3 - The Curse of Tulgrum Hellstorm

The Haunting of Glam the Shepherd
In the north near the farmstead of Beyorg there was a man living in Thorhall, the son of Fridmund who the first settler of the frozen north. Thorhall was fairly wealthy, especially in live-stock. On his property was cattle and sheep to exceed the wishes of any man, but he was not a king, a jarl or even chieftian. Thorhall had great difficulty finding shepards to watch the fields it was widely whispered that moors were haunted.
On the occasion of the Festival of Lights he went to the booth of Berka the 'Seer' and spoke these words before her.
"I know that you are very wise and I seek good council from you"
"I am little fit to give you 'good' counsel," she replied; "but what is that you need?"
"It is this: I have great difficulty in keeping my shepherds. Some get injured and others cannot finish their work. No one will work for me if he knows what is expected."
The Seerer spoke, "There must be some evil spirit roaming abroad if men are less willing to tend your flocks. Now since you've come to me for counsel I will give you this, I will get you a shepherd. A strong man, a dangerous man, a man from the mainland named Glam. It is said that Glam never laid down the wolf skin, and runs alone as if he is among the Dogs of War. You will meet him along the road and will know him by his great size and dower expression. But know this. I see three terrors walking the moors not one. The last shall be the greatest."
Thorhall thanked the Seer and they both partied. Thorhall sought out the man named Glam, and arranged for his travel and wages at the appointed time to Thorhallsstad.
The winter passed to summer, and Glam tended the herds, and Thorhall treated Glam gladly with great kindness despite his wildness. Thorhall and his household were all followers of Middas the Magnificant and worshipped him daily. Despite the rest of the families piety, Glam abstained from all religion and proved to be stubborn and surly, and everyone but Thorhall hated Glam for it.
Some time passed until the festival known as the "Revival". On this occasion Thorhall's wife told Glam, "It is not proper in a house of Middas for men to eat before the day of the Revival, because tomorrow is know by all as Middas' great day."
Glam replied, "You have many supersitions, but I do not see that much comes of them. I do not know that men are any better than when there was nothing know of Middas. And now you call the men of the wilderness heathens. I want my food not foolishness." All this was said because Glam was a Bezerk from the mainland and cared nothing for the gods of men.
Thorhall's wife replied, "I am certain that you have committed a grave sin, and ill tidings will fall you this day."
But she did not dare deny him what was his because Glam was a strong man and terrible to look upon when angry. So he was fed and he returned to the fields alone and honored not the god Middas in preparation for his day.
That evening the sky grew very dark, and there was great drving snow. The wind was howing and the following day grew worse. It was a terrific storm that continued even until the great Day of Middas had fully commensed.
All the people in the surrounding community marveled at how violent the storm had been, and when Glam had not returned a search party was formed to look for him. The valley was treacherous and all the wild game had been scattered, driven by the snow. Great stones of the earth had been torn apart by the wind and thrown about by the storm.

After great effort Glam was found lying on the ground a short distance from the mountains. He was dead. Both his body and kneck were broken, but not by the storm. There were signs of great violence where stones were split and trees were broken. Great black pools of blood laid at the feet of Glam, and those same bloody tracks led to the mountains. All present believe Glam had been attacked by the great evil that haunted the moors and Glam had managed to greatly wound the beast or perhaps kill the beast before his death.
Glam's broken body laid bare for all to see. His skin had hardened, was swollen, and had become black as Hel. His had grown to the size of a ox and his muscles had grown to that of a great bull. All who gazed upon the body were overcome by terror.
Despite their fear the search party tried to carry his body back to the temple of Middas where he could be buried in consecrated ground not out of love for Glam, but because all present knew he would return as a Draugr. But glam had grown too heavy and the snow was deep. On the second day they tried a team of oxen to pull the body of Glam, but they could not pull the body. On the third day they took a priest of Middas to the course of Glam and they buried him in a shallow grave. The ground was blessed by the priests of Middas and Glam's body was laid to rest in a cairn of heavy stones along the hillside.
It would not take long before all the men of the country-side knew that Glam did not rest easy in his grave. Many men suffered severe injuries; some who said they saw him were struck senseless, and others lost their wits completely. Some said they saw him on the houses riding the roof tops, and a great panic poured through the community and many people left and traveled south never to return.
