abstract
| - Skatval the Brisk was a Haloga chieftain during the reign of Stavrakios of the Empire of Videssos. His tribe lived along the Lygra Fjord. When four priests of Phos, led by Tzoumas, arrived on a mission from the Empire of Videssos, Skatval almost immediately recognized that Kveldulf, an Haloga who was captured as a slave twenty years earlier and was now returned as a priest of Phos, was the most dangerous of the lot. As Kveldulf preached to the Halogai, he earned Skatval's grudging respect, although not enough that Skatval was willing to accept the scripture of Phos. In truth, the religion itself meant little to Skatval. What worried Skatval was the possiblity that if his people accepted the Videssian relgion, then they would be inviting Videssian political domination. That Skatval's daughter, Skjaldvor, was enamored by the Haloga priest only made matters worse. When Kveldulf began gaining adherents, Skatval called on Grimke Grankel's son to use the power of the Halogai gods to destroy the Videssian priests. The three Videssians were killed, but Kveldulf survived the attack. Skatval, realizing that Kveldulf's genuine faith spared him, gave Kveldulf the chance to flee Halogaland. Kveldulf refused, and bravely accepted execution. Skatval carried it out himself, ramming Kveldulf through with a spear with all his strength so as to limit Kveldulf's suffering. Afterward, Skatval honored Kveldulf's last request to have his severed and preserved head sent back to Videssos. Skatval's father was Raud. His wife was Ulvhild.
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