Sunday Bloody Sunday

The time crunch is already being felt. Even before starting this project people had told me that the number one reason to set a deadline for a project is to see just how hard it is to do everything you want to do to a satisfactory degree. Needless to say, I'm already unsatisfied

Yesterday I tasked myself with writing the backstory and creating the areas. Jordan has been put in charge of creating the appearance and flavor for all the various NPC's that we'll be using.

I used to think that the hard part was coming up with a storyline, but once the ball began to roll it simply snowballed. In college I took a few Scandinavian culture classes. One of them being Scandinavian sagas. I've decided that this mod will be (very) loosely based on an English crusade against Pagan Danes that would lead to a series of raids by the great king of Denmark Sveinn Tjúguskegg. Following the St. Brice's Day massacre, an event that would be considered ethnic cleansing by todays standards, the king of Denmark began to send viking raids to revenge the massacre. Eventuall Sveinn would become the king of England, but would die shortly thereafter. The setting is very fitting since the St. Brice's day massacre occurred on November 13, 1002 A.D.

The backstory was pretty difficult to write. Not because I feel like I have poor writing skills, rather because I felt ridiculously geeky sensationalizing Scandinavian literature :). Yes, I butchered it and I don't care. One word: milestone.

Without further ado, here is the write-up I submitted to Jordan:

Backstory -
As the Anglo-Saxton wars of the 10th century slowed to a near stop, the great barbarian King of Scandinavia Svend Tveskæg was growing old and preparing for death. Svend was a tyrant viking ruler that expanded his empire to seven times it's size after taking the throne in 918 A.D. By his decree, he had ordered England to be subjected to continued raids even if he was to die before it had became a territory of his kingdom

As the legends goes, when Svend turned fifteen, his father sent him on a quest to slay the last red dragon prince Salazzan effectively ending the bloodline of Dragons. He was granted command of 100 of the kingdoms greatest barbarian warriors. Svend was the only survivor of the battle at the lair. When he returned from the adventure, he walked through the streets carrying the head of the great beast. Blood dripped from his mouth for Svend had drunk the blood of the creature. It was on that day that Svend slew his father and took his place at the throne.

On the morning of the king's 102nd birthday, a messenger rode to the gates of his castle demanding a word with him. "Sire, I come bearing word from England." cried the messenger; his head hung as he spoke. "Elthelred of the Crusade has ignited the masses and has slaughtered our people. Among the them was your sister Gunhilde" The weathered king looked encumbered as he sat silently listening. The crown lay heavily on his pale white brow. He pulled back his nappy hair and tied a crude braid. Suddenly, with viperous speed, the king lifted his axe and split the helm of the messenger down his torso. Entrails were strewn across the great hall as the Blood Defenders stoically awaited command.

They set sail to England that afternoon...

Characters -
Svend Tveskæg - the great barbarian king of Scandinavia.

Rasmus Tiertegard - Svenn Forkbeards right-hand man and head of the Blood Defenders. Not much is known about Rasmus. He was taken from his family at the age of five and raised to be a defender of the Tveskæg bloodline. He is extremely close with Svend

Ethelred of the Crusade - Ethelred is a Christian crusader of the highest degree. His war against the pagan Danes would eventually be his downfall. Svend has left his country to settle a vendetta with Ethelred.

Gunhilde - Sister of Svenn Forkbeard who was a residing diplomat in Oxford. She never appears as a living NPC, however, Svend becomes enraged after finding her body at the Frideswide church. Upon seeing his sisters corpse, Svend enters a state of rage fueled by Salazzan's blood.

Areas -
Shores of England - Svend and his blood defenders start the mod on the shores of England where they build a base camp and prepare for the march to Oxford.

Oxford Town - The Oxford town is still under siege by Ethelred and his crusaders. Citizens and soldiers alike have come out in arms to slaughter the pagan Danes. In the midst of the chaos, the mob burns down the Frideswide church where Gunhilde has taken refuge.

Castle Ethelred - Great Hall - After revenging the fallen Danes, Svend and his troops make there way to Castle Ethelred. The great hall is the precursor to the final battle with Ethelred. Svend and his Blood Defenders must fight there way through a mass of soldiers to get to the throne.

Castle Ethelred - The Throne - The throne room is where the vendetta is settled and names are written in stone.