196 rooms · levels 35–50
You stand under the lush shadows of several tall oak trees that grow here beside a small mountain brook. The crystal clear water bubbles up in between smooth rocks that glitter in the sunlight. As you drink of the ice cold water you feel invigorated. Bird song can be heard from the branches of the trees, and as you look upward you see a chipmunk staring at you, before quickly scuttling away. The branches, flowers and grass rock slowly in a faint breeze. All around are tall mountains, their snowy tops shining like stars in the sunlight. The aura of pure nature puts your soul at rest.
As you enter this room you are bathed in starlight, you look up and see a starlit heaven. The light radiates off the smooth stone walls of the chamber, but it is still seductively dark in here. The stones are smoothly chiseled into exact copies of each other. You wonder at the workmanship that can hold these walls together without mortar. In the middle of the room stands a fountain, softly sprinkling a golden hued liquid into a small bowl at its base. The floor is covered with a soft carpet of indistinguishable color.
This room is cluttered by papers, folders and books. You can barely make out a large desk under all the stacks. Paintings hang on the walls. Along one wall you see several niches with statues in them.
This room is perfectly circular. Smooth, seamless, white marble makes up the walls. The ceiling is filled with frescos depicting angels and beautiful women of all walks of life. The arched doorway you walked in through is made out of a dark glasslike substance. Evenly spaced around the wall of the room you see statues of beautiful women.
This room looks as if it has not been used for a long time. Dust covers the floor and furniture. The roof has sprung a leak, and water collected on the dirt floor last time it rained. The dust has been washed to the sides where the outline of large puddles marks the floor. A wardrobe stands to one side, its door open, hanging skewed from the brass hinges.
Merchants are selling their wares from stalls that stand in a half circle here. Each one is loudly professing the quality of his goods and what a bargain that can be made buying his merchandise. Their voices blend together drowning out individual words.
The door to this room has been reinforced with several oak beams and steel bands. The door looks as if someone has repeatedly tried to force it open from this side. A large bed, from which the bedposts have been removed, stands against the southern wall. The mattress has been torn up and straw is strewn all over the floor. A small dresser has been nailed to the east wall of the room. Above the dresser hangs a polished sheet of silver metal. In front of the dresser stands a small stool, it has also been nailed to the floor.
A large bear rug covers the floor in front of the bed that stands against the southern wall. A large shield has been leaned up against the bed. The shield is completely round, with a circular metal buckle in its middle. An open chest stands next to the bed. Clothes have carelessly been thrown in and around the chest. A small lantern rests against the inside of the chest's lid.
The wind blows very hard here. White foam is whipped up from the waters. Off in the distance a small spot on the horizon is getting larger by the second. A huge longship is hurtling down upon this location. A soft chanting can be heard from aboard from the men rowing. The ship's sail is taut with wind. The ship is rapidly approaching, heading straight toward you.
The blood-red stained dragon head mounted on the bowsprit immediately draws the eye; it seems to be looking back, its eyes gleaming. The deck is raised here, and looking astern one can see the rowing benches and another raised deck all the way aft. The oak boards creak underfoot as the longship rolls, sail full and every oar out, and the wind in one's face brings tears to the eyes. Over the side, a climb down leads into the sea.
You stand amongst the oars of the longship. On each side 4 oars stick out far into the sea between the shields that hang on the side of the ship. 4 pairs of chests stand here doubling as seats for the rowing Vikings. The ship lacks a deck here and you stand on its barely rounded bottom planks. You notice that the ship is very well built for its rough look. Not a single drop is sneaking between the clinker-built sides.
The longship's sides straighten out to become almost parallel. You marvel at the amount of room on this vessel which looked so slim from afar. There are four pairs of rowing emplacements and chests evenly spaced here.
The sixty feet tall mast stands here, firmly attached in a huge block of oak at the keel. The striped sail is taut with wind above your heads. As you look up, you wonder about the absence of the "peace-shield", that should be hanging from the mast this close to a Viking harbor. Crates are latched down around the base of the mast. In a small pen you see two live pigs, and beside it stands a cage with chickens. You also see a cage with pigeons, these birds known for their homing skill, used by far travelers to find home again.
The ship starts to thin out here aft of the mast. You see the four pairs of oars along with their customary chest. You notice that the shields that adorn the side are of better quality aft of the mast. The chests as well have the look of property of wealthier men.
You stand in the aft most of the rowing emplacements. The long straight oar blades glisten wet in the sun. To the aft you see a raised deck with a throne-like chair in its center. When you look toward the bow you see the dragon head shining readily in the sun.
This is the aft deck of the longship. On the starboard side a huge oar serves as the rudder, its gigantic blade throwing up great swells in the ship's wake. A throne-like wooden chair, carved out of a single piece of wood, commands the center of the deck, and in the very stern rises another sprit, without a dragon head but carved into spirals. The rowers are forward, and over the side a climb leads down into the sea.
Cold, green water slaps against the rocks at the northern tip of Birch Island. Seagulls wheel overhead in search of fish, and the sea lane back to the open ocean runs north. To the south the shallows follow the island's western cliffs.
The shallows along the western cliffs open here into a small bay that cuts east into the island, walled on every side by high cliffs. The shallows run on north along the coast and south toward the island's southwestern corner.
The waters wash up against steep cliffs here. A seagull flies high above, its nest somewhere among the naked rocks, and the bottom is barely visible beneath the swells. The shallows run north toward a bay and south toward the corner of the island.
Green waves crash against the southwestern corner of the island, throwing foam and spray into the air so that it is hard to see far. The cliff has been worn smooth by the water; completely black, it shines like a mirror in what little sunlight reaches it. The shallows run north up the western coast and east along the southern one; open water lies west and south.
The dark green waves rise high here, their tips white with foam. Northward, through the mist that lies heavy on the sea, the island's southwestern corner rises out of the water, trees growing right out to the brink of its cliffs. The open sea stretches east along the island's southern coast.
The sides of the cliff that surround the bay seem to reach the sky. Small green plants and vines grow on the cliffs giving them a luscious look. To the west the cliffs open up into the sea. When you look east you see shadows as the cliffs narrow and close up.
This trail runs along the bottom of a shallow ravine. Trees line both edges of the ravine, their fallen leaves carpeting the ground. Faint animal noises can be heard from beyond the trees.
Traveling along the bottom of the ravine, birds and small animals can be heard from the forest surrounding it. A large log overgrown with weeds and grass lies across the top of the ravine.
Beneath the huge southern cliffs the water has slowly dug an indentation into the rock, and the outward-leaning stone wall blots out the sun. A faint green strip shows at the very top of the cliff. A couple of rocks tumble down from above; looking closer, something moves up there, scrambles to its feet and disappears. The shallows run east and west along the coast, and the open sea is south.
The dark green waves rise high here, their tips white with foam, and the wind is rising. Northward, glimpses of the island's cliffs can be seen through the shroud of mist. Somewhere out in the mist, faint and getting nearer, comes the sound of oars and a low chant. The open sea runs east and west along the coast.
The ravine descends even deeper into the mountain here. The rocky sides slightly rounded, lean inward, to only leave a foot wide gap above. Thoughts go to traveling down a tunnel with a crack in the ceiling where a few sun rays succeed in penetrating the gloom.
Huge reefs jag the surface of the sea. The water turns into a maelstrom as the waves crash against the cliff. A huge whirlpool churns the water where the northern and eastern cliff walls meet. The roar of the cascading water is deafening. Not even the most fearless of ship captains would dare enter here.
The waves are topped with white foam, gathering strength as the land comes nearer. From the east comes the roar of waves coursing between the knife-sharp stones of a reef. The shallows run west along the cliffs, and the open sea lies south.
A large boulder blocks the easterly direction of the ravine. It looks as if a giant threw it here, wedged in-between the two rocky sides. The stone walls are scraped free of vegetation around the stone. Faint mud smudges can be seen leading up the boulder. A rope ladder hangs down on the southern ravine wall, attached to two evergreens at its edge.
Here above the ravine, evergreens grow thick. The underbrush is quite dense. Rustling can be heard from all around. A small trail leads east into the forest along the edge of the gorge. Off the edge to the north hangs a rope ladder.
The waves beat against a low rock with a steady rhythm. A salt smell fills the air, and white streaks of a porous crust line the rock. The open sea runs east toward the harbor and west along the coast; the shallows are north.
The waves roll in long and steady here, west of the island's cliffs, their tips white with foam. To the east, the southwestern corner of Birch Island rises black out of the sea; to the south the water opens toward the sea lanes.
North, the boulder that blocks the ravine can barely be seen between the trees. The trail can hardly be made out under the shrubbery, and branches catch at every loose part of one's clothing. The trail runs west back toward the rope ladder and east around the boulder.
The mast of a sunken longship sticks up out of the green waves here. Sudden whirlpools appear in the water and quickly fade, dark shapes move below the surface, and now and then bursts of bubbles rise around the mast. The open sea runs west; to the south lies deep water before the harbor.
The water is very deep here and very still, and the swells rise slow and heavy. The mast of a sunken longship pokes out of the waves to the north. To the east, the mouth of the island's harbor can be seen between its breakwaters.
The dark green waves rise high, their tips white with foam, and a heavy mist lies on the water. Through it, glimpses of a rocky island can be seen to the northeast, its cliff tops green with trees. The sea lane to the wider ocean runs east; the island's waters are back to the north.
The path comes to an abrupt end here: a gigantic boulder lies across the ravine, completely blocking the way west. Its sides are smooth, with no places for footholds, and the forest above the ravine is ominously quiet. The trail leads east, down the mountain toward the town.
Standing on a small trail above the ravine, the immense size of the boulder can be seen; no ordinary creature could ever have moved a block of granite that size. A coiled rope lies under a small evergreen, one end tied around its trunk. The ravine wall below the edge to the north looks very smooth, with no obvious holds. The trail runs back west through the trees.
The path leads down into a shallow ravine here. At the bottom of the ravine, its walls are well above eye level. Above the edge of the ravine trees can be seen. Thin beams of sunlight filter through the heavy foliage.
The trail winds up the steep eastern slope of the mountains. Below to the east a small Viking town can be seen. Beyond the town, shrouded in mist, lies a small fortress upon a hill.
Passing on the west side of the giant rock pillar that divides the entrance to the harbor, a small town can be seen spread out along the shore to the north, below the mountains. The bottom is shallow here. The harbor opens to the north, and the eastern channel lies past the pillar to the east.
This is the eastern of the two channels into the harbor, east of the huge stone pillar that divides its entrance in two. Breakwaters reach out from the pillar and from the foot of a hill to the east, on top of which stands a small fortress behind a tall wooden palisade. The harbor opens to the north; the other channel lies west, past the pillar, and the open sea is south.
The island's harbor lies just north, its entrance split in two by a huge stone formation that sticks out of the water like a dagger. The waves are smaller here, broken on the cliffs and on the pillar and its breakwaters, and the dark water beats softly against the rocks. The open sea lies west.
A small campsite has been set up on the bowl shaped upper surface of the boulder. The view of the trail is perfect in both directions, making this a very good place to spot anyone approaching. Three blanket rolls lie beside a small fire. A small kettle stands upon a tripod over the fire. The faint trail of steam from the kettle smells like broth.
As you enter the mouth of the fjord you see a small farm nestled in-between the sides of tall cliffs. A thin trail of smoke comes from a hole in the roof of a large building that leans against the southern cliff face. Past the large building you see a trail to the east. The water is very shallow here, the rocky bottom easily visible.
The waters of the fjord are shallow here close to the northern cliff-face. The natural stone wall is so steep that it blocks out the sky above your heads. Moss and vines climb the stone, making it appear as if a green sheet has been draped over the rock.
