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About this blog

This is the record as told to Hereweald the Chanting Skald of the saga of the Hrothgarsons.

This is my Anglo-Saxon Campaign that will take in some of my own stuff and interweave it with published material from Mythras: Logres and Waterlands. It recounts the sessions played with Wulfhere, Uthric and Dunstan, sons of Hrothgar. They live in Caedering near the Dumnonian border. All the themes and events are real and people and animals got hurt in the making of this as it is after all the Dark Ages. In recording it I have tried to use the style of the Icelandic sagas with a lot of understatement and quite a bit of humour (at least I found it funny). The players are getting into the role of South Saxons which was a bit difficult at first as its almost a default position to play Romano-Celts as opposed to playing the 'baddies' as Saxons. I do have to apologise to the Chroniclers and probably Alfred for stealing their title for the blog

Entries in this blog

An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

þá Géancymeas

The Meetings It was the third year since Cerdic declared himself Westseaxacyning. Aelle had been the Cantacyning for eighteen years and it was eighth year since he had named himself Brytenwealda. Guercha One-eye the Angelcyning was still disputing Aelle's claim to be Brytenwealda for the past three years. It had been a hard, cold winter and food was short. Hretha had the land in her grip for longer than even the oldest people could remember. The Tamyse was often frozen and people huddl
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Bæl ond Cwaltt

Fire and Violent Death After the Moot, Wæcla held a feast and invited the Hrothgarsons to the High Table to discuss why they had come to Verulamacæster. Dunstan told the story of the Bannucmann in the hope that he would distract Wæcla’s attention but got himself tongue-tied and the listeners lost interest in his telling of the tale. Dunstan was upset with himself but most of the warriors were so drunk that Wulfhere said to him that he did not think it would affect their standing in the Hall
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Drenċ ond Belæwung

Poison and Treachery  The old Roman city of Verulamacæster was decaying. Many of the buildings had collapsed and had been replaced by Saxon buildings. Some of the most impressive still stood and it was possible to imagine what the city had looked like in Roman times.  In the old days the British tribe, the Catuvellauni, lived in the area of their chief city that they called Verulamium. It was said the Romans had built the city to make the Catuvellauni more like them. They had succeeded
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Gafolrǣdenne, Brycggeweorc ond Ealoþa Alnoth

Taxes, Re-building and the Ale of Alnoth Wulfhere decided that when he returned he would travel his lands to see what changes had occurred over the year. He was met by delegation after delegation of Farmers on his travels. Many complained that there had been a bad growing season due to adverse weather conditions and many of the crops had rotted in the fields which left them with little surplus to pay their rents for the year. Others said that they had been forced by Aldfrid the Hlafweard1 t
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

AS18b Edstaðelung ond Āsyndrung

Restoration and Divorce It took a week to travel from Anderida to Hrofnacæster. The Hrothgarsons had travelled along the Roman road using Way stations or staying at Steadings along the way. Northern Ceint was rich and fertile. Ruins of Roman houses were everywhere. Some had been scavenged for stone and others were intact apart from the roofs which had fallen in. Dunstan thought of himself as a builder and he was intrigued to see how the Romans had built their farms and dwellings. He discuss
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Sé Aþwíteġesamnung

The Disappointing Meeting   The Hrothgarsons returned to Hambladensted and set the lands in order. Dunstan’s steward, Aldfrid, had done a good job in collecting the rents and administering justice but he had been unable to convince the farmers to work on the fortifications. Dunstan said that he was concerned that the building of the stockade at Pontes was not going as quickly as he would have liked. He discussed it further with his farmers who said they would do what they could. Dunsta
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Passion of St Hywel

We do not know much about St Hywel’s life and the little we know comes to us from the Venerable Bede. Asser mentions him but only that King Alfred kept Hywel’s knucklebone in a silver and gold reliquary which he lent to the Bishop of Worcester when there was a sickness in the Priory of St. Mary. Hywel’s skull was said to have been destroyed by the Vikings in the destruction at the Monastery of Thanet in 753.  Hywel was born in Powys and the son of a successful Blacksmith. He was brought up
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Se FisċgúÞ ond Þære Beadwe Dunum

