Magni

Magni.

Magni is a gargoyle originally from a clan in Norway.

History

Modi and Magni in 1109

Magni hatched in 1078. [1] No details of his youth are known, but by the winter of 1108 he, alongside Modi and Skade had entered the service of Sigurd Magnusson. While traveling with Sigurd's fleet, the Norse gargoyles encountered Demona and Angelika in Galicia. Demona was reluctant to accompany them, but Magni told her that she wouldn't be serving the Norwegian king, merely joining in their expedition. Demona, still unwilling to trust that the humans would not destroy them in their stone sleep, remained reluctant, but Magni shared their solution to that: the Box, a solid iron cabin that locks from the inside upon Sigurd's Flagship. When Angelika was concerned about what would happen to them should the ship sink during the day with them inside, Magni explained that they'll be fine underwater as stone and once they wake up, they can unlock the Box and swim to the surface (Modi thought otherwise).

Demona and Angelika ultimately agreed to join them and they set forth in the spring of 1109. They battled in Lisbon, sailed through the gates of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea, carry torches to the cliffside caves above the island of Formentera, and battled foes throughout their journeys. During the days the gargoyles slept in the Box while the humans outside continue the journey and assess their loot. In the summer of 1110, the gargoyles journeyed with King Sigurd and his men into Jerusalem. By October of 1110, the gargoyles found themselves engaged in a battle once more, this time off the coast of Sidon. Enjoying themselves, Magni and Angelika worked together to chop down a mast and threw it at the humans who fell overboard. They both looked down on their handiwork and took delight watching the humans splash into the water. Their hands gently touched as they placed them upon the gunwale. By December of 1110, Sigurd and his human and gargoyle warriors had secured a victory in Sidon. The siege was over with their enemies surrendering the fortress and city.

In January of 1111, the gargoyles sailed into the harbor at Constantinople and Magni and Angelika were very excited taking in the sights. Later, Sigurd and the five gargoyles found themselves in the Great Palace to meet Emperor Alexios Komnenos.

March of 1111 found the gargoyles still enjoying their nights in Constantinople. In a city tower, Magni shared with Angelika that he and Modi were asked by the Emperor to join the Varangian Guard as the Emperor's personal bodyguards. Magni told the female gargoyle that the offer was extended to her as well if she chose to stay. He sweetly added that he wanted her to stay with him and she understood. Ultimately, despite her feelings for Magni, Angelika decided to depart with Demona, not wanting to lose her.

As Skade departs with Sigurd for Norway and Demona and Angelika depart for their own adventures, Magni and Modi remained in Constantinople and stood guard upon the city's walls. ("Fortune Favors the Brave...")

By 1195, Magni and Modi were still in Constantinople and serving as guards in the court of Isaac Angelos. Magni was present when Shahrizad told the tale of Youhanna Al Diyab to the court. That same night, Demona and Angelika returned to the city. Magni was excited to see Angelika again and the Emperor gave Magni and Modi the rest of the evening off. Later, upon a tower in the city, Magni and Angelika rekindled their romance. They discussed the choices made long ago. Magni admitted that he wished he had traveled with Angelika and not wasted so much time together. The two gargoyles agreed that life was short but were glad to be together now. Angelika called Magni "Querido" and he called her his angel. Their quiet moment together was soon interrupted by the Great Palace's alarm bells, however. They soon discovered Abu Jafar Ahmad Ibn Yusuf Ibn Al-Kammad, the Emperor's archivist, dead! In trying to figure out the motive behind the murder, Magni was quick to realize the Eye of Odin missing from the collection. Alexios Angelos named Demona a suspect while Modi accused a visiting Scotsman. Magni and Modi were ordered to take both into custody while Shahrizad and Angelika began their own investigation. When the Scotsman appeared to be responsible and ordered to be executed by Modi's axe, Shahrizad intervened to suggest poetic justice: that the Scotsman be killed with the murder weapon – purportedly his own sword. But when Modi presented it, Magni realized the blade did not belong to the Scotsman, but to Modi! It was, in fact, the twin of Magni's own sword. Now proven the true culprit, Modi expressed his dissatisfaction with the Emperor, specifically with his disloyalty from ten years earlier. Magni asked his brother how he justified killing an innocent man (and prepared to execute another innocent), but Modi did not respond, fleeing instead – presumably with the Eye of Odin.

The Emperor agreed with Alexios that it was not fair to ask Magni to pursue his own brother and Magni later found himself atop the battlements with Angelika, Demona, and Shahrizad. When Magni expressed his confusion over Modi's actions later that evening, Shahrizad suggested that Modi might have been coerced to the commit the crime, suggesting that the fugitive gargoyle was not the only one to resent the emperor (inspiring her to tell the story of Cain and Abel the following evening). Magni was relieved that Alexios, at least, didn't get the Eye. He watched as Demona revealed that she had, in fact, stolen the Eye before the murder (replacing it with a duplicate. Demona presented the true Eye of Odin to Angelika so that her daughter could join her in immortality. Angelika looked to Magni and asked if he would travel with them and be her mate and Magni gladfully agreed. With that in mind, Angelika turned down Demona's offer – referring to immortality as a curse – and threw the Eye into the ocean. Shortly after, Magni joined Angelika and Demona as they departed Constantinople. ("Fallen From the Ranks...")

Characteristics

Magni has white skin, bluish-black wings, and black hair. he had a long tail and two huge ram-like horns upon his brow. Early in his adventures, he wore no shirt and sported armor on his legs. By the time he began his role in the Varangian Guard, he was more fully armored.

Appearances

• "Fortune Favors the Brave..." (First Appearance)
• "Fallen From the Ranks..."

Real World Background

Magni was named after one of Thor's sons, begotten upon the jotun Jarnsaxa. Magni clearly took after his father in strength; when he was only three, he came to his father's aid after Thor had slain the jotun Hrungnir in single combat, only to be pinned beneath Hrungnir's body; the rest of the Aesir had been unable to pull Hrungnir's body off Thor, but Magni managed it easily, wishing aloud afterwards that he could have taken part in the duel itself and slain Hrungnir with his bare fists. Thor, amused and delighted by his son's performance, gave him Hrungnir's great horse Gold-mane (to Odin's disappointment; he had been hoping to obtain Gold-mane himself).

Magni and his brother Modi were among the few Aesir who survived Ragnarok; they took up their father's hammer Mjolnir following that event.

See Also

• Móði and Magni at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia