At 4/14/09 12:13 PM, HeavyTank wrote:

:OK, now you know what l am going to ask you: explain all this stuff.

Svein = Shield Maiden

In the sagas and Viking poetry female warriors were often called Shield Maidens, and it also a "heite" (poetic name) for Valkyria. In Swedish Sköldmö, Danish and Norwegian Skjoldmø. Sort of a non-descript name for a lower level.

House Carl = Hamingja (a guardian spirit, usually in the form of an animal)

Hamingjor were happiness bringing fate goddesses who helped people. Hamingja means "one who shows herself in a different form". I figured generally in the sagas not as strong as the fylgjas.

Degn = Fylgja (a guardian spirit, female form, but invisible)

Fylgja means "female follower", all are considered to have a personal fylgja or protective spirit

Stambo = Norna (a goddess of fate), three are named in the Sagas, but there may be more

The Norns were were important goddesses just below the main gods, three of them wove the weave of life for all living beings, including gods and monsters

Stallari = Valkyria

Important goddesses (some claim women who somehow became deified) who took fallen warriors to Valhalla, as you know. I figured it could be a good, recognisable title for the second in command (would that place ever be occupied by a woman).

Jarl = Dis (meaning goddess, i.e. Freya is also known as Vanadis, the Vanir Goddess)

Dis means one of the main Aesir or Vanis goddesses, so a good name for someone at the top of the heap.

At 4/14/09 02:56 AM, vdviking wrote:

Alright, thank you for the organization of this. It was getting a bit chaotic with the possible titles and whirlwind of info, so just to establish my bases, here is how I see it.

Jarl

Can't remember.

Stallari (The senior Stambo, 2nd in command))

I'm thinking HeavyTank is the most suited for this.

Stambo (The Jarl's and Stallari's helpers who can also act in their name, one or two only)

I'm not sure we have anyone to fit here. But if need be, if HeavyTank and I are both away, then I'm allowing vdviking to act in our names until a proper Stambo has been found. And if vd is away like he has said he could be, then Leidolfr will fill in the gap. Again, this is temporary.

Thul (The sage and the Jarl's and all of the NGVA's advisor in historical and mythological things)

Of course vdviking.

Blotgodi (The Thul's helpers, one or two who has proven themselves to be knowledgeable and helpful)

And here is where I see Leidolfr fitting in. He is certainly more knowledgeable than most, and I think together the two of you can be an impressive reservoir of information.

Degn (Senior House Carls, long time members, sort of a badge of Honour for long service). The word Degn most probably has the same base as the English Thain or Thane. Infinite Numbers

Hmm, I don't think we have anyone at this moment for this position.

House Carl - Full member, infinite numbers

Nor this one, at least, not yet.

Svein - Trainee, infinite numbers

And here is where our newest members, such as Tiberium.
If I missed anyone, let me know.

And I'm very sorry if I did.

At 4/14/09 09:13 PM, Leidolfr wrote: Well as far as i knew i was house carl, so if not, what am I?

I'm pulling for blotgodi. Your amount of knowledge about Vikings makes you perfectly suited for that.
Anyways, I was just watching Deadliest Warrior on TV. For those not in the know, they simulate battles between warriors that never met on the battlefield, like Gladiator-Apache, Spartan-Ninja, and todays episode, Viking-Samurai. Disappointingly, they think the Samurai would have won, winning 522 of the 1000 simulation battles. But, what do you think?

At 4/14/09 08:22 PM, DeathNoteetoNhtaeD wrote:

Stallari (The senior Stambo, 2nd in command))

I'm thinking HeavyTank is the most suited for this.

Why thank you :)

Stambo (The Jarl's and Stallari's helpers who can also act in their name, one or two only)

I'm not sure we have anyone to fit here. But if need be, if HeavyTank and I are both away, then I'm allowing vdviking to act in our names until a proper Stambo has been found. And if vd is away like he has said he could be, then Leidolfr will fill in the gap. Again, this is temporary.

Well, for starters, it is almost impossible for me to be away, even less at the same time as you AND vdviking...

Thul (The sage and the Jarl's and all of the NGVA's advisor in historical and mythological things)

Of course vdviking.

Obviously

Blotgodi (The Thul's helpers, one or two who has proven themselves to be knowledgeable and helpful)

And here is where I see Leidolfr fitting in. He is certainly more knowledgeable than most, and I think together the two of you can be an impressive reservoir of information.

