“I will accompany her north,” Halvard of Frothvar announced.
The room turned to look his way, but before any protests could be logged, he continued.
“My House has had no one picked for this mission, so I choose myself. I know the North better than any of you all, and this lot will be grateful for my help when all goes white and the path is lost and only I can find the way forward.”
“Have you actually been to Einsamall?” Igraine asked.
“Nay,” Halvard replied. “But I’ve been much closer than any others on your team have. A good enough group you’ve got behind you, but Southern blood in them, each and every one. Not a true Northerner to be found. I shall see you to Einsamall. This I promise.”
Delphina of Earthyross looked at the other members of the Legions of Light gathered in their secret meeting.
“Do any gather here object to Halvard of Frothvar joining this mission.”
“We do not object,” responded Azza Spirtbender, K’ai Pacha, and Magnus in unison.
Delphina turned back to Halvard.
“Get your things,” she said. “The party leaves immediately.”
Halvard rose from the table and smiled.
“Already packed,” he said. “We of Bjorngar are always ready to travel. You never know when adventure will come calling.”
The adventure party left the Castle of Four Sides in secrecy under the cover of night. Igraine led the way with Halvard taking up the rear. The remainder of the party was comprised of a paladin from the Army of Leodysseus, a mage from the Convocation of Bassylia, and a ranger sent by Xylona’s Flock. Igraine had been briefed on each of their skills and why they had been selected for this mission and while she had never met any of the party before except for Halvard, they were all seasoned soldiers who were ready to serve their kingdoms and the Realm. She expected no trouble from any of them.
Shortly after the group had left the grounds of the Castle, the mage cast a spell to transport them towards the Northlands. They wouldn’t be able to use magical means to get all the way to Einsamall, however. The distance was too great, and the cold of the Far North had a way of distorting portal magic. Spells that relied on specific locational information were often unpredictable in those frigid climates. Instead, the party was whisked away to Alkyrium, on the borders between Leandorr and the Northlands. Alkyrium had survived the ravages of the Second Great War and had even grown over the years since, becoming the nothernpost point of trade and travel in Mythoss for all practice purposes. From here Igraine and the party could gather supplies and make their way further north towards the settlement of Einsamall.
“It is a miracle that Einsamall still stands,” Igraine said to Halvard as they gathered the supplies needed for their journey. The Commander had sent the other members of their party off on various tasks, so it was only herself and the barbarian from the House of the Noble Bear who were left behind at the outfitters to acquire the supplies.
“No one of right mind would go that far north unless they had to,” Halvard replied. “As you shall see soon enough.”
“Tell me, what do you know of Einsamall and the people that live there?” Igraine asked.
“They are called the Unsworn North Folk,” Halvard explained. “They are descended from the first people of Mythoss who journeyed north in the First Age, after the Dark Four’s defeat by the Beasts.”
Halvard and Igraine completed their purchases and thanked the merchant for his help. The rest of the party were still completing their assignments, so the two soldiers continued their conversation as they waited for the others to return.
“I’ve only ever met one traveler from Einsamall,” Halvard continued. “This was many years ago, well before my House marched to fight alongside your Faction and the others. He was traveling through Bjorngar on his way back home. Good man, and he told us some tales during the few days he spent at Frothvar. He said that his people went north after that First Great War. They followed some wizard. I can’t remember his name? Last name was something like “Darkspell” or “Deadspell”, I believe. They followed him to get away from what was happening in the Realm after the war was done. They wanted no part of this new making of kingdoms and armies. They simply wanted to be left to live their lives. The House of the Noble Bear understood that, and those of us who heard this man’s tale felt a kinship with these people that we had never even met.
“The traveler told of the harsh days of old and of settling the place they would call Einsamall. Said that the wizard’s magic was the only thing that kept them alive those first years, but eventually they made their mark and tamed the land to be their home, or at least as much as any could tame the North. Those people have lived there ever since. They keep to themselves and expect the same from the rest of Mythoss.”
“They did not fight in the War,” Igraine said, the disdain hard to keep from her voice. “Even though the House of the Noble Bear did not agree with the Legions of Light’s politics, you still fought with us against the Dark. Einsamall did not come to our aid.”
“As is their right,” Halvard replied. “They went north to escape these fights. Even back then I expect their wizard saw that the evil powers would rise again, and so he took his people somewhere that he believed they would be safe. We chose to fight, they did not. That is that.”
Igraine looked up to see the rest of their party making their way towards them now.
“We should get going,” she said.
Halvard nodded.
“I know not what we are going to face,” the barbarian said to Igraine. “All I know is the people of Einsamall do not ask for help from outsiders - ever. Something must be very wrong in the North for them to have sent that letter.”
The rest of the party gathered before Igraine could reply.
“Are we ready then?” the Xylernian ranger asked. “The sooner we are done with this, the sooner we can all be back at the Castle.”
Igraine nodded.
“Yes,” she answered. “Gather the supplies. Distribute them evenly. There is still much of the day left. We make for Einsamall immediately. Halvard will lead the way.”
Halvard hefted a large pack upon his back, arguably taking more of the burden of the supplies than his actual share, but he did not protest as he silently headed towards the long and lonely path that lead to Einsamall.
Continued in Part 3: Burris Birgerstori
Published on 07.22.25