The shade from the tall cliffs lies heavy here close to the southern edge of the fjord. The rock is bare granite totally devoid of growth. Seagulls' nests dot the wall, and their cries can be heard overhead.
Here the fjord reaches its northernmost arm, where the water laps against the foot of the northern cliff. Moss and vines climb the stone in a green sheet, and the quay of a dry dock juts out to the east. Deeper water lies to the south.
The crystal clear waters of the fjord are very clear here. The bottom is completely out of sight, disappearing beneath the shadows cast by the cliffs.
The shade of the tall southern cliff lies heavy on the water here. The rock is bare granite without a scrap of growth, dotted with seagulls' nests whose owners cry overhead. To the east the water gives way to a stony shore.
There is a dry-dock here, sized for a very large longship, the ship itself absent. A stone quay made out of rocks piled on top of each other extends out into the fjord. Two large stone pillions stand erect here with iron rings attached at their tops for the mooring of boats.
The crystal clear waters of the fjord are very deep here. The bottom is completely out of sight, disappearing beneath the shadows cast by the cliffs.
The waters of the fjord give over to a stony shore here. Waves are slowly beating against the rocks, making some of the smaller stones move.
This low roofed room has a very musty smell, faintly reminiscent of spoiled food. The floor is packed dirt, roof and ceiling are made of timber. Small bins line the walls, filled with different types of crops.
A large raised platform borders all three walls in this western end room. A large straw mattress with blankets and pillows strewn on top covers the platform. An animal hide hangs from the low ceiling in a futile attempt of cutting off the room from the rest of the house. A round brass bowl hangs from chains over the middle of the platform. The sides of the bowl have been punched out in varying patterns, inside the red glow of coal can be seen.
A roof supported by four beams shuts out the sun here. The mountain form walls on the north and eastern side. Nets and other fishing tools hang from hooks in the ceiling.
The fjord's water gives way to a shore of rounded stones that clatter in the gentle wash of the waves. A fishing hut stands just north against the mountain, and the farm's practice field lies east.
The ground is bare here, barely above sea level. Seaweed and driftwood that washed up during the last high tide cling to the rocks.
Grass grows in a small patch here outside the log house to the south. A peg with an iron ring at the end is stuck in the middle of the grassy area.
A roughly hewn oak table stands here. On either side of the table stands a bench. At the western end of the table you see a high-backed chair. The chair is adorned with sculptures of dragons and snakes. Hay covers the floor. As you walk across it, you hear the cracking of bones thrown here during some dinner. Tapestries hang on both walls.
A small burial mound has been erected here in the shadows of the cliff. Thick green grass covers the mound. At the base of the mound stands a runestone.
Barley grows here in flowing fields. North lies the burial mounds, south the main house of the valley.
A round area has been cleared off this empty field. The ground inside the circle of stones is packed dirt. The stones that line the circle are painted in a dark reddish color. A couple of weapon racks stand off to one side of the circle. Next to the rack stands a bench.
This trail, little more than well trodden dirt, leads east into the mountains. The trail continues south to the door of the log house. Westward lies the fjord, and beyond that faint glimmers can be seen, as if reflected from a body of water beyond the fjord.
The ground here is completely bare from all the traffic in and out of the house. The roof of the house is barely six feet above ground and fully overgrown with grass and weeds. The walls are made out of logs with the bark still attached. The door is halfway open and you see glimmers from a fire inside.
A huge step down from the outside the floor of the log house is at least 2 feet lower than the valley floor. This is a large building, one room spanning its whole length. In the middle of the room is a small hearth. A cauldron hangs from chains attached to the low beams of the ceiling. A fire is smoldering, giving off smoke that rises to escape out of a hole in the roof.
The large oak tree deepens the shadows already cast by the cliffs to a dark gloom. Under the tree stands a wooden statue. The upper part of the timber is carved into a vaguely manlike shape, while the lower is still plain wood. A bowl filled with a dried liquid sits at the foot of the statue. Above the statue, from one of the low branches of the oak, hangs a steel hook.
This field is currently not in use. All that grows here is weeds and grass.
Waist high wheat waves in the wind. The golden stalks grow so tall and thick that your feet disappear beneath you.
This trail runs in the east-westerly direction. The trail leads east into the mountains and west toward the main buildings. North of the trail there are flowing fields of grain, beyond the fields two burial mounds and an old oak tree lie in the shade of the cliff.
A small fireplace rests here on top of four huge blocks of granite. Several lengths of iron stick out of the ashes. On one side of the hearth bellows is affixed through a hole in one of the blocks. A water and an oil barrel stand next to the bellows. An anvil rests on top of a fifth block of granite. Several hammers lie on the block at the base of the anvil.
A large weaving stool stands here, with several spinning needles resting against its base. Four candleholders are evenly spaced around the room, giving this room the most light in the log house.
This is the larger of the two burial mounds, easily dwarfing the other. Stones have been erected across the top of the mound. The stones form the shape of an eye, or the outline of a longship. The stone where the bow or aft would have been on a longship has runes inscribed upon it.
Ripe corn grows here. Yellow stalks swaying in the wind, the soft buzzing of bees can be heard. A musty smell lingers from the last rain.
A rectangular strip of this field has been dug up, the dirt raked into a fine powder. At one of the shorter ends of the rectangle lies a wooden plank. Along one of the long edges lies a stack of logs. Leaning up against the stack is a rake.
The valley trail runs east and west here, between the timber-toss ground to the north and the brewery behind the smithy to the south. Eastward the valley narrows and the trail starts to climb toward the mountains; westward it runs back past the fields to the main buildings of the farm.
This low ceilinged room is filled with barrels. Sacks of hops and barley are stacked against the northern wall. Ale is dripping from a half opened tap on one of the barrels. The liquid collecting in a pool that is quickly spreading across the floor.
Several straw mattresses are strewn around this room. Animal furs and blankets lie in heaps by the mattresses. A small iron brazier stands in the middle of the room. Filled with smoldering coals it gives off a nice warmth into the room.
