#the greenland sagas

[sekkitsune]

The sagas are historical, not mythological

By which I mean, yes, "myths are not stories that are untrue; rather they are tales that don't fit neatly into the historical record, which serve as the foundation of a culture". The sagas do fit neatly into the historical record.

• • •

In Eiríks saga rauða, Erik the Red's saga, there's this bit where Auðr djúpúðga, better known to many as Unn the Deep-Minded, has to flee Scotland after her son is killed and his many enemies come looking for her. So she builds a ship in secret, no small undertaking, and escapes.

Later, someone shows up in Greenland and says "I am a descendant of that same Auðr!" and everyone's duly impressed.

Now, when I read this, it was after I had already read Orkneyinga saga, where this is mentioned in passing—Auðr does this in Caithness, the part of Scotland immediately south of Orkney, and so the story is mentioned in passing as an impressive deed.

So having read first an allusion to it in Orkneyinga saga, then the details and some consequences in Eiriks saga rauða, I was impressed with "oh yeah, this fits together because it's real history."

Then, I read Laxdæla saga and it turns out the entire opening part of it concerns Auðr/Unn directly, and the historicity got even thicker.

• • •

When I was in Iceland, I stayed in the part of the country that is Egils saga land. I mentioned how… let's say, impressively violent Egil is to an Icelandic friend over chat, and he immediately replied with a list of ~49 names, the first being an Egilsdóttir, and the last name his. He just happened to have his direct line of descent handy.

[illustratus]

Summer night under the Greenlandic Coast circa A.D. 1000 (Erik the Red and his crew on board a Viking ship)

by Carl Rasmussen

[rhunedhel]

Opera about Freydis and Gudrid from the Vinland Saga. On Prime.

[maniculum]

Apparently Freydis makes an appearance on that Vikings show, so I made this thing.

Haven't seen the show, to be clear-- this is my impression of her character in "The Saga of the Greenlanders". Television!Freydis may be very different.

[countriesgame]

Please reblog for a bigger sample size!

If you have any fun fact about Iceland, please tell us and I'll reblog it!

[loki-was-framed]

For the sensible people who don't get it, “Eiríkr inn rauði” is "Erik the Red" in Old Norse.

For the one person who got it and thought it was funny: nice.

[repo-net]

EO5-Styled intros for the stratums from EO1 and EO2!

I finished playing EO5 a while back, and one of the things I really liked about the game were the short narrated sequences that played when you reached a stratum for the first time. The voice actress kills the role, and just the music slowly kicking in as she introduces just what you're about to get yourself into - aaahh, it's so good.

To help practice a bit of my description writing when it comes to locations and short tidbits of lore, I decided to try my hand at doing my own renditions of these sequences for the EO1 and 2 stratums! Hopefully they look alright, eheh.

Spoilers under the cut!

EO1

Every adventurer has a dream: whether it be for glory, for riches, for knowledge, or for purpose. Without fail, all of them flock to this mighty tree.

Regardless of the purity in their heart, the first step into these vast greenlands is filled with ambition.

That very same ambition is what has led to the end of so many. And yet for you, it may just be the start…

The legendary story born from hope blossomed here.

The first stratum, Emerald Grove

Descending down the stairs, a new layer of the labyrinth welcomes you.

Darker than the last, the tropical wilderness buzzes your ear with the sounds of trickling water, and cries of a new set of beasts.

Those who basked in their success of survival of the basics; learned far too late…

… That here, nature reigns supreme.

The second stratum, Primitive Jungle

Conquering the lord of the jungle, a mesmerizing sight shines against your eyes.

A moist scent wafting in the air, with a cobalt hue that makes one forget you’re still within a forest.

A queen of the insects lies in wait here, and below even her grasp is a mystery only a handful have seen, yet one question continues to prod.

Has that secret been forgotten by age, or has it grown into something more?

The third stratum, Azure Rainforest

Layer after layer of blooming life, comes to a harsh, arid halt upon this new arrival.

These wastelands filled with long stretches of beige and grains scraping against skin, is the very home of an ancient race.

