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    Bairn

    Character » Bairn appears in 13 issues.

    A warrior prince who has been cursed to hunt down and slay the old gods, one by one.

    Short summary describing this character.

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    Origin

    Bairn's origin as the Godslayer is shrouded in mystery. He is known to be a warrior prince who hails from Endra-la, the kingdom isle. During one of his many conquests, a naval battle ensues, at which point the warrior is mortally wounded and is subsequently thrown overboard. As his body slowy sinks to the murky depths, dying, he can think of only one thing, to be reunited with his great love, Neva. It is in his final dying moments that his cries for salvation are answered by a faceless, voiceless entity, projecting thoughts, images and alien dreams into his mind.

    "Save me. Let me return to my love. I will promise you anything."

    He knew what this dark master asked of him, and accepted, with the condition that he would one day be brought back to her. And thus the Godslayer was born, destined to traverse the earth undead and hunt godlings. Unsatiable, unyeilding and ultimately unstoppable.

    Story Arcs

    Word of a mysterious marauder bound by no flag, first reaches six of the thirteen Arcadean gods, the remaining members of this pantheon are elsewhere. A message from Tybalt, their messenger, that Llyra of the four hundred graces has been slain, insights little intrigue among the few.

    Next we see Neva recounting her death at the hands of her beloved Bairn, after she had become a vessel for the goddess Llyra, believing him dead. She stands and cries for attention, aloft his ship of black sails, but to no avail. He stands, solemn, motionless and makes no such gesture towards her as they near his darkened stronghold. He carries the burning spear of Llyra while she is quick to follow. The relic is dispatched within a wall of webbing and hands, holding many other ancient artifacts. Suddenly Bairn momentarily lapses from his unrelenting apathy, only to bellow his loss of Neva, his beloved, who died by his hand.

    Neva is revealed to be but an apparition/phantom, a figment of his imagination, as he requires the nepenthe wine to remedy these haunting visions of that which he has lost, but they do no such thing. Instead she becomes visible as he attempts to quell his depression. As she becomes more tangible she still pines for his gaze, and by knocking the chalice of nepenthe from his hands, she is granted her wish, but also fractures the face of a mirror, from which a horde of headless creatures swarm forth.

    Outnumbered the outcome seems obvious, until the remnants of the light of Llyra flow through Neva and aid Bairn in destroying this army. During the brief reprieve they have, Bairn explains to Neva that he was returned to her by his dark master, true to his word, while she was possessed by the goddess Llyra, only to destroy her and continue on with his quest, or as he calls it "an endless, waking nightmare." She reveals to him it has been at least 40 years since his demise and rebirth.

    He is still confused as to whether or not this spirit of Neva is real, and is subsequently summoned by his master, having to endure unspeakable pain and suffering as his mind is purged of memory and remade, continuously. Now filled only with dark thoughts and dark information, the orders had been given. He emerges from a secret chamber with but one thought, to battle. Head raised, he envisages his quarry, the next god he must kill, Urshrek, the winter king.

    He travels a great many miles and comes across a stranger, Dromo, who wishes to accompany him to a great tower which stems from Mount Nilfrost. It is the home of the winter king. His intention swift, the sword of Godslayer brings Urshrek to the brink of life, but it is not enough. The lord of frost and withering renews himself by feeding upon the unfortunate souls by whom he is revered. The size of the beast increases, as the cold god becomes more a giant in comparison. All hope of defeating this cannibalistic fiend soon diminishes as the ever enduring warrior is easily swept aside. However, his purpose still remains, and although the cold has set his bones and battle aches his weary soul, the deed must be done. Bloodlust still overpowers any other sensation. With a sensational roar Urshrek summons glacier-like blades which draw forth from the snow, creating a forest of ice stalagmites, making further difficulty for the Godslayer. His mind still seared with dark thoughts and motivations, 'til the end shall he battle, 'til one stands and the other does not, 'til death. He deciphers that for all the strength of this monolithic god, it is but an animal who feeds and fights when the time does call for it, a characteristic they both have in common.

    Valiant efforts put forth from Bairn, but once again he is cast down by a mighty blow from the ever angered god. As Urshrek stands over the fallen warrior, beneath it's cloak shadows do stir and contort, pulling him within and with that he seemingly vanishes from this plane. Dromo, meanwhile, walks a city in the shadow of Mount Nilfrost, through scores of recently deceased, whom have been devoured by their wrathful god, to sustain his might. Urshrek's appetite now sated, the beast slumbers, and it is revealed that within the dark amuelt around its neck, Bairn is sealed. But from this perspective it does not appear a prison, but a paradise, where the waters are clear and the skies are endless. Upon awakening he drinks from the stream and is greeted by jorren, a humanoid creatures of sorts, and welcomed to the blissful life which now beholds him. The Godslayer is unsettled by the peacefulness of it all, and at first cannot believe what is happening after such tribulations, has he finally found peace? Time begins to blur as do the days, still Bairn is discomforted by constant nightmares and horrid dreams.

    At this point Dromo, sifting through snow t'ward Mount Nilfrost, refers to Bairn as Elyar, and retrieves his dark sword, which had been flung during the skirmish, from a nearby tree, assuming his friend will require it.

    Still not at ease in paradise, Bairn is now hounded by the thought of what unfinished business revived him, and the deadly bargain that therein lies. He dreamed another horrible dream, this time, one far more close to home, about his beloved Neva, her ghostly presence damns him for once again abandoning her as he promised he never would. This stirs the Godslayer from apathy and to question what happenings have brought him to this 'heaven' is he once again dead? While staring at his reflection in the lake and seeing his darkest form peer back at him he is reminded of a tree he layed eyes upon when first entering this place. One half was rife with life and the other dead and twisted, two sides to one coin as it were, or more importantly, two faces to one entity. Two faces of one god. Bairn, now fully ensconced in his armour, walks up to Jorren, blissfully unaware of what is about to transipre. He molds his hand and gauntlet to become a weapon, and drives it through the unsuspecting Jorren. As this occurs his headdress falls and an identical amulet to that worn round the neck of Urshrek is clearly visible.

    In the real world Urshrek's amulet now shatters and causes considerable agony to the 'twin god,' one half of him now broken, he is vulnerable. The beast flails in both temper and pain, until setting sights on that which causes its grief, it will take the Godslayer as well. Luckily, Dromo happens upon the chaos and gives Bairn his sword, just in time for winter king to be driven through and his body relinquishes the energy comparable to "a thousand thunder storms," and the cannibal god's prisoners. True to form the Godslayer has done his duty. The tower begins to collpase and the duo make their leave, only to land on an iceberg, drifting down a cold river and into the mist.

    The horizon beckons, until a dark familiar shadow of a ship comes into view, and upon it, stands Neva, who appears revived, and to have made a similar convenant as she wears an armour that resembles his. She tells Bairn it is time for them to journey back to their home land of Endra-La, where they must collect her bones.

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