Old hay and cow manure cover the floor. A trough lines the east wall. A sickly smell of old fodder emanates from the trough. Shadows lie deep in this windowless room. The only light streaming in through small cracks in the roofing.
A small building lies here cramped into a natural niche in the eastern mountain wall. The strong odor of horse and cattle permeates the air. A haystack is piled up against the southern wall. Two small stalls divide this room from the barn to the north.
A trail leads east and west here. The terrain becomes more mountainous eastward. To the west it levels out into a small valley.
Standing halfway up the mountain, the view of the valley west is splendid. A small farm lies nestled in the valley. Several fields of crops grow north of the house. A pair of burial mounds surround an oak tree north of the fields. Far west the waters of a small fjord can be seen.
The mountains meet the plains below here. The trail runs westward up the mountain and eastward toward the bustling town that fills the small plain. Leaves cover the trail, a sure sign it has not been used recently or at least that it is not heavily trafficked. Trees line the edge of the trail to the north. South more cliffs rise up out of the ground.
The trail turns into a road here as it nears the town. Individual buildings can be made out, and lights can be seen in the windows. Faint trails of smoke rise from almost every house in the town. North of the road the trees give way to fields heavy with crops.
Two large stacks of timber rest in-between poles here. Several benches stand beside the stacks. A saw table stands next to one of the stacks. Also a long vat filled with water stands off to one side. The vat holds a log attached to a metal mold, the wood slowly bending into shape. A small shed, missing one wall, is filled with tools.
The skeleton of a half finished longship lies here on support beams. Tar is boiling in a large cauldron, spreading a thick smoke and putrid smell. Boards ready to be attached lie under a piece of canvas to the side.
Standing on a heavily traveled road. The road has the deep marks of wagon wheels, though the whole breadth of the road is bare dirt. North flowing fields of barley, oats and wheat grace the landscape. The noise of people can be heard from the east, where the town proper begins.
The thin trail runs along the shore here. Sea debris clings to the sharp-bladed weeds that grow along the edge of the water. Mussels litter the sandy ground. The water washes far up on the almost level shore, and even reaches the trail at times.
Two large dragon ships lay moored here side to side. Their masts, with the sail tightly tied around it, lies along the keel of each ship. The oars have been pulled in all the way, their ends pointing toward the middle of the ship, making the ships look like giant overturned bugs.
Standing just inside the northwestern edge of the town. A large cobblestone square extends south and east. Westward a dirt road leads off towards the mountains. Houses line all four sides of the square. North stands a timber house, a small sign hangs from on top of the door depicting a beautiful woman lying on a bed.
A small brick well stands in the middle of the cobble stoned area. A pulley hangs from where three stakes that are grounded in each corner or a triangle they form around the well. From a rope run through the pulley a bucket swings slowly. The rope is tied to a small iron ring that extends out between the bricks of the well. The sound of metal striking metal comes from the house to the west. South lies a house with a wooden set of stairs in front. On each side of the steps is a rail, both of which end in a dragon's head, exact copies of those that adorn the bowsprit of long ships.
The trail runs between the wall of a building to the north and the harbor to the south. Weeds grow between the wall and the path which almost touches the water's edge. Eastward the trail connects to a quay made out of rubble. To the west the path can be seen trailing the edge of the water.
The waves slowly beat against the wave breaker to the south. North lies a thin strip of shoreline between the water and the houses of the city.
Loud laughter and men's voices come from the large building along the northern edge of the square: a tavern without a door, and the smell of ale and mead drifts out of it. The cobblestones around its opening are littered with old crockery and broken glass. The building to the east is strangely quiet by comparison, and looking closer it is overly large, as if built for a creature bigger than a man. The square continues west and south.
The square joins with two roads here, one southbound and one eastbound. Eastward lies the more wealthy areas of town, while the reek of poorer, dirtier quarters come from the south. The cobblestones are worn down in this very busy intersection.
The ground between the houses is paved with wooden planks here, half sunk into the mud, giving some protection from the muck. A couple of pigs run loose, nosing through the garbage the townsfolk throw at the edge of the road. The open-air market lies just east; the square is north and the road runs on south toward the quays.
Wooden boards pave the road as it runs south to the quays and north to the square, deep ruts worn into the boards and the soggy ground. An acid smell comes from the building to the east, and a suit of leather armor hangs from a wooden mannequin beside its door.
The quay is built out of rubble. The edge of the stone construction that border the water has support beams every few feet. Despite the beams it is surprising that the stones just don't all fall into the water.
The waves are fairly high here just inside the wave breakers. South, after passing the stone pillar, lies the open sea. The water beats rhythmically against the stone quay north.
This road is paved with small cobble stones. The ditches on each side of the road proper are filled with garbage and offal. The road continues eastward and connects with the square west. To the south lies yet another cobblestone area.
The rubble quay is well built here. Crates and chests stand off to one side. Several barrels line the wall of the building to the north. A large door covers the wall where it is not lined with barrels. Two small merchant vessels are moored to the pillions. The knarrs are filled with cargo ready to be unloaded.
Just south is the large black stone pillar that juts out of the water like a gigantic spearhead. The waves that beat up against its base, have worn the stone completely smooth at water level. Further up the stone the surface becomes streaked with pockmarks as if acid has been poured down the top of the stone.
The cobblestone road runs between narrow buildings here. A well built house stands to the north. The wall opens up to a large shop. A sign with gold inlaid lettering is attached to the wall. South lies a smallish house with a runestone standing next to its door.
This part of the quay looks unused. The wooden pillions that keep the rubble from falling into the harbor are leaning dangerously towards the water. Dust and debris litter the ground.
The waves are high here, where the sea has open access into the harbor through its eastern channel to the south. The green waves are tipped with white foam as they beat against the stonework. To the north lies the old merchant quay, and far to the east, below the Jarl's hill, a great longship lies at its own mooring.
