What Nords (True Nords!) see when they look upon Shor

Listen well, laddies and lassies, and I'll tell ye a tale of old papa Shor of the Scaled-mane. It all started back in Atmora when we Nords were taller and we could still call the Giants our kin. At this time, the whole of the Elder Wood was plunged into a desperate war between the Old Elfnofey and we the Sons of Kyne. During the war's most savage period, our people were being slaughtered in battle by fell curses as we could not yet roar against our enemies.

When all hope seemed lost and the damned Elfnofey were at their cruellest, one of our number, a girl called Ilissja, called out to Mother Kyne for help. Help us, Kyne Stormborn, help mama and papa and all them who the scary Devils hurt.

Kyne in her great mercy, for she is the most benevolent of all the gods, responded with a roar as loud as thunder, peals of lightning arcing from her scaled beak as she answered with a shout that shook the great forests of the South and sent the Devils into a panic.

The Great Mother roared, Let me show you the power of Kyne Storm Matron, born of the Tempest, where my breath is a strong gale, my tears are the nourishing rain, and my wings bring a hurricane to those who are versed in unrighteousness. I roar now in love and reshape these children of mine, I do this for you, Sons and Daughters of Snow, for I love you.

This shout resonated in the bones of our people until it forced its way out of our throats as glacial wind, and with it, we sung our praises to Kyne and blessed Shor. In that moment of pure joy, we brought Shor into our world, but he was not as we remembered him. Kyne had brought us a roar when she was swaddled in time-totem flesh, and other totems heard the call and joined us in fighting back against the dagger-eared Elves. This is why we worshipped the scaled ones for a time because at that time they still honoured Kyne and our ways. Thus, when Shor appeared, he did not come as familiar fox but clothed in scale and with wings larger than longships. The Fox-Dragon (Dragon-Fox?) roared as his wife had done and he brought great ruin to the Elfnofey, flying over their fortresses, shouting them to pieces, and meeting their armies with the cold flame of winter.

All who beheld Shor could see the Dragon-Fox had a red, roaring hole in his breast. As the Elfnofey looked upon it they went mad at its red rage which coiled in their minds like serpents, and even the stars themselves fell to the ground, crushing the Elfnofey hosts. Some old timers even swore they saw a great serpent slither down from the heavens, and, with its body of void, swallow entire cities until the songs of our people and the touch of Kyne sent it home. Not yet finished in his judgement, Shor swallowed the rest of the Elfnofey and spat their bones into a great mound of snow, but Kyne, merciful towards even Dagger-eared Devils, crooned to the snow and the bones the think-power-word, FAL, as she bound the bones to the snow they became living beings.

In this great act of mercy did Kyne show her greatness, but the beings of FAL were still mad from Shor's heart-rage and turned against Mother Kyne. The Fals' leader Ooriiel turned his bow against the sky and shot out the eye of the serpent, which made Shor's Eye fall out too. They took this eye, which they call Magnus, after the traitorous Magnar the Scout, and marched across frozen sea away from Atmora. As they fled to the sea, it froze into a solid road and they ran across it, taking Shor's great Eye with them.

To this day, some of us still loyal to the memory of Atmora, search for Shor's Eye. We thought we had found it once more when we settled Saarthal, but this eye did not have Shor's will. This eye was something else. We knew when we saw it that it had the marks of devilry about it. Alas, it is late and the Tale of Saarthal and the Night of Tears is a story for another time, dear children.