NationStates Jolt Archive

It was 999 the year of our lord. The Great Viking King Olof Skötkonung had united the war hungry tribes of Scandinavia, and under his rule life and trade flourished. Under his rule Viking attacks in France, England, Russia and Italy had brought great wealth to the barbaic kingdom. Conquests in England had brought further land beyond Scandinavia under Viking rule. The brutality of the Viking warriors was unsurpassable; kings feared them and nations trembled at the sight of their massive fleets. Despite having immense wealth and great power King Olof still wanted to acquire lands, not fouled by humans. Tales of a land in the Far West sparked the King’s interest, and after much debate with his Warlords, the order was given. Under the Command of two Warlords, Erik Von Grimm, and Magnus Jaroslav a mighty fleet of 50 vessels sailed from current day Vik, Iceland. The ships carried over 80 Norsemen per ship. The main purpose of this expedition was to discover new lands, colonized them, killing anyone that got in their way. The ships were made of the sturdiest wood, and expertly made especially for a long voyage. The amount of food and water that was onboard each ship was immense. A full two rooms were filled with food such as dried fruits, various nuts, salted meat, and other hardy foods. Weapons and tools were also included for the voyage.

Erik Von Grimm was one of the greatest Viking Warlords. At the Battle Of Lars he commanded a Viking force of over 1,000 against a British army of 2,000. He killed the entire army, and it's officers. He later sacked the city of Cambridge, looted and then burned it to the ground. Not just a skilled military leader he also had excellent engineering skills and was an expert axeman and bow shot. The King had especially requested Grimm to become the superior Warlord to lead this expedition. Grimm himself was a large man. At six feet and five inches he was considered to be a giant among others. At his side he had two five foot long swords, and five throwing axes at his belly. Grimm , unlike other generals, fought amongst his men. His ability to lead and command gave him notable status in Viking society.

Magnus Jaroslav was a general in the military as well. Being the nephew of the King he was the commander of several raids along Western France and Northern Italy. A great organizer and tactician he led attacks against Frankish Nobles and Germanic Kings. He himself killed King Charles DuMane, the king of Germania, in a long siege against his capital. Jaroslav is an accomplished swordman who sacked over a dozen large cities with a Viking Army of 600 men. Magnus stands at 6 foot and carries one large broad sword, and several throwing daggers. He is known to command the battle from a distance to get a better perspective of what is happening. He was chosen by the King not only because he was his nephew, but also because he is a proven military asset.

Several Miles off Vik, Iceland
Warlord Grimm looked at his fleet as the ships glided over the water. Large bearded norsemen rowed the ships, moving at a steady pace. They would need their energy later. Grimm looked at the custom made commander ship the king had built for the Warlord. It was a very long, but narrow vessel, allowing it to move at incredible speed once the wind picked up. Finely carved pictures on the side of the boat displayed battles the commander had taken part in, as well as a dragon running across the side. With a small storage area on deck for bows for every crewman it was a grand ship.

The Chieftan the Warlord had assigned to him came foward. Warlord, I have checked everything, all items seem to be accounted for. We have a sufficient food supply to last us many months. The Warlord looked at the young Chieftan before him. Very well Chieftan Yelm, you have done an excellent job thus far. Do not think your dedication and service will not be rewarded. The Chieftan looked up at the massive figure before him. What is better than to serve you? With that he walked away to watch the norsemen row.

OOC:This was just an introduction, just to let everyone know.

The voyage was getting slightly rougher. Grimm expected this, it was common knowledge amongst the folk that the rougher the water was the farer you were out at sea. He checked several maps he had with him. According to several previous journies the new land had a long coast. Grimm wanted to land at the farthest southern point possible, to accurately determine the size of the new land. Grimm was not only a hard fighter, but an adventurer and explorer wanting to walk through the entire new land. He had dreams of being an even bigger hero, equal to the King himself. This determination to bring honor upon his family name, drove him to push his men harder.

