Hrothgar and the Lich

We were ushered into a smaller hall, where Scrocmael introduced us to a young skinny man in his twenties, Hutha, the son of Hvita the thegn of the island of Samso. Hutha explained that Samso had been troubled by a lich. The problems had started with herds and flocks being scattered at night. Guards had been set but had been found dead the next day with their eyes full of terror. Others had seen a lich with burning eyes and a sword and had been sent mad. It now seemed the lich was strong enough to attack the steading of Snellingsted, where many people had been slain and others had fled in terror and lost their wits. When neighbours arrived, the milk had curdled overnight. There were maybe a dozen such steadings on the island, so all could be destroyed in a couple of weeks.

He added that there had been a story on the island for as long as men had been there. On the island were twelve barrows and it was said that they held the earthly remains of the sons of Arngrim, who were famous Sweon berserkers. They had been slain by Orvar Wad in revenge for death of Hjalmar. He had slain them all and buried them. There were many tales and Hutha feared that someone had gone to the barrows and woken something that should not have been woken.

Hutha had come with a small boat and a couple of crewmen and Tohrwulf, Herefrith, Herewulf and myself set off with him to march to Edgby. Edgby had a large burg, but there was not much of a town. We boarded the faering and put out to sea.

There was a light contrary wind but we set to rowing and soon made light work of it. We headed out of Isofirth, past the island that bottled up the southern reach and headed into a broader waterway with a narrow mouth. There was a channel off to the right that led to Rorskilde, but we rowed out to sea, picked up a reasonable wind and set a sail. We made landfall at a fishing village where Hutha was known.

The following day we set off again. As we travelled, we learned more of the sons of Arngrim. Angentyr was the best known and there was a separate story of him and his daughter. All were said to have been berserkers. There had been a feud with Hjalmar over a woman – the daughter of the King of the Sweons. The King was not a brave man for when Angentyr came to court daughter, he knew she had already been given to Hjalmar, but he didn’t send them away. Instead, he said his daughter could choose.

She had chosen Hjalmar and the berserkers challenged Hjalmar to a duel. He was to bring his force to Samso where they would fight it out. Hjalmar brought his crew along with his friend Orvar Wad. Angentyr brought his 11 brothers. Orvar Wad was the only man standing at the end. It was said that he created barrows for the brothers and took Hjalmar back to be buried at Uppsala.

We also heard that Angentyr had had a famous sword called Tyrfing – once drawn it couldn’t be sheathed without taking a life. It was also cursed to always take the lives of those dearest to the wielder. Angentyr had been buried but his daughter had come and raised him from the dead to give her the sword but got no joy of it. The berserkers were thought to sleep lightly in their graves, but nothing like these events had happened in the memories of three generations.

Herewulf asked if any strangers had been seen, but Hutha said that no-one of note had been seen, but shopmen come and go. He added that not a man on the island would go near the barrows. He was grateful for our help and said that Geats were famous heroes – everyone remembered Beowulf.

By the end of the day, we came into sight of a largish island about 10 to 12 miles long but fairly thin. Hutha informed us it was some four or five miles wide at the widest point. There was a peninsular about 5 miles long half a mile wide where the barrows were to the North.

He took us to another fishing village, Balan, and then on to a small palisaded hall at Hvitasted. The hall was surrounded with a small palisade. Besides the hall there were a few other buildings in the compound including a basic smithy. We were met by two hearth guards, Clored and Nothgyth, and were ushered into the hall.

Hutha’s father, Thegn Hvita, was a short many with a massive belly. He introduced himself and bad us welcome. With him were Cuenberg the housekeeper, Beornith the reeve and their daughters. When questioned he could think of no disputes on the island, although the Thegn would not be involved in all disputes. We were told there were a dozen steadings on the island and a few smaller households.

Hvita regaled us with tales of the undead, but it seemed there was nothing new since Hutha had departed. The most horrific event had been the ravaging of the whole homestead at Snellingsted.

A slave called Croc had the most coherent tale. He was still at Snellingsted, which was closer than here to the barrows. Hutha promised he would take us there in the morning. The night passed uneventfully.

We were led off on foot in the morning to the steading four miles to the north. Again, it was on a slight rise. We climbed to the highest point and could see the firth. There was a stream that ran from a large pool. Although the pool, was close to the sea, the stream took a winding route to the sea and there was a bridge and mill. This was the steading of Selred.

At Snellingsted we met Croc, who was working industriously. He was a non-descript man in his thirties and seemed to be in charge of the other, female, slaves. He addressed myself and my companions, as well as Hutha, as lord.

