HOW VINGA GAINED HER WEAPONS
(as told to an unkown Star Lady of Yelorna by Jarkena Thunderblade,
Wind Mistress of Orlanth Rex, Red Lady of Vinga, in Gimpy's, shortly
after the liberation or Sartar, 1621 ST)
=93Sit yer prissy Yelornan ass down. Yeah? I=92ll tell you why we Orlan=
th
women have a better goddess than you Unicorn Maidens. Unlike Yelorna,
who
uses her fathers weapons without question, Vinga has her own special
weapons,
the weapons of the Piercing Wind. Any dolt can use a spear, a sword
takes special
skill. Vinga was not as big and strong as the other Storm Gods, so she
had to prove
herself. Orlanth was rightly concerned for his sister=92s safety, as he
had sworn to his
father Umath to protect all his helpless kin. Vinga was far from
helpless, but she
still had to prove herself. So, buy me some more ale, and listen to the
story of how
Vinga got her weapons.
"Vinga wished to prove herself before Orlanth and join his War Circle.
However, although she was strong and quick, she was not as large as her
brothers Orlanth or Bemurok. She could not use the massive
hand-and-a-half
that her brothers favored, and a broadsword was too clumsy for her hand,
inhibiting
her grace and speed. In order to join the war-circle and prove herself,
the had to find
a weapon that could match her lithe, lovely form and way of moving.
Although she
could use any of those weapons in a pinch, she could not reach her true
potential."
"First, she went to Elmal, her boon companion and sometimes lover. As
she sharpened his weapons by the gate he guarded, he told her...'you
need something
that pierces and can get past heavy armor and touch skin. You do not
have the
size and strength your brothers do, and you have need of speed and
cleverness.'
She took this wisdom to heart, although she wanted a weapon of her own,
and she
was still vexed."
=93What? Yelmalio? Oh, you mean the sell-out. Didn=92t have the courage to defy his father Yelm when that emperor ordered the chaining of Umath,
even though he knew it was wrong. His twin Elmal spoke out, Yelmalio
remained
silent. Elmal sided with storm, because his Truth rune nature compelled
him too.
What? Yelmalio has the Truth Rune too? Could have fooled me! Now, sit
down again
before I have to knock you out cold again. If you=92re right, then you
don=92t have to be
bothered by a loud mouthed sartarite bitch like me who=92s blowing hot
molanni air!
That=92s the spirit! Now, where was I?
" Ah, yes. Second, she went to Eurmal, who she kept an eye on for her
brother.
He practiced with knives, as was his wont, although Eurmal favored
anything
he could his hands on. As he was about to sneak off with the mead for
that
night's feast when Vinga caught him by the two eggs of his. After he
howled and
yowled for a while, he relented, and revealed this to Vinga... 'As
knives are two and
can pierce, you want two weapons that can make up for a larger one.
This way,
you'll have a shield that can also be a sword, and attack your foes
double-twice.'"
"Third, she went to Mastakos, her brother's charioteer, he knew all the
secrets of movement and turning, as was his Rune. As they laughed and
shared ale, he told her, 'I'll tell you a secret of your brother's. In
battle, he
swirls and turns as a cyclone, deflecting that attacks of his enemies
send
forth and destroying like the whirlwind that he is. You must move as
the wind
does, circling and turning as Kolat does when he dances. This is one of
the
battle-secrets of the Air Gods, which amongst the Elemental Lords only
Magasta's Kin share."
"Fourth, she snuck at of the Stead, and paid visit upon Orlanth's
Grim Brother, Humakt. The Grim God stood alone, for this was just at
the
Beginning of the Darkness, just after Orlanth had used the Sword Death,
to slay Yelm. Thus, he had no relations with his former Kin, and had
left the Storm Tribe."
"Late into the night, they talked. He told her dread secrets
that were Men's secrets. 'I will tell you the great secret that your
brother used to fell Yelm. However, I will need a gift from you. As I
give you this secret, you will no longer be able to bear life within
you.
You have courage and spirit, and possess the honor that my Brother has
only just recovered in his quest to restore Yelm. I know that you will
use this secret well, because my power is also of Truth.' That night,
Vinga and Humakt lay together, and for that one night, Humakt's
Loneliness was eased. This explains why Humakt allows women as well as
men into
his Cult. That night, with the help of an old friend, Gustbran, to whom
Humakt was close and was owed debts, Vinga's Weapons, the thin blades of
the piercing wind, were forged."
"Finally, as the Lesser Darkness descended upon the world,
and as Chaos started to seep in, Zorak Zoran engaged the wounded Elmal
at the Hill of Gold. Having been ordered by his Solar Kin to assault
his liege, Orlanth, his heart had not been in it, and the Storm
Chieftain spared him, forgiving him for attempting to gain vengeance for
the death
of his father. However, Zorak Zoran dishonorably ambushed the SunCarl."
