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Rollo found the celebration a wonderful thing, revealing in the harvest and honoring the dead. A worthy holiday in his mind, made more so by the free flowing drink and the evocative music. But as the night wore on, he found himself mindful of those that were dead by his hand, and his past treachery.

More and more he found his heart growing heavy.

More and more he found himself drifting farther and farther from the party.

Now he wandered amongst the trees of the forest, mindful of the rabbits but not much else. That is until he heard a twig snap and a leaf crunch.

Freezing, he peered into the night, weaving back and forth to try and see between the trees.

"A silly dance you do, oath-breaker." A dry voice called out.

Shielding his eyes from the fires of the party, Rollo could just make out a shadowed form approaching, aided by the strange witchlight glow about it. As it drew nearer, Rollo recognized it. A cold wash of dread rushed down his back and his guts clenched in fear as Arne stepped into the weak light from the fires behind Rollo.

"How can this be?" Rollo asked, a quaver in his voice as he made a warding sign. Arne was dead by his hand; pierced through and lifted to the sky by the very spear that drained his life. Rollo still remembered the mad haze of battle lust and berserker brew that ruled his mind that day.

"Fear not, Rollo Gut-piercer, I am no draugr. I am a messenger from Valhalla and the gods."

"I paid weregild to your family!" Rollo pleaded.

"Aye, and you have earned their favor, as well as your brothers'. But you have not paid my weregild. Nor the gods."

"How is that fair?"

"'How is that fair?' You sound like a mewling babe not a warrior. How is it fair I paid the price for your treachery? I, who was your friend? I, who was faithful to you and to Ragnar? I, who never did you harm or gave you cause for grief? 'Fair'...you ask me of fair?"

Pride stung, Rollo took in a breath and pulled himself to his full height. "What would you have of me then?"

"Three simple things, no more. A sheaf of wheat, a child's song, and three broken shields."

That was actually five things, Rollo knew, but wasn't about to complain. "And weregild is paid if I bring you these things?"

"In full. In the gods' eyes, your honor will be restored; as well as in my own."

"Very well. How do I bring you these things?"

Arne gave a wicked grin in response. "So quick to leap without looking. The wheat must be from a goddess and must be earned, as well as given freely. The song must be taught to you and the child from another world, and learned in their world. The shields must all be from those who would harm the house of Ragnar and broken by your hand alone. Next year, on this day, this Halloween, this Samhain, I will come again. Seek me and bring me these things and all is paid. Fail, and you shall never know the glory of Valhalla."

Things should be back to normal, as far as Rollo and the warriors his brother took with him. He's paid dues, been pardoned by the gods, forgiven by Ragnar, and helped to save many of their women whom were left behind, but such is not the case. Whether it is the black mark in Rollo' heart or their suspicion, he feels it.

He should stand and face it. To prove to them he is trustworthy, but the guilt of Arne's murder is still in their eyes and so Rollo spends a lot of his time walking the bounds, scouting for Borg's men and seeking game to hunt for food.

Tonight he sits up in a tree and watches the moon as it runs from Hati.

Everyone is settled and safe. Although Aslaug does not approve of the conditions, she accepts them nonetheless. For her part Siggy merely does the work, sparing Rollo a glare or two when Aslaug complains too loudly. Once the boys are asleep however, both women come to Rollo, who is sitting on the porch watching the night settle in.

"Who were those people, Rollo?" Aslaug demands, Siggy nodding her support of the question.

"It is best not to question the matter," Rollo grumbles, not sure how to explain Milliways; nor if he even should. "We are safe, that is what matters."

"But I do question the matter," Aslaug insists.

"Are they allies that are likely to return? If they are allies, shouldn't they be here protecting us with you?" Siggy adds.

"They are..." Rollo says, searching for some inspiration. "They are Finns. Mercenaries Ragnar hired to guard Kattegat from afar. And it is bad luck to talk of them. Leave it!" Everyone knows the Finns are odd and have strange magic.

This silences Aslaug, though Siggy doesn't seem convinced. "Are they still out there?" She asks.

"No. The agreement is settled and the matter is closed. We will talk of this no more." That said, he picks up his axe and stands to leave. "I go to walk the boundary. Get some rest. I will watch."

"Ragnar should have hired more," Siggy says in reply and Rollo has to agree.

The door from Milliways leads to a stable and the sounds of battle, metal clanging, wood splintering, and yells of pain and anger. Smoke hangs in the air from the barricades the villagers set to make things difficult for the ships of Jarl Borg. No other fires have been set however. Perhaps Jarl Borg is planning on moving in and so doesn't want to damage the buildings.