Wooden planks have been used to pave the road here. A large stone mansion stands to the north. And around its grand double doors the ground is covered by smooth granite blocks. A large brass door knocker in the shape of a money pouch hangs on the left door. Small arrow slits adorn each side of the door. Large barred windows run the length of the house's two floors.
The road from the west turns into a small trail as it runs up the slope of the hill. The hill is covered in green grass, and red and white kings flowers grow in spots. The red flowers are in abundance, easily outnumbering the white variety.
The trail leads up the hill to a gate in the wooden palisade here. A large gate hangs from gigantic hinges. The palisade is constructed with large logs, sharpened in the end that points toward the sky. The top of the logs are tied together with thick ropes at the skyward end.
The small trail leads southerly below the straight logs of the palisade. Scorch marks mar the wooden poles, and the remains of brush, and firewood lies at the palisades base. The logs do not seem to have been damaged by the fire. After examining the fire, arrow heads and a dagger blade are found, all signs of a recent battle.
The trail parts with the palisade here to lead down toward the brink of the water. The hill is very steep and would effectively tire any enemy troops that tried climbing it. Green grass covers the hill where the vegetation has not been worn away by frequent footsteps.
A huge longship lies moored here at the eastern end of the harbor, below the Jarl's hill. The sail wrapped around its raised mast is blood-red. The ship is tied to a small wooden quay that joins the rubble breakwater protecting the harbor from the stormy sea. A trail climbs north up the hill, and the harbor stretches away west.
You stand in the shadow of the palisade, with the sharpened points of the fir logs making a jagged shadow across the ground. A small pool of yellowish liquid is collecting at the base of the logs. Someone has stepped in the liquid and left a trail of wet footprints leading east.
Standing inside the gate, the yard that occupies the inside of the square palisade, can be seen in full. The north, east and south edges of the yard are surrounded by buildings. The main house stands directly east, between the house and the gate is a reddish colored circle.
The logs that make up the wall west are joined by a watchtower here. High above the palisade the hut like top of the tower is silhouetted against the sky. The tower rests on four poles, two of which are part of the palisade. A rope ladder hangs from a small opening in the hut. From the house to the south the sounds of metal on metal ring in your ears.
The ground here is packed dirt. A trail of heavily shod footprints have been made in the dirt. The trail leads to the door of the building that lies north. A spear and a shield is leaning against one side of the door. Above the door hangs a rusty axe and a warhammer.
The yard here is almost completely taken up by a circle. The circle is surrounded by an edge of red painted rocks. The inside of the circle is covered with flat granite rocks. The granite has been polished smooth by plenty of use. Four braziers stand in a square around the circle, one in each corner. The huge braziers, basically finely meshed cages on iron stilts, can be imagined to give off a lot of light when lit.
A trail of horse manure and marks of horseshoes leads to the building south. Huge double doors are open to the building's dark recesses. Large shapes can be seen moving in the shadows. The smell of hay lies in the air.
The yard lies in the corner of two buildings, the cellar north, and the main house east. The cellar barely rises above ground, what is showing is basically a weed covered mound with a hatch leading underground. The door in the east building is smallish.
Standing outside the main log house. The log house is built of large timbers. No windows adorn its side but a huge oak door opens up to the inside. The roof is thatched with flat burned clay bricks. Two thick trails of smoke come from holes in the roof of the house. A bench leans against the wall just to the left of the door.
The yard forms a corner with the log house east and a small building south. The ground outside the door of the building to the south is slightly soggy. A sweet smelling liquid is leaking out from under the door. Footsteps can be seen leading into the building, but none lead in the other direction.
Southeastern corner of this room is completely built out of sun-dried brick, shaped into a large fireplace. Several red-hot irons stick out from the smoldering coals. An anvil stands next to the fire, and smiths' tools litter a bench next to it. The western wall is the smith's show case, his finished work hanging from pegs stuck in-between the timber logs.
Immense heat comes through the eastern wall from the forge beyond, turning this windowless room into an oven. A coal bin filled to the brim stands next to the bed, and a trail of soot leads out the door to the smithy. A couple of sleeping pallets are rolled up and leaned against the wall.
A counter of polished wood stands against the northern wall, and the floor of rough boards is worn smooth in places by many feet. A large cabinet stands at one end of the counter, a huge keyhole its only adornment. A door leads north to the beds; the square is to the south.
There are 5 bunk beds in this room. Two against the southern and northern walls, and one against the eastern. Each bed contains an uncomfortable looking straw mattress. A small table with five chairs surrounding it stands in the corner. At the end of each bed stands two chests to store the personal belongings of the guests.
A large cooking area with a fireplace in the center takes up the middle of this room. The heat from the fire is immense, and sweat starts running down one's face at once. Cabinets line the walls, and sacks of grain are stacked in one corner. The bar is to the south.
A bar covers most of the area here. Behind the bar, lines of small kegs are stacked on top of each other. A rack hangs from the wall above the kegs. Lead pewters and ceramic steins hangs from the rack. The surface of the bar is polished smooth, gleaming in the faint light from the oil lamps.
A large round table dominates this area. More than a dozen chairs are pulled up around the table. Its surface is scarred from knives being stuck in it. The walls here are stained from the numerous times ale steins have been thrown against them. On closer inspection some of those stains look really recent.
A large bed stands against one wall; the opposite wall is lined with large barrels, each with chalk writing on it saying where it was made, who it was bought from and what it cost. A large cat lies curled up asleep on top of one of them. The common room is to the south.
Standing just inside the bustling tavern you can make out a large room. The room is filled with tables and chairs, oil lamps giving off a putrid black smoke hangs from the ceiling. Boisterous laughter can be heard from the northeastern corner of the tavern. Broken crockery, spilled ale and mead covers the floor and makes footing tricky.
Several tables stand here. The table in the very corner is the only one not surrounded by chairs. Instead it is covered with old candle wax. On the edge of the table that faces toward the walls lies a stack of very short candles. A candle holder stands in the middle of the large puddle of overrun wax. One lone chair stands to the side of the table.
