World of Xoth Campaign (PFE1 Variant/House Rule)

Game Master ALLENDM

Toikka had only survived twenty winters when he challenged the old chief Voitti for the right to rule the Uroskarhu tribe. The challenge began when the dew had dried on the green lasting until past midday. Toikka suffered six blows from Voitti's single bladed hill axe, five of them shallow cuts on his upper body and axe arm, one a deeper gash on his thigh that caused him to limp on cold winter nights. But he had wounded the chief more than double: eleven shallow slashes and a deep cut to the gut which would have killed Voitti within three days, but the final strike was a backhanded swing that took the chief’s head.

The victorious Toikka, after ritualistically destroying the old chief’s axe on a large stone, immediately took Voitti's unwilling daughter Kaija as his wife. They were married for sixteen years, she bore him six sons, all big, fast and tough like their father and grandfather. Kaija was everything Toikka hadn't wanted in a wife: mean, hateful and vindictive and he quickly turned to other women for pleasure and escape.

After Toikka had been chief for fifteen years a shield maiden named Asloug, the daughter of Timu the 'blacksmith' of the Jääkarhu tribe, joined the Uroskarhu tribe. She had killed a man of her own tribe when he tried to take her without her consent. It disturbed Tyhmä, the Jääkarhu tribes chief, that she would not wed a man who could not defeat her in combat, and he knew her to be a threat to his chiefdom. Being the daughter of the tribe’s blacksmith he banished her instead of ordering her death.

Asloug immediately joined Toikka's warriors in raiding that winter. Using her double waraxe better than all but Toikka himself. Returning from that first raid a harsh winter storm blew in, trapping the victorious raiders in a nearby cave. Toikka and Asloug combined their sleeping furs and kept each other warm......

That next spring Toikka officially demoted Kaija to the position as 'second wife' and made Asloug his queen. They ruled, reigned and raided together for six years, bringing great joy and wealth to the tribe. The spring of the next year Asloug told Toikka she would bare him a child. Tiokka was so happy, he had six sons and two daughters from Kaija and countless children through slaves and concubines but this would be the first child born to him by his queen. Seven years after that first night together in a cave she went into child birth. The labor was hard, the baby was turned upside down, things went wrong that no shaman could heal. A healthy black-haired blue-eyed boy was born but Tiokka lost his queen. Asloug was gone.

Toikka named the boy Børak, it had been at Asloug's request, she had told him of a reoccurring dream. A giant bronze warrior with black hair and blue eyes named Børak. Some dreams the giant wore a fur kilt, barefoot and bare breasted, in some a chain shirt with horned helm, in some bronze armor on horseback, but in all of the dreams he carried the double waraxe of their people. That winter Toikka quenched his grief with rage. When he was not raiding, he was planning raids. When he was not planning raids he was training his sons and tribesmen to raid. The Uroskarhu tribe grew richer and larger, other hillman came to gain wealth and honor under Toikka's raiders. They Raided the Red headed white men of Yg, they raided the Zamar, the Vudav even The Naath at the edge of the world.

As Børak grew, Toikka took notice and began bringing the boy into his world. When he was weaned and strong enough to sit a horse all day, Toikka would take him south to Karak to trade the raided goods with the Lamur who would come to buy the ill gotten gains. When other boys his age were strong enough to keep chickens and carry water, Børak would keep his father's weapons clean and sharp, carrying them while he raided. It was many a time Toikka would fell a man with his axe and the young Børak would finish him with a saex.

It was on a raid in his twelfth winter when Børak learned he was a rare bloodrager. Toikka had learned of a small village past the moors of Sul into Yg called Olgvich which had found silver, a metal that the Lamuran's greatly valued. Raiding the white men of Yg, was always dangerous because of their warlike nature and superior armor. So Toikka bode his time, planning the raid for winter when it would be difficult for transport to move the silver on a regular basis. Having Dreamt of a heavy snowfall, Toikka led the raiders onto the frozen moors and into the village of Olgvich at night during the storm. Toikka had most of the men of Natla raid the village to cause a distraction, while he and his seven sons raided the mine itself.

The mine had a wooden palisade around it, by the time they had chopped through the gate, the men of Yg had been aroused and the guards, in their chainmail armor rushed out to meet the bare-chested hillmen. The ten guards fought bravely, selling their lives to buy time for the others to rush to arms and armor. As the hill men prepared to enter the mine buildings proper more than a dozen armed and armored white men rushed out to stop them. Børak had finished slitting the throat of the last living guard, when he saw his father Toikka and his half brother Detlef surrounded by five swordsmen. Detlef swung his waraxe into the hip of one man, throwing broken rings into a cloud of bloody mist. As the man fell, the soldier near him chopped into Detief's arm, severing the hand from arm and axe from hand. Then smashing the shocked hill man in the face with his shield knocking him unconscious, blood flowing from his stump into the new fallen snow.

Seeing his brother fall and his father surrounded, Børak rages for the first time. Rushing forward dropping the murder-saex, he snatching up his brother axe in both hands. The man who felled his brother, having turned to engage his father, heard Børak screaming, though no longer the shrill scream of a child, as he chops below the low hanging chain shirt, taking the man's leg off at the knee. Falling, bouncing off the ground the soldier's helmet slides back exposing more flesh. Børak turns, lifting the axe high, chopping again, this time at the exposed face.

