Flashback
Hákon inquires about the origin of Lár’s last name as he leaves the little dock hut. Lár, taken aback by the stranger’s use of Icelandic. He smiles and replies in kind, “Já , faðir minn , hann var frá Svíþjóð. tunga er undarlegt . Ertu líka frá Svíþjóð?”
In the Market
The party inspects the market, familiarizing themselves with the local practices and wares.
Taking a quick inventory results in: juvenile arctic fox’s, hunting falcons, various fermented and smoked fish and meats, cereal grains, coarse flours, whole grains, salt; salted reindeer, beef, mutton, lamb, goat and pork; baby goats, pigs, hunting dogs, sheep dogs; fresh milk: goat, sheep, and cow’s, various local and imported fabrics (wool, silk), tools (wood and metal), spools of yarn and spun threads; root vegetables: carrots, potatoes, and turnips. Both women and men occupy the various market stalls. Most of the women are quiet and wear a cap and blouse of simple fashion with light wool coats. What skin shows is a pale white. The men wear heavy wool trousers and thick long sleeve Vaðmál shirts with long scraggly beards.
Many of the locals give Harold many strange looks as he prances around announcing how beautiful and wonderful everyone is and announcing “Yahh!!” every few minutes. Olórin, unable to comprehend half of what the locals are saying, makes a b-line for the matur markaði building in search of some solitude, food, and drink. Johann scans the crowd for potential concubines.
Agmundr takes a more direct approach by searching for possible adventure leads and scoping the locals and their market for things of interest. Eventually he finds a notice board outside the matur markaði and discovers an announcement of potential interest. He quickly jerks the notice from the board and follows his fellow shipmates into the dining hall for some much needed R&R.
NOTICE:
To any sturdy soul of faith and blood, Northern folk, those who would widen their gaze upon the world of their forefathers, of knowledge gained and passed on, and therein turn to deeds for the greater good of men, country, and hearth. You are hereby summoned, called up in the name of your people, to banish certain evils, men and other, from this land. To brave wind, rain, and arctic blast, to gather from the four corners all manner of resources, and become men, even gods in time. To remedy ancient wounds inflicted upon and putrefying the hearts and hearth of living men.
Bear sword and flesh to Sæmundur Sigfússo in Oddi. Those who render service true shall not be denied.
Sæmundur Sigfússon
In the Matur Markaði
Inside the matur markaði is an expansive hall with massive wood pillars supporting timbers the size of a giant's torso. The massive stone blocks making up the exterior walls have been washed in a bright white on the inside. Two massive wood burning stone ovens, with multiple opening each and several open fires, are evenly spaced along the west (back) wall. Long, tall, crude wooden racks filling the southern end of the room and butting up against the south oven, are filled with various cooking pots, utensils, and food stuffs. A long heavy looking obsidian stone bar top, supported by thick timbers, separates the dining room from the kitchen. The remaining area is filled with long rustic wooden tables and benches. The smells are nearly overpowering at first but soon become tolerable and the air has a smoky appearance. Next to each stone oven is a small wooden door where young boys come and go carrying firewood and other items.
The party chooses a table at random and a young boy comes to greet them and take their order. “Velkomið að Viðurreyktetur. Kveðjur. We serve smoked lamb, pickled whale blubber, potatoes with beef fat and wild root. We serve volcanic spring water, meduwyrt mead, oxymel, mulsum, hydromel, and Ydromellum.” Once he has completed listing the fare the boy waits patiently for an answer.
Actions!“It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and better part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, that the North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least a place more to be regarded than any part of the world beside; that howsoever their knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of their forefathers would never lack interest for them, but would always be kept in remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided in turning attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own history.” (Project Gutenberg's Volsunga Saga)
Location: Matur markaði at the market in Þorlákshöfn
PC’s
Johann Konig Albrecht: Human (Euro German) Thief
Olórin 'Lord of the Breath of Arda': Human (Norse) Magic-User
Hákon Eldfjall: Human (Geat) Fighter
Agmundr Halfhand: Human (Geat) Fighter
Harold Stenson: Human (Euro-Dutch) Fighter
NPC’s
Ásmundr Ingolfsson: Captain of the Elliði
Lár Sjöberg: Dock manager
Drengur: Boy
The Bad Guys
n/a
Calendar:
1:45 pm
April 1st, 1100
Sun Rise/Set: 6:50 am/7:43 pm
Temp: 28.4°F
Visibility: 6.2 Miles
Wind: 3.5 mph Variable
Cloud: Scattered Clouds
Humidity: 59%
Moon Rise/Set: 4:55 pm/6:10 am
Moonlight: 92%
(2015-BIRK-Þorlákshöfn-Eyrarbakki)
Translations
Já , faðir minn , hann var frá Svíþjóð : Yes , my father , he was from Sweden
tunga er undarlegt . Ertu líka frá Svíþjóð? : your tongue is strange. Are you too from Sweden?
Vaðmál: Coarse, dense, undyed wool fabric typically used by the lower classes.
Kveðjur: Greetings
Velkomið að Viðurreyktetur: welcome to wood-smoked-eats
Meduwyrt: The meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). Is used by the Anglo-Saxons to give additional flavor to their mead.
Ydromellum: Apples and honey fermented together, usually in water but one recipe gives wine.
Oxymel: A mixture of vinegar, honey and water.
Mulsum: Wine and honey or wine, water and honey.
Hydromel: Honey diluted in water (becomes mead when fermented).
