Welcome to Cyclopaedia 35: Vikings. Cyclopaedia is a monthly article on the InnRoads Ministries website. Whether you are a fan or not of watching the recent Vikings TV series, the Marvel movies with Thor, or reading Icelandic sagas, you likely have heard of and been intrigued by historical and mythological stories of the Vikings. In this month’s, penultimate issue of Cyclopaedia, we delve into the truths and myths of these northern European explorers and raiders. Now let’s seek our glory so we can enter honorably the halls of Valhalla.
If you have questions about this article or topics you would like me to consider researching for future Cyclopaedia articles, please leave a comment below.
Overview
Are you worthy to wield a legendary weapon? Can you pronounce words and names with more consonants than vowels? Do you enjoy ancient sagas that spin tales of epic battles to save the world?
When you hear the work Viking, what comes to mind for you? Do you think of barbarians wearing horned helmets and wielding axes, as often depicted in early cinema and art? Do you think of Norse seafarers who raided and traded all over Northern Europe? Do you think of explorers who may have been some of the first to visit North America? Modern views of Vikings often conflict with historical and archaeological evidence. We tend to romanticize these people and their mythology into noble savages, making them more into clichés and stereotypes.
Historically, the period from the late 700s to the Norman conquest of England in 1066 is called the Viking Age of Scandinavia. Through exploration, trading, raids, and mercenary expeditions, these northern Europeans spread all over Europe and into North America in their journeys. Their mythology and history merged as the tales of witnesses told their stories over the years.
What truly makes Vikings memorable are their verbal and written sagas and skaldic poetry that have passed down through the generations. This literature passes along the mythology, ethics, genealogies, and history of the people and their culture. Add to that the depth of archaeological findings in burial sites and buried villages and we have a more accurate picture of these people.
Norse Gods
Vikings and Norse mythology often blend together in fiction and media. From comics to books to movies, the Norse gods are used as heroes, myths, gods, and legends. Here are some of the most well known:
- Balder
- Brage
- Forsete
- Froy
- Heimdall
- Loki
- Njord
- Odin
- Thor
- Ty
- Ull
- Vale
- Vidar
Following are sources of information pertaining to Vikings to assist prospective game masters, game designers, writers, and storytellers in knowing where to start their research.
ARTICLES
The Viking Ball Game
By B.A., Thurber
Source: Scandinavian Studies v87 n2 (2015 06 01): 167-188
Women in the Viking Age.
Source: Viking age: a reader / S. 85-116
BOOKS
A Description of the Northern Peoples
By Magnus, Olaus
The Age of the Vikings
By Winroth, Anders
Cowboy Ninja Viking (comic)
By Lieberman, A.J.
The D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths
By d’Aulaire, Ingri and d’Aulaire Edgar Parin
Eaters of the Dead
By Crichton, Michael
Echoes of Valhalla: The Afterlife of Eddas and Sagas
By Helgason, Jón Karl
Gods and Mythos of Northern Europe
By Davidson, H.R. Ellis
The Greenlanders
By Smiley, Jane
Iceland: Its Scenes and Sagas
By Baring-Gould, Sabine
Ivory Vikings
By Brown, Nancy
The Long Ships
By Bengtsson, Frans G.
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer
By Riordan, Rick
Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia
By Turville-Petre, E.O.G.
Norse Mythology
By Gaiman, Neil
Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs
By Lindow, John
Ohthere’s Voyages
By Bately, Janet and Englert, Anton
The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings
By Hayword, John
The Poetic Edda
By Crawford, Jackson
The Prose Edda
By Byock, Jesse L.
The Saga of the Volsungs
By Byock, Jesse L.
