MYTHIC BATTLES: RAGNARÖK – Hero : Beowulf
Far in Midgard lived the Geats and there was much kinship between them, and the peoples ruled by King Hrothgar.
However, Hrothgar’s kingdom was haunted by the monster Grendel. Seeing the guards slumbering after a night of raucous feasting, the creature had slipped into the royal hall and devoured countless brave warriors.
Awaking to the massacre, the terrified king and his entourage fled their blood-soiled home.
The brave, young Beowulf persuaded his chief to let him help Hrothgar. He and his men entered the deserted hall and pretended to fall asleep to ambush Grendel. Sniffing the scent of fresh flesh, the monster soon came prowling and tore apart one of the warriors before Beowulf immobilized him by twisting his arm. The other men tried to stab, split, cut, and slice Grendel with their swords, but their blades could not pierce the ogre’s skin. The hall almost collapsed as they fought, and Beowulf managed to rip Grendel’s arm clean off before the monster fled to die in his lair, screaming with pain and rage.
The Geats rejoiced and celebrated their victory with King Hrothgar. But alas ! then came Grendel’s mother, who in her wrath killed the king’s adviser and then, meeting resistance from Beowulf and his companions, retreated to her den, where she squatted, full of hate and malignancy.
Beowulf donned his armor and armed with the sword Hrunting, he journeyed with King Hrothgar to the swampy lake under which Grendel’s mother hid. Beowulf then plunged alone into the black waters, and the ogress dragged him to her cave so that she could eat him at the very spot where her son’s corpse was rotting on a huge pile of gold, jewels, and fabulous treasures. But the ogress’s teeth could not pierce the warrior’s armor, nor did Hrunting pierce her skin. In spite, Beowulf threw Hrunting away, and its glow revealed a gigantic sword, giant forged using their ancient and brutal smithing. In a last-ditch effort, Beowulf managed to lift the huge blade, which as it fell, sliced through the ogress’s neck.
Beowulf returned to his clan, bringing with him gold and glory. He enjoyed a long reign over the Geats and was loved by his people. But as his life drew to a close, a dragon came to attack his hall as revenge for a gold cup stolen by some reckless fellow. The aging Beowulf took up arms once again and sacrificed himself so that one of his bravest guards might slay the monster. The king and the dragon both perished in this final combat.
In Mythic Battles: Ragnarök, Beowulf returns for the Ultimate Battle, to be a bane to monsters. A fine tactician, brave and upright, he uses magical weapons found on his travels.
Using the sword Hrunting, rather than rolling dice for his attack, Beowulf can, at the cost of an Art of War card, inflict 2 wounds on his target, which cannot be negated or modified.
If he prefers, the sword Naegling allows him during a first assault to convert a blank die roll to a 5 for free …
So when dawn breaks over Vigrid Plain, Beowulf will be there. It will be for his honor and to see for the tears of his enemies.
Artwork by Pierre Raveneau. Sculpt by Irek Zielinski
. Painting by Niko Deze
/Little Demon Studio. Text by Nicolas Texier
.
MYTHIC BATTLES: RAGNARÖK, April 5 on Kickstarter.