Ungrim's stare remains steady and unblinking, but those close enough can see the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. Once more, a low murmur ripples through the ring of warriors, thanes and chroniclers alike that line the hall. Then, the king raises a hand and silence returns. The kind that pulls all sound from the air, like the stillness before a hammer meets the anvil.

"Council and recognition, you say," Ironfist rumbles, leaning back on his throne. "I'll grant you at least the first. Counsel is what keeps a realm from a foolish death. As for recognition..." he pauses, intentionally letting the word hang heavily in the air, "that’ll be earned or lost by the tale you tell." The king straightens slightly and his eyes glint beneath his heavy brow. "If what you say is true, Bründir Halfshield, then what you carry are not mere arms, but echoes of our people’s past. If what you claim bears the weight that you say it does, that the north stirs with old powers and armies march under dark banners, then the sons of Karaz Kadrin will hear it. All of it."

"Loremaster," Ungrim declares, turning his head towards Odrik Thangrimsson, who stands to one side with a dozen scribes. "Take up your quill. Let the tale of the Acharnost be set to stone."

"As the king commands," Odrik replies, bowing so deeply that his beard brushes his chest. The scholar motions to his scribes, who unfurl long rolls of vellum, their inkpots trembling in anticipation.

"Speak, then," the king continues, his attention returning to Bründir. "Tell us how Sheercleft stood and how the Acharnost kept the dark at bay. Omit nothing that the mountain should know. We’ll weigh your words, your deeds and the arms that you bear, then we'll see what counsel this hall can give you... and what recognition you've earned."

He gestures with an open hand in what is as much an invitation to begin, as it is a command.

Chapter 1: Bandit Raids and Setting Out

Vark has cowered towards the back of the group since entering King Ungrim’s imposing presence. He is happy to leave all of the talking to the dwarf, but as he hears a mistake int the recounting he almost can’t help himself. Thankfully he catches himself before simply blurting out the correction, instead leaning down and forward to whisper in the bard’s ear. “Uh-uhm B-bründir, we did see Archie again, with the cultists. He got away through a magic portal.”

He seems satisfied with himself for contributing to such an important moment, but now as eyes are drawn to him he has the realization that some of the plot points in this story might not be taken well by this audience. His hand, veined with infernal red, tightens on Pathmaker’s shaft, suddenly sweaty. The runestone feels heavy against his side, and he also just now remembers that Didymis is… somewhere. But it’s too late to get out of this now, all Vark can do is gulp and hope for the best.

Bründir spins around at Vark's correction, first welcoming then confused. There's a momentary hesitation before he catches what was said and corrects himself, "Ah, thank ye, Vark. I must've been distracted when that happened, sorry. Right! Beggin' yer pardon about that bit, sire an' scribes. Here's why it's good ye hear from us all. I can spin a fine tale, but I can't be ev'rywhere t'tell it all."

Chapter 2: Rooting Out Bandits

When several of gazes of busy scribes turned upward, expectantly, the dwarf continued, “We set out, now six in total, to where these highwaymen were holed up. Bandits had a camp with a couple towers an’ a simple wall of stakes, but we snuck up and took’em by surprise." A proud smile cross Bründir's beard as he added, "I was particularly hand with a flask o' that alchemist's fire. Went up in a blaze an' scared'em half t'death. When we got inside, we found a cave leadin’ underground. That’s where things got strange.”

“If ye like, I’ll pass by our step-step-step down an’ get right to it. In that cave’s heart, we found cultists. We beat’em and sent’em runnin’, and that’s when our next friend, J-…Xej came along. He was dressed as’em to get close, but joined our fight. ‘Fore they got away, those cultists called up demons o’ smoke an’ fire. That’s when I found out Dumdrengi was special. Till then, I knew it was an heirloom. I knew my father held it, then he left it with my ma. When we set out, this was all I had an’ a borrowed mail shirt. This beauty,” Brundir pulled Dumgrengi up by the scabbard again until his belt refused anymore, “This was just an old sword ‘til then. When those demons came, it shined line dawn an’ struck’em down. Those cultist’s leader – a dragon lady we learned named Korinn – got away. We also found th’ elves’ man an’ brought ‘im back.”