This large building is made completely out of wood. The roof is quite high compared to the other buildings in town. A grid work of wooden planks cover the floor, elevating the merchandise stored while at the same time providing circulation below it. Racks and shelves line one wall of the building. The other half is packed with boxes, chests and bales of cloth and goods from faraway lands.
The building in which you stand is a burned out shell. Logs, planks and fallen rafters litter the floor. The roof is just one big gaping hole. What remains standing of the walls look as if it could fall any minute.
A soot covered fireplace occupies one corner of this room. A rat, alerted by the creak of the door, quickly scurries across the floor to disappear behind some debris. Cobwebs and dust cover the room's nooks and crannies.
The noise of the well carries in from the north. A complete mess, this room looks as if it is rarely used for more than passing through: bits and pieces of ships' rigging lie everywhere, and what might once have been a sail lies in a moth-eaten pile in a corner. A door leads west to a workshop, and the dining room is south.
The walls of this room are clinked in the way of the Viking long ships. A shelf is attached to the northern wall of the room. On top of the shelf sit several models of longships. The models are very intricate and look very life like. In the middle of the room stands a table. Several rolls of canvas litter the tabletop.
In the center of this room stands a round table scarred by knives, its surface glossy with grease and old blood, with a couple of rickety chairs around it. The straw on the floor has not been changed in a long time, and a path has been worn through it between the northern and southern doors. The western door, on the other hand, has cobwebs in its corners.
A large bed stands against the eastern wall of this otherwise desolate room. The straw mattress looks old and crusty. A faint smell of sweat and unlaundered linen hangs in the air. By the bed stands a small chest. On top of the chest stands a candle, old candle wax mars the surface where it has collected in a large lump.
An overpowering stench comes from the open vats that stand in this room. The vats are filled to the brim with different types of foul smelling liquid that are used to cure leather. Skins in different stages of the tanning process hang around the room. On a workbench lies several tools used to originally clean the hides.
The shelves of this shop are filled with leather goods, from household things to armor, neatly arranged and of fine quality. A strong foul smell comes from behind the animal hide hanging over the doorway to the east. The street door is west.
A small sleeping pallet lies thrown against the southern wall. Unfinished hides hang from the beams in the ceiling. The stench from the tannery is so heavy that it seems unlikely someone could sleep here.
Everything in this room is of very large proportions, as if built for a creature bigger than a man. A woodcarving of a man riding a horse hangs on the north wall; looking closer, both his legs touch the ground. From the doorway west, the noise of the busy tavern square drifts in. A doorway leads east into the house.
Man-sized and larger sized dummies stand here. They all show marks of frequent use. A tall wooden fence surrounds this small yard shutting it off from the bustle of the rest of the town. The ground is leveled dirt, firmly packed by frequent use.
Trophies that tell the tale of a far-flung life as a mercenary adorn the walls. High in the ceiling, far above any normal person's head, several dragon heads hang from the rafters, and the assembled skeleton of a huge-toothed hound stands in one corner. A door north opens onto a fenced training yard, the bedroom is east, and the foyer is west.
A huge bed takes up almost all the space in this chamber, leaving almost no room to walk around it. The bed looks like it has been used recently a deep indention still in straw. Over the bed hangs a lantern, to the left stands a small table, to the right a weapon stand.
A table stands in the middle of this room, two candelabras at opposite corners and the space between them cluttered with the tools of the goldsmith's trade: a small brazier, clay bowls, pincers, and a stand of glass bottles of clear fluid on a stone base well away from the flames. Small bars of gold and some gold wire lie in a heap near the center of the table. The living quarters are west, and the shop is south.
Considering whom this room belongs to it is very spartan. A small bed stands in one corner, beside it a table with a clay oil lamp on top. The only ornaments are a small tapestry with gold inlaid that hangs on one wall. Just inside the door stands a small chair. A tunic has been carelessly thrown in a heap on top of the chair. An old pair of boots peek out from under the bed.
This shop has no front wall, it is completely open to the road. Two large doors have been thrown open to the street. A long desk cuts this room in two. On top of the desk rests two display cases. Each display case is full of silver, gold and jewelry. For protection, each case is also covered by finely meshed bars of steel. A huge pad lock keeps the display cases locked.
This is the foyer of the runecarver's house. Two ornately carved chairs stand on either side of the door to the street, to the north, and a large wooden relief carving covers the western wall. A door leads east into the showroom.
Several runestones stand in a half circle in this room, each carved in an intricate pattern of runes and animals, the indentations filled in with color. Snakes curling around the stone, their bodies holding the runes, are by far the most common beasts. On a table in the middle of the room lie exquisite wooden carvings: Thor's Hammer, Freja's Apple and other symbols of the gods among them. A tool room lies south, the runecarver's own rooms east, and the foyer west.
A large bed covers the southern wall of this room. Each of the bedposts has been carved into a dragons head, complete with upper bodies down the sides of the bed. Even the legs are carved into the resemblance of dragons feet. This makes it look more like a four headed dragon or hydra than a bed. A small chest stands next to the bed. The floor is smooth wooden planks, so flawlessly made that the seams can barely be made out.
Tools for working in stone and wood lie on shelves in this room. A large table stands in the middle of the room. On top of the table lies an unfinished wooden carving. The room is lit up by an oil lamp that hangs down from the rafters above.
A small door leads east out of this room. The four walls are close together, and the ceiling is very low. Anyone above six feet in height would have to bend over to pass in here. Water drips down the stone walls, collecting in small pools around the room. Four sleeping pallets lie on top of a small chest. A torch is crudely attached to the wall by a metal loop. The flames are fluttering in the draft that passes through this muggy room. A large bin, full with charcoal, stands in one corner of the room.
A large square steel cooking place stands in the middle of this room. The top is flat, the surface polished to a gleaming shine. On each side is a small door for feeding more coal to the fire. Cabinets line the walls. Cooking tools hang from racks in the ceiling. Two small bins filled with flour stand against the west wall.
