Thus the last seven-day of the great Geatish Folkmoot was a sorry affair. The West Geats departed across the Great Lake with their war-chief, Thorir Houndsfoot, after he declined to bend the knee to Wiglaf. As for the East Geats, most either departed with the old king’s fleeing gesiths or with the new king’s avenging […]
Author Archive | nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com
10 – Dark Waters, Hidden Treasures
By nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com on December 19, 2018 in Cynewulf, Deeds of the Geats, Herewulf, Hrothgar, Lytelman, Stigand
At Ercongotastead the dead are disposed and the wounded tended. Yet there is also relief and indeed joy as the veteran warriors, Ercongota and Osric celebrate the victory, and a rekindling of ancient love with a handfasting. Amongst the wounded is the hero, Lyttleman, who barely survived with a deep wound in his gut. Yet […]
9 – The Fog of War
They came at dusk out of the long summer evening shadows cast by the trees on the hill above Ercongotastead. There stood forth Raedmund chanting some fell galdor as three bound captives – his own followers it seems – were hoist from a sturdy ash-tree, sacrifices no doubt to Freo, queen of the Wen and […]
8 – Lucky Wolf’s Wyrd
By nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com on December 19, 2018 in Deeds of the Geats, Eawulf, Herewulf, Lytelman, Wulf
The folk of Ercongotastead take counsel. They think it likely that Raedmund, cheated of his captives, but with his wightish alliances forged anew, will come to wreak revenge upon Ercongotastead. The defenders are few. Though they have been greatly reinforced by the rescued captives of Frithistead these are all lacking in equipment to form a […]
7 – The Dark of a New Moon
The Dark of a New Moon It is the dying days of Thrimilchmonath. A man stands within hail of Ercongotastead. He has the demeanour of a man spun a hard wyrd but determined to weave its threads into stronger cloth. His name is Aculf, called the Bowman, and he demands a reckoning with the man […]
6 – A Stab in the Dark
By nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com on December 19, 2018 in Deeds of the Geats, Eawulf, Lytelman, Tohrwulf, Wistan
It was the middle of Thrimilchmonath when Wistan Wulfinga the proud Aetheling of the West Geatish folk arrived at the hold of Thegn Brihtwold. With him was his serving man, Tohrwulf – a man with little to mark him from the crowd but his good looks. The wide-handed Wistan gifts the Thegn an armring and […]
5 – The Death of Gadd
By nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com on December 19, 2018 in Deeds of the Geats, Eawulf, Herewulf, Lytelman, Wulf
The Death of Gadd There are those who say that he swore to avenge the boy’s family or die in the attempt; others that he simply muttered something about doing his best. Whatever the truth of the matter, the Rune-Priest Gadd never saw another dawn after he stood on the headland with the boy that […]
4 – The Wood Wose
Not long after the Battle of the Spile and while the harrying was still underway to kill or capture Sweons hiding in or attempting to flee the Isle of Bardsey, Lyttleman chanced upon the blind scop, Arcenbryht. Lyttleman was with his new comrade Cynewulf, an East Geat, the son of an upland trader. It had […]
3 – The Pursuit
After the Battle at the Spile With the Sweon survivors of the Battle of the Spile fleeing into the interior of Bardsey Island, Wiglaf gathers together his jugath – the young, lightly armed element of his host – to mount a pursuit. His gesith, Heathwulf the Swift, puts them in order and splits them into […]
2 – The Golden Bull
By nick.crouch@ncrouch.plus.com on December 19, 2018 in Deeds of the Geats, Deorwulf, Gadd, Lytelman
Gadd, the Weather-Geatish Woden-priest is in Sigiston contemplating a parting of the ways with his comrades from the Fat-Belly, as it prepares for its homeward voyage. He meets Deorwulf, a West Geat, handy with a bow, and the short but fierce Lyttleman, an East Geat with a war axe but little else to his name. […]