He described the attack. He told us that it had been terrifying, one minute they had been preparing food, and were just readying to serve it. Suddenly the lich arrived, with no-one seeing how it got there, and was behind a slave, thrusting its sword through the slaves back. People ran screaming or tried to fight, but those who fought did not last. He had run up to the hay loft at the back of the hall and kicked down ladder. The lich killed everyone who didn’t get to door. It had then looked around ignoring the bodies, as if sniffing for something, with a sword in its right hand but no left hand. It seemed to smash around in one corner as though it was looking for something, smashing over a meal bag and stuffing its sword into it, but then it just sank into the ground. It had been dressed in some armour, and was mostly bone with a few shreds of flesh. It had the most terrible, glinting eyes.

We headed further north to investigate the barrows. The way led downhill and into a marshy area as the narrow point before the northern peninsular was a salt marsh. Herefrith was accustomed to marshes and led us through to where we saw a hut, which we decided to investigate. Hutha told us that it was Scurfa’s hut. Scurfa was the local marshman and fished for eels and hunted birds. He was a tenant of Selred.

The hut was on a dry patch of land and we decided to see if he had heard anything. Hutha shouted a greeting but there was no reply. The hut was empty but we found the remains of a camp nearby. What was left was cold, but it looked like the fire had been made of wood not from the area. Herewulf spotted footsteps but they disappeared into the water. They were of shod feet, and belonged to someone fairly heavy set. In the hut it looked like someone had left in a hurry. The hearth was cold and things had been knocked over and smashed up. There was flour on the floor and a barrel had been stoved in. Herewulf noticed a partial footprint in the patch of flour, it was much smaller than the other one had been.

Herewulf pressed Hutha for more details of any disputes between Snellingsted and Selred’s family – it seemed to mainly concern fishing rights.

We pushed on and emerged safely from the march and saw hummocks ahead with stones on them – the barrows. Hutha seemed a little nervous, he had never been here before. All the barrows seemed to have a stone, but some were larger than others and some stood upright, while others had toppled over. The third we came to, which was the one closest to the isthmus, looked as though it had been disturbed but then put back. We checked the others in turn, but none seemed to have been tampered with recently.

We returned to the hut, but there was still no sign of the owner – the hut seemed to have been abandoned at least a week. I noticed a lean to for the wood store; there was no axe but there was a shovel and an iron bar.

We returned to Hvita’s hall and were welcomed back. The thegn quizzed us on the results of our investigations and I related to him what we had found.

Hvita told us that Selred was a man blessed with meal, three strong sons. He had another son and a daughter he had been trying to peddle here for a decade. She was not a comely girl. He was probably the richest man on the island, and would like his grandson to be the thegn. The other son was an odd one he added, the youngest child. Rowena, Selred’s deceased wife was rumoured to be a witch, and Eorpwald had been the apple of eye. Hvita hadn’t understood this at all and the boy had never looked like Selred. He had icy eyes.

Cuenberg brought a tray of freshly baked treats. Eorpwald had been here today and had brought meal, which had surprised Hvita as getting tribute was usually like getting blood from a stone. This time it had arrived without prompting and this was most welcome as Cuenberg had been running short of flour and had put this to immediate use in her baking.

Hvita tasted the fresh baking and complemented the cook, but then his eyes suddenly grew wide and I saw the tip of a blade sticking out of his chest. Behind him was a ghastly apparition. Herefrith was frozen to the spot and many around us fled. I was unaffected due to my godgift and Herewulf and Tohrwulf managed to shrug it off but we were all unarmoured and armed only with scramasaexes.

“Begone foul lich, return to thy place of rest and disturb this island no more”, I said to the lich. The apparition tilted its head and looked at me as it pulled its blade from Hvita’s chest and I held its gaze.

Hutha started forward but was dragged back by the hearth guards. Herewulf weaved past the obstacles to get close to the undead and tied to dodge. The lich gave him a contemptuous glance as it waved its sword past his dodge and struck and wounded him. I repeated my exhortation and it looked at me again and rasped, “meet me at my barrow”. “We will be there”, I responded, “when?”. “At night”, it hissed and I assured it again that we would be there, at which point it sank into the ground and disappeared.

Hvita was dead – the lich’s blade had thrust straight through his heart.

The hearth guards were pale and Hutha distraught. He thought that this had the imprint of Selred or his sons but he would need evidence to proceed. It was about 4 or 5 miles to the barrows and it was now after dark but my companions and I determined to head there immediately to meet the lich again.

Hutha was all for accompanying us but was prevented by his guards. Instead he provided Deglaf, the 17 year old son of the reeve and the cook, as a guide. He was not an impressive physical specimen but he did look hardy, and had leather armour, scramasaex and a sling. We were supplied with torches.