The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings
By Brownworth, Lars
The Songweaver’s Vow
By Vanarendonk Baugh, Laura
Thor (comic)
By Lee, Stan and Kirby, Jack
Valhalla
By Madsen, Peter
Valkyrie (comic)
By Thomas, Roy and Buscema, John
Viking Age: Everyday Life During the Extraordinary Era of the Norsemen
By Wolf, Kirsten
Viking Age Iceland
By Byock, Jesse
The Vikings
By Roesdahl, Else
Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
By Fitzhugh, William and Ward, Elizabeth
Viking Raiders
By Civardi, Anne and Graham-Campbell, James
The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
By McCoy, Daniel
The Viking World
By Brink, Stefan and Price, Neil
The Viking World
By Graham-Campbell, James
The Vinland Sagas
By Author Unknown
GAMES
878: Vikings – Invasions of England – Tabletop Game
AD&D HR1: Vikings Campaign Sourcebook – RPG
A Feast for Odin – Tabletop Game
Age of Mythology – Video Game
Asgard’s Chosen – Tabletop Game
The Banner Saga – Video Game
Bloodforge – Video Game
Blood Rage – Tabletop Game
Champions of Midgard – Tabletop Game
Explorers of the North Sea – Tabletop Game
Fate of the Norns: Ragnarok – RPG
Fire & Axe: A Viking Saga – Tabletop Game
For Honor – Video Game
Gone Viking! – Tabletop Game
GURPS Vikings – RPG
Hnefatafl – Tabletop Game
Jarl – Tabletop Game
Jórvík – Tabletop Game
Jotun: Valhalla Edition – Video Game
Midgard – Tabletop Game
Mythic Iceland – RPG
Northgard – Video Game
Odin’s Ravens – Tabletop Game
Pillage & Plunder: The Viking Longship Game – Tabletop Game
Ragnaroll – Tabletop Game
Ragnarok Online – Video Game
Raiders of the North Sea – Tabletop Game
Raventhorne – Video Game
Rolemaster: Vikings – RPG
Rune – RPG
Rune – Video Game
Saga – Tabletop Game
Shieldwall – Tabletop Game
Shipwrights of the North Sea – Tabletop Game
Skyrim – Video Game
Thor – Tabletop Game
Thunder & Lightning – Tabletop Game
Valhalla Chronicles – Video Game
Vikings – Tabletop Game
Viking: Battle for Asgard – Video Game
Vikings On Board – Tabletop Game
Vikings Gone Wild – Tabletop Game
Vikings: Nordic Roleplaying for Runequest – RPG
Vikings: The Board Game – Tabletop Game
Viking Squad – Video Game
Vikings: Warriors of the North – Tabletop Game
Vikings: Wolves of Midgard – Video Game
Villainous Vikings – Tabletop Game
Volgarr the Viking – Video Game
Völuspá – Tabletop Game
War of the Vikings – Video Game
Yggdrasil – Tabletop Game
Yggdrasill – RPG
CINEMA
The 13th Warrior
Alfred the Great
Beowulf
Beowulf & Grendel
Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands – TV
Die Nibelungen
Erik the Viking
Grendel
Hammer of the Gods
How to Train Your Dragon
The Island at the Top of the World
Outlander
Pathfinder
The Long Ships
The Norseman
The Secret of Kells
Severed Ways
Sword of Vengeance
Thor
Thor: The Dark World
Thor: Ragnarok
Valhalla
Vikings – TV
The Viking
The Viking Queen
The Viking Sagas
When the Raven Flies
The Wild Hunt
LOCATIONS
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows
Lofotr Viking Museum
http://www.museumnord.no/en/lofotr-viking-museum/
VikingsCon
https://vikingscon.com/
The Viking Ship Museum – Norway
https://www.khm.uio.no/english/visit-us/viking-ship-museum/
The Viking Ship Museum – Denmark
https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/#top
Visit Iceland – Vikings
https://guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/vikings-and-norse-gods-in-iceland
Visit Norway – Vikings
https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/art-culture/vikings/
PEOPLE
Eric Bloodaxe
Freydis Eiriksdottir
Leif Eriksson
Ingvar the Far-Travelled
Sweyn Forkbeard
Ivar the Boneless
Gunnar Hamundarson
Harald Hardrada
Guthrum
Bjorn Ironside
Ragnar Lodbrok
Eric the Red
Egil Skallagrimmson
Gardar Svavarsson
I hope you find these resources informative and inspiring for your adventures, storytelling, or game design.
Stay Creative!
T.R. Knight
( If you would like to save this list of resources as a convenient PDF for later reference, you can find that HERE )
WHO IS T.R. KNIGHT?
He is a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer in the game industry. He is also a Husband and Caregiver to his wife Angie, Father of Twins Emily and Rachel, Gardner and Hobby Chef, and Director of Academic Technology and User Services at Taylor University. You can learn more about T.R. at his blog http://www.thomasrknight.com.