They speak of a century-old pact, fully ready to defend their turf. To hide what’s below, and to see what’s below.

Wills even in the face of death are about to be tested here.

The fourth stratum, Sandy Barrens

Only the cursed king on his throne in the abyss remembers that golden age.

A world overwhelmed by verdure and promises of revival. A time and tragedy that only one man can tell the true story of.

Structures and mechanisms that you have never seen the likes of, with memories so distant, but so near all the same.

The mysteries that have been kept under for a millenia, it is your destiny to unravel them and see for your own - the secrets of Yggdrasil.

The fifth stratum, Lost Shinjuku

Below even the origin of creation is a place past the naked eye. 

A system of organs solely out of the blood dripping from stratas above, drenching the pulsing and veiny walls with a sickening red.

Screams and wails of agony from a creature tortured by its purpose, engulfing itself in this cavern to take its revenge on trespassers that were never meant to reach here.

For descending to the roots of this labyrinth, its very core will stop at nothing to engrave you into it.

The sixth stratum, Claret Hollows

EO2

The second saga of a legend already born, or the first for the arisal of new ones.

Whoever the author may be, this story begins all the same, with an invitation from a new land to ascend to heights yet to be reached.

These grassy woods that surround the bottom of the mighty tree…

Mark the intro for an adventure unlike any before.

The first stratum, Ancient Forest

Pushing through the daunting beginning trials, an opening paves way into a new flavor of woods.

These orange lands filled with prickly tails and segwaying paths; they provoke the explorers with a dilemma.

Will you grit your teeth through thorns for instant gratification, or will you dance with the roars of beasts seemingly undentable?

Be decisive, lest you go a route that leads to a pitiful end.

The second stratum, Auburn Thicket

Biting through fragile flesh, as soon as getting past the heat of the thicket.

Grazing against the adventurers, a stinging test from the polar opposite on the journey up north.

This icy surface, disrupting the pursuit towards the top, has spelled the end of many tales thought to be on the road of destiny.

Pass by these freezing storms, and at the peak awaits a tragedy long foretold; yet this is only one of his many, many failings.

The third stratum, Frozen Grounds

Lagaard knew not what was past those snowy acres, until they arrived; and now - they continue to soar.

Like the monsters and curious souls that reside here, these pink, rosy blossoms mark the start of heights never been reached.

Through echoes heard upward, each footstep through this cherry territory serenades the adventurers.

Keep on climbing, recite a long lost grail, and you’ll be one step closer to the heavens. But tread carefully - the war ahead may overwhelm even those chosen by fate.

The fourth stratum, Petal Bridge

The world was once overtaken by Earth itself. Those fortunate enough, built a stronghold to survive.

Centuries passed. And eventually, not even the stronghold could hold its strength. 

The one constant… was him. 

Renewing it to his liking, a phenomenal palace not even fairy tales could mold. A castle glistening with gold, proudly idling above the skies where no one could reach him. No matter how long it takes. No matter how many will be lost.

Despite all the years, he’s always kept one promise burned into his mind.

��Humanity must survive.”

The fifth stratum, Heavenly Keep

Eternity - a word no mortal could understand the true weight of. 

An eternity of mistakes. An eternity of lives lost from obsession. 

An eternity of abominations created by his hand. Yet not one was worse than his first.

Over his created heaven, was a forest so eden, so seemingly tranquil; yet nothing was more dangerous. It’s a sanctuary with just a singular purpose.

A forsaken prison, to house his darkest criminal.

The sixth stratum, Forbidden Wood

[broomsick]

Hi! I’m an agnostic with an interest in learning more about Norse polytheism, and I have a question about the way that the sagas and myths are interpreted.

Are the sagas (and other Norse myths) viewed as having actually happened at some point, or are they viewed more as symbolic/metaphorical, like a fable or an allegory?

Hi there! Thank you for the ask! This a topic I very much enjoy discussing, and I'll be glad to give you my thoughts on the matter.