Fish wars and the Battle of Dunum. It was the second year since Cerdic declared himself Westseaxacyning. Aelle had been the Cantacyning for seventeen years and it was seventh year since he had named himself Brytenwealda. Guercha One-eye the Angelcyning still disputed Aelle's claim to be Brytenwealda for the past two years.  Aelle had taken advantage of plague in Gwent to capture Spinae and Brige when they were under-garrisoned. Aelle considered both towns strategically important for wa
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Nídgedál ond Sméaung

A Parting of Body and Soul and the Search for the Lost. Dunstan did not feel well after the night’s sleep. Hereweard had told him his soul had been stolen but Dunstan said he could not accept this was true.  He had interpreted the constant growling noises he was making as anger at all the people who had annoyed his family and the injustices that had been visited upon them. His list of people that he intended to make pay was increasing and now included the Bretwalda Aelle, the Atheling Cissa
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Sé Bléteaþ ond þæs Gesalde

The Blood Sacrifice and Those who were Sold   There was peace along the Tamyse valley. The war had been short but bloody and destructive. For the survivors there would be a struggle to get enough food and shelter for the coming winter. Food was in short supply all over Cerdic’s Kingdom. The wars had destroyed the growing crops and killed or displaced livestock. Even for those that had silver to spend, the cost of food was high. The Atheling Stuf had told Wulfhere to start re-forti
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Séo Beadu þæs Tamyse

The Battle for the Thames  In the first year of Cerdic's reign the Yule feast was held at his new capital of Wincen Cæster on the banks of the Itchen. Looking back over the year Cerdic was pleased with how things stood. He had taken land from the Dumnonians and had captured Venta, renaming it Wincen Cæster. The siege and battle had been costly in men but those that had survived had been richly rewarded with silver and lands.  Cerdic had made a treaty with Octa having killed enough of h
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Sé Beaducwealm þæs Béaggiefa ond Sé Westseaxacyning

The Death of a Ring-giver and the West Saxon King In the morning there was more news that Ealdorman Cœlfrith had arrived with a strong Warband. The Hrothgarsons thought it best that they did not go abroad and stayed in Rowena's Hall. They created a small hiding place in the undercroft by stacking sacks of grain and flour so that it would take a lot of effort if anyone was searching for them. They discussed the situation with Rowena and Wulfhere told her the history that they had with Cœlfri
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Hláfordswícung

Betrayal of one’s Lord They awoke the next day with sore heads. Uthric spent the morning vomiting and Duncan just felt sorry for himself. It was almost midday before they felt better and Dunstan swore that he would never touch alcohol again.  They had planned that they should go and speak with Rowena. She had not made any overtures towards them but neither had they sought her out. They arrived at her Hall which was magnificently decorated with rich tapestries and inlaid carvings of the Æsir
An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Wiðerwinne innan Wealhcynn

A Very British Coup A dozen years ago Aelle marked the borders of his kingdom. He had sent a man called Tadda, a Kingsthane, north to make a settlement near the abandoned city of Calleva. Aelle had thought to use it as a base for expansion to the north and west but as often happens in uncertain times, he was distracted by other events closer to home and Taddenlæge was forgotten. Tadda was an astute man and one that sought compromise rather than conflict. He made alliances with the loca
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Se Deáþscúfa

The Shadow of Death. The Hrothgarsons returned to home to find growing tensions across all three villages. The war had been won and the peace was now being fought over. In Glawmæd the native Britons were resentful of the occupying Saxon forces. Their population had been decimated and their Chieftain killed, admittedly by other Britons, but they were now ruled by a Saxon Thane. There was grumbling that Lucnot was not made Thane. Wulfhere, who was presently in charge until Cerdic decided othe
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Se ǣrende æt Kernow

Embassy to Kernow   Wulfhere knew Glawmaed was in trouble. Although the harvest had been gathered it had been destroyed in the war and many of the livestock had been killed. He had been put in charge of Glawmaed until Cerdic made a decision about who should be Thane. It was therefore Wulfhere's responsibility to find enough food for the villagers and the extra warriors, who were now guarding the village. The destruction in Glawmaed, Caedering and Caelctun meant that usually self-suff
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Séo Hryding Benorþan

