Greenland and Vinland

We believe Iceland was a great choice for settling, and we don't wish to go any farther. One small group from our ship continued on to Greenland and possibly Vinland after a few years here in Iceland. Few stories have come back from the settlements over there, since they are so isolated, but what we have heard is all good. It sound like a paradise full of food and resources, but we are skeptical since we've heard many rumors about Iceland that we are finding to be false. Greenland and Vinland are importing a lot of necessary supplies, and export luxuries. Their trade ships come from Norway, and often stop in Iceland. The population in the two lands are very small.

~Aldís~

The Faeroes and Iceland

Lately explorers have been traveling into the unknown, only following the rumors of lands to be explored and settled. The Faeroe Islands have a little flat land, but are good for grazing animals and suitable for some crops. Iceland has an intriguing landscape, with glaciers and sulfur springs. We have also heard it has lots of fish and animals to hunt. Auðin and I decided to settle in Iceland. We sold some of our animals and took a few with us, and left the farm to a relative of Auðin's. After many months, the ship of other settlers set sail and we made our way to Iceland and claimed some land.

~Aldís~

Scotland and the Isles; Normandy

Auðin and I discussed the idea of settling somewhere new, and have decided to go for it. We went to visit with Guðmundr and tell him our plan. He told us of some other ideas of places to go, since he knows a lot of people who have gone on raids and trips to distant lands. Jarlshof is the most common and popular place to settle in Scotland. The Western Isles have a more hybrid cuture and adaptations, such as in the building styles. On place that sounded intrigueing is the Isle of Man, because it is a well-established place for Norse to settle, since it is a very wealthy center of power. Brittany was raided a lot many years ago, but its not a favored place to settle. When Rollo closed off the Seine, Brittany and Ireland were the only places left open for attack

~Aldís~

England and Ireland

Our neighbor and good friend, Guðmundr Sturluson, came for a visit today and to encourage us to settle somewhere new. He told us of England, a country full of small kingdoms and mixed cultures. It is a very secure place to settle, and has many small villages to choose from. Another place he told us about was York. Jórvíkingar sounded very appealing in its access to luxury goods and the importance of craft manufacturing there. As for Ireland, there is always in warfare, so it does not sound like a very safe place to settle.

~Aldís~

The East

The craft and trade center of Stara Ladoga has linked the Baltic to eastern Europe for centuries. It is a very ethnically mixed area. Gorodisce is the site of the eastern Scandinavian rulers, including Oleg and Olga. Kiev has been around for centuries, and is antoher ethnically mixed city. A few Scandinavian elites live there. It is very important as the connection to Constantinople and the Byzantian empire. Constantinople is the ideal city, the center of the world and full of luxuries. Trade routes are all limited to the river systems and waterways all over the East.

~Aldís~

The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean is a well known and desired area to the south. Very few ships or raids have made it down there. There has been sacking in Iberia, as well as some damage in France and Italy. They were defeated on both attacks in Iberia. There is a Viking stronghold in France, which is the point of origin they set out to the Mediterranean from. Only one wintering site has been used, in Camargue.

~Aldís~

Ireland and the Brittish Isles

A ships crew for a raid is usually composed of friends, neighbors, and relatives who encourage each other to join the ship. A Hierarchy is always maintained on and off of the ship. Sometimes leaders will unite forces and fleets in order to obtain greater profit. In these cases, a warrior will be loyal to only his leader. Such was the case with the Great Heathen Army. The Valkyries choose who should die in battle and bring them to Ásgard, and Odin receives half of the slain from battle. The kingdom of Dublin in Ireland doesn't have much agriculture, it specializes in crafts and trade. Scotland is a very multicultural viking stronghold, and Wales is an ally. Some people have moved to settle in the Brittish Isles.

~Aldís~

Warriors and Mainland Europe

Warriors mostly use a leather body protector, cap, and a wooden shield as armor in battle. The elite and wealthy can afford chain mail vests. Most warriors have a knife on them as well as another weapon, often an ax, spear, or another tool. Swords are highly valued in battle and and each one has its own name and personality. Targets are carefully selected in raids, you don't want to put in a lot of effort if you aren't going to go home with a prize. Coastal monasteries and trade centers are the best targets since the goal is always maximum profit. It is very rare that women go on raids, we can fulfill the honor code, but the role at home is much more important, which enables the men to go.

~Aldís~

Trade

Everyone is very self-sufficient on their own land. Bartering and trading is for wants and luxuries, everything we need we make or get ourselves. Silver is a very acceptable form of payment, and ring-form is preferred since it is the easiest to carry. Auðin recently struck a deal for some very nice glass beads that came in on a trade ship. Its important to show your status in what you wear. Ribe is surrounded by a moat, since the fear of attack is always there. We don't want to look weak and defenseless to any ship who would consider raiding instead of trade. Ribe is also rather old for a town, and still here.

~Aldís~

Craft and Ships

In his leatherwork, Auðin specializes mostly in harnesses, scabbards, and protective gear. Sometimes he will have his work inlaid with silver or another metal before brining it to Ribe. The crafts there are mostly bone, wood, metals, or leather. Pottery and glass are rare and very valuable. A trade ship was recently finished in Ribe, it took many months because each plank must be split, chopped, and whittled with an ax to a perfect fit to make the ideal ship. The ships that come from Sweden are often smaller than the others, because they are built for shallow lakes and rivers.

~Aldís~

Art and Religion

Auðin's father, Ávarr, was taken to a runes master when he was sick before he died. The runes master knows how to use the power of runes for healing and other spells. The runes were obtained at a great cost, so the wisdom and power of using the runes for ritual are known by few. Ávarr was buried with a runic memorial stone nearby. Since our son was named after him, he is now his guardian spirit. We worship the agrarian Gods of agriculture for our farm. A lot of the artwork for sale and trade in Ribe has beautiful intertwined serpents on them, and most art has animals or ships worked into it.

~Aldís~

Introduction

My name is Aldís Aghenardottir. I am 24 years old, and a free woman near Ribe, Denmark. My husband (Auðin) and I are farmers with a moderate amount of land. We have a field of cows and sheep, as well as some horses. We mostly grow grains, a few root vegetables, and of course some hay for the animals. I spend most of my time preserving food, making or mending clothes, and teaching our son, Ávarr. Auðin is also a craftsman, making leather goods to trade and sell in Ribe. He went to Ribe for a few days to sell some of his leather work, so I took over some more duties of the farm while he's gone. Ávarr is learning to fish, and is getting very skilled at it.

~Aldís~