STORMWOLF STORYLINE

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"Brothers and sisters. We have two pressing issues to discuss. Firstly, we have just received information form the Priests of Odin, that Tara fell pregnant, and gave birth in secret, just a few months ago. The Father of the Child, it is feared, is Garm (who was disguised as Westag at the time). I can only assume that Garm took control of her mind...as he...did...(cough) - in order to force her to act against her will.

"The Child has been taken by the Priests of Odin and they are keeping him safe and secure at the bidding of the Aesir.

"If Tara spoke to any of you about this, you must make it known now. This is what Garm meant when he referred to his 'seed'. We must try to work out what or why this happened, and if we can use it against him?

"Secondly, and more pressing - what should we do about Tara?

read on ..

July
2002

As Haegar sits on the rock, a movement catches his eye. A strange lurching shape moving from the shadow of the cliffs. Slowly coming closer, the shadow finally collapses in the lee of some carved stones. As Haegar moves to investigate, the shape begins to take form. And the recognition makes his skin rise in lumps.

It is Olaf! Malnourished, his right arm twisted at an unnatural angle and coated in salt from the sea, he is a terrible sight to behold. Many are his wounds, crudely tended with strips from his cloak. His hands bandaged against the weeping sores upon them. His lips cracked, and his hair and beard matted...

Meanwhile back in the Hall, Rurisk asks

"Can someone who was listening and slightly less loaded than I was please give me a quick rundown on what Garm said when he was going on about wanting "his seed" back.

The Crimson wolf we captured wasn't terribly helpful. He wouldn't tell us where they were hiding out only that

• Garm took over straight after Casboeth died.
• Garm turns up now and again and takes a couple of legions off with him (40 men per legion there isn't many crimson wolves left)
• and sometimes brings a few of them back again.
• They have been to Niflheim lately as the crimson wolf had seen Bjorne there.
• The Crimson wolves at the moment are more worried about survival than anything else."

"Hey Rurisk" Gravels Ristain, his voice still shot from his exertions over the weekend "Don't forget we also got an excellent recipe for lemon & bacon chicken out of him...." ..."oh and do I remember Garm raving something like 'the mother's dead' or something...."

• The mothers dead..
• give me back my seed.

And the last time Garm was about was crusade last year.

Can Garm change shape at all?"

"err well given that I thought Garm was s'possed to be a snarly doggy type thing....and he keeps appearing in the form of a bloody man...well I think that pretty much sorts out the whole can he change shape thing right?....

Oh and who wants some lemon and bacon chicken?" Ristain glances around for a slow cooking range and a young whole chicken....

Rurisk suddenly leaps to his feet...

"Tell me we haven't burnt the bodies yet.. WHERE ARE THE BODIES! Tell me NOW! Where the bugger are the bodies!"

With that he grabs a knife and runs towards the doors.

Ristain equally suddenly leaps to his feet...

"Tell me we haven't eaten the chicken's yet.. WHERE ARE THE CHICKENS! Tell me SOON! Where the bugger are the Chickens and for that matter lemons and bacon?"

 With that he grabs a knife and runs towards the kitchen.

Rurisk charges to the doors and rips them open. Then he runs towards the church.

"What the ... Rurisk?" Godfrich jumps to his feet and races after Rurisk.

Rurisk gets to the church doors very minutely before Godfrich

 Rurisk stalks into the room and looking at one of the attendants practically growls "Where are the bodies from Odinshame"

As Rurisk bursts through the doors he is confronted by a variety of spear and sword points, as numerous attendants and priests in martial garb round on him.

The High Priest steps forward and asks, in a deep, firm voice "What is it, Rurisk Stormborn? Why do you burst into this place with such haste?" then, more quietly, and with an underlying threat he adds "What do you have to tell us?"

The Church is crowded and there is much activity at the far end of the hall, where the bodies are being prepared for proper burial.

" I know.. I've always known but didn't bloody realise..

There wasn't one strange thing there but three..

• Tyr appeared to the Women,
• Magnus went off with Garm,
• and Tara Slept with Westag.

Give me back my seed... the mother is dead...

Either Tyr was Garm and Bronwyn is the mother, but she isn't dead. OR Westag was Garm and Tara was the Mother... Which means she has this seed that Garm wants! We have to make sure..." Rurisk Brandishes the knife.

