May 23, 2025
Gustaf Tenggren
Gustaf Tenggren
~ The Norwegian Royal Horn (drinking horn).
Date: 14th century
Place of origin: Skalholt Cathedral
There was a time when Eitr and Ichor were allies, when the might of two Godly Fluids carried the golden faith. The dragons were welcomed into the Church, and from this union would come the Brotherhood of Goldenflame. Those who would swear themselves to the dragons, who would bear armor and blades forged in their scales. Their vows would have them stand besides these ancient beasts, serving as guardian, knight and friend. The Brotherhood worked with both the dragons and the Church, and such a union could be seen in their armor, weapons and even their chalices.
One of the more odd creations that came from the Brotherhood was their ceremonial drinking horns. Vessels crafted from a shed dragon horn, decorated in gold. It was to be a symbol of the meeting between Eitr and Ichor, and from these horns the faithful knights would drink. Yet, in time, a strange miracle would occur. Ichor is seen as the fluid of life, yet Eitr is undoubtedly one as well. Two Godly Fluids brought together in this way, thus there should be no surprise that a spark ignited within these creations. The old decorated drinking horns would gain a form of life, able to walk on their own. Limbs of goldbone would move, and no one was really sure why. This was not the first time Ichor and Eitr had come together, yet this was the first time such a creation was ever witnessed. Thus, the Brotherhood saw it as a miracle, and found even more faith within these strange relics. These drinking horns would be filled with the special drink of the Brotherhood and imbibed when one took their vows. Some would even claim that these vessels approached those that were worthy of the Brotherhood, somehow able to see loyalty and potential within.
These drinking horns would become a beloved relic for the Brotherhood, and even some members of the Church came to their temples simply to see these strange things. The knights would keep close guard over them, knowing full well the interest of the Academy and its Antiquaries. They knew their enemy, and they were unwilling to lose anything else to their greedy hands. Sadly, it seemed the Brotherhood failed to notice that their greatest foe was hiding within...
The betrayal of the dragons shattered the Brotherhood of Goldenflame. The assault upon the holy city resulted in death and destruction, and from that was born a hate for dragonkind. The knights who swore themselves to beast and Church now watched as a divide was torn between them, and that same fracturing struck their very own order. Some were furious at the betrayal, feeling that the dragons had deceived and used them. They would become the Ashen Hunters, their own armor still scorched from the flames of deceit, and would vow to hunt down ever last dragon in the land. Others sided with the dragons, sticking to their vows and believing the Church was to blame. Even amongst those, they would fracture still. Some were consumed by blind vengeance and became the Drakontos, while some knights simply wandered into the wilds, empty of everything they once believed in. And on that very night of the betrayal, the Brotherhood was scattered to the winds. The same would go for its relics.
From this sect was a wide variety of relics, armor, weapons and other ceremonial artifacts. They were spread throughout the territory of the Church and the temples of the dragons, as this alliance was once boasted and loved. Yet when it all fell apart, there was much lost in the chaos. The Church took many pieces, either destroying them in anger or simply repurposing them for their faith. Some of the dragon sworn knights made off with artifacts as they left the Church, but there was still plenty out there that would be unaccounted for. Many Brotherhood relics and trinkets that would vanish into pockets and shady markets, eventually showing up in the hands of collectors, mercenaries and the Academy. These drinking horns were no exception. Folks had always been mystified by their ability to move on their own, and now was the chance to own one of these odd cups for themselves. Even for those not interested in freakish occurrences of random life, they knew full well their value. It was common knowledge that the Antiquaries of the Academy would pay top coin for such a relic, and that was how they got their hands on a few drinking horns. Some found humor in this, as the Antiquaries had always laughed at these things in comparison to their own creations, calling them "the official dracomaton of the Church." Yet when these things went on sale, they eagerly gobbled them up. It is said they want them to try and tease out the secrets of their sudden animation, or that they may hold the key of binding Ichor and Eitr together. Or maybe even these researchers are susceptible to the charms of a really cool cup.
"DRINKING HORN" [ARQUEBUSIERS] attrib. ARENT CORNELISZ COSTER | 1547 [silver (metal) | 38 × 61 cm.]
▪︎ Drinking horn and cover with figures of griffin and mermaid.
Date: ca. 1630
Place of origin: Northern Germany, Brno
Medium: Bison horn, precious stones, silver-gilt.
“Anglo-Saxon glass drinking-horn, VII c. Excavated in Rainham, London
Drinking horns are attested from Viking Age Scandinavia. In the Prose Edda, Thor drank from a horn that unbeknown to him contained all the seas. They also feature in Beowulf, and fittings for drinking horns were also found at the Sutton Hoo burial site.”
making a leather drinking horn strap | source
Váru í horni hvers kyns stafir ristnir ok roðnir, - ráða ek né máttak, - lyngfiskr langr, lands Haddingja ax óskorit, innleið dyra.
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On the horn’s face were there All the kin of letters Cut aright and reddened, How should I rede them rightly? The ling-fish long Of the land of Hadding, Wheat-ears unshorn, And wild things inwards.
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Guðrúnarkviða II in Old Norse from «Kulturformidlingen norrøne tekster og kvad» Norway. The Second Lay of Guðrun, in the Elder Edda (Morris and Magnusson translation)
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Graphic - Yoann Lossel (B.1985)