Greater Burzum
14-03-2004, 01:05
Count Grishnackh stared down from the lofty heights of the balcony of the Royal Palace, his cold blue eyes fixed on the city of Ulsteinvik, the capitol of Greater Burzum, not breaking their gaze from the busy streets and bustling populace. He was always known for his handsome features, in fact, most men in Greater Burzum were handsome because of their steady diet of goat’s milk and their hard-working lifestyles, but Grishnackh had something about him that set him apart from all the others. He was exceptionally tall well over 2 metres and very physically fit; being taught the arts of swordplay and martial arts from his early childhood had sculpted his physique to rival that of a Greek God. All of this would also possibly explain why he had so many young women visit his chambers every nite…He slowly stroked his beard as the cruel winter wind tossed his long, raven-black hair in a tumultuous dance through the air. As he watched a voice came from behind him.
Man: They are yours, are they not? Your sheep, your pseudo-autonomous gross domestic product?
Grishnackh turned his head, slowly and unmoved, only looking out of the corner of his eye to his brother Bulwyf who had come into his chamber to deliver the Grand Senate’s proposal to begin the Orbital Defence & Intelligence Network or ODIN, a network of government and military space satellites outfitted with tactical weapons and high resolution cameras proposed to heighten national security.
Grishnackh: You forget, little brother, that I do not run the affairs of Greater Burzum like our father. These are not my slaves, merely my drones. They work for their well-being, as well as my own. Look at them…tall, fit, happy, these people want for nothing under my rule. What is it you want? Are you here to beg for Persephone to follow you back into the dark abyss from where you came?
These brothers had a rivalry dating back to when they came out of their mother’s womb. They were born twins, but not identical. Grishnackh had been born first and Bulwyf directly after, Bulwyf came out of his mother holding on to Grishnackh’s ankle. This was a powerful image to their mother who favoured neither child more than the other and so began the legend of the twin heirs to the throne of Greater Burzum. Grishnackh loved to use allegory to confuse his brother who was not as quick witted as he was and this time was no different. Their passive-aggressive dance would begin once again as it had always began.
Bulwyf: Not at all, I am here to drop off the plans for ODIN.
Grishnackh: Oh yes, ODIN, our eye in the sky. Another project that has the propensity for proving itself worthless to the tune of how many billion Krone?
Bulwyf: 60 so far. But we have a thriving econom…
Grishnackh: All the more reason to spend frivolously eh brother? No matter, I knew I would be hounded ‘til Ragnarok by the Senate had I not passed this thing. Let us just hope that our money has been well spent.
Bulwyf: Bror (1), you seem edgy, more so than normal today. Is it Alpineholm that you think of?
Grishnackh thought to himself. Alpineholm, a region that had at one time been an ally to Greater Burzum, had fallen only the nite before. Grishnackh had learned that his one time colleague and friend who was the UN Delegate for this region had been a wolf in sheep’s clothing the whole time and had died a coward’s death. Yes, Grishnackh had thought of this, he had also seen how those who had betrayed the throne so quickly tore at each other for the scraps that remained of the once proud Empire. Ravenous, treacherous, villainous…but Alpineholm had gotten what it had deserved.
Grishnackh: I am only troubled by the thought of how easily I was deceived, dear brother, and how things could have been far worse had we chosen to be crusaders for a cause that we were told was just…………. Sånn er livet (2), let the dead bury their dead. We have much to do in Salem’s Keep…We are dwarves among giants right now. We must expand our borders.
Bulwyf: What do you propose? Military campaign’s into our neighbours?
Grishnackh: Of course not, Tyr (3) need not be involved in this sort of business. You are too quick to call upon him little brother. No, for this we will need to acquire land in a more diplomatic sense…forge alliances with those regions that share our borders. For now, I must retire, I have a busy nite…
As Grishnackh said this a line of young women had entered the chamber silently and were standing in a row behind Bulwyf. As Bulwyf turned he noticed quickly and removed himself from the chamber. Grishnackh stood solemnly still…staring out into the cold, blackened skies.
(1)“Bror”: “Brother”
(2)“Sånn er livet”: “That’s Life”
(3)"Tyr": The Burzic “God of War”
Man: They are yours, are they not? Your sheep, your pseudo-autonomous gross domestic product?
Grishnackh turned his head, slowly and unmoved, only looking out of the corner of his eye to his brother Bulwyf who had come into his chamber to deliver the Grand Senate’s proposal to begin the Orbital Defence & Intelligence Network or ODIN, a network of government and military space satellites outfitted with tactical weapons and high resolution cameras proposed to heighten national security.
Grishnackh: You forget, little brother, that I do not run the affairs of Greater Burzum like our father. These are not my slaves, merely my drones. They work for their well-being, as well as my own. Look at them…tall, fit, happy, these people want for nothing under my rule. What is it you want? Are you here to beg for Persephone to follow you back into the dark abyss from where you came?
These brothers had a rivalry dating back to when they came out of their mother’s womb. They were born twins, but not identical. Grishnackh had been born first and Bulwyf directly after, Bulwyf came out of his mother holding on to Grishnackh’s ankle. This was a powerful image to their mother who favoured neither child more than the other and so began the legend of the twin heirs to the throne of Greater Burzum. Grishnackh loved to use allegory to confuse his brother who was not as quick witted as he was and this time was no different. Their passive-aggressive dance would begin once again as it had always began.
Bulwyf: Not at all, I am here to drop off the plans for ODIN.
Grishnackh: Oh yes, ODIN, our eye in the sky. Another project that has the propensity for proving itself worthless to the tune of how many billion Krone?
Bulwyf: 60 so far. But we have a thriving econom…
Grishnackh: All the more reason to spend frivolously eh brother? No matter, I knew I would be hounded ‘til Ragnarok by the Senate had I not passed this thing. Let us just hope that our money has been well spent.
Bulwyf: Bror (1), you seem edgy, more so than normal today. Is it Alpineholm that you think of?
Grishnackh thought to himself. Alpineholm, a region that had at one time been an ally to Greater Burzum, had fallen only the nite before. Grishnackh had learned that his one time colleague and friend who was the UN Delegate for this region had been a wolf in sheep’s clothing the whole time and had died a coward’s death. Yes, Grishnackh had thought of this, he had also seen how those who had betrayed the throne so quickly tore at each other for the scraps that remained of the once proud Empire. Ravenous, treacherous, villainous…but Alpineholm had gotten what it had deserved.
Grishnackh: I am only troubled by the thought of how easily I was deceived, dear brother, and how things could have been far worse had we chosen to be crusaders for a cause that we were told was just…………. Sånn er livet (2), let the dead bury their dead. We have much to do in Salem’s Keep…We are dwarves among giants right now. We must expand our borders.
Bulwyf: What do you propose? Military campaign’s into our neighbours?
Grishnackh: Of course not, Tyr (3) need not be involved in this sort of business. You are too quick to call upon him little brother. No, for this we will need to acquire land in a more diplomatic sense…forge alliances with those regions that share our borders. For now, I must retire, I have a busy nite…
As Grishnackh said this a line of young women had entered the chamber silently and were standing in a row behind Bulwyf. As Bulwyf turned he noticed quickly and removed himself from the chamber. Grishnackh stood solemnly still…staring out into the cold, blackened skies.
(1)“Bror”: “Brother”
(2)“Sånn er livet”: “That’s Life”
(3)"Tyr": The Burzic “God of War”