Magnus Jaroslav peered through his spyscope. The grand ship of Warlord Erik Von Grimm was no more than 800 paces away from him. Yet despite the distance the vessel still seemed large and glamorous. He threw his spyscope across the deck in anger. I should of been Superior Warlord he thought to himself. I, the conquerer of a King, under the command of a Norseman Warlord. I am the one Kings and Empire trembled at. Yet Uncle puts him in command. he stared for several seconds more at the massive ship before turning in disgust. His Chieftan Harold Burggs walks up to his distressed superior. "Warlord Jaroslav, are you feeling ill? You seem to be slightly out of color." The Warlord looked towards his second in command. "No Chieftan Burggs, I am alright. I only feel the pain of being degraded to a lesser command than I deserve. I believe I shall live."

Chieftan Burggs looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Warlord Grimm is a great warrior and leader. I would feel honored that I could serve as his assistant so that I may grow even more in knowledge. The King perphaps thought that at Grimm's old age, he could teach you some valuable lessons he's learned." Warlord Jaroslav thought for a moment. "Perphaps so, either way he should be my second and I his superior. The King knows it."
With that Warlord Jaroslav turned and watched and yelled at the rowers who were becoming slightly tired. Night would fall soon and the stars would tell them where they are going.

tag

nice job

I don't see how I can participate, but I will definitely keep reading.

Tag

OOC: Thanks for the comments. Next post to come is tomorrow or maybe tonight if I have the time.

Warlord Erik Von Grimm looked through his spy scope out towards the horizon. A wide and dark purple cloud hung over the sky, not visible without the spy scope. Small lightning strikes struck the water, still miles away. Warlord Grimm called for Chieftan Yelm. The veteran Chieftan quickly walked to the warlord's side."Chieftan Yelm, call for the boarding of Warlord Jaroslav's ship, I need to talk to him." The Chieftan looked slightly puzzled at the warlord before he finally said, "As you command Warlord Grimm." Going back to the suppy room the Chieftan brings back a long horn. He blew it three times, the signal for the joining of the Warlord's vessel. Manuevering against the current the two large Norsemen vessels gather close to each other. Chieftan Yelm and Chieftan Burggs both had several small throwing axes with string attached at the ready. Once the vessels were close enough the two Chieftans threw four axes each, hitting a solid block of wood that was used to gather friendly Norsemen vessels togther. With the assistance of several large rowing men the two ships meet touching each others sides.

Warlord Magnus Jaroslav stepped onto the mangificant capital ship. He looked straight into Warlord Grimm's eyes, "What do you wish to speak of Warlord Grimm?" Warlord Grimm turned to get his spy scope. He hands it to Warlord Jaroslav. "Look into the horizon, eastward. Tell me what you advise." Warlord Jaroslav grabs the spy scope and looks through the device. He stares through it for several seconds before taking his eye off of it. "Interesting. As a suggestion Warlord, I would gather the ships together and securely tie them together. This would prevent vessels to seperate from each other. There's no possible course of action that can be taken that will avoid that storm. We must go through it." Warlord Grimm thought for a moment. Magnus was an expert sailsman, superior to that of Grimm's skill. Finally he said, "Very well Warlord Jaroslav, notify the other ships of this matter. We must make haste or we will be doomed." With that Jaroslav nodded. He stepped back on board onto his own ship. Together both sounded the Horn three times to signify the joining of the fleet. Within an hours time the fleet was together. The storm could now be seen without the use of a spy scope. Soon it will strike the fleet, perphaps causing the destruction of the entire expedition.

The seas were becoming increasinly rough. The ships tossed side to side and low waves smashed against it's sides. Reinforcments of wood and hide were put along the ships vunerable areas to protect them from flooding and breaking. Preparations were made to have only the strongest on deck rowing to keep the fleet moving. If all went well the fleet would be through the storm in 30 minutes time. Of course, everything didn't go well. Warlord Grimm could already tell the approaching storm was going to be hell. He had never seen purple clouds so dark and menacing before in his homeland. Lightning spiralled out of the clouds into the water, and thunder roared as a sign of danger to those that come towards it.

