warrior. "Fine, I can do without it. They eat too much anyway." said the Thane. The men laughed. Rognvar was beginning to worry. He was what you call a "random berserk" and he could then change form at any time. He paid a visit to the healer. "Make me a rune amulet that will hide my true form." said Rognvar. "Fine, I can carve some runes on a bone or inlay them in gold and make it a fancy amulet. Which one? The gold one will last longer." said the Healer. "Make it in gold. I'll test it in battle and you watch. If I change form and am spotted, I will toss it back at you and you will remake it." said Rognvar. "The gold amulet will cost me 1,000 guilders to make. Do you have that much gold?" asked the Healer. "I make that much in one battle." said Rognvar. Rognvar went to his chest and collected his money-bag. He poured out 1,000 guilders to the healer and the healer went to work immediately. Little did he know, a warrior was watching. The warrior went to the Thane. "Rognvar went to the healer for an amulet." said the warrior. "So? Who does not? I have one that allows me to swim underwater without drowning." said the Thane. "Leave him be. I will speak with him." said the Thane. The other warrior nodded and returned to his training. After breakfast the next day, the Thane brotched the topic. "You had an amulet made?" asked the Thane. "I am a random berserk. I cannot control when I go berserk so I paid 1,000 guilders to the Healer to make me an amulet of concealment. So, if I change, no-one will know, not even your warriors." said Rognvar. "Good plan, it seems I got something I had not bargained for. You had better keep that amulet on when we are fighting alongside neighboring Thanes and Yarls or we all die without mercy." said the Thane. Several days passed and the men were racing each other up and down the valley in human form and in wolf form when the healer approached Rognvar. "Here is your amulet. Wear it only when you need to and keep it close by." said the Healer. "If you leave it on, I fear you might transform into a grendel." said the Healer with a cringe. "Grendal?" asked Rognvar. "Permenent changling, you remain a wolf and you lose your mind." said the Healer. "The last grendel was hunted down and killed without mercy by the pack." said the Healer. "gods! The Thane never told me about that!" said Rognvar. "And here is another thing that the Thane didn't tell you. His brother leads the other pack. The dark pack." said the Healer. Rognvar began to wonder what he got himself into. "Then it is decided." said Rognvar. He strode up to the Thane's Hall and went inside. "Thane! I ask to be released from your service, my old father is dying and needs me on his farm!" said Rognvar. "Go then, just keep that amulet on!" said the Thane. Rognvar tipped his right hand to the Thane and went out of the Hall. He traveled up the rivers to the Temple of the god of mercy in Hafsteinnborg and removed the amulet and went swimming in the pools. "Ye are sick?" asked the High Priest. "I am, and I will swim this pool until I am well again." said Rognvar. "You don't seem ill but your hair is off color. I will not pester you about this." said the High Priest and he went to tend to the others, lying on benches throughout the Temple. The harp music soothed the wild, ravening beast inside and he thought to himself; "I could get used to this." He volunteered in the Temple, taking food and water to the severely ill and he wore the robe of the lay-priest, which was a custom if one was recovering from a long-term illness. He heard news of a war to the east but he ignored it, wanting to recover from his condition. Several old friends, all battered and bruised from the most recent spate of battles, came in and were surprised to see Rognvar in robes. "Rognvar! We didn't know you had changed your calling!" said Hákon the One-Fingered. "No, I am here for long-term recovery from an illness." said Rognvar. "After this, we are planning to head to Vallhalla-Mitgarde Hall and go into the service of the High Yarl, Hólmfríður the Great." said Hakon. "Aye, you certainly have deserved that honor." said Rognvar with a sad smile. "Ha! The High Yarl does not like my father a bit. The last High Yarl mistook my father for the stable-boy and ordered him to clean the stables. My father challenged him to a duel on the spot and he won! The only honor he got was banishment for one year." said Rognvar glumly. "Perhaps you should travel with us and speak your case before the High Yarl." said Hakon. "Hopefully the High Yarl will not banish me too." said Rognvar. "I doubt it, insults don't last long. I doubt he is your enemy. Enough time has passed under the bridge, I should think." said Hakon. "Fine then, when I have recovered, I will meet you in Ólafurborg." said Rognvar. (The capital city had changed locations several times over the years because the High Yarl was looking for the most secure city in which to reside, the nobles and merchants followed him when he moved his seat.)
Chapter Three.