Rurisk stops... "Wait... this was over a year ago. If it was either of them then it should have been born by now.. Unless it's monstrous nature is preventing it being born ahead of time.. Please you have to check, we need to know what has been done to Tara..."

The High Priest frowns at rurisks impetuous drawing of his knife, and the armed attendants move closer.

"So you say you have only suspicions, not knowledge you have hidden from us? That is good, but I have seen here signs that disturb me. Signs on the flesh of the dead. I know you well Rurisk, and you Godfrich also. Yet I knew Tara and I did not know."

The High Priest is silent for a moment. "Strip, the pair of you. Completely. If one can be touched, then any can, and I must know before I tell you more."

"Technically I have kept it from you, from everyone in fact, but I did not know it wasn't Westag. I spend much of my time body-guarding people and keeping my ears closed is one of the things you learn. I didn't think.

You have seen signs? what signs.. I will gladly prove my innocence. " With that Rurisk starts to strip off..

"Rurisk, you're either a genius or a lunatic and right now I have no idea which it is." Godfrich starts removing his clothes.

"Neither do I" Rurisk replies while struggling with his boots...

"I'd feel better if I could remember Garm being around and if I'd heard what he was saying that night. I can't remember a damn thing ... I can't remember ever having a hangover that big before."

Pulling his shirt off, Godfrich looks down at his chest and scowls. A white scar-line bears testimony to the arrow he caught in the last battle at the Grove. Dropping his trousers, he raises his arms to shoulder level and slowly turns a full circle.

"OK, here I am."

As Rurisk, Ristan and Godfrich race out of the hall, Katla around at those left in the room, with a baffled expression.

"Does anybody know what that was about?" At that, she stands up and strides out of the Longhall, in pursuit.

Once our two intrepid Stormwolf Warriors have stripped, they are examined by attendants instructed by the High Priest. Once he is satisfied that they do not bear any "marks" (at least not the ones he is looking for) he continues:

"Strange Omens, Stormwolves. Very strange. On the flesh of the dead I have seen two marks. One is the cursed ankh of the Crimson wolves. When it was discovered, during the preparation for cremation, the attendant cried out in horror, and would have struck the body had one of the other attendants not spotted, at the same time the Rune of Tyr upon the corpse.

That attendant, Tyrsa, claims that she was inspired upon seeing it, and that she deflected the blow without knowing what she was doing. She says the God worked through her."

 "Know you who bore these runes, and how they came to bear them? And if you did not - why have you come to this sacred place in such excitement? Speak!"

"I have no idea what is going on. I merely came running lest Rurisk do something foolish in his excited state" says Godfrich

"very sensible." the high priest turns to Rurisk and raises his eyebrows. "Well?"

Godfrich interupts -"Can I just interrupt a second? There is a possibility we don't have to do this yet. If Rurisk is correct, maybe someone should find Westag at this point."

"Tara's body had both or just the Ankh?

At crusade last year All of the women of the Stormwolves were visited by Tyr in their dreams. In fact Bronwyn was rather more "visited" than the rest of them. He gave her a message which as many things escapes my memory, possibly something about the gods stepping away from the world.

All the women were visited but most could not understand the words Croft and Tara included.. Later I was asked to escort Westag, Tara and a few others to the Latrines. The others finished quickly and as it was but a short distance returned with Vorstan. I stayed to watch over Tara and Westag despite Westags order to return to camp. They were both very drunk, the wouldn't have made it on their own, and I am most useful for navigation in the dark."

Rurisk kicks his armour causing a discordant jangling "While I was standing guard I heard somewhat unmistakable sounds being made by Westag and Tara. I did not mention it as I assume they would both probably not wish it known. What passes between a man and a woman as it where.

Of course I believe now that Westag may have by then already have been kidnapped (as he was later by the Crimson wolves) and the man Tara was with that night was in fact Garm in disguise..

I returned them safely to camp were they were relatively "friendly" for the rest of the night. Then nothing much happened after that.

That's it really.. it was the connection between the seed and the mother is dead.. All this talk of Iduns apples made me think of the wrong type of seed." Rurisk stops... "Can I put my clothes back on it's freezing in here..."

Godfrich shrugs. "That would have been before I was called to the Isle."

As Katla arrives at the church, she is confronted with the naked forms of Rurisk and Godfrich. "?!?!?!Ummmmm....."

" Regaining her composure, she looks at Rurisk...in the eyes.... "Rurisk, what in Odin's name is going on here?"

