Inscription on the Runestone of the Rhode Crew in the Stahlmehz clanhold.
These words were carved that the dwarves might remember
Until the end of time
The heroes of the Rhode Crew
The slaying of the dragon Iymrith
And the repayment of the Great Debt by Rurik Oathkeeper Stahlmehz
Hearing I ask | from the holy races,
From Heimdal’s sons | both high and low.
Thou wilt Valfather | that well I relate,
Old tales I remember | of days long ago.
I would tell of | the giant’s war,
The empty throne | the fighting tribes.
Axe-time, sword-time | shields are sundered,
Wind-time, wolf-time | ere the world falls.
Now high and low | does Uthor hunt,
For Hekaton | true giant king.
Without him none | of Annam’s sons
Know or obey | the Ordning.
Whom shall you trust | in Maelstrom now,
Where sisters smile | and whet their knives?
Woe unto those | wrapped in the web,
As wicked Iymrith | spins her lies.
On mountain high | the Oracle grieves,
How might wise Grimnir | right this ill?
When giant bands | ransack the land,
Which wise words might | wild warhorns still?
Warrior whet | thy weapon’s edge,
Of such foul times | are heroes forged.
In shattered Nightstone | oaths are pledged,
The Rhode Crew rise | to meet the storm.
Grimnir go forth | fain to befriend,
These heroes who | have saved a town.
Give council good | that they might seek,
To save a king | restore a crown.
Much hardship shall | this quest entail,
Skuld measures out | each hero’s skein.
Valhalla bound | is brave Harshnag,
Defending friends | he dies in flame.
Sorrow and pain | shall only serve,
To fuel the Rhode Crew’s | righteous rage.
Relentless on | their worthy course,
They reach the king | and break his cage.
Now vengeful as | the Valkyrie,
To Anauroch | Hekaton flies.
Iymrith to slay | for her base crimes,
With the king’s host | the Rhode Crew rides.
Verthandi weaves | their lives together,
Their wyrds are one | for weal or woe.
As one they must | this lightning weather,
United must | they fight this foe.
Through tunnels dark | does Gilly tread,
A route to scout | round Iymrith’s maze.
With stealth and skill | she steals unseen,
Beneath the dragon’s | baleful gaze.
But giants lack | such grace and guile,
Iymrith has heard | and lies waiting.
Her strike is swift | royal blood is shed,
Terrible claws | tear at the king.
Iymrith has set | her ambush well,
Sentinels stand | nearby, unseen.
Stone dragons stir | and spring to life,
In shrieking swarm | to serve their queen.
Falvyar is fastest | no fear does he feel,
From death he has risen | to fight on again.
First blood is his | fine blade deeply drinks,
He swears this time | he will see Iymrith slain.
Next Varak charges | savage with wrath,
He owes the drake | a debt of scars.
Wild magic burns | within his blood,
It speeds his step | strengthens his arm.
Shaldoor springs forth | to shield her lord,
She scorns the cost | her oath to uphold.
Nine blows she lands | nine strikes for her king,
And slain by the serpent | fearless she sinks.
Noble Nimir | is next to die,
Vaasha lies broken | barely alive.
The blood-stained beast | bears down upon,
Duke One-Eye | and the weaver’s son.
These two are soldiers | tested and true,
Well have they learned | the shieldwall’s ways.
When one is wounded | the other steps forth,
To shield his brother | and avenge his hurt.
Yet Guy is with them | servant of Ra,
Through dragon roars | his prayers ring clear.
Beloved of the light | his lantern aloft,
Allies invincible | while he is near.
Rurik runs toward | the dragon horde,
Endures the burns | from acid breath.
He throws his hammer | thunder tolls,
Fresh sacrifice | for Lords of Death.
Willow loathes | these lifeless slaves,
Her power flows | from living land.
She calls a Xorn | from stone below,
The earth erupts | at her command.
In battle din | Tanga stands still,
Target at last| within his sight.
To Casper’s soul | he commends the shot,
Thanks his brother | as barbed shaft bites.
A howling wind | Willow invokes,
Caught in the storm | golems collide.
Then slump to earth | by arrows slain,
Gilly’s shots pierce | through granite hide.
How does Rex now? | No hedge mage he,
Nor youngling | yet to win renown.
Great in magic | grey of beard,
The secret shapes | of runes he knows.
A beast he knows | a behemoth,
A form which dragons | fear to face.
A word he knows | which spoken well,
Shall grant him such | a savage shape.
The Midgard serpent | scarce could seem,
More terrible | than mighty Rex.
With whiplash tail | and crushing maw,
Short work he makes | of Iymrith’s spawn.
Now base Orlekto | breaks his oaths,
Iymrith would grant | Mirran the crown.
For her he wields | his wicked knife,
The scoundrel strikes | his liege lord down.
Tanga marks well | this treachery,
To king’s defence | the Chultan flies.
As murderous | deathblow descends,
Two shots, two strikes | the traitor dies.
Go swift Gilly | for time is short.
Be quick of finger | deft of hand.
A master thief | might steal the soul,
Of dying king | from death’s dark land.
Now wields Guy well | the Wyrmbane wand,
Cut from the corpse | of Iymrith’s kin.
Scales crack and fall | away to ash,
The spears sink deep | in dragon flesh.
As enemies on | all sides draw near,
Iymrith lets loose | her lightning breath.
Divine grace saves | Rurik and Guy,
The Gods shield them | from certain death.
As they surge forth | the Rhode Crew roar,
For Rhodey, | Casper, Petrichor!
Bongo, Zephyros,| Harshnag, Grimnir!
Their names the last | words Iymrith hears.
On mountain high | the Oracle smiles,
As Urth cuts through | the serpent’s thread.
In Iymrith’s halls | a hush now falls,
The deed is done. | The dragon dead.
* Inspiration, meter, obscure references and several lines taken from the Voluspo – the Norse legend of the creation and destruction of the world.