Jerking the blood soaked axe loose as he turns, Børak faces the soldier to his father's left. Recognizing the threat of the axe-waiving boy, the soldier faces Børak lowering his shield, slowly stepping forward. In a rush, the boy charges the man, swinging the axe two-fisted overhand. As the soldier lifts his shield to deflect the axe, and prepares to stab under the shield, Børak deftly plants both his feet, switching hands he angles the blade away from the lifted shield, then sliding his right foot forward he arches the axe at the soldiers exposed left foot, chopping between the second and third toe, into the man's foot. Dropping to his right as the swordsman attempts to stab him, he jerks the axe loose left handed, then using the axe, hooks the man's unstable leg, letting his moment pull the man to the ground. As the man falls Børak regains his feet grasping the axe in both hands and chops into the exposed right leg, severing it below the chain shirt. As the man screams reaching for his leg he falls unconscious.

Børak turned, seeing his father and brothers had finished the other soldiers and were standing looking at him. Releasing the rage, dropping Detief's axe near him. Børak fetches his saex and continues slicing the throats of the wounded enemy while Vanhin, the first born son helps Detief, while some bind their own wounds and the others fetch the silver.

The victorious Toikka, after ritualistically destroying the old chief’s axe on a large stone, immediately took Voitti's unwilling daughter Kaija as his wife. They were married for sixteen years, she bore him six sons, all big, fast and tough like their father and grandfather. Kaija was everything Toikka hadn't wanted in a wife: mean, hateful and vindictive and he quickly turned to other women for pleasure and escape.

After Toikka had been chief for twelve years a shield maiden named Asloug, the daughter of Timu the 'blacksmith' of the Jääkarhu tribe, joined the Uroskarhu tribe. She had killed a man of her own tribe when he tried to take her without her consent. It disturbed Tyhmä, the Jääkarhu tribes chief, that she would not wed a man who could not defeat her in combat, and he knew her to be a threat to his chiefdom. Being the daughter of the tribe’s blacksmith he banished her instead of ordering her death.

Asloug immediately joined Toikka's warriors in raiding that winter. Using her double waraxe better than all but Toikka himself. Returning from that first raid a harsh winter storm blew in, trapping the victorious raiders in a nearby cave. Toikka and Asloug combined their sleeping furs and kept each other warm......

That next spring Toikka officially demoted Kaija to the position of 'second wife' and made Asloug his queen. They ruled, reigned and raided that year, bringing wealth to the tribe. The spring of the next year Asloug told Toikka she would bear him a child. Tiokka was pleased, he had six sons and two daughters from Kaija and many children through slaves and concubines but this would be the first child born to him by his queen. two years after that first night together in a cave she went into child birth. The labor was hard, the baby was turned upside down, things went wrong that no shaman could heal. A healthy black-haired blue-eyed boy was born but Tiokka lost his queen. Asloug was gone.

Toikka named the boy Børak, it had been at Asloug's request, she had told him of a reoccurring dream. A giant bronze warrior with black hair and blue eyes named Børak. Some dreams the giant wore a fur kilt, barefoot and bare breasted, in some a chain shirt with horned helm, in some bronze armor on horseback, but in all of the dreams he carried the double waraxe of their people. That winter Toikka quenched his grief with rage. When he was not raiding, he was planning raids. When he was not planning raids he was training his sons and tribesmen to raid. The Uroskarhu tribe grew richer and larger, other hillman came to gain wealth and honor under Toikka's raiders. They Raided the Red headed white men of Yg, they raided the Zamar, the Vudav even The Naath at the edge of the world.

As Børak grew, Toikka took notice and began bringing the boy into his world. When he was weaned and strong enough to sit a horse all day, Toikka would take him south to Karak to trade the raided goods with the Lamur who would come to buy the ill gotten gains. When other boys his age were strong enough to keep chickens and carry water, Børak would keep his father's weapons clean and sharp, carrying them while he raided. It was many a time Toikka would fell a man with his axe and the young Børak would finish him with a saex.

It was on a raid in his twelfth winter when Børak learned he was a rare bloodrager. Toikka had learned of a small village past the moors of Sul into Yg called Olegovich which had found silver, a metal that the Lamuran's greatly valued. Raiding the white men of Yg, was always dangerous because of their warlike nature and superior armor. So Toikka bode his time, planning the raid for winter when it would be difficult for transport to move the silver on a regular basis. Having Dreamt of a heavy snowfall, Toikka led the raiders onto the frozen moors and into the village of Olgvich at night during the storm. Toikka had most of the men of Natla raid the village to cause a distraction, while he and his seven sons raided the mine itself.

The mine had a wooden palisade around it, by the time they had chopped through the gate, the men of Yg had been aroused and the guards, in their chainmail armor rushed out to meet the bare-chested hillmen. The ten guards fought bravely, selling their lives to buy time for the others to rush to arms and armor. As the hill men prepared to enter the mine buildings proper more than a dozen armed and armored white men rushed out to stop them. Børak had finished slitting the throat of the last living guard, when he saw his father Toikka and his half brother Detlef surrounded by five swordsmen. Detlef swung his waraxe into the hip of one man, throwing broken rings into a cloud of bloody mist. As the man fell, the soldier near him chopped into Detief's arm, severing the hand from arm and axe from hand. Then smashing the shocked hill man in the face with his shield knocking him unconscious, blood flowing from his stump into the new fallen snow.

