Valhalla's End
Gunner of Vanaheim
Hidden from the world by his Seid witch mother Gretchen, Gunner lived a childhood of solitude within the peaks of the blue mountains, a place said to be where Ymir himself walks Abroad. There he was raised in the teachings of his mother whom worshiped Ymir’s daughter Atali a enchantress whom lures wounded men to their deaths in the ice. She has a number of brothers who resemble huge, rime-bearded Nordheimir warriors and who ambush her victims with their great axes, if the poor mortals have not already died of exposure. Atali is beautiful as a frozen flame of Hell. She has pale skin like ivory, and her slender body is as perfect as the dream of a god. Her only garment is a light veil of gossamer that does nothing to conceal her features. She has bright reddish-blonde hair that shines in the sun like elfin gold, blending the traits of her Æsir and Vanir heritage. She has eyes of shifting colors and dancing lights. Her voice is more musical than a silver-stringed harp and edged with cruelty, while her laughter is sweeter than the rippling of silver fountains and poisonous with mockery. Atali was to be appeased, mother demanded such things when Gunner was growing up. After all he lived in the blue mountains that legend says her father roams... the one true creator of the first humans. Gunner always felt connected to the stories of the land and its legends Gretchen would share as he grew up. The mighty Ymir who is said to make his presence known by a deafening crack of thunder as the entire night sky is set aflame with the aurora borealis across the lands of Vanaheim and Asgard alike. He felt a thump in the times it would happen, A thump from within himself, A thump at the very heart and soul of his being.
Trips to villages below the mountains were few and far in between, and though Gunner was simply a child during this time, it was apparent to him his mother was respected, and his size was unnatural for a Vanir boy. Interactions with the other children of his own age always resulted in conflict, mostly not of his own doing, but from the fact of whom his mother was. Involvement with him was discouraged by many other parents within the small village huddled just under the tree line of the vast peaks above. Naturally, a lack of social interaction stunted him starting at a very young age, but as the years past it was apparent to him, and many whispering others that his social skills would be the only think about him that was stunted.
Gunner found himself growing into a young adult with mostly but his mother as human contact, he learned to hunt with the help of his mother in his early years, a time when life was good, flourishing and content. He grew large as a Vanir child, and before long his features of ymirish blood began to show very slightly. Gretchen kept a tight grip on him, often shunning the ideal of his free roaming interaction with the populace below.
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Gretchen
Gretchen was a beautiful Vanir women, and healer of a small village just south of the blue river, a wide, deep river that drains the melted snow of the taiga and mountains of northern Vanaheim. Its source is in the Blue Mountains. She herself in her youth was very much a similiar image to that of Atali herself. Her vibrate hair flowing across a pale soft exterior that was her smooth skin. her facial features naturally depicted beauty, and her eyes shown a deep piercing glare that was both attracting and intimidating to those in her presence. though for reasons related around her Seid magic, she was often left alone by most men, for fear and rumor of what powers she possessed.
In time Gretchen was informed her son Gunner would be joining the Vanir barbarians in attacking a Aiser settlement just over the blue mountains. She was not pleased by the order from the Jarl, however it was not her choice to decide, having came of age it was Gunners. His mother quietly shook her head, but in the end Gunner agreed to join the warriors in raiding the Aesir, he had never seen a blonde nord before, nor had he traveled further than a few miles from his homeland all his life. Travel was to begin at first light, and with a small amount of time Gunner returned home with his mother one last time. She spoke to him as a endured mother, she assured him she would allow no harm to befall him in his journey, and as the days first light crested the mountains top he left his mother traveling down the road to the village. Gretchen stood on the mountainside watching as her son left her grasp for the first time, she whispered words that carried into the winds, and with it her face aged slightly.
