After Ragnarok

[LucarioTheKing]

So one of the reasons I joined was that I had a minor epiphany about writing a story. I'm pretty sure it came after I read some of POTU again, and then topped it off with The Celestial Bureaucracy. I decided that it was probably time to do something productive with Civ 4, rather than it just being a major timesink. So thus I present to you all.

AFTER RAGNAROK​

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 (This Post)
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

Chapter One: Wherein Ragnarok happens and The World is Reborn​

The sky was bright, and the sun was barely escaping the wolf behind it. However, just a glance at what lay below the sun betrayed the peaceful looks. Any could see that all the realms of creation had combined into a single battlefield, where the Aesir and the Giants were having their long-awaited war. If one looked closely, they could see walls moving in slowly towards the Aesir, made of Fire, Water, and Ice. Where that wall went, a fight was ended, and the wall did not care who was there. The Aesir were being whittled down, one at a time. Until only Three remained in the Aesir side of the battlefield. Those who were not there were either dead, or in hiding until the world could be made anew.
“The Giant scum aren’t even worthy of dying by the wrath of Mjolnir!” shouted Thor, whose preordained fight had yet to come. “I could kill them with my goats! If Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr haven’t fallen yet of course.”
“Keep fighting my son” barked Odin “For soon…”
Odin’s sentence was cut off as the crowd of Giants waiting to die in their battle against Thor drowned, and a large dragon sat in their place.
“And so, it is done.” Tyr muttered under his breath. “All except for me and father’s part that is.”
Tyr watched with a strange emotionless gaze as that wall which ends creation engulfed the two mighty fighters that were Thor and Jormungandr, leaving only the blank void behind it. Just then the howling of a massive wolf was heard, and Odin raised his spear, while Tyr readied his mind for what was to come.
Suddenly, Fenrir, the demonic spawn of Loki came in his preferred shape, that of a wolf. His maw was foaming, and any could see that the wolf had the roots of a mountain all around his muscled frame.
Fenrir ran towards Odin, and the Allfather, sensing that his time was up, raised his spear, preparing himself for the worst mentally. Fenrir then did the unexpected thing that was preordained, he leaped on top of Odin, and took his neck into his jaw, and crushed it.
Now it was time for Tyr to do his part, he ran towards Fenrir, and before the wolf could react slid his sword neatly through his jaw. Tyr then did that which he was destined to do, as he took Gugnir from Odin, he transformed to look like the Allfather, and this transformation was absolute, and it was what ended Ragnarok.
He who was the second Odin, then found a man, and a woman hiding in the bark of the eternal Tree, and He who was formerly Tyr felt sadness for them, and used the powers of creation to create a new Midgard, a new world for them to live in. Then he created more who were like them or different, and he created all the races of men, and to them he said, that if they are willing to doom their world to future destruction, they could worship him and get power over the others. None however would dare to doom their world, and even those few who were willing were restrained by their people. and as such many years passed until one of the Original people, a woman by the name of Sif, asked the priests on her deathbed to sacrifice her while she still lived to Odin.
After much debate, the priests decided that it could do them no harm to do this crone a small mercy, and decided that Odin would not doom the world because they sacrificed Sif to him. And so they threw the still breathing form of Sif into the fire, giving her to Odin. However on the fire that had been hastily formed appeared the One-Eyed form of Odin, and to the men assembled he said,
“Behold” Odin commanded. “For it is I the mighty Odin, leader of the Aesir. You have sacrificed old Sif to me, but as you threw her haphazardly into the blaze she prayed to me in the hopes of lessening her pain in the next world. She has prayed to me, and as such your world is doomed.”
Sif’s only son, one Rigg by name happened into the building, and as he looked upon Odin, he fell to one knee.
“Oh, Allfather” Rigg began. “My mother always believed that we should give you humble sacrifices, and I too believe that. I would gladly bow to you now, as you are our God.”
Odin was interested in the young man, and thus to the men, he said.
“Behold the humble Rigg,” Odin said. “His family has been silent servants to me. As such, I choose him to lead my peoples. He shall be your King, and you who shall serve under him shall be his Vi-Kings, and in that way shall the path to prosperity be revealed.”
Those who had lead the tribe now looked at their king, and all promptly fell to the ground, and they begged forgiveness. Rigg, being merciful, agreed to spare their lives, if they would swear fealty to him.
And that is how the world was reborn.