Rain began to pour on deck in great amounts. So heavily did it fall that Warlord Grimm couldn't see beyond 600 paces. The waves began to increase in size and in power. They smashed against the hard Swedish Oak, bringing more water on deck. Despite this the Chieftans and Warchiefs continued to encourage the rowers. The crew on board had strapped themselves using leather to prevent them from falling to the sea. However, sometimes the leather wasn't strong enough and several fell into the deep blue waters of the Atlantic. Grimm believed he was nearing the heart of the storm. Waves bellowed onto the ship, smashing against the deck area. Warlord Grimm still remained standing, attempting to inspire those around him.

Turning to his left and right he watched closely the vessels of the expedition fleet. The vessels were tied to each other close enough so that they wouldn't be seperated and the leather wouldn't snap, but also far apart enough so that one large wave wouldn't overcome several vessels. The waves were still increasing in size. One large wave smashed hard against the deck of a vessel, the vessel received a puncture wound on it's bow. The vessel was doomed do a death at sea, the hole was too large for it to be saved. The Warlord watched as a nearby vessel was pulled towards the sinking ship. Some jumped across to the approaching vessel, then a large wave smashed against the sinking ship sending it to the very bottom of the ocean. The Warlord heard another smashing sound and looked all around for the source of the noise. Looking near the rear of his ship he sees two ships go down almost immediately. Another crashing sound quickly followed, soon another and another.

Warlord Grimm now looked straight ahead. To his amazment an immense wave, not 300 paces away , was moving straight towards his ship. He took out one of his large swords, and held it high for all around him to see. Then he pointed towards the wave and yelled a loud war cry. The Vikings around him responded with their war cry. The combined war cry nearly sounded out the thunder, and the crashing waves. Finally the wave came down. It crashed down into the ships, sending many to the depths of the sea. Then the sun came out beaming bright as ever before. Almost immediately the rain stopped and the thunder stopped. The storm had passed. Warlord Grimm surveyed his remaining ships. Chieftan Yelm approached him. "Warlord Grimm, we have lost 12 ships, and nearly a dozen men have gone overboard. Several other ships have received minimal damage. However I do believe we are of course." Warlord Grimm looked down towards the ocean. "Very well Chieftan Yelm, you again have proven your worth. Maintain our course, and feed the rowers. The current is strong here and the rowers are not needed. They may rest." Chieftan Yelm nodded his head and walked away.

Warlord Magnus Jaroslav looked at his tired rowers. The rough seas from the storm had nearly completely sapped the strength of his best rowers. He received the commands by Warlord Grimm to feed and give rest to the rowers. This he gladly did for Warlord Jaroslav appreciated the hard work his men go through. The only thing that troubled the Warlord was their current heading. For all he knew they could be going towards back home, but he quickly took the thought out of his mind. Such thought could kill a man at sea.

It was week 11 of the voyage. To Warlord Grimm the stars seem to begin to fade, distinguishing from the navigational stars from the others began to be increasingly difficult, perphaps the 33 year old Warlord was becoming old, or maybe it is a sign of the New Land. He may never know. The moral amongst the Norsemen were becoming slightly lower each day. The only thing that kept them going was their children and wives onboard the ships. Food for all still remained plentifull, and the fleet hadn't experienced a storm as great as the one several weeks ago. What they did notice was that the temperature was dropping, considerable. Floating ice chunks and sheets began occuring ever more often. The breathe was seen as the men continued to row, occasionally taking turns with their comrades.

Chieftan Yelm looked on as the men rowed, making sure noone losses a step. After being satisfied he walks over to Warlord Grimm. [/i]"Warlord Grimm, the men are getting anxious, and tired. Everyday I see our pace becoming slower, when will we arrive to the New World?"[/i] Warlord Grimm looked up, the young Chieftan looked deep into his eyes as to look for the answer there."Chieftan Yelm, I do not know when we will arrive to the New World, but I do believe were will be arriving soon. We have plenty of food and our men are amongst the strongest in the land, do not worry, we will be fine." The Chieftan nodded, not daring to ask the Warlord another word of fear of being punished.

