The Tale of Vinland

by Lemurian99

During the Viking age, tales have been told about the legendary land of Vinland. Rumors say some have seen it, some have claimed to set foot on it. Eventually these tales began to fade into myth as if Vinland didn't exist. One Viking refuses to believe that and sets his sights to the legendary land beyond Midgard. This is the story.

4. The Encounter

( For this part listen to Vikings 17. Aslaug Gives Birth Soundtrack Score. The vikings walk through the forest. They see wolves running through the area. Viking Bowman have their bows ready. The wolves leave.)

Bjartr: Don't be alarmed. They're just wolves. There's plenty of them back in Midgard.

Grid: Something feels strange. How much farther until you find the iron deposit?

Bjartr: The rock must show a deep red color, like rust. It can be found at the base of the mountains.

(Grid keeps her Vigil as the viking group moved further into unknown territory. They reach cross a waist deep river. They reach the bank. Grid notices a strange impression on the bank)

Grid: Bjartr!

(Bjartr goes to her. He sees it too)

Grid: I use to hunt wild game, I would recognize their tracks. But I have never seen a track like this before.

Bjartr: Neither have I.

(The Track is deep and Heavy. It definitely belongs to a Hoofed creature. But the hooves look clawed like)

Viking: We found something.

(They walk towards the site. The warriors grip their weapons in battle tense. There is a blood splattered area. Just blood, nothing else.)

Bjartr: What in Odin's name?

Grid: No bones, no signs of animal remains, not even animal hide or skin. Ugh, what is that smell? Its absolutely foul. Should we turn back? Everything we have seen makes no sense at all.

Bjartr: Have your weapons ready for whatever is out there. We keep going. The mountain is close. Forwards.

(They proceed to the mountain. The Tauri and his warrior band come across the across the site of blood. They come to a sudden realization.)

Tauri: Wendigo.

(They take another route. There's a few hours of daylight left and the dusk is approaching. Bjartr and his group reach the mountain base.)

Bjartr: We're here. (He looks at the base of the foundation stone. He notices the rusty colored earth) Yes. We make camp here for tonight.

(Bjartr grabs a pick axe and starts collecting samples of Iron ore. Grid and the others begin setting up the camp.)

Grid: Start building barricades. Reinforce them with wooden pikes.

Viking warrior: Are you afraid of something?

Grid: Fear is for the weak. But I sense something out there. Something unknown to us. All that blood must have been a warning. Tell Bjartr that I went off scouting. Just make those pikes ready.

(She pick up her recurve bow, arrows and heads into the surrounding area. For this part listen to Vikings 3 - soundtrack (06. A Cloaked Figure Arrives in Kattegat) Back at Viðrfold, everyone are celebrating the birth of Gulbrandr son. One soldier patrols a partially finished wall. He notices something in the distance and heads for Gulbrandrs boat. Chief Kele appears riding on the back of an Elk, along with two other warriors. They observe the strange people that have arrived on their lands.)

Chief Kele: They make alot of strange sounds. Sounds like some kind of music.

Chickasaw Warrior: Look at the strange beast over there. They look like Buffalo without fur. (What he is describing are Vaneko Cattle) Look at the small legged deer with all that fur. (Describing Rya Sheep and Norwegian Goats ) Do they eat them for warmth?

Chief Kele: Perhaps.

(A Norse farmer woman starts milking a sheep)

Chickasaw warrior 2: What is that one doing to the small deer?

Chief Kele: I'm not sure. Something we don't know.

(The Viking warrior arrives at the boat.)

Viking Patrol: I need to speak with Gulbrandr.

Viking Shielmaiden: Our lord is resting with his wife and his new son.

Viking: It is urgent that I may speak with him. Please wake him.

Viking Shieldmaiden: Wait here.

(Viking Shieldmaiden goes to the lords chamber.)

Viking Shieldmaiden: My Lord. My lord wake up.

(Gulbrandr wakes up)

Gulbrandr: What is it?

Viking Shieldmaiden: One of the patrols is here. He wants to speak with you.

Gulbrandr: Tell him I'll be right there.

Viking Shieldmaiden: Yes my lord.

(Gulbrandr gets up. Roisin wakes up a little)

Roisin: Where are you going?

Gulbrandr: Its nothing. One of the patrols wants to speak with me. Gets some rest. Sleep.

(He kisses her head and she resumes her rest while nursing. Gulbrandr approaches)

Gulbrandr: This better be important.

Viking Partol: I'm sorry to disturb your rest my lord, but there is something I need you to see. (Viking Patrol takes Gulbrandr to the wall.) Over there, past the hill.

(Gulbrandr takes his crystal scope. He turns the gem which zooms into scale.)

