England in the 9th Century On 12th June 918, Athelflaed, Lady of Mercia, died in Tamworth, in the heart of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. She was a respected military commander, and a queen in all but name. But who was she, and what was Mercia? At the opening of 9th century, Mercia was oneContinue reading “Æthelflæd, Lady of Mercia”
Category Archives: Tolkien
“No Man Am I, You Look Upon a Woman”: Women in the Northern World
I was 14 when I saw The Two Towers in the cinema, and I never forgot it. The narrative leads inexorably to the Rohirrim, who even then I recognised as something from England’s ancient past. They wore mail, fought with spears and round shields, lived in wooden halls and had fantastically Old English soundingContinue reading ““No Man Am I, You Look Upon a Woman”: Women in the Northern World”
The Time for Fated Men: Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World
People Linked by Destiny Some months ago, I was explaining the Law of Surprise to a friend. The law is a device in the world of Andrej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, and runs like this. Let us say that I am beset by bandits on the road. You hear my cries for help and, skilledContinue reading “The Time for Fated Men: Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World“
Unlocked His Word-Hoard: A Review of JRR Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún
A confession; I have never cared for the music of Wagner. When I was younger, it stirred no emotion in me and I thought it over-wrought and melodramatic. Tolkien however, was a different matter. I found his works beautiful, sweeping and emotional, as well as much more grounded in the forest and the mountainsContinue reading “Unlocked His Word-Hoard: A Review of JRR Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún”
An Arrow to the Knee: Skyrim & the Northern World
Glossary DLC – An acronym for Downloadable Content, this is additional content released by a studio after the game’s release Dungeons & Dragons –abbreviated to ‘D&D’, this is a cooperative tabletop role-playing game. One person is the Dungeon Master, controlling the world, the enemies and its inhabitants, while the others play as characters in theContinue reading “An Arrow to the Knee: Skyrim & the Northern World”
The Old That is Strong: Tolkien & the Anglo-Saxons
Glossary Churl – the OE word Ceorl, meaning common freeman, the lowest class of free citizen in Anglo-Saxon society Danegeld – money paid to Viking raiding armies to leave a territory, or to enlist them as mercenaries against other Viking forces; ‘set a thief to catch a thief…’ Old English – the language spoken byContinue reading “The Old That is Strong: Tolkien & the Anglo-Saxons”
Sagas from the Sea 