Yep, but l think we should wait just a bit (5 more days or so).
Not that l don't agree with you, but l just think we shouldn't promote him 2 times in the first 3 days...

Degn (Senior House Carls, long time members, sort of a badge of Honour for long service). The word Degn most probably has the same base as the English Thain or Thane. Infinite Numbers

Hmm, I don't think we have anyone at this moment for this position.

Maybe not, but we can store that for later...

House Carl - Full member, infinite numbers

Nor this one, at least, not yet.

Uuhh..what about Leidolfr?

Svein - Trainee, infinite numbers

And here is where our newest members, such as Tiberium.

:)

At 4/14/09 02:41 PM, vdviking wrote:

In the sagas and Viking poetry female warriors were often called Shield Maidens, and it also a "heite" (poetic name) for Valkyria. In Swedish Sköldmö, Danish and Norwegian Skjoldmø. Sort of a non-descript name for a lower level.

Did female Viking warriors really exist?

Stallari = Valkyria

Important goddesses (some claim women who somehow became deified) who took fallen warriors to Valhalla, as you know. I figured it could be a good, recognisable title for the second in command (would that place ever be occupied by a woman).

Yeah Valkyria is very recognisable, even more since the operation Valkyrie (you know, the plan for assassinating Hitler, there was a recently relased movie about it) took place.

At 4/15/09 02:36 AM, TiberiumCrystalKutu wrote: Did female Viking warriors really exist?

Yeah, at least in the sagas, but in real life they were probably few and far between.

As for the rules and organisation and stuff I've tried to put as much as possible on my userpage - http://vdviking.newgrounds.com/news/post /295148 - check it out and see what can or should be changed, deleted or added.

At 4/15/09 02:25 AM, HeavyTank wrote: Yep, but l think we should wait just a bit (5 more days or so).
Not that l don't agree with you, but l just think we shouldn't promote him 2 times in the first 3 days...

Oh, I was unaware he was already promoted to another position, my bad.

At 4/15/09 01:07 PM, Leidolfr wrote:
Yeah, Like i said before, im in no hurry, I'm just glad I found a group worth contributing to, and not about like...pokemon...or the other crap groups they have.....

There is a group about pokemon?jeez...

oh and i cant remember who asked already [Im a burn out aparently] but they asked if female viking warriors exsisted.....the answer, in story, yes, in real life, no. but, they had a more important role then most women during that time period, as well as almost equal treatment [not really, but for the times, yeah, equal treatment] as well they could be land/title holding.

Yeah TCK asked

:there are a few mentions in njalls saga of women using the "he hit me/raped me" line. it usually worked. so they werent warriors, but they werent inocent fragile women either.

Lol, so this "trick" existed even in the old days?
And l am glad that people that did this stuff wee punished, even back then..

At 4/15/09 01:07 PM, Leidolfr wrote:
oh and i cant remember who asked already [Im a burn out aparently] but they asked if female viking warriors exsisted.....the answer, in story, yes, in real life, no.

Thanks for all the info ^^

At 4/16/09 06:08 AM, Leidolfr wrote: oh im sure that trick dates back to africa, lol.

:P

one of the stories was, the woman had a man that loved her other than her husband, and she told him to go away...so...he killed her husband

jeez..

she married him, then later told her brother he struck her, and the brother killed him

...............

the vikings weren't, immature, they were just,,,very quick to act, which is why, lets say for instance, njalls saga is about a 50 year blood fued started over one slaying [another example, Erik the red (Eirik Raudr) once killed a man because he borrowed his shovel and wouldnt give it back]

He killed somebody because he stole a frickin' shovel?
Man...well, l guess everyone was like that back then...the Romans, the Greeks, the Turks, everyone than l can think of had a brutal history..with the only difference being that some civs were more inventive than others..

also you couldnt get a viking to say no to a horse race, often that led to death, by accident, or otherwise.

ugh.
I guess i that if you were a viking you could get yourself killed by telling your wife that the food she cooked wasn't tasty..

by the way, thanks to vdviking for the update, l pasted that on my page too.

At 4/15/09 10:45 PM, Leidolfr wrote: So...I found this site, Teaches old norse in lessons, and they explain it so any idiot will learn it [old norse is actually much easier than say, modern norwegian]

it also has a section on runes [elder futhark, obviously (its called futhark because those are the first letters of the runic alphabet) and also says some gramatic rules of runes [for instance, it can all be in a line, and the last letter of a word can be the first letter of the next i.e. anditsittinghere]

http://www3.hi.is/~haukurth/norse/

Very nice site, even if it may be a little bit too advanced for most. Nothing else to expect when the creator of the site has a "BA in Icelandic Studies with Linguistics as a minor". I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a professor somewhere.