This round room is very brightly lit. Large windows line the walls, their shutters open to the outside. The glass is only partly transparent, making the shapes outside slightly misshapen. Between each window stands a padded chair, red leather covering the seats. A small round table stands in the middle of the room. A large candelabra hangs from the center of the ceiling, throwing geometrically exact shadows around the room. A porcelain vase stands in the middle of the table.
A large desk with a chair behind it and one in front of it is the only furniture in this room. A tall candle holder stands on each side of the desk. The chair behind the desk is slightly more elevated than the one in front. A large book lies on top of the desk.
Two sets of stairs lead up to the second floor here. There is an exit in each of the four walls. The stairs run from the doors in the east and west wall up to meet to form a platform above the door in the north wall. In each of the corners in the south end of the room stands a full suit of armor. Polished to a shine, they gleam in the light from the crystal chandelier that hangs from the ceiling in the center of the room. The western door is made out of stout oak, reinforced with steel bands, the opening in the east wall is only covered by a forest green drape.
Bookshelves cover all four walls of this room. The exits north, west, and south as well as the windows east are all cut into the shelves. Large leather bound books fill most of the shelf space, the remaining space is taken up by small knick knacks. A fire burns in the large fireplace in the southwestern corner of the library. Two leather covered reading chairs stand in front of the fireplace.
Three wooden bars cross the space just below the ceiling in this room. Hooks are spaced evenly on the walls around the room. A weapons rack stands against one wall. A couple of coats hang from the bars above, forgotten weapons have been left in the stand. Two pairs of boots stand just inside the door.
This is an open foyer. A poorly hidden door leads west. An arched portal leads north and there is a door in the east wall. A large carpet covers the floor. A cabinet stands against the western wall. On top of the cabinet stands a wash basin with a pitcher of water next to it.
Large windows line the south and east wall of this room. Between the windows are large colorful paintings of richly dressed people. All bear resemblances to each other, as if all are family. The windowless walls are covered with paintings of landscapes. Under each painting stands a leather covered chair.
A stone bench has been built into the northern wall of this room. Six holes closed with wooden covers line the top of the bench. The stench of human offal is heavy in the air. A table stands to one side, on top of the table several wash basins can be seen. A small brazier to heat water for washing stands next to the table. A small kettle rests on a tripod on top of the brazier.
A large balcony, bordered on two sides by the stone walls of the house, provides a dazzling view of the fields and forest north of town. To the south are two large double doors. The balcony is hemmed in by a sculpted stone rail north. Two lanterns hang from the east and west wall spreading a gentle light over the balcony.
The door leading out of this room is made of oak, it is very thick and reinforced by several bands of steel. A large cross bar lies just inside the door. This room is devoid of windows, instead it has arrow slits spaced evenly around the outer walls. Two large chests stand here, the faint smell of preserved food coming from under their lids. A large weapons rack stands next to the chest. Four crossbows hang from the walls next to the arrow slits. Below the crossbows lie several quivers with crossbow bolts.
This is a plain hallway leading to the west part of the house. At the west wall stands a small table. On each side of the table are two windows looking out toward the next house, its thatched roof can be seen a floor below. There is a door in both the north and south wall, and the hallway continues east toward the center of the house. Tapestries hang on the northern and southern wall.
Standing on a platform, that gives an excellent view of the stairs that lead up from below, it can be seen that this room was designed for esthetics as well as defense. A rail runs along the opening in the floor where the stairs lead up. In four niches, two in the east and two in the west wall, stand four suits of full plate armor. Each of the armors are fully complete with helmets and stand as if on vigil, ready to assist the owner of the house with their gleaming halberds. Doors lead in all directions except west where a hallway opens up to the rest of the house.
Large tapestries hang on each of the walls in this room. A chair stands in each of the four corners. There are 2 windows in the east wall through which the Jarl's fortress can be seen on top of its hill. There is a door in the south wall.
A large bed occupies most of this room. A small table stands beneath a window in the west wall. On top of the table stands a bowl and a pitcher, both filled with water. A large open wardrobe stands opposite to the table. The wardrobe is filled with the clothes of a wealthy man.
A thick layer of dust covers the floor of this room. The furniture is covered by linen sheets. Under the sheets the shapes of a cabinet, a chair and a small bed can be made out. The window in the southern wall has its shutters closed. The room looks as if it has been unused for a very long time.
A large canopy bed stands against the southern wall of this room. A chair stands in each of the northern corners of the room. A painting of an obviously wealthy man hangs in-between the bedpost on the southern wall. The mattress is filled with feathers, and looks very soft and inviting.
Rows of bunk beds lines the walls of this room. A large fire burns in a brazier in the middle of the room. Several weapons racks are leaning against the east wall. The floor is made out of packed dirt.
Having descended about ten feet underground, a large stone arched cellar spreads out before you. Bins full with food line all four walls in the musty cavern. Each is filled to the brim with foodstuff. Checking some at random, apples, beets, corn and wheat can be found. Meats from cattle as well as pigs hang from hooks in the ceiling. The meats are smoked, dried and salted. The sweet smell of overly ripe fruits hang in the air.
A large fireplace occupies most of this room. The roof has a large trap door in it that is opened when the fire is going to let out the smoke and heat. A stack of iron rods lie close to the southern wall. Two huge bellows are attached to the base of the fireplace. Each bellow is equipped with foot pedals, where the smith apprentices can attach their shoes to pump the fire into a red hot glow. Three large barrels stand next to an anvil filled with liquid for the tempering of steel.
Eight stalls for horses take up half the space in this building. The other half is taken up by a large haystack. The floor is covered by horse manure and old hay. The stable looks very unkempt.
Huge barrels line the walls in this room, four on each side. On top of the large barrels, more, smaller ones, are stacked in neat rows. One of the large barrels is leaking mead onto the floor. The packed dirt has turned into a mucky substance that smells sweetly of alcohol.
