Creation of Surtur's Kettle
The oldest know story of the Surtur's Kettle, caldera in the White Peaks, comes from the giant kin, and it has been told in various forms from as early as the Age of the Skylords. While various other stories exists, the myth persists, telling a tale of giant gods Surtur and Skoraeus Stonebones.
Summary
According to the sagas of the Isefjeller stone giants, the forge of the mighty god of craft and fire, Surtur, is in the depths of earth, where solid stone melts into a fiery sea. On the edge that sea of magma stays the anvil of Surtur where he creates his masterpieces. But as the hammer of the fiery god strikes, the magma rises as waves to dance on the beat of his hammer. And while dancing, the molten stone will reach towards the sky, before erupting to the surface, creating volcanoes.
To the great displeasure of the once-mighty giant nation of Isefjell, one such volcano erupted to the White Peaks, and the flowing lava would burn their lands. Giants pleaded to their gods for help, to find a way to let the fire god do his divine work without interrupting him, wakening his anger and burning the kingdom to ash. The gods of the Ordning fought and argued about the issue, all but one that silently followed the ruckus from the sidelines.
God of arts, Skoraeus Stonebones, wise and inventive, heard the pleads of their people and raised to the mountains to see the flow of lava. He pondered and measured, carefully searching a place for his chisel, then gave it a wack with his hammer and the land in-between the fire-spitting mountains crumbled, making a hole on the mountains.
Skoraeus worked with the stone and called upon his brother Stronmaus to release his rain and fill the pit. Stronmaus agreed and the molten stone became firm once more, and so the hole filled with water, taking the energy of the passion of the Surtur's work, that warms the waters of Stronmaus, the god of weather and joy in the masterpiece of Skoraeus Stonebones, to bring up the elixir and fumes of creation to anyone who visited it.
Such, the crater warmed by flames of Surtur became known as Surtur's Kettle.
Variations & Mutation
Some of the versions of the myth include several attempts and failures of other gods to block the lava flow, including Thrym's ice wall and Grolantor's attempts to smash the lava out of existence. On other versions Stronmaus end up doing tricks for Skoraeus Stonebones before agreeing to aid him with the kettle.
Cultural Reception
To this day, most of the people living around still call the caldera Surtur's Kettle, Stone Kettle or simply the Kettle, even when the kingdom of giants has long since fallen. Stone Giants are known to make pilgrimages to see the Kettle, and besides the giants, other races consider the spot sacred.
I love the idea of someone trying to smash lava out of existence! :D <3 This is a great myth.
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