AN ALTER-EGO: ALRIK AF HRAFNFJALL

I am Alrik af Hrafnfjall, the second son of a shipwright, with little to show for my inheritance, except the clothes on my back. Such was the nature of life in the village where I grew to manhood. My family had farm land and my father had a knowledge of ship crafting, which he passed on to me. However, when he died, I did not inherit the farm. I had an older sibling and to him went the land holding.

So, to improve my fortune, I went a-Viking as a young man, learning the trade and later achieving glory and silver with my fighting prowess and a knowledge of ships and the sea.

I rose through the ranks, raiding and pillaging, as others were wont to do. As my lot improved, I “inherited” a drakkar, when the original owner expired during a raid on the western coast of Francia. We had to lay over to repair the ship and since I was the only one with ship-building and navigation skills, I was raised to master of the ship. Thus, I returned to Ribe having amassed wealth, a sturdy ship and loyal crew.

Many adventures along with riches were had as I grew older and discovered new routes of trade in my journeys, with heartache and good friends that fell and traveled with the valkyries to Valhalla. One day, it is all but certain, I will join them.

Handfasted, I have been for many years, to Astrid af Hrafnfjall, the mistress of our holding, Hrafnfjall. Named for the mountain that overlooked our farm, we felt secure in it’s protection by the flock of ravens that flew down daily, from the mountain top. We offered them food as they were the sisters and brothers of Huginn and Muninn, favored by The Allfather. Her duties when I was gone A-Viking placed her in charge of our holding. She is the keeper of the keys to a number of large seaman’s chests full of plunder from my raiding days. She also manages the thralls and takes particular care of the horses, sheep and chickens. However, her joy is tending to the care and education of the children on the holding.

I no longer raid and fight as I am in my twilight years, though my sword skills still are a source of caution to challengers. I hire out my ship and crew for trade missions as raids were becoming a liability to my crew and others of our ilk. 

Over the years, I have developed a relationship with a far traveler, one Vidric the Trader, a Rus, whom I met in Birka, He likes to sell his wares at the various trade cities of the west. We find we enjoy each others company…most of the time. I endeavor to accommodate his requests, as he pays well in silver.

Along with my long time comrades, Ottar, Vidric, Henrik and Ulfr, and joined by new shipmates, Ragnhild, Una, Olaf, Halvdan, Gunnar, Thorbjorg and Steinarr, we set sail on yet one more voyage to Dub Linn…where the trading is good and the women like men from the north.

 

 

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Note:  Alrik is an evolutionary persona I developed for my participation in the Dark Ages reenactment group, The Vikings of Bjornstad. The character of Alrik was not well defined when I first got into Viking reenactment. In the beginning, I usually reenacted as a Norman archer and man-at-arms. As I began to sink my teeth into my hobby and gained more knowledge of the history and geography of the Viking lands, I realized that there was a more interesting story to tell. What you see above is the culmination of that effort over the course of the last 17 years…and I’ve enjoyed every single minute of my journey.