Norma ISO 9614-2

The peoples of Scandinavia have their own professional poets and song masters. In the North among the Nordic peoples, this profession was a Skald. The poet would construct alliterative verses and colorful language or kenning in their sagas and recount monumental events in the courts of nobles and in the company of renowned warriors.

Kings and lords would always have a poet present; it was a re- quirement. The poet would entertain and remind those present of their fame, deeds and glories, inspiring them to do more of the same. Poets were, to some extent in the Nordic world and all of the Nine Worlds, akin to rock stars if they were really masterful in their craft.

Skalds performed two forms of their art. One is the Edda, a heroic and mythologically inspired set of works that is simple in form. The second is the Skaldic and a more complex series of measures and poetic devices. In Castles & Crusades, the Skald is the bard class perfectly defined. Every poet has their style and themes and is respected for their abilities. Their word and the power of it is not so feared as it is in the Celtic world. Skaldic poetry was for the nobility and in their honor and was spoken aloud with a great projection while the Eddic form could be chanted or even sung. Skalds have a range of styles they can compose and perform for their lords and company. These are: • MANSÖNGR – Erotic Verse. Love stanzas and lengthy

works meant to attract or extol the beauty of a woman. • LAUSAVÍSA – Impromptu poem usually in single

verse forms strung together with themes.

• NÍÐVÍSUR – Satirical poems meant to be insulting to the intended target. These poems would shame them for misdeeds, dishonor or other questionable actions.

• DRÆPLINGR/FLOKKR/VÍSUR – Stanzas, short in number, which go without a refrain or break in flow.

Blood-Band, Wound-Knuckles, Blood-Grip, Blood-Warp, Blood- Eddy, Blood-Waker, Lying Striker, Eddy-Warp, Edge-Strip. Olrod’s Gift, Battle-Rim, Mis-Hit, Under-Drawer, Kaldhamar’s Gift, Corpse-Bast, Shoulder.

Clench-Plate, Victory-Knob, Hand-Grip, Blow-Polished, Mid-Stick, Blood-Worm, Icicle-of-Blood, Wound-Hoe, Leek- of-War.

AXE – Iron-Sparth, Scraper, Bearded, Power-Span, Gnepia, Giantess, Frightener, Spiked, Whiskered, Battle-Bright, Hewer, Soft-Horned, Blood-Ember.

Arrow – White-Mouth, Noisy Mover, Claw, Gain-Flying, Stormer, Shaft-Quick.

Flight-Bright, Flight-Swift, Lion’s Tooth, Gusir’s Gift, Whizzer. Double-Wood, Noisy-Clanger, Arrows & Strikers, Irons, Spears. SHIELD – Hall-Blinder, Lee-Edge, Buckler, Fight-Bend, Storm-Bright, Battle-Bright, Wide.

Clamourer, Dew-Scraper, Jewel-Shelterer, War-Light, War- Shelterer, Protector, Double-Boarded.

Battler, Ever-Protector, Fair-Dark, Mid-Life-Protector, Circle, Handland of Swords.

HELMET - Hropt’s Hood, Gold-Colored, Coverer, Slaugh- ter-Rimy, Stone-Rimy, Hollowed and Protection, Life-Protector, Fine-Looker, Eager-Brown, Battle-Boar, Top, Army-Crest, Warmer, Mask, Terrifier, Gleamer, Dome.

BYRNIE (MAIL) – Arriver, Helm-Ringer, Coat & Close, Cold, Finn’s Legacy, Battle-Goer, Pliable, Hindrance, Blood- Played.

SEA – Ever-Lying, Salt, Wetness, Flat One, Dead Calm, Re- sounding, Overhang, Emptiness, Brawler, Rocker, Maelstrom, Whale’s Road, Whale’s Way.

Good Passage, Fluid & Expanse, Tempest, Rumbler & Unquiet, Fishing-Ground, Fishing-Bank, Lifting, Plunderer, Heaven- Bright, Sweller, Bloody-Haired.

CHIEFTAIN – Bringer of Rings.

These kennings are a small example of hundreds or thousands that were used in the early Norse poems and stories. From the Edda to even the Saxon poem Beowulf, kennings are a crucial part of the descriptive art of storytelling and still well-suited after a thousand or more years for gaming.

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This is an exchange of boasting and belittling that would take place in a feast  hall. It would normally involve warriors or nobles that would verbally attack, through poetic verse, each SWORD – Servent, Clanger, Cutlass, Skrymir, Laufi, Ale-

Tarry, Long-Beard, Worm-Borer, Legbiter, Leifnir’s Hurt, Host-Striker, Hneitir, Hafrakan.

Lotti, Shover, Thruster, Mækir, Aimed, Hand-Waver, Mistletoe, Metal, Thriver, Striker, Mid-Decorated, Broad-Tracker, Gate- Flame, Life-Quencher.

Wavy, Threaded, Corpse-Pain, Werewolf, Corpse-Maker, Wind- Bright, Pain-Wader, Edge-Sharp, Flitter, Ugly-Flitting, Hall- Fence, Grip.

Keen, Head-Sharp, Skull-Crusher, Corpse-Gaut, Host-Shining, Flesh-Mimir, Wound-Strip, Deceiver, Flickerer, Rivet-Failer, Heaper. Mimung, Feller, Symbol-Wolf, Ringed, Corpse-Enclosed, Twist- Borer, Millstone-Biter, Wolf, Overcomer, Wall-Damager. Terrifier, Pale-Maker, Router, Notcher, Shooter, Trembler, Pol- ished, Tearer, Breaker, White One, One Will Come Across the Night-Bringer.