Seeing his brother fall and his father surrounded, Børak rages for the first time. Rushing forward dropping the murder-saex, he snatching up his brother axe in both hands. The man who felled his brother, having turned to engage his father, heard Børak screaming, though no longer the shrill scream of a child, as he chops below the low hanging chain shirt, taking the man's leg off at the knee. Falling, bouncing off the ground the soldier's helmet slides back exposing more flesh. Børak turns, lifting the axe high, chopping again, this time at the exposed face.

Jerking the blood soaked axe loose as he turns, Børak faces the soldier to his father's left. Recognizing the threat of the axe-waiving boy, the soldier faces Børak lowering his shield, slowly stepping forward. In a rush, the boy charges the man, swinging the axe two-fisted overhand. As the soldier lifts his shield to deflect the axe, and prepares to stab under the shield, Børak deftly plants both his feet, switching hands he angles the blade away from the lifted shield, then sliding his right foot forward he arches the axe at the soldiers exposed left foot, chopping between the second and third toe, into the the man's foot. Dropping to his right as the swordsman attempts to stab him, he jerks the axe loose left handed, then using the axe, hooks the man's unstable leg, letting his moment pull the man to the ground. As the man falls Børak regains his feet grasping the axe in both hands and chops into the exposed right leg, severing it below the chain shirt. As the man screams reaching for his leg he falls unconscious.

As they marched back to the village, the men ladened with bags of raw silver, Børak bringing up the rear carrying his father's axe and shield, he’d catch them sneaking glances at him. When the raiders joined them with their booty, he could hear his brothers whispers: “Did you see his face?” “His left eye was put out and a great scar ran down his face” “He had a full beard, fuller than yours with grey in it!” “It was like a ghost’s shadow moving upon him.”. By the time they stopped to camp all the raiders, except his father, gave him a wide berth. His father, drunk on victory and pride, kept him near as he bragged about how well his sons had fought, especially the youngest one who was twice as fierce as any normal man.

The day they reached Uroskarhu there was a great celebration that went late into the night. Toikka insisted Børak sit at the high table, on his right side, the place usually saved for Vanhin, the first born. Toikka told the tale of Børak’s exploits, picking up his brother's axe and slaying two grown armored men. He described Børak’s appearance as ‘fierce’ leaving out the mystical ghost warriors' visage. Being young and proud Børak drank in the attention and the mead, neither he nor his father noticed the bitter look on Vanhin’s face, nor the confused looks from the other brothers.

The next morning Børak woke while someone was stirring next to him. It was Lutka, one of the slave girls who worked in the kitchen, she gave him a quick smile, as she adjusted the shoulder piece of her dress, then headed down the ladder from the loft. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Børak wrapped his kilt about himself drawing on his belt and then followed down the ladder. Waiting near the end of the ladder, Toikka walks up to Børak slapping him on the back, laughing loudly, ”Bwa ha ha, a day of firsts I see.” nodding towards the kitchen, doubtlessly the direction the slave girl had gone. ”Come, we will find one more first for you.”

Børak follows Toikka into his private chambers, there on the large table normally ridden with maps, sets one item, a large bundle wrapped in sheepskin. Toikka gestures towards the bundle, ”Open it.” As Børak unrolls the sheepskin he realizes it is an axe, but not just any axe. It was a double war axe, the matching bearded blades a foot long, bright razor sharp hardened steel on the edges, the body's soft steel engraved with knots, lines and runes. The haft a steel shaft, four-foot long, capped with a spike, the body tapering to a long elkhorn-grip held with four steel rivets.

Toikka begins to speak again, Børak looks from the magnificent axe to his father. ”It belonged to your mother, Asloug.” Toikka turns staring off into the distance. ”It was made by Her father, Timu, the finest metal-priest I’ve known. When he learned she followed the path of a shield maiden he created it for her. Perfectly balanced, razor sharp, light and fast. Just like her.” He swallows hard. ”She would want you to have it.” He glances back at Børak, his eyes moist, then quickly turns away. ”She dreamed of you many times while you were in her womb. Saw you in battle, heard your name sang through the din.” His back turned, Toikka’s shoulders slump. For the first time Børak thought his father looked his age. ”After she was gone, I was lost, I took you to the hag, Noita-Akka, she cast her bones, said that an ancient bloodline would reveal itself in you. That's why I...” Toikka stopped speaking, his shoulders straightened, his head held high, he turned and squarely looked at Børak, his eyes a-fire. ”Her spirit will be with you even when you come for me on the green, and you will need all the help her axe will give you. I will not go quietly.” Toikka abruptly turned and walked out of his own chambers, letting Børak ponder what he had learned.

The ‘Battle of Olegovich’ (as that is what it became called), was the last time Børak played squire to Toikka. He spent the next couple winter with Detlef ‘one hand’ (as that is what others took to calling him) making trips to Karak to trade the raided silver and other goods. Detlef had a good head and one good hand, so Toikka put him in charge of dispersing the loot and dealing with accounts. Of all the brothers, Detlef disliked Børak the least, partially due to Børak saving his life at the mine and partially because with the loss of his hand, he was also an outcast.

