Realistic or Modern Age of Vikings (Always Accepting!)

[TwistedDreams]

The year is 820, all around Scandinavia Viking Warbands are leaving to raid in the west, seeking fame and riches. Now, it is our turn.


A young Earl leads his warriors across the North sea, landing on the coast of England. This is a Tale of Glory, Betrayal, Love and Loss, among other things.


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[TwistedDreams]

@John Raptorfist @sprouhtt @Lord Shaxx @TheFlyingWriter


The boat gently rocked on the open sea as Agnar sat looking at the small shadow that the sun boar on his wooden compass, floating in a bucket of water, they had maintained a straight course. Agnar had taken 150 men and Shieldmaden's in 5 ships to raid England. Many other Earl's and King's had already raided these lands but now it was Agnar's turn to prove his worth. Agnar's father, Halfdan had passed away merely two weeks ago, leaving Agnar his Earldom. To secure his rule Agnar had decided to perform a great raid and come back to Egersund with many riches.


Suddenly the squawks of birds broke through the silence. "Seagulls!" A man shouted, Suddenly the 5 ships erupted with cheers as through the fog, a sandy beach appeared. They had arrived in England.


(All characters either start on one of the ships or in a nearby village, if you're not a viking

 

[Sharkiee]

Astrid sat in one of the boats, a small mortor in her hands, she grinded the herbs slowly as to find something to do on this long journey.


Her heart picked up as she heard the shouts, and she saw the shore, steadily she poured the dried powder into one of her small leather pouches and returned both mortor and pouch into her bag.


Getting off the boat was always a struggle, she wasn't as daring as some of the other vikings, touching the water with her feet a chill ran up her leg, which followed by a helping hand behind her which ended up with her behind pushed off the side. "Thanks" she hissed as she pulled her heavy skirt up around her thighs and wayed herself into shore.

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_05/image.jpeg.932807028d08326742efa11d0d27ab4a.jpeg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="126817" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_05/image.jpeg.932807028d08326742efa11d0d27ab4a.jpeg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p> Meanwhile, Azura Peterova tended to a crowded tavern. The tavern was named "The Red Lion Tavern" and located in a small village in England. The tavern was filled with warmth as many people, mainly men laughed and talked with loud voices. Many of them were people she recognized, usual the same folk, when newer people entered the tavern, people got suspicious. It was a small village after all.


Azura's hair was in her brown ringlets as usual. Her dark eyes darted around the room, after a year of working here, she felt somewhat connected to them, which she hated to admit. She wore a simple black corset, sleeveless shirt and leather black boots and skinny leather black pants. She served a man a large cup of mead before standing back behind the counter and watching.


Azura frowned as she caught a glimpse of a conversation, speaking about Vikings coming to England. Azura grimaced, believing it to be rumors and silly stories, she resumed serving and making drinks. She wore no smile as she did so, she hardly did, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy being a bartender, especially running this place.

 

[John Raptorfist]

Being jostled from his sleep by a cry from his lord Agnar, the tall swede swiftly got to his feet. He peered into a foggy horizon, and sure enough, the telltale insignia of a shoreline could be made out. A sudden burst of joy hit the man, and he began to climb up onto the ornately-carved prow of the ship. The cool, salty breeze whipped in his face and he let out a howl, as if to challenge the island itself. Magnus had never been to England before, but he had heard tales of it. How it was a land of people stunted in height and worshipped a dead god. But enough thinking for now, this a was a joyous occasion! He could finally get off this accused, creaking boat! Magnus chuckled, and hopped down from the prow, slapping Agnar on the back. "Good work getting here, Agnar. Now, we just have to make landfall." He said, fingers wrapped around the hilt of his seax. "By Odin, this place is foggy." The blonde-haired swede mumbled before digging into a pouch on his belt and pulling out some dried pork to tide him over for the time being. "Your a good man Agnar, but if you pull this raid off, your people will know you fought bravely against the foreigners for not only them, but for also the gods."


@JacobLoL @Sharkiee

 

[TheFlyingWriter]

Kalf Koigrimsson yawned, idly scratching at the wooden surface in front of him. He rested one of his elbows on it, and in turn rested his chin in the same arm's hand. His eyes scanned the bustling room, searching for someone who looked decent enough for conversation. Or, at least, not fully drunk.