Viking Patrol: What are they?

(Gulbrandr takes a closer look. He can see Kele and Kele sees him. Gulbrandr can't believe what he is seeing.)

Gulbrandr: They're people.

Chickasaw Warrior: They have seen us.

Chief Kele: Yes they have. Let us go. We have seen enough for one day.

(They ride off in the opposite direction)

Viking Warrior: We have horses. Lets go after them.

Gulbrandr: No. I want you to gather the warrior, those who have not tasted mead and tell them that the walls are to be manned. I shall give the news about this tomorrow. I don't want a panic.

Viking Warrior: Yes my lord.

(The sun has set. It is dusk. The woods are getting dark. The men are eating meat. Bjartr inspect the iron ore.)

Viking scout: Is the iron ore any good?

Bjartr: This is good Iron. We can start mining this area, perhaps find gold and riches as-well. (Bjartr notices something.) Where is Grid?

Viking Scout: She told us she went scouting. Seeing the land.

Bjartr: How long has she been gone?

Viking Scout: Maybe two hours now.

(Suddenly they hear a shriek like roar in the distance. If you are wondering what they sound like listen to Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal "Night Feeder" Sounds. )

Bjartr: What was that?!

(Another shriek roar is heard. For this part listen to Wadruna - Runaljod and Vikings 09. Jarl Borg Attacks Kattegat Soundtrack Score)

Bjartr: SHIELD WALL!

(They get in shield wall)

Viking Scout: Stay close to the fire!

(They can't see anything past the tree line. All they hear is running hoof like sounds.)

Bjartr: Where is it?! I can't see a thing!

(They hear low growling and see a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the distance.)

Bjartr: Light the torches!

(The creature charges in the dark. An arrow flies past them and hits the creature in the eye. She creature is deterred)

Grid: LET ME IN! LET ME IN!

(They let her into the Shield wall)

Grid: They are some kind of monsters. They stick to the darkness! The torches! The throw the torches!

(Throw the torches. The darkness clears from the orange light. Several Wendigos are seen.)

Viking scout: They're monsters.

(The wendigos charge towards the camp.)

Bjartr: Show no fear vikings. If you should fall today, the valkyrjas will take you to to Vahalla and you shall feast with the Aesir and Vanir in Odin's Golden Halls.

(The creatures are getting close)

Grid: Brace!

(The creatures hit the spikes barricades. One breaks through. It breaks through the shield wall. The Antlers pierces the shield and skewers a viking through the chest with its sharp claws. Bjartr grabs a spear and stabs the creature. He starts cuts off the creatures hand. Grid uses her bow and shoots several arrows. She throws a hand axe which hits one creature. The others are fighting a desperate battle. The barricades are collapsing. Four more viking scouts are slaughtered and being devoured on the spot. Another Wendigo makes its appearance. Suddenly they hear many battle cries. Tauri and the Chickasaw warriors arrive and jump into the battle. They throw spears and shoot arrows into the wendigos. Tauri grabs a wooden pike and pierces the wendigo in the lower body. He grabs the wendigo by the Antler and plunges his knife in its neck.)

Viking Scout: Who are they?!

Bjartr: Whoever they are, they're helping us. ATTACK!

(They fight. Wendigos fall one by one. Blood, battle cries and fire give of the view of battle. Bjartr and Grid kill the last creature but hacking off its head. They Vikings give of a victory cry. They turn the Chickasaw warriors. They share a brief glance. Bjartr nods to Tauri. Tauri nods back. There here more wendigo sounds in the distance. Sounds like a whole bunch of them coming.)

Tauri (speaks in Chickasaw language): Back to the village!

(They get on their elks and take off to the direction of the river)

Bjartr: BACK TO THE BOATS! LEAVE EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR WEAPONS! MOVE!

(They run for what seems like hours. Looking back frantically and in paranoia. They creatures make it to the battle ridden cam and begin to feast on the fallen norseman, even cannibalizing their own dead. One Wendigo sniffs the air and shriek. A large group take off in Bjartr's direction. The clouds part way and reveal the bright Halfmoon. The dark forest illuminates with blue moonlight.)

Bjartr: THERE'S THE BOAT. GET ON QUICKLY! (They hall ass to get aboard. The wendigos are closing in) ROW! ROW! ROW!

(The Wendigos arrive)

Bjartr: By the Gods, PREPARE TO FIGHT!

(The Wendigos suddenly stop at the river bank.)

Grid: Why did the stop?

(The creatures growl and snarl, drooling. They take off in the opposite direction.)

(Bjartr looks at the water.)

Bjartr: They cannot cross over water.

(They sail upwards to Viðrfold. For this part listen to Vikings 38. An Uncertain World Soundtrack Score.)