"We must find Aslaug and Siggy, and collect any others we may as well. Remember the words I taught you," Rollo says before the door to Milliways closes, taking the Bar's translation field with it.

"There are many terrible ways in which to be woken," Rollo thinks as he stands on the dock waiting for the five ships sailing into Kattegut's port; five ships he is certain belong to Jarl Borg, "but this is likely the worst."

"Light the barricades!" He calls out. They had little time to prepare but even he has to admit the folk of Kattegut rose to the occasion. Barricades were swiftly assembled to force the ships to land at the dock or the warriors to wade in from the deep within the bay, weapons past from hand to hand (though many were farm tools as well as weapon), plans formed, and traps set.

Still far out in the bay, a tall blond warrior road the lead ship's dragon, Jarl Borg. Even from this distance Rollo could read the disdain the man head for the folk of Kattegut and for himself. "Good," Rollo thought, "Think me nothing but the drunkard you knew. I will use that and turn this defeat to a victory!" Not so deep in his heart he feared for Kattegut, though many of the women (and Ragnar's family with Siggy) were already making their way to the mountains. The force here just needed to give them time.

"Stay strong!" Rollo calls to the assembled defenders as he draws his sword and axe. "Don't make it easy for them!" The villagers start pounding their weapons, either against shields or against each other, creating a din as the whole yells out in defiance.

"Hold your places!" Rollo calls out again as Jarl Borg's ship coasts in and they lock eyes.

"Jump ship!" Jarl Borg calls out and the battle is joined.

Throwing this up as an easy way for us to plot things out. My contact info is in the profile if anyone needs/wants to talk more directly.

So at this point I have a very loose idea, save as many women and children as possible. In canon, a group of 10 or 15 old timers do hold off Jarl Borg's men to buy some time but that is all.

We seem to have 4 folks, Hotspur, Shephard, Will Scarlet, and Sonja Blade, plus Rollo. Rollo's main goal will be to get Ragnar's family and Siggy to safety, so he's likely to be off on his own.

Which leaves Milliways folks. Do you want to do this in teams of two? Or individuals? I'm totally open to how ever many people you want to have your team or pup save.

However we do this, I think we should do a few tags as a group to show the villagers that the weird people are with Rollo and then everyone splits up. From there, we can either each write up the action for each character or I can throw random vikings their way if you prefer. Totally open. Many of the women can be armed with small axes as well, since everyone who could hold a weapon did so when they saw the ships coming to the village on the bay. There can also be random traps and snares which the villagers quickly threw together.

I would like to have this wrap by next Thursday, or Friday at the latest.

Once we get to the end of the action, we can hand wave everyone meeting up at the farm Rollo takes Aslaug and Siggy to, and do a joint Milliways EP of the heroes return.

ETA: I'm also handwaving that Rollo will teach each person who doesn't speak Old Norse a few simple words like "come" "Rollo's friend" "quiet" or whatever other simple words might be needed. Not too many since there won't be much time.

ETAA: As far as strategy goes, see this thread for team assignments and placement. If you have a better idea, I am totally open to shifting things. =)

Jarl Borg stands in his front hall and Rollo wishes he would leave. He is done with Jarl Borg's words. The other man either ignores his flat stare or doesn't care, choosing instead to help himself to ale; though he does pour a cup for Rollo as well. "Your brother gives with one hand and takes with the other." Borg says with a glance toward Rollo. "How many times must you suffer his injustices?"

Rollo doesn't answer, instead tuning his fidla.

"If only you had stayed strong, we would have overcome." Borg continues, coming over to the fire where Rollo sits and gesturing to the chair Rollo has his feet perched upon. Giving in to hospitality, Rollo moves his feet and sits taller. "And now he does with you as he wished. It is terrible to witness the state into which you have fallen - You, Rollo, the greatest warrior."

Rollo carefully sets the fidla aside and asks, far too casually, "What do you want?"

"Abandon your brother for good." Borg whispers, leaning forward with a cunning gleam in his eye. "You will never be anything here." He continues, with a shake of his head, before turning to pick up his cup. Before he drinks, he puts it down again as if just thinking of something. "Why would you stay? What can you find?"

Leaning back in his chair and lifting his chin, Rollo replies, "Myself."

"Yourself?" Borg repeats with a hissing laugh. "Yourself," he repeats again and slaps Rollo's leg as if it were a joke. "If you want to find yourself…"

Rollo smiles broadly, twisting a little in his seat, before he lashes out and punches Jarl Borg in the face, knocking both the Earl and his chair flat onto their backs.