While drunks were nice and all, getting a laugh from them was either a cinch or impossible. They'd either laugh at every word you said, or try to attack you. And Kalf was not interested in either.


He tilted his head, eyes resting on a woman with brown, curled hair. She seemed to be a bartender, surely, so she couldn't be drunk (unless the Red Lion Tavern permitted such things). On the plus side, she didn't look like the particularly bubbly type either, so getting at least a smile from here would have to be a challenge.


One he most graciously would accept.


"Excuse me! Miss?" he called, raising his hand and waving it in the air. He grinned, mind racing for a conversation starter. Finding one, he removed his chin from his palm and straightened.


@DarknessSpirit

 

[TwistedDreams]

"Good work getting here, Agnar. Now, we just have to make landfall." Magnus said patting Agnar on the back, Agnar patted him back, smiling as the boats moved closer to land.


As the boats reached the shore, Agnar was first to jump onto the shore. He was wielding two swords, one in each hand and was eager to raid. Falling beside him was Astrid (@Sharkiee ), he grinned, extending his hand to help her up from the water.

 

[John Raptorfist]

Mangus donned his helmet as they reached shore, hastily putting on his Chainmail hauberk as well. After Agnar and Astrid had jumped from the ship, the swede leaped onto the sandy beach with a grunt, round-shield in hand. Magnus then grabbed a handful of the fine, light colored sand in his hands, letting the loose grains slip between his fingers. He was used to the dark, rounded, pebbles of the beaches back in the northlands. Twirling his axe in his right hand, Magnus turned to Agnar. "Shall we get moving then?" He said with a grin. "I can't wait to shed the blood of these...'Saxon' folk." Hearing no reply at first, Mangus turned to see Agnar with his hand outstretched towards Astrid. The sight made a joking laughter bubble up in the man's chest. "Ha! She is a shield-maiden, she doesn't need your hand. She's not a child."


@JacobLoL @Sharkiee

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azura had been cleaning off the bar with a wet rag silently as the noise around her seemed to get louder and louder the more people drank, she started to to cut some drinks off, she didn't want any deaths blamed on her. The smell of salty sea air wafted in as more familiar people entered the tavern. It wasn't surprising, considering the village was on the coast.


Mainly English men lived here, mainly because they were in England. Azura wasn't English however, sure she spoke it, but she didn't have the accent, she was strictly from Bulgarian heritage. Azura looked up from cleaning the bar table as a man yelled out across the room, he looked about her age almost. Azura put down her rag and walked at a steady,sly manner over to his table. She folded her arms and looked down at him, about 5 paces away from where he sat. "You need something?" She asked raising her eyebrows, assuming he wanted a drink.


@TheFlyingWriter

 

[ONI]

"Seagulls!!" was the cry that Thorbjorn heard, he sat himself up from his lounging position, giving his arm a scratch or two as he did so, the large man satisfied himself with audible wet pops of a few of his joints before completely coming to a stand and looking to the sky, just as was said Seagulls, not one to care for things like that he simply grabbed his Axe and moved to the end of ship, he had forgone accompanying the Earl and instead joined a few lesser men and women.


By the time the boat Thorbjorn was on had reached the sands he was already out of it, wading quickly in waist deep saltwater, the bear pelt he wore protected his back from the waves crashing against it, though they weren't all too large of waves to begin with, he reached the small marsh like area of the beach, he put his foot down into a sandy puddle and was met by sharp pains in his calf, it felt like something was... pinching him? he pulled the leg out and was met by a pair of pincers attached to them were a decently sized crab, laughing to himself he stared at it.


They had barely been on the beach for five minutes and he was already eating, with a crabs whose shell had been removed in his hand and another two tucked into his leather belt by their claws, he had his axe held tightly in his arm pit as he used one hand to hold the crab like a plate and the other to fork out it's meat and consume it, strolling on over to the Earl, Magnus and Astrid, just stopping across from them as he threw another handful of meat into his mouth before nodding his head over at Earl Agnar.