Warlord Magnus Jaroslav looked out at towards the sea. Not a single sign of land was head, only floating pieces of ice. He sighed heavily, seeing his breath as he did so. Still looking towards the sea he yelled "Chieftan Burrgs, come here for a moment." Chieftan Burrgs quickly ran to his Warlord's side. "Yes Warlord Jaroslav?" Warlord Jaroslav turned to meet the Chieftan, "I request that you be truthful in your answer Chieftan Burrgs. Do you believe that Warlord Grimm has become slightly insane? We continue to sail Southwards, when we were specifically instructed to sail eastward by the King. I believe he is leading us to our doom, what say you?" Chieftan Burrgs thought deeply for a moment. Disagreeing with his Warlord could give his warlord a bad perspective of the Chieftan, but calling his Superior Warlord insane could lead about to his death. Deciding to speak in a low whisper he answers. "Well Warlord, I believe that perphaps the Warlord has forgotten the instructions of the King, and perphaps thinks that the best course of action woud be to go south, then eastward once he belives it is the correct time to do so. This would make our fleet land at the southern most tip of the New Land." The Warlord knew he was avoiding the question. He merely nodded and ordered him back to work.

OOC:Next post they land.

Warlord Grimm was fast asleep, Chieftan Yelm had taken command of the vessel as the Warlord slept. The morning sun was beginning to rise, hundreds of floating ice pieces still remained in the water, numerous as ever before. The Chieftan had ordered several Norsemen to push away the ice from the vessel with 15 foot poles, the other vessels began doing the same. The Chieftan watched on as the men continued to work hard. Getting slightly bored of watching the men perform their tasks the Chieftan picks up the Warlord's spy scope. He looked at towards the horizon southward. A noticable white landmass stood straight ahead. The Chieftan called over Warchief Jon Hurm, the oversee of the vessel. "Tell me Warchief, what do you see in the horizon, southwards." The Warchief took the spy scope, and put his eye to it. He watched for nearly a minute before he gave back the spy scope. "Chieftan Yelm, I believe that we have land, directly ahead of us." The Chieftan quickly went over to the Warlord's quarters. He awoke the Warlord. Once the Warlord was awake, the Chieftan gave him the news. The Warlord quickly got up, and put his armour on. He walked on deck and put the spy scope to his eyes. "Well, seems like we have found land, notify the fleet, and prepare a landing party, Warlord Jaroslav will lead the party onto shore." With that the Chieftan quickly went to work, dispathing the orders.

The ice was becoming thicker, and heavier. Despite this challenge the fleet still came close enough to the landmass to send out a boarding party. Four small boats with 8 men each rowed across, pushing and cutting ice as they made their way through. Soon after nearly an hour they reached land. The men searched for several more hours, making note of landmarks, before returning back to the fleet. Warlord Jaroslav was ordered to give a report to Warlord Grimm about the expedition. As soon as he possibly could Warlord Grimm's vessel linked up with Warlord Jaroslav's ship. Warlord Jaroslav boarded the capital ship and enterred into Warlord Grimm's quarters, bowing as he did so.

