Vargafaðir

 

The Giant of the Woods

A strange figure prowling the woods, Vé’s origins are as old as they are ambiguous. No one truly knows who he is, or where he came from, but those few that have heard of him have also likely heard of his power. Ancient witchcraft and strange sorcery performed through ancient rituals from times long since forgotten. It is said that if one were to see a mangy black wolf of unnatural size during a full moon, Vé would not be too far behind. A scourge to some, a blessing to others, the Father of Wolves is both dangerous and mysterious. Where he goes, the Curse of the Vuko-dlak often follows and few that meet him survive to tell the tale.

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“You come before me, the giant of the woods, to have me line your pockets with gold and silver? I have watched countless treasure wasted on fools before, why would I lower myself to indulge your petty greed, hm? What could such an insignificant creature as yourself possibly offer in return of equal value? You come with nothing, you offer nothing, you are nothing. You waste my time for selfish gain and you will suffer the consequence of all the fools that test my patience… Ulfhednar! It is time to feast” 

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Vé is almost always accompanied by a pack of mangy wolves, gnarly and unusually large. Dark-haired people with tails, covered in dirt with messy hair and eyes that seem to reflect the light of the moon sometimes show up in the mix as well. Though calling them people may be a stretch due to their feral behaviour and appearance. He refers to his companions by the term “Ulfhednar”, an Old Norse word meaning ‘Wolf-Cloaks’. It’s a fitting name as those who appear to be human are always seen draped in wolf skins. If one assumed that the wolves and the ‘humans’ were one and the same, one would be correct. These wolf-shifters, the companions of Vé, have a strange aura around them difficult to decipher - but one thing is certain; they reek of ancient magicks. Although Vé is already dangerous in his own right, the Ulfhednar are very protective of their ‘father’ and would give their lives for him if needed.

The, so called, Giant of the Woods stands at about 7 feet tall when hunched, he rarely keeps his back straight making it difficult to tell his true height. His ears are pointed, but mostly hidden behind sloppily braided locks of auburn hair, thicker than any human. His eyes have an unnatural green hue and it can appear as though a raging green flame dances within them. His face is speckled with freckles, and his facial hair is kept short except from at the chin where it grows into a braided point. He tends to introduce himself as ‘Vé’, though he has gone by many names throughout the ages. Others have called him Vargafadir, Vuk, Psoglav, Leshy, Hvedrungr, Koschei, Fenrir, Black Shuck, Barghest, Gean Canach, Vukodlak, Loki, and so on. Some call him a witch or sorcerer, others call him a demon, and the very few call him a divine spirit. Whether or not he has ties to any of those names is unknown, but it seems wherever he goes, stories follow suit. Just like his many names, he has lived many lives in many places as if constantly running from something. 

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“I… have seen kingdoms rise and fall, I have guided fools in their most desperate hour, I have saved and doomed men and women in power on the whim of others since the dawn of time. I know the sound of a silver tongue, for I am its blacksmith. Do not come here and think you can bargain with straw before you’ve spun it into gold. You may go, child of deceit. Return only with something of true worth… And remember; letting you keep your life is a gift. Do not squander it”

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Vé is rarely seen in any form other than his ‘human’ visage, but when he travels, he tends to take the form of a monstrous black and red wolf, with two large antlered horns crowning its head and burning green eyes that seem to stare into your very soul. Its neck is enveloped in a thick auburn mane with scattered braids and its unnaturally long tail has short fur up to the tip where it starts to grow longer again. Its claws are strangely long and sharp and the teeth in its lower jaw poke out like a boar’s tusks. When he’s in his humanoid form he's almost always draped in a cloak covered by a large fur cape, thrown over his shoulder. His hair is very long, and mostly braided with beads and bones interwoven into the braids. Around his outfit one may discover more clues about what shapes he may take. For example, he carries with him a serpent skin, a necklace made from fish, cat, and bird bones along with a boar’s tusks, a bear’s teeth, and various beads. Around his waist hangs a seal skin, decorated with ancient runes.

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Runeweaver

Seiðr divination

Skin walking

This mysterious and ancient horned figure known only as “Vé, Wolf-Father” crossed paths with Virgil quite some time ago in the deep woods. He is an ancient spirit, far older than even Dracula himself, always surrounding himself with giant gnarly wolves capable of shifting into equally gnarly men and women. A strange aura surrounds his cloaked figure at all times, a haze that almost makes you think you were in a dream. Vé seldom mentions the past but has alluded to a time of gods and giants in faraway Scandinavia - a time that he both seems to miss and despise.

Vé is a powerful magic user using ancient and forgotten witchcraft, capable of swiftly changing form into all manner of beasts - yet no matter what form he takes, his horns and copper hair will always remain the same. Some refer to him as the Father, or Progenitor, of all werewolves, and many even revere him as a deity. He has sway over prophecy and flame, enchantment and cursing, which makes him a natural choice for stray souls who seek aid or protection. However, this ancient shifter is a known trickster. Although he never lies, his silver tongue may easily warp your perception of the truth. His mysterious and playful nature is a dangerous and unpredictable combination and all would do well to be cautious when approaching him.

Standing at around 7 feet tall with horns each splaying nearly a foot from his skull, draped in a dark rugged cloak and fur which covers his long and slender tail, with eyes that burn a frightening green in the dark, and hands black as coal, Vé may well be seen as quite intimidating. He carries a staff at all times made of mistletoe that seems to almost have a life of its own. He calls it Haevateinn. Around his waist is a leather belt that carries one item on each side. On his right, he’s equipped with a hollowed horn for drinking, and on the left is a pouch full of herbs and mushrooms. His legs are wrapped up to the knee, and a dagger is pressed in between the fabrics on his left ankle. Anything else he needs is either made on the spot or fetched by one of his wolves.

Although commanding a pack of monstrous wolves that can shift into human form, he himself is never referred to as a werewolf. Instead, most believe him to be a Troll - a race of shape-shifting giants once known as Thursar, Risi, or Jötnar. But his true origins remain ambiguous…