"Yes you may dress."

The priest looks hard at Rurisk and then says... "What exactly are you saying - Westag, kidnapped and imitated by Garm, and the Garm and Tara... And a seed? a Mother? iduns Apples? I think I see what you are saying. Make it clear for me Rurisk."

The attendants have relaxed slightly - although some have gone to the doors, and intercept Katla as she arrives. She too is faced by a ring of sharpened steel. The High Priest, turns to her and says "Hush Child. Let Rurisk and I finish our conversation, and then he will explain it all to you. I'm afraid I must ask you to strip - I don't have time to explain, so please do so now." "Rurisk?"

"I've had a flash.. I think I know what Garm is after. Close the Door please." With that Rurisk grabs his cloak off the floor

Pointedly turning his back on Katla, Godfrich grabs his trousers and slips them back on. "I think I see what you mean, Rurisk ... but ... it is ... it's ..." his voice trails off into silence.

Katla's eyes glint with amusement as Godfrich turns his back on her. Nodding to the priest, she strips off and stands unperturbed before his gaze.

Garm has attempted to create a child of his own line with Tara by impersonating Westag.

The seed may already have grown and been born in secret but with Tyr's rune appearing on her as well I think it more likely that Garm's seed was prevented from growing by Tyrs blessing. Which means it is most likely still inside Taras corpse.

Hence he wanted it back. I don't really understand how that part works.. It's unlikely that the seed has been born otherwise he'd demanded the child rather than the seed. It's possible that because Garm gave part of his life to Tara we could use it against him I'm unsure.

Iduns apples are just red herrings, not connected in this sense I don't think. Unless he has fused his own energy with one of the seeds from Iduns apples.. but that would begin to go into the realms of thinking like Ristain.."

Godfrich exclaims "Damn ... Rurisk, I told you, didn't I? I TOLD YOU! Why didn't I remember that before? We were guarding the gate the next morning, and we were talking about what happened in the night. You told me Garm said "my seed" and then you started talking about the apples. I told you that sounded funny, didn't I? I said it was odd that Garm would use the possessive if he meant the Apples. Argh! Right there in front of me and I didn't see it!"

"The whole apples thing is based on the assumption that Garm has a benefactor who is the same one as Grimnirs, That this benefactor is Thiassi a frost giant, and that said giant once stole the apples. Factor in that we now think Grimnirs benefactor is Hod and the thought that I don't believe Garm even HAS a benefactor... It all boils down to us having been monumentally dim.. "

The High Priest grows quiet and thoughtful, for a moment. Then he speaks softly. "But Rurisk, pregnant women are described as "mothers to be". To be a "mother" a women has to have given birth, does she not?"

"In which case we have a huge problem... Tara has had the child in secret. The child may or may not be on the island, it's not as if Tara hasn't travelled lately. Have there been any foundlings lately" Rurisk winces at the word "are there any new babies.. It may well be true-blood but the choice of the word seed to describe it is still odd if it has been born"

The door to the hall of the dead slams open, Gunn and Westag stand silhouetted in the doorway, a crash of thunder sounds from the night and a blast of Thor blessed lightning illuminates both their features, neither looks happy.

'Harald, why are a large group of my warriors standing naked in the hall of the dead, I'm pretty sure that kind of thing was stopped when we outlawed the worship of Hel the first time round...'  roars Gunn

'...and why wasn't I invited?'  says Westag

Making his way quickly across the distance he follows Gunn and Westag and slips into the church behind them... He can't help but feel trouble in the air... His hand slip to touch the cold metal helm clinched at his belt and he utters a silent prayer to Saga...

"Jarl Gunn" The High Priest inclines his head respectfully. "Master Westag. It is good you are here. "

Stormwolves are mighty - but three is not a large group. as for their being naked... "We were preparing the bodies of the fallen for cremation as the rites dictate. when we discovered, upon the body of Tara two Marks. Not tattoos but sacred marks. One was that of the crimson wolves, and perplexingly the other was that of Tyr. I know not what to think of this - but perhaps Rurisk can explain his theory to you?"

Rurisk quickly runs throught what he told the High priest ending it with "Westag did you ever sleep with Tara?"

Westag proceeds dumbfounded through a series of facial colours - white, pink, red, REALLY red, purple, and then returns to monochrome.

'Did I WHAT????!!!!!!'

Westag advances on Rurisk, backing the younger Stormwolf against the wall with the sheer force of his incandescent rage.