Flame & Hand-Ringer, Long-Keen, Eagle, Frightener, Jabber, Ram, Diminsher, Long-Neck, Exciter, Inciter.

Feller, Fafnir, Piercer, Battler, Offspring, Scythe, Cutter, Moor- Guest, Mockery, Crasher, Mean-Striker.

But viands on a toilsome way, The trav’ller needs more choice than they.

HARBARD.

Improvident! Thy basket store, Why praise for nourishable power?

And little prescient of the road, Know’st not to prize the precious load. Hark! Death invades thy distant home! Heard’st thou not thy mother’s groan?

THOR.

Well I know thee - thou hast said, Hark! thy distant mother’s dead; Because thou knewest, I believe, How my soul the news would grieve.

HARBARD.

Grief had been none, if some estate, Had reconcil’d thy mother’s fate. That thou art poor, thy legs declare, And weeds that strolling jugglers wear.

Naught do I see - so mean thou art, To hide thy most inglorious part.

THOR. Hither ferryman, I pray, Push thy vessel on its way. Who the owner, tell beside That bade thee o’er these banks preside?

HARBARD. Hildolf is the owner’s name; Far thro’ these lands, has spread, his fame.

In Radseyia’s bay he lives, And thence this strict injunction gives -

Let not the base-born press thy keel, Nor vagabonds, that horses steal:

Be honorable men thy freight, And on the worthy trav’ller wait. Across the Frith thy name unfold, If on thy way thou wish to hold. other’s bravery or sexual perversions. Nordic society used this

as a means of keeping the warriors on their feet mentally. The Norse sagas have many countless examples of Flyting be- tween heroes and gods. In a simplistic way, these are limericks that are meant to raise one's self up and lower the other and be funny and hard-hitting at the same time.

By custom, if one is challenged through a Flyting, they must re- turn a retort in the same way. Not doing so will lose one’s repu- tation and respect and be a sign of weakness. Loki was mocked once as he entered Valhöll by the gods through Flyting, and he not only returned the gesture, but he did so to all present cleverly and put them in their place.

Many times, warriors will enter into Flyting contests before fighting ensues; this is to work them up into a fervor. Whatever animosity they had before would be amplified afterward by this verbal exchange. Once the Flyting is over, battle would occur between the two, angrier than before.

In the feast hall, the reactions of the onlookers during the ex- change determined the winner of the match, and this, then, allows the successful Flyter to drink from the chief or king’s own mead. This is similar to the Celtic system of boasting in the hall of a lord which would often result in a bloody fight with even one of the two slain.

The Castle Keeper can use Flyting in clever ways in their adventures, putting the players in an awkward place and forcing their hand to react and endure the challenge. One example given here is from the Norse Edda Hárbarðsljóð (‘Lay of Hárbarðr’) wherein Thor is wanting to travel across the water in a ferry, but the ferryman Hárbarðr (Oðin in disguise) harasses and mocks him, trying to get a rise out of his own son and test him. Although not as cruel as some Flyting, it is none-the-less the same.

THOR.

What Ferryman is he who stands, By his Boat on yonder sands?

HARBARD.

What man is he, on yonder side, Who sends his voice across the tide?

THOR.

O’er the ferry bear me hence; I’ll an ample meed dispense.

In my basket, lo! I bear, Cates I’ve cull’d with nicest care.

Ere I left my homely shed, On oats and herrings long I fed:

On him my fatal mallet sped - The Giant with the rocky head: He trod no more the ways of men - What, Harbard! thine achievements then?

HARBARD. In Algrona's fertile isle, Five winters I endur’d the while:

With brave Fiolvar there I liv’d, And hospitable cheer receiv’d. With him the battles brunt I bore, And dy’d the meadow flower with gore: 

There did I every danger prove; And largely too indulg’d in love.

THOR.

Didst thou in that happy isle, The maidens easily beguile?

HARBARD.

They were wise, as wise I’ve seen; But tainted with virago spleen: They were fair, as fair could be;

But all their pastime, cruelty. They twisted once with dexterous hand,

A rope of untenacious sand; And fill’d a valley’s vast profound, With many a mountain summit round.

Happy I their love to gain, Revell’d with them on the plain.

Oft encircled in their arms, I woo’d their smiles and won their charms.

What the mean time didst thou do? THOR.

I the race of Þiaz slew: Above I hurl’d their glaring eyes,

And stars illumin’d all the skies. There all mortals ever read The records of the glorious deed. What meantime did the fates decree,

Harbard! For thy destiny? THOR.

With other views, this morn I came - Yet freely I profess my name;

And all my pedigree unfold, In archives of the Gods enroll’d.

Odin’s paternal care I prove; Meili claims a brother’s love; Me Magni’s filial mind reveres - Stern dynast of the starry spheres. With might Thor discourse you hold -

Ferryman! Thy name unfold. HARBARD. Harbard I! and ‘tis my pride, Never from man my name to hide.

THOR.

Why should’st thou wish to hide thy name, Except opprest with guilty shame?

HARBARD. Did I such guilty terror feel, ‘Tis true my name I would conceal; When such a virtuous God were by,

Unless I madly wish’d to die. THOR.

Among the mis’ries of my life, With thee I deem this verbal strife:

Forc’d as I am, to seek thy shore, And wet my garments with thine oar.

But villian! Know some other day, Thy words sarcastic I’ll repay.

HARBARD. I my rightful power use, And hither all approach refuse: Since bold Hrugner went below, Thou never found’st so fierce a foe.

THOR.

Those words to memory recall, Hrugner’s unlamented fall.

A Flyting match can take a few minutes to an hour or more in length – there are no limits to how long these matches can go. The greater the individuals involved, the mightier their Flyting will be in scope.