Gødii Warrior Priest Medallion

One of the earlier pieces we acquired, the medallion before you hails from the Kuunströl region to the Far North. Though in the grander sense they are small in numbers, many know of the Gødii warrior priests in their mountaintop monasteries who inhabit pockets of the Kunnströl plains and moors nestled above its vast network of fjords.

Consisting of both men and women, the Gødii are fiercely loyal followers and, at times, zealots of not just nature but specifically of its harshest conditions. High winds, lightning, thunderstorms and blizzards are all examples of divine power to the Gødii, and represent the trials that only the most devout priests may survive and thrive in. For this reason, their modest fortresses are often built from stone and nestled amongst otherwise seemingly arid landscapes at high elevation.

That said—as you may well already know—the Order of warrior priests are entirely self-sufficient in their communes and have found rather ingenious ways of working the land, animal husbandry and maintaining peak physical conditions amongst all their members. Where many would shelter in place during a blizzard, for example, the Gødii use this time as an opportunity for ritual and conditioning. While this results in physical prowess for their younger and even middle-aged members, elders are usually lost in such blizzards and fail to return. This is not looked at as tragedy, however—it is the natural and proud end to ones life.

Often looked down upon as simplistic simpletons, if pressed in conversation few would say they were eager to confront a single member of the Gødii in battle, much less an entire group of them.

Which, of course, takes us back to the medallion in front of you.

The circular medallion has—again, for a group of the Kuunströl population that is otherwise often dismissed—an incredible amount of detail and philosophy within its design.

The circle itself is separated into two halves, an upper and a lower. The upper half is then split by an arch, and the entire upper approximates the sky and a horizon line. Even the bail of the medallion which holds the chain or cord denotes subtle design nods toward rays of sun or moonlight.

The bottom half of the circle is finely hammered with a more earth-like feel representing the ground. The two halves together, then, create the full picture of the earth or landscape before us.

Centered in the circle is a rounded stone which, as you may clearly see, is a faded dark shade of red. These medallions were worn into battle and enchanted beforehand with a minor boon of stamina, according to countless records. This enchantment was thought to be rather simple, but would instantly heal a few minor injuries or one slightly larger injury before its wearer fell. When first enchanted, the stone would likely glow a bright red and fade as its power was consumed. In this example, you will notice that there is no inner glow remaining, which means this medallion was almost certainly used and found at the site of a previous feud.

(As a side note, there have been instances while scribing these notes where a glimmer of light will cause my eye to wander to the red stone seated within the medallion. Whether this is from remnants of the enchantment or simply the candlelight in my study playing tricks on my eyes, I could not say.)

Additionally—though firsthand accounts of wounds healed on the battlefield are frequently referenced—the actual word for “stamina” in Kuunströl is utholdenhet, which is the same word used for “health” and “energy.” There is a chance, then, that not only did the medallion heal wounds but it also gave its warrior added energy on the battlefield before they became fatigued, which would likely result in an exponential advantage when fractions of a second between sword blows could mean the difference between victory or defeat.

Returning to the circular shape of the medallion, one will notice small points protruding from its compass directions. They are sharp enough to be felt if pressure is applied to them, yet they are small enough as to not cause any actual lasting harm. It is thought then, in large part to this being the one feature still part of the design when the inscription on the back of the medallion is read (though this anecdote has not been proven) that this is to remind the wearer of time eternal and that pain is ultimately temporary. We leave this official conclusion up to you.

As for the back of the medallion, an inscription reads “For the sun to rise, it first must set.” Though not publicly common knowledge, historians of the Gødii people see this phrase repeated often. For being comprised of men and women known primarily for their unrelenting ferocity in battle, it is an incredibly philosophical phrase to live by. It is again a reminder that all darkness is temporary and the future is not yet written. Perhaps they even believed in an afterlife tempered by the storms they endured.

On this specific medallion the phrase is written in the Common Tongue, though versions of these medallions have been found throughout the First and Second Age with translations in countless dialects; the Gødii accepted members from across the land so long as they revered and endured the power that Nature would unleash.  Should we discover any additional variations, you will find them in our updated collection here.