When Rognvar was fully recovered (which was after three months in the Temple) he traveled with his friends to Olafurborg by river boat. The city was large, filled with noble halls and temples as well as several districts, each with it's own guilds. "Everyone here seems to be obsessed with either making money or being a lord!" said a boy to the men as they walked around the city. The streets were paved with stone, all the Halls and buildings were built of stone and the streets even had light-stone holders to keep the streets lit at night. "I would move here, if I had the guilden!" said one of the men. "What? And be bored all the time? The Orcs don't attack this city. It has the thickest wall and the best fighting force defending it in all of Vyirlund!" said a warrior. They wandered the streets, looking for Vallhalla-Mitgarde Hall. They saluted a city guard. "Where is the Royal Hall?" asked the men. "Visitation is by appointment only. You can rest in any one of the many Inns inside of the city. If you are fortunate enough to be on good terms with your Yarl, you can stay at his hall here in the city." said the city guard. "Stay away from the tavern district. It is filled with thieves and liars." said the guard. "And mind your manners here or you'll get a stiff fine." concluded the guard. He left. "I know Yarl Runólfur the Double-Axe quite well." said Hodovir. "We'll stay at his hall." he said with a hopeful tone. The small group followed Hodovir to an ornate hall and he knocked on the main door. "What is it?" asked a kelti slave, who answered the door. "it is Hodovir the Gangler. I fought at the Yarl's side at the Battle of Yvern's Field in the last war." said Hodovir to the servant. "Aye, I'll get the lady of the hall." said the servant. He came back a few minutes later with a richly adorned woman. "Aye, I am the wife of the Yarl. What is your business?" she asked. Hodovir tipped his right hand slightly. "We are here to seek lodging so we can plead our friend's case before the Yarl, his father gave offense to the last Yarl, quite by mistake, and our friend wants to clear his father's name." said Hodovir. "And the rest of us are here to seek entrance to the Great Hall to become Huscarls to the High Yarl." said Sigfinnur. "Your clothes that you wear and your stories check out with me. Come in." she said. She opened the door and the men entered into the hall. "You can stay in the visitor's rooms upstairs. I want to hear more about this case you have. I can help you." she offered. The men settled in and sent downstairs to the main part of the hall. A bard began to play music and kelti servants brought in food. "Now tell me, how do you propose to even see the High Yarl without a gift?" asked the queen. "I suppose I can give him my golden band." said Rognvar. "It was a gift from a Nord Yarl for saving his life. I would hate to part with it but under the circumstances." said Rognvar. "It is my best option." he said. "And take this letter." said the queen. She passed him a rolled parchment with the seal of her husband. "This will get you an audience and you will more than likely get what you need from the High Yarl." said the queen. Rognvar took the letter and thanked the queen. They ate for the rest of the night in silence. The next day, the men left the hall to go to the main hall. They found it and the doors were locked. Several Royal Huscarls guarded the door. "We request to see the High Yarl." said Rognvar. "Sorry, that is by appointment only." said one the the Royal Huscarl's. "Here is this letter from the queen of my Yarl." said Rognvar. He handed the scroll to the guard and the guard looked at the seal. "Go in." said the Royal Huscarl. The Huscarls opened the huge door and the men walked inside the giant Hall. "Ye gods, you would think that the giant Ysgramir lived here!" said one of the men. A tall man, dressed in replendent robes approached them. "I am the Arch-Chancellor. What brings you to see the High Yarl?" asked Sigmundur, the Arch-Chancellor. "I am here to plead for my father's return to the High Yarl's good graces." said Rognvar. "Let me see the records." said the Arch-Chancellor formally. He scurried off and came back. "Our records show that your father defeated the last Yarl in honorable combat after an insult was given. This Court feels that, under the new High Yarl, your father was unjustly banished and he may return at any time." said the Arch-Chancellor. "I thank you Arch-Chancellor. Some of my weapons-brothers have a request to join themselves to the High Yarl as Royal Huscarls." said Rognvar. "Fine, I will see them presently. The High Yarl has heard of you and wants to see you." said the Arch-Chancellor to Rognvar. "I suggest you seat yourself at the Great Table and wait." he said. Rognvar did that as the Arch-Chancellor led the men to the High Captain of the Royal Huscarls. A boy of thirteen ran up to Rognvar. "Hello." said the boy formally. Rognvar looked at the ring on the boy's right finger