Contents
Chapter Fourteen: Elvar
Overview
Elvar’s crew camps on a Frost-Isles plateau where Uspa’s blood reveals a hidden oath stone etched with the godsfall. The Battle-Grim debate the reality of dragon-born before a night-wyrm swarm assaults the camp, killing at least one warrior. Fire and fury drive the creatures off, and Agnar orders a retreat to the Wave-Jarl.
Summary
Elvar helps beach the Wave-Jarl on a narrow Frost-Isles shore as worsening winds force Agnar to seek shelter. Biórr leads the Battle-Grim to a windsheltered plateau overlooking the drakkar. Agnar leaves a small guard below while the rest make camp with their captives—Berak, his wife Uspa and son Bjarn—and the Seiðr-witch Kráka, with the Hundur-thrall in tow.
Uspa identifies the looming granite as an oath stone. When Uspa presses blood to the rock, runes and images blaze forth: the caging of Lik-Rifa, Ulfrir bound, the Gallows Wood, and Snaka devouring his children. The revelation sparks debate—Uspa and Kráka recount the gods’ blood feud, while Elvar doubts the existence of dragon-born despite acknowledging other Tainted lineages.
As night falls, the glowing stone keeps a dim vigil. Elvar wakes choking as night-wyrms erupt from the ground, pinning sleepers and forcing into mouths and noses. Berak breaks free through brute strength to save Uspa and Bjarn; Sighvat smashes loose and hacks others free; Agnar and Grend cut Elvar out as she extracts a burrowing wyrm from her nostril.
Biórr and others brandish flaming brands to burn the swarm back. One Battle-Grim lies dead, throat writhing with worms, while the surviving wyrms retreat underground. With the oath stone’s glow fading and the danger clear, Agnar grimly orders an immediate return to the Wave-Jarl.
Who Appears
- ElvarBattle-Grim warrior; skeptical of dragon-born; survives night-wyrm attack with Grend’s aid.
- AgnarBattle-Grim leader; sanctions Uspa’s blood rite; commands retreat after night-wyrm assault.
- UspaBerak’s wife; Seiðr-touched; reveals the oath stone’s carvings with her blood.
- SighvatBattle-Grim warrior; helps free comrades, fighting off night-wyrms with brute force.
- GrendElvar’s close ally; helps cut Elvar free and stamp out wyrms.
- BerakCaptured Berser; breaks free and rescues Uspa and Bjarn during the attack.
- KrákaSeiðr-witch with the Battle-Grim; explains Tainted origins at the oath stone.
- BiórrScout; first to use firebrands to burn back the night-wyrms.
- Hundur-thrallScent-tracker; confirms the oath stone’s lingering blood and oaths.
- BjarnUspa and Berak’s young son; endangered during the night-wyrm onslaught.