The Cleansing of the North Osberht's wound was healing slowly. It pleased him that he now managed to walk to his high seat most days without much pain. He sat with the Taethle and Brothers to hear of their travels to Anderida. He has interested in what had happened at Aelle's Assembly and had asked them several times to go over the story about things he wanted more details on. It was clear that some part of the story concerned him but he would not talk about it. Now that he was a Kings
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Se Beaducwealm ond Séo Bretwalda Geþeaht

A Violent Death and The Bretwaldamoot There was a silence in Caedering as the villagers waited to see if Osberht would die from his wounds. He was still wracked by a fever and Taethle had sent to Portus Caester for a leæce as she believed that curing Osberht was now beyond Eadgyd’s skills.  Taethle sat with the Brothers in the Thanes Hall. They discussed their current problems. To the west lay a British Warband which they had already estimated to be over 100  warriors. They were i
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Middansumer Gemét (Midsummer Assembly)

Taethle bade farewell to the seven men who were travelling to Hamafunta in the early dawn. The Hrothgarson Brothers, the carls Aedweard and Eadmund and finally the two witnesses, Dreng and Eorlstan all stood and listened to her final bits of advice. Eorlstan had asked if Osberht had recovered or if he was likely to die. He said he had been thinking about the jewelled arm ring and that if Osberht was going to die then someone should at least benefit from it. He was sure that everyone would see it
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Hláfordsearu ond Hlóþslieht (Treason and a Gang of Murderers)

The Brothers took their prisoner to Osberht’s hall. He was rather deflated and all they could discover immediately that he was called Dreng Betlieson and was one of Garm's Carls. They thought that he might have been present at  Osberht’s feast with Garm, but they weren't sure. Dunstan said that he thought he should be nicknamed Dreng the Sorry as he was sure to be contrite for trying to fight the Hrothgarsons. Uthric thought that he may not be as sorry as his companions, who were lying dead, but
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Brýdlufan ond Wuduwald (Romance and Forests)

In Caedering, there was a strange quietness the morning after the Feast and Assembly. The quietness was not replicated in the Brothers’ heads. Each felt that Thunor was banging the inside of their skulls with his hammer. They were due to meet Osberht at midday to discuss their mission and to agree what was to be done. Dunstan, in particular, wanted to remain under his cloak complaining that the light hurt his eyes.  When they reached the Thane's Hall there was a very tense atmosphere betwee
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Eardstapan (the Land-travellers or Wanderers)

***** WARNING SPOILERS - some of this part of the Chronicle contains elements of Mythras' Logres. If you intend to play it as a Player it's probably best not to read it because your enjoyment will be seriously diminished ****   The Brothers left Dunasted a moon after the Feast of Sol-monath. Uthric and Meire’s child was now two moons old and both felt he would be able to travel safely. Uthric had named the child Hrothgar after his father which all the Brother’s felt was a good omen. No
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Bannucmann (The Small Man)

Offa was both grumpy and pleased. His Carls were used to the grumpiness and in fact his being grumpy was expected. They were unsure how to cope when he was pleased. But Offa was genuinely pleased to see the Brothers again. He told himself it was just because they praised his ale but he enjoyed their company and they had got on well in Mershford. He was even spotted by his more observant men to be smiling. To be sure, Offa hadn't put it like that. He had thought the brothers dead and now they had
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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Gecnawan (what is known)

Travelling with a Warband was easier than travelling alone and after four days they all safely arrived at Mershford. They greeted Offa and told him their news. Offa was annoyed with his orders from Wiglaf and while he did not intend to disobey the Ealdorman, he delayed setting off by spending time with the Brothers, who he found to be agreeable company. Wulfhere was keen to know if Offa remembered Hrothgar and pressed him about what had happened in Mershford two years ago. Offa recalled tha
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Finding of Wiglaf

The Brothers were discouraged. They looked around at the busy, bustling fortified village. Warriors were talking, drinking and gambling. Where are we asked Wulfhere and where is Grim's Dyke? The man grinned and motioned them to look to the northwest. See that dyke stretching into the distance? That’s Grim's Dyke. Built by giants long ago. There was a great earthwork that stretched to the northwest into the dusk. This is Grim’s Dyke Burgh. The Brothers were beginning to find Angle humour hard to
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Nozbat in An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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