2949: Discussions in the farmsteed of Geral the Beorning

[Vladim]

Annungil sat wrapped in his cloak, devouring any food placed before with a rapidity and sense of purpose that spoke of old habit, while his eyes never looked at the food, but always looked beyond, as if watching for something that might arise unexpectedly. Yet, nothing came within the small farmstead, for it was safe, and as they talked, he slowly began to relax into the seat.

"The tales are true then? About the skin-changing?" He leaned forward over the table. "Stories reached us of Beorn and how in battle he became a bear, although none could say if he was truly a bear or simply like a bear."

He leaned back again and pulled his cloak tighter around him. "Such a thing is truly worthy of song. I can think of no songs save for the oldest that deal with such a skill."

"Skewed..." Annungil paused after a moment to reflect before nodding. "It is certainly a riddle tangled in more knots than I can unravel." He grimaced and shook his head after a moment. "I would feel more comfortable charing a pit of stakes than charging into this. We know too little for certain to make any decision yet."

[Vladim]

Dahr-Ol grinned as his traveling companion seemed revived with rest and food.

"You speak truly, Annungil. This reeks of shadow. Ever does the enemy desire that we break our friendships and strive against our kin. This reminds me of the tales my mother told me of the Hillmen of the North.

Merovech and Odo slain by goblins who in turn are slain by the one they rescued. He in turn is presented as a murderer who suddenly tosses about money as if it were stone.

All the dead were from Stonyford. Each was recognized as a mighty warrior. Each was slain by someone of lesser renown and skill. We are missing something, but what?"

[Vladim]

Idunn listened at the news Dahr-Ol shared with great interest. Perhaps, in her heart of hearts, she yearned for some good news at last: she had long hoped over these two years that had passed, that the gift she gave to Guthred would bring some measure of peace, prosperity even, and smoothen things with the Beornings. But alas: things were never that easy.

Now she listened to Dahr-Ol and she understood, and she shook her head grimly. With Merovech dead, things between the Viglundings and the Beornings were bound to get worse, she thought. Perhaps she should take up her cousin's mantle and meet with Thane Guthred after all of this was done.

There was one more thing she was curious about, and by now she felt comfortable enough with Dahr-Ol to speak her mind, even if she felt that the subject might be difficult.

'I hear many rumours that the Viglundings practice thralldom. Their slaves are orcs and goblins, but also Hill-Men from the North. When I spoke to Thane Guthred, I confronted him about this, and he did not deny it. He claimed that the lands in the North are harsh, and that they need thralls to till the soil and sow the seed. He said that the Hill-Men of the North are no better than orcs, and I could not change his mind.

But you come from Hill-Men stock, and yet you seem as good and honourable a man as any other Beorning I have met thus far. I wonder if Thane Guthred lied to me to justify his people's cruel customs... I wonder if he lies to himself even...'

[Vladim]

The lad’s face darkened as he contemplated Idunn’s statements.

"I survived two Viglunding raids before we fled. I was too small too hold a spear, so against my father’s orders I threw rocks from a tall tree until I ran out of stones. Thralls are common on both sides. We treated our cattle better than our prisoners. The Viglundings do the same. We raided for treasure and food. As did the Viglundings.

The difference is that my kin serve the shadow. We belonged to the enemy. You saw my form. My coloration is not unlike that of the wargs. My haggard and careworn hide. My kin also skin change, they hunt the darkness as wolves. When a young child displays signs of this gift, he is taken at the age of 13 and trained by the masters in the use of this gift. In exchange he must prove his loyalty, the dark ones do not allow such power into the hands of just anyone. I would have been taken, trained, and sent home to slay my father.

The Viglundings are cruel, vicious, and hard like stone of Mount Gundabad. As are my kin. But my kin serve the shadow. My father was that rare man who chose to walk away. I assure you there are very few like him amongst my kin. I doubt that the Viglundings serve the shadow. I never heard any whisper of such a thing.

I bear the Viglundings no love. But also no hate. The mountains are a hard life. If we go today to their camp, I am certain I would find a cousin or a nephew in thrall there. Blood kin who would torture me for my betrayal.

That is the difference between us.”

[Vladim]

Idunn nodded quietly at Dahr-Ol's words, and she seemed to understand.

'Radagast says that we were all the same once, Viglundings and Beornings, Woodmen, and Hill-Men. Our ancestors were called the Northmen, he said to me not long ago. The same blood still flows in our veins, even if our paths were separated in ages past.

I have no quarrel with the Viglundings or the Hill-Men, but thralldom should not be the way of the Northmen. That is the way of orcs and goblins, and Men should be better than that.'

She fell silent after that statement; there was precious little she could add, for she knew of the Viglungings only what Guthred had told her, and of the Hill-Men nothing but the tales sometimes whispered among the Beornings.

[OOC: @thesloth Sorry that I took so long to reply here; I didn't put as much priority as I did on the main thread, since it is not crucial to the main plot, but I am enjoying this thread. That being said, I am not sure there's anything else Idunn would like to know, so if Dahr-Ol wants to ask questions, feel free. Otherwise, I am happy to close this thread here, unless other folk want to pitch in also.]

[Vladim]

"You are good hearted to be so generous. But I promise you, my former people have no such spirit of compassion. You would do well to regard them in the same way you would a wild dog. Untrustworthy and prone to bite."