The Story of Svaegard’s Skirl:

Before the age of the winds a small mountain tribe known as the Dragon Callers lived high in the Mountains of Uhl.  Members of their community, born pure of blood, were gifted with the ability to produce a distinctive skirl that could call a dragon to their aid in times of need.  There was old magic at work in the shrill sounds they produced, as the results could never be replicated by any outside their bloodline.  As the ages passed and the population of Illantil grew, members of the Dragon Callers married outside their direct bloodline and inevitably fewer and fewer Dragon Callers were born.  By the end of the age of the winds it was said that only one member of the mountain tribe, Svaegard, still possessed the ability to skirl a dragon to his aid.  Without the existence of another pureblood Dragon caller and facing the loss of his people’s great gift, Svaegard, sought out the assistance of the reclusive blood mages from across the shifting sea in a desperate attempt to preserve his people’s magical legacy.  Svaegard had the sorcerers craft a magic axe and let them imbue the blade with his blood and his life force in hope of capturing his ability to skirl dragons to his side.  But those who resort to blood magic always pay a price.  Svaegard was left a shadow of his former self, drained of his life force and will to live, he died within a year of the forging of the axe.    Yet Svaegard’s Skirl, as the axe became known, lived on.  When the axe is wielded in battle the blade emits the very skirl that the original Dragon Callers would produce and more often than naught the shrill wailing sound draws a dragon to the owner’s aid.  

Actual Design and Construction:

The axe head is formed from a reclaimed single bit high carbon steel head that I ground back to clean steel and cut into its current shape. Each side of the blade is hand etched depicting a different dragon coming to the aid of the owner.  The belly plate is formed from mild steel and is etched with the image of a third dragon.  The handle is carved from blackened hickory and has an octagonal profile.  The head was hung with a walnut wedge.  Finally, I wrapped the bottom six inches of the hand in natural deer hide lacing for esthetics and a comfortable feel.

Specifications:

Axe Head Length: 6  inches

Axe Head Width at widest point: 3.875 inches       

Overall Axe length:  20 inches                                 

Handle Length:  17 inches

Overall Axe Weight: 2 lbs 5.6 oz

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