and noticed the Royal Medallion. "Your Highness!" said Rognvar and he quickly tilted his right hand all the way down and bowed formally. "My father died in battle." said the boy. "I am to be formally crowned next year." said the High Yarl. "So, what brings you to me?" asked the new High Yarl. "The issue was resolved by yourself." said Rognvar. "I have heard that you swam in the pools of the Temple of the god of mercy? You must have been hit by a terrible illness?" asked the boy Yarl. "Aye, my Yarl. I have fully recovered and I intend to return to my father's hall and help him run the farm." said Rognvar. "Rumor has it that you know someone who is a werewolf." said the boy. "My Yarl, I did not seek to stir your anger." said Rognvar. "No, I am just wanting to know, what is a changling like?" asked the boy Yarl. "A changling is harmless if he worships the gods of the light, but he becomes a monster if he worships the gods of the darkness. A grendel is what results if the changling is affected by another magical source." said Rognvar. "I have heard that all changlings are evil." said the boy Yarl. "Stienoflur! Come look at this man!" said the boy Yarl to the Royal Priest. Stienoflur came forward and looked deep into the eyes of Rognvar. "He is no changling my Yarl." said the Royal Priest. "My spies tell me you kept company with a pack of weirwolves. You were a werewolf yourself but you were cured." said the High Yarl. "We have no law against a cured weirwolves but we have a law against weirwolves who refuse to be cured." said the High Yarl. "And my agents have tracked down the members of that pack, both factions and have slain them. The local Thane of that hall was one of them. I need to give that hall to another. I want you to have it. I will give you ten of my best huscarls and I will occasionally call upon you to hunt down and slay weirwolves." said the High Yarl. Rognvar said nothing for awhile. "Just as I thought, my spies are misinformed. I will punish them once they return. Weirwolves, what nonsense!" said the High Yarl. "By the way, I need more Thanes for the next campaign. Would you be interested?" asked the High Yarl. Rognvar said nothing. "Fine, you seem to be an honest man who protects his friends. Go in peace but I am watching you." said the boy Yarl. Rognvar walked gracefully out of the presence of the boy Yarl. He left the hall and returned to the house of his queen. "How did it go?" asked the queen. "My father got his pardon." said Rognvar. "And he was on you about what? A wierwolf? Surely he has some growing up to do before he becomes a High Yarl." said the queen. "You have spies too?" asked Rognvar. "Yes, I knew you were coming here before you did." said the queen. "Yes, so thank you for hosting us. The other warriors are now Huscarls and I am on my way back to my father's hall." said Rognvar. "Farewell then." said the queen. He left the hall and took a ship from the river docks back to his home hall.
Chapter Four.
The hall was in disrepair. The slaves had run off and Rognvar had discovered from a local freeholder that weirwolves had attacked his hall and killed his father and brothers in the mountains. "I am glad I was cured, they are a curse on humanity." said Rognvar out loud, to no-one while in the run-down hall. He set fire to the hall and burned down the village along with it, since there was nothing left. He went out to find the bodies of his father and brothers and found them buried in a mountain meadow, all the graves marked with stone cairns and their swords proped against each cairn. "Rognvar" said a wolf voice behind him. He turned. It was his old thane. "Thane! What happened here?" asked Rognvar. "I lied." growled the weirwolf as it began to circle. "The myth of a righteous wierwolf is a myth. I worship the gods of the darkness." said the weirwolf. "You will pay for the slaughter of my family!" said Rognvar as he pulled his sword. "I will rip you to shreds for abandoning me, you dishonorable whelp!" growled the thane-wolf. "Go to hell!" said Rognvar as he threw the amulet at the weirwolf and the weirwolf caught it and swallowed it. The weirwolf burst into flame and burned up until only his bones remained. "You fool! I studied runes as a youth! I knew that the Healer made an amulet of death for me because you ordered him to! How stupid do you think I am?" said Rognvar, triumphantly. The rest of the pack arrived. "Tho'var!" he cried and a circle of fire expanded from him and caught the rest of the weirwolves and consumed them until they were dead. "Well played." said the High Yarl as he walked out of the woods with his three most trusted Royal Huscarls. "The pack is dead, thank the gods!" said Rognvar. "For ridding the Kingdom of the Weirwolves forever, I name you Court Yarl. You are to advise me at the Royal Court. Anyone who could discover the facts this quickly deserves a title." said the boy High Yarl. "I thank ye, your highness." said Rognvar as he put his sword back in it's hilt.
