Mason Stone (Announcer)

My story begins before the old time. This is before the great pharos of Egypt and their pyramids, before the reign of Alexander the Great. The time is of magic and strange beasts of the air, sea and earth. I was a herald to Halfgar the Great in his keep at Helsfjord in the north. By day we kept the lands clean of southern filth and by night I would usher in those who dare trespass against my lord. My lord was a stern man, whose steel gaze was stronger than his mighty knot of muscles. He would pass sentence quickly without pity to all. It was in the time of year when the leaves turn that my eyes fell on Halfgarâ??s daughter. She being of strong blood was no match for me so I would not so much as to give her a public glance. She was of the pure blood!! Her back straight and strong, her voice the bird song and her eyes the placid blue lakes of the mountains. Blond hair fell to her back that she kept in tight braids wrapped in leather strapping. It was to my surprise and joy that she came to the rampart one night while I was on watch. She said not a word but placed a gentle kiss to me. I stood in a shock that no warrior ought to feel!!! Before I could react I received a great blow to my helm from behind that brought me to darkness.
In this darkness I heard the song of Skeggjold. She came from lightning bolts out of the sun. A valkyrie was coming to claim me. In many a battle I have fought, many I have sent to the great hall. Perhaps I had earned my place in Valhalla? In gentle arms I was wept to a saddle. Tight to her breast I was held. By Wotonâ??s will may my journey be short. It was in site of the hall of warriors that I first heard the laughing thunderous voice. â??Who comes to my Keep in my daughterâ??s arms?â? A soft lifting reply from an unknown voice replied â??I have found this great warrior, free born and pure of spirit who died in battle. I claim, as is my right, to spirit him to this place where he may sit at the long tables and sup on roast elk and draught of mead with all those who have come this way!!â? â??You dare bring this one who has not breathed his last to my table!â? bellowed Woton!! â??My daughter you have taken this man before the skein of his wyrd was cut for all time!! He is not welcome here!! He is to finish his time proving to me that his place is here. I send him back to his kind to finish his path!!!â? His voice turned to laughter which turned to wind which turned to a great gale. I was whipped to and fro through a whirlwind. My eyes blurred. My skin felt to be torn from my body. Tumbling for an eternity in Wotonâ??s maelstrom. It was the cool feel of water that I remembered next. Not since the night of many barrels had my head felt this way. My eyes opened and shut again. The day was warm and the sun just beginning its travel of the sky. I rolled to my back and once again opened my eyes. The piercing dagger of light that entered my eyes caused me to quickly cover my face with a sand covered hand. For several minutes I kept up with this attempt to restore my vision until a shadow covered my way and I was able to open my eyes to a slit. â??Are you alright?â? said the voice. I could not focus on the shadow but the voice was of concern and accent I had never heard in all my travels. Strange that I could understand her even though her words were odd. â??Dude, how much did you drink?â? she said next. â??Dude?â? what in lokiâ??s name is a dude? â??I tried to stand and address the apparition. â??I am Mason of the Stone clan, Helsfjord Keep on the three rivers ofâ?¦â? I was cut off by the laughter of many who I had not heard before. â??Well Mason Stone, you better get up before the cops find ya like this.â? â??What are cops? If they trouble this place give me a sword and weâ??ll see about these cops!!â? I did my best to muster my strength but to no avail all was for not. â??You better drink this.â? A voice said while a flask of lite metal was placed in my hand. The cork would not pull! I tried a second time yet the cork stayed fastened. A hand snatched the bottle from me and replaced quickly this time without the cork. â??Itâ??s a screw top ya schmuck.â? She said.. I placed the bottle to my nose. I sniffed cautiously once. Water? Why would they give me water? Can they not see that I am a warrior and mead or valerian wine is proper? I accepted the offering with a grimace but they are my host. Host? I found myself bellowing â??I claim the ancient right of sanctuary!!â? I was met by laughter. â??Dude, Tift sanctuary is on the other side of town.â? I was confused. I wish to stay in your warriors hall for three days. I shall heal myself and be gone in these days and I shall defend you my host while in your Keep I stay. I swear by Woton this is my promise. â??Okay Viking, come on.â? Said another voice. You can stay for a few days just keep the sword play at a minimum. What can ya do?â? I splashed water to my eyes and began to wipe the grit and sand away. In focus stood a group of woman. I believed them to be of the warrior cast for they all were wearing uniforms. Though different colors I could see they all wore a similar crest. A crown with lettering.. â??AYE, have I been captured by the women of Fye?â? said I. â??NO, you are right in the middle of a Queen City Roller Girls afternoon picnic. Iâ??m the Metal Mistress, just call me Metal and these others you can meet yourself.â? What is a roller girl? Are they bakers? Their arms and legs are too well muscled to be house bound. They also wore the woad on their arms and legs for all to see. Truly a strange place.. â??Let me guess, you were on the strip last night and had a REAL good time?â? said the one called Kiki. Strip? I am very confused. â??Let me guess you put on yer fur costume and went to the bars to watch the Sabres?â? said the one called Mala. â??I need no sabre when a long sword will do and these furs are from the great bears in the winter mountains! I killed them myself!â? They all laughed again. â??IF you ar gonna crash at my house you better know how to do something other than swing a sword. What are you good at?â? The Metal one asked. â??I can wench and lift to oak casks of mead at once.â? She rolled her eyes. â??We know you can drink, what else?â? â??Can you fix cars, computers, program a pc?â? A moment passed before I answered. â??I was a herald to the king of Helsfjord on the banks of the place of the threeâ?¦â? I was cut off again. â??Heraldâ?¦ you mean you announced people?â? Said the one with strange knotted hair. â??Aye that is so; I speak aloud to all who sit in the hall of Halfgar where a visitorâ?? wants or the criminals crimes are judged!! Once spoken then a decision on what is to be done is passed down which is usually death.â? They all began to grin. All these women baring their teeth at once made me uneasy. My grip tightened on my sword. â??Hold with the sword Beast Master.â? Said the one called Lizzie. â??We need of an announcerâ?¦ a herald if you like. We play a game that requires a herald to extol how great we are and to keep our fans happy.â? Perplexed I asked â??a game? Clearly women of your sort do not waste time in games when you are better fitted to battle and glory!!!â? â??This is a sort of battle, fur ball. We donâ??t kill one another. In fact we respect each other so much that after our game is finished we often go have a beer together. Iâ??m Mexi but you can call me GOD!â? This one held out her hand. She showed no injury nor did she have food to give. Why was her hand out? It is here that I will leave my story for now. Here in this place I remain. I have sworn fealty to Queen City Roller Girls as their heraldâ?¦ announcer. Here I shall continue down the path of my wyrd until the all creator finds it fit that Skeggjold bears me to my place in Valhalla. I shall defend these ladies wherever our travels take us although I doubt my sword is needed. My voice shall carry on the four winds a warning to all who hear. â??Theyâ? are coming. Do not stand in the way lest you pay the price!!
These are the Chronicles of Mason Stone.