Return to Earth Eternal Official Lore

5 | SIGURD OF MIDGAARD

Sigmund had fathered many children, as was proper for a King, and the eldest of these was called Sigurd. A hero in the Dvergar wars in his own right, Sigurd was among those who found his father’s body lying broken on the battlefield. It was he who gathered the pieces of Stormbringer and brought them to Regnin, greatest blacksmith of Midgaard, and asked him to reforge the blade of Stormbringer into a warhammer, for that was the weapon favored by Sigurd.

Regnin accepted the charge solemnly, for he had been the personal blacksmith of Sigmund, and if he hadn’t forged Stormbringer, he had forged the weapons of all of Sigmund’s lieutenants. This was to be his greatest moment; his monument to the finest Beast he had ever known.

Firing his forge, he set to work, but was soon caught in despair as he found himself unable to work the metal. No fire he could bank would so much as mar the metal, much less melt it. Regnin sought out Sigurd and told him of his failure. Together, Regnin and Sigurd, who was by then King, approached Thor, son of the Allfather and God of Thunder, and begged his help for the sake of their people. Thor agreed to help Regnin learn the secret of forging Stormbringer’s metal in return for a favor that he would request from Sigurd at some future time.

 

Dragonsteel

The God of Thunder told Regnin that the metal Odin forged Stormbringer from is called ‘dragonsteel’ and that it is formed from the powdered ash of dragon bones. He told Regnin that once forged, dragonsteel is nigh‐impossible to break and that Stormbringer shattered was evidence of some alteration to the weapon made by Odin in tying Stormbringer’s life to Sigmund’s life. Reforging a weapon from the pieces of Stormbringer could be done in only one place that Thor knew of, and that place was not of this world.

The son of Odin led Regnin deep underground looking for a particular part of Yggdrasil, the World Tree whose myriad branches are entire worlds, and whose roots stretch through all realities. Finding the root he sought, Thor uttered something Regnin did not understand, and the two of them – God and mortal – were whisked from this world to a place of smoke, flame, and brimstone.

 

Hell

Barely able to breathe in the noxious environment, and suffering singed fur from the overwhelming heat, Regnin had no choice but to trust in the Lord of Thunder, who appeared unaffected by this inhospitable place.

“My lord, pray tell me, to what place have you taken me?” asked Regnin through his strangled coughing.

“Whether the devils that populate this place have a name for it, I do not know, but my lord Father simply calls it Hell,” replied Thor. “Be watchful, for the masters of Hell are mighty enough to test the mettle of the Lord of Thunder, and even their lesser lieutenants would make short work of you.”

“We must seek out the Pit of Neraka, the source of the very fires of Hell,” said Thor, “and there I will teach you the secrets of dragonsteel.”

To the great Pit they journeyed, across a land that belched fire and spit flame, and in which the air seared even as it barely sustained life. Twice they came across hunting packs of Izariel demons with Woe Jackals at their side, but they proved no match for Thor’s anger, and were quickly dispatched. Once they encountered a traveling pair of Knights of Hell, with their Greater Demon foot soldiers: a trio of the magic‐using Rum’el and a pair of the monsterous Reavers favored as shocktroops by the Knights. These proved somewhat more troublesome, but while Regnin was able to dispatch two of the Rum’el, it was Thor’s irresistible might that drove their demonic assailants back, and took their cursed lives as they fled. A son of Odin is not one to trifle with.

 

The Pit of Neraka

Arriving at the Pit, Thor revealed, as promised, the secret of forging dragonsteel to Regnin. Setting to work while Thor stood guard, Regnin sweated and pounded, pouring his heart and soul into this monument to his beloved dead King. When he finished, he had produced the greatest work of his lifetime, and surely the finest weapon any Beast had ever held. Even the mighty Thor stood silent, in awe of the perfection of the hammer.

“You must bestow a new name upon this weapon,” said Thor, “for it is Stormbringer no longer.”

“I name it Mjolnir, my Lord.” declared Regnin.

