From 3246767d62cda1b1ec9d98ce1670cb5de3e946b2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bill Nibz Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2018 16:59:39 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Add Halvar backstory draft --- _drafts/halvar.md | 230 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 230 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _drafts/halvar.md diff --git a/_drafts/halvar.md b/_drafts/halvar.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2573a4d --- /dev/null +++ b/_drafts/halvar.md @@ -0,0 +1,230 @@ +--- + tabtitle: "Character Write-up: Halvar" + title: "Character Write-up: Halvar, Rune Bearer" + topics: [writing, gaming] + pub: "2018-01-27" + short_desc: "The backstory for my first character in a new 5th Edition + Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Meet Halvar, a brash young warrior looking + for glory!" +--- + +# Halvar, Rune Bearer + +The boy stirred. A movement in his room brought his senses to him. It moved like +a shadow, hunting across his wall, and he feared he was the prey. Slipping +quietly from his blankets, he reached under his bed, and swiftly brought forth +the shield his father had given him. None too soon, as green flame erupted from +the shadow, streaking across the room. The boy raised his shield, as the flames +crashed upon him. In the same moment it was over, the boy standing among the +scorched wood, his shield glowing brightly from the runes inscribed on its face. +The shadow stepped forward, no longer a monster but a human figure, and bowed +deeply. + +“You have within you the secret of the runes,” it said in a voice impossible to +place. Shifting in tone and pitch, the boy was uncertain if he was watching a +woman or a man. He was starting to think it was another entirely. + +“The gods are not dead, nor is magic. Your sword, your blood, is proof enough. +Your destiny calls you, Halvar. Take forth your sword, and learn its true name. +Reveal the secret of the runes. You, Halvar, you will--” + +A loud belch erupted from the man next to him. + +“Give it up, Halvar! We’ve heard your tale a thousand times. It’s a good story +but a better lullaby once we get into the mead!” + +Laughter sprung up, and Halvar leaned back into his chair. The dark bedroom +faded from his mind, replaced with the warmth of the nearby fire. The inn was +empty, save them, and it felt vast compared to his memories. After a long drink +from his cup, he spoke. + +“Alright Baldur, I see I may talk you children to sleep with my tales of +greatness and destiny. Come then, you tell us one!” + +As others rallied the cry, the door to the inn was thrown open, and a figure +stumbled in. Dressed in the armor of a town guard, he glanced around the room in +a panic, before focusing on the hearth and the gathering of men there. + +“The road! Wolves! The caravan is under attack!” He shouted. + +Halvar rose without hesitation, as those around him looked to him. + +“Baldur, watch closely. This is how legends are made!” + +He ran from the inn, reaching to his hip and finding his sword. He hadn’t +remembered putting his belt on earlier. He must have done so without thinking. + +_Too eager for song and drink!_ He mused. + +As he neared the edge of the village, several others joined with him, and +together they began down the road. Howling could be heard on the wind, and the +woods were lit with the dancing light of torches. + +Halvar turned to the others. “I will go first, and draw their attention. Ivar, +try to target the ones in the back with that bow. Tad, you go for the wagon. Our +goal is to draw them from the caravan. Once they’re away, get the wagon moving!” + +He turned, then, and ran, not waiting for his companions replies. He knew time +was short, and greatness lay only around the bend. + +Running fast, sword in hand, he came upon the caravan. The horses were frenzied, +but still harnessed. A small blessing, he thought, then regretted, seeing the +first of the dead. To his left he could see two wolves in the brush, and he +guessed three more must be near his flank. He turned his back on the two, +taunting them, as he moved past the wagon. His simple farce worked, and the +wolves made to pounce. The first wolf fell to his blade, as the second danced to +his side. From behind, he heard movement, then a yelp. He dared a glance, and +saw two more wolves. One was laying on its side, an arrow from its neck. The +other began to circle. + +A sudden crack of reins drew his attention away to see the cart lurch forward. +The distraction was enough, and one of the circling wolves lunged. It caught +Halvar’s empty arm, and pulled him off balance, to the ground. Slashing wildly, +Halvar quickly recovered. His arm was mangled, the blood dripping from his hand +as the spittle dripped from the wolves mouths. The second wolf then lept, but +was caught mid flight by an arrow, and fell to the ground lifeless. Now +outnumbered, the remaining wolf retreated to the darkness of the woods. + +Ivar was upon him then, supporting him as they quickly made after the caravan. +His arm burned, his chest pounded, and his head swam with anticipation of +Baldur’s face, when he shared of his glory. + +“Good shooting, Ivar! That’s two for you and two for me! Wait until Baldur--” + +In a white blur, Ivar was torn from his side. Stumbling slightly, he turned to +see a great white wolf, the size of a small horse, with Ivar’s neck in its +teeth. With a snarl, it ripped the life from Ivar, and as blood dripped from its +mouth, it spoke in the common tongue. + +“You will die this night, rune bearer. You cannot be allowed to live.” + +Halvar took up his stance. His left arm useless, he put it between him and his +enemy. The wolf then bellowed an unearthly howl, which echoed in the woods and +was joined by more voices. + +_Unfortunate_, he thought, _This would make for a great tale. And not a single +skald around to watch!