“We were honored by those elves. Sad t’say, though, we brought back more’n we thought. The man we rescued turned out t’be cursed. He rose again in a frenzy an’ started attackin’ anybody he could. Anybody he touched turned th’ same. Those elves had a way t’put’em down in a sleep, but asked us t’find a cure using basilisk blood. Since misery loves comp’ny, our friend Hurrig also returned from Sheercleft. He’d run back fast as he could t’tell us goblins had attacked our city an’ took it over. So, we rushed out t’find basilisks before rushin’ back home. Basilisks were an odd find worth mentioning, though. There’s a farm of’em, all held underground. I’d’ve got caught by’em if I didn’t throw a bunch’a oil pots an’ torches at’em. ‘Fore we left, though, we found the house above th’ underground pens was used by a leader of those cultists we chased off – a diff’rent leader than the one who got away b’fore. This one’s name was Sora. With a bit o’ Elvish help, we sent that blood back an’ ran clear cross the hills back t’Sheercleft.”

"If I may, Brundir? As this is being written down." Xej steps forward slightly and puts a hand on Brundir's shoulder.

"It was indeed Jex you met in the cave. There to destroy the bandits for a merchant. Xej... I, was still imprisoned as a voice in the back of his mind, fallen silent through years of being ignored. I was not freed until much later, perhaps in part due to the kindness shown by you all when Jex fell ill during the trip back from the basilisks."

He nods a slight apology and steps back to allow Brundir to continue in the spotlight. 

Brundir gives a smile and steps back at Xej's inclusion. In truth, he had no idea how to broach the topic of his multiple personalities. "Thank ye, Xej." The dwarf turned to address the throne room once more as an additional aside, "I think it goes without sayin', but 'ere it is anyway: We've each got a story worth a tome 'r more. Well," he interrupts with a chuckle, "Not s'much fer me, I s'pose, unless ye want a cent'ry of hittin' rocks an' carryin' mugs."

With another gesture, Brundir invites any of the Acharnost to add details that he'd left out before continuing.

Chapter 3: Liberation of Sheercleft

Brundir waits a long moment before addressing the throne room once more, "It's here we've earned our name, 'The Acharnost', giv'n by th' elves we helped. With news from home, we set out fast as we could. A whole goblin army had popped up out'a nowhere, led by a warlord named 'Kung', an' took my home. On th' road back, we were attacked by goblins riding wargs. These were a proper enemy, now. Fast 'n mean, but we broke'em with arrows, storms, an' trusty steel. After, we stopped jus' short o' Sheercleft fer a short time so we could sneak in better. Turns out, these goblins had more in those foothills than we guessed. In th' night, we were attacked."

A wide grin spread on Brundir's face now. The old stories excited him, and he could read a slight buzz of excitement in a few of the assembled courtiers. To truly make their case more than notes in histories, though, he knew he needed to turn words into the grand tapestries he saw in the entry halls. "In our few tents, tucked just off a road, we caught a foul wind. Quickly, we roused ourselves only t'find a half dozen goblins on a hill across from us an' a handful o' hobgoblins marchin' down on us! We scattered quick. I grabbed my shield an' Dumrengi t' climb that hill fer th' goblins. Xej, or Jex as it were then, slipped away with 'is bow an' turned ev'ry one into an old biddy's pin cushion. Hurrig stood against those hobgoblins with all the valor t'make all his ancestors proud. Vark an' Dorno whipped up such a storm you'd think a mountain joined us! You'll notice I left out two in that, but they deserve a special mention. Those goblins were chased off their hill, shot down by arrows and thunder, then by yours truly. Anybody 'ere seen a flyin' dwarf? 'Cause there's a coward of a goblin that day who hadn't 'till I came down on 'is head!"

