An unsolved ‘legend'(for us who like dwarfs!) – matter(for anybody else!).
A favored topic for many Warhammer Fantasy fans!
In various internet sites we read…
Let’s see all the possibilities and their answers below :
1. It is really lost.
2. Grombrindal has it.
3. Gotrek has it. (As usual, GW has conflicting statements in different sources, but in this case it is not a flaw, since it is only adding to a mystery of Grimnir’s other axe.)
4. THE SOLUTION (read it below).
1.
It is lost : Plausible but no fluff to confirm or deny!
2.
Grombrindal has it : Nobody knows who Grombrindal(White Dwarf) is, but it is widely hinted at that he is the reincarnation of High King Snorri Whitebeard (note: it was revealed in latter White Dwarf– confirmed in Warhammer: End Times storyline)! If this is so then the axe that he carries is one and the same as the one that has been carried by the High Kings since Grimnir’s walk to the northern wastes.
3.
Gotrek has it : In Daemonslayer the high Runelord of Karag Dum recounted a story of how they found the Axe in the far north before the chaos wastes expanded over there territory after the Great War, and that the Runelords knowing the workmanship of Grungni recognized the axe for what it was “The lost axe of Grimnir” but how it had come to be where it was found nobody could guess! The axe was given to the prince of Karag Dum, when Karag Dum was besieged by the forces of chaos after the Great War the prince was tasked with trying to get help from the other dwarf holds and set out on the long and dangerous journey south, the chaos wastes claimed his life and he died before he could complete his mission. The axe lay next to its fallen master and the dead beasts he had slain in a cave for decades. Then Gotrek was forced to find refuge in this cave after the expedition to the lost hold that he was part of was ambushed in the wastes he found the Axe and being without a weapon himself took it for his own protection and has carried it since! Is this the lost axe of Grimnir?
It is 100% sure that one of the axes is used till date by the current High King. Both where forged at roughly the same time by his brother Grungni(my note: Where this info came from?! I have never read something like that!), one being “Giantsbane” the other “Deamon’s bane” which is why he gave Giantsbane to his son Morgrim as it would have been of less use to him while battling at the gates! So there is only one left. Snorri Whitebeard can’t use the axe of Grimnir, because in his times one of the axes was already lost, and the other is in the hands of Thorgrim Grudgebearer, so it is highly doubtful that one of the axe magical traits is the ability to be in two places at the same time! 🙂 In fact Gotrek’s axe had slightly different rules than the one used by Thorgrim. Thorgrims axe dealt more wounds to ogres and trolls, while Gotrek’s to dragons and demons. For me this is another hint that it is the second axe of Grimnir, and that both complimented each other.
If you read the fluff from fourth edition (Warhammer Armies : Dwarfs) it’s strongly suggested Gotrek has it(read both Axes’Â magical item cards in the book. They are very simiral, almost identical!). Also you are lead in the same conclusion by reading Daemonslayer and Beastslayer books. In Daemonslayer while they are headed to the lost city, Wiliam King writes some ‘history’ about Gotrek’s past (and Snorri’s) and about this Axe. In Beastslayer the Tzeentch mage twins while they have ‘visions’ the reader learns more about Gotrek and his Axe. But if you read the Grombindal(White Dwarf) rules on White Dwarf #200 and/or White Dwarf #300 then it says that his axe is the lost axe of Grimnir!
This has been discussed before and was eventually decided (or leaned the most towards) that Gotrek has the missing axe as in previous editions the rules was almost identical though Thorgrim’s delt with trolls and giants while Gotrek’s delt with daemons.
As for Grombrindal, there are two theorys for the explanation why this axe is the runic axe of Grimnir: i) Grombindal you will note is blessed with other godly items, his cloak was made by Valaya, his armour is harder than gromril etc. So perhaps since Grombindal is blessed with these Grimnir gifted him with a runic axe to aid him in his eternal fight. So its an axe of Grimnir just not the missing one. ii)Since Grombrindal is a spirit of a High King, the axe is therefore an axe thats a spiritual form of the one he had when he was high king.
4.
Slayer book(in the Warhammer: End Times storyline) the case finally is resolved. Of course, from William King’s books it was nearly obvious, because of the many references… The same with Warhammer Armies : Dwarfs(for 4th edition)… Gotrek’s Axe IS Grimnir’s 2nd axe! There is no doubt!
So there is another ‘continuity’ problem : Why White Dwarf has also Grimnir’s second axe (see White Dwarf #200)?!
