While this isn't Shadowrun ... I'm rather proud of it, so I'm posting it here.
Background on the event - Hela, the Norse Goddess of Death, has come to Los Angeles in order to clean up a 'distraction' put down by her father (Loki). The aforementioned distraction is basically giving superhero-level powers to a dozen or two individuals in the LA Basin. However, Odin has already sent a young Æsir Valkyrie-wannabe down (this is Shield Maiden) to 'patrol the area'. Hela arrived with a horse-sized wolf, dealt with a summoned but incapacitated ice giant (by sending him back), and was greeted by one of the area heroes which had put down the giant and had subsequently dealt with another threat. The other heroes (or rather, three heroines, including Shield Maiden) came down, were introduced, and then basically ignored both introduction and Hela; she comments about being ignored in Asgardian, which is close enough to Norwegian that you can get the gist of what they're saying.
Enter the first post, and the Edda-style insult-laden poetry-combat (called
flyting) which follows:
For the entire thing:
Entire Post-CombatFor those who don't want to read the whole thing, some quick background: Loki has spilled power onto Midgard, specifically into the LA area, empowering several people to superheroic levels. Shield Maiden is a young Æsir who seeks to become a Valkyrie, and has come to 'help out' the situation, while Hela has been assigned the task of cleaning up after her father. Hela has just arrived, and the first hero to greet her has introduced to her the three other heroes (heroines, actually, including Shield Maiden) who have just worked with him.
All three of the others have basically ignored Hela (i.e. no posts after three or four days), and so Hela comments (somewhat waspishly) on being ignored.
Shield Maiden is played by someone with ... less grace and style than he ought to have; Hela is played by me.
"Ignore you never, wanting top deal with you as little as possible always
What brings the queen of Hel to Midguard ,other than to gain the souls of those that have proven themselves worthy of only Hel ,poisoned by the magics of her father
I truly see the AllFather's wisdom in not just slaying those of Midgard poisoned by Loki
Normally you would have no claim to those souls as they belong to other faith's or have no faith at all
But those who are affected and prove damned to Hel would be yours for the taking
Where those who prove them selves worthy of Valhalla would have their choice of an afterlife
Or are you here as a dutiful doittor to make resitution of your father's mischief
Heroes
Heed my words ,to slay those poisoned by Loki's magic would only swell the ranks of Hel
And 1 day they could be used against Midgard
But Loki sword cuts boith ways
It is now a start of a new golden age of heroes and Loki's mischief can be used against his plans
You have the boon of a choice for your after life for those worthy"
Shield Maiden gives a reverance and doffs her helm ,pointing the inside of it at Hela
she then replaces it and flys off to the power outage
Hela waits until the wannabe-Valkyrie finishes her words - and gives her impassioned pleas. Perhaps Shield Maiden flies off before Hela can answer; perhaps not. However, Hela does Answer, and such a one will carry to Shield Maiden's ears whithersoever she goes. She speaks in Asgardian (for those who have the language), but a gesture before she opens her lips leaves a trail of magic behind it - and all listening can understand the words she speaks, even if somewhat uncertainly at times. For those who natively speak the language (or a near cousin), however, her declamation is poetic - the ancient poetry-combat called flyting.
"The knowing you have Of Laufeyjarson
Would make Asgard laugh As at a child's play.
The deeds of the Sly One Have given great Thor
The gift of Mjolnir And Sif's golden hair.
Gullinbursti the boar Skíðblaðnir for Freyr,
Gungnir and Draupnir For One-Eye besides.
Asgard has its wall Due to Loki's sharp tricks
And Odin his horse As a by-blow because.
Here has the power Of the Well of Urðr
Spilled by his hand O'er vasty Bifrost
Yet by its own strength Are all these vast works seen
The mighty of Midgard Testing their thews.
Strong as an Æsir Become Vanir bold
Which with all his own blood Could the Trickster not do.