"Now, then, about those honorable mentions - an' they truly were honorable." Brundir turned and rushed to the others, then pulled Thurston and Valaith forward. Such a sight to see him pulling these two imposing figures like a child urging their parents forward. "Valaith! Remember those hobgoblins I mentioned? Valaith 'ere took her great hammer an' smashed such a terrible hole in'em. If ye'll believe it - well, look at her! If anybody 'ere short o' th' great king stood against Valaith, I'd call'em a fool! It got so bad they had t'lock shields just t'keep her fury at bay. Sad t'say, though, a black-blooded bastard gets lucky now and then. Val 'ere took a sword straight in'er gut." Brundir slammed a fist low on his breastplate to accentuate the telling of the wound. "But lemme ask, d'ye think it stopped her? No! When ye strike this mountain o' rage, ye just make it mad. An' speakin' o' mad, that brings us to th' other mention: Thurston, the Waking Storm! A mountain could fall on this one, an' he'd not lose a wink, but stone help ye if he wakes missin' a fight! See, he heard th' trouble and figured he'd catch another snore 'r two. When he came out, though...I don' know if I could'a made it up if I tried. Ladies of th' court, I must apologize, an' I hope my king, as a Slayer 'imself, takes it fer Thurston's great love fer battle. Much as each of us gave, we could'na dream we'd see Thurston step out'a his tent in nothin' but a night shirt. Did those goblins run from our steel? Our magics? Maybe....but they surely ran when they saw a Norscan big as ye'd ev'r seen swingin' two hammers that night!"

A roar caught the room, some in hysterical laughter, others in aghast shock at the vulgarity. Brundir, however, was now in his element. He remembered Brynja telling tales to rooms full of drunken patrons, how they'd heckle and cheer, but she would ride the spirit of the room and use it to tell the tale. How far he'd risen, now, to follow the example before a king and his court. Once silence fell again, Brundir continued once more. "When we got t'Sheercleft, it was night an' we snuck in under night. Jex - I'm sorry, friend, I know it's a sore thing, but it makes it a bit easier fer this bit - slipped in ahead. 'Fore we even knew what happened, ev'ry guard posted suddenly came down with a bad illness called 'Opened Neck'. We're in my home, my streets, now. We went quick through till we found a shelter an' a new friend: Seid the Wizard. Seid told us th' goblins were an army coverin' up a bigger plot by a group called 'The Mabinogi'. Seid also told us where we'd find where those goblins kept our people held. Once we got to'em, we made a plan: We'd clear a path fer th' guardhouse armoury an' get what we could in able hands. Then, it'd be ev'ry hell poppin' up under those goblins' noses. Sure 'nuff, we got it done without a problem. When dawn came, Sheercleft rose up against goblins. There wasn't a chance fer'em t'get ready. Dwarves an' Men charged those streets, killin' anything that bled black. Ye wouldn't believe it, but my own ma led part o' that attack. Turns out, she was pretty handy with a bow an' blade in her day, so guess that's part'o where I get it."

"With th' whole town in a fight now, we snuck off fer their warlord, Kung. Big, mean ol' bastard he was when we found'im. I got'a thank him, though. In our fight against him an' his guard, I foun' myself on a receivin' end o' his big sword. My shield - not Karakarin here - saved me, but gave itself fer th' cause. If ye couldn't tell, this stuck with me. A final blast o' magic blew Kung's chest halfway t' Sheercleft's mine, an' Sheercleft was free. I was always taught 'Wisdom of the Mountain' was 'Half given's twice received'. When I claimed my own name later, I took it t'heart. I gave half my shield fightin' Kung, an' I got twice as much back with my life. All was left then was t'go down into those mines an' find these 'Mabinogi' people. They had plans under Sheercleft's mines, but we didn't know what."

Brundir paused a moment now to give an exaggerated look of discomfort, "Such a tale already, Sire. If I may, could I 'ave a drink 'fore I go on? This next part's got a lot t'do with Vark an' I don' wan'a leave'im out." After a short bow, Brundir wheeled around and pulled Vark in close, "Quick, now, ye best get yer story right if ye didn't already. I don't know bung 'bout what ye did back then, but I know ye know it involves things only yer privy to. I'm not gon'a say anythin' I don't know full well." He couldn't say everything he wanted, but he tried to stare hard enough to tell Vark that he didn't want anything bad but also didn't want to leave important details out.