Spoiler :

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Warlords story! What is this heresy!!!! Subbed

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Warlords story! What is this heresy!!!! Subbed

It's not madness... It's the supreme reason LAZINESS

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Chapter 2: Wherein the tribes unite, and Nidaros is founded​

King Rigg I had quickly learned trouble, as just because he had the loyalty of his advisers, who had sacrificed his mother to Odin, did not necessarily mean the loyalty of the rest of his Vi-Kings, in fact, many refused to believe that the strange coronation of Rigg had even happened. This most unhappy group rallied around their chieftain, the legendary warrior Ragnar Lodbrok. Not many knew quite what Ragnar had done to become the head of all the men who fought, but many said something about bears that he killed with his eyes closed from a hundred and twenty paces. Which, even Ragnar had admitted, was complete and utter crap. However the day that more started to support him, was the day that he had announced his intent to fight Rigg to the death for the honor of leading the tribe.

Spoiler :

Ragnar

Rigg was unsure of what to do, so he ordered his advisors to capture two wolves and bring it to him. The advisors went out, and hunted for many moons, until they found a pair of young wolf pups, and these they captured, and brought to Rigg.
Rigg then took these two animals to his personal shrine to Odin. And there he said.
“Behold Odin, if you would but help me convince the others that I am what you said I am, these two wolves will be yours.”
Rigg then saw the pups disappear, and because of that, he had hopes that Odin may help him in this foolish conflict.
At dawn of the next day, a strange man with one hand walked into the camp that had been set up by the Vi-Kings, and he went towards their fire. On his way there, he was detained by Ragnar.
“Outsider,” Ragnar yelled as picked up the man. “What business do you have here, and why should we allow you to partake in the fruits of our hunt.”
And then to Ragnar said the man.
“Have you no pity for those who are lesser than you, Oh Mighty One? Do you wish to be seen as a soulless monster? For if you are this tribe’s best, then I deeply pity your people.”
Rigg, who had been eating his portion, noticed the exchange. And because he was an honorable man, he went up to Ragnar and said with clenched teeth and fists.
“Oh, mighty warrior, put down the poor man, something terrible must have been in his past, and we should allow him to at least eat a decent meal.”
“That ‘poor man’” Ragnar snapped “Will never have a single bite of food that my people gathered, or sleep in any of the tents they made. This vagabond will be dealt with the ordinary way we always deal with people like him, ‘King’, and that is by throwing him into the river within a tent tied so he will drown.”
Rigg then felt that he had just received his gift from Odin, for now he had a cause to fight for, and all of his concerns about pain and death went away, and all that he felt was a lust for the blood of Ragnar.
“Listen here Ragnar.” Rigg said, barely able to form the words out of his own rage. “We will give this man all that he needs, We will accept him as if he were of our own flesh and blood, and we most certainly won’t be drowning him.”
Ragnar did not reply with words, but with a quick snap of his finger he was brought a War-Axe that the tribe had looted from some ruins four summers ago. Rigg did a similar gesture, and he received a spear from one of his advisors. Ragnar started to size up Rigg, who was foaming at the bit with rage, but before he could react, Rigg struck with the bronze tipped spear in the most unorthodox way, he aimed it so he could hit the throat of Ragnar, but he did it from the side. Ragnar’s world was fading, as the loss of blood started to kill him.
How? Why? Were the last things that Ragnar ever thought.
Rigg snapped out of his rage, and looked down at the corpse of Ragnar, which lay at his feet. And then he looked at the man, only he was no longer just a man. Before Rigg’s eyes, the handless, hunchbacked man turned into the regal one-eyed figure of Odin. The whole tribe gathered around the scene, and once they had all assembled, Odin began to speak.

Spoiler :

“Vi-Kings of Rigg.” Odin began, menacingly shaking his spear. “Today you have seen the fall of the dishonorable man, and the rise of the most honorable one. You were all fools not to take Rigg’s word for it, but now, the figurehead of that foolishness lies dead at the feet of your King. I now invite all those who took the foolish path, and didn’t follow Rigg, to join him, in the founding of a settlement protected by the gods. I command all of you to create a permanent building where your tent is, and I command the fittest to go find more about the world around us. I command the most intelligent to research, and they who do not yet have a profession to do manual labor. And on this very land will com a settlement. and that’s settlement’s name will be…”
And with that Odin cast a glance at Rigg which suggested that only Rigg knew the name of this settlement, and so Rigg searched his mind. Until he found one memory where two ravens circled around him crying some strange sound. As soon as Rigg realized this he said.
“Nidaros, that will be the name of the settlement where our children's children live.”
Odin then left the now bustling camp, which was being prepared to become the first permanent settlement on New Midgard.

Spoiler :

 

[DKVM]

subbed

 

[trexeric]

Also subbed

 

[TheNoob]

Subbed. I haven't seen a Warlords story around here ever.

 

[LucarioTheKing]

What's This??? Why, it's the third chapter!!! Don't expect the rest of them this fast, this is just because I took some opening game screenies and had the time, probably won't last long.