'NO I BLOODY HAVEN'T!!!! I'M NINETY YEARS OLD YOU STUPID F**K, I GET PALPITATIONS WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS BREASTS!!!!!!!'

Westag takes a breath and stands back from the naked warrior. 'I don't have the slightest recollection of any toilet-situated shenanigans, Rurisk. Now put some clothes on so I can shout at you properly.'

"Westag! In fact all of you stormwolves! Stop shouting in this sacred place!" Shouts the high priest Harald

Then: "Westag, you may not have sired a child on Tara - but someone - or something - did. The babe was born over the Winter. One of our number received a vision from Tyr and Odin, and went to where she was hiding - shamed by what she feared about the child's father - and stole him away.

It was that night that Tara was marked by Tyr. The mark of the crimson wolves was already on her at that time." "I cannot tell you where the child is - for the Aesir have instructed us to keep him hidden, until...I don't know what. And so the priest who took him has gone into hiding from even members of our own order."

"I shall have to contact the elders in order to find out more."

"In the meantime perhaps you should turn your wisdom to considering what this means. You should also consider whether or not you wish for Tara to be buried with the full honours of a Stormwolf - given her link to Garm, the crimson wolves, and, by implication, Loki."

"Return to your hall now. We shall prepare the other bodies for burial. You must tell us what you decide about Tara. You have no more than a couple of days to decide - though our magic can preserve the corpse for long I fear the omens of the Ankh being within this holy place."

"When or if I have more information for you, I shall come to the Great Hall at once."

Rurisk finishes putting his clothes on rather hurriedly... "I did think it was a little strange. However they were both very drunk and the Fake Westag did fall straight asleep after that and stayed asleep until he got "kidnapped" if I remember correctly

I have absolutely no idea what the whole point of this is. Back to square one.. Unless, Everytime the Crimsonwolves have acted before they have tried to accelerate Ragnarok to free Loki earlier. Lets assume however that Garm is not all that bothered about loki, I mean the connection is not as strong for the Crimsonwolves any longer. Maybe rather than rushing things they are trying to affect the long range plan. Garm and his crimson wolves are killed by Tyr and the swords of Tyr (us). He's tried already to get us to give up being Stormwolves meaning he'd survive. Now he creates a child, either in an attempt for it to live beyond Ragnarok OR worse to sully the Stormwolf lines and erode our purpose in the centuries before the last battle... I do not know.. we are back to not quite enough information..."

..."But perhaps this goes someway to explaining Garms absense for so long, bringing a child to term takes some time so I've been told..." "Poor Tara..." Ristain struggles with the guilt of not spotting the crumpled form of Tara during the undead raid as he prepare to follow the others.

Godfrich adds - "Or we're supposed to be too busy with the child to stop whatever they're planning next ... that would assume they could know when we would find out, though." "At least we know what Garm was doing, which is more than we did before. Now we can concentrate on WHY he was doing this thing."

Katla slowly dresses whilst considering the puzzle before them.

"I may not have been around when all this was happening, but I've been listening to what you've all been saying. The High Priest said that the child was taken by one of their order, following the instructions of the Gods themselves. Is that just to keep the child away from Garm or because he can be of use to them also? Maybe that's why Garm is so angry……."

Invar steps from the shadows, he had slipped in beforehand, his magics concealing him, so he could listen. How he can stay silent no more-even realising that he should not be here.

"So you think Garm's impregnated a Stormwolf? Even better, one that's died? Briefly before I heard it mentioned that we go back to Niffelhiem. May I suggest a better way? We do a ritual, we summon Bjorn back from the dead for a brief time - and we ask him a few questions ...."

A figure steps into the main hall, windblown and shaking it colapses to the ground. As various wenches rush over and remove the tattered cloak from the crumpled form they see it is Selene.

Her hair is in knots her face covered with dirt streaked in tears and as the book of Odin falls from her grasp she reaches fro it with blood stained hands.

"I...saw it all...everyone dying,,, all my frinds.. the slaughter" Selene begins to shake violently... "I don't know what to do... I dont know how to stop it anymore..."

Selene pushes away the wenches trying to comfort her and begins to draw runes on the floor with her bloodied hand and as she does her face calms momentarily...

Congratulations.

You have lived up to my expectations spectacularly. I do so hope you recieved the message I left? I would have given it to your Hel acolyte, but he was so pathetic I just couldn't bring myself to venture near him. Till the Renewal.

