Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Norneshire Graveyard

“Why’s it called the Tomb of Salvadoon?” Nay said.

They were on a bluff looking down at the ruins of an ancient graveyard covered in ice. A frozen waterfall hung in giant sheets of ice on the other side of the chasm. At the bottom, next to the frozen cemetery, there was a frozen lake.

“I couldn’t tell you,” Quincy said.

“Nor I,” Ilyawraith said.

“But that’s how it’s marked on Martygan’s map,” Quincy said.

Nay could make out the outline of a mausoleum entrance among the grave markers and broken tombstones.

“I couldn’t tell you who Salvadoon was from the ass of a donkey,” Fluxwell said, “but this is the old Norneshire Graveyard.”

“Norneshire?” Quincy said.

“Where the Norns buried their dead,” Fluxwell said. “This is where they built their crypts.”

“Who were the Norns?” Nay said.

“Never met them myself,” Fluxwell said. “But there used to be a town here. It was built around the Ygdar Tree. Some of the trees planted by the First Ones. The Norns tended to the tree.”

“An Ygdar Tree?” Lain said. “How fascinating.”

“What’s an Ygdar Tree?” Nay said. “Do they have anything to do with the Viridian Forest?”

“That’s where the largest cluster of Ygdar Trees are supposedly,” Lain said. “The vigor essence in those trees is responsible for forming the green clay in the soil there.”

“Oh right,” Nay said. “The clay that supposedly grants people with good luck. Is there any truth to that?”

“Luck?” Fluxwell said. He snorted in distaste. “A maugrim doesn’t rely on luck! We rely on grit and pure strength of will! We create our own luck with the labor of our hands!”

Ilyawraith looked at Fluxwell with amusement. “I can’t speak to luck, but Lain is right, the clay contains a high amount of vigor. I’ve seen many a weapon and trinket formed from the green clay that the wielders and users would swear on with their lives. So, there is some truth to the claims.”

“So are the Norns Friends of Men?” Nom asked. “Like Aule?”

“If you’re referring to the First Ones, lass” Fluxwell said, “then no. The Norns were led by their women-folk. They were said to live where Ygdar was nearby. They being the caretakers of the trees and all. If my lore is correct, they were some kind of cult that worshipped the First Ones.”

“So what happened to Norneshire?” Nay said.

“”That lass, I can’t tell you,” Fluxwell said. “Whatever happened here happened while I was in the throes of the Stone Sleep. But if I had to guess, the Nether Cunt had something to do with this.”

Tuk-Tuk was kneeling on the bluff, scanning the graveyard and the territory at the bottom of the chasm. His head was cocked as if he was listening to something. “Irvirissong. There’s unclean spirits here.”

“That’s my favorite kind,” Nom said.

Ilyawraith walked over to Tuk-Tuk. “What did you say? That first word?”

“Irvirissong,” Tuk-Tuk said. “Evil song.”

Quincy raised an eyebrow.

“Can you not hear it?” Tuk-Tuk said. “There’s an evil spirit here. It’s singing.”

Nay frowned. She couldn’t hear anything save for the melancholy wind.

“I hear nothing, lad,” Fluxwell said. “But I believe you. This is a cursed place. I should prepare my equipment.”

“I think it’s time I get a closer look,” Ilyawraith said. “Let’s find a place to setup camp and then I’ll scout. See what information I can get.”

“I want to come with you,” Nay said.

Ilyawraith pursed her lips and cocked her head. Why?

“I might be able to detect the Njorbane’s Delicacy from above,” Nay said. “If I do, then we’ll know exactly where it’s at.”

#

They flew into the chasm on Ilyawraith’s cloud. It was an eerie place. The frozen waterfall and perpetual mist dwelling here added to the sense of gloom. But Tuk-Tuk was right. Nay could feel a tangible darkness here. It was as if this place had sunk into the earth, forgotten but preserved in time by ice.

She scanned the frozen and broken cemetery below with True Eye. She was surprised to see no vigor on anything here.