Before I can properly explain what the sagas are, I'll determine what they aren't. They aren't to be confused with myths, such as the ones that make up nordic mythology. They are not part of that mythology for a plethora of reasons. While mythology pertains to deities we know have been worshipped as such at some point in time, the sagas are stories of human beings. More often than not, they mean to tell historical events, which represents a major difference with the myths. A saga often recounts the history of a particular dynasty, or family, and a lot of the characters who appear in them are either: 1. folk heroes, such as Wayland the Smith, who appears in the Þiðreks saga, or Sigurðr Sigmundsson, who appears in the Völsunga saga; Or 2. famous, historically attested figures, such as Erik the Red, whose story is told in the Eiríks saga rauða, or Harald Fairhair, who appears in Snorri's Haralds saga hárfagra.

This is another parrticularity which differentiates a myth and saga: the latter often brings to life real life historical figures, or even attested events. Still, these stories are steeped in folklore. They mix magic and history, and the line quickly blurs between reality and fiction. And considering that many of the sagas' authors remain unknown to this day (that is the case for the Icelanders' sagas), there is a limit to how much we can trust their writings. In fact, there is very little historical fact to be found in the sagas. However, some of the events they describe seem to hold some amout of truth! For example, it's speculated that the viking remains found in Dorset could have been the bodies of captured men who appear in the Jómsvíkinga saga. And Eirik the Red did in fact sail from Norway to Greenland and North America, making him and his crew the first Europpeans to land in the Americas. And when it comes to the stories of famous Scandinavian dynasties, the sagas serve to explain, using both fact and fiction, how this or that famous king has earned a throne.

Now, what makes these stories interesting to us as pagans? Well, as is often the case, the answer varies from one practionner to the next. To read the sagas is not a necessary part of the nordic pagan path. But to me, it helps to get to know the faith a little better. It allows us to better understand the cultural and historical context behind certain beliefs ad practices. They often showcase the very last accounts of ancient festivals, rituals, or famous temples. They are a tool of choice for many scholars, who, of course, are still forced to try and tell truth from fiction. But they're a fun read overall, and I highly recommend looking into them!

As for the myths, by which we mean the stories which compose what's called norse mythology, they are generally viewed as metaphors. They're a way for us to see our Gods come to life, and to find out some of their most prominent characteristics. The amount of credit you choose to put into mythology is entirely up to you, but I can confidently say that most pagans don't take them at face value. They're a fun way to help us imagine what the Gods might be like! For example, most agree that Týr is brave, Freyja, headstrong, and Frigg, caring. These are examples of details we can try to figure out if we read between the lines of these myths. What's most important to keep in mind, however, is the fact that many of these myths were heavily influenced by their authors. For example, Snorri, famously a Christian priest and Icelandic politician, would manipulate certain stories to better serve his political goals. It's widely accepted for example, that elements of the myths such as Angrboða and some other such lovers of the Gods were most likely invented during the 12th century, era during which a lot of the myths we know today were being compiled by priests. These changes often served to fill in the gaps left by a tradition of exclusively transmitting folklore orally. We can only speculate as to how much of the myths were truly part of pre-Christian oral tradition, which makes it even more relevant to exercise skepticism around mythology.

[typhlonectes]

First Viking settlement in North America dated to exactly 1000 years ago

Felled trees and cosmic rays reveal when L’Anse aux Meadows was occupied

The first permanent settlement of Vikings in North America—a seaside outpost in Newfoundland known as L’Anse aux Meadows—has tantalized archaeologists for more than 60 years. Now, scientists at last have a precise date for the site: Tree rings show a Viking ax felled trees on the North American continent exactly 1000 years ago, in 1021 C.E. The result is a star example of a relatively new dating method using a spike in solar radiation that left its mark in tree rings around the world. “The precision is astounding,” says Rachel Wood, a radiocarbon scientist at the Australian National University who wasn’t involved in the new study. “The idea to use these short-term sharp fluctuations in radiocarbon … has been around for a few years, but it is great to see it actually being used to date an important archaeological site.” The Vinland sagas, a pair of Icelandic texts written in the 13th century, describe the Norse explorer Leif Erikson’s expeditions to a land referred to as Vinland. Although the texts contain their fair share of embellishment, most historians agree the sagas show Vikings sailed southwest from Greenland and reached the North American continent sometime at the turn of the millennium. The discovery of a Viking-era archaeological site in 1960 featuring the remains of distinctive Norse-style buildings, a bronze cloak pin, iron nails, and other Viking artifacts bolstered such evidence...

