Part 1: Stranded in the Land of the Leopard
It is the year 1002. While Harold Bluetooth's quest to Christianize Denmark has been largely successful, not everyone is happy with abandoning the old gods. A nobleman named Erik Olafsson gathers around him a following of close to sixty-thousand individuals who all refuse to submit to Christianity. Sweyn Forkbeard, the tolerant King of Denmark, decides not to persecute Erik's supporters, but also realizes that there is a danger in them staying the country. Openly protecting a pagan leader could put Sweyn in the cross-hairs of neighboring Christian powers, who might use the pretext of a crusade to expand at the expense of Danish territory. Also, if Erik ever felt threatened by the government, his large host had the potential to cause great political instability in the realm.
Thus, to placate the pagans and to get Erik out of his hair, he helps to fund the construction of a massive fleet to take the pagans to another country where they can practice their faith in peace. In 1003, they depart, heading west, intending on eventually settling in Iceland or the Faroe Islands. A few weeks later, they arrive and re-stock in Dover before moving west through the English Channel and out into the Atlantic. But before they can begin to turn north towards Iceland, a major storm hits, battering the fleet far south. Due to skillful Viking sailing, only a handful of ships are lost, but Erik comes to the conclusion that the gods did not want them to settle in Iceland, and orders his men to continue to go south in search of foreign lands. The Danish manage to largely stay healthy and well-fed through fishing and whaling. A popular tactic to get food was to cut oneself and let the blood drip into the water, thus attracting sharks. After over a month of sailing, and having found no land, he then orders the fleet to head back east. Again, they find nothing. Dejected, they decide to go north again in order to find a way back home. It was then, a few days after they turn north, that they finally hit land.
It was unlike any place the Northmen had ever been to before. The trees were long, bare sticks with odd-shaped leaves bunched up at the top. The animals looked like creatures out of myth, with colors and patterns of all sorts. And then there was the heat. It did not take long for the men to throw off their heavy furs and leather. Some of them even began to take off their armor, but Erik ordered for every soldier to remain fully equipped and alert for threats. The women, not seeming to care that much, stripped down to their linens, some even going completely naked. While many of the men did not object to this at all, a few protested at the lack of modesty that their womenfolk were showing. Knowing that healthy women would be crucial to the future survival of the expedition, Erik allowed them to go naked for comfort's sake, but commanded that they all stay on the boats for the time being.
Within a few hours of their arrival, the Danes had cut down a number of trees, and erected basic fortifications. As they no experience in working with palm tree wood, the structures were a bit more ramshackle than usual, but they would hold together. Once they were finished, Erik convened a
thing of his supporters to discuss what their next course of action would be.
A few wanted to just get back on the boats and try to head home. Most however, realized that this was probably not practical, as they had absolutely no idea where they were, and they would probably just waste time sailing around aimlessly like before. Also, this new land presented a wealth of opportunities. It was seemingly isolated from hostile Christian lands, it had easy access to the sea, and it was full of natural resources not found in Europe, which could be used to generate large amounts of trade revenue. Of course, they would have to
find Europe again before taking advantage of this last fact, but in the meantime, the land could more than support their society. At the end of the debate, they voted almost unanimously to stay where they were and to establish a state.
The next day, Erik appointed his cousin and second-in-command, Ragnar Olafsson, to take with him a party of nine men into the surrounding countryside to ascertain what would be a good place to establish a capital, and whether or not the Vikings were alone in the region. As Ragnar and his men moved into the, they had no idea that they were being watched...
OT: This is my first story here, so forgive me if it seems bit rough. I'm only writing in the present tense for this part. From here on out, it will be in the past tense.
