The Armring Ceremony and The summer raid.

The Earl Haraldson calls up ingolf, son of olaf , Rollo , son of Balder. May you accept this gift of salt and earth to remind yourself that you belong to the land and the sea. Ingolf and Rollo both lick the sword on which water and dirt was placed. The Earl grabs 2 arm rings ' these arm rings bind you in loyalty to me, your lord, your chieftain, any oath that you swear on these rings must be honored and kept,do you understand and swear to this?'Both: YES, lord. and do you freely give your fealty to me , your lord, your chieftain ? Both: YES, lord. good you may put on the arm rings. the crowd cheers as the boys put on their arm rings. 'Let us feast' said the Earl as the crowd cheers louder, 'wait, my Lord' Balder intervened 'we all want to feast, but we also want to know where we'll be raiding this summer' said Balder. 'cant it wait Balder' said the Earl haraldson as Asmund intervenes ' No, we want to know my Lord tell us, we have a right to know '. very well Asmund we will raid east again to the Eastlands and into neihboring countries we might even find new lands. 'every year we go to the same place but there is an alternative,if you chose ' said Balder very smug. oh yes, yes. choice, yes. I have heard of these stories, these rumors. that if we travel west, that we will somehow reach a land that is rich and plentiful said the Earl as the crowd starts laughing. but I tell you that I will not risk my ships or my reputation in such a deluded fantasy.they are my ships Balder. I pay for them. and they go where I tell them to go. now that is the end of the matter Balder, let's feast! (crowd cheers) as Balder sits back down . the Earl's advisor comes up to Balder ' Balder Asger the Earl haraldson has asked to speak to you privately '. 'stay with your uncle Rollo' said Balder as he walked toward the Earl's private room. come Balder sit, would you like to eat ?. Yes , my Lord. The Earl proceeds to slide the plate filled with roasted chicken and beef away from Balder ' you want to feast in my hall ? you want to sail in my ships ? anything else you want from me ' said the Earl in an angry manner as he munched on his beef. You keep talking about the west, what do you know of it ? why are you so certain that it's a land of great riches. I can't be sure my Lord but I believe tha... I Don't care what you believe Balder.You insulted me out there, and not for the first time, but believe me it will be the last. Balder gets up to leave,Who told you you could go Balder , Balder sits back down. ' you are a farmer you should be content with your lot, farms are few and in great demand, and they're Are many people here who would like to possess your land, do you understand what I am saying Balder' said the Earl in a menacing serious manner. ' I understand' said Balder. then don't ever stick your nose in my face again and LEAVE!. Balder leaves the room. ' keep an eye on him I don't trust him ' the Earl said to his advisor. Balder grabs his son in the middle of the night and takes him ' where are you taking me father I am very tired ' said Rollo ' to talk to the gods it's what we do Rollo' said Balder as they reach the seer. the seer was a mysterious one he could predict the future with riddles some say he's a messsenger of Odin himself some say he is a devil but everyone knows that the seers prophecies always come true. his appearance was horrifying eyes sewen shut, he wears a black cloak around his hunch back some say he is the one of the dwarves kind. ' why don't you come in I am waiting Balder ' said the seer as Rollo and Balder enter the seer's hut. what do you want Balder Asger. I want to know what the gods have in store for me seer. the gods desire you to have a great future . I see that, but they can withdraw their goodwill at any time. To have this great future must I challenge the law great seer. You must convince the gods to alter the runes so they work in your favour, but the laws of men are far below the workings and shapings of the gods. so I should take the laws of men into my own hands? answer me seer. You already have your answer Balder Asger. No, I don't seer. well then go and ask the gods yourself, what are you afraid of Balder if they say No? go outside Rollo and wait please. as Rollo leaves ' you havent helped me at all, ancient one ' said Balder as he gets ready to leave. 'perhaps you asked the wrong questions' said the seer as Balder leaves. the next day Rollo and Balder pack up ' Rollo it's time for you to have your first drink as a man we are going to go meet your uncle Asmund in the bar then leave in the evening' said Balder they leave for the bar where Asmund is waiting for them ' let's go boy let's see if you can drink as a man you clearly can't grow a beard' said Asmund as Balder and Asmund laugh hysterically as they walk into the bar after a few drinks Rollo gets really drunk 'looking a bit pale Rollo,are you ready for a women' said Asmund as Balder and Asmund chuckle ' lay down son ' said Balder as Rollo lays down on his lap.' Asmund I have been meaning to talk to you about this said Balder with a quiet voice. brother the east are as poor as we are I have found a way to sail west. 'not this again Balder those are such fairy tales are you willing to risk your life on a fairy tail' said Asmund. I have heard such tales, Asmund.great towns and cities and treasures. hoards of gold and silver, and even a new god. i've heard those stories, too, but we can't sail across an open ocean you know that as well as i do Balder. I have found a way to go west said Balder in a very smug manner. I have something that will change everything Asmund. what my brother?. Balder grabs a sunboard he got from a wanderer and grabs a candle. ' what is that' said Asmund with a mild curiousity.' Now just listen Asmund awhile back I met someone a wanderer he told me it was possible to go west over the open sea using this it's a sunboard it needs to sit on water' said Balder as Asmund sighs ' another wanderer now this wanderer of yours did he sail west himself ' said Asmund with a pinch of sarcasm. just get me some water will you?. Asmund gets up and gets water, Balder places the sunboard in the water, now Asmund the candle is the sun.are we really doing this brother ?. just shut up, and listen. everyday, the sun rises up into the sky until noon. see how the shadow shortens? at noon, it is at its shortest. that only tells me how far south I have travelled. didn't i tell you to listen? the day before sailing, you mark a circle around the pointer where the shadow is at its shortest at noon. the next day at sea, around noon you place the board back into the water and watch the shadow. if the shadow only touches the circle... your course remains true? yes. and if it passes outside the circle , like this.... then you have drifted and you must steer further south.yes.and what if it never reaches the circle my brother? then you are to get south, and you must steer more to the north. YES! Asmund see that is it. keep the noon shadow on the circle, and your course will be true, Balder whispers ' west'. Asmund blows out the candle ' what if there is no sun Balder '. Balder chuckles they call it a sunstone, follow me outside. You see there is the sun using this we can locate the sun during the night. ' don't get too excited Balder we still need the Earl's permission and we need a ship and we can't possibly afford that' Balder looks at Asmund and chuckles ' I have saved up all that I had gathered for the past 10 years and got my good friend gorm to build us a ship I am going to take Rollo there after, the question is Asmund are you willing to go west without the Earls permission if we find gold and silver beyond his imagination he will have to accept us are you with me or against me brother' said Balder as he glared into Asmund's eyes.