Warlord Grimm spoke first, "Tell me Magnus what was the expedition like?" Jaroslav looked up, "Well Erik, the land is completely frozen and bitter cold. The wind seemed to bite at my skin, and I could not see beyond 500 paces. I saw no natives, and believe truthfully that no person could survive in such harsh terrain. The land is much more fierce than that of our homeland. The good news is that there's plenty of animals, some bird like creatures seem to heavily populate the area, and seals have been seen upon ice pieces. But given that we are accustomed to such terrain, I believe we should immediately begin a colony, setting up a reserve food supply, and making clothing from the skins of the animals. I request a party of 80 Norsemen to fill up our food reserves. After that I believe it would be wise to send a larger expedition towards the mountains. I believe their should be some caves, there. What say you Warlord Erik?" Warlord Grimm thought deeply for several minutes, Warlord Magnus waited anxiously for his answer. "All requests will be given. As for the colony, I will permit 200 men led by you, to the mountains. You will find a large cave, and beginning digging. Make sure the cave is not too far from the fleet, so you could transfer tired men with new men quicker. Once the cave and tunnels have been dug, suitable for all of our people, I will let the colonization to begin. Of course at least 500 men will stay here ,under one of the Chieftans command, to guard the fleet. This all will take a long time but given we have suitable food, tools, and weapons. This is possible." Warlord Jaroslav nodded, and quickly left bowing. He needed to immediately go to prepare for the upcoming expeditions.

It had been two weeks since the expedition first landed. Meat from the seals and penguins fed the hungry Norsemen who were growing tired of the bread and nuts as their primary diet. A suitable cave was found by Warlord Jaroslav, and his team began digging. The cave was growing in size, and soon tunnels would be carved, leading to other chambers in the cave system. Warlord Grimm had sent several patrols along the coast of the frozen land, searching for the supposed Norse Colony. The patrol never reported the sight of a human being. The spirits of the men began to deteriotate, realising that this land is not the new land found by Warlord Grimm's cousin. Despite this the men continued to work hard, building the new colony. Within two months time the cave system had four large chambers and had sixteen tunnels. The chambers were massive rooms, 15 feet high and atleast 100 feet in length, and the tunnels were 8 feet high and ten feet wide. Hunters used the skin from the bird-like creatures to line the floor of the cave system. Many seals' skin were attached to the entrance so that less snow and wind enterred the cave. The digging crew was up to 550 men now, Warlord Grimm planned on to soon move the majority of his people there to live permamently. A small garrison of 400 would remain by the ships to protect them and to see if any Norse ships come to their rescue. Rescue was always on the minds of every Norseman. They believed the King would send another larger expedition to ferry them back to Scandanavia.

Warlord Magnus Jaroslav, Oversee of the Caves, looked on as his men worked hard on chipping the hard stone for the contruction of a new chamber. The Cave System's construction was going perfect, he thought. The chambers were much warmer than outside, and fires were on constantly to warm the rooms and to cook food. Of course the carpet of the bird's skins (penguin) were far away from the fire. A fire could be devastating in such conditions. The men continued to work hard until one miner chipped a large piece of stone, revealing a light bluish color metal behind it. "Wait wait, stop working." Warlord Jaroslav walked over to the bluish metal still embedded into the stone. He ordered the Norseman to cut the piece away. He did so revealing more of the metal behind it. Jaroslav then ordered the other miners in the area to chip through their side. Each side revealed the blue metal. Jaroslav turned to the nearest runner, the person who had trek 2 miles to the fleet and back, Take this metal stone to Warlord Grimm, it may have some magic qualities. Go now and hurry." The runner quickly ran to the fleet, deliverring the piece of metal.

After performing several tests on the metal, Warlord Grimm and his lesser commanders found that the metal had identical properties as steel. Not the normal steel but the sturdy Spanish and Dutch steel. Immediate mining and storing of the metal was ordered. It was named Grimm Steel, after Warlord Grimm. The large amount of Norse smith experts were sent to the caves to begin working the metals into first tools for mining and later for weapons.

Winter was coming however, and the Norsemen had never experienced an Antartic winter before. The men knew the winter would be fierce, but they were sadly mistaken when they believed the Scandanavia winters were the fiercest.

OOC: Eh, forum at my post. I don't really feel like rewriting it. Just to summarize several ships of the fleet sank due to ice from the winter. Most of the Norse people moved into the caves. Pregnancies increased.

OOC: Eh, forum at my post. I don't really feel like rewriting it. Just to summarize several ships of the fleet sank due to ice from the winter. Most of the Norse people moved into the caves. Pregnancies increased.
When that happens, hit the back button. As long as you're using IE it keeps it in the cache. Then you can copy it to the clipboard and log back in. Too late now, but for future reference.