During his time assisting Detlef, Børak learned more of the wider world, learning the language of the Lamurans, the people they traded the most with. It was during this time that Børak started having dreams of war. He would dream of battles, whether of a score of men with flint knives and stone clubs, or armies on horses with bronze breastplates and falcatas. He was always a part of the battles, sometimes waking up instantly knowing a deathblow had landed: sometimes the victor raising weapons in glory. He yearned for a return to battle.

His fifteenth winter Børak went to his father and asked if he could return to raiding. Toikka, realizing Børak was of the age when young men were encouraged to begin raiding, agreed and began planning a raid worthy to test the young men. An appropriate raid, one able to test the youth’s endurance and wilderness abilities, but not so hard a fight that they could not survive. A raid to develop talent and test the metal of not just the boys but of leaders as well. Toikka would send the young men south on a raid into Vulav, to a small village north Navdarak. He would have his oldest son Vanhin train his brother, Gaspar (Kaija youngest son) to lead the raid. He planned the raid for early spring, it would be when the Vulav’s would be shearing sheep, there would be wool to steal, merchants to rob and slaves to take. Vanhin was pleased to be sent on the mission, if for no other reason than to rid his family of the young Børak.

When the last heavy rains of spring stopped, Vanhin and Gaspar led the boys out of the hills onto the plain of Vulav. The passing was uneventful, but while Gaspar led the boys, Vanhin started whispering seeds of contention with the youths about Børak. While Børak did nothing to build a rapport with the other boys. He was larger, faster and stronger than all the others. Better educated and more traveled as well. He was the only one of the youths who had been on a raid before, even as only a squire. Wanting their respect he would tell of his experiences, and with Vanhin’s whispers the others saw it as bragging or out-right lies.

Unsurprisingly the raid went off without a problem. The complacent little village was fat with wool, merchants and young women. Only a few people even offered any sort of resistance, and few villagers were killed. They raided at dusk, setting a few fires and herding people into the barn where they sheared the sheep. Because of the Merchants in town there were horses and mules to steal as well. Loading horses and mules with wool, taking the merchant’s silver and several slaves, they headed north again, by dawn Vanhin had to set his plan in motion.

As they traveled, Børak was bragging about one particularly fat merchant he had robbed. He told the other boys, ’All I had to do was waggle my axe in front of him. He pissed himself as he dug out his ‘hidden’ pouch of silver.” Seeing the axe, and knowing the story, Vanhin went over and began whispering to Kade, a black haired brawny boy of seventeen winters with a sharp tongue and a quick fist. He was one of the few who killed a villager, an old man with a cane. Jealous of Børak’s reputation, Vanhin knew Kade would not be able to resist using the information he was given.

When they had camped for the night, securing thier prisoners and their loot, the boys sat around the fire. After retelling the story of scaring the merchant with his axe, several of the boys had asked to admire it. As the axe was being passed around the fire, it eventually came to Kade who held the axe up, letting the fire light reflect off of it. He nods, shifting it, ”It is pretty, one could almost call it dainty, perfect for the hands of a woman.” holding it in one hand, ”I am right, aren't I Børak, you carry a woman's weapon?” Not waiting for a response, he lifts up his own heavy single bladed axe, more a woodsman's axe than anything else, but not very different than what the other boys carried. ”I on the other hand, killed a man with my axe.” He smirked as Børak, ”Everyone tells the stories about the freak Børak, the haunted child with a ghost of a warrior. But all I see is a woman's toy. So who cares if you scared a merchant, you are no fighter let alone a killer.”

Rising to his feet Børak snarls ”I was slitting throats while you were still sucking your mother's tit.” Kale dropping the steel axe, stood lifting his own axe threateningly. ”Don’t you bring my mother into this you whore’s son!” Realizing things were about to get out of hand, Gaspar began to step forward, but Vanhin put his hand out, catching his brother's eye, shaking his head no. Børak’s eyes blazed, his voice dropped to a growl. ”Take it back.”

The boys near Kale scurried back like crabs on a beach avoiding seagulls, the others sensing the danger as well, scurried back from the fire. Taking Børak’s pause as cowardice, Kale smirked holding the axe high, waiting for Børak to leap over the fire at him. ”Make me!” Before Kale could lose the smirk, Børak roared, and dove. Kale, expecting Børak to leap over the fire, swung his axe at shoulder height. It wasn’t until he felt the murder-saex plung into his gut, and smelled the burning flesh, that he realized, to late, that Børak had tumbled into the fire under his axe and had thrust his knife into Kale stomach. As Kale began to fall, Børak pulled the knife out, spilling, blood entrails and ofal. Landing on his back, Kale gasped but remained conscious, ”It hurts.” Kneeling beside him, Børak, nods covering the boys eyes with his hand, he slits his throat with the murder-saex, closing the eyes.