Thor pounded Regnin on the back and said, “A fine choice! ‘Lightning’ in the old tongue. It is fitting that Stormbringer should spawn such progeny.”

Thor and Regnin journeyed back to the root of Yggdrasil which they had traveled along to arrive in Hell, and once again Thor uttered words in an unknown tongue, and they were whisked away back to Earth, deep underground from which they came.

 

Thor’s Request

Returning to Sigurd, Thor prepared to return to Asgard. As he was to set off, a sly look crossed his face and he said to Sigurd, “Have you forgotten that you are promised me a favor, young King of Midgaard?”

“No my Lord of Storms,” replied Sigurd. “The honor of my father is mine as well, and I hold true to my word. Name your wish. I am yours to command.”

“I would have Mjolnir,” said Thor flatly. “Stormbringer was ever my desire, but my Father gifted it to your father. It should have been mine, and now its child shall be mine. The Lord of Thunder will wield lightning made dragonsteel, and the enemies of Asgard shall despair.”

 

Sigurd’s Plea

Sigurd paused, but knew that he was honor bound to obey. With a longing glance at Regnin’s memorial to his great father Sigmund, he handed the weapon to Thor and said, “My lord, know that my people and I are ever loyal to the Gods of Asgard, and would dishonor ourselves before we would you, but are we to lose the power of Mjolnir‐once‐Stormbringer that my father used to drive back the Dvergar? Are we to lose the symbol that has propelled us, if not to victory yet, then halfway down that road?”

“My lord,” pleaded Sigurd, “would you abandon us in our time of peril, when our gains stand on the razor’s edge? You have taken our mightiest weapon. Is there no help you can give in return?”

Thor sighed, for he had no patience for speeches and parley. “I am forbidden from doing battle on the Earth, friend Sigurd. What would you have me do to help you?”

“Though forged by Odin, Stormbringer‐now‐Mjolnir is dragonsteel. It was dragonsteel that put fear into the eyes of the Dvergar. Dragonsteel could do that again.” said Sigurd cautiously.

“Do you know what you ask, little mortal? Do you know what you ask? The armory of Asgard itself contains but five score such weapons.” replied Thor impatiently.

 

Sigurd’s Pledge

Sigurd thought but a brief moment before kneeling and proclaiming, “Great God of the Storm, of Thunder, and of Lightning, wielder of Mjolnir, and son of the Allfather, if you but find a way to help us in this manner, my people will praise your name above all your brothers and sisters, holding only Odin Himself above you in our esteem. We shall be your people, mighty God. The Ursines of Midgaard will be the Northern Storm moved by the hand of Thor.”

Thor laughed and boomed, “That is well and good, Sigurd, and I will be happy to accept your people’s fealty, but I will require one more personal favor from you. Grant me this promise and I will bring Regnin enough dragon bone ash to forge many weapons of dragonsteel with which to battle the denizens of Nidavellir.”

“Lord Thor,” gasped Sigurd, still kneeling, “what you ask is yours. My people will be forever grateful, and yours to command, and you need only call on me and I will give you the favor that is yours.”

“Then rise, my Storm King, and go to your people. I will return with what I have promised.” With that, Thor was gone.

A month passed, and the territorial gains that Sigmund had made against the Dvergar hordes began to crumble. Sigurd led his army valiantly, and was wounded many times, but without the power of the Odin‐blessed Stormbringer, the Dvergar did not fear him the way they feared Sigmund. Slowly, the armies of Nidavellir advanced once again.

 

The Forging of the Three

Finally, Thor returned, bringing with him great bags of dragon bone ash. He would not speak of how he had acquired it, but the lingering gashes and burns that laced his body told their own story. As forging dragonsteel from the bone ash does not require a journey to the Pit of Neraka, Thor was able to show Regnin how to create it in a huge forge the Ursines built at Thor’s direction, the better to withstand the enormous heat required.

Once more, Regnin sweated and pounded, forging three mighty weapons that are certainly among the finest weapons ever crafted by Beasts. First forged was an enormous axe, which he called Soulreaver. The axe head was said to be black as night, and wreathed in blue flame.

