The Unknown Lands: A Viking Saga

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THE UNKNOWN LANDS

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Thetford burns and the victorious Danish army hunts the defeated East Anglians throughout the land. For some the battle has brought word fame, loot, and slaves to raise their status among a people who prize strength and power above little else. For others, however, the battle has left them without a lord or a husband to hold their loyalty on an island filled with countless other desperate souls.

Among them is Åse, a shield maiden who had followed her beloved to war. With her husband recently cut down by an East Anglian spear, she has been left with a ship and nothing more as the men who once served her husband have deserted her to find more powerful lords. She is not without allies however for her husbands brother, Kjartan, has joined her as she lays her plans for a new journey, one far from the blood soaked shores of England in the hopes of starting a new life for herself.

She has heard rumours of the new lands being discovered in the West. Rich lands filled with timber, fertile soil, endless rivers, and bounties enough for all. As the Danes and their Norse allies celebrate, she has put out the word that she will take any, man or woman, brave enough to make the journey west to the unknown lands. Only the strong of heart and arm need apply for the way is perilous and the Skrælings numerous. Come, join her, and discover the new world.

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Welcome all lovers of Vikings and their grand adventures! Myself and the lovely @Saix are putting together a Viking roleplay about a ship and crew bound for the Americas and the adventure therein.

Set in 1004, immediately after the Sacking of Thetford, players will take on the role of ships crew joining the service of Lady Åse. Each character will of course have their own stories and personalities, but our goals are the same. Adventure, fame, and fortune!

This is a general interest check for the moment to see if anyone wants to come along with us!

[Fiscbryne]

I’d definitely be interested! This sounds really cool.

[DELETED32084]

@Fiscbryne, great! Any questions at this time?

[Lord Pie]

I’m interested in this concept and will likely apply for a spot if you’ll have me.

Have you given the kind of posting frequency you’d expect much thought?

[Nightbringer]

Definitely interested. Thinking Berserkir or Úlfhéðnar if those sorts of things are available?

[Fiscbryne]

@Fiscbryne, great! Any questions at this time?

@Pagemaster

Cheers! I mainly wanted to ask where you wanted to go in terms of history vs. myth, if you wanted to lean more into the historical/archeological record for inspiration or the literary record like in the sagas of Icelanders. Are there magic runes, draugr, elves, dwarves and their like? If not, do people still believe in them?

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@Lord Pie
Always welcome to throw in an application! As for frequency, we would hope once a week if possible.

@Nightbringer
You sure can, though this leads into @Fiscbryne question as well. More the historical/archeological record for inspiration, as well as the literary record like in the sagas of Icelanders than fantasy. Folk are welcome to believe in magic runes, draugr, elves, dwarves and the like.

There is a chance of a fantasy bit coming out! We shall see... It wasn't something we'd actually discussed yet so I'll bring it up with @saix.

Cheers all!

[Saix]

Good Evening All!

I see we have interest along with some questions which I am very glad to see! Once a week postings would be great if people can manage, but I do understand that there sometimes can be busy schedules so communication would be appreciated in that regard if we go further than two weeks from the last post.

As for the history vs. myth aspect, in some ways the two go hand in hand if you think about it. There were a lot of concepts in the natural world that couldn’t be explained, so ancient societies had unique ways to cope. So by all means, have your character believe in the myths, engrave runes upon your armor and weapons. Belief gives power and the only reason a religion becomes a myth is because it gets replaced and the people/governments choose to believe in something else. I just wouldn’t want to see this become a fantasy RP.

[Fiscbryne]

Something just came to me—since you mentioned Skrælingjar in the OP, how will you depict them? Given the RP setting in the real Americas, will they be based on real Native American/First Nations peoples? And with that in mind, how do you see their conflict with the Norse being portrayed? I think that sort of a conflict is interesting to play with, but I'm a little concerned over the possibility of perpetuating settler-colonialist myths about indigenous people within the RP.

[Saix]

Something just came to me—since you mentioned Skrælingjar in the OP, how will you depict them? Given the RP setting in the real Americas, will they be based on real Native American/First Nations peoples? And with that in mind, how do you see their conflict with the Norse being portrayed? I think that sort of a conflict is interesting to play with, but I'm a little concerned over the possibility of perpetuating settler-colonialist myths about indigenous people within the RP.

@Fiscbryne

They will be based on real native proto-Inuit people /culture and their conflict we will try to reflect as accurately as possible. Obviously it will be a violent start and how your character decides to interact with native peoples is entirely up to you, but personally, my stance is to develop a partnership. If you mean settler/colonialist myths as being the European concept of it, then that would be incorrect since that was what, 18th century-ish and there isn’t much of a technological difference between the two peoples at this time. They should be respected warriors as you are dealing with people who regularly hunt large aquatic mammals to survive.

[Fiscbryne]

Thank you! That sounds really good to me. I had mainly been concerned with 'savagery' and that sort of stereotyping but it sounds like that won't be a problem! Much appreciated.

[DELETED32084]

Aye, the purpose of the RP is more to explore a real world version of what it would have been like, rather than how it has been portrayed in popular culture.

[Lord Pie]

When I read Skrælings my mind went to the Crusader Kings 2 dlc ‘Sunset Invasion’, an alternate history dlc, in which an organised and much larger Aztec Empire (whom has subdued and collects fealty from the N American ‘tribes’) clashes with the initial Norse settlers, culminating in the capture of one of their longships.

Following this the Skrælings reverse engineer the technology for craft capable of traversing the ocean and eventually launch their own bloody mass invasion of Europe. Fantastical but very entertaining.

I’d imagined a slightly more fantasy kind of setting with monsters, myths and all kinds of natives - both savage and otherwise, or at least something less inclined to realism.

Either way it will definitely be very interesting to see how this goes with a more historical side of things and what kind of content and plot you settle on. I’ve tried to have a read up on actual ‘Skrælings‘ to get a better more accurate understanding (I’ve got very little real clue as to the ‘culture’ of these folks)

So this RP will be mostly about the interactions and eventual relationship of our settlers and the proto-Inuit folks of Vinland and surrounding area?

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@Lord Pie
Skrælings was a term the Vikings used for unknown people’s who matched the Vikings in their savagery. Not savage in the way the 18th century used the word, but as dangerous and violent. It was also often to the Irish, or anyone not made “soft” by Christianity.

The current plan is to sail West. Vinland has already been established so we may go further. Possibly a voyage that history has never heard of, and never will because no one ever comes home. We’re leaving that open at that moment.

[Cyclone]

Hey Page! This looks like a really cool idea. Unfortunately I don't think that I'll have enough time to where I could responsibility commit my interest or intent to join this RP, but I wanted to offer you some words of praise and encouragement nonetheless.

[DELETED32084]

@Cyclone your encouragement is much appreciated, thank you! Should you chance your mind, we have a few more stops to make before we're gone into the wild blue yonder.

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@Fiscbryne@Lord Pie@Nightbringer

If you're still keen on this, @Saix and I are aiming for an IC this weekend. We are going with two as a minimum since it's something we're both excited about.

[Fiscbryne]

Sounds great! I’m definitely still interested.

[Nightbringer]

@Nightbringer

If you're still keen on this, (...)

@Pagemaster

Still keen!

[Saix]

Alright Children, the thread is up: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/184600-the-unknown-lands-a-viking-saga/ic