Ivar and the Shrine of Vithar

Ivar Arkynson, Devoted Warden

Red hair, a focused gaze, with the strong build of living life beside nature. He wears a blue wool tunic with grey trousers and leather boots decorated with antler buckles. Ivar is armored in a mail brynja and spangenhelm, and he wields an ash bow, axe and shield.

5 Retribution in Vithar's Name

4 By Axe and Shield, You Fall...

3 A Hunter by Trade

1 There Are Nine Noble Virtues

Resolve [ ] [ ] [ ]

Image of Ivar's Eidolon from Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed : Valhalla

[ Opening Theme : The Hu, Wolf Totem ]

Adventure Tags : Dueling Explorers

Enemies : Ruthless tomb thief

Friends : The ruin's true owner

Things : The neglected spiritual shrine

Complications : The treasure is dangerous to seize

Places : Chasm with ledges, a bloodstained arena

Dungeon Type : Geomantic nexus, up to 11 locations

The tracks lead up to the mouth of a large cave, the rocky formation looms up toward the sky, blocking the light of the sun behind it. The snow covered trees of the forest lie silent behind Ivar. Even the animals knew to avoid this place. This is where he was destined to go. Waiting at the cave's entrance, four shorter, crooked people keep watch.

Ivar has seen the likes of them before. Disheveled. Sickly. Minions to whoever would offer them food or silver. Dark haired and hunched over, they behaved more like beasts than people. But these four were keeping him from his prey, and Ivar couldn't risk allowing one to alert anyone within.

Ivar creeps along the tree line and moves closer to the entrance. When he nears the small group of grunting guards, sniffing at the air like dogs, he pulls his axe free. Ivar charges toward the rear most guard, blocking retreat back into the cave and swings his axe at the closest enemy.

Threat Rating : 3

Ivar rolls six dice using By Axe and Shield, You Fall… : four active dice, two defensive dice. Four active successes, one defensive success.

The creatures are taken completely by surprise as Ivar storms toward them. The axe cleaves into the shoulder of the first. He kicks his axe free and hacks into the next closest opponent. One of them recovers quickly enough to claw at Ivar's shield. Ivar responds by driving the shield's rim into the thing's neck then slicing across his abdomen. The last standing guard whimpers but is quickly silenced as Ivar's axe opens a wound across its throat.

Ivar stalks quietly into the cave, lighting a torch to push back the shadows as he walks deeper into the narrow tunnel. The air cools. The silence broken by running water somewhere up ahead. Minutes later, the tunnel expands into an underground chasm; the river several man heights below. A narrow rope bridge sways in the breeze funneled by the chasm; a single tunnel continues beyond.

He grabs hold of the top most rope and begins to side step his way across the rope bridge. His torch held tight in the grip of thumb and first finger, leaving the other three free to support his effort. Usually cautious, Ivar is urged forward knowing that his target was already ahead of him.

Threat Rating : 2

Ivar rolls three dice using Hunter by Trade : two active dice, one defensive dice. Two active successes, one defensive success.

The tunnel curves back and forth as it winds deeper into the rock. The flickering light of the torch picks up the shine of silver coins strewn along the cave's floor. Around another bend, a chair of carved mahogany collects dust. In surprisingly excellent condition, he could think of a jarl or two that would be pleased to add this to his collection. Ivar was not about to carry a chair across a rope bridge.

The curving tunnel widens, the bottom of the chasm he had just crossed by rope bridge. A river flows languidly past Ivar. The river's bed has more silver coins scattered beneath the water. The other side of the river holds a small alcove with no exit; Ivar follows the flowing river downstream. The water eroded the stone for centuries, leaving behind a small room covered by the mass of stone. The air at the bottom of the chasm is warmer, misty, more humid.

The stone pocket expands into a large cavern. The light of the torch pushes back the darkness but can not pierce far enough to see where the walls were. Immense columns of rock jut up from the stone like a forest made of earth. Beyond the stalactite forest, the tunnel begins to meander once more, leading deeper beneath the earth. That was when he heard the voice up ahead. Around the corner, the temperature increases accompanied by a dull orange glow.

"Take it," a hoarse voice seethes.

A different growls and hisses in reply.

Ivar stalks closer to the voices and takes a glance around the wall. A flow of liquid rock spilled across a rocky shelf. The shelf had several runes written across its face. Resting within its shrine, a tablet of stone with spiraling runes carved along it. A saga of Vithar and how the god survived Ragnarok and pried the jaws of Fenrir apart. Enshrined in a temple preserved only by wardens like Ivar. Within the small chamber is a disheveled Skraeling, lean and emaciated compared to the more robust balding man in mail.

Emboldened by the shrine dedicated to Vithar's legacy, Ivar strides confidently into the cavern, axe drawn and kicks the balding man away from the Skraeling and shrine. His arm swings down, crashing the back of his axe on the shrine as he glares at the dirty, pitiful creature, "Leave."

Threat level : 4.

Ivar rolls five dice using Retribution in Vithar's Name : three active dice, two defensive dice. Three active successes, one defensive success.

The Skraeling whimpers as the axe crashes beside it. It turns and runs back up the corridor. The unknown balding man snarls from the kick and leaps forward, grappling Ivar. Ivar gives way to intuition and experience, driving his knee up into the bald man's chest. His shield crashes down into the man's face.

Ivar snarls as well, "You should not be here," and stalks forward menacingly. The bald man rubs his face with the back of his hand, blood writing itself across his skin.  Ivar's axe rises and falls once more, hacking into the prey that would dare to steal from Vithar's sanctuary.

Ivar rolls six dice using Retribution in Vithar's Name : six active dice, no defensive dice. Six active successes.

The unnamed figure screams, the blue tattoos along his scalp pulsing with the beat of his heart. Ivar's axe cleaves into the man's skull; he presses his foot against the thief's chest and pushes away. His lifeless form collapses to the ground besides the flowing lava. The Saga of Vithar, safe for any that would travel to its shrine, watches stoically between the rivulets of molten rock.

"Your grace and your silence," Ivar reverently whispers, raising the head of his axe to his eyes in salute. "In your silence, patience and wisdom."

[ Closing Theme : Skáld, Rún ]