The Saga of Irongyrd Blacksheild

[kiwidoc]

THE SAGA OF IRONGYRD BLACKSHEILD

High above Fyllern a bitter sun is burning,
Far above the ice, a raven slowly turning
And in a young man's heart an endless hollow yearning
For Irongyrd is gone, to Valhalla's high halls.
High above Fyllern a bloody night is falling
Far above the ice, a raven’s lonely calling
And in a young man's heart an aching anger galling
That Irongyrd is gone, to Valhalla's high halls.

Winter it was harsh in the lonely Ice Isles
But Irongyrd bore with honour the hardship and the trials
He walked an icy shore all washed with wind blown foam
Where stood an ancient hall, his father's father's home
Wrought in wood and stone by the white strand's end,
The sea was its shelter, its guardian and friend
In service of Tyr he stood to rule the land
With Erith by his side, his sons by his hand

Winter it was harsh in the lonely Ice Isles
But eyes dark with greed and hearts dark with guile
Turned with ill intent toward the ancient hold
Lusting for the land, and lusting for the gold
Halrutha looked with envy on all that Irongyrd held
And swore an evil oath that Irongyrd would be felled
He stretched out a hand, a crooked wizened claw
To swallow all the Isles in the wolf's bloody maw.

Halrutha built an army from the shadows and the night
From fey and evil creatures that shy from the light
Wolves of wicked winter and trolls of blackest ice
Blood would be their purpose and blood would be their price.
The bastard mage made sacrifice to call on Loki’s might
That Irongyrd’s life would end before the morning light
His sword flashed in the light, he raised a bloody head
And he swore that come the night Irongyrd would be dead.

They gathered in the thanes, the freemen and Huscarls
To stand beside the Blackshield, and fight for the Jarl.
Helgar was sent out to sail into the East
Searching for an ally to stand against the beast.
The people all took refuge in the shelter of the hall
To wait for evil's coming, to wait for night to fall.
A horn raised alarm – a high and eerie wail
And Irongyrd cried "Stand fast, your courage will not fail."

Tanar was the youngest, the light in Erith 's eye
He vowed he'd stay and fight, to win the day or die.
But Erith saw the children, the weak and the old
Her heart was filled with fear for their safety in the hold.
She knew they must be taken and hidden from the foe
Cradled in the earth, in the caves far below.
Tanar led them down in shadow and in stealth
And if the foe discovered them, he would fight by himself.

Irongyrd raised a cry to his father's father's shades
To ask for Tyr's blessing on Troll Biter's blade.
Orc Crusher's head flashed like a fiery brand
And Water Walker shone in Harkeen's hand.
As if in angry answer to the to the blade's bitter light
A rain of fire came down from the roof of the night.
The bastard mage had called on evil magic power
And fire fell from the heavens in a bitter bloody shower.

With a cry to mighty Tyr that echoed through the night
Irongyrd sallied forth, ready for the fight.
Steel rang in anger to fend off bloody claws,
And blades flashed with fire to fend off bloody jaws.
The white strand was mired to a sea of bitter mud
The sand all soiled and sodden with sweat and tears and blood.
Beyarrin fought with fury the creatures called from hell
But came the eighth hour, and Beyarrin he was felled.

Each blow that Harkeen made left a bloody track
Aeorith stood with him fighting back to back.
They saw their father wounded, and overcome with rage
Carve a bloody path to stand before the mage.
As power met with power sparks flew through the night
The evil gift of Loki met with Tyr's might.
Halrutha screamed with anger and raised a gory hand
Maimed by Irongyrd 's blade, his blood dripped on the strand.

But evil fights with cunning, and not by strength of hand
Poison on a blade can fell the strongest man.
With anguish in his heart and an aching, broken cry
Aeorith he watched his father fall and die.
And like a craven coward Halrutha fled the fray.
Standing in his ship among the windblown spray
He raised his wounded hand and cast a final spell
From the darkling heavens he called forth fiery hell

From the sky a pillar of black cloud boiling
Of flame and ash and lightning; and black smoke roiling
Flame smote the living leaving only ash and bone
And flame smote the island, to burn the very stone
Aeorith he cried, and ran toward the hall
For if he did could not free them the flame would burn them all.
But the mighty walls were crumbling all round the shattered door
A roar of dust and stone, Aeorith knew no more.

A cold light fell on a dreadful, dire dawning
The sun rose high on a bitter, bloody morning
Beneath the shattered door had woken
But oh the awful sight – his mighty heart was broken
Everywhere was ashes, bodies burnt and charred
Molten stone and cinder, strewn across the yard.
Here lay Irongyrd, bloody, bent and battered
His great heart broken, his black shield shattered.

As Aeorith knelt to take the weapons in his hand
An echo of an echo came drifting down the strand.
From the mists of the morning, shadows came a creeping
Shades of the dead all woken from their sleeping.
Like a child's distant crying calling to be heard
Like the lost and lonely wail of a soaring, swooping bird
Came the shade of Irongyrd with bared and bloody breast
Crying give me vengeance, crying give me rest.

Aeorith the warrior with armour and with might
But where was the enemy, a foe that he could fight.
Aeorith he swore that vengeance would be taken
The shade of his father would never be forsaken.
Alone he would stand, alone he would fight
His kinsmen all gone in the darkness of the night
With sudden joy he saw life amongst the dead
The sun shone like a crown on Harkeen's fair head

And through the haze of smoke, the acrid stench of burning
Across the windblown waves, Helgar 's ship returning.
As Helgar set his foot upon the lonely strand
Harkeen ran to greet him, to take him by the hand.
In weary words of sorrow Harkeen told the cost
The bodies that were broken, the lives that were lost.
When the words were spoken with hushed and hollow grace
Harkeen bowed his head in his uncle's strong embrace.

But evil fights with cunning, and not by strength of hand
A blade in the back can fell the strongest man.
With anguish in his heart and an aching, broken cry
Aeorith he watched his brother fall and die.
The bitter blade of treachery flashed in Helgar 's fist
He lowered Harkeen down and with a traitors kiss
On Harkeen's bloody head he made his last farewell
"May we meet again, at the feet of mighty Hel"

With ashes in his mouth, the acrid reek of burning
And ashes in his heart, an endless hollow yearning
Aeorith all lost in anguish and in strife
Shattered at his feet the fragments of his life.
Across a troubled sea he saw the last ship leaving
Alone among the dead, alone in bitter grieving,
A foundling cast adrift, a stranger amongst men
Aeorith begins to start his life again.

High above Fyllern a bitter sun is burning,
Far above the ice, a raven slowly turning
And in a young man's heart an endless hollow yearning
For Irongyrd is gone, to Valhalla's high halls.
High above Fyllern a bloody night is falling
Far above the ice, a raven’s lonely calling
And in a young man's heart an aching anger galling
That Irongyrd is gone, to Valhalla's high halls.

With thanks ot Viga for the inspiration

[DawnChaser]

Wow! Very nice! It evokes imagery of the places and events, stirring my imagination, as well as sympathy for those involved.

"Ahhh, you're just an old softie. Admit it"

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DawnChaser aka Thanatos (Dispositioner of Souls)

[Wah]

This is......beautiful!

Although you'd have to have the "forgotten realms" as second nature or else Halruaa would mean nothing to you!

Everyone must read this. The piece is like the Bayeux Tapestry!

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[RudeDawg]

This really pulls on the emotions...
THIS is why I play the games, to get this feeling of heroism...
the nobility of honor...

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[adam warlock]

woah! not bad!

[RudeDawg]

too good to let drop :thunbsup:
(that means *bump*)

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