The Accidental Archmage - Book Five, Edmund Batara [best way to read ebooks txt] 📗

moral standards are different and the general perspective of the ordinary human is vastly dissimilar to that of a native of the fantasy world.

While the sight of a slit throat would be a normal encounter for a warrior on Adar, one doubts if the same reaction could be said for a human from this world.

Our protagonist understandably recoils from choices and decisions running counter to what he knows as normal and acceptable.

Add to that the previous desire of the main character to return to his world, hopefully retaining whatever ethical values he originally had, and that creates a conflicted individual unwilling to use the moral filter of Adar and—consciously or not—imposing his world’s moral standards on another reality. It is only when the protagonist finally decides to stay and finds his emotional anchor embedded in his adopted world, that the doubts, conflicts, and moral burdens disappear.

Enjoy the journey.

All the best,

The Writer.

December 2018.

The Lokasenna

The Lokasenna: the poetic Edda describing the Trickster God’s encounter with his fellow deities of the Norse pantheon right after Baldr’s death.

The eponymous tale portray Loki at his best, or perhaps his worst as some might describe it. It does end with the deity fleeing from the hall where the Norse pantheon is enjoying a feast.

Book Six deals with the start of Loki’s mad plan for revenge. (Previous editions mentioned and showed Loki as he appeared on Adar.)

Now free from the clutches of his poison prison and the ungentle ministrations of Skadi, his jotunn jailer, the deity does seem somewhat more unhinged than usual. I guess millennia of imprisonment would do that to him. Plus, the sight of his suffering wife Sigyn as she tries to prevent snake venom from dripping on Loki’s face as his sentence for killing Baldr.

From that point, the Trickster God evolves from being the lord of mischief, off on adventures with Thor and even saving his fellow deities occasionally, to the Norse god of evil. Even Hel, the ruler of their underworld, doesn’t enjoy such a questionable claim to infamy. But then again, it is his unique character and obvious sense of self, fascinatingly colored by numerous slights suffered—imagined or real—which make Loki an interesting figure to many. Understatement intended.

The Lokasenna does raise specific questions as to Loki’s guilt. The beginning of the Edda shows a Loki greatly insulted by not being invited to a feast of the Norse gods—not the reaction of one guilty of murder.

His entrance into the feast hall is that of an outraged god demanding to be treated as an equal. The silence greeting his sudden entry only adds insult to injury. It is only when Frigg speaks, that Loki realizes the reason for the glacial treatment.

Needless to say, the exchange of insults and innuendoes grows yet worse after that. The barrage of calumnies Loki is able to come up with for every attendee shows him at his best as a maestro of mischief and deception.

But Odin’s initial reaction to the Trickster God’s presence is surprising. He bids that a chair be provided for the offensive gatecrasher and even warns about provoking Loki’s tongue. These are not the words of an accuser, though, in hindsight, the enormous damage Loki does to the relationships, dignity, and reputations of his fellow deities would surely spur them to extreme actions even if Baldr weren’t dead.

One does have to note that Loki is the master of lies and deceit in Norse mythology. His utterances in the Lokasenna are of doubtful probity, being a mixture of the liberal application of outright lies, a little bit of truth, and seasoned with the impossibility of proof—all served in a deceptively magnificent bowl made of libelous insinuations and delightful gossips.

The text of Lokasenna is included in this book. Each chapter is prefaced by consecutive stanzas from the Edda, giving an idea of how the Trickster God of the Norse twisted and manipulated ideas and suspicions into murderous phrases worse than the sharpest battleaxe. But one should also remember the context of the story–an insulted deity out to get his pound of flesh suddenly finding himself cornered and painted as a murderer in a gathering of his peers.

There is, however, an interesting statement in the Lokasenna. Most Nordic mythology mentions Loki as a foster brother to Odin, though the series shows the Trickster God as an adopted son of the head of the Norse pantheon. But in the Lokasenna, Ithun, more familiarly known as Idunn of the Apples, refer to Loki as Odin’s wish-son. It’s something to think about.

More importantly, this book is about Loki, though it is also worth mentioning that for every big fish, as the overused adage goes, there’s always a bigger one.

The Writer.

Map of Eastern Adar

Jorund's Old Map of Skaney

List of Illustrations

The BarrensStrange UndeadDown Came Three SpidersHedmarkDeadlordLoki Ascendant

Prologue

Spiderwebs

The LOKASENNA

Ægir, who was also called Gymir, had prepared ale for the gods, after he had got the mighty kettle, as now has been told. To this feast came Othin and Frigg, his wife. Thor came not, as he was on a journey in the East. Sif, Thor’s wife, was there, and Brag, with Ithun, his wife. Tyr, who had but one hand, was there; the wolf Fenrir had bitten off his other hand when they had bound him. There were Njorth and Skathi his wife, Freyr and Freyja, and Vithar, the son of Othin. Loki was there, and Freyr’s servants Byggvir and Beyla. Many were there of the gods and elves.

Ægir had two serving-men, Fimafeng and Eldir. Glittering gold they had in place of firelight; the ale came in of itself; and great was the peace. The guests praised much the ability of Ægir’s serving-men. Loki might not endure that, and he slew Fimafeng. Then the gods shook their shields and howled at Loki and drove him away to the forest, and thereafter set to drinking again. Loki turned back, and outside he met Eldir. Loki spoke to him:

1. “Speak now, Eldir, | for not one step