Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

280 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
With this the children also settled into sitting positions in front of the old Redguard ranger.
Groevinger began, "Many year's ago there was a huge battle fought in this very field ..."
"Oh, yes, I know," said Silvanda, interrupting the old man. "It was ended by the Warrior God
Reymon Ebonarm, and the magic rose bush grows where he stood that day..." she continued
breathlessly. The old man sternly cleared his throat causing the little girl to again shrink
behind her brother.
"Now, if I may continue without interruption... On the day that battle ended, a young
Redguard soldier stopped in this spot as he was leaving to go to his home. He carried the
equipment he had used on the field which included a marvelously fashioned war hammer that
had been given to him by his father. The weapon was beautifully made and unknown to the
young warrior carried an enchantment that had protected him through the vicious battle just
ended. The young man, Oelander by name, rested by this very tree. Suddenly he was
confronted by a wizard dressed all in black from head to toe. Without so much as a how-doyou-do,
the wizard demanded that Oelander give him his hammer. Still flushed from the
battle, the young man just looked at the dark man and laughed. The wizard shaking with rage
raised his hands to cast a horrible spell against the soldier. However, the young man was
quicker. The huge war hammer whistled through the air smiting the wizard a mortal blow just
as the spell left his fingers. There was a loud explosion."
The children stared at the old man. He surpressed a grin and continued. "Clouds of dusk and
smoke covered the forest clearing, and when the air settled, yon hole was there with the
hammer's handle protruding from it. Oelander and the wizard had vanished! The thorny vines
you see grew up immediately around the hole, and to this day no one has been able to
approach it close enough to remove that marvelous weapon. Many have tried and all have
failed. It is said that only someone of tremendous merit can take it." All of a sudden, both
children in unison stood and shouted, "Oh, look how the day has gone. We must go. If we are
late getting home, our father will be most unhappy with us." As they turned to leave,
Froedwig said to the old man, "Thank you, Master Groevinger, for telling us of Oelander's
Hammer. You know, I may just come back one day and try to retrieve it!" As they
disappeared from his view, the old man said to himself, "Ah, yes, Master Froedrig aj-Murr,
you just might do that."