Winter had past now. The fierce wind still blew, but the climate was less harsh. Twenty-six Norsemen died during the winter, thier bodies being buried in the snow. The mining had continued through the winter. Now eight chambers with twenty-four tunnels were cut through the mountain. The food was plentiful, but the Norsemen didn't overhunt, knowing that they depended on these animals for food and clothing. The fleet still lay in the waters, the crew onboard were rotated and mostly remained in the rooms, not daring to go outside. It had been nearly six months, and some Norsemen were getting anxious to return to their homeland. Unlike others some left behind family, wives, children, mothers and fathers. They hated the cold climate and harsh work they had to go through. Some decided to do something about it. One of these people was Warlord Magnus Jaroslav. He was becoming increasingly tired of the same routine day and day. He longed to be back in Scandanavia, fighting off those that dare to challenge the king's rule. Warlord Erik Von Grimm however knew that there was no way that they could make the voyage back alive. The seas were coverred with ice pieces of great size. Trying to even go through the ice field first could damage or destroy most of the fleet.

Finally one day Warlord Jaroslav approached Warlord Grimm, "Warlord Grimm, the men and I are eager to know when will we sail back to our homeland. We wish to see our families again and enjoy the warmth of our climate." Warlord Grimm looked down for several seconds before he looked back up towards Warlord Jaroslav. "Warlord Jaroslav, I believe you know deep down that we will not leave this ice continent. Our fleet is out of repair, and our population has increased since our arrival. I believe that it will be in our best interest to just stay here and leave this place once I believe we are strong enough to do so." Warlord Jaroslav stared at his superior warlord for several long seconds. Slowly he became increasingly angery. Suddenly he throws a clay pot against a wall, smashing into pieces. He began to yell at the Warlord, "Leave when we are strong enough?! Don't you get it we're never going to become stronger, we are only going to get weaker and slowly die off. Is it your intention to kill every single person in this expedition? Do you have no courage go back out to sea? Because I will tell you this. I want to leave this frozen hell hole, and I want to leave it as soon as possible!" Silence fell over the people. Warlord Grimm looked up into the eyes of Warlord Jaroslav. The warlord's face was red, and his fist clenched at his side. Softly the Superior Warlord spoke, "Warlord Jaroslav, it is clearly written that an inferior commander will not rise his voice to that of his superior. That is punishable by death. Be grateful that I have pity on your uncle and will spare your life. Take the people that believe in what you say and be gone. Make your own vessels and leave this continent. If I ever lay my eyes upon you again you will find yourself dead. Now go before I change my mind."

Warlord Jaroslav looked around, "Those who believe in what I say follow me, those that do not. Enjoy your stay in hell." A crowd of around 1,000 men and women walked off with the Warlord, leaving behind the remaining 3,000 people of the expedition. Warlord Jaroslav's Chieftan followed his superior, hoping he would find a way out.

Chieftan Yelm slowly walked towards his Warlord, "Warlord Grimm, I am sure Warlord Jaroslav will return once he realises how foolish his decision was. I wouldn't be worried." Warlord Grimm turned towards the young Chieftan, "You are good of heart Chieftan Yelm, but I do not think he will return. I believe only violence will come of this."

When that happens, hit the back button. As long as you're using IE it keeps it in the cache. Then you can copy it to the clipboard and log back in. Too late now, but for future reference.


OOC: Yeah I tried that but for some reason IE deleted it or something. Oh well.

It had been one month since Warlord Jaroslav's departure. Warlord Grimm had the garrison guarding the ships bolsterred to 600 armed men. The Warlord had heard reports that Warlord Jaroslav was building his own system of tunnels and chambers between one and five miles from his own tunnel system. The Warlord knew this confrontation would not end well, Jaroslav was a fierce fighter and would stop at nothing to kill Warlord Grimm. The Warlord had his men practice their fighting skills for the sure to come battle with Warlord Jaroslav's own fighters.

