Darren and Michelle: Background

[GM Craig]

Ostland is ruled by King Wald, and covers the regions Thelamark, Ranrike and Heathomark.

Thelamark
Culture/Religion: Ethlings - Northman/Christian
                           Karls - Northman/Odinic, Freya
Ruler: King Wald
Vassal of no one
Army: 30 hall-thanes, 300 warriors
Navy: 1 longship, 3 tradeships

Trade with the south (notably Britain and France) has profoundly influenced the culture of Thelamark. Many warriors have adopted the heavy spear and single-edged sword favored by the northern Franks. More significantly, after years of missionary activity by the Frankish clergy, King Wald has adopted Christianity and ordered his thanes to convert. This has led to a unique blend of Christian and Odinic elements in aristocratic culture; the karls continue to worship Freya. It is only because of Thelamark's rich soil and bountiful harvests that King Wald can afford the peaceful doctrines of Christianity. Thelamark rules the kingdom of Ostland.

Ranrike
Culture/Religion: Ethlings - Northman/Christian
                           Karls - Northman/Odinic
Ruler: King Billing
Vassal of King Wald of Thelamark
Army: 20 hall-thanes, 200 warriors

Part of the kingdom of Ostland, the ethlings were forcibly converted to Christianity by King Wald. Trade is of secondary importance to agriculture. The karls share religious ties with the Svear, and many travel to Uppmanland for the annual rites to Freya.

Heathomark
Culture/Religion: Northman/Odinic, Thor
Ruler: Raedhere
Vassal of King Wald of Thelamark (Loyalty = 6)
Army: 25 warriors

This region is made up of numerous, independent free-farmers. Raedhere is an elected Herse. The Heathomark live rather harshly among the spruce forests and the rocky-soiled valleys, and think of the other Ostlanders as spoiled. They have firmly rejected King Wald's attempts to convert them to Christianity, and he has not forced the issue.

[Arne]

Now, if we're in Britain, will we be starting the game in enemy territory?  That will probably play an important part in how we conclude the back story (I was planning on us "hijacking" a docked ship and sailing it northward to non-Saxon territory).

Speaking of which, would Arne (or some of the freed prisoners/slaves) know how to sail a Saxon ship?  Arne has a Boating skill of 10.

[GM Craig]

Anyone with boating would know how to sail a ship.

[Arne]

And will we be starting the game in enemy-held territory?  I'd like to have the background segue to the game start if I can.

[GM Craig]

No, you guys would have made your way to the County of Salisbury in Logres somehow. The county has a port on the south coast of Britain, if you came by ship. If you came overland, you'd end up in central Britain, and come to the county that way.

I don't much care how you get there, but you guys need to end up in the county of Salisbury, in the kingdom of Logres. I'll figure out where to put you from there.

[Arne]

Cool, that works okay.

So, I've heard the idea of escaping from this slaver camp, only to go raid and liberate a much larger one.  Yeah, I'm liking this idea!  However, should I then tone down the amount of prisoners/slaves at the camp we're currently at?  I initially put the total at about 50-60 people, with 15 Saxons currently keeping guard over them (well, 14 after Valka spiked one).

Thoughts/suggestions on this?

[GM Craig]

Yeah, maybe tone it down to a half dozen maybe.

[Arne]

If it's a half-dozen, then I might have to make nearly all of them warriors.  Realistically, I can't see three or four of us taking on 14 Saxons by ourselves.  Unless many of them were sleeping when all hell broke loose.

[Valka]

Making them warriors would be fine, I think. We'd find more and their families at the next camp then.

[Arne]

Yup, that can work for me.  Keeps the Norse warriors in line that way.

[Arne]

Would anyone mind if I temporarily removed the current "novel" style back-story of Arne and Valka from this thread?  I'm working on a shorter one right now (more like a historian relating a part of history in a book), but after that's done I'd like to go back and finish off the larger "novel" one.  That one's gonna require some considerable restructuring and correcting (and time) before I even get into the last part of it (ie. from when Arne and Valka free themselves at the first slave camp up to where they leave the second slave camp with the freed Nords and set sail for Salisbury).

[Valka]

Go for it. Save it somewhere though

[Arne]

Just a note that I'll bust my ass to finish off Arne and Valka's back story when I get home.  It should be finished in the evening.  Sorry for the delay, Sir Dudes and Lady Dudettes.   

[GM Craig]

Don't worry too much about a full narrative on my account. I'm happy enough with salient facts and an order of events.

[Arne]

Question . . . what does a blood-bond mean to the two that swore it to each other?