“There’s no vigama here,” Nay said.

“So you’ve noticed as well,” Ilyawraith said.

“What does that mean?

“It means death has sunk deep into this place.”

Nay watched her mini-map as they flew slowly over the frozen tombstones, cairns and strange statues. She discovered the outline of the mausoleum structure in the center of the cemetery. There was far more structure underneath the ground. She saw the beginnings of what could be a necropolis.

But there was no sign of a Delicacy.

She told Ilyawraith about what she was seeing.

“A crypt then,” Ilyawraith said.

Although Nay still wanted another Delicacy, she wondered if this might be too dangerous. And there was still the matter of getting to the Twelve Tribes. “Is this still worth it?”

“I would like to know more about what happened to the Norn,” Ilyawraith said. “If it’s related to the Nether Lord then we may find useful information in addition to the Delicacy.”

#

“So, there’s no visual sign of the Njorbane,” Nay said. “If it’s here it’s somewhere inside the crypt. Which seems to deep enough underneath the surface.”

They were gathered around the campfire for their preparation meal and nosh before venturing into the graveyard.

Nay and Nom were grilling beef patties on the wire rack. As they cooked, Nay was stirring a creamy red sauce. It was basically a Russian dressing.

The rest of the party was enjoying different appetizers with different Buffs. There were the usual Buff biscuits for improving strength, dexterity, stamina and recovery. And also some of the spell food, the venison stew for Fleet-Footed, the pasties of nether being slaying and the candied frog legs for Frog Ups.

But Nay had managed to find a recipe in Jezabelle’s cookbook that would grant extra damage while fighting the undead. She had no idea if the Njorbane was an undead creature, or if they would encounter undead monsters, but it was a cemetery and she had the ingredients. So it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.

Patty Melt of Undead Slaying. There’s much debate as to what exactly constitutes a patty melt. Where does the line between burger and patty melt become less blurry?

Everyone can agree on a red meat patty. Cow, elk, seppyls, etc. Whatever suits your fancy. Cheese is also required. Again, choose your favorite. But now we come to the bread. I’d say as long as it’s not a bun one would use with burgers, you have a lot of room to play with.

But now what about caramelized onions? Does it automatically come in a melt? For this chef, yes. And sauce? Again, this chef would say yes. A nice creamy sauce with a little horseradish, mayonnaise and ketchup is my condiment of choice.

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Ingredients: Beef, cheese of choice, bread, onions, salt and pepper.

Grants amplified damage against The Undead. Consume to make those crypt excursions a little safer. Lasts three hours.

As they assembled the patty melts and plated them, Fluxwell wandered over, chewing on a candied frog leg. There were biscuit crumbs and pastie crust flecks in his beard. Seems like he had been noshing and enjoying the appetizers with an insatiable appetite.

“Now, now,” Fluxwell said. “You didn’t tell me you were an Epicurist.”

“Yeah,” Nay said. “It’s not exactly something I advertise.”

“If I may,” Fluxwell said, taking the first plated patty melt. “If there’s any leftovers, think about sending them my way. I’ve got some meat to put on my bones after such a long slumber. My poor stomach.”

“I don’t know,” Nay said. “You’ve been pretty rude to me since we met. Why should I give you partial treatment?”

Fluxwell emoted mock embarrassment. “If I’ve done anything to offend you, please accept my apology. Understand my situation. Waking up after countless centuries to find that I’m the last of my kind! I just haven’t been myself. Again, apologies.”

“You’re not the first man to change their tune when they found out I could cook,” Nay said.

“Maugrims rarely apologize,” Fluxwell said, his eyes glued to the patty melt. He licked his lips. “That’s how you know I’m genuine.”

“Get out of here and go eat!” Nay said. “If you’re still hungry after you can fend with Quincy and Nom for leftovers.”

