Gleipnir

By uniting and combining several fantastic elements- the sound of a cat's footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird, the dwarves forged Gleipnir in their enchanted foundry. It is an ancient rope that once bound the giant wolf, Fenrir. Since those eldest days of the Norse, the cord has found itself used by heroes.

However, eventually a Norse exile, considered a murderer, obtained the rope. His son, Eric the Red, gained control Gleipnir after his father’s end, and he gave his son, Leif Eriksson the artifact when he son claimed to want to explore west. So, Eriksson set out west, and eventually landed along the northeast coasts of North America. There, they encountered a new world of forests and an abundance of game and fruit. They struck a deal with the dryad of the woods, and for the price of Gleipnir, she allowed them to take their fill of grapes and wood back to their home.

Her own sapling, Draeope, would inherit Gleipnir next, and she frolicked along the northern forests eventually settling in what would become Oregon. Throughout a thousand years she would see troubles come and go, but the forest remained against all. However, the powerful witch, Baba Yaga, recently arrived at the forest. She set about converting the local druids into her own coven, and went to war with the dryad and the native creatures of the woods. The Night Stalkers, Sani Lightfoot and Katerina Mordova, came to the forest’s aid, and while strong enough to push the witches back, they knew they could not hold out forever.

Absinthe Van Gothen followed the pair, and entered Forest Park. The goddess Hecate spoke to Absinthe and told her that balance needed to be restored to the forest. Absinthe managed to defeat both the forest’s guardians (thinking her evil) and the Coven of Yaga. She even managed to overcome Draeope, Lightfoot, and Katerina as well, saving the last from the powers of Baba Yaga. Then, Absinthe did the unthinkable and managed to slay Baba Yaga herself. Truly grateful and mystified at the sheer power and resolution of Absinthe, Draeope awarded her Gleipnir in hopes that such a human could use it in heroic ways.