The Vinland Sagas

I may have mentioned it in the past, but I try to read a little bit of this and that. I don't stick with just fantasy or space opera. When I was in college, I had a few classes on various bits of historical lore including some Shakespeare work. I find that it helps keep the mind engaged.

Recently I took the dive on The Vinland Saga because of the History Channel and it's Vikings series. I'm looking forward to season three hitting this February. There's also my enjoyment of Bernard Cornwell's series, Saxon Tales, the latest, the Empty Throne, having come out not long ago..

I made the mistake of reading the introduction and it's rammed with information. So much information. So much of it jumping from one point to the other with names and locations and weird things popping up that I thought I'd scribe a few down for those interested in names. Included at the end of the article. Also included some of the locations that are mentioned.

It's a feast of information but the context it comes in is relatively small. The bulk of the book isn't the story, it's about farms, it's about ships, it's about the historical research that went into the Vinland Sagas and trying to verify them.

It's almost hard to see how there's a manga called the Vinland Saga the cribs some names from this and then goes into some well illustrated highly unlikely bits. While I've heard some compare Vinland Saga to Berserk, there are no obvious supernatural elements in the volumes I've read. 

Have a list of names, locations, and weird bits!

People

Arnora, the daughter of Einar of Laugarbrekka, the son of Sigmund, son of Ketil Thistle who had claimed land in Thistilfjord. Aud the Deep-minded, daughter of Ketil Flat-nose, son of Bjorn Buna, wife of Oleif. Bjarni Herjolfsson

Eirik the Red

Freydis, daughter of Eirik the Red

Gudrid Thorbjarnardottri

King Olaf the peaceful of Norway

Leif Eiriksson the Lucky Oleif the White, son of King Ingjald, who was the son of Helgi, who was son of Olaf, who was son of Gudrod, who was son of Halfdan White-leg, king of the people of Oppland.

Rafarta, daughter of King Kjarval of Ireland

Snorri: Child born in America to Thorfinn Karlsefni and Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir

Svein Ulfsson, Danish King

Thorbjorg, a seeress who was called the 'Little Prophetess'. She was one of ten sisters, all of whom had the gift of prophecy, and was the only one of them still alive. Thorfinn Karlsefni

Thorstein

Thorvald

Locations

Brattahild

Breidafjord, customary way of describing people who are born in Iceland.

Dalir in the Breidafjord area

Drangar on Hornstrandir

Eiriksstadir in Haukadal, Iceland

Hebrides

Jaeren in Norway

Keel Point, a peninsula

Lysufjord in the western settlement of Greenland.

Skagafjord, Iceland

Random Bits

Find a beached whale: That's pretty damn random and I thought it worth cribbing down. Just goes to show that you never know what life is going to throw at you. The Vikings quickly make food out of it, cooking it right on the beach.

Rescue some people who have been shipwrecked. (Considered a lucky act): This is part of the culture. If you see people on a sinking ship, save them! Mind you depending on what type of raider viking you are, you might be enslaving them but better you than the sharks eh?

Skraelings: I've seen the name used before and honestly didn't remember that's what the vikings called the natives of the lands they encountered, including those in North America.