w e i v e r P
2. On campaign against the Abodrites
Finally! we´ve got enough to eat and don´t need to fear winter. Even if I´m gonna die, the king will provide all necesseties for you, ODINKAR. as long as he´s alive. i swore an oath in front of him,that i´m loyal, so we have to protect the king and obey him.
Saxn ô t, even if you gonna loose your life? Saxn ô t?
the year 808. Saxn ô t and his brother odinkar are in service of the king. Saxn ô t has joined the king´s fellowship, the hird, and odinkar gets permission to eat the king´s meat, even if he´s not a warrior and never will be so. He´s performing whatever task, which he´s able to carry out.
strangers are entering the hall, where the warriors from godfred´s hird are eating their porridge. They talk about this and that, and tell tales to each other.
there´s GO N N A HAPPEN something big, if you are asking for my opinion. both ravnungerne and jarl rurik´s folk are here, and not just for drinking MEAD.
YES, you HAve TO ENJOY your PORRIDGE, BEFORE your STOMACH IS CUT OPEN.
AND AS ALWAYS, WE ARE THE L A ST, WHO GETS ANYTHING TO KNOW.
I´T´S A BIG MESS WITH PORRIDGE RU N N ING OUT OF THE STOMACH.
LIFE IS LIKE A STRING OR A THREAT, odinkar.
BIRTH IS THE ONE END.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NORNES, odinkar? urd IS THE PAST,verdandi IS THE PRESENT, AND skuld IS THE FUTURE. tHEY ARE WEAVING OUR STRINGS OF FATE INTO A BIG CARPET aT YGGDRASIL´S ROOT. AND WHEN THEY CUT A THREAD through, A H UMAN BEEING DIES.
WE MUST FOLLOW THE PATH, WHICH IS PROVIDED TO US BY THE NORNES, AND bravely accept our fate. This will please odin. If you have faith in the wisdom of the gods, you are likely in favor of obtaining their grace.
My lords, i have a plan. the Abodrites have occupied the land of the saxons up to the river eudora, a day´s march from the Danevirke.
Godfred is keeping a council of war with harald hildetooth´s nephew rurik and all the other powerfull drotts of the danes.
the abodrites are renowned of their fortresses. there is only a day´s march between them.
a superior force can crush a single fortress, but we can´t conquer them all.
and their duke godelaib is a fierce military commander.
furthermore, frankish cavalry can attack us at the flanks.
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our strenght is the fleet, which h as to attack t h e t radi n g place Reric. the Abodrites can gather big forces there, so we need all men, who are able to carry a weapon . unfortunately the fleet isn´t big enough to contain them all, and there are always some lords, who don´t show up.
we are getting help from welataben warriors under milegost the bloodthirsty. the abodrites have conquered their core lands at the b a l t i c sea, so t h ey got nothing to loose.
Rurik! your horsemen from Silendi and Danevirke must try to avoid the fortresses and break through to reric. A part of the fleet will make an diversionary attack to your aid, and then we´ll strike with joined forces! once and for all! we´ll meet the day after full moon.
but isn´t it better to attack Staragard? this huge tradingplace is situated close to danevirke, and it´s even more wealthy than reric!
rurik, that´s precisely what the Abodrites think, we´ll do. Staragard can´t be taken b y an y fro n t a l assa u l t on the dykes, and a siege takes tim e. t h e F ran ks and Abodrites can strike at will, and then we are pinched between staragard and the armored riders.
The emperor´s son charles is already standing with an army at the river albia, so we must act quickly, and never come to a hold. your breakthrough will tie the Abodrites to Staragard and the Franks to the albia, as they don´t know, where we´ll attack them with our fleet.
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Eric Knipper is a Comic Creator and Cultural Communicator. He lives in Copenhagen. Berserker is the ultimative Viking comic, which has everything: Epic battles, rituals, buildings, ships, weapons and the dayly life of the Vikings depicted ofn the basis of written history. Experience the showdown between king Godfred of the Danes and Charlemagne, the mighty frankish emperor. Come and sail to alien countries, which are pillaged by the Vikings! In Berserker 2, the Vikings attack the Abodrites, who are the allies of the Franks. Will they succeed in conquering the big tradingplace Reric?
Berserker, Published: 1: Godfred Vejdeking 2: On campaign against the Abodrites Berserker, under preparation: 3: The living and the dead