Read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/first-viking-settlement-north-america-dated-exactly-1000-years-ago

[brynnmclean]

in the core of everything drums a beat - a fanmix for hellblade II: senua's saga & also my writing playlist for a fic I'm working on under the same name :) [LISTEN]

hertan, wardruna | iceland, robin carolan, sebastian gainsborough | volur, peter gundry | stranger in a strange land, stephanie economou | mín móðir, eivør | læknisgaldr, david garcía díaz | ravencraft, osi and the jupiter | galgaldr, heilung | skugge, wardruna | wanderer's mask, david garcía díaz | ray of hope, david garcía díaz, andy laplegua | ran, kati ran | hear me, a tergo lupi | land of the northern, sarah schachner | the forest, dark fantasy studio | kvitravn, wardruna | lady of the dawn, peter gundry | nesso, heilung | lyfjaberg, wardruna | dillion, david garcía díaz | ravens, a tergo lupi | sigil, stfur | senua's rage, aaron myke | alfadhirhaiti, heilung | ulfhednar, danheim | myrkr, heldom | in maidjan, heilung | hugsja, ivar bjørnson & einar selvik | fade under, a tergo lupi | thórgestr, david garcía díaz, rashdash | svanrand, heilung | cut the thread of fate, robin carolan, sebastian gainsborough | stearcost ealra, sowulo | fylgjutal, wardruna | blodbylgje, kati ran, gaahls wyrd | rot, a tergo lupi | draugrsongr, danheim | senua's sorrow, aaron myke | my fate, david garcía díaz, helen goalen, abbi greenland | helvegen, kalandra | raido, wardruna | runami, stfur | ástríðr, david garcía díaz | norðrljós, skáld | gall goídil, danheim | solringen, wardruna | sverdhasøngurin, david garcía díaz | söngr lögsóta - song of the seahorse, einar selvik

[247reader]

Day 25: Gudrid vìðförla Thorbjarnardóttir!

Guðríðr Þorbjarnardóttir was born in the late 10th century, to a prominent Icelandic family. Her father, Thorbjorn, was chieftain of Laugarbrekka, and he took pride in his social status; when Gudrid fell in love with an unsuitably lowborn man, he opted to remove her from the temptation entirely, and brought her along when he voyages to Greenland with Erik the Red.

One saga reports that Gudrid made a (presumably more acceptable to her father) marriage at this time, to Thorir, a Norwegian trader, but she was quickly left a widow. It’s unclear what religion Thorbjorn practiced, but Gudrid was by this time a Christian; many Norse of the period, however, picked and chose which bits of new and traditional religion they liked. Gudrid’s second marriage was a politically advantageous one: to Erik the Red’s son, Thorsteinn, brother to the famous Leif Erikson - and a man determined to continue his brother’s efforts in Vinland.

It’s unclear whether Gudrid accompanied him on the ensuing voyage, but two things are clear: Thorsteinn died of illness en route, and while Gudrid, back in Greenland, married another prominent man, the idea of Vínland never left her. She soon convinced her new husband, Thorfinn, to finance an expedition with an eye to claiming the uncharted territory.

But North America, of course, was not uninhabited land. And while the settlement flourished for a brief period, long enough for Gudrid to give birth to a son, within a few years of Snorri’s birth conflicts with the indigenous inhabitants the Norsemen called “Skraelings” were constant. Gudrid, her husband, and their son returned to Iceland, the land of her birth - but Gudrid’s last great journey was still to come. After her husband’s death, she made a pilgrimage to Rome - truly earning her epithet: Vìðförla, the Well-travelled.