We set off and fortunately there was a half moon. There were a few clouds scudding across the sky, so every now and then it did become dark as one of them obscured the moon. Deglaf guided us to the start of the marshes, but he did not know them and so we had to rely on Herefrith again. We considered trying to make our way along the strand, but our guide advised against that due to the incoming tide.

We made our way painstakingly through the marshes, with Herefrith stopping at times to question Deglaf and pausing every time a cloud passed in front of the moon. Tohrwulf spotted what appeared to be a flat rock lit by the moonlight, but when he leapt on to it, he realised it was a pool and Herewulf and I had to haul him out. Herefrith realised we had wandered off course but he managed to recover and we emerged, somewhat wet and bedraggled, near the barrows.

I led the way to the one we had marked previously and called out, “I am here as agreed”. My words echoed around the desolate place. Slowly a figure climbed out of the mound. “I am Reathmeir, son of Arngrim – I seek the one who desecrated my grave and has my hand. Bring me the head of the one who has done this and tries to bend me to my will and I will return to sleep. Fail and I will wake my brothers and there will be such a harrowing of the island that none shall live”. I asked if he knew anything of who had done this, but he had been asleep and knew nothing. “We will do as you request – we will be back”, I told the lich. “Three nights and I will wake my brothers. Bring me my enemy or his head”, he responded and then sank back into his barrow. We rested briefly and then as the sky started to lighten, we set to return to the Hall.

Our return journey was uneventful as Herefrith was becoming familiar with the route through the marshes. I related to Hutha, my conversation with the lich. He told us that he had investigated and found something in the bottom of the meal sack. It was a small piece of carved wood with runes on it. He was unsure whether this had been the work of Selred or his son, but with this proof the Moot would not argue with his decision – he would like to go today if we were not too tired. We tidied ourselves up and had a brief rest but were soon ready to go.

Hutha said his plan was to make way to Selred’s steading, break in and take revenge. He described what we would find. Selred had four sons and a daughter but the daughter was no warrior, but there might be one or two slaves who could bear arms. There was a hall and a low palisade, but the main challenge was that the place was surrounded by water. To the east was a lagoon and all other approaches would need to cross a river. We decided to return to Balan and get a boat – maybe we could drag it over land and on to the mere. Nothgyth told us that the steading had good views over mere – and suggested that although it was a long row, we should go around the point and land where we would not be easily seen and this was agreed.

We headed rapidly for Balan and in short order, Hutha commandeered a boat and we set off rowing: myself, Herewulf, Tohrwulf and Herefrith with Hutha, Nothgyth and Colred. The wind was against so it was a stiff row, but by now we were experienced seamen, so we made excellent progress. As we rounded the point, we decided that although the wind would now be suitanble for a sail, we would continue to row, so as to be less visible. Herewulf beached the boat well up the beach and we spilled out on to the gravel. To the southwest a small hill shielded us from the gaze of the hills further southwest and we skirted this as the sun started to go down behind the hill ahead.

We approached as stealthily as we could manage but Herefrith tripped when we were about 20 yards away from the compound. There was a shout of who goes there as we got to the palisade, but we rushed on. Herewulf leapt over and landed on his feet, but I stumbled as I landed and the others clambered over more cautiously, apart from Hutha, who broke free of his two guards and leapt over close to Herewulf. The doors of the hall opened and four armed men burst out followed by an archer.

Hutha and Herewulf charge forward at the head of us and the archer fired and struck Herewulf, but he shrugged it off and struck out at the enemy with sword and axe as they hastily formed a shield wall. Hutha and Herewulf were both struck by spears and Hutha was knocked back. Herewulf managed to strike an opponent. I was struck by an arrow in the foot as I rushed to join the fight and the rest were close behind.

Selred and his sons tried to retreat back in to the hall and close the door but Herewulf pressed on and managed to prevent the door closing despite taking more spear blows. Herewulf hit one of the sons with a sword blow staggering him back into his brother and found himself in the doorway. He was hit by blows from each of his opponents and thrown back out of the doorway but by then I had arrived to replace him, quickly followed by everyone else and the enemy were overpowered.

Eorpwald appeared from behind his kin, with a box in his hand, which he threw open and from which he grasped a skeletal hand. He shouted a rune and the lich immediately appeared at his side. “Here is your foe”, I shouted to the lich and indicated the youth. The lich calmly turned its head and flicked his wrist and the hand grasping the skeletal hand was instantly severed and dropped to the floor leaving a look of horror on Eopward’s face. Another flick of the lich’s sword and his head tumbled to the floor beside his hand. The lich reached down and calmly picked up the skeletal hand and the head and sank back into the ground.