Inar of the Long Arm

Click above For Contents

Issue #1 March 1998

Inarr of the Long Arm

Jennifer Leigh Crandall

It was growing dark, but still Inarr ran easily. He had long since left those who followed far behind. As he rounded a bend in the trail Inarr fairly burst into a small campsite. A huge man with a firey red beard sat chewing thoughtfully. He grinned up at the tall young man and motioned him to sit at the fire.

"I am in a bit of a hurry," said Inarr. He was barely breathing hard, although the day had started with a battle and then was followed with a long run. "I thank you for the offer though."

"Sit," rumbled the huge man who was a full head taller than Inarr and wider through the shoulders. "You have left you pursuers far behind you. They will not catch you this night."

"Pursuers?" laughed Inarr, "they might like to think themselves that. Better for them they never catch me." He grinned and sat down. "I guess I can afford to rest a bit."

"So sure are you that you can defeat them?" asked the camper. "Why then do you flee them and where are your fellow raiders?"

Inarr rose to his feet once again, loosing his weapons as he stood. "I am Inarr of the Wolf Clan," he said in a cold voice. "At dawn this day I and five of my clansmen landed on these shores. We came as traders, not raiders. The Wolf Clan are not thieves. As we landed we were set upon by a score of men commanded by a priest of the Suffering God. ‘Kill them,' he screamed from hiding. As the last of my clansmen fell I heard the priest shout how the High Priest, Bara, would be so pleased. Seeing my fellows dead and learning the name of my enemy, I set out to avenge my brothers. Just who are you and how do you know so much of this?"

"I am called Redbeard," said the giant as he too rose to his feet, "and the people of this valley are under my protection. I know all that passes here. You are aware that the High Priest lives in a town and is well guarded?"

Inarr just nodded his head to acknowledge this bit of information. Why would the giant help him? Or was he?

"You are Inarr of the Long Arm," said Redbeard as he tossed Inarr a bundle of trail rations. "Your cause is just and I will not hinder you. Fare hale Wolf Clan, I will delay your pursuers a day or two, then you are on your own." So saying he vanished and Inarr was alone at the small fire.

Inarr stood blinking before the fire. Yes there was the fire and he still held the packet of ration in his hand. It had not been a waking dream caused by too long a run. He had really met with Redbeard and lived. The god would not hinder him.

Inarr grinned, a man could ask for no more than that. He kicked out the fire and set out at a walk, thoughtfully chewing on a piece of the rations. Tomorrow he would reach the town.

It wasn't really much of a town, just a few buildings, a temple, and a dozen or more huts surrounded by a wooden wall. Inarr sat in the tree and watched the commings and goings of the people all day. There was no sign of his pursuers. At dusk the High Priest retired to temple. Guards were posted and the quiet little town settled down for the night. As darkness fell, a shadow leaped from the ground to the wall. A hand that could crush stone grasped the top of the wall. In a heartbeat Inarr was over the wall and into the shadows of the town.

The High Priest looked over his shoulder before entering the inner sanctum. He had the uncanny feeling there was danger about, but everything seemed normal. He stooped and lifted the treasure box to the table. Gently, lovingly he opened the lid and inspected his treasure. A gold pin fell to the floor from startled fingers as a cold voice spoke behind him. The high-priest spun to see a young giant standing several feet away. He had shoulders wider than an ox and his arms looked as though they could uproot trees.

"That pin is Wolf Clan," said the blonde giant.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" hissed the high-priest.

"I am Inarr," answered the tall youth. "I have come for Wolf Clan weirguild. You have the blood of my clan on your hands and you will pay me now for those who have died."

The priest whipped a sword from beneath his robe and stuck it against Inarr's chest. "You will be paid in your own blood, young fool," hissed the priest. He prepared to lunge, but something as hard as stone exploded against his head and all was darkness. The priest sank to the floor with a crushed skull.

Inarr rubbed his knuckles and stepped over the body on the floor. Old Silver the Hunter had given him the name Long Arm. It was well deserved, Inarr had an amazing reach. Inarr casually pulled out enough gold arm rings to pay for the death of his kinsmen, then took everything with the mark of the Wolf Clan on it as well. Tying a sack of treasure to his belt, he turned the lamp on its side. Soon the temple was in flames. As the townsmen rushed to save the temple, a shadow slipped over the wall and disappeared into the night.

There was a sudden commotion in the camp of Inarr's pursuers just at dawn. The alarm was sounded as the priest was found with his neck broken. Their plunder taken from the dead traders was in flames and the sign of the Hammer was cut into the ground.

Nearly a league to the north Inarr stopped on the top of a hill. Raising his face to the sky he called out, "I have taken that which is mine, and I have killed two foreign priests. Your people are as I found them, Mighty Redbeard." A rumble of distant thunder was his only answer. Inarr turned his steps northward again.

Skergard Home | Utgard Home | Current Issue Contents