Sacks of grain stand against the walls of this room, and large cuts of meat hang from hooks in the ceiling beams. The walls are bare logs with the bark still on, and the packed dirt floor is covered with bits of old food and grain. A small door leads west to the yard, a closet lies north, and the servants' quarters are east.
A bed stands against each wall of this room, a small chest beside each one. The mattresses are old and lumpy, straw poking out of the seams, and moth-eaten blankets and foul-smelling furs lie heaped on top. A lantern hanging from a rope burns a smoky, evil-smelling oil. Doors lead west to the food storage and east to the kitchen, and the hallway is south.
A small bed stands in this narrow room, with a cabinet of clothes on one side and a chair on the other, a dirty apron thrown across its back. A rolling pin dusty with flour lies on top of the apron. The kitchen is south.
The walls of this room have been reinforced with extra oak beams and bands of steel. The door out of this room is more than half a foot thick, made out of oak. A large steel locking mechanism is the door's only ornamentation. Chests stand on both sides of this room, filled with the Jarl's loot from his travels in foreign lands. Piles of silk and other expensive cloth lie in piles on top of the chests.
A large canopy bed stands in the northeastern corner of this room. The soft down mattress is covered with expensive furs and fur lined blankets. Two large down pillows lie at the head of the bed. The head board is carved into a depiction of a large man and a slim beautiful woman standing arm in arm. The couple is outlined by a forest, above the forest a full moon and stars can be seen carved into the wood.
This tiny room off the food storage is bare wood on all four sides. A single boot stands in the middle of the floor and two capes hang from wooden pegs driven between the logs. The floor is bare dirt, covered with dust and debris. The food storage is south.
A large stove fills the eastern part of this room and a baking oven the western half, with a table between the two fireplaces. Hard, round, thin breads, each with a hole in its center, hang from a pole above the oven, and a few fresh cuts of meat hang in the smoke above the stove. The table is covered with cooking utensils. The cook's room is north, the servants' quarters west, and the great hall south.
Two small beds stand on each side of this room. A small cabinet stands next to each of the beds. A few dolls lie on top of one of the beds. Strewn around the opposite bed, toy weapons and armors can be seen. A metal shield sized for a little boy hangs above the bed.
This room contains a complete set of mismatched furniture. An old chair carved completely out of a tree stump sits in one corner. In the opposite corner a large divan can be seen. A leather covered bench with a back rest stands against the northern wall. A rickety blue painted table stands in front of the bench. A large wicker chair sits just inside the southern door.
Just inside the main door of the Jarl's log house, a large arched portal leads further into the house eastward; the yard is back through the door to the west. The floor is made of smooth planks, worn by heavy use and the hobnailed boots of warriors, and the ceiling of bare wood and thick rafters shows splendid workmanship. A pile of fir branches lies to one side, spreading its fresh scent through the air.
The hallways of the log house cross here. A wooden sculpture stands in each corner, vaguely manlike, each inscribed with runes: blessings and welcome for guests, curses for enemies. The great hall opens to the east, the servants' quarters are north, a hallway leads south into the house, and the entryway is west.
The roof is higher up in this part of the log house. A great hall spreads out under the high ceiling beams. Lanterns hang evenly spaced from the rafters. Below the lantern stands a huge oak table. The oak runs in the easterly direction to stop at the dais there. A long bench stands on each side of the table. The table is marred with marks from knives and old food stains. The hall continues east. A split animal hide hangs over a doorway east.
A raised dais occupies the end of where the large oak table stops. Three large chairs stand on top of the dais at the end of the table. A large tapestry, hangs from the wall behind the chairs, depicting the dais with two men and a woman sitting on the chairs. The middle man holds a spear and is one eyed. The man on the left is big and muscular and wields a hammer. The woman to the right is extremely beautiful and clasps an apple in her hands.
Two chairs stand against the northern wall of this room. A couple of sleeping pallets poke out from under the tapestry that covers the southern wall. A large chest stands just inside the door west, the chest has no keyhole nor a lid. With a closer look it can be seen that it is not really a chest but a large steel reinforced wooden weight. Scratch marks mar the floor boards in front of the door as if something heavy has been dragged there upon several occasions.
Three large finely sculptured wooden statues stand in a half circle in the western part of this room. Below the middle statue stands a bowl full with a red liquid. All three statues seem to have been splattered with this liquid, which looks very much like dried blood. The statue to the right has a bowl filled with grains below it. The room is completely empty except for the three statues.
Standing in a hallway that leads north and east, where it continues further into the building. The doorjamb that surrounds the door to the west has been painted dark red. Another door leads south.
The hallway runs east and west. A door leads south, dust is collecting outside the door. Four torches burn brightly, hanging from sconces attached to the walls, one pair on each side of the door. The other pair exactly opposite of the first.
The hallway ends its eastward run here with a large door. The walls are covered with ornamental weaponry, axes, swords and spears hang from wooden pegs on all the three walls. West opens up to more hallway. The door south is barred from this side, a large cross bar keeps whatever is inside securely locked up. A large hatch has been cut into the door. The hatch is locked with a big padlock.
This is clearly the entry chamber of the room to the south. Several chairs stand against the southern wall. A bed has hastily been put up against the northern wall. Above the bed hangs a shield with two long spears crossed behind it. A small chest stands at the foot of the bed.
In a small niche in this room stands a multitude of small wooden figurines. All the small statues have been splattered with a brownish red liquid. They bear resemblances to the Viking gods, Oden with his one eye and spear, Thor with his hammer and lightning bolts, Freja with her apples, Loke the half god, half giant, amongst a multitude of others. A bed stands on the other side of the room from the niche. A very thin straw mattress covers the bed.
A pair of beds stand against the southern and eastern walls of this room. Each bed is covered only with an animal fur. The room is totally devoid of ornamentation, even the log walls look more drab in here than in other parts of the house. Two doors lead out of this room, one north and one west. The western door has been painted completely red. A snake, curled up in a circle, biting its own tail, has been drawn in black on the door.