The Trials of the Sons of Odin: A Paradox AAR. Chapter 10: The Great Reaver (Part 2)

Noregr is at war with itself. With the failure of the war with the Duke of Upper Lothaine, several Jarls saw it as their time to eclipse House Herja. With the levies decimated and the Holy Orders unable to intervene, the situation did not look good for Fylkir Bjorn. Quickly marching back to to the homeland the army of the Fylkir now had to turn on their kin to restore their leader to power.

Even with the fate of realm at stake, still the peasants complain about the mundane. One by one they came forward with their grievances, not appreciating the danger that they were in. It was in this moment that the Fylkir felt the realm slipping through his fingers, and he was powerless to stop it, the rest of the army still returning from the mainland.

Yet more misfortune struck the House of Herja as the Fylkirs brother, King of Skotland, passed away. Unfortunately, rather than pass to Fylkir Bjorn, the crown was placed on the dead kings’ infant son, who had not even seen his first year in the world. More instability was guaranteed, although if the machinations of the court resulted in the infant’s death, the crowns of Skotland and Norgr would be reunited.

For over three centuries the capital of the Kingdom of Norgr, Castle Lade, had stood as a beacon of the strength of the nation. Where most other castles and towns were little more than small settlements, Lade and the surrounding settlements were a large hub of activity. The castles wall having never been penetrated by any foe since the kingdom was formed. That was ended when the rebel army stormed the lightly defended keep and sacked the castle.

In the resulting chaos, most of the Fylkirs family was captured by the rebels. The Fylkir’s wife was humiliated when the leader of the rebels forced her to be his concubine. The King of Pomerania, viewing the Fylkir as too weak to defend his own wife, let alone the nation, broke of their alliance.

The Fylkir was furious, it was one thing to break the oaths of loyalty that the Jarls had sworn to hi, it was another for them to violate the oath that he had sworn to his wife. Over the weeks of the campaign, Fylkir Bjorn’s patient demeanour was worn away, with the kidnapping of his wife appearing to may as the final break.

Yet even in the pits of despair the Fylkir held true to the teachings of Odin, despite the temptations placed in his path. Odin would never test him more than he could handle, so he could handle anything that would come his way.

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Whilst camped in southern Noregr waiting for reinforcements to arrive before assaulting the rebel positions to the north, Fylkir Bjorn was holding council with several commands. The meeting was interrupted when a vassal barged into the tent. Seeing a chance to earn favour with the rebels and to be richly rewarded, Mayor Boldi of Odrmr challenged the Fylkir to meet him in single combat. To decline would have cost the Fylkir the last of his authority as both a King and as a Fylkir.

Stepping outside the tent, his challenger quickly set upon him. Blow after blow sent towards the Fylkir, each was either blocked by his shield or swung through the air of where he had been moments before. As his opponent began to tire, Fylkir Bjorn saw his moment, and with one fluid movement the Mayor was dispatched. With his challenger dead, the Fylkir returned to his tent and his commanders.

The Fylkir was yet again interrupted during his meeting, this time with news from the south. Without the support of the Noregr armies the King of Pomerania had been forced to the bargaining table by the Catholics. Compensation was paid to the Duke of Upper Lotheringia for the aggression that the Pomeranians had caused. Caring little for the distraction that had caused the fragmentation of his realm, Fylkir Bjorn ordered his army to march, the rebels were soon to feel his wroth.

The rebels were still at the capital, and were in the process of looting the town of Mare. The men of Noregr fell upon them with a vengeance, the Fylkir leading from the front. Disorganised, the rebels still put up a fight but were no match for the veteran soldiers that marched with the Fylkir south against the Catholics.

(Source: https://sites . google . com/site/rolloclanonline/home/english-version/rollos/rollo-clan)
In the middle of the battle, Fylkir Bjorn came face to face with traitorous Jarl who commanded the rebels. The battle slowed as the two men approached each other, for this would determine the outcome of the war. Both men were well matched, in their prime and well known combatants. Several gazing strikes were landed upon each other and it became apparent that unlike the Mayor before him, the Jarl would not go down easily. Knocked back by a powerful swing of the Jarls axe, the Fylkir landed badly. Charging forward the Jarl went for the killing blow.

With nowhere else to go, the Fylkir went with the only option he had left, he moved forward. Using his shield to launch his opponent over his shoulder, just like the Mayor before. The Jarl landed on his back, and an audible snap indicated that he would not be getting back up on his own. Standing over his fallen foe, Fylkir Bjorn brought his axe up to deliver the final blow. With a great yell of fury was the weapon brought down towards his fallen foe, only to be buried in the dirt next to the man’s neck. Turning to those around him, the Fylkir declared the rebellion over.

The first order of business was for the Fylkir’s wife to be returned to him. With the safe return of the sister of the King of Pomerania, the alliance between the two realms was resumed, although it remained tense due to the Fylkirs inability to protect her from the rebellious Jarl and the failed invasion of Holland.

