The Diary of Rollo Sigurdson (Nordlond Campaign)

March 19th

I am setting out to make my way in the world apart from my father, who is warring against the Neveri Nomads in the south. It’s been a long journey up from the coast but I believe I’m on  my last ship for awhile. I’ve booked passage on a ship headed north, to Nordvorn. I am leaving the wars to the south to the old men and instead seeking glory in battle with the fae to the north. I am excited for the journey. Captain Einarsson is charging me nothing for my passage but a promise to defend the ship if it comes under attack, a proper fare for a warrior. Even better: none of the crew seems to have identified me as Sigurðsson. Perhaps I’ll be able to build a reputation in my own name.

 March 21st 

A few more warriors joined us today at Jarngardr. And now the crew knows. I suspect the Hrafnar (Georg) told them. I suspect Loki put him up to it. Thankfully the word hasn’t gotten out about mother. It helps that to hear father, or the skalds tell it, he’s seduced half the women of Nordlond, and half the women among the Aesir as well, so no one questions where one more bastard son came from.

March 23rd

We had a battle today. A longboat with 20 raiders attempted to board us. A few had bows, I recognized them to be the greatest threat to the bird-man and the elf I was going to leave behind me when I boarded the ship. So I threw my spear as the ship came alongside us. I skewered one of the bandits with the bows and then leapt aboard and drew my sword. My bold companions, Natalie, a Gullinálmur, and Chuff, a… Chuff has 3 cat heads. Anyway, my companions were of the same mind I was and we all boarded the ship. I can’t be too mad at the bird-man, one of the bandits managed to get behind me and he stabbed it in the eye. I was able to defend Chuff from one of the bandits engaging her by knocking his axe from his hand. Mostly I felt I could have done more, but Chuff and Natalie’s eagerness left me in a poor tactical position. I will have to demonstrate my leadership abilities so that we may all be more effective in the future.

 We won the day and claimed the bandit ship. I helped impress upon Captain Einarsson the importance of not cheating us out of our spoils while Georg negotiated with him. We are back underway toward Áinferill.

One more thing, a cause for some concern. When Georg was stabbing that bandit who’d gotten behind me, he mentioned something about my mother. Does he know?

This will be the last of the play reports for the first session. You can expect to see several, from different points of view, as the campaign progresses.