Next forged by Regnin was a longsword, bright of blade and sure of hilt. This he named Calaburn which means “slices steel” in the old language.

Finally, Regnin forged another warhammer as sister to Mjolnir. This hammer he named Torand or "Thunder", to Mjolnir’s Lightning.

Presenting Soulreaver, Calaburn, and Torand to Sigurd, Regnin declared that the forging of Mjolnir and these other weapons had placed a weight on his soul; a great weariness that he could not shake. Though there was yet dragon bone ash with which to forge new weapons, Regnin could do no more, and no other smith had the skill necessary to work the dragonsteel.

 

Midgaard Advances

Resolving that if his father could push back the Dvergar with just Stormbringer, blessed by Odin though it was, he could similarly advance with the force of the trio of dragonsteel weapons Regnin had poured his soul into. Arming himself with Torand, and his chief lieutenants with Soulreaver and Calaburn, Sigurd led his army forth to sweep the Dvergar from Midgaard. Once again, the foul creatures knew fear as their hordes were cut apart by the huge Ursines armed with dragonsteel.

After a year of great victories, Sigurd’s wife bore him a son, Hakon, and a year after that, a daughter named Sigrun. In battle after battle, Sigurd fought victoriously for his people, and for the future of his children. Time after time, he personally led the attacks until he had taken back all the territory that Midgaard had held at the apex of Beowulf’s reign. Sigurd and his generals began planning to go further, to invade Nidavellir itself and rid themselves of the threat of the Dvergar once and for all.

 

Sigurd’s Choice

As they made their plans, letting their armies build up their strength, Thor returned to Midgaard in person once again, telling Sigurd that he had come to claim his favor. Sigurd readily agreed, prepared to sacrifice something personally valuable to him, but wholly unprepared for Thor’s request.

“Storm King, you have done well and you have pleased me,” said Thor, “but now it is time to grant me my due. I would have one of your children. Make your choice, and say your goodbyes, for you will never see the child you choose again.”

Sigurd wept, for this was a hard, hard thing Thor asked of him. Though fearsome on the battlefield, he loved his children greatly. Nevertheless, he knew he had no choice. Hakon was to be King as first‐born male. As his wife wailed and clutched at Sigrun, Sigurd took his baby daughter from his wife’s arms and, still weeping, handed her to Thor.

“I know not why you ask this thing of me, my Lord of Thunder, but I do not do it gladly, even for you, to whom I and my people owe much. I know not what you will do with my daughter, but I pray you keep her safe.” said Sigurd with sorrow. “Goodbye, my daughter.”

“It is not for you to know why I do this,” replied Thor, “but know that none of what I do is needless.” And with that, Thor departed for Asgard, taking Sigrun, the infant daughter of the Storm King, with him.

Sigurd was taken with sorrow over the loss of his daughter, and his taste for war dimmed. Though he still planned to invade Nidavellir, he told his generals that the time was not right yet, that they must wait for Regnin to recover his strength so that they may forge more of the great dragonsteel weapons. His generals muttered quietly among themselves, believing that now was the time to strike, with the Dvergar on the run, and that their king had lost his nerve.

 

Epilogue

And then…tragedy. Regnin, still trying to overcome the weary burden his soul felt, fell in his own home to the blade of a Dvergar assassin, sent to ensure Soulreaver, Calaburn, and Torand were the only weapons of dragonsteel that would cut them down in the event of an invasion by Midgaard. With the loss of his Regnin, the last link to his father Sigmund, and the only source of dragonsteel for the Ursines, Sigurd cancelled his plans to invade Nidavellir. He had managed to take back and hold onto all of Midgaard’s territory, which was in itself a great victory, but his spirit never truly recovered from the loss of Sigrun and the murder of Regnin.

The Dvergar retreated unharried back to Nidavellir, and Sigurd lived out the rest of his life never able to forget his baby daughter’s smile. Here, good readers, we leave the story of Midgaard for many years, for though Sigurd’s son Hakon became king after Sigurd, history records no great deeds done by him, and the line of Sigmund passes into obscurity.