His smirk nearly invisible in the firelight, Vanhin screams, ”What have you done?” as Børak moves from Kale’s side, recovering his axe. He looks at Vanhin questioningly, ”I only answered his challenge.” Vanhin, moves towards the fire, looking from Børak to the other boys. ”That was no challenge! He was only teasing you, you had no right! You knew he couldn’t fight you, you’re the chief’s son.” The boys look from Vanhin to each other, while Gaspar stood silent. Confused Børak stammers ”He was waving his axe at me, threatened me, called me a whore’s son.” Vanhin throws his hand up in disgust. ”That’s it then, he insults your dead mother and you have to kill him?” He looks quickly to Gaspar, ”What are we to do? Take you back to your father in chains? Make him try you for murder?” Realizing Vanhins intent, Gaspar steps forward, shrugging, ”We could let him flee, banished, he can leave to never be seen in the hills again.” Realizing what he had recommended Gaspar looks down, but Vanhin resists smiling, ”What will it be Børak, banishment or chains and a trial.” Looking from one half brother to the other, Børak points at Kale’s body, ”But, but, he… fine. But I”m taking what’s mine.”

Cleaning the blood off his saex, he returns it to its belt-sheath, retrieving his red-bear cloak from his bedroll and placing the blanket in his satchel. He goes to where they had stored the foods they had stolen, shoving several loaves of bread and some dried meat into the satchel as well. He then selected one of the merchant horses they had stolen, slipping a bridle on it, he paused for a moment pulling the blanket back out of the satchel, he put it on the bays back and wrapping his hand in the mane, leaping onto its back. He turns the horse towards the camp, moving into the light enough for Gaspar to see his eyes. ”You tell father that Kale called my mother a whore and I killed him for it.” Turning the horse towards the west, he rides out into the night.

The victorious Toikka, after ritualistically destroying the old chief’s axe on a large stone, immediately took Voitti's unwilling daughter Kaija as his wife. They were married for sixteen years, she bore him six sons, all big, fast and tough like their father and grandfather. Kaija was everything Toikka hadn't wanted in a wife: mean, hateful and vindictive and he quickly turned to other women for pleasure and escape.

After Toikka had been chief for twelve years a shield maiden named Asloug, the daughter of Timu the 'blacksmith' of the Jääkarhu tribe, joined the Uroskarhu tribe. She had killed a man of her own tribe when he tried to take her without her consent. It disturbed Tyhmä, the Jääkarhu tribes chief, that she would not wed a man who could not defeat her in combat, and he knew her to be a threat to his chiefdom. Being the daughter of the tribe’s blacksmith he banished her instead of ordering her death.

Asloug immediately joined Toikka's warriors in raiding that winter. Using her double waraxe better than all but Toikka himself. Returning from that first raid a harsh winter storm blew in, trapping the victorious raiders in a nearby cave. Toikka and Asloug combined their sleeping furs and kept each other warm......

That next spring Toikka officially demoted Kaija to the position of 'second wife' and made Asloug his queen. They ruled, reigned and raided that year, bringing wealth to the tribe. The spring of the next year Asloug told Toikka she would bear him a child. Tiokka was pleased, he had six sons and two daughters from Kaija and many children through slaves and concubines but this would be the first child born to him by his queen. two years after that first night together in a cave she went into child birth. The labor was hard, the baby was turned upside down, things went wrong that no shaman could heal. A healthy black-haired blue-eyed boy was born but Tiokka lost his queen. Asloug was gone.

Toikka named the boy Børak, it had been at Asloug's request, she had told him of a reoccurring dream. A giant bronze warrior with black hair and blue eyes named Børak. Some dreams the giant wore a fur kilt, barefoot and bare breasted, in some a chain shirt with horned helm, in some bronze armor on horseback, but in all of the dreams he carried the double waraxe of their people. That winter Toikka quenched his grief with rage. When he was not raiding, he was planning raids. When he was not planning raids he was training his sons and tribesmen to raid. The Uroskarhu tribe grew richer and larger, other hillman came to gain wealth and honor under Toikka's raiders. They Raided the Red headed white men of Yg, they raided the Zamar, the Vudav even The Naath at the edge of the world.

As Børak grew, Toikka took notice and began bringing the boy into his world. When he was weaned and strong enough to sit a horse all day, Toikka would take him south to Karak to trade the raided goods with the Lamur who would come to buy the ill gotten gains. When other boys his age were strong enough to keep chickens and carry water, Børak would keep his father's weapons clean and sharp, carrying them while he raided. It was many a time Toikka would fell a man with his axe and the young Børak would finish him with a saex.

It was on a raid in his twelfth winter when Børak learned he was a rare bloodrager. Toikka had learned of a small village past the moors of Sul into Yg called Olegovich which had found silver, a metal that the Lamuran's greatly valued. Raiding the white men of Yg, was always dangerous because of their warlike nature and superior armor. So Toikka bode his time, planning the raid for winter when it would be difficult for transport to move the silver on a regular basis. Having Dreamt of a heavy snowfall, Toikka led the raiders onto the frozen moors and into the village of Olgvich at night during the storm. Toikka had most of the men of Natla raid the village to cause a distraction, while he and his seven sons raided the mine itself.

The mine had a wooden palisade around it, by the time they had chopped through the gate, the men of Yg had been aroused and the guards, in their chainmail armor rushed out to meet the bare-chested hillmen. The ten guards fought bravely, selling their lives to buy time for the others to rush to arms and armor. As the hill men prepared to enter the mine buildings proper more than a dozen armed and armored white men rushed out to stop them. Børak had finished slitting the throat of the last living guard, when he saw his father Toikka and his half brother Detlef surrounded by five swordsmen. Detlef swung his waraxe into the hip of one man, throwing broken rings into a cloud of bloody mist. As the man fell, the soldier near him chopped into Detief's arm, severing the hand from arm and axe from hand. Then smashing the shocked hill man in the face with his shield knocking him unconscious, blood flowing from his stump into the new fallen snow.