[flagwars]

Regional Flag Wars: Round 1

Welcome to the Regional Flag Wars! It will focus on the flags of regions/administrative divisions, with one flag being allowed per country. This tournament has been a long time coming, as I’ve been holding many preliminary rounds to decide the best regional flags of various countries over the past year, including the tournaments the Japanese Prefecture Flag Wars and the Russian Federal Subject Flag Wars. This tournament is one of my largest, with 82 flags and six rounds. The first round will begin this week. I hope everyone is excited to vote for the greatest regional flag in the world!

Round 1:

1. Baja Verapaz Department, Guatemala vs. Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina

2. Yucatán, Mexico vs. Alexandria Governate, Egypt

3. Nakuru County, Kenya vs. Panevėžys County, Lithuania vs. San José Department, Uruguay

4. South Ostrobothnia, Finland vs. Hirshabelle, Somalia

5. Northern Territory, Australia vs. Vysočina Region, Czechia vs. Bali, Indonesia

6. Azores, Portugal vs. Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia vs. Lower Austria, Austria

7. Brod-Posavina County, Croatia vs. Olancho Department, Honduras vs. Chuvashia, Russia

8. Brest Region, Belarus vs. Sicily, Italy vs. Batken Region, Kyrgyzstan

9. Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria vs. Amambay Department, Paraguay

10. Sarawak, Malaysia vs. Bukidnon, Philippines vs. Bratislava Region, Slovakia

11. Kosrae State, Micronesia vs. South Darfur, Sudan vs. Saare County, Estonia

12. Mpumalanga, South Africa vs. Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand

13. Gagauzia, Moldova vs. Chontales Department, Nicaragua

14. Adjara, Georgia vs. Grande Comore, Comoros vs. Wallonia, Belgium

15. Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates vs. Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Magallanes Region, Chile

16. Töv Province, Mongolia vs. Balochistan, Pakistan vs. Tocantins, Brazil

17. Amhara Region, Ethiopia vs. Covasna County, Romania vs. Canton of Bern, Switzerland

18. New Brunswick, Canada vs. Angaur, Palau

19. San Jose Province, Costa Rica vs. Macedonia, Greece vs. Occitania, France

20. Saga Prefecture, Japan vs. Ebon Atoll, Marshall Islands

21. Greenland, Denmark vs. La Libertad Department, El Salvador

22. Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine vs. Central Equatoria, South Sudan

23. Valencia, Spain vs. Coclé Province, Panama

24. Mon State, Myanmar vs. Malampa Province, Vanuatu

25. Lublin Voivodeship, Poland vs. Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province, Ecuador

26. Uva Province, Sri Lanka vs. Zulia, Venezuela vs. Agder, Norway

27. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan vs. Friesland, Netherlands vs. Enga Province, Papua New Guinea

28. Leicestershire, United Kingdom vs. Choiseul Province, Solomon Islands

29. Bavaria, Germany vs. Kukës County, Albania vs. Kalmar County, Sweden

30. Department of Cuzco, Peru vs. Vojvodina, Serbia vs. Heves County, Hungary

31. Alaska, United States vs. Haut-Ogooué Province, Gabon vs. Grand Gedeh County, Liberia

32. Otago, New Zealand vs. Boyacá Department, Colombia vs. Connacht, Ireland

[bonobochick]

Trina & Spencer on the way home after their adventure in Greenland. 🥰  

They definitely grew closer during this abduction saga. 

General Hospital ep airing May 10, 2023

[senualothbrok]

🫂 Gale is INSISTING that you pamper yourself well today, and enjoy some Haribo and other delicious treats! 🧙‍♂️☝️

I want to hear about the (2nd, because The Difference counts as the first) novel you are writing!! Please fill us in? Plot, characters? Summary? No spoilers since we want to read it!

Thank youuuu 💜

Ohhh thank you my friend 💜🫂 you are a wonderful human. Unfortunately I did not have haribo in the house but I did have white chocolate digestives which are honestly a revelation. Thank you 💜 Please accept a very soft Gale smile in response:

And thank you for your question which I will try to answer without talking your ear off 😱 I LOVE talking about my WIP novel and I'm hoping it does one day get finished and - fingers crossed - published...