THE END.
The bite from the wolf itched. Rognvar the Unready began to worry that he might die of an infection. The Healer looked at it and placed a poultice of mold and holy water on the wound but it was growing wolf fur all around it, and now he was getting sick. He went to the Healer again and the healer wrote runes on a bone and burned the bone in a fire but still it grew worse. Finally the Healer shrugged his shoulders and said plainly: "Your future is that of a Weirwolf. Try not to lose your consiousness when you change form so you won't murder us all." said the Healer. You can seek out the High Priest but I doubt he can help. This is a condition that only the gods can reverse." said the Healer. After that visit, Rognvar left the hut and wandered around the valley until he fell exhusted on the ground. He looked as his fur-covered arms and felt his face as he transformed. He passed out, not able to stand the pain. When he woke up, he stood on his four legs and let out a vicious, primal howl. He went hunting, to sate his blood lust. Deer, elk, Orcs, just not humans. He took down an Orcish hunter that was tending to his traps. He grabbed the Orc by his jaws and shook the body wildly until the Orc was dead, then he ate the intestines of the Orc and buried the body near a river. He ran around for hours, picking fights with bears and other wolves. He then fought another wolf that seemed to have supernatural strength. "You are another Weirwolf!" said Rognvar. "Not just another Weirwolf, I am your thane. You were bitten by a sword brother. Welcome to the Whitepaw Clan!" said the Alpha wolf. "This power seems useful in fighting the Orcs, they just die when we grab them!" said Rognvar. "Indeed. We always try to hunt Orcs in pack instead of formation unless we are fighting alongside another thane or the Yarl, if our secret ever got out, we would be hunted down and killed." said the Thane wolf. "We have 40 members of our pack." said the Thane. "The only member that was cured of this condition was old Geirmundur but he went to the Temple of the god of mercy in Hafsteinnborg and swam in the springs on the Temple grounds. After several days, he was cured. He didn't reveal our secret but he remembered us and let us sleep in his barn and even fed us raw meat chunks while in changed form. He would laugh and call us his "dogs" but it was all in good humor." said Thane Halldórsson. "Come, let us hunt some Orcs!" said the Thane. The pack gathered around and howled and then ran at a supernatural speed to a local Orc village they often raided. The attack was swift and lethal, ten armored Orcs fell to the ground, dead while the other Orcs fled to a nearby cave to hide. "Ga'rroc har thinar!" shouted the Orcs in a panic. "They know we are changelings. They will try to warn the other villages up the river but we will put them to flight. They are on my lands, illegally!" said the Thane wolf. "Do we worship the god of the hunt while in this form?" asked Rognvar. "Only if we cannot overcome an obstacle." said the Thane wolf. "But watch out for the dark god of the hunt! He will try to lure you with promises of strength and power. If he appears to you, change back to human." said the Thane wolf. "We also fight against the Darkpaw Clan, they all worship the dark god of the hunt and they hunt and devour all they meet. Extremely evil and cursed they are." said the Thane wolf.