Seeing his brother fall and his father surrounded, Børak rages for the first time. Rushing forward dropping the murder-saex, he snatching up his brother axe in both hands. The man who felled his brother, having turned to engage his father, heard Børak screaming, though no longer the shrill scream of a child, as he chops below the low hanging chain shirt, taking the man's leg off at the knee. Falling, bouncing off the ground the soldier's helmet slides back exposing more flesh. Børak turns, lifting the axe high, chopping again, this time at the exposed face.

Jerking the blood soaked axe loose as he turns, Børak faces the soldier to his father's left. Recognizing the threat of the axe-waiving boy, the soldier faces Børak lowering his shield, slowly stepping forward. In a rush, the boy charges the man, swinging the axe two-fisted overhand. As the soldier lifts his shield to deflect the axe, and prepares to stab under the shield, Børak deftly plants both his feet, switching hands he angles the blade away from the lifted shield, then sliding his right foot forward he arches the axe at the soldiers exposed left foot, chopping between the second and third toe, into the the man's foot. Dropping to his right as the swordsman attempts to stab him, he jerks the axe loose left handed, then using the axe, hooks the man's unstable leg, letting his moment pull the man to the ground. As the man falls Børak regains his feet grasping the axe in both hands and chops into the exposed right leg, severing it below the chain shirt. As the man screams reaching for his leg he falls unconscious.

As they marched back to the village, the men ladened with bags of raw silver, Børak bringing up the rear carrying his father's axe and shield, he’d catch them sneaking glances at him. When the raiders joined them with their booty, he could hear his brothers whispers: “Did you see his face?” “His left eye was put out and a great scar ran down his face” “He had a full beard, fuller than yours with grey in it!” “It was like a ghost’s shadow moving upon him.”. By the time they stopped to camp all the raiders, except his father, gave him a wide berth. His father, drunk on victory and pride, kept him near as he bragged about how well his sons had fought, especially the youngest one who was twice as fierce as any normal man.

The day they reached Uroskarhu there was a great celebration that went late into the night. Toikka insisted Børak sit at the high table, on his right side, the place usually saved for Vanhin, the first born. Toikka told the tale of Børak’s exploits, picking up his brother's axe and slaying two grown armored men. He described Børak’s appearance as ‘fierce’ leaving out the mystical ghost warriors' visage. Being young and proud Børak drank in the attention and the mead, neither he nor his father noticed the bitter look on Vanhin’s face, nor the confused looks from the other brothers.

The next morning Børak woke while someone was stirring next to him. It was Lutka, one of the slave girls who worked in the kitchen, she gave him a quick smile, as she adjusted the shoulder piece of her dress, then headed down the ladder from the loft. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Børak wrapped his kilt about himself drawing on his belt and then followed down the ladder. Waiting near the end of the ladder, Toikka walks up to Børak slapping him on the back, laughing loudly, ”Bwa ha ha, a day of firsts I see.” nodding towards the kitchen, doubtlessly the direction the slave girl had gone. ”Come, we will find one more first for you.”

Børak follows Toikka into his private chambers, there on the large table normally ridden with maps, sets one item, a large bundle wrapped in sheepskin. Toikka gestures towards the bundle, ”Open it.” As Børak unrolls the sheepskin he realizes it is an axe, but not just any axe. It was a double war axe, the matching bearded blades a foot long, bright razor sharp hardened steel on the edges, the body's soft steel engraved with knots, lines and runes. The haft a steel shaft, four-foot long, capped with a spike, the body tapering to a long elkhorn-grip held with four steel rivets.

Toikka begins to speak again, Børak looks from the magnificent axe to his father. ”It belonged to your mother, Asloug.” Toikka turns staring off into the distance. ”It was made by Her father, Timu, the finest metal-priest I’ve known. When he learned she followed the path of a shield maiden he created it for her. Perfectly balanced, razor sharp, light and fast. Just like her.” He swallows hard. ”She would want you to have it.” He glances back at Børak, his eyes moist, then quickly turns away. ”She dreamed of you many times while you were in her womb. Saw you in battle, heard your name sang through the din.” His back turned, Toikka’s shoulders slump. For the first time Børak thought his father looked his age. ”After she was gone, I was lost, I took you to the hag, Noita-Akka, she cast her bones, said that an ancient bloodline would reveal itself in you. That's why I...” Toikka stopped speaking, his shoulders straightened, his head held high, he turned and squarely looked at Børak, his eyes a-fire. ”Her spirit will be with you even when you come for me on the green, and you will need all the help her axe will give you. I will not go quietly.” Toikka abruptly turned and walked out of his own chambers, letting Børak ponder what he had learned.

The ‘Battle of Olegovich’ (as that is what it became called), was the last time Børak played squire to Toikka. He spent the next couple winter with Detlef ‘one hand’ (as that is what others took to calling him) making trips to Karak to trade the raided silver and other goods. Detlef had a good head and one good hand, so Toikka put him in charge of dispersing the loot and dealing with accounts. Of all the brothers, Detlef disliked Børak the least, partially due to Børak saving his life at the mine and partially because with the loss of his hand, he was also an outcast.