"As Elmal lay on the ground, his flame powers bleeding out of
him, Vinga roared her battle cry and charged. As the hideous Darkness
God turned to face her, she spat... 'I hope that you give me a better
fight than your sister did my brother! Also, he says for you to tell
that fat
squat chieftainess that her sandals fit quite nicely! He's had a pair
made for
everyone in the stead made, although he keeps the originals for himself!
AFTER he made sure they were cleaned in lime, of course!' The Troll War God roared! 'I'll feast on your innards, Bitch!" His maul came smashing down at her!"
"She danced the dance that Mastakos taught her, weaving and spinning,
so that the Darkness God could not hot her. She stabbed and sliced,
pricking Zorak Zoran here, and there, making him bleed in many places.
She used
her secret of two weapons from Eurmal to confound and harry Zorak Zoran,
catching her weapon under the head of the Bloody God's Maul, and
stabbing him
when he was defenseless. Finally, Elmal's secret of the piercing blade
let Vinga
pierce the Troll God's armor and thick hide, giving him many wounds."
"Finally, the Troll God retreated, not wanting the shame of falling
to the likes of Vinga. As Elmal looked up and smiled at her, he saw
that she was totally bald! She carried him back to the stead. 'You are
truly a
great warrior, deserving to be part of the war circle, but I would not
wish to
see your loveliness marred.' From his sick-bed he kissed her on the
forehead.
With the last of his fire powers, he restored her hair, and it was a
shade of
fiery red! She also carried a bright gleam to her eyes, from Elmal's
light, and
thus all of her cult may gain the Rune Spell of Catseye, in exchange for
Vinga's
saving of Elmal's life."
=93Orlanth had gathered his Lightbringer companions, and was about
to quest into Hell in order to undo the great wrong that he had done in
bringing
down the Emperor, Yelm. However, he had refused to leave the Stead
while
Vinga and Elmal were missing, so devoted was he to his Kin and Carls.
He
was about to march out himself in search of Vinga and Elmal himself,
cursing
That foolish snip of a girl for not staying at home and learning
wifely arts from
his beloved Ernalda, who was now asleep. He had presumed that Vinga had
run
off from the stead on some fool escapade and Elmal had gone out in
search of her.
although now married to Hippoi, the Goddess of Horses, he knew that the
Sky Thane
still harbored passion for his sister. After grabbing Eurmal and almost
choking the
breath out of the trickster, for putting Vinga up to some fool escapade,
the Grey Lord
Lhankor Mhy confirmed that Eurmal for once told the truth, and had not
been at fault.
besides, said the Grey Lord, Vinga acted not much different from the way
he had acted
in his own youth. =93But that=92s different, trusted Greybeard. I=92m a
man! It=92s a dangerous
world for women out there!=94 At that point, he strapped his blade on an=
d
called for
Mastakos when the gate guards called out the approach of a newcomer!=94
=93When He saw a strange, flame-haired woman approaching the Keep, Orlant= h
almost prepared himself for a battle with some strange, new goddess.
However, when he
gazed upon her face, it was his sister, Vinga! She carried Elmal on her
back for days,
seeing to it that he was kept alive with her care and rations, giving
everything for her thanebrother.
The gates were opened and Elmal was carried in to be cared for
by Chalana Arroy=92s
gentle hands. =93You know,=94 quipped Vinga to her amazed brother, =93It
literally took me
laying down with death to impress you. I suppose I=92ll go back down to
the kitchen now, and
help make bread.=94 Her brother stopped her. =93By my father the Storm,
girl, what happened?=94
She was silent as she smiled, allowing Elmal to explain for her once he
recovered. Amazed
And proud, Orlanth declared his sister part of the Battle Circle of his
stead, having faced
Zorak Zoran himself in battle, whom surely would have devoured Elmal had
it not been for
her timely arrival. =93Stubborn fool,=94 Orlanth told Elmal, =93You told=
me
you could make it back
stead safely. I would have brought you back there myself if I knew I
had injured you this gravely!=94
Elmal demurred, =93Twas nothing, Great Chief.=94 As a last recognition,
Orlanth asked his sister
to show him her two weapon technique. Smirking, yet beaming with pride,
she did so. Later, he
applied Vinga=92s skills using twin bastard swords, to great effect on
the Lightbringers quest.
This skill Vinga taught to many Gods and Goddesses, thus, Vinga is also
revered as the mother of
the two weapon technique, along with Eurmal. Because of his sisters
bravery, Orlanth declared
that any woman who followed in his sister=92s footsteps could become a
warrior, and thus, because
of Vinga, we woman can walk the warrior=92s path, being part of Orlanth=92=
s
cult, Elmal=92s, or Humakt=92s,
although all of us women who follow Orlanth are part of Vinga=92s special
cult.=94
=93Thus, by dint of generosity, loyalty, loveliness, and most of all,
courage, Vinga had
won her weapons!=94
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