[OOC] The Unknown Lands: A Viking Saga

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@seonhyang, it sure is!

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@Fiscbryne, so, I found the original source for my Battle of Thetford.

thetfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/heritage/t…

SWEYN FORKBEARD
The Vikings returned to Thetford in 1004 under the command of Sweyn Forkbeard, but this time Thetford itself was plundered and burned. Thetford was subjected to another similar Viking raid in 1010, and shortly after this, the East Anglian army was defeated at a battle to the north of Thetford, probably near Ringmere in Wretham.

Sweyn Forkbeard, who led the Viking raids against Thetford, was a powerful Viking leader who ruled over much of Norway in around 1000. He was involved in raids in England from 1002 onwards, and during 1013 he led his forces in a sustained campaign across England. This culminated on Christmas Day 1013, when Sweyn was declared King of England after King Ethelred went into exile. Sweyn died early in 1014, only weeks after becoming King, but his sons, Cnut, Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut went on to rule England for nearly thirty years.

All that said, in our story, another enemy force will be arriving to drive us out.

[Fiscbryne]

I see! Thanks for sharing.

Regarding IC posting: did you prefer any format in particular for headers and the like? It’s no big deal to me, but I’d rather be consistent if possiblr.

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Whatever you like, just include your character name for us.

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I've put a post up. As I am sure you will note, it mentions that Kjartan and Åse have made laps to spread the word already. Feel free to make your post including that tidbit. Once we get a round of posts in, or a weekish has passed, we'll move along.

[Saix]

Hey! This RP looks very interesting. The historical setting is very intriguing and I love the rich interiority of the character posts; they lend a lot of insight. I've seen only a couple posts in IC, but may I ask if you're still open for new characters to apply?

@seonhyang

Yes, you can still submit an application. :)

[seonhyang]

Sorry that this CS took so long! Polishing up my painting ended up taking a little longer than expected. Here's my submission:

Gedda Salmundsen

GEDDA SALMUNDSEN

---

Gedda’s hair shone red in the firelight as he approached one of the great bonfires that lined the shore. A circle of warriors laughed and shouted before the flame, their crude words flowing as freely as the wine. “Looking fair, Gedda.” A heavy hand landed on his shoulder; he brushed it off and reached for a cup of wine. A chorus of japes followed; spoken through the haze of drink, they were no real insults. Despite his smooth features, his friends in the band knew him to be a fierce fighter—for his swift blade had cut the bellies of many Englishmen—and hardly questioned his fortitude. They often joked that Gedda could swim like his namesake, though he was quick to remind them not to mock the name his father gave him. Now he was determined to drink like one, but only after paying homage to his fallen lord.

Turning his back on his companions, Gedda approached Erik’s pyre. The flames leapt before his eyes as he watched his lord’s burning body shrivel in the fire. From where he stood, he could see neither Kjartan’s eyes nor Åse’s, but he had heard that Erik’s widow was not much younger than himself—perhaps too young to lose her husband. He surmised that she was silent from grief; Gedda’s quiet was not so sorrowful, borne more out of being mired in his own thoughts. At twenty, he had been busy telling tales around the fire and ingratiating himself with Erik’s men. Now, a year later, he hardly knew with whom he would sail when the sun rose. While the warriors in Erik’s service had traded many stories over the months, none of them knew of the trouble he had left behind.

As the briny air blew over the beach, intermingling with woodsmoke, the scent that lingered in the wind was not unlike that which had blown over the island outside the village Gedda had called home not two years ago. The terms of the duel had been simple: Ulfrik, the accuser, would strike first; Gedda, the accused, would strike next. So grave was Ulfrik’s insult that Gedda had agreed to let the loser’s death determine the verdict. He who lived would be innocent; he who died, guilty. They had walked the stony ground, both bearing the same weapons—sword and shield and bitter grievance. With the whole village quiet in anticipation, the only sounds had been the distant rush of the ocean and the pounding of his heart in his throat. Gedda had known that his opponent was a helmsman of decent renown, sharp-eyed in battle as he was at sea. Yet the gravity of his circumstances had not dawned on him until Ulfrik’s blade flashed, bright and vicious, rending his sleeve. Blood had bubbled hot on his shoulder; the salt air had stung at his wound. Then, feinting with his injured shoulder, Gedda had struck Ulfrik through the belly. By the time he had wrenched his blade from his opponent’s gut, Ulfrik had turned gray in the face, unable to lift his shield against Gedda’s next slash. When dark blood had pooled beneath Ulfrik’s dead body, Gedda was innocent by the law. If only the helmsman’s accusations of cowardice had died with him.