During his time assisting Detlef, Børak learned more of the wider world, learning the language of the Lamurans, the people they traded the most with. It was during this time that Børak started having dreams of war. He would dream of battles, whether of a score of men with flint knives and stone clubs, or armies on horses with bronze breastplates and falcatas. He was always a part of the battles, sometimes waking up instantly knowing a deathblow had landed: sometimes the victor raising weapons in glory. He yearned for a return to battle.

His fifteenth winter Børak went to his father and asked if he could return to raiding. Toikka, realizing Børak was of the age when young men were encouraged to begin raiding, agreed and began planning a raid worthy to test the young men. An appropriate raid, one able to test the youth’s endurance and wilderness abilities, but not so hard a fight that they could not survive. A raid to develop talent and test the metal of not just the boys but of leaders as well. Toikka would send the young men south on a raid into Vulav, to a small village north Navdarak. He would have his oldest son Vanhin train his brother, Gaspar (Kaija youngest son) to lead the raid. He planned the raid for early spring, it would be when the Vulav’s would be shearing sheep, there would be wool to steal, merchants to rob and slaves to take. Vanhin was pleased to be sent on the mission, if for no other reason than to rid his family of the young Børak.

When the last heavy rains of spring stopped, Vanhin and Gaspar led the boys out of the hills onto the plain of Vulav. The passing was uneventful, but while Gaspar led the boys, Vanhin started whispering seeds of contention with the youths about Børak. While Børak did nothing to build a rapport with the other boys. He was larger, faster and stronger than all the others. Better educated and more traveled as well. He was the only one of the youths who had been on a raid before, even as only a squire. Wanting their respect he would tell of his experiences, and with Vanhin’s whispers the others saw it as bragging or out-right lies.

Unsurprisingly the raid went off without a problem. The complacent little village was fat with wool, merchants and young women. Only a few people even offered any sort of resistance, and few villagers were killed. They raided at dusk, setting a few fires and herding people into the barn where they sheared the sheep. Because of the Merchants in town there were horses and mules to steal as well. Loading horses and mules with wool, taking the merchant’s silver and several slaves, they headed north again, by dawn Vanhin had to set his plan in motion.

As they traveled, Børak was bragging about one particularly fat merchant he had robbed. He told the other boys, ’All I had to do was waggle my axe in front of him. He pissed himself as he dug out his ‘hidden’ pouch of silver.” Seeing the axe, and knowing the story, Vanhin went over and began whispering to Kade, a black haired brawny boy of seventeen winters with a sharp tongue and a quick fist. He was one of the few who killed a villager, an old man with a cane. Jealous of Børak’s reputation, Vanhin knew Kade would not be able to resist using the information he was given.

When they had camped for the night, securing thier prisoners and their loot, the boys sat around the fire. After retelling the story of scaring the merchant with his axe, several of the boys had asked to admire it. As the axe was being passed around the fire, it eventually came to Kade who held the axe up, letting the fire light reflect off of it. He nods, shifting it, ”It is pretty, one could almost call it dainty, perfect for the hands of a woman.” holding it in one hand, ”I am right, aren't I Børak, you carry a woman's weapon?” Not waiting for a response, he lifts up his own heavy single bladed axe, more a woodsman's axe than anything else, but not very different than what the other boys carried. ”I on the other hand, killed a man with my axe.” He smirked as Børak, ”Everyone tells the stories about the freak Børak, the haunted child with a ghost of a warrior. But all I see is a woman's toy. So who cares if you scared a merchant, you are no fighter let alone a killer.”

Rising to his feet Børak snarls ”I was slitting throats while you were still sucking your mother's tit.” Kale dropping the steel axe, stood lifting his own axe threateningly. ”Don’t you bring my mother into this you whore’s son!” Realizing things were about to get out of hand, Gaspar began to step forward, but Vanhin put his hand out, catching his brother's eye, shaking his head no. Børak’s eyes blazed, his voice dropped to a growl. ”Take it back.”

The boys near Kale scurried back like crabs on a beach avoiding seagulls, the others sensing the danger as well, scurried back from the fire. Taking Børak’s pause as cowardice, Kale smirked holding the axe high, waiting for Børak to leap over the fire at him. ”Make me!” Before Kale could lose the smirk, Børak roared, and dove. Kale, expecting Børak to leap over the fire, swung his axe at shoulder height. It wasn’t until he felt the murder-saex plung into his gut, and smelled the burning flesh, that he realized, to late, that Børak had tumbled into the fire under his axe and had thrust his knife into Kale stomach. As Kale began to fall, Børak pulled the knife out, spilling, blood entrails and ofal. Landing on his back, Kale gasped but remained conscious, ”It hurts.” Kneeling beside him, Børak, nods covering the boys eyes with his hand, he slits his throat with the murder-saex, closing the eyes.