_ + +The two circled. The great wolf snarled a laugh of sorts. + +“Do you know of me, manling? I am a daughter of Fenrir. I am to join my father +in Ragnarok. I will feast upon your gods carcasses, and drink of their blood! +You are not a god. What hope have you against one as great as me? Bare your +neck, and I will end your life quickly.” + +Halvar smiled. “Do you know of me, pup? I am Halvar, son of Haakon, son of +Eirik, son of Odinson. I carry the secrets of the runes, and will herald the +return of the gods! You dare impede my destiny?! You will serve only to further +my legend!” + +With renewed vigor, Halvar attacked. Sword was met with fang, as blow after blow +was traded. The great wolf, no stranger to the weapons of man, danced around the +blade. As each grew bloodied, they parted, panting and weary. + +“You fight well, for a runt.” Halvar managed between breaths. “Tell me your +name, great wolf. No warrior should live in legend unknown!” + +The wolf bared its teeth, perhaps mimicking a smile. “I am called Ísstonn, ice +fang. A vetrgarmr. Daughter of Vetrkona, Daughter of Hati Hróðvitnisson.” + +A crushing of snow behind him signalled more wolves. Halvar knew his time was +over. + +Never a skald around… He began, then was interrupted by a yelp and a thud. He +glanced over his shoulder to see one of the two wolves laying still, an ax in +its side. From the woods, a figure emerged. + +“You’re not a skald, but you’ll do!” Halvar shouted, a grin now upon his face. +His father stepped forth, drawing the handax from the wolf, and moved to join +him. + +“Father and son shall fall by my fangs!” Ísstonn barked, and the fight resumed. + +Once more, sword met fang, and blows were traded. Halvar and Haakon fought the +winter wolf, as other wolves howled in the dark woods. The bravery and skill of +the two was too much for the great wolf, and before long she lay bloodied and +defeated on the snow. + +“You fight with conviction, Haakonson,” she spit, as blood ran from her mouth. +“Beware my father’s fang, manling. He will devour your gods.” The light faded +from the great beast, as the last fog of its breath faded into the cold night +air. + +The two men made haste to the village. The night now silent. + +“Halvar, what happened tonight, no one in the village may know of it.” Haakon +said, as he bandaged Halvar’s arm. + +“Surely you joke! What happened tonight is a story to rival the legends of old! +Ow!” Haakon squeezed Halvar’s arm tightly. Tears welled in his eyes, as he +stared with an intensity Halvar had not seen for many years. + +“Halvar. You indeed have a great destiny before you. This village is in danger +if you remain. You must leave here, and find your legend beyond these fields.” + +Haakon then stood, and dared clear his eyes with his sleeve. After a brief +pause, he went and retrieved a small chest. He heaved the heavy container onto +the floor besides Halvar, and beckoned him open it. + +Within, Halvar found a suit of chain mail, polished and oiled. Beneath it, a +leather tunic, and nestled next to it all, a helmet. + +“This was your grandfather’s, and his before him.” Haakon said. “If the stories +are to be believed, this mail saw many battles, some during the great war.” + +Haakon then placed two hand axes next to the chest. “These are yours now. Muninn +and Huginn, named for the All Father’s favorite ravens. May they serve you well, +as they do him” + +Finally, he laid Halvar’s sword upon his lap. “And this, you know of. What you +may not know is the legend of this sword. Here, a drink and our final toast.” +Haakon handed a cup to Halvar, and they drank. + +“Ages past, when myths were made, and magic was commonplace, the keepers of the +runes used their powers to gift man with powerful weapons and armor and other +trinkets. This sword is one such weapon. I know not its true name. My father +told me it was called Eljunvegr (Enduring Hope), as I have told you, but there +is another name, lost to time. These runes, they are more than just decoration, +as you well know. Legend says, in the time of the great war, this sword was used +by a great berserker of Odin. Odin’s ritual to save humanity would destroy any +and all around him, and Odin commanded his men flee, to live. This berserker +refused the command of the god, and fought alone to protect the All Father, +ensuring his victory. He fought with this sword, as you now will.” + +Haakon then helped Halvar don his armor, and brought to him a pack. They then +went outside, to meet the dawn. Haakon led to Halvar a horse, and then returned +to the house. Before entering, he turned. + +“You do honor to your family, Halvar. Never forget that.” With that, Haakon +moved inside, and closed the door. + +As Halvar neared the edge of the village, there stood two men. He recognized one +as Baldur, and after a moment recognized the second as Tad. + +“Leaving so soon? Surely you’ve tales of your daring rescue last night?” Baldur +said, stifling a yawn. “We heard you were to leave. It looks like you ride to +war!” He chuckled. + +“You saved this village last night. That caravan had food and medicine.” Tad +chimed in. + +“We saved the village, Tad. You, me and Ivar. We did.” Halvar replied, his voice +lacking in it’s usual bravado. + +“Well, seems your adventures were a bit humbling. I admit, I fear what an actual +adventure will make you!” Baldur laughed. “Every great warrior needs a shield, +Halvar, and despite my jabs, I always remember the shield you told me of, the +shield that saved you that night many years ago.” + +From his side, Baldur lifted a round shield. It was expertly crafted, and +perfectly balanced. Upon its face, a rune was burned into the wood, and gelded +in silver. + +“Take this too, it’s from my family.” Tad held forth a horn, carved of bone with +a steel mouthpiece. + +“Consider them a reminder: your legend started here. Now go, your father will +have our beards if we’re seen with you.” + +With a nod, Halvar rode from the village. He knew not to where he went, but he +knew his destiny would not let him stray far.