I'd been waiting for a good viking event for ages. I missed the last one, and there was a 15 month gap until this one. I persuaded my housemate to come along, as we both have a stack of viking kit. There was plenty to do, and I was up late both nights as it was fun. I will try to be structured.

What is Vikings?

The game is set around a small kingdom of vikings in Norway. It was the year 904, and Harald Finehair was starting to conquer all Norway. The players are some of the pagan vikings holding out against this. The system is fairly rules light, and allows for combat with fairly gritty damage and healing, careful use of herbalism, and a little magic.

What do you get for your money?

The event was Friday evening, all Saturday, and Sunday morning. The crew were fairly well kitted out. The site was fairly large and well wooded.

Good points

Everybody made a huge effort in terms of kit. Jenko set up his own, home-built, Viking A-frame tent. We had nomadic mountain dwellers with skis and baskets. There was a lady weaving on her loom. Our warriors were kitted with axes and round shields, and many a spectacled helm. It was a very good-looking event.

The enemy kept coming, and actually offered chances to surrender and chances to flee. They were well characterised, and gave the appearance of being a varied set of people following a king for different reasons. There were strong opportunities for politics and diplomacy.

The herbalism was well done, with herbs left out for people to gather, and herbalists each having a list of ingredients. The brutal nature of combat made the herbalists try to carefully eke out what supplies they had.

Many people were into fully acting out everything. I apologise to the bloke who's corpse I had to drag through the mud after the king ordered me to dispose of it. If only I were stronger it would have taken less time. We also carefully removed armour from corpses, and physrepped bandaging. You wouldn't believe how long it takes to untuck the Viking style of looped belt, undo it, lift up someone's shirt and then roll them over as you try to bandage a spear wound to the belly. (I am also grateful that Bacon insisted her chest wound was somewhat lower down than where she had actually been hit).

The background was all consistent with the historical foundation of Norway - how a (somewhat) Christian king conquered the rest of Norway, and gave people the choice to surrender, die, or flee (and hence many vikings came to the British Isles after this). Being on the doomed side made for interesting choices.

The stories told around the fire were excellent, and King Knud did his best to create a happy atmosphere on the Saturday night, despite the gloomy prospects and lack of performing talent.

The overall level of crew characterisation was so good, that I had no idea who was a player and who was crew for most of the event. This was a refreshing change from some events.

Bad points

No-one reminded me the clocks went forward, so I was behind an hour on Sunday morning. I also felt like a zombie from staying up late Saturday. Therefore, at what I thought was 10:30 (30 mins after time in), I was just about ready to go IC when I see everyone marching past. They'd all gone to the longboats and left. It was in fact 11:30, after a bit of discussion people had decided to flee rather than fight, and hacked their way through to the boats.

The lack of hot water in the washing facilities was most annoying.

The appearance of the Royal tent and Jarl Knud (before the old king died) were a bit delayed, as was expected time in. In the end, these were only mild annoyances as we had a big gathering around the skald's firepit and got to talk a bit before time in.

There was only one mildly dissapointing NPC -  a skald who turned up to ask us our stories so that our names might live on after our death. Unfortunately, when asked to prove he wasn't a spy, he couldn't actually tell us any stories so we assumed he was merely pretending to be a skald. Then again, this was such a comedy moment that maybe this could appear under good points.

Overall

This was a very good event. I'm sorry I missed the last little part of the game. I'm even sorrier it wasn't well attended. While this meant we had a huge crew:player ratio, which was great, it no doubt meant some things may not have worked out as intended, and the poor attendance may discourage the refs from running again. This would be a shame.

My personal highlight was winning freedom from thralldom, not by my mighty healing or herb lores, but for sending a drunk woman to bed through skilful applications of rune magic.

Overall I'd give this game 9/10, and hope the refs run again.

No, you probably don't remember my character from the events I've been to.

A couple of things.

1) Firstly the poor monster was me - lack of sleep and a general consensus that I should monster the part meant I blanked - Lucky really - did you want to hear about Fenris's bollocks three times in one event :-)

2)Rich and I are going to have a chat about it soon. Sam brought organisation and money to the game - something neither Rich or I have.  I'm up for running again - fingers crossed.

Mikey

Vikings Plot Ref

(The one who isn't Rich or Sam)

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PD: Mister Cry, Philosopher of Stone.
LT: Whimsy, Archer's Guild Fae Butler.
SOS: Kethren Fable, The Queen's Killer.
Vikings: Plot writing Mikey (with eagle eye action)

I can't replace Sam on the rules and writing team, but I can bring both organisation and money to the game.  I don't want to run with less than 30 players so I'll be organising an advertising campaign and frothing wildly to everyone I know. 

Internet Redcap: Don't make me put the hat on