The blue mountains and beyond
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Gunner traveled with his people over the mountains, a task in itself, and it was apparent to Gunner that he was able to hold out in the deep cold longer than the other Vanir. Some fell to the frozen winds before the decent into Aesir territory even began, Others fell prey to the numerous creatures that lurked within the mountains themselves. One thing was for certain, something seemed to protect Gunner, wild beasts would suddenly fumble when charging Gunner, and in one case in which a winter wolf found itself atop Gunner, its kneck suddenly snapped as if with the flicking of a finger. In the aftermaths of this combats it was assumed these acts where done by Gunner himself giving him a bit of false respect from his Vanir breathren, But in Gunner's mind it was not true, for when he layed his head to rest at night vivid dreams would come to him, dreams of his mother performing rituals, dreams of her reaching out to him and calling his name, and with each dream... his mothers beauty faded, as age seemed to grip her in a unnatural way.
Vanir and Aesir
After months of travel through the deep snow of the blue mountains, signs of a village were seen. Aesir structures in the distance, and smoke from the stacks of their chimneys. In the time that had passed for Gunner a reputation began to spring from his wake, Rumor's and hearsay said among the other Vanir stated that he was blessed, and others.... cursed.. While some sided with Gunner in that he was simply a powerful respectable Norl, others began to speculate that dark arts where involved in his success... within Gunners quiet shy like mind, he began to believe they were correct.
A battle ensued as Vanir blades and axes met Aesir flesh, and the thunder of war echoed out from the small village as houses burned, and slaves were taken. Gunner found himself fighting a rather large Aesir brute, twice his youthful size. the man clashed into Gunners shield pushing him back, and came down with a axe on his shield shattering the top half and cutting a gash into the right side of his face, gashing his eye and cheek deeply. a wound that should put any Vanir down, yet as the man came in to finish him, a sword met his gut and as the giant of a man fell to his knee's and crumbled under his own weight Gunner found himself surrounded by his Vanir brethren, many that respected him cheering, but through the crowd a growing group stood silent. He looked to them and spoke only three words... Gunner is Gunner. in which many of the growing silent few simply turned and walked away.
Lost warriors and friends
Over the course of many months, combats and raids into Asgard continued. this had been a good season of raiding for the Vanir norl's, though as time passed many of Gunner's brother's had fallen to glorious battle. A fate not to be looked down upon, as all knew the fallen now dined with Ymir himself, however, many of those that had left this life to join in the great feasts where allies of Gunner, leaving the group of those whom suspected dark arts around his success to grow in size.
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Abandoned by blood
A large settlement of riches was reported to have been found near the end of the raiding season, thus naturally it was deemed they would be pillaged before the travel home began. As many other battles before combat commenced.
With haste the Vanir moved into the village to do what they did best.. and in a sort of divide and conquer tactic the city was struck. however, when it came time to meet with the other group to continue pushing, they where nowhere to be seen and without there assistance Gunner and his comrades became surrounded by Asgard norls in greater numbers and cut down in a swift fashion.
Asgard slaves
Many had died a glorious death, a death befitting a norl Vanir warrior, but not Gunner, with every blow that seemed to strike him, a resistance seemed to keep him from death until he could fight no longer and was taken as a prize. His crimes to the asgard apparent though death would not be his fate, instead he was sold to the highest bidder, and it time discarded to the Exiled lands after years of abuse for his crimes.
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A broken mind, a wondering soul
As time passed in his slavery, dreams came and went, flashes of his mother as he endured the horrid actions of the Asgardian people. As time passed she seemed to age with every pain he endured until her form was withered and old in but 4 years time. One day the dreams simply ceased... and the pain he received daily began to be harder and harder to endure, as if something he had before was now gone... he felt alone.. so in the quiet of the night he did the only thing he had any control over, think.
He thought of her, the gentle touch of his mothers comfort, the time he was raised back home, and then he began to speak to her when the darkness of dusk overtook and he was alone in the night. without him even realizing it, his mind drifted until it was lost... she was not gone, no no.... Mother is always here... Yes... Mother will protect me...
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Mother says we should keep going, Gunner will be fine, after all...
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Gunner is Gunner.
The Hyborian age
This is a account of the worlds history in Conan lore.