Chapter Two
Rognvar and the others changed back to human form and changed back into their clothes and went back into the Hall to get some food and sleep. "Let's stay in human form for awhile men, I am getting weary of this constant raiding." said the Thane to his men. The kelti servants served the men a platter of vegetables, all of them thinking that their Masters were vegetarians but not knowing the real reason why their Masters shunned meat dishes. As a part of the nightly entertainment, a kelti man and his wife, both cooks in the Hall kitchen, would trade insults with each other in Vyir, causing much merriment amongst the Vyir warriors. The kelti villagers knew that their Masters were werewolves but they knew that they and their families were safe because this pack followed the Light and not the Darkness. The Vyir spent a week in human form, training in their armor during the day, as well as carrying logs on their backs and other games of challenge. Night times saw drinking and feasting at the Hall, as neighbor Thanes paid visits and sometimes even dropped their sons off for warrior training. The pack was careful not to bite the visitors, least the secret got out. Another week went by and the men stayed in human form. "We have a problem, if we get a beserker in our pack, he will instantly change form in battle and our secret gets out. No berserkers! If they visit our Hall, we politely discourage them." said the Thane. "Then you do not have that added honor that many holds have!" said a warrior. "Fine, I can do without it. They eat too much anyway." said the Thane. The men laughed. Rognvar was beginning to worry. He was what you call a "random berserk" and he could then change form at any time. He paid a visit to the healer. "Make me a rune amulet that will hide my true form." said Rognvar. "Fine, I can carve some runes on a bone or inlay them in gold and make it a fancy amulet. Which one? The gold one will last longer." said the Healer. "Make it in gold. I'll test it in battle and you watch. If I change form and am spotted, I will toss it back at you and you will remake it." said Rognvar. "The gold amulet will cost me 1,000 guilders to make. Do you have that much gold?" asked the Healer. "I make that much in one battle." said Rognvar. Rognvar went to his chest and collected his money-bag. He poured out 1,000 guilders to the healer and the healer went to work immediately. Little did he know, a warrior was watching. The warrior went to the Thane. "Rognvar went to the healer for an amulet." said the warrior. "So? Who does not? I have one that allows me to swim underwater without drowning." said the Thane. "Leave him be. I will speak with him." said the Thane. The other warrior nodded and returned to his training. After breakfast the next day, the Thane brotched the topic. "You had an amulet made?" asked the Thane. "I am a random berserk. I cannot control when I go berserk so I paid 1,000 guilders to the Healer to make me an amulet of concealment. So, if I change, no-one will know, not even your warriors." said Rognvar. "Good plan, it seems I got something I had not bargained for. You had better keep that amulet on when we are fighting alongside neighboring Thanes and Yarls or we all die without mercy." said the Thane. Several days passed and the men were racing each other up and down the valley in human form and in wolf form when the healer approached Rognvar. "Here is your amulet. Wear it only when you need to and keep it close by." said the Healer. "If you leave it on, I fear you might transform into a grendel." said the Healer with a cringe. "Grendal?" asked Rognvar. "Permenent changling, you remain a wolf and you lose your mind." said the Healer. "The last grendel was hunted down and killed without mercy by the pack." said the Healer. "gods! The Thane never told me about that!" said Rognvar. "And here is another thing that the Thane didn't tell you. His brother leads the other pack. The dark pack." said the Healer. Rognvar began to wonder what he got himself into. "Then it is decided." said Rognvar. He strode up to the Thane's Hall and went inside. "Thane! I ask to be released from your service, my old father is dying and needs me on his farm!" said Rognvar. "Go then, just keep that amulet on!" said the Thane. Rognvar tipped his right hand to the Thane and went out of the Hall. He traveled up the rivers to the Temple of the god of mercy in Hafsteinnborg and removed the amulet and went swimming in the pools. "Ye are sick?" asked the High Priest. "I am, and I will swim this pool until I am well again." said Rognvar. "You don't seem ill but your hair is off color. I will not pester you about this." said the High Priest and he went to tend to the others, lying on benches throughout the Temple. The harp music soothed the wild, ravening beast inside and he thought to himself; "I could get used to this." He volunteered in the Temple, taking food and water to the severely ill and he wore the robe of the lay-priest, which was a custom if one was recovering from a long-term illness. He heard news of a war to the east but he ignored it, wanting to recover from his condition. Several old friends, all battered and bruised from the most recent spate of battles, came in and were surprised to see Rognvar in robes. "Rognvar! We didn't know you had changed your calling!" said Hákon the One-Fingered. "No, I am here for long-term recovery from an illness." said Rognvar. "After this, we are planning to head to Vallhalla-Mitgarde Hall and go into the service of the High Yarl, Hólmfríður the Great." said Hakon. "Aye, you certainly have deserved that honor." said Rognvar with a sad smile. "Ha! The High Yarl does not like my father a bit. The last High Yarl mistook my father for the stable-boy and ordered him to clean the stables. My father challenged him to a duel on the spot and he won! The only honor he got was banishment for one year." said Rognvar glumly. "Perhaps you should travel with us and speak your case before the High Yarl." said Hakon. "Hopefully the High Yarl will not banish me too." said Rognvar. "I doubt it, insults don't last long. I doubt he is your enemy. Enough time has passed under the bridge, I should think." said Hakon. "Fine then, when I have recovered, I will meet you in Ólafurborg." said Rognvar. (The capital city had changed locations several times over the years because the High Yarl was looking for the most secure city in which to reside, the nobles and merchants followed him when he moved his seat.)
Chapter Three.