A hunting expedition was sent out to find and kill some seals for extra meat and clothing. The expedition came in one day with the food, three members of the ten man expedition were missing. Warlord Grimm approached Warchief Jon Hurm the leader of the expedition, "Warchief, what of the three other men that came with you?" The Warchief and the other members of the expedition were obviously tired and some had minor bruises. "Warlord Grimm, we were ambushed on our way back by a group fo 30 men. A hail of daggers came our way, and we tried to defend ourselves. My shield took nearly ten daggers itself. Others weren't so lucky. We managed to get away with our lives." The Warlord turned red with anger as he heard the news, "This is the work of Warlord Jaroslav. Damn him and his men. I will seek my vengeance upon him. Where did you say you confronted this ambush?" The warchief took several long breaths before answerring,"Near the breeding grounds, roughly eleven miles. A day's journey if you are cautious and take rest." The Warlord nodded and turned to Chieftan Hans Yelm, "Chieftan gather my weapons and armour. Make sure all our men are rested. For tomorrow I moe out with 60 men and look for the men who killed my men. You are in charge of the defenses while I am gone. Not go and alert the best of fighters."

The Chieftan did as commanded, within an hour the entire 60 man expedition had gathered their weapons, armour and clothing needed for the expedition. By tomorrow they would move out into the cold, frozen continent.

The voyage into the frozen abyss brought about great risks. Pneumonia, hypothermia, or just falling into a crevase were all common threats. The tough Norsemen however managed to make it to the ambush site. Weapons ready and armour gleaming. Warlord Erik Von Grimm stepped up from the group of 60 fighters behind him. The wind was beginning to calm, throwing less snow in the air. Then he began to yell loudly. "Intruders from the North, I command you to leave this land. This land is claimed by Warlord Grimm and any intrusion upon it is a direct insult to Warlord Grimm." The sound of the wind returned as he ended speaking. He waited for several seconds before another voice answerred back, "Warlord Erik Von Grimm is no longer the ruler of this territory. Warlord Magnus Jaroslav has declared this land to be his, therefore this hunting ground is his. Leave now, before we strike you."

Warlord Grimm stood for several seconds. These tiny men were insulting him, the greatest Warlord ever known. His face beated red as he surged foward. Just then the wind died down revealing the standing opposing Norsemen. Their weapons varied but each was heavily armed. Still running the Warlord takes out two heavy throwing axes in each hand. He doesn't bother to aim, knowing he would hit is mark. The two axes hit their targets hard, immediately knocking the wind out of them. The blade had pierced their chest bone straight into thier heart. Within seconds they were dead on the floor. Taking out two more axes the warlord continues to kill the enemy savagly. Finally he was close enough to engage the Norsemen with his swords, not before dropping eight fighters. The soldiers behind him were now advancing rapidly and would be their soon to assist him.

Warlord Grimm quickly took out his two Belguim made five foot long swords. Skillfully he slices one fighters throat as he cuts another head off. An axe armed Norseman runs towards the Warlord screaming. He quickly stabs the incoming Norseman in the gut. The man fell back, and dropped dead. By this time the remaining Norsemen had arrived. They each threw one dagger before charging into the fray. Within minutes the opposing Norsemen were all dead, save but one. The single opposing Viking was about to turn and run, but was grabbed by the enormous hands of Warlord Von Grimm. The Warlord dropped the Norseman in a circle surrounded by Grimm's fighters. "Listen Slav, I will let you live not from the kindness of my heart, but because I wish to give Jaroslav a message. Tell him that these are my lands, not his. The death of the two hunters you killed earlier will be met with your own life... Now go and tell him that. Hurry before I change my mind." And with that the man left in a rush, dropping his armour and weapons as he did so.

The bloody mess had killed 34 Slavs (termed to mean those that support Warlord Jaroslav), and killed six elite fighters from Grimms clan. The battle between these two opposing factions seem to never end. For two years only minor clashes erupted between the two clans, but soon the conflict would turn into a major battle between the Slavs, and the Grimms.