His smirk nearly invisible in the firelight, Vanhin screams, ”What have you done?” as Børak moves from Kale’s side, recovering his axe. He looks at Vanhin questioningly, ”I only answered his challenge.” Vanhin, moves towards the fire, looking from Børak to the other boys. ”That was no challenge! He was only teasing you, you had no right! You knew he couldn’t fight you, you’re the chief’s son.” The boys look from Vanhin to each other, while Gaspar stood silent. Confused Børak stammers ”He was waving his axe at me, threatened me, called me a whore’s son.” Vanhin throws his hand up in disgust. ”That’s it then, he insults your dead mother and you have to kill him?” He looks quickly to Gaspar, ”What are we to do? Take you back to your father in chains? Make him try you for murder?” Realizing Vanhins intent, Gaspar steps forward, shrugging, ”We could let him flee, banished, he can leave to never be seen in the hills again.” Realizing what he had recommended Gaspar looks down, but Vanhin resists smiling, ”What will it be Børak, banishment or chains and a trial.” Looking from one half brother to the other, Børak points at Kale’s body, ”But, but, he… fine. But I'm taking what’s mine.”

Cleaning the blood off his saex, he returns it to its belt-sheath, retrieving his red-bear cloak from his bedroll and placing the blanket in his satchel. He goes to where they had stored the foods they had stolen, shoving several loaves of bread and some dried meat into the satchel as well. He then selected one of the merchant horses they had stolen, slipping a bridle on it, he paused for a moment pulling the blanket back out of the satchel, he put it on the bays back and wrapping his hand in the mane, leaping onto its back. He turns the horse towards the camp, moving into the light enough for Gaspar to see his eyes. ”You tell father that Kale called my mother a whore and I killed him for it.” Turning the horse towards the west, he rides out into the night.

Børak rode the bay mare well outside of sight of the market, so as not to be taken by a slaver in the night. The next morning, rising at dawn, he waited near Tarnamara’s encampment until the decadent merchant woke from his debauchery and begans ordering his servants, slaves and guards around. Noticing Tarnamara first spoke with one warrior, who then went and began giving orders to the others, Børak approached him first. Fortunately the man he approached was the captain of Tarnamara’s guard, a tall Tharagian named Bjoern, who learning the youth had his own weapons and horse, approached Tarnamara on his behalf.

The caravan indeed traveled all the way to the capital Lamra, taking the better part of the year, stopping and starting again, anyplace Tarnamara could barter on sort of goods for another. Upon reaching the great city Børak, planning on staying for a time, sold the bay mare.spending a portion of what he had saved from the caravan on a chain shirt, the rest was spent on gambling, drinking and whoring. As his money began to disappear he took a position as a bouncer at an inn called “The Wasp’s Nest.”

As another year passed, Børak grew weary of the closed in feeling of the city. He grew uncomfortable with the constant intrigue and infighting of the priests, the constant little plots they would try to start at the Inn, never able to deal with the priests as they deserved. When he started having nightmares of a large fur-covered black spider with six red eyes, he knew it was time to leave. As before he started to visit the market, looking for a caravan to work for.. He had picked up a smattering of Khazistani and heard about The city of Zul-Bazzir and decided to travel south. Having found a trader specializing in silk. Børak convinced the merchant of his ability and joined them until they arrived at the city of Yaatana in Susrah.

Months in the dark, away from all human contact, had turned the young priestess into a gibbering figure of madness. While her face was still beautiful to look upon, the insanity in her eyes told a story of torture beyond her minds ability to contain. Her body was emaciated apart from the horrific bulge of her pregnant belly. She was chained to the wall to keep her from damaging herself further…or her unborn child.
A spark of light catches her attention and she starts to shiver and moan in fear more primitive than most could understand. As the spark grew brighter and brighter, the poor girls moans and cries become more of a whimper as she attempts to crush herself against the walls that hold her. A door creaks open and the light finally bursts fully into the cell, drawing even more unintelligible noises from the ruin of the young priestess.
An ibis masked man in pure white robes carefully enters the cell, keeping the hem of his robe gathered up so as not to touch the noisome filth strewn across the floor of this room.
”They tell me that you have again stopped eating Hequt. You know you need to keep up your strength for your child, if not for yourself. The midwife tells me that soon your torture will be over and the child will arrive. Your punishment is almost complete…even if you do not understand anymore what you are being punished for. You would be happy to know we still have not found your despoiler, but soon it will no longer matter. Now eat…or do we have to force you once again!”
A bald slave steps forward and tosses a metal bowl at the woman. It clangs off the floor and partially spills, but the woman does not seem to notice. The ibis-masked man begins to step forward, but a shaking hand slowly grasps the bowl and brings the milk-soaked break to her mouth, taking each morsel and slowly chewing and swallowing. Seeming to be satisfied, he and the slave exit the room. As the light dwindles into the distance and the darkness reclaims the cell, neither man notices the feral smile that crosses the woman’s face.
Over the squalling of the new-born baby girl, the Inquisitor speaks to the midwife.
”So she is done then. Is the child free of blemish or marks of evil?” The masked man seems to be put-off by the noise the baby was making. The midwife nods her head.
”She expired as soon as the child was born…her life force fled. No evil could be detected in the baby...but she is marked!”
Holding the squalling child aloft, she points out a dark mark on the child’s upper arm. It resembled the shape of a cat. Cursing and causing the midwife to flinch, the man turned and swept from the room.
”Take her to the cats then…and let us hope she does not follow her mother’s fate!