Many of you have heard the tale of the Nord hero they call The Wolf-Heart, of how he liberated Skyrim from the Empire, how he became Harbinger of the Companions and of how he roamed Skyrim slaying dragons in the name of Hircine. What you may not know is how his story began. I have spent my life dedicated to collecting all the facts and hearing all the stories and have compiled them here. This is how clan Wolf-Heart came to be.
In the year 4E 155 a child was born to a family in the Skaal Village on Solstheim. Under any other circumstance this would be considered a meaningless event in the shaping of Tamriel but this child was born under the Bloodmoon and as such was a servant of Hircine from birth. The Skaal, being aware of their history with Hircine from back in the Third Era's waning years and the Neraverines victory over him, cast the family out to live in the harshness of northern Solstheim.
The child's family was fortunate though that they had grown up with the Skaal gaining necessary knowledge to live off the land. His father was an excellent hunter and warrior while his mother was being trained in the ways of the shaman. They named the boy Einar, meaning bold warrior or battle leader and mostly pertained to the warriors in Sovngarde. The year of his fifth winter, Einars father had him training to hunt, fight and even smith whilst his mother taught him healing magics and manipulation of ice and by his tenth, he had become accomplished in all his teachings. The stories say that Einars father once saw him chase down an elk on all fours before pouncing on its back with his axe stating that he "hunted like the wolves of Hircine himself." That's merely a rumor of course but if it has any validity what an understatement it would've been.
Most of Einars childhood is full of speculation and rumor all the way up until his fiftenth winter. Between his tenth and fifteenth, his family moved to Skyrim and wandered the northeastern tundras near Windhelm for quite a while adopting a nomadic lifestyle for at least a year before finally settling down by the Sea of Ghosts near Winterhold. It was at this time that scholars and bards start their tales for it is this time that Einar remembered and nothing before.
During the celebration of his birth, Einar could feel the pull of some extraplanar force beckoning him to come hunt. That night whilst he slept, the Lord of the Hunt came to him and swept him away to his Hunting Grounds to test his mettle. There with him were four other children, a Khajiit male who looked scared out of his mind, some kind of elf, Einar didn't know what kind, and two other Nords, a boy and girl. Einar recalled later while talking to a bard that at this moment a wolf howled and the Huntmaster appeared before them brandishing his spear.
Approximations of what the Deadric Prince said are, "Greetings pups, it is time for you to prove your worth to me. Four have the claim at Alpha yet only one shall have it. Go now to my Hunting Grounds and partake in the chase. The target prey awaits you there."
Works by Imperial Scholars say that this is when Einar became wolf but true Nords believe that he always was. The children transformed and proceeded to the labrynth of stone walls adorned with the Princes kills over the centuries and were met by other wolves who were much older and more wise. Nobody knows exactly what happened leading up to the death of the former Alpha for Einar never said but the final bout was his first true taste of glory and, as with any Nord, he would never forget it.
Einar slowly walked up the steps to the dais where an old, grey maned wolf stood. Many scars adorned this wolfs skin and he was missing part of an ear. His breath stank of the countless lifes he had taken, of the feasts of flesh he had partaken. Eyes glowing yellow in the darkness of the room, he advanced toward Einar. Now Einar being a naive and young warrior rushed to meet the Alpha in head on combat but was quickly swiped aside by the old wolfs arm.
Einar came to his senses and remembered something his father had told him, that when faced with an unstoppable offense look for weaknesses. Einar began to tear and claw away at the already mangled flesh of the old wolf, dodging his blows and responding with two or three of his own, each well placed at tender spots on the beast. Finally the Wolf took over and Einar pounced on the Alphas back clawing and biting at his neck.
The Alpha grabbed hold of Einar by the head and threw him across the platform, ripping his face as he let go. Einar regained his senses but now had to fight with one eye for the damage from the old wolf had killed it. With furious vigor and want for vengeance for his marring, Einar howled and when he did, two spectral wolves appeared beside him. The old Alpha, realizing his time had come, allowed himself to be ripped apart and devoured by his predecessor.
Hircine again appeared before him and blessed him with the his ring and tore the flesh from the old wolf and gave it to Einar for armor. Before sending him back Hircine warned that everything he did from now on would be for his glory not Einars and to expect reprucussions should he forget.
Einar awoke outside his familys home naked in the snow. He stood up, regained his composure and walked inside to what would be his drive to battle. His parents both lay on the floor, torn to shreds and chewed on. Einar thought that wolves had gotten to them but he knew the real truth, Hircine had transformed him in this plane too and he himself murdered his parents in a blood rage. Einar stepped outisde after collecting what he would need to endure on his own. He looked up at the sky, hoping to see the twin moons of Nirn but all he saw was a large red moon. Thus begins Einar's road to glory, the child born under blood.