To reunite the once fractured kingdom, the Fylkir ordered a great feast to celebrate the victory. Amongst those attending was the new Jarl of Vestlandet, Sumarlidi, whom the Fylkir had bestowed the title to after revoking it from the traitorous Klas. Where he was now being the subject to many rumours, as he had not been seen since the fateful battle.

Before the feast began several prisoners were brought up to gallows. At central noose was the Queen of Cornwell, who had been captured earlier when the Fylkir had been against that realm. With the demands of traditions met, the feast began.

To protect against possible rebel supporters, the Fylkir ordered that the security of Castle Lade be increased during its repairs. Svanhild, a fellow member of House Herja and the realms spymaster, was charged with the preparation and implementation of these defences.

Whilst on a hunt in the lands surrounding Castle Lade, the Fylkir and his men stopped for the night and made a camp, whilst the party ate and drank mead, an old man approached and asked for a horn of ale. Sensing something was out of the ordinary about the man, the Fylkir invited him to sit and share in a meal with them. As the night turned to day the party rested, and the Fylkir dreamt of the old man. In the dream, he announced himself as the Alfather himself and congratulated him on the faith he had shown during his moment of trial. Because of his faith, Odin declared that he would see his ambition finalised. The Great Reaving would not only be completed, but greater than even his forefather thought.

After the hunt the Fylkir’s hand started to swell. It caused him massive pains and made it impossible to hold anything without being reduced to quivering wreck. The court physician quickly had the Fylkir brought to him and began the operation to remove the source of the problem: his hand.

It became apparent that the loss of his hand had affected the Fylkir rather badly, he had been more and more convinced that the phantom pains he had felt were not because of any mortal cause. He was feeling the wolf Fenrir gnawing at his hand, even when it had been removed he still felt the pain of the beast shredding the flesh of his hand. To him there was no doubt, he was the avatar of Tyr.

Following what he claimed as the revelation of his purpose by Odin, Fylkir Bjorn buried himself in the tales of the ancients and the accounts of the previous Fylkirs. Surely he was not the first to feel the presence of the divine. Part of the library at Castle Lade had been damaged in the siege, but this did not deter him. If he was the personification of the lawbringer, he would need to be well versed in the nature of the gods.

With the rebellion finished, and his purpose revealed, the Fylkir ordered the invasion of isles again. As to not stir up too much attention, the was only declared on a small province north of the current Welsh republic.

To help with the confusion of the reason for Noregr men to be on the isle, the Fylkir also publically came to the support of the Grand Mayor in his defence against the Catholics. The proximity of the battles would hopefully create enough misinformation that the Fylkir would be able to make several advances before the Catholics united again.

Godi Baklr, the realms steward, came to Fylkir Bjorn with a proposal for a great monument to commemorate the hero of the rebellion. Excited, the piece was commissioned with funds from the realm. The Fylkir envisioned a truly grand monument to stand the test of time.

Fylkir Bjorn was not the only one who was making advances on the isles. News reached him that the Jomsvikings were being pressed from several sides and would not be able to hold on much longer before their territory would be carved between several Catholic rulers. With his men in the area, they were ordered to march to the Warchief’s position.

The men of Noregr quickly established their presence in the war. Falling upon the unprepared attackers from an unexpected flank they carved through the Catholics. At the head was the Fylkir, cutting down any who stood in front of him, his blade slick with the blood of his foes. Penetrating the flank, the charge caught Count Martin, who was leading one of the attacks against the Jomsvikings. Quickly surrendering, the first threat to the Jomsvikings had been eliminated in one battle.

Whilst on the march the Fylkir received word that the statue he had commissioned had been completed. To his horror the statue was of the Godi himself, who had apparently lead a band of men during one of the small assaults that had preceded the Battle of Mare. Furious at the duplicity, Fylkir Bjorn ordered the statue torn down. Many reported hearing the Godi plotting revenge at what he called ‘a slight against himself and history’.

Prior to leaving for battle, the Fylkir had laid with his wife. Whilst on the march, he received word that she had born him his third child. More importantly, this one was a boy and therefore heir. This joyous news was mired by the report that the boy had emerged from his mother with a crooked back. The Fylkir hoped that this would resolve itself as the boy grew strong, but secretly he feared that the god of mischief, Loki, was at work here.

Several months of sieges had allowed the Fylkir time to consult the Saga’s during the downtime between battles. From here he sought wisdom on leading and knowledge on what it meant to be part of those infused with the divine.

The invasion of Chester was finished, and the lands presented to the Grand Mayor in accordance to the first Council of the Great Reaving. Yet another piece of the isle was brought under the control of the Northmen.

And with the success of the sieges came the clarity of the message of the Saga. It was the Norse way to take what the gods had created. Odin himself had promised the Fylkir the resolution to the Great Reaving, but what else was in store? What did the Allfather mean when he promised more?