By the time golden dawn shone over the shore, Gedda had gathered all his possessions of worth. He had scarcely begun to put the town behind him when he heard heavy footfalls behind him. “Gedda!”

Gedda had turned at the sound of a familiar voice. “Ari?” There, limned in the first light of day, was his dear friend. When they were boys, Ari and Gedda had tussled together; as men, they had sailed in the same ship and fought side by side. Now the sight of a friendly face twisted Gedda’s heart. “Why are you here?”

“I would ask the same of you.” Whereas Gedda had brought his helm and mail, Ari was not dressed for battle. “Why are you leaving? You heard the decree; you are innocent.”

“Ulfrik lies dead, but his words linger like poison in a well.” Gedda had turned away so he could not see Ari’s brow creased with concern.

“In time, they will forget,” Ari had said. “He is dead; you and I shall live on. We shall win wealth and fame. When we take wives and have sons—”

“Do not speak to me of wealth and wives and sons!” Gedda must have woken the blacksmith and his wife with his shouting, but in the moment he had not cared. “You know as well as I that Ulfrik was not the dishonest one.” Then, when it seemed that Ari was finally without words, he had added, “He was right to call me a coward, Ari. If you had seen it, would you not have done the same?" That was the last Gedda had seen of Ari. After twenty years of loyal friendship—twenty years through which he was fonder of Ari than of his own brothers—his only keepsake was the shame that followed him wherever he wandered, neither an outlaw nor an exile but nevertheless without a home.

The shadow of that shame loomed over him as he drew closer to Erik’s close kinsmen, but he refused to let it darken his face. As Segrim mined wisdom from ancient verse, Gedda let the exile’s words echo in his ears. There was a man who, dishonored or not, made something of himself.

He said nothing more even as he peered around the dancing flames to see Åse and Kjartan once more. Where they planned to go, he did not know. Yet Gedda himself was restless, and the whisper of the water on the sand stirred a need to sail again.

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@seonhyangLooks good, welcome to the RP!

[seonhyang]

It’s 2 in the morning in my timezone, but I should be able to get a first IC post up today, all things permitting! I’ve got @Fiscbryne’s blessing to make Gedda the younger man mentioned at the end of his post for Segrim, so I’ll be building slightly off of his in that vein.

[DELETED32084]

Some great characters and posts! I’m really going to need to up my game here!

[Fiscbryne]

@seonhyang Your post was really well-done! I loved Gedda’s self-doubt and and the way your writing was both deeply sensory (as it usually is) and, though not nostalgic, backwards-looking in an interesting way. I’ve been excited to see what you were going to do with him and this didn’t disappoint! On a more event-based level, I also love the recollection of Gedda’s departure from home and how the Christian entraps them while they are—literally—all in the same boat to proselytize. Speaking of, the portrayal of Christ and the way it contrasts with Segrim’s view is really interesting as well and I love seeing that conflict at play given their relationships to shame!

Your writing is, as usual, really well-grounded in a certain way I can only attempt; where Segrim and Gedda both are in their heads, Gedda feels firmly planted on the ground.

[Saix]

Hello All!

I am glad to see there are great posts being made! I was midway through my own before life happened, so I hope to have the opportunity to finish by the end of the week.

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Post is half done! I'm working into it having talked to all of you, as well as some others who will be joining us. Waiting to see if Saix wants to add to mine for a collab to keep this wabash cannonball rolling, or do her own post.

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Alright crew, another post to bump us along a bit. Next week we flee for our lives. Feel free to crank out a post!

[seonhyang]

@Pagemaster I was hyped to see this post and I wasn't disappointed! I have just one question: should our next posts detail how and when we flee, or should they take place prior to that?

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@seonhyang if you feel up to introducing the Anglo-Saxon attack, I’m all for it!

[seonhyang]

@Pagemaster I think I'll have to decline on that one - I'm not sure I'd know where to start! But if your invitation to post was for events happening prior to the attack, I can see if I can write a post soon!

[Nightbringer]

My first post is up!

Sorry I've been quiet for a while, things get in the way, you know how it is.

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@Nightbringer some tension! Excellent!

[Fiscbryne]

Loving these all these widebois in the RP 😛

Nice to see you’re still with us, @Nightbringer! I love that you’ve made Einar conflict-focused and keyed in on the other characters toward the end. I also like that you’ve motivated him most strongly with with the fear of shame, which I always love—I’d be interested in seeing how that plays out in the future!