O Lusarth! Hail to me, Hallmund thy humble voice,
That I may tell the tale of Bjornulf, first High King
Of Lohikärra. Leading his men in rescue
Of the land, so long where vile Ryluth’s terror lay.
With Tenelth, twin souls’ teeming retribution
Against the ageless fyrewyrm’s fearsome ascent.
Hordes of warriors hereafter to be heroes
Of Lohikärra, long remembered in legend.
Over the hospitable plains of Heidrunefoss,
Fought battles of fearsome foes, that land forever
Marked in memory as Bjornulf’s monumental
Victories began there. Valiant were his gesiths.
As many dragons, minions of Ryluth, began
To fall from the sky in fearful frenzy, the clans
Of Lohikärra leapt to the leadership of
Bjornulf and his brave gesiths – bold as they were now.
Soon too, Svarhestån pledged solidarity with
Bjornulf, the fearsome riders forsaking failures
And reneged the rewards that the cult of Ryluth
Swore. Thus Svarhestån spurned the snarling sky serpent.
Yet, still! Ryluth raged on, rousing the monsters of
Itaranikä. Issuing forth in large waves.
The terror of the dark sky and trembling earth,
Gave pause to gallant warriors and gesiths both.
In the imperiled fray, both were injured Bjornulf
and Ryluth. Battle raging, monsters wrought vengeance
As Bjornulf lay bare and broken. But! As Ryluth
Fought, and Bjornulf faded, so flew a firedrake
Shadowing over solemn Bjornulf, such mercy
From fairest Freya and her dragon steed, Beroan.
The tempest in the sky tested and thrilled the men
To face a fleeing Ryluth and their former foes.
Bjornulf soon bandaged and healed better, bid Freya
To his side, silent nor simple was his praise, she
His queen, his consort, his equal as haldraga.
Proclamations of her prestige and honor flew
forth of her might, fortitude and the fierce power
of Bjornulf’s beloved. This bade many of the
Reluctant rulers of Itaranikä to
Be among Bjornulf’s allies and mighty gesiths.
As Bjornulf lay, Freya led gesiths to the lands
Of Lansiranikä. Long were these foes laid ‘gainst
The Droquro. Driven by the dread of Ryluth,
The people of Lansiranikä laid claim on
Ryluth’s wretched promise. Enraged was the dragon
When Freya fled to Bjornulf’s feet and freed herself
Of her childhood oath. Onwards, Ryluth ordered
Her sacrifice, to satisfy his blood filled soul.
But Freya bowed not, nor bent to his braching hiss.
And rallied forth the gallant gesiths to gather
And defeat the determined foes of the Droquro.
In mythic might, Freya made the men of Ryluth
Submit to her studied tactics, thus she won the
Lands of Lansiranikä to Bjornulf’s glory.
As Freya’s assaults did ascend, Bjornulf began
His journey to join her. Joyous was their meeting.
Freya drew away to due rest at Drattujert
And so stayed three seasons at her sanctuaried
Respite. While Bjornulf raised his ready weapon to
Subdue the sly Isillas elves of Svartån.
As Svartån stood under Bjornulf’s shield, so word came
From Freya’s fingers of firstborn heirs to Bjornulf
And herself. Hearing this heralded news, Bjornulf
Bade celebration of the births beginning thus.
Since then, the thegns of Lohikärra give tribute
To Freya, fairest mother of Lohikärra.
Under such banner, Bjornulf began his battle
Against the archers and angered necromancers
Of Andrattür. A land aligned with healing and
The birth of dragons. Bedeviled by base beings
And the unholy undead, Bjornulf undermined
The priests of rot corpses and reviled Ryluth.
Soon sanctified, Andrattür was set aside for
Bjornulf’s firstborn son and blessed for his descendants.
Thus was Mirratoft, the first estate of the thegns,
Created, ‘round the healing pools of dragons’ hearth.
In wake of Bjornulf’s warriors, came wicked word
Of Ryluth’s revenge and bloodied retribution.
Tales of Drattrede’s dead delivered with dread to him,
Sent Bjornulf to save the souls of sullied allies.
Drattrede! Oh how daring you are to devils in
The sky. Never silent against Ryluth’s sins and
Evil ways. Educated by Tenelth’s kin,
Drattrede defended against its dark and dim fate.
Ryluth raged at Drattrede’s resilence and Bjornulf
Gained victory with its gallant gesiths, glory
Was to him and his hundreds. Warriors at heart,
Drattrede’s daring defied death and Ryluth’s dread.
In nearby Nerthusån, Bjornulf was named kin and
Ally. Ryluth’s priests set ablaze by angered clans.
Thus Bjornulf met no malice, but mirth at his day
Of decree, at Drofrar, destined estate of his.
As winter fell, Foseån forged forth against foe
Ancient and angered by its abandonment of
Once honored oaths. Onward Foseån advanced to
Bjornulf’s battle beleaguered gesiths, bidding them
Rest and renewal. Strength regained, Bjornulf rallied
His men to might, mingling his many warriors
With the wrath of resolute tribes rebelling ‘gainst
Ryluth’s wicked ways. So weakened was the fyrewyrm
As Bjornulf pushed past the perilous, ancient paths
Of Bragidrattür. Lo! Lusarth, lend me the tongue
Of my elders, eloquent and elegant they
Spoke. Of sinister serpents and sacred songs, such
That foretold fearsome frays and forays against fire
Drakes, determined to destroy the deliverers
Of Bragidrattür. Made bold by bidden allies,
The sea serpents, salient souls of Tenelth’s
Kin, kings keen on keeping Ryluth’s kraken kin at
Bay, Bjornulf beckoned his brazen men beyond to
Dratrigräd. Daring dying drakes to defy him.
There the taste of ill-tempered tyrants humbled them.
Dratrigräd digging deep in its devotion to
Ryluth. Rising to redeem their wretched ruler.
Long had Dratrigräd languished, listening to the
Cunning caprices and consigning captives to
A death deemed decent and destined. Devilish wyrm,
That Ryluth rose, returning raging gesiths to
Dratrigräd’s doors, a determined final defeat.
Fraught with fear, the gesiths fled to fight a new day.
But bellowing beckons from Beroan bade eyes
To see a serpentine savior snatch success from
Ryluth’s wretched realm and release his reign of wrath
From Dratrigräd’s duty. Devotion dissolved as
Freya fought her first foe, finishing finally
What Bjornulf began in Bragidrattür below.
Even so, Etelaranikä embraced its evil
Ruler, Ryluth. Restrained by Beroan’s resolve.
Bjornulf bearing burdensome wounds bade back to breathe.
At Drattujert’s daybreak, dragons delivered him
To rest, recover, and restore, regaining strength
To fight the fearsome firedrake, Ryluth, once more.