He looked to Quincy, and then to Nom. He tightened his jaw and growled at them both. Then he went and sat down to eat. He picked up the patty melt with both hands and took a huge bite. Juice squirted all over his silver beard. He nearly fell over from pleasure as the taste and flavor hit him.

“Have I said that I like that guy?” Nom said, a spatula dangling from one of his fins.

#

They left the fauglirs at the camp next to the embers of the campfire so they could keep warm.

Nay nuzzled her face against the bridge of Juniper’s snout. “We’ll be back quicker than you know it, girl. You keep watch here with Al and Cinnamon. I’ve left you food if you get hungry.” She gestured to the pot of venison stew. “Don’t hog it all to yourself. Share with the others.”

Juniper licked her hand and then she joined the others, waiting for her turn for Ilyawraith to ferry her down to Norneshire cemetery on her cloud.

#

The Norneshire cemetery was on the slope of a frozen hill, the mounds and the broken tombstones all pointing towards the mausoleum which was on top of the hill.

Nay was studying one of the mounds and at the rocks and pieces of wood that seemed to be arranged in a ritualistic fashion. On the northside of the chasm was the frozen lake and the frozen waterfall. A chill mist floated in the air.

“I can hear it,” Nom said.

“Hear what?” Nay said.

Nom looked over at Tuk-Tuk. “What did you call it? Ivi…something?”

“Irvirissong,” Tuk-Tuk said.

“Yeah, that,” Nom said. “I can hear the music. It sounds like a stringed instrument.”

Nay paused and listened. “I don’t hear anything.”

“I don’t hear anything either,” Lain said.

“Nor I,” Ilyarwaith said.

Fluxwell was looking off in the same direction Nom was looking in. Towards the frozen lake. “My tentacle friend is right. That’s a damned fiddle. I’d swear it on Voreheim’s Anvil.”

Quincy was looking at the ground, but his head was cocked in that direction. His eyes flashed with recognition and he looked towards the frozen lake as well. “I hear it, too.”

The women exchanged looks. They couldn’t hear this fiddle music.

Ilyawraith frowned, then leaned towards the girls. “We need to watch them. Something is amiss.”

Nom moved towards the frozen lake, but then stopped. He held in his breath, confused. “Huh. It’s gone.”

Tuk-Tuk dug into one of his pouches and pulled out what looked like a rabbit pelt. He took one of his knives and started cutting plugs of fur off it. He stuffed two pieces in his ears. Then he held some out for Nom, Quincy and Fluxwell.

“You want us to plug our ears?” Nom said.

“So you don’t hear the song again,” Tuk-Tuk said.

“But why?” Fluxwell said. “Do you know it’s been literal ages since I’ve heard the music of a fiddle? Or any music at all?”

Quincy took two of the plugs himself. One for each ear. “He’s right. To avoid bewitchment.”

Nom made a declining gesture with one of his fins. “I don’t have ears like you guys. I’ll just tune it out if I hear it again.”

But Nay noticed his Cyclopean eye glance back across the frozen lake. But then he glanced back at her and then set about moving towards the mausoleum ruins again.

As they approached the top of the hill, where the entrance of the crypt was, a green light appeared on Nay’s mini-map.

---

[Delicacy Detected]

---

Nay stopped, taking in the map. “The Njorbane is below us.”

Everyone looked at Nay and then the ground at their feet.

“It’s in the crypts,” Nay said. “I can see its Delicacy.”

---

[Quest Detected]

[Quest: Retrieve the Delicacy from The Bjorbane]

[Reward: Delicacy]

[Reward: Loot]

[Reward: Vigor Points]

[Accept Quest Y/N?]

---

Nay accepted the quest.

“Alright, lads and lassies,” Fluxwell said. He pressed a vigor stone hanging on a chain by his neck. Platemail flowed out of, forming into a breastplate and pauldrons. Gauntlets formed around his arms and fists, and on his left hand, steel spikes protruded off the gauntlets from behind the knuckles. They made it look like he had long claws. “Let’s go slay a beastie.”

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