At 4/16/09 06:28 AM, HeavyTank wrote: by the way, thanks to vdviking for the update, l pasted that on my page too.

Nice to know

I've been a bit slow in posting for a couple of days, but I've got this infection in my foot (and it hurts like hell when I'm walking), which has also affected my head. It's like I've got cotton between my ears. Hopefully it goes away soon.

You might have seen that I've changed my sig, or rather trying out a new one. It is more historically correct in that the runes used are short twig runes that were used by the Vikings.

The background if of course a beautiful Viking sword.

At 4/16/09 05:55 PM, Leidolfr wrote:
I took all these tests without looking at the word banks in the begining

You can speak all of these languages?That's really, really impressive.

At 4/17/09 04:45 AM, Leidolfr wrote:

thanks, and yeah, well it means i passed those particular tests. i dont speak all those fluently obviously, id have to be like a spy if i did [or am I ] but yeah really english and German are the only ones I speak fluently. Im good with gailic, but cant read it well, so only did a few of the tests [stuff like Riobhar means computer, but its said reev-rah, and stuff like that]

Wait, isn't Gallic an "old" language?How do they have the word for "computer"?

I wanna be a Viking! My folks are from a Nordic country, I like viking metal, and i like the Minnesota Vikings!

Yes... YES! This is fantastic. I love you, you who made this. In a non-gay, fun sort of way. Are there any criteria I have to meet to join this?

i will join because vikings are awesome. They are my favorite ancient race and they have the best mythology.

Dr-Roxo
FluffyKitteh
crazydude183

As Leidolfr already wrote there really are no criteria for joining, except an earnest interest in the Vikings. I put you up as Sveins (the lowest rank in the Viking Army), unless our Stallari or Jarl says otherwise. Welcome all.

Rules and more info about the NGVA can be found here!.

At 4/18/09 01:11 AM, Leidolfr wrote: Yeah hopefull these new people will have somthing to say, we've been slowing down the past couple of days

Yes, it's easier when people are asking questions. But I do have one or two small projects I'm writing on, it's just that it takes time.

At 4/18/09 12:59 AM, vdviking wrote: Dr-Roxo
FluffyKitteh
crazydude183

Welcome (WOW! 3 members?) to the Newgrounds Viking army.
Deathnote is our leader, and he decides when to promote somebody into a prestigious position but right now l'll take care of you since l am the second in command.
So, does anybody have any specific knowledge about Vikings, or can draw some cool stuff?
If you do, feel free to tell me.
About ranks now.
Everybody is treated in the same way (except Nidings and our leader), regardless of their rank, but a rank give you some additional power over the organisation of the NGVA and the recruitment of new members.
Right now you are Sveins (l have to update my userpage-and so should you Vdviking), and l can..hum..read your enthusiasm so if you keep it up and demonstrate to be a good member you'll be promoted to House Carls and the maybe Stambos since the two Stambo places are free right now..
For historical FAQ ask Vdviking and Leidolfr, for ranking and administrative ones ask me and Deathnote.

Welcome to the Army.

A warm welcome to the newcomers by me...

Oh, and guys, one last thing: it would be cool if you put a link in your sig and posted the NGVA standard text (you know, the one in my and vdviking's page) in your news posts so that we can spread our influence!

At 4/18/09 02:00 AM, HeavyTank wrote: Welcome (WOW! 3 members?) to the Newgrounds Viking army.

Le gasp! We sure seem to be picking up steam, don't we?

Deathnote is our leader, and he decides when to promote somebody into a prestigious position but right now l'll take care of you since l am the second in command.

Right. All you guys really need to do is behave yourselves. That and be an active contributor to discussions, whether you're asking or answering questions.

Everybody is treated in the same way (except Nidings and our leader),

Quick note: Nidings are those who have shown disrespect to the army in the past. They are to be ignored and you should not respond regardless of what they say. We are above such things.

For historical FAQ ask Vdviking and Leidolfr, for ranking and administrative ones ask me and Deathnote.

Nice job HeavyTank, I think you covered most of your bases. There's nothing I can really add except...

Welcome to the Army.

...welcome to the Newgrounds Viking Army.