It was said that night and day Glam walked throughout the valley, and the people sorely vexed by him. During this time it was wild spoken that even the beast of the mountain dared not challenge Glam. In this state the district remained in a grievous condition until the coming of Tulgrum Hellstorm.
The Terrible State of Thornhallstad
In the spring Thorhall procured many work men to build a house of heavy stones on his lands to keep the creature Glam at bay. By midsummer ships were seen sailing along the headlands and among the sailors there were two Bezerks who were very tall without money or employment.
It was said that many people had been drug from their homes into the wilderness by Glam for some dark purpose never been seen again. So the Bezerks were hired to deal with the problem. After the day of Middas during the following year the Bezerks return to the cairn of Glam. When they approached the cairn they found the gruesome sight of of five cowherds with knecks broken, and their bodies torn apart. After this sight the Bezerks terrified and all the people of the country side return to the house of Thorhallsstad with its thick stone walls for safety and all hide in fear for none dared challenge Glam.
But Glam only grew more riotious, and even during summer all those who saw Glam approaching felt air growing cold. It was said Glam brought the winter with him even in summer. All the livestock that in the valley were were killed by Glam, and no one or nothing could enter the valley, not man or hourse, or dog for they will killed at once and none ever returned. At this time all that remained lived in fear locked within the stone walls Thorhallstad, because the time to flee to the south had long passed.
We now have to return to Tulgrum Hellstorm who lived among the Dogs of War but was feared by all for his wildness, great strength, and perpetual rage. Tulgrum Hellstorm was now 20 and decided to return home to Beyorg for a time, and the time of his banishment was lifted. Tulgrum Hellstorm road alone and carried a great battle-axe which he valued above all things.
No one greeted him along the road because all the countryside feared Glam and the roads were empty of all life. When he reached Thorhallsstad he spoke with the Bezerks who warned him of the great power of Glam. Tulgrum Hellstorm stated that he and he alone would deal with the beast.
The Bezerks replied, "Your kinsmen incur a great risk with you as you are. There does not seem to be one of the younger men who is your equal, yet it is ill dealing with such a one as Glam. Would it not be a better fight with any human man or even a goblin of the forest than the beast Glam?"
Tulgrum Hellstorm said that he had made up his mind and they wished him luck with his brave deeds. Tulgrum Hellstorm then left Thorhallsstad and returned to his home at Beyorg which had been abandoned where he planned lay in wait for the beast.
Fate of the Shepperd Glam
Tulgrum Hellstorm return to his home in Beyorg which now lay desolate after the onslaught of the beast Glam. Tulgrum Hellstorm light a fire in the hearth to alert the beast to his presence and waited. The day passed and turned into night, and then lead until the following day. By the third night Tulgrum Hellstorm heard a loud noise. Something was ontop of the building. It was Glam riding the roof causing the timbers to crack and shake. Shortly there after Tulgrum Hellstorm saw the great form of Glam crossing the windows and then stepping before the threshold. The beast had grown much larger and was much more fightening that before. He was now taller than the rafters of the house, and his head had swollen to an enoromous size. Glam was ugly and he stank. Due to Glam's great size he was far larger than doors to the house and his giant head rested above ceiling, but he did not stoop to enter. He simply walked forward breaking the wooden beams before him.
Quickly Tulgrum Hellstorm covered himself with a cloak that layed on a heap directly in front of the firepit. And when Glam came closer he seized the cloak tightly with his giant hand and pulled. Tulgrum Hellstorm pressed his foot firmly again the planks and pulled also. The beast Glam began to pull the cloak even harder this time with both hands, but he could not wretch the cloak free because Glam and Tulgrum Hellstorm were of equal strength. Eventually the cloak torn down the middle leaving Tulgrum Hellstorm holding a single piece of cloth.
With lightening speed Glam roared sprung upon Tulgrum Hellstorm seizing him around the waist attempting to break him in half in a bear hig. Tulgrum Hellstorm struggled trying to break free and the two stagger with great violence. Benches crashed and they feel to the floor, but Tulgrum Hellstorm couldn't breath. Kicking violently with his legs Tulgrum Hellstorm managed to force himself free falling and crushing another bench on the floor.