When Rognvar was fully recovered (which was after three months in the Temple) he traveled with his friends to Olafurborg by river boat. The city was large, filled with noble halls and temples as well as several districts, each with it's own guilds. "Everyone here seems to be obsessed with either making money or being a lord!" said a boy to the men as they walked around the city. The streets were paved with stone, all the Halls and buildings were built of stone and the streets even had light-stone holders to keep the streets lit at night. "I would move here, if I had the guilden!" said one of the men. "What? And be bored all the time? The Orcs don't attack this city. It has the thickest wall and the best fighting force defending it in all of Vyirlund!" said a warrior. They wandered the streets, looking for Vallhalla-Mitgarde Hall. They saluted a city guard. "Where is the Royal Hall?" asked the men. "Visitation is by appointment only. You can rest in any one of the many Inns inside of the city. If you are fortunate enough to be on good terms with your Yarl, you can stay at his hall here in the city." said the city guard. "Stay away from the tavern district. It is filled with thieves and liars." said the guard. "And mind your manners here or you'll get a stiff fine." concluded the guard. He left. "I know Yarl Runólfur the Double-Axe quite well." said Hodovir. "We'll stay at his hall." he said with a hopeful tone. The small group followed Hodovir to an ornate hall and he knocked on the main door. "What is it?" asked a kelti slave, who answered the door. "it is Hodovir the Gangler. I fought at the Yarl's side at the Battle of Yvern's Field in the last war." said Hodovir to the servant. "Aye, I'll get the lady of the hall." said the servant. He came back a few minutes later with a richly adorned woman. "Aye, I am the wife of the Yarl. What is your business?" she asked. Hodovir tipped his right hand slightly. "We are here to seek lodging so we can plead our friend's case before the Yarl, his father gave offense to the last Yarl, quite by mistake, and our friend wants to clear his father's name." said Hodovir. "And the rest of us are here to seek entrance to the Great Hall to become Huscarls to the High Yarl." said Sigfinnur. "Your clothes that you wear and your stories check out with me. Come in." she said. She opened the door and the men entered into the hall. "You can stay in the visitor's rooms upstairs. I want to hear more about this case you have. I can help you." she offered. The men settled in and sent downstairs to the main part of the hall. A bard began to play music and kelti servants brought in food. "Now tell me, how do you propose to even see the High Yarl without a gift?" asked the queen. "I suppose I can give him my golden band." said Rognvar. "It was a gift from a Nord Yarl for saving his life. I would hate to part with it but under the circumstances." said Rognvar. "It is my best option." he said. "And take this letter." said the queen. She passed him a rolled parchment with the seal of her husband. "This will get you an audience and you will more than likely get what you need from the High Yarl." said the queen. Rognvar took the letter and thanked the queen. They ate for the rest of the night in silence. The next day, the men left the hall to go to the main hall. They found it and the doors were locked. Several Royal Huscarls guarded the door. "We request to see the High Yarl." said Rognvar. "Sorry, that is by appointment only." said one the the Royal Huscarl's. "Here is this letter from the queen of my Yarl." said Rognvar. He handed the scroll to the guard and the guard looked at the seal. "Go in." said the Royal Huscarl. The Huscarls opened the huge door and the men walked inside the giant Hall. "Ye gods, you would think that the giant Ysgramir lived here!" said one of the men. A tall man, dressed in replendent robes approached them. "I am the Arch-Chancellor. What brings you to see the High Yarl?" asked Sigmundur, the Arch-Chancellor. "I am here to plead for my father's return to the High Yarl's good graces." said Rognvar. "Let me see the records." said the Arch-Chancellor formally. He scurried off and came back. "Our records show that your father defeated the last Yarl in honorable combat after an insult was given. This Court feels that, under the new High Yarl, your father was unjustly banished and he may return at any time." said the Arch-Chancellor. "I thank you Arch-Chancellor. Some of my weapons-brothers have a request to join themselves to the High Yarl as Royal Huscarls." said Rognvar. "Fine, I will see them presently. The High Yarl has heard of you and wants to see you." said the Arch-Chancellor to Rognvar. "I suggest you seat yourself at the Great Table and wait." he said. Rognvar did that as the Arch-Chancellor led the men to the High Captain of the Royal Huscarls. A boy of thirteen ran up to Rognvar. "Hello." said the boy formally. Rognvar looked at the ring on the boy's right finger and noticed the Royal Medallion. "Your