At 4/18/09 01:58 PM, DeathNoteetoNhtaeD wrote: Le gasp! We sure seem to be picking up steam, don't we?

I would dare to agree with you...........................

Quick note: Nidings are those who have shown disrespect to the army in the past. They are to be ignored and you should not respond regardless of what they say. We are above such things.

Yeah, l forgot to post that..

Nice job HeavyTank, I think you covered most of your bases. There's nothing I can really add except...

Welcome to the Army.

:)

At 4/18/09 10:43 PM, Leidolfr wrote:

At 4/18/09 10:30 PM, Leidolfr wrote: I guess sirtoms back, I just saw him kickin around on the general forum

scratch that, doppelganger

Uuuhh..what?

At 4/19/09 02:40 AM, HeavyTank wrote: Uuuhh..what?

He means he saw someone with a username similar to Sirtom93 in General.

I must commend HeavyTank on his welcome to the newcomers, good work there.

And now for something completely different.

Asgard has been mentioned in a few earlier threads, so I thought that a more detailed look on that place is in order.

ASGARD the home of the Aesir
Asgard is placed in Godheim, land of the Gods, but since it contains not only the halls of thirteen gods but also their surrounding lands, it should probably be viewed as a land within a land, probably surrounded by a gigantic wall.

The thirteens lands are;
Trudvang, ("the land of strength"), where Tor lived with his wife Sif with the golden hair. His hall was called Bilskirner (probably equal to the Milky Way), and was said to be the largest of all the halls, with 640 tiers for long benches where guest were seated.

Ydalar, ("the Vales of yew"), Ull's home land. There's no name given to his halls, and being a hunting and skiing god, perhaps he lived outdoors.

Alvheim, ("home of the Elves") Frey's land in Asgard, may be part of Ydalar.

Valaskjalf, a hall covered in silver owned by Odin (some people wrongly believe it is another name for Valhall), who got it by trickery from Våle (who might have been Loki's son). But that is hidden in the obscurity of myth and time. Snorri Sturlasson placed what he believed to be Odin's throne Hlidskjalf in Valaskjalf, but a hlidskjalf just means throne, especially one placed in one end of an long house.

Sökkvabekk, ("the sinking bench", or "the drowned hall"), owned by the rather unknown goddess Saga ("the seeing"), and it is said that Odin comes there everyday to drink with here, and some historians believe her to be the same person as Frigg (Odin's wife).

Trymheim, ("noisy home"), owned by the giant Tjatse, who kidnapped the goddess Idun with the sacred apples, and were killed for it. So presumably it is empty, or perhaps his daughter Skade lives there.

Breidablick, ("far view" or "shines widely"), owned by Balder. There are no sources of who lives there since his and his wife Nanna's death.

Himinbjörg, ("heavenly mountains"), were Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard lives. Probably placed very close to Bifrost (the bridge from Mannheim).

Folkvang, ("land of the army?"), the goddess Freya's land. Freya receives half of the fallen warriors and her large hall is called Sessrumner ("many seatings").

Glitner, (the name probably means "shining" or "sparkling") a hall with pillars of gold and silver roof. Inhabited by Baldur's son Forsete.

Noatun, ("shipyard"), the home of Njord. Lies by the ocean.

Vide, ("the forest"), home of Vidar, Odin's firstborn.

Glansheim, ("bright home"), the land were Valhalla lies, owned by Odin.

Just a little bit more about the Varyags

The Emperor or Konstantinopel (Miklagård for the Vikings) had a bodyguard Varyags only. This Varyagi Guard (Väringagarde in Swedish), existed with Viking members during the 10th and 11th centuries, and consisted of approximately 500 warriors.

One special thing with their service was that when the emperor died (more than once by the hands of the body guard), the Varyagi had right to a so called "polotas run", the right to run one time through the palace treasury trying to grab as many valuables as they could carry, without stopping.

At 4/20/09 05:24 AM, Leidolfr wrote: Now thats how you keep things moving, right there. I didnt know any of that though, so, cool

Thank you! A lot of the knowledge about the Varyagi may be a unknown since the information is quite newish. It is by a Swedish historian who by re-reading old sources, and getting his hands on new ones (for example the Georgian Nestor Chronicles, which was deciphered just a few decades ago), and really trying to tie everything together. His name is Mats G. Larsson, and if you can find any of his books, and especially those that covers the eastern travels of the Vikings, I certainly recommend them. The problem is that I'm not sure they have been translated.