▁master . ▁ ▁Ald erman ▁– ▁H ear th ' s ▁cold , ▁vain , ▁and ▁ab us ive ▁father . ▁He ▁pre fers ▁his ▁other ▁son , ▁And ir on , ▁over ▁H ear th , ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁former ▁died , ▁he ▁forced ▁H ear th ▁to ▁collect ▁blood ▁tax ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁And ir on ' s ▁death , ▁leading ▁the ▁latter ▁to ▁run ▁away ▁from ▁home . ▁He ▁is ▁given ▁And vari ' s ▁curs ed ▁ring ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁tax , ▁which ▁causes ▁him ▁to ▁exhib it ▁the ▁worst ▁of ▁his ▁vain ▁nature . ▁By ▁the ▁third ▁book , ▁the ▁ring ▁has ▁transformed ▁Ald erman ▁into ▁a ▁ring ▁drag on ▁who ▁lives ▁in ▁a ▁cave ▁near ▁the ▁well ▁where ▁And ir on ▁died . ▁Magn us ▁man ages ▁to ▁st ab ▁and ▁kill ▁him , ▁allowing ▁him , ▁Bl itz , ▁and ▁H ear th ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁wh et stone ▁and ▁the ▁ring . ▁ ▁And ir on ▁– ▁H ear th ' s ▁younger ▁brother ▁by ▁one ▁year . ▁He ▁was ▁killed ▁by ▁a ▁Br unn m igi ▁while ▁he ▁is ▁playing ▁with ▁H ear th ▁near ▁a ▁well ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁estate , ▁and ▁his ▁death ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁Ald erman ▁to ▁force ▁H ear th ▁into ▁pay ing ▁a ▁he fty ▁sum ▁of ▁blood ▁tax ▁for ▁rep ent ance . ▁A ▁portrait ▁of ▁And ir on ▁hang s ▁in ▁the ▁family ' s ▁living ▁room . ▁And ir on ' s ▁spirit ▁is ▁called