@John Raptorfist | @JacobLoL | @Sharkiee

 

[TheFlyingWriter]

"You need something?" the woman asked, crossing her arms as she approached and looking overall unimpressed. Without batting an eye, the boy responded. "I'm very sorry, Miss, but I saw you from across the room and thought you looked like a very sensible young lady." He nodded politely, hoping the compliment would keep her around for the punchline.


"Now, did you know that eggs can laugh?" He blinked at her, trying not to laugh or crack a smile at his own joke. He'd gotten better with practice, but honestly he just found himself way too hilarious to be serious. "It's true," he added, nodding. "All you have to do is tell them a yolk."


He grinned, expecting a laugh, a smirk, or at the least a scoff of pity. It was dumb, sure, but it was part of his charm.


@DarknessSpirit

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azura's face remained irritable as he let gave her a compliment, she was already annoyed and he had only spoken once. She had to deal with these kind of men all day, the ones that wanted her in their bed. Azura continued to listen to him, obviously looking irritated, as she was.


A small part Azura wanted to laugh at how naive and cocky he was as he told her a joke about an egg, but she let her better instincts show instead. She let out an exasperated sigh, closing her eyes for a moment, clearly annoyed before opening her eyes. "Do you need something, or are you just a bad flirt?" Azura said bluntly with irritation.


Just then, the door of the tavern shot open, letting in a large gust of wind. He was out of breath and carried a fishing rod, he looked to be a fisherman. He panted, raising a hand to wait a moment, his face red from running and he clutched his chest. "V-V- Vikings on the shore." He barely panted out. The tavern erupted with silent murmurs and chatter. Before a group of men got up, the sound of chairs rubbing against the wood floors sounded in the tavern as multiple people got up and looked outside the tavern, squinting to see the shoreline in the distance.


The Red Lion was silent and filled with tension before a man yelled out from outside "SHIPS!!! I SEE SHIPS!" The tavern erupted into loud noises of chatter of confusion and panic. Azura silently looked around, her first instinct was to burn the tavern too the ground, despite who she killed and get the hell out of there. She had never encountered Vikings before and she wasn't about to find out why they were here. Azura stood still and silently looked around.


@TheFlyingWriter

 

[TwistedDreams]

With two great warriors surrounding him, Magnus and Thorbjorn, Agnar looked into the distance, spotting what looked to be the wooden roofs of buildings. "Look!" He yelled to his warriors, who had by now all disembarked their ships. "A village ripe for plunder! Prepare yourselves and sieze all the treasure you can find!" The vikings let out a collective cheer as Agnar lead them towards the village. Agnar knew that there would be saxon soldiers in the village and that they would have to fight for their plunder.


@Lord Shaxx @John Raptorfist

 

[Kencen]

Leiknir had been on the last boat to make land, so he was a bit late to the party. Scanning those around him, he found the Earl talking with a few of the others. As he approached, Earl Agnar shouted, "Look! A village ripe for plunder! Prepare yourselves and seize all the treasure you can find!" Leiknir joined in the cheer, and they began to march.


“Earl Agnar! I am honored to fight by your side on this day!” Leiknir gave Agnar a wide, toothy smile, as he drew his two axes. “May Tyr watch over me,” he whispered, as they approached the village.


@JacobLoL

 

[TwistedDreams]

"May Odin protect you!" Agnar replied to Leiknir. Suddenly the sound of bells ringing flowed through the air, The villagers obviously knew that Agnar and his warband had arrived. Agnar held one of his swords up in the air, pointing it towards the town, signalling for the warband to pick up the pace.


As Agnar and his men reached the town he could now see that a wooden wall surrounded it, with a wooden gate in front of them. He picked out two axe wielding men from the warband, "You two, destroy the hinges on the gate" He commanded the men. "Everyone else.." He paused, "SHIELD WALL!" Agnar yelled, knowing that behind that gate there could be anything. The Warband hurried into formation as the two viking men hacked at the hinges of the gate.


'

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azura rushed outside as she could here the Vikings attempting to break the gate. It wouldn't hold long from what it sounded like. Azura's heart raced. Vikings were here, and not on good terms either. This village could burn for all she cared, as long as she wasn't in it. She climbed the roof of the Red Lion, two duel daggers and a bow with a large amount of arrows lay tucked under a roof panel. She grabbed her weapons and with her parlor ins skilss, she climbed and jumped her way to the highest building in the village, giving ger a good eye on what the Vikings were doing. As soon as they broke the gate, Azura would jump down and slip out right behind them. Azura clutched her bow in case she did have to fight for her life.

