Grettir the Strong

Grettir Ásmundarson was a man of immense strength but a turbulent spirit. Born in Iceland, his temper and power led him into trouble from youth, eventually resulting in his banishment as an outlaw. His most legendary feat was the defeat of Glámr, a terrifying undead draugr that haunted a valley. After a brutal midnight struggle, Grettir overcame the creature, but as Glámr died, he cast a terrible curse: Grettir would always see the ghost's eyes in the dark, and his strength would bring him only misfortune. For nearly twenty years, Grettir lived on the fringes of society, hunted and isolated, paralyzed by a newfound fear of the shadows. He eventually retreated to the sheer, inaccessible cliffs of Drangey island with his loyal brother, Illugi. There, weakened by a gangrenous wound caused by a sorcerous hex and betrayed by a cowardly servant, Grettir fell in a final, heroic stand. Though he was the strongest man in Iceland, he could never outrun the shadows of his own destiny.