Close to the dark tower lies a big, black lake. Of all the dangers that lurk in its murky depths, none of them is more feared than Fergemannen (The Boatman). Little is known about Fergemannen, but it is said that any god-fearing man his eyes is fixed upon will mindlessly wander into the sea, never to be seen again. Another rumor suggests that the gathering of the dark forces in Vindheim is Fergemannen’s doing. Sailing from one shore to another, only those with a heart as black as tar may sail with him to become minions of the dark lord.

Fergemannens Intermezzo

Even before the warlord’s arrival, the forest of Vindheim was shunned by most people. Very few dared to venture into the forest to gather firewood and such things, as many loved ones had disappeared there earlier. Although one can guess that they were eaten by polar bears and other carnivorous creatures, people in those days believed that their loved ones had fallen victims to a demon living in these woods.

Den Forbudte Skogen

Back in his tower, slightly weary from the fight against the peasant army, the warlord consults more of his tomes of forbidden magic to replenish his ghastly might. Reciting ancient passages from the most sinister of these tomes, he performs a ritual saluting the dark gods for them to grant him more power.

Hymne til Mørkets Mestre

Every year, on the longest night during summer, the warlord and his minions would honour the ancient gods with a giant feast. They would offer foods and other goods to their gods, while drinking tremendous amounts of mead, and singing songs of praise until the crack of dawn. In the year of 1352, this pagan ceremon grew into epic proportions as the whole of the warlord's army came to the feast.

Midtsommernattblotrituale

DEN SISTE AV MAKTENS KRIGER
In a final, desperate attempt to banish the evil from their land once and for all, the few remaining christian people in the towns and villages around Vindheim decided to join forces in a massive attack against the dark tower. Badly outnumbered and with only a shred of hope, no one dared even to dream of winning.

UTFERD (outro)
Although what turned out to be the final battle seemed hopeless from the start, the darkness was dispelled. As the tiny army of peasants marched toward certain death, a thunderstorm brew over Vindheim. In what could only be called an incredible stroke of luck, a bolt of lightning struck the dark tower, and with it the warlord himself. Although he was not dead, his loyal servants finally showed their true selves and fled when they saw their master fall. Battered and severely bruised, the dark lord was imprisoned in his tower by the few remaining Christians, left to suffer and eventually die. Thus, the vision the warlord was given by his clairvoyance potion was fulfilled, and he found himself to be a prisoner in his own tower. Severely injured and with only a burning hatred to nurse himself by, he swore that he one day would have his revenge. According to the legend, he still lies in there waiting for someone to set him free, but as of today there is no evidence of the tower’s existence or any clue of where it may be found. One can only pray that the tower, the warlord and his minions - especially Kostebilen - remain what they are; legends and myths.

Den Siste av Maktens Kriger / Outro

With the coming of the warlord, even Vindheim itself seemed to become as twisted and perverted as its master. While the dark lord found great pleasure in intoxicating himself with the poisonous foods he made the forests and fields produce, anyone else unfortunate to taste any of it soon succumbed to insanity. With no hope of survival, many people drowned themselves before being captured by the warlord’s servants. Legends have it that these peoples’ bodies were collected afterwards and consumed by a horrible beast in the warlord’s ranks - a creature known as Kostebilen.

Vindheim (I Kostebilens Domener)

Somewhere in between fact and myth lies the story of Vindheim... 

The year was 1352, and Norway was in a state of deep despair. As the black plague raged across the country, a remote part of mid-western Norway called Vindheim faced an even greater threat. 

A dark warlord had emerged, leading an uprising against the christian communities. He stopped at nothing to restore old traditions, utterly destroying everyone and everything refusing his gods and ways of old. His army grew to vast proportions, and even though it consisted mostly of ruthless mercenaries and fanatics, it was rumored that he also had beings of supernatural powers within his ranks.

Later during the middle ages, mothers told their children stories about these fearsome beings to encourage their offspring to be good. One can only dream of what it was like for the inhabitants of Vindheim, that may have had to face such dreadful creatures as Nattens Matriark, Fergemannen, and above all, Kostebilen. 

As the tale goes, the Warlord himself was a black magician, and he and his dark hordes ruled Vindheim with an iron fist, while trying to spread their evil influence to the towns and villages in mid-western Norway.

NATTENS MATRIARK
The warlord has followers everywhere; one of them is a mysterious old lady, by many believed to be a hag. Accused of witchcraft and sentenced to burn on the stake, she managed to flee from imprisonment just before her execution, as the warlord rode into the village, slaughtering almost every single man that stood against him. Rumors have it that she swore allegiance to the dark lord to aid him in his quest. This old lady is akin to the sirens of the sea; she lures her victims into her lair, but as the victim of a normal siren is merely entranced, a victim of the hag is said to be sacrificed in a manner so disturbing, even the Mayans pale in comparison.

Intro / Nattens Matriark

The four horsemen are by most people believed to be only a myth, but as the warlord’s reign of terror spreads throughout the land, the stories of the common-folk suggests that even the dark riders have emerged to assist the warlord in the slaughtering of the Christians.

Apokalypsens Ridende Ryttere til Hest

In order to outmaneuver his opponents, the dark lord consults his tomes of forbidden magic to create an immensely powerful and mystic potion. The consumption of this potion grants the warlord limited clairvoyance. Gazing into the future, he captures a small glimpse of of things to come in his mind. Drunken with the power of precognition, the warlord collapses. When he wakes, only a tiny fragment of the vision remains in his mind: Himself sitting in his dark tower, bleeding from deep cuts all over his arms.

Ondskapens Far

The warlord quickly snaps out of the confusion as he sees a small band of warriors gathering outside the tower. Realizing that his own army might not arrive in time to defend the tower, he decides to act alone. Outside, tension starts to grow in the ranks of the small army when the tower’s doors suddenly swing open. The tension transforms into pure terror as the dark lord emerges, carrying a big, sword-like knife in each hand. The ensuing bloodbath is a truly terrifying sight, and as the cries of the mortally wounded start to fade, a lone figure remains standing on the crimson battlefield.

Slakteballett

The woods of Vindheim hosts, among other creatures, many species of owls. In ancient times people feared the owls, believing them to be messengers of death. In Vindheim, the owls are certainly what they seem.

Kostebilen

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