Stunned and shocked, Jarl Borg stares up at Rollo. "You're a fool." He says and spits his blood upon the floor as he picks himself up.

"Yes," Rollo agrees with a nod of his head. "But someday I hope to be wise."

Biker Rollo is a weekend warrior. He works in the world of high finance and saves going wild for the weekend. He still rides with his brother's gang but in his heart thinks they are fools for giving their lives to the dream.

He also may ride to get away from his wife, Siggy. He loves her, really, but she can be a bit intense some times.

http://www.deloriahurst.com/deloriahurst%20page/3310.html
http://www.geni.com/people/Rollo-the-Viking/6000000002176669915
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8195891

He finds the showers with some little difficulty and pushes his way through the door. Setting the clean clothes Bar had provided on the bench, he set to stripping down to enter the small room with its smooth surface; wondering if it were marble or some other stone that lined the walls and floor. Now he stood and faced two nobs, and a spout that rested above his head.

Cradling his burned hand against him, he reached out with his left hand to push at the nob, finally figuring out it turned, which caused a torrent of burning water to emerge from the spout. Yelling is surprise and pain, he fumbled with the nob until he got the water turned off again.

Reaching for the other nob, he stood to the side, out of the path of the water, and turned it as well, finding it delivered cold water. Adjusting the hot water until he found a temperature he liked, he finally stood beneath the stream and relaxed, though he had to keep his injured hand outside of the water for it hurt too much.

Finding no lye, he searched until he found the bottles which held what he could only hope were bathing oils. He discovered he was right but the oils stung his eyes fiercely.

Finally, he had had enough and so turned off the water, dried, and got himself dressed.

Rollo awakes in warmth and on a pallet. It takes him a disorienting moment to decide where he is; last he remembers was drinking ale in an alley. Then he realizes he's in the home he and Siggy shared before he destroyed everything. He rolls over and tries to go back to sleep, but his head is pounding and the walls dance. Giving up, he rises and stumbles to a chair beside the low-banked fire. If he can't sleep he might as well be warm.

Siggy arrives within a few minutes; stopping to stare at him before sniffing and turning to put away food she has purchased from the market.

All too soon, she is done and walks to stand before Rollo. "You're a disgrace." She accuses and he doesn't even flinch. She scoffs, turning to face the fire, her head shaking. Spotting a cooking knife, she grabs it and stabs it into the fire before standing and walking about Rollo.

"I have lost everything. My sons, my husband, finally my daughter. I am not going to lose you." She continues, bending over to whisper the last into his ear, before walking back around to face him. "Yesterday your brother spoke of the Summer's raid. He's going west again, with King Horik. You must ask him to take you with him."

Rollo scoffs, roused despite himself. "Look at me." He says weakly, pathetically.

"You will look better if you have something to believe in. I am giving you a choice Rollo. Go and speak with your brother or..." she says, pausing to pull the red hot knife out of the fire and brandishing it towards Rollo. "Take this blade. Push it into your ribs right now. Stay in Hel for all eternity."

Her words shock him and as he stares at the glowing knife, a bit of the old Rollo stirs within his breast. He stands uneasily, stumbling before righting himself. She would dare challenge him? He reaches out to grasp her hand, to pull the knife towards him and show her that no knife will frighten him. Instead he grabs the blade. The pain is intense and clears his mind somewhat.

Shocked, Siggy lets go of the knife and runs outside for some snow.

Weeks turn into months, which in turn turn into years, and still Rollo hunts for the families who are without their sons or husbands. Some have now accepted his help openly and sometimes the work is even prideful. The family of Arne still refuses him.

There are times when he feels hopeful, that someday his actions will be behind him and he can look to the sky with pride. And ever there is Torstein or Floki to remind him of what ill he has wrote.

Somedays he finds warmth in Siggy's bed. Most nights he finds it at the bottom of the ale cup instead.

Always his heart is heavy, heavy near to breaking him.

It has been sometime since the Law-giver gave Rollo his life back. Since then he has stayed in Kattegat, as Siggy convinced him. He has hunted for the families of the men whose deaths he caused and left the meat on their doorstep. He has given his time to those who would accept it (small enough in number), whether in lifting rocks, digging piss pits, or repairing holes in roofs. Thrice, he has approached the family of Arne to beg a price for weregild that he may pay his debts, and thrice the family of Arne has refused to even acknowledge his presence. He knows he could beseech Ragnar to declare a price, but that does not feel right and so he will try again. Perhaps tomorrow.