Then a terrific struggle renewed as the titans crashed into one another. They were equally matched in strength the wood floors began to break under the presure. After some time the beast Glam began to realize he may not be able to defeat Tulgrum Hellstorm in the house because even in life Glam was a man who was one with the wild. So he began to drag Tulgrum Hellstorm into the valley below where he was at his strongest drawing power from nature.
During the struggle Glam pulled Tulgrum Hellstorm through the fire pit and across the broken wooden planks of the floor and benches. Nonetheless pulling Tulgrum Hellstorm from the house would not be easy as he resisted with a great effort by stabbing Glam the foot. Unable to pull Tulgrum Hellstorm out of the house he released him standing at his full height looking down at Tulgrum Hellstorm roared in anger.
If he could not drag him from the house he would bring the house down upon him. Planting his feet firmly against the stone on the ground he tore at the lintel and slamming his shoulder against the support beam the roof shattered collapsing frozen thatch around them. In an instant Tulgrum Hellstorm leapt towards Glam tackling him dragging him to the ground and knocking both of the out of the door. For Glam did not know that Tulgrum Hellstorm was also a Bezerk who also drew his strength from the wild.
They both tumbled struggling as they rolled down the hillside into the valley below. At the bottom of the hill Tulgrum Hellstorm landed on top of Glam. The moon was shining very brightly outside that night with light clouds passing over until just that moment. Glams eyes turned to the shining moon above as if drawing some wicked power from the moon.
Strength of the pour into Glam and for the first time Tulgrum Hellstorm shuttered in fear. He saw the the horrible rolling of Glam's eyes, until his eyes became black as pitch. With in Glam's eyes he could see apparitions of the haunted dead wailing as if they lived inside his black eyes. And Tulgrum's heart sank so utterly that he no longer had the strength to lift his axe.
Laughing Glam spoke for the first time since his death and said thus,
"You have expended much of your energy fighting me Tulgrum Hellstorm, and you shall have no joy from the effort. And now I will bestow my curse upon you, and tell you that possess only half of the strength and firmness of heart that were decreed by the Wolf Brother. The might you have til now I am not able to take away, but it is in my power to ordain that you shall never grow stronger than you are now. Only in your raging will your power be manifest. Hitherto you have earned fame through your own deeds, but hencefoward evil shall fall upon you in battle and your deeds shall all turn to ill-will among your friends and even your guardian-spirit shall forsake you. You will be an outlaw and your lot shall been to dwell forever alone. And this curse I lay upon you, that these eyes of mine which you now beholden shall forever be in your vision, and in your rage those apparitions show dance in your eyes. You will find hard to live alone due to the fear what you must see, but you will be alone alone for none shall stand will you because of your raging, now even until at last when the apparitions drag you down to your death."
When the beast Glam had spoken these words the faintness which had overcome Tulgrum Hellstorm as if it fled in fear from the furious rage that now bellowed from his throat. And in his eyes were the apparitions of which the beast Glam spoke. Tulgrum Hellstorm drew his axe a removed what was left of Glams kneck, and he pressed the head between Glams thighs.
Later when Tulgrum Hellstorm returned to Thorhallstag, Thorhall praised Middas the Magnificant and thanked him kindly for laying the unclean spirit to rest. They gave Tulgrum Hellstorm warm cider and their was much feasting and celebration. All that knew recognized the great deeds of Tulgrum Hellstorm that day when they heard it; and all the whole country side was strength with courage by hearing the enterprise. But also all declared that there was no equal to the strength of Tulgrum Hellstorm the son of Asmound. But nevertheless all mem feared him, and none would go with him due to his rage so Tulgrim walked alone.
The beast Glam was not destroyed, but never returned to the valley out either shame or fear. Also a great change had come over Tulgrum Hellstorm his eyes were haunted with the apparitions of Glam, and with his rage now came the storm even during summer. Tulgrum Hellstorm's temper had not improved and he was even more impatient at being crossed. Tulgrum Hellstorm had won great honor and reknown but also great fear, and it said that where went Tulgrum Hellstorm so went the storm.