Chapter 3: Wherein the world is Explored​

Erik was reflecting upon his life choices. He did that often as he and the others who were exiled wandered the land. He almost always thought about the events that lead to this accursed nomadhood. He thought of the day that Nidaros had been created. His anger towards their leader, Rigg comes flooding back, then comes the thing that got him exiled. Erik, stealing Ragnar’s War-Axe, then the silent approach to Rigg’s hall. The slow but silent movements he made, an then the moment he broke into the King’s room, only to find the Allfather standing there. Then the trial cam, and then the punishment, 15 years of Exile.
The accursed thing is, how did Odin get into the hall? thought Erik as he walked along, never straying too far from the group. It’s almost as if he’s a god, but he can’t be, can he?
Just then, Ragnar’s son Byrnhild shrieked from a distance.
“I found a village!!! The people there are like us, as if we had common ancestors.”
Their little group erupted into ferocious applause at the idea of a night’s rest and fresh food. Of course, there might have been just a tiny flaw. The people of the village took it as an act of hostility when twelve strong men come in with weapons, asking, no, demanding accommodations.

Spoiler :

Of course there ended up being a minor skirmish where all but two of the villages men were killed, and Erik got hit in the ankle by a strange device that threw little spears towards him. This puncture turned out to be only a scrape. One of the survivors said.
“Oh please great lords, we did no wrong to you, spare our lives, and we will give you the secret of Archery.”
The leader of the scouts, Rigg’s brother Thrall, said to these people.
“We Vi-Kings of Rigg will accept this offer. All you must do is take your weapons to Holy Nidaros, and there will you be accepted.”
As Erik left, he thought, Being a scout sure is exciting, I wonder who we will meet next.

Spoiler :

Meanwhile, King Rigg I of the Vi-Kings was in conference with a strange man. The visitor had a strange red beard, and long red hair. He talked in a strange tongue that none amongst the Vi-Kings understood, except for Rigg. He said his name was Brennus II, that he was Overchief of The Celtic Peoples, and talked to no end about the favour of Thor.
“My father was dirt, no grass to the leaders of the tribe.” said Brennus “Then Thor came to the tribe, and he said to the Tribe-Chiefs: ‘Behold you dirty scum, for I am the god Thor who used to be Magni, and I have chosen one from amongst your people, this man will in his lifetime unite the tribes of Celtia under the rule of an Overchief, and he will lead the Celts to perfection.’ And my father did! That is why I, Overchief Brennus II am here today talking to you King Rigg of The Vi-Kings.”
To this most noble visitor, Rigg said something odd, which none could ever make any sense of.
“There shall be peace in our time.”
Author's Note, my stupid game wouldn't let me take screenshots of the leaders, after trying on Brennus for half an hour, I just gave up. But you all have seen them before, right?

Erik was more than slightly confused at these new peoples. They seemed to call themselves the ‘Khmer’ and seemed to be similar to the Vi-Kings, except for the golden skin. Of course, a large amount of that confusion came from either sides ability to communicate. After several nights spent with nothing but gibberish going between one side and the other, the Vi-Kings finally left, seeing the fleeing forms of the mining village they had raided fleeing towards Nidaros.

Rigg bowed to the altar he had laid out for Odin. Not much more than an oddly shaped stone with a fire lit on the top. Rigg then asked Odin for his wisdom. Today, his sacrifice was a wild cattle who was found towards the land of the Ice Giant to the north, and as the cattle’s heart burnt and was sent towards the heavens, two wolves came out of nowhere. These two wolves were the very same wolves that Rigg had given to Odin in order to receive his help with creating Nidaros.
Then out of the same space from which the wolves appeared, there came Odin, on a noble animal that Ragnar didn’t recognize. However this creature had a very defining feature, the eight legs betrayed the magical nature of the beast. And to Rigg, Odin said.
“Oh, Great King Rigg, the time has come where our last meeting shall happen. You wish for advice, and that I shall give you. I know that there will be many other groups similar to the Vi-Kings, and that through trade and war, you shall prosper. I know that everything must be learned, for I live in old Midgard and saw the advancement. I also know, that your line shall rule from NIdaros for many years and that even now, a group comes close with the secrets of how to extract material from inside the world. My time with you is almost up, so know this Rigg, that upon your death you shall not descend into niflheim, but your mother shall take your soul upon the Eight-Legged Sleipnir you see here, and you shall become the first Einharjar.”
With that, Odin disappeared, and all was peaceful.

Spoiler :

 

[jackelgull]

Subbed.

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Subbed. I haven't seen a Warlords story around here ever.

Sorry, not Warlords, the Background just looks cooler than BTS'

 

[Noyyau]

Sweet!

Sorry, not Warlords, the Background just looks cooler than BTS'

I also use the Warlords menu background! I like the music much more than the BTS one. Though I do shuffle it with the original Civ4 menu now and then.

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Sweet!



