Red Gums Raw - The Story of Oisoth the Eldritch Goblin

 Long ago when the world was younger and the dwarves new come to the world Aihrde, many of the dwarves set out on their own, leaving the lands and Kingdoms of their kin behind. These dwarves, the 14th Realm as they were called, dwelt in the wilds singly, in pairs, or once in a great while in groups. When the war between the god Ornduhl and the dwarves began, it is these dwarves that he visited with his wrath. As is known, his brother Narrheit convinced him that the dwarves bore some power that no member of the Val Eahrakun could overcome. It was a lie of course, but it put the fear in the Ornduhl, who would not make open war upon the dwarves. His assaults became more subtle.

He took to the wilds and found the dwarves that dwelt there, far from kith and kin, and he came to them  as a wind and spoke to them. He played upon their desires, their jealousies, their secret thoughts – for few minds of mortal were hidden to the Val Eahrakun – and he twisted them. Those who fell to his guile, and there were many, were cursed. They turned to evil ways, and when they did so Ornduhl was there and touched them with his breath and gave them power they could only dream of, power and immortality. But it came with a price, for these dwarves fell afoul of their kin and their breath of life corrupted their flesh and poisoned their minds to perform deeds unheard of. This was in the second Rin of the world and these were the eldritch goblins to whom Oisoth belonged.

In those long ago days, many dwarves wandered wild and free. Gladunful was one such. He wandered over many a mountain, crossed many streams. He mined precious ores, he mapped the land, he studied the weather. He did all those things that wanderers do. In time he became known among the scattered communities that peopled the wilderness. He was tall for his people and fair to look upon, with a mighty beard and beautiful teeth. These he was particularly proud of and would proclaim for all to hear his joy in rending meat with his teeth. “I grind bone with my ivory! Grind it so’s the marrow becomes a meal.” 

Few cared about his pride and fewer still his teeth. What they cared most about was his dealings, for he delt ill with most people. He shorted them or took advantage of their needs. He mocked them as well and held himself in high regard. 

As his wealth grew, so too grew his suspicion, and he convinced himself that others sought to wrest his jewelry from him and find his hidden treasures. He had it in his mind that he must gain some advantage, and thinking thusly he took himself to a rune mark that lived near by. He paid her well to inscribe runes upon his teeth, and each of these granted him some power over his fellows. One tooth marked him with clever speech. Another made him see more fair. So they were all marked.

When the runes were cast, the rune mark turned from her board and said to him: “Now only you and I know the secret you bear!” She laughed in good humor, for all knew that rune marks “kept the silence” as it was said in those days.

But Gladunful did not laugh, and he thought to himself that she could sell him out, so he strangled her in her parlor. Temporarily drained of her magics she could not fight him as she normally would, but still she struggled, until he bit her in the throat and violently killed her as an animal would.

He fled her house and spoke of it to no one, and he went back to his business. None knew the tragedy of her murder, not at first, but soon it was discovered for the dwarves were crafty and Gladunful not nearly as clever as he thought. They hunted him then and drove him into the wilds. One in particular spent many years pursuing him, the rune mark’s brother. He followed Gladunful until he himself perished in sorrow and tragedy.

Gladunful cursed his people and fled further to the east, but the word of his deeds were always there before him and he found no refuge.

It was thus that Ornduhl found him, alone by a fire. He came to him on a red wind and joined him by the fire.

“How now spirit? Leave me in peace. Be gone or I’ll curse you.”

“No need to curse the bearer of gifts. I am Ornduhl, and you have heard of me.”

“I have. And you are plague.”

“Then I have joined the right company. For you are shunned by your people like I am shunned by mine.”

“They are fools and will suffer a fool’s fate.”

“So it may be. But you are alone and without recourse, but for your teeth and the gift of that Rune Mark. But you are a murderer, a liar, an outcast.”

“I am all of those things.” Gladunful lowered his head. “Why do you plague me with what I already know. Isn’t your company plague enough.”

Ornduhl stood, for the dwarf was insufferable. “I am the Red God. I carry the Ember Sword. I alone know the mind of the All Father. I alone know the truth of the Andanuth. And I will grant you what you do not ask for. Take it as a benefice. Take it as a punishment. I do not care. But take it you shall.”

He breathed the breath of life upon Gladunful, so that it flowed through his every vein, every muscle, his very bones. The dwarf suffered pain like no other and he rose, screaming and fled into the night. The pain lay in his precious teeth, a throbbing, numbing pain. In the end he could not bear it, and taking up some pliers he pulled his teeth from his mouth, and though this brought him some relief it did not allay his madness. For always and ever after did he hear the sound of this teeth being pulled, the metal on his teeth, the grinding breakage of root and bone. Thus, he took a new name Oisoth, that is, one who hears sounds in his mind only.

Oisoth carried his teeth ever with him, tucked away in a small pouch, so that he could use them at will and when he needed.

Thus he became a curse to all the dwarves, hounding them for many centuries until at last, many years later, the dwarves of Magdul Hohle captured him, stripped him of his bag of teeth, and cast him in a dungeon made for him and him alone. There he remained until the seal on his tomb broke and he escaped.

The teeth of Oisoth were taken by order of the King to Magdul Hohle. There they remained until the Goblin Dwarf Wars, when the upper halls were during the Second Goblin-Dwarf Wars. The teeth were taken by a lord of men and borne into the wide world. They would surface from time to time. Magical teeth with wonderous powers. The Lord of Aufstrag found them and gave them over to Unklar during the Winter Dark. But when that god fell and his treasuries were sacked, the teeth were borne back into the world. They have since passed from memory.

For more on and to plunge into the adventures of Oisoth see Winter's Bite.