Shortly before before winter 1230 the covenant is visited by a young woman, She wanders round the little hamlet within the circle but makes no attempt to approach the tower, until a few days before the Solstice, whereupon she asks Robert to make her presence known.
She Introduces herself as Solrun, as servant of Bard. Bard (as Karl recalls from legend) is one of the Guardians (with a capital G) of Iceland, she has been asked to invite the Magi to a feast of thanksgiving, for their help in the recent past.
Martin is keen for a knees-up and they agree to the request. The party is led on foot up to Helgafell (it is mostly dark so the grogs are grateful for the occasional CrIg spell to let them see the way. About three-quaters of the way up Solrun lead the party into a cave. They follow a winding path down, until after a lon time Solrun bids them rest.
During the night, as Orlaith starts investigating the cave, her sheildgrog, Rjóðr Serk, gets separated from her and is accosted by a group of Trolls.
They inform him that, as he is in Troll territory before the truce his life is forfeit. Luckily a solution presents itself. The troll king, Kollbjorn, cannot find a groom for his daughter, Drit. If Rjóðr Serk would care to ...
Seeing a way out, and having full faith that his Mistress Orlaith will get him out of this, Rjóðr Serk agrees to the match. Alas, sensing that he is not fully enthusiastic, the future grandmother-in-law and Troll shaman imposes a Curse of Lost Love, and Short Attention span on Rjóðr Serk before releasing him back to his companions.
Orlaith is pleased to recover her shield grog, and is slightly worried about his newfound ardent desire to marry a Troll, but is not about to stand in the way of true love. The nuptials will be held in spring.
They proceed on to the feast, held in a massive cleft in the ice (odd as there is not really any ice cover near Helgafell) with blue tinged light diffusing through the walls. An enormous blond giant welcomes from across the expanse, and walks over to meet them. He shrinks as he does so, until he is merely very very tall. He introduces himself as Bard, and bids them drink mead and share in the feast.
The Magi and Karl are introduced to a bewildering array of giants and trolls, amongst which is Rjóðr Serk's belusted, and they spend quite a bit of (chaperoned ) time together.
Bard's brother, Thorkel refuses to shrink himself for the benefit of the humans, and expresses distaste that BArd has done so, but Bard affects not to notice.
There is much feasting and drinking and toasting and feasting, and all is going well until a group of giants turns up, obviously late.
Bard winces, and apologises sotto voce, as he couldn't not invite them, then raising his voice Welcomes the Clan McGann.
The loudest of the newcomers thanks Bard, especially for the tasty humans sitting beside him. Things get quite harsh and eventually Martin and the braggart get into a fight which, astonishingly, Martin wins by calling on his ancestral connection with Thor, and smashing the giant to the floor.
After this show of strength, the Clan McGann are a lot more respectful, and treat the Magi as equals (which is an improvement but still not that pleasant). Bard sters the conversation as to why a clan of Scottish giants are hanging around in Iceland and why they wont just go home, prompting the lead giant to testily reply that until they have fulfilled their geas to find the temple of Thoth they cannot leave.
While the Magi boggle at the mention of Thoth, a commotion distracts Bard. A messanger has arrived to say that the third Guardian has been attacked. Apparently Vindsfall, the great eagle was assailed and fell on the banks of the Laxa, near the hamlet of Husavik in northern Iceland.
Bard is starting to see a pattern, Pan Caudrax's eggs were assualted, now Vindsfall has been attacked, the great Bull has fallen under the sway of the dominion, and He (Bard) is the last, other than the Landvettir. He asks the Magi to investigate, and they hastily (and a bit drunkenly) stagger off.
Guided by Vifil, the galdraman, through more twisting ice caverns, they eventually come to open sky and a fast flowing river. From the messengers description, the place where the eagle fell is easily found. If the description
of one wing resting on the ground and the other brushing the cliftops is to be believed, then Vindsfall's wingspan must be about 50 feet. There is no sign of any eagle here now.
Approaching the hamlet they hail a few fisherwives and the non gifted present ask about an eagle. The locals recall a big bird being shot, but scoff at the idea of it being freakishly large. After all the local holy man , Brother Micheal, held it in his hands.
Brother Micheal it appears is an anchorite, living on a small island in the bay, and is known to care for little fluffy-wuffy animals.
The proceed to his shack, and Karl gains admittance. There is clearly a wounded eagle lying recuperating near the fire. After conferring with his colleagues it is agreed that the dominion aura in brother Micheal's hut is preventing Vindsfall from regaining his might, and hence his contiued enfeebled state will last indefinitely.
Karl then engages brother Micheal in various debates on the merits of keeping such birds inside, and after much to-ing and fro-ing manage to persuade brother Micheal to see what might happen if he were to let the bird go.
Vinsfall is placed on a windblasted tree stump, and, as Brother Micheal withdraws, starts moving. Suddenly another eagle swoops out of the sky and brushes feathers with Vindsfall, he perks up and lauches into flight.
The sky starts teeming with birds flocking to the great Eagle, who soars higher and grows mightily until is lost in the clouds.
Micheal is clearly impressed, and the party take their leave having clearly made an impression.
Next Session will be the Wedding!