Abba Stonebeard [Dwarven Folklore]

[mateolog 1551]

The Tale of Abba Stonebeard

Baldin 'Ironside' Frostbeard

 

This is the tale of a spirit. A folk tale some could say. This is the tale of Abba Stonebeard. Abba fathered many children and he loved them dearly. He was devoted to his family and to Belka and Anbella the Brathmordakin that blessed him with such a large family. As he grew he taught his children what he was taught in his life and what he learned from experience. The large family of Abba was dangerous and the Ironborn felt threatened by him. They persuaded one of his sons to kill him. Abba did not have the chance to turn and see the face of the kin that had slayed him.

 

[!] Abba being called by Belka.

 

In his last moments he thought about all the things he could do for his children, all the things he could teach them, in his mind they still needed his guidance. Abba felt his family was in danger without him, and so, when Belka came to take his soul to Kaz’a’dentrumm he ran away from her. The pious dwarf ran away from his body until he lost sight of Belka. For days his soul roamed the world alone, until he met one of his children. Her name was Bekka, she had grown older. It was then that he realised that the days that had passed were in fact years. He realised he was dead, and that he was unable to impact the physical world in any way that would help his children. He left the children he loved so much to look for a body.

 

[!] Depiction of the wandering soul of Abba.

 

And so, days became months, and months became years. But one day he gave up, he knew he had insulted Belka by running away from her. As he was dead and still a pious dwarf he begged Dungrimm. The moon was full and the sky was clear. It was then he heard the voice of the most honorable one. The voice of Dungrimm boomed from the moon.

“You wish to stay alive Abba son of Droik and Monna Stonebeard? Why should you be given the luxury that has not been given to others? Are you so important that you should exist beyond the natural cycle we have created?”

Abba bowed down until his ghostly lips could touch the ground “Honorable one! Please! I need to do this to protect my children! Without me they are in great danger!”

“So you believe aye!” Replied the voice.

“Your soul is not ready to enter my halls Abba son of Droik and Monna Stonebeard. But there is still hope for you. I shall give you your wish, perhaps once you realize the mistake of your ways your soul will be ready to be judged…” The voice echoed away as the moon fell and the sun rose.

As the sun shone on the ground a statue would rise from the earth. Abba walked towards the statue, it had the face of a dwarf, yet it was distinctly a statue, not alive. Once he laid his hand on it Abba could feel his ghostly body being pulled into the statue. He blinked for a second and in that second he found himself looking from the eyes of the statue. He felt he was not astral anymore and was in fact physical. However, he was not breathing, he could not smell the woods around him, and he could not feel the ground at his feet. He looked around, but colors did not look colorful, he was unable to feel what he saw. After agonizing for a fortnight on his fate Abba gathered himself and started to march to the capital so he could be of service to his children.

 

[!] Depiction of Abba on his way to the capital of the Empire of Khorvad.

Abba did not notice it, but once he arrived in the capital many more years had passed, the Ironborn Empire had a new King and many of his children were now parents and grandparents. But still he thought he could protect them and guide them. He made himself known to the Ironborn King who did recognise the name of the dwarf Abba. The king believed him dead, as did his father before he passed away. Nonetheless the King looked upon Abba, he saw an abomination that could not possibly take the throne from him, and so the ironborn allowed Abba to make his request. Abba just asked to be able to serve in the guard of the king, so that he could be able to protect his children. For years Abba served as the executioner of the king, the stone demon. Soon his name was forgotten even by his descendants. But he remembered all of theirs. For the sake he slaughtered any individual the king wished to be killed, be them innocent or guilty. It was not until Kreyos, the son of his grandchild Abba II who is in turn the son of Monna, his daughter, was deemed as a threat by the king. Kreyos was soon captured and he lay on his knees in front of the throne of the Ironborn Empire and its King. Beside the king was Abba, when the king ordered him to kill Kreyos he stayed silent. He knew the King was now a threat to his descendants and so he used his fist to punch a hole into the chest of the king removing his heart. It was at that point that he turned himself to his descendant. But in his eyes was disgust, the same disgust that appeared in all those that came into the room once they heard the king’s body hit the ground. All the dwarves of the city, his descendants and those that were not, they both shouted and spit at him. United in their  hatred of the stone being. Abba was forced out of the city. He had nothing, and now he had less than nothing. 

 

[!] Depiction of an Ironborn King.

 

One night he reached the top of a hill and there he sat for years. He sat thinking about the best way he could serve his children. It was after many winters that Abba finally realised, there was only one thing he could actually do to help, and that any action that he takes now that he no longer belongs in this realm will result in chaos. There was only one thing he could do, and that was to do nothing, to accept his time has passed. It was at that moment he closed the eyelids he did not possess and fell asleep, the first time ever since he was killed. He woke up in what felt morning, but he was no longer on top of a hill. He could feel himself opening his eyes, and as he did so he would gaze upon and feel the essence of the opened halls of Kaz’A’Dentrumm, the Brathmordakin calling him forward to start the bid on him.

 

[!] Depiction of Abba reflecting on his life.