Foolish are ye And dangerous too
To Wanderer Odin attribute slaughter,
To put to the sword The children of Mannheim
For an act of another With malice athought.
Nor do I seek out Dead not my own.
Unto my abode Take I but my assigned
The faith of their hearts Matters not at their end.
Your eld sisters attend To battlefields still
Selecting the slain To bear to Valhöll.
The Einjerar meet In Odin's mead-hall
With fighting all day And feasting their fill.
The others retire To Freyja's glad field
To battle forever 'Till Heimdall's horn calls.
The dead who in peace And in disease die
Of old age and weakness Of hunger and thirst
Of withering strength And by foolishness caused
The murderer's knife Or the headsman's axe
Assigned unto me In my halls to reside
I am given their charge And I faileth it not.
The warrior laid low By a wound suppurating
The Great Hall of Gold He never will see
For his death be not great Fell not he in battle
But laying on rushes Breathed he his last.
I do not select As do the Valkyrja
But welcome all they Od sends to my Halls.
Need I naught more Of the warriors brave
For nine times of those Who in battle slain
Brought to Golden Valhöll Or in Fólkvangr fight
Walk within my realm As their death was not bold
And days after the battle On sick-beds they died.
The mother in anguish For birthing is lost
Bloody her death In my home resides;
And wisdom with age His limbs weak with ague
War arms he cannot Lift at his last;
The sailor ashore On barren ground beached
For hunger his belly Gnaws back to the bone
His captain the sea Taken down to its depths
All these that I feast At my table besides.
Lived they in honor A good life they led
Crafting the sword Or the spear for the hunt
But never to Valhöll The peaceable man
The farmer, the herder Who warriors feeds
To Helheim they come Send to me by law
Laid down by All-Father When cast out I was.
To me come the gods Each Vanir and Æsir
Should their life be ended Struck down by the Norns.
Should scorn at those around My table you cast
And call them deserving To be damned for all time
Take those words to Asgard Speak them in fair Gladsheim
Speak them in Valaskjálf Or near unto Urðarbrunnr
As over wide Bifrost Asgard to court rides.
Then flee from the flyting That to you is given
The fury of Odin And his flashing eye
The hammer of Thor Smiting fury at insult
Frigg casting thee out While Hermod speaks words
To all on the earth Who loved my Companion
Your boot would then trip thee Your spear strike your breast
That spake such of Baldr And called him accursed.
Need I then your dead? You dare call me thief?
Accuse me of filching? Call me to my task?
Suggest Borsson gave thought To slaughtering men?
I do have my duties In Helheim for Asgard
Of which, as thou art A child, you'd not know.
To Judges they summoned The Daughter of Loki
And gave long debate As to whose task it was.
The spill of the power From the Well of the Fates
Once more unto Midgard Turn eyes of the Æsir
When harrowing Loki Their duty is clear.
Spake then they unto me Did Æsir and Vanir
And said Lokisdottir Must to Midgard come.
"You know all the causes Of death in the Nine Worlds
You know of the scent Of the Urðarbrunnr.
You know of the task That in Mannheim must be done
Take then thy guards And so to this duty."
Should aught more you'd learn, then Seek me at your leisure
Once you turn into sheep The warriors of this place.
To battle and raid Is the way of the Æsir
To loot and to pillage To fight for the pleasure.
Return them to their homes That in bed they'll die
And add to my realm Which you seem to revile
Not fight for their place Or in great battle find
Their way to Valhöll And a place at the table.
Until then go thy way Think hard on thy choices
Obey thee the land's law Or that of Asgard?
Add to Einherjar ranks The great and strong warrior?
Or to those at my table Of those dying in bed?"
Her end of the flyting accomplished, she looks again at the others gathered. "Vigdis is young; she knows the stories, but has not lived them, nor made even her first dozen. Interesting to listen to, but she has not the facts. Go whither thou wilt."