Despite all of this, he is still an outsider. He still is refused entry to the drinking hall and ignored when he walks in town. To spare Siggy's reputation, he's taken to living in a cave in the mountains nearby, on those nights he can make it back. Funny how even without being allowed entry to the drinking hall, Rollo still finds his way to ale and mead.

The wind from both the bay and the mountains is harsh and cuts into his wounds.

Hunger and thirst are twin wolves who knaw at his belly.

Cold eats its way into his bones like maggots.

But it is all nothing for he is a dead man waiting for death.

The ship sways in the waves and current but Rollo barely notices, lost in his despair. He has been beaten and his wounds from the battle have been washed only enough that he may face a trial in Kattegat, but he doesn't care. He sits in irons, exposed to the elements as he deserves and waits for his fate.

Desperately, yet almost fondly, he thinks of how he will soon see little Gyda in Hel's halls.

Rollo looked across the small, dry valley at the small army he couldn't help thinking of as his people. It tore at his heart and yet with them he was nothing but a shadow to his brother. With Jarl Borg he could make his own place, had already claimed it in fact. But still his heart was torn and it angered him.

"SHIELDS!" He heard Ragnar call across the way, his people forming a shield wall. Jarl Borg's people did the same. All except Rollo, who stood shirtless with his knuckles white on the haft of his great axe.

Why could you not send me a message brother, he thinks, seething with anger and the sacred mushrooms and herbs he ate with Jarl Borg. Why could you not reach out to me?

For a second, he sees Jarl Borg out of the corner of his eye and thinks how easy it would be to plant his axe into that neck and make this all go away; but that would make him a coward as well as forsworn. And though his heart may be torn as if by the great wolves Skoll and Hati, he would never be a coward.

As the armies run at each other, his vision tunnels and his fury rises. What ever he may wish, it is in the hands of the Gods now.

The fire is warm, this last night in Jarl Borg's hall. In the morning, Ragnar and his men must leave to deliver the news to King Horik; that there will be no agreement about the disputed lands, only battle. The fire is warm, but Rollo's heart is cold.

"So my friend, the die is cast," Jarl Borg says calmly, persuasively. "King Horik has left me no choice. I must attack him and claim with is rightfully mine. Your brother will clearly not support me. But the question is, will you? Will you fight alongside me? Together, you and I can carve out the new kingdom. Isn't that what you really want? The death of your brother and the start of your own fame? Well, what do you say?"

There is a breath of silence, where floor boards creak and the fire crackles.

"I say yes. I will fight with you. I will fight with you against my brother." Rollo says, his heart cold and hard as stone. To gain renown, risks must be taken after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Ragnar, Floki and the others are milling about, preparing to leave. Rollo wonders if Ragnar has even noticed his brother has not packed his things.

For two days now, Rollo has feasted with Jarl Borg and for two days, all Jarl Borg can seem to talk about is Ragnar. Jarl Borg has been a good host to Rollo's hostage, feeding him well, offering women to keep his bed warm, but always he manages to leave a word or two about Ragnar's greatness. Rollo knows he is being tested, the man is a fool if he thinks his words are subtle, yet still there is truth in them and they find a home within Rollo's heart.

"Your brother's a great man, a great warrior," Jarl Borg is saying as he pulls pieces of meat free from the bone he holds.

"As am I," Rollo replies, annoyed with yet another round of this game.

"I'm sure you are. And yet I've never heard of you."

Rollo takes a deep breath to calm the words that wish to leap from his tongue and stands instead. "I need to piss." He says as he turns to go outside.

"Feel free," Jarl Borg replies. "And when you return, perhaps you can tell me of your deeds."

So with so many of use seeming to about to descend on Milliways in the coming month, I thought it might be a good idea to give us a place to organize or discuss plans or EP ideas, and to maybe plot if the mood strikes.

I need to reread Athelstan's posts in more detail but at this point I believe current Viking pups are at the end of the first season. I am thinking that Rollo will come in during the time when Ragnar has left Jarl Borg and the battle that opens season 02. I don't know how much Ragnar and Rollo should interact during this time, but I am fine with it being only an EP or two, or however short, until the battle.

I do feel like Rollo shouldn't find out about the plague until after the battle, else Ragnar's comment about Gyda's death wouldn't hit Rollo so hard.

Thoughts?

ETA: Also, where are you in viewing canon, i.e. which season & episode? I just realized I'd assumed everyone was up to the most recent episode.