It's a historical fiction story set in the late Viking age (11th century BCE). It follows the journey of a young Norse girl (Gunnhild) from a farm in Norway, escaping to Greenland with her friend and farmhand Arni due to an unforeseen situation (spoilers avoided here). They journey onward to Vinland (modern day Newfoundland), where Gunnhild meets and eventually is taken in by a native tribe.

The commercial tag line would be 'Vikings meet Native Americans' - really it's a story about the power of sagas, the destructive nature of violence, the concept of "the other" and meeting of cultures, and what real love is.

The Volsunga saga features heavily as a backdrop to this story, with our heroine Gunnhild yearning to be and seeing herself as Brynhild the valkyrie. In case anyone is familiar with and loves that saga (which I doooo)

One day I will actually cobble together a better synopsis than this, and I didn't want to give spoilers - but I hope this sounds mildly interesting to someone!

If you have more questions, feel free to ask 🙏

Thank you for your friendship, as always 🫂 You are wonderful 💜

[maniculum]

This is the vibe of the Prokopios text that we're doing a series of podcast episodes on currently. Hard to say how accurate it is to actual events, but this is more or less how Prokopios wants us to see Empress Theodora. (He means it in a derogatory way, to be clear. I keep forgetting that though.)

I know I put this same screenshot over Freydís Eiríksdóttir like a year ago when we were doing Greenlanders' Saga, but I think it fits Theodora better, so she gets it now.

Anyway, if you want some context, we do kind of an introduction to the text (featuring an expert) here:

And we get into reading the text here:

And that's all so far; it's an ongoing series and more will be coming. Theodora features heavily in later chapters -- in the first part above she just kind of pops in to Solve Problems With Torture And Murder, goes "you're welcome darling" and continues on her business.

[fishrpg]

2024-09-12: Episode 12 (The Wrath Of Atlantis)

Original airdate September 16, 1992

Episode Synopsis

The famed city of Atlantis, long thought to be a myth by the surface world, is a mobile city that drifts along the currents deep under the ocean surface. It is constantly in motion, which is why it hasn't been found by humans for the last few thousand years. But the Atlanteans know about the surface, and they have reached a breaking point over how humans have treated the earth and its waters. The Coral Council (the Atlantean leadership) has determined that they will need to use force to protect the environment.

Atlantis emerges from the Pacific Ocean several hundred kilometers from the coast of California and capture an oil tanker, the SS Barnabus, that is transporting crude oil. The crew of the Barnabus radio for help, and inform the US Coast Guard that the Atlanteans have given humanity 4 days to come up with a plan to begin fixing pollution in the oceans. If no such agreement is reached, the Atlanteans will use their command of the oceans to create a tsunami that will destroy the western half of the United States. The President, George H. W. Bush, tasks our intrepid gang of fish folk to be the diplomats for this project, because of the whole fish folk thing. Can the gang save the world in time?

Episode Sponsor: Poolboat Sailing System

Poolboat is a single-person portable watercraft that is primarily made for pools and other very small bodies of water. It's an inflatable watercraft with working sail and rudder, but the hull is basically a small circular plastic raft like a pool donut. Because of how small the raft/hull part is, the sail is not very big or effective. Without a strong breeze, most movement is achieved by rapidly wiggling the rudder back and forth (which had a significant chance of tipping the vessel over). Despite all these shortcomings, I still wanted one.

Notable Element This Episode: Lady Malta (Character)

Lady Malta is one of the Coral Council members and is the individual who is agitating the most for the tsunami. She is 274 years old, though she resembles an elegant gray-haired woman in her early 50s. Convincing her to stand down is key to either gaining more time to iron out a decision or have lesser consequences than a tsunami. She has a pet Greenland Shark named Saga that she loves very much, and her demands are often cryptic and similar to riddles. Lady Malta will back down if the gang can provide evidence of nature that is still pristine.