 

[John Raptorfist]

"May Odin protect you!" Was the shout Mangus heard from his lord as they collectively charged towards the gates of the Saxon village. "And may the Allfather be with you to, Angar!" He shouted above the roar of the rest of the warband. The blonde Swede slammed the head of his axe agansit the metal ridge of his shield, producing a unnerving ringing noise as they advanced. The village looked small and even somewhat poor, it's wooden walls seemed as though infested with insects and covered in fine, blue-grey lichens. As the order was given to fall into shield-wall Mangus spoke to the other men in his deep tone. "Today, we fight these 'Saxons' who cower behind their walls and refuse to fight like true men of honor! We fight them for fame, fortune...and women! But most of all, we fight these cowards for glory in the afterlife! For every warrior who thrusts their blade into a Saxon's heart will be smiled upon by the gods!"


@JacobLoL @Lord Shaxx @Kencen

 

[ONI]

"You two, Destroy the hinges on the gate" was the Earls order and without delay Thorbjorn tossed his empty crab shell to the ground and pulled his axe from his armpit, he began to run towards the gate with his large axe, his foot falls leaving indentations in the mud as he did so and with powerful angular strike proceeded to turn the wood nearest to the iron hinges into mear splinters, sending strike after strike, after strike into the wood each time negating large chunks of the flimsy wooden door, he could hear the wood on his side giving way to the force, he could hear the shouting of a few men on the other pushing back against the gate "Odin today you decide my fate" he said to himself over the sounds of his axe.


With his short words he stepped back from the door, seeing just how much damage he'd inflicted to it, he tossed his Bearded axe to the ground, it fell to it with a wet smack as he retrieved both his axe and seax before turning around with both held in his hands, he looked to the shield wall and let out a crazed laugh of a war-cry attempting to fuel the vikings locked shield to shield before turning himself back towards the damaged section of the gate and jumping, the massive, bear skin covered fanatic sent himself straight into and through the weakened wood, straight into an unfortunate young Saxon fighter who was too slow to run back with the others, receiving a few splinters into his shoulder, the gate was no longer an obstacle and the other vikings had a clear entry straight into the settlement, Thorbjorn showed the young warrior no quarter as he drove and cleaved him with both Seax and Axe.

 

[TwistedDreams]

"CHARGE!" Agnar yelled as Thorbjorn rammed open the gate, revealing around 50 Saxon warriors. The Warband burst inot war crys as Agnar lead the charge, slashing the face of the first saxon he came into contact with. The blood from the saxon warrior sprayed over his own face as another swung his sword at Agnar. Agnar blocked the swing with one of his swords and with the other, drove it into the Saxon soldiers heart. "FIGHT!" Agnar yellled "AND IF YOU FALL, SURELY ODIN WILL TAKE YOU TO VALHALLA!"


The warband let out a fierce roar.

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azura inhaled and exhaled slowly, she stood on the highest rooftop, crouched down, an arrow ready to fire and pointed at a Viking. She let the arrow fly and it landed itself straight into a Vikings heart, killing him instantly. Azura started to shoot down the Vikings quietly one by one, she needed a clear path to escape, each time she shot the arrow it landed itself perfectly in a Vikings heart, Vikings started to fall to the ground left and right.

 

[John Raptorfist]