PRAISE BE TO LOKI!

LOKI BE PRAISED!

Westag let's the message from the Crimson Wolf Uld fall from his fingers, and it flutters to the floor, sticking to the runes Selene is scratching.

'This is not good, brothers. One does not need to be a rune-reader to see that this chaos is coming to a head. I fear for the Renewal - there is much that needs to be done. Most of which will be out of our control.' Westag leans against a wall and sighs deeply, staring at the crumpled figure of Selene with a stony expression on his face.

Selene continues drawing runes on the floor, occasionally erasing them with a wipe of her hand, rapidly working her way through the runes. eventually she draws the rune of protection and sits back on her knees staring at it , transfixed....

"You're right you know.." she whispers to Westag "things are out of our control.."

She traces over the rune with her fingers and a small shimmer appears across it, she blows gently on it and a fine dust raises in the air, it looks like a silver mist as it catches the light in the room and then disappears

"Do you think were going to get through it?...."

Selene continues to look down at the floor whilst speaking as if trying to draw strength from the rune.

Having finished a hurried conference with Gunn, Magnus speaks to the Hall whilst Gunn continues to his throne and settles into it.

"Brothers and sisters. We have two pressing issues to discuss. Firstly, we have just received information form the Priests of Odin, that Tara fell pregnant, and gave birth in secret, just a few months ago. The Father of the Child, it is feared, is Garm (who was disguised as Westag at the time). I can only assume that Garm took control of her mind...as he...did...(cough) - in order to force her to act against her will.

"The Child has been taken by the Priests of Odin and they are keeping him safe and secure at the bidding of the Aesir.

"If Tara spoke to any of you about this, you must make it known now. This is what Garm meant when he referred to his 'seed'. We must try to work out what or why this happened, and if we can use it against him?

"Secondly, and more pressing - what should we do about Tara? Her body was to be prepared for funeral, when the priests found upon her corpse the Marks of Tyr and of Casboeth! They have left the decision to us - should she be burned with the full honours of a Stormwolf - or simply destroyed as unclean. "It is the two marks that cause a problem - does one have precedence? Do they cancel one another out? Can a crime (albeit unwitting) such as congress with Garm ever be forgiven?

"Gunn wants your views on these issues?"

Godfrich is first to give a view. "The Mark of Tyr is on Tara's body. The High Priest told us that one of the attendants found Casboeth's mark upon the body, the Ankh. The attendant made to strike the body in revulsion. However, one of the other attendants, Tyrsa, deflected the blow. She claims that she saw the Rune of Tyr, also upon the body, and that she did not prevent the strike of her own volition." Godfrich pauses before continuing.

"She believes that it was Tyr who inspired her action. If that is the case, and in my heart I believe her, it would appear Tyr is watching over the corpse of Tara. I do not believe this would be the case if Tara's body was unclean."

"Godfrich speaks well, if Tyr wished us to destroy Tara's body in disgrace, then why would he protect it in this manner? I believe Tara should be burnt like a true servant of the gods with the rest of those that have passed in glory. At the renewal this year we will hold a celebration for all those that have passed."

"One thought. Garm Knew Tara had died. There are two ways this may have occurred. One his spies in the wolves camp told him. Two he'd seen her pass through his gate. I hope it wasn't the latter."

Selene speaks up from where she is sitting.. "Tara was my friend and a sister to me, Regardless of what happened with Garm..and I am sure that it would not have happened had Tara been in full control of her own mind.. she was a true Stormwolf and follower of the Gods, she should be honoured in the same way as the other fallen."

Selene brushes the hair off her face, attempting to regain some composure "I will make arrangements for a service of remembrance in the great circle of renewal if that would be of help."

Agna unwraps himself from his black cloak, from where he has been sitting and listening in a corner.

"I will assist you - it is fitting that we have such a memorial and the great circle would be a fitting place"

"We also have other matters to talk about when we can put these sad tasks behind us. There is evil all across the land and we will be called on to assist in greater rituals at the time of renewal."

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Olaf, at this point, is barely noticeable. After a week, grass and daffodils cover his cloak, the beasts of the wild have grown used to his presence. While the great stones, cool and stately, camoflague him from view. In his mind, he struggles to resist the pull from the earth. It can't be long now...someone will find him. ( Eventu-f%*#ng-aly maybe? )

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