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Chapter Five, Part Four: Excerpts from The Chronicles of Rineen, 1080-1110 A.D.

1080, Entry 2

And King Bolverk didst return in this year
Unto his hall in Peace-Town, or in the
Ostish Tongue, Frithrborg,
And didst resume the rule of the Kingdom
From his Sister, Grelod Hard-Hearted.

1080, Entry Seven

And in this year there were many
Struggles and strivings along the
Tullaha.

1082, Entry Three

And in this year did Bolverk pass,
Being full of years. And his son,
Sigvat, being called the Red
Due to the hue of his hair,
Did take the throne.

1082, Entry Four

And in this year did Sigvat the Red,
Invite his aunt, Grelod Hard-Hearted,
To his hall for a feast. And Grelod
Came with her followers. And they
Did feast, but in the midst of the
Celebrations Sigvat the Red did
Slip away with his followers, and
He did board up the hall, and set
It alight. And thus ended the days of
Grelod Hard-Hearted. For this action,
All blessings of God and His Son Jesus Christ
And the Holy Spirit be upon Sigvat. [1]

1085, Entry Six

And in this year did Sigvat the Red
Send for builders and masons from
The Empire, for unto build him a
Fine palace, and crypts for his
Fathers’ rests.

1088, Entry One

And in this year did portents look grim,
As the wolves howled in the woods
And the crows gathered in the trees
With raucous cries.

1088, Entry Nine

And in this year did Sigvat the Red
Take ill, and pass on, with much sadness
And mourning among his subjects,
For he was beloved. And he was
Laid in the crypt which he had builded
Among his fathers. And the crown did
Pass to his son, Gudbrand.

1089, Entry Two

And in this year did King Gudbrand, as
He was walking along his hall,
Fell to the dagger of an assassin, and the
Crown passed to his brother, Asvard.

1089, Entry Three

And in this year did King Asvard,
In full war-mail, called upon his housecarls
To follow him in battle against the
Conspirators who had slain his brother.
For King Asvard, being a shrewd and cunning
Man, had discovered the plot had been lain
By his cousin, Nafni, grandson of Grelod that
His father had slain. And his housecarls did
Rally unto him with cheers and cries.

1089, Entry Four

And in this year did King Asvard
Enact his judgement upon Nafni and
All his house. For he did find the
Traitor trying to escape the realm
To the lands of the East, and in a
Great slaughter did kill him and
All with him. And thus ended the line
Of Grelod Hard-Hearted, and the
Kingdom could breathe with ease
Once more.

1093, Entry Five

And in this year did King Asvard
Sail to Rome in pilgrimage, bringing
Many fine gifts as offerings to
The Holy Father. And the realm was
Entrusted to his bosom friend, Bergthora
The Shield-Maiden.

1093, Entry Six

And in this year did Bergthora the Shield-Maiden
And Hallfrid, wife of Asvard, bicker and fight, as
Bergthora was found to be with child and
Hallfrid was barren. And Bergthora declared
That the child was that of Asvard. And the
Kingdom was much divided.

1093, Entry Nine

And in this year did Bergthora the Shield-Maiden,
As she was walking in the hall, did spy Hallfrid,
Wife of Asvard, and did enter into disputations
With her. And her wrath grew hot, and she drew
Her sword, and did slay Hallfrid, and left her
In her gore as she fled. And the realm was thus
Entrusted to the steward of Asvard, Svafar,
Who declared Bergthora to be an outlaw.

1094, Entry One

And in this year did Bergthora the Shield-Maiden
Gather many unto her, and did carry out raids
Against the housecarls of Svafar, and those
That sought to bring her unto justice. And the
Kingdom was much divided.

1094, Entry Three

And in this year did Bergthora the Shield-Maiden
Evade the ships of Svafar and fled to the far South, where
She found a land of swamps, where dragons dwelt. [2]
And she dwelt there for many days, and established
Trade with the people of that land.

1095, Entry Two

And in this year did King Asvard return from Rome,
And find his realm much divided. And he did not
Weep when he learned of his wife’s death, but did
Order the execution of Svafar for turning
Against Bergthora.

1095, Entry Six

And in this year did King Asvard, after putting
The affairs of his realm in order, send for
Bergthora to return unto him and be his
Queen. And Bergthora declined his invitation,
But sent his son unto him, a wild and rambunctious
Babe. And Bergthora the Shield-Maiden declared
Her intentions to rule over her followers
In this new land. And King Asvard did weep,
And called the name of his son by Bergthora
Ansgar, for, with his arrival, God had pierced
Asvard’s soul, yea, even with a spear.

1096, Entry One

And in this year did King Asvard take a wife,
Named Valgerd, and did have a son, Kodran.


1097, Entry Three

And in this year did King Asvard send his
Son Ansgar, called the Bastard, to
The hall of the Chief Cormac, of the
Deacair Company.


1099, Entry One

And in this year did Ansgar the Bastard,
As he was walking in the woods,
Was set upon by a wolf. And Ansgar did
Slay the wolf with the spear that had been
Made for him by Cormac, and he skinned the wolf
And returned to the hall of Cormac. And Cormac,
Seeing the youth wearing the bloody pelt
Of the beast, did declare that
He would no longer be called Bastard, but
Wolfsbane. [3]

1108, Entry Two

And in this year did the nobleman
Efrog raise up his banner in revolt
Against King Asvard. And King Asvard
Summoned those loyal to him to fight against
Efrog and his followers.

1108, Entry Five

And in this year did Chief Cormac fall
In battle against Efrog. And the youth
Ansgar Wolfsbane did see his mentor
Fall to the blade of Efrog, and did
Enter into a fire-hot rage. And he did
Cut his way to Efrog, and though he was
Naught but a youth of fourteen-years,
He did engaged Efrog, a man known
For his skill with the blade, in combat.
And he did slay Efrog, and removed
His head from his shoulders. And
This was seen by all the host.

1108, Entry Seven

And in this year did King Asvard hold
A great feast celebrating the defeat of
Efrog. And he did not invite Asgar Wolfsbane.
And Asgar grew wroth, as did all those
Who had grown to know him. And
Asgar did ride to the door of the feast-hall
And demand entrance. The guards did ask
For his proof of invitation. And Asgar threw
The head of Efrog at the feet of the guard,
And declared that was his invitation. And
King Asvard relented, and allowed Asgar
To sit, but not in the place of honor.

1110, Entry Four

And in this year did King Asvard pass,
And the realm would have passed to his son by
Valgerd, Kodran. But Ansgar Wolfsbane did contest this, and
With his followers prevailed upon the Bishop to
Crown him instead. And with this crown, Ansgar did
Turn and exile his step-mother and her son to the
Lands of the East. And he was declared King.
And the realm did hold its
Breath, not knowing what this wild
Youth would bring.

[1] – Grelod Hard-Hearted was not very well liked among the nobility. Killing her may have been a move to solidify his popularity among the nobility that had become more and more used to acting independently, though Sigvat also had personal grudges against his aunt. Though not recorded in this record, some sources from the time state that Grelod had attempted to outmaneuver Sigvat and take the throne for herself, though most historians regard these as propaganda promoted by Sigvat to add justification to his actions.

[2] – OTL Florida.

[3] – This story is likely an invention, meant to explain how Asgar received his nickname of Wolfsbane. The few illustrations of Asgar from the time do portray him wearing a wolf’s pelt over his armor.