Almost at the second Thorbjorn had broken through the gate and Angar had let out his war cry, Mangus snarled, leaping forward and bowling into a Saxon man wearing scale armor, using his shield as a solid wall in which to inflict damage and cushion his blow. Before the Saxon could react, he swung his axe into his ribacge, hearing a wet crack has metal shattered bone. Then, using the iron rim of his shield, Mangus struck the Saxon's chin in a upward strike, sending teeth and blood flying, and the warrior toppling to the ground. Magnus let out a chuckle as he saw the man fall at his feet. This is where the Swede felt truly at home, among the fire and blood of battle. Seemingly out of nowhere, a blade swung at him, and Mangus barely blocked it with his axe. Though Mangus himself hadn't been struck, the upper quarter of his axe fell to the earth, being cut in twain. Looking down at the axehead with a wry grin, Mangus returned his icy blue gaze back to the black-haired Saxon. He towered over this pitiful man, scarlet blood flicking his face. "Heh...You'll regret doing that..." He said with a chuckle before pulling out his seax as quick as lighting and stabbing deep into the soldier's flesh, just above his collarbone. Magnus watched as crimson blood bubbled out of the Saxon's mouth and the life drained from his brown eyes. Magnus slid his seax out of its bloody scabbard and let the man collapse. "I told you." Soon, arrows whistled past his ears striking Northmen all around him. "FORM SHIELDWALL!"

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Azura jumped up, revealing that she was the one firing on the Vikings. She slid down from the rooftop, her black tight clothes making it easier to move. Azura made a beeline for the gates, slitting any Vikings throat that tried to grab her with fast and quick precision. She was nearly at the broken gate now, sprinting as fast as she could.

 

[TwistedDreams]

Agnar twirled, duck and dodged swing his swords wildly, by now his face was covered in blood and the steel of his swords could barely be seen. Suddenly an arrow flew past his face and he heard Magnus call out "FORM SHIELDWALL!". The Vikings quickly resumed the shieldwall formation as the rest of the Saxon soldiers started to flee further into the town.


Out of the corner of his eye, Agnar noticed a girl sprinting for the gates. He lunged at her, tackling her to the ground. A few viking warriors quickly came to the aid of their Earl, surrounding her. "She'll make a nice slave" Chuckled one of the warriors licking his lips. Agnar looked back up at his warband "Plunder anything of value you can find!" He said, as now that all resistance had either fled or been killled, the city was ripe for the plunder. Agnar looked down at the girl "Do you speak our language?" He asked her curiously.


@DarknessSpirit @John Raptorfist

 

[John Raptorfist]

Almost as soon as Mangus gave the order to form shieldwall, the hail of missiles had come to an abrupt stop. Looking around, he saw that the last of the Saxon Warriors were being swiftly dispatched and the Vikings that had suffered wounds were being tended to, their groans of pain highly audible. Soon, a blackish blur came running almost straight at Magnus, saw Agnar tackle the mystery person and ran over, almost shoving the young earl out of the way. Magnus now saw that this was the archer, due to the quiver she carried at her hip. holding his still-bloodied seax up to her throat, Magnus growled in a low tone. "So this is the archer that killed so many of our good men, eh? some idiot Saxon Woman?!?!" His growl crescendoed into a furious roar. "I'd slaughter you right here if you weren't so pretty. Heh..." His finger played with one of her dark ringlets. "I'll ravage you for the sake of the gods until you moan with pleasure, and then...and then...I slice your throat for what you've done." Magnus said in an intense whisper.


@JacobLoL @DarknessSpirit

 

[Kencen]

"You two, destroy the hinges on the gate" was all Leiknir needed to hear, so he followed Thorbjorn and the two quickly dispatched the wooden gate. As the vikings stormed through, they found that they were face to face with a small army of Saxon soldiers.


The Earl led the charge, with Leiknir close behind. The blonde behemoth rushed the enemy’s front line, targeting the men in the middle of the row. With a mighty leap, he slammed his twin axes down onto and into his first victim, a short Saxon man. Leiknir knocked his victim to the ground, and one more swing ended the poor man’s life.


The Saxon men on either side of Leiknir thrust their puny swords at him. He dodged one and deflected the other, swinging an axe into the chest of one one of the men and kicking the other off his feet.


"FORM SHIELDWALL!" he heard Magnus shout, as he realized he was rather overextended. Leiknir fell back, throwing an axe at one of the enemies. He hit the man straight in the chest and, after giving Leiknir a look of supreme shock, the man simply crumpled to the ground.


Leiknir drew his shield as he saw a dark figure run past him- a woman? Interesting, but not too important at the moment. He joined the shieldwall, and continued to fight the Saxons alongside his comrades.


As the battle wound down, he saw the Earl had surrounded the black-clad woman he’d seen previously, but he decided to move on, first retrieving his thrown axe, then entering the first house that no other viking had already gone into.