Ragnorak, the Linnorm’s Blessing
History
Your ancestor was indeed Saebjorn Arm-Fang, but not in the way you always hoped. Saebjorn had an arranged marriage to the daughter of his father’s most powerful rival, but he loved another. Anhelica was a witch cast out of the clan for her magic.
When Saebjorn went to slay the the great tor linnorm dragon, Ragnorak, she accompanied him. Anhelica was terrified. Even though Saebjorn was a mighty warrior, he was not strong of soul. Certainly, not strong enough to withstand the power of a linnorm’s death curse. Even worse there was no way he could weather the curse of the mighty tor linnorm. She vowed her lover would not burn forever.
Cunning beyond measure, she bent her prodigious power to the crafting of an item that would ensure Saebjorn’s reign. The answer was simple; the linnorm must not truly die.
The battle between Saebjorn and the dragon lasted for days as he stalked it through the magma flows of Mount Undergång, eventually plunging his gauntlet through the beast’s eye and into its brain. When he removed his arm, more than just grey matter came with it. A massive purple light flowed from the destroyed eye socket and vanished into the gauntlet on his left hand. When at last the flow of power ended his gauntlet was changed forever.
Ragnorak hosts the soul of the linnorm whose name it bears. Saebjorn never forgave Anhelica for her lack of faith in him and left her pregnant on the slopes of Mount Undergång. Instead he threw the gauntlet at her feet and swore that he would see her again on his death bed. He kept his promise when many years later she strangled him wearing Ragnorak, adding his soul to the gauntlet’s legacy.
You are descended from her line.
Appearance & Game Rules
Ragnorak looks like a gauntlet made of orange dragon hide, with large black scales forming the plates that make it armor. Curiously, there are no seems or stitching on the entire gauntlet, but after the death of Thorvald it is always hot to the touch. This heat doesn’t seem to bother you, however it it very uncomfortable to anyone else who handles the gauntlet.
The scales of the gauntlet, particularly on the fingers, curl out into points and it is a spiked gauntlet for game purposes. The hardness of the scales gives the gauntlet the versatile B quality.
When you draw on Ragnorak’s power the orange hide glows and burns with the lava of its former form.
The Truth of Ragnorak
Other than the soul of Ragnorak, who earned the enmity of Pharasma when he raised an undead army to conquer your ancestor’s kingdom, the gauntlet does not truly house the souls of those it has slain. It merely feeds on a soul’s memories and power before sending them on to the Boneyard for judgement.
Ragnorak the linnorm dragon still lives, and is in fact the gauntlet now. He is bound to your familial line and can not be wielded by another. If fed enough souls he may eventually start to communicate with you.
Ragnorak has been surviving on a starvation diet for centuries. None of your recent ancestors have been violent sorts. And so the dragon has gone unfed for countless years. When you strangled Thorvald, you unwittingly awakened the beast.
The gauntlet can have runes added to it, but if it goes unfed for too long it will consume their powers to keep itself alive. This is why it no longer bears any usable runes.
He believes that he can be freed of Pharasma’s curse (she who was secretly Anhelica’s patron) if he reclaims enough souls from those who have cheated her will. Thus he seeks to kill sentient undead such as liches, vampires, ghosts and the like. When ever facing such a creature you must make a Will saving throw (DC 18 + your level) or be forced to use the gauntlet to make all attacks.
| Ragnorak | Spiked Gauntlet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | - | Damage | 1d4 P | Bulk | L |
| Hands | 1 | Group | Brawling | Traits | agile, free-hand, versatile B |
| Aspects | Fire | ||||
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