I also use the Warlords menu background! I like the music much more than the BTS one. Though I do shuffle it with the original Civ4 menu now and then.

Mostly, it's the background for me, I often play with the volume off.
(And by often I mean almost every time.)

 

[TheNoob]

Oh. BtS is still cool as well. It'll be a nice change of pace

 

[CaterpillarKing]

sorry, not warlords, the background just looks cooler than bts'

you ruined all of my hopes and dreams

 

[trexeric]

you ruined all of my hopes and dreams

The title does have [BTS] you know...

 

[LucarioTheKing]

The title does have [BTS] you know...

You win the LucarioTheKing Cookie for Looking at the Title!!! Congrats

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Shhhhh

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Chapter 4 should be coming out sometime today, and maybe chapter 5. Depends on the mood I'm in. (And the time I have...)

 

[clanky4]

Link to video.

 

[LucarioTheKing]

Thanks for the amazing support(?) so far. As promised, here is...

Chapter Four: Wherein a New King is Crowned​

Frey hated having to do what he was about to do, but as he looked around at the great council of advisors, and their grim faces made him sure he had to. He walked into the hall of the King, and went straight towards the rooms where Rigg was sleeping soundly, with not a care in the world. At least, that’s what it looked like, in reality Rigg had been dead for a month. Frey shuddered as he remembered his father drunkenly stumbling this way and that, and the strange hallucination, where his father’s soul was gathered by a woman on an eight legged horse. He remembers waking the next morning, and going in to check on his father, where what he had thought was a dream came to become reality. After that, all the memories, of sorrow, drunkenness and boredom came back to Frey, and he realized that he had been a mess before yesterday. When Erik The Wise, exile turned confidant of Rigg, had said.
“Frey, we have given you time to mourn your father.” said Erik with a hint of melancholy. “But now their is a city, a nation that doesn’t know of the death of their king. All of them need a new voice, a new face to get behind. Therefore, the Grand Council of Jarls(The Council of Advisors name for themselves.) has decided that the time is now for you to ascend to the throne. Your father led us to discover much, but you have the opportunity to become his better.”
“But how,” Frey retorted. “Should I become his better? He helped us to create military training halls, which trained guardsmen for our city. He spearheaded the movement to learn how to grow grains, and refine large quantities of rock, and use that to construct buildings. I will never be able to overtake his legacy.”

Spoiler :

“You will never overtake even one of the peasants from the villages I pillaged if you act like that!!!” Erik snapped back at the man he’d practically raised. “Frey I don’t think you at all understand who you are. When you were born, Odin himself descended on wings of his ravens. He walked up to you, and said that you had a certain energy just like a god from Old Midgard, after that, he named you after that God. You are destined for great things. Don’t be cowardly and let someone else claim your destiny.”
Funny how Erik always knew just how to push Frey’s buttons in a way to both infuriate, and motivate, him at the same time. Frey was still shaken as they were walking towards the barracks, where they had set up a tomb of sorts underneath the buildings that Rigg had pushed for. Then his father’s corpse was being carried on top of his shield, his spear, which had vanquished Ragnar was held in his left hand, the original book of invention, which contained all the technological achievements that the Vi-Kings had achieved for him in his lifetime. The soldiers who carried the body were very respectful, and as they lay down the shields and Rigg into his tomb, Frey spoke to the now-grieving masses.
“Oh great Vi-Kings, you are now grieving for the loss of this Great man, who led you to glory. However don’t look back on this day as one of pure sadness, look at it as one of joy. For today, you may have lost one king, but you gained another. For I shall rule you as your new king, King Frey, and I present to you the first invention of my reign, which I have been working on since early childhood. Behold!!”
And where Frey pointed, there was a group of wild cattle pulling a… thing. It was almost like a miniature house, if the destroyed the top half and inserted seating inside.
“I call this thing, A Chariot, and the thing that allows it to move, are Wheels. You see, round things roll.” Said Frey turning his finger around in a circle. “Do not think of me as a second-rate replacement for my father, for I am not him, but I am me.”
None in the crowd had noticed that two ravens were circling above Frey as he said that, but even if they had, it wouldn’t have seemed out of the ordinary.

Spoiler :

Hugin and Munin conversed silently with each other, as they watched what should have been a day of grieving turn into a day of joyous celebration, as the Vi-Kings of Frey took turns riding in the chariot. The two birds knew that this was preordained, and returned to Alfheim.

“What’s this?” muttered Odin as his two birds returned to his throne. “It’s already that time, huh. Ragnarok may have been the end of the last world, but this will not only bring glory to Frey, but send the world further towards its doom. I suppose Surtr will be waking up soon.”

It was a bad dream that awoke the man whose beard was fire, and he saw that his part in New Midgard was imminent. He licked his lips as went back to sleep.