Let's go a'Viking
My name is Verner Erikson
On a rather successful raid
I kidnapped....er...met Mairghead.
While taking her back to my home land
I shared this story,
during our travels we made our own story.
...stay tuned..
Chapter One-The story of Eriks Fjord
My family came to Eriksfjord as conquerors.
Originally, the fjord was controlled by the family of
Halvdan Long-legs. We were living further north up
the coast, and had gotten involved in a bloodfeud
with Halvdan. After duels and deaths, my father Erik
and his brothers decided that they should settle the
matter once and for all. Gathering up all the
able-bodied karls of our area, they sailed down the
coast and attacked Halvdan and his men.After a vicious
battle my father was victorious, although one of his
brothers died.
Being a practical man, Erik decided to stay in the fjord and rule it himself as Jarl. In order to solidify his claim he married Sigri Halvdandottir. In order to back himself up, he gave land to the men who helped in the attack. Most moved their families immediately, and swore fealty to Jarl Erik.
That was 29 years ago and everyone living in the fjord has grown to be happy with my father and loyal to him.
Chapter Two-Family Erikson
Jarl Erik married Sigri Halvdandottir who bore him three sons, Sigurd, Bjorn, and Verner.
Sigurd is named after the legendary hero (shows a little about Erik's hopes for his sons), and is now 33 years old and married to Helga who has borne him a daughter Freydis (age 11), and a son Thorstein (age 5). Sigurd is considered a good dependable man who is expected to take over when Jarl Eirik (who is now 52) dies. Sigurd owns a drakkar named 'Wavecleaver', which he takes raiding from time to time.
Bjorn is 28 and is known as a fierce fighter, with a temper to match. Perhaps this temper is the reason he has never married. Although he is the second son, and the best warrior in the valley, he has never shown interest in leading men, either in battle or trading. Mostly he tags along on Sigurd's raiding trips (which he enjoys) or on Verner's trading voyages across the Baltic (which he considers boring). Bjorn has a bunch of drinking buddies among the huscarls, and envies both Sigurd and Verner's ability to inspire loyalty and trust among the freemen of the valley.
Verner is the youngest at age 27, and was often kidded about being a
'coalchewer' as he went on his first viking at age 24. This does not
mean he hasn't traveled, as he went to the land of the Lapps at age 18
to learn what he could of runecraft. He returned two years later with
knowledge of the runes, a crazy streak and sad eyes. He hasn't spoken
about what happened in Lappland except that he encountered a polar bear,
which he has taken as his personal totem.
Chapter Three-The Homeland
Eriksfjord is a triangle-shaped river valley about 6 miles across at its widest point, narrowing steadily until the valley ends in a cliff-face and waterfall roughly 20 miles from the Baltic Ocean. Between family members, karls (free farmers), and thralls (slaves), the valley is populated by just under 200 people. Under Jarl Erik's rule, Eriksfjord has prospered and everyone is relatively happy.
The main settlement is 2 miles upriver from the seacoast, and consists
of 4 longhouses, two boatsheds, two large sheds used
as barns, and numerous outbuildings clustered where the river narrows
to 40 feet across. Jarl Erik and Sigri live in the largest longhouse
(called, surprisingly enough, Jarlshouse). Next door is Secondhouse,
where Verner and Margaret live. A third longhouse is mockingly called
The Sty because this is where Bjorn and most of the unmarried huscarls
live, and the longhouse is considered messy and smelly.
Across the
river is Sigurdshouse, where Sigurd and his family live.
There is a boatshed on each side of the river, one for Eaglewing, the other for Wavecleaver. Both barns are on the main bank, these are where most of the cattle and most of the thralls sleep. Scattered throughout the rest of the valley (most within a day's walk of Jarlshouse) are the steadings of the karls.
The sides of the valley rise steeply into mountain ranges, which march out into the sea. On one side, the mountains curve inward slightly, sheltering the main part of the valley. Learning from the mistake of the valley's previous owner, Jarl Erik has built a house high on this mountain range. One of Erik's younger brothers, Olaf Farwatcher, lives in this house. Olaf's main duty is to remain vigilant for incoming raiders, but he also has a small herd of sheep. If Olaf doesn't recognize incoming ships, he lights a signal fire. The smoke from this fire is the sign for the alarm bell to be rung, and for the warriors of Eriksfjord to grab arms and armour and gather at Jarlshouse.
Norse can never be too alert, and a wise man is not more than three strides from his weapons. These are dangerous times, indeed.
Chapter Four-Seafaring
Verner spent the next year going on trading voyages with his father and
Sigurd to other Swedish towns, Finland, the land of the Danes, and up
the Slavic rivers to the portage towns, where he was left in charge of
the 'Wavecleaver' or Jarl Erik's boat 'Eaglewing' (so called because
of it's speed), until the owner returned. He spent the time in the
trading towns...well, trading... eventually becoming a better trader
than his father. Verner is now the one sent across the Baltic with
the trade goods gained by raids or the fjord's production. He hungers
to get a boat of his own and travel down the rivers to Miklagard
(Constantinople) to see the great city for himself.
Not too long ago he went on a'viking with Sigurd and Bjorn all the way to the British Isles, where they raided up the coast to Scotland and Verner took Mairghead (That story another time). Verner also killed his first human on this trip, an English warrior. This was applauded by Bjorn, but just turned Verner's eyes sadder.
