Berserker

Long time ago, god Odin hanged himself from Yggdrasil to learn the secrets of Runes. These secrets belonged to the Norns who were known as Shapers of Destiny, goddesses who ruled the fates of people, determined the destinies and lifespans of individuals. One of the Norns, Skuld which knew What shall be, warned Odin that some secrets are better left hidden. However, Odin’s thirst for knowledge pushed him of the Yggdrasil’s bough and the merciless noose tightened around god’s neck.

Via his sacrifice, Odin attained the knowledge of runes, but as the Skuld warned, magic of the runes wasn’t as benevolent as Odin expected. It was easy to pass down the minor runes, humanity could use them to write and read and Odin was praised for his benevolence. However, greater runes which were also summoned through the Odin’s sacrifice couldn’t be shared, they could be given only to the individuals and they would have to be inherited, from palm to palm. Those who were chosen to carry these runes hardly praised Odin, they mostly kept the curses for the old god.

For all the welfare which minor runes brought to the folk, greater runes would act as their balance. There were five greater runes: Rage, Madness, Bloodlust, Fanaticism and Melancholy. For every piece of mind given by minor runes, Rage would seek to destroy and stir it. Wherever the minor runes made path for the reason, Madness would stride in and break it. For each enlightened soul, Bloodlust would try to drive it back into the darkness. If there were any sprouts of order and structure, Fanaticism would seek to corrupt it. Lastly, for any light of love and happiness, Melancholy would try to quench it.

Driven by the guilt for his ambitions, Odin swore to help the humanity deal with the curses of his gifts. His irreparable faith in humanity led him to chose five bravest warriors and ask them to wield the curse of the Greater runes in his own name. They were supposed to fight the curse and keep it subdued until the Odin finds the solution. It was supposed to be temporary, the salvation had to be behind the corner. Few generations later, Odin still didn’t find the answer.

Humans were never supposed to carry godly weight on their shoulders. The rune bearers fell under the influence of the Greater runes one by one and started to carry their will in the world. Some inheritors still tried to fight them, others would gladly accept them. Most of them forgot about Odin and their origin, but Odin never forgot about them.

Our hero carries the Rage rune. His path is dark as his dreams, filled with painful memories of the destruction he wrought upon the world. Even during the daytime, his wife’s face is his constant reminder what would happen if he ever let loose again the power of the rune for she carries the knife scar made by his own arm. His daugters’s voice keeps him focused, but it also pains him because he knows that someday, somebody should inherit the Rage rune, and his daugter is the only logical answer.