Highness!" said Rognvar and he quickly tilted his right hand all the way down and bowed formally. "My father died in battle." said the boy. "I am to be formally crowned next year." said the High Yarl. "So, what brings you to me?" asked the new High Yarl. "The issue was resolved by yourself." said Rognvar. "I have heard that you swam in the pools of the Temple of the god of mercy? You must have been hit by a terrible illness?" asked the boy Yarl. "Aye, my Yarl. I have fully recovered and I intend to return to my father's hall and help him run the farm." said Rognvar. "Rumor has it that you know someone who is a werewolf." said the boy. "My Yarl, I did not seek to stir your anger." said Rognvar. "No, I am just wanting to know, what is a changling like?" asked the boy Yarl. "A changling is harmless if he worships the gods of the light, but he becomes a monster if he worships the gods of the darkness. A grendel is what results if the changling is affected by another magical source." said Rognvar. "I have heard that all changlings are evil." said the boy Yarl. "Stienoflur! Come look at this man!" said the boy Yarl to the Royal Priest. Stienoflur came forward and looked deep into the eyes of Rognvar. "He is no changling my Yarl." said the Royal Priest. "My spies tell me you kept company with a pack of weirwolves. You were a werewolf yourself but you were cured." said the High Yarl. "We have no law against a cured weirwolves but we have a law against weirwolves who refuse to be cured." said the High Yarl. "And my agents have tracked down the members of that pack, both factions and have slain them. The local Thane of that hall was one of them. I need to give that hall to another. I want you to have it. I will give you ten of my best huscarls and I will occasionally call upon you to hunt down and slay weirwolves." said the High Yarl. Rognvar said nothing for awhile. "Just as I thought, my spies are misinformed. I will punish them once they return. Weirwolves, what nonsense!" said the High Yarl. "By the way, I need more Thanes for the next campaign. Would you be interested?" asked the High Yarl. Rognvar said nothing. "Fine, you seem to be an honest man who protects his friends. Go in peace but I am watching you." said the boy Yarl. Rognvar walked gracefully out of the presence of the boy Yarl. He left the hall and returned to the house of his queen. "How did it go?" asked the queen. "My father got his pardon." said Rognvar. "And he was on you about what? A wierwolf? Surely he has some growing up to do before he becomes a High Yarl." said the queen. "You have spies too?" asked Rognvar. "Yes, I knew you were coming here before you did." said the queen. "Yes, so thank you for hosting us. The other warriors are now Huscarls and I am on my way back to my father's hall." said Rognvar. "Farewell then." said the queen. He left the hall and took a ship from the river docks back to his home hall.
Chapter Four.
The hall was in disrepair. The slaves had run off and Rognvar had discovered from a local freeholder that weirwolves had attacked his hall and killed his father and brothers in the mountains. "I am glad I was cured, they are a curse on humanity." said Rognvar out loud, to no-one while in the run-down hall. He set fire to the hall and burned down the village along with it, since there was nothing left. He went out to find the bodies of his father and brothers and found them buried in a mountain meadow, all the graves marked with stone cairns and their swords proped against each cairn. "Rognvar" said a wolf voice behind him. He turned. It was his old thane. "Thane! What happened here?" asked Rognvar. "I lied." growled the weirwolf as it began to circle. "The myth of a righteous wierwolf is a myth. I worship the gods of the darkness." said the weirwolf. "You will pay for the slaughter of my family!" said Rognvar as he pulled his sword. "I will rip you to shreds for abandoning me, you dishonorable whelp!" growled the thane-wolf. "Go to hell!" said Rognvar as he threw the amulet at the weirwolf and the weirwolf caught it and swallowed it. The weirwolf burst into flame and burned up until only his bones remained. "You fool! I studied runes as a youth! I knew that the Healer made an amulet of death for me because you ordered him to! How stupid do you think I am?" said Rognvar, triumphantly. The rest of the pack arrived. "Tho'var!" he cried and a circle of fire expanded from him and caught the rest of the weirwolves and consumed them until they were dead. "Well played." said the High Yarl as he walked out of the woods with his three most trusted Royal Huscarls. "The pack is dead, thank the gods!" said Rognvar. "For ridding the Kingdom of the Weirwolves forever, I name you Court Yarl. You are to advise me at the Royal Court. Anyone who could discover the facts this quickly deserves a title." said the boy High Yarl. "I thank ye, your highness." said Rognvar as he put his sword back in it's hilt.
THE END.
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