For two years both sides had engaged in minor skirmishes, causing the death of no more than 50 Norsemen. Both sides had acknowledged the territory of the opposing force, but neither seemed satisfy with thier piece of land, this lead to conflicts by the border. The Slavic colony was now estimated at nearly 1,200 inhabitants, while the Grimm colony stood at a strong 3,400. The fleet in the harbour was in great disrepair. A skeleton crew of 500 manned the 40 or so vessels, making sure they are in decent shape. It was here where the first large battle was fought in the War for the Seas. Under the skillful command of Warlord Magnus Jaroslav a force of 390 skilled Slavic fighters made their way to the fleet. While at the fleet the 500 man garrison under the command of Warchief Jon Hurm waited patiently under the ships deck, hoping that they would be relieved soon and return back to the warm caves.

The army of Slavs now where within eye sight of the fleet. Warlord Magnus blew a large shell horn, signifying the call for battle. Immediately the 500 man garrison onboard the fleet came on deck, Warchief Hurm was the first to see the army. Warlord Magnus called out to the young warchief, "Warchief Hurm, I demand you abandon this post, and come with me to our camp. There you and your men will be treated well amongsts the King's fighters." Warchief Hurm took several seconds before responding. "Warlord Jaroslav, you no longer hold any power over me. We will not abandon our post until we are relieved. You and your men are not under the King's orders. I demand you leave at once before we attack." Warlord Magnus let out a hollering laugh. The laugh was clearly loud enough for everyone to hear. "So you have made your choice Warchief Hurm. With this decision comes about your death. Now prepare to engage."

Warchief Hurm quickly called for his fighters to begin a massive volley of arrow fire. Archers lined up against the deck of the ship preparing their bows. These arrows and bows were the only missile weapons the Grimms had left. Wood was not a common resource on the frozen continent. Under his order the fighters released their arrows. The well trained Slav fighters formed a protective box around each other. The arrows killed only 2 Slav fighters. Warlord Magnus continued to taunt the Grimm fighters, "Your arrows have little effect on us. Admit it you are doomed, and your fleet will be sailed to our harbour, for us to leave in." With that Magnus lifted up his sword and his men surged foward, some carried ladders, and ropes with them. The men of Warchief Hurm began responding by throwing axes and daggers towards the incoming Slavs. The Slavs responded by throwing their own weapons, this time more skillfully. They dropped nearly 30 Grimm fighters before they had a chance to respond.

The ships were now more than close enough for ladders and ropes. By boarding one ship they could hop to another and another and so on. This strategy was proposed by Warlord Magnus, who thought this tactic would do away with the Grimm numerical advantage. The Slavs quickly boarded the ships, after throwing their last throwing axes and daggers. An intense close quarters fight resulted, leaving hundreds dead. The hop scotch tactic worked perfectly as every ship was slowly over taken by Slav forces. The last remaining ship left was Warlord Grimm's own capital ship which was the vessel occupied by Warchief Hurm. Hurm quickly cut the ropes holding the ship to the frozen ground. Within minutes his vessel was out of reach from the Slav forces. A fighter approached the Warchief, "Warchief, we have lossed over 300 men, another one hundred wounded. The remaining have fled onboard the vessels. What should we do?"

Warchief Hurm looked up, "Gather the ships that managed to sail safely away. We will set anchor back in the harbour when the Slavs have taken the ships they have captured. We are in no state to take back what is rightfully ours. Then I alone will return to Warlord Grimm to report the news." The fighter nodded and looked down into the deep blue sea. Unknown to them this war would last only 30 years. But quickly following that War for The Seas, comes the Great War, which lasts for nearly 1,000 years.

Warchief Jon Hurm looked through Warlord Grimm's backup spy scope. The fleet was gone. All that the Warchief could gather was eight ships. Most had received some damage, mostly caused by axes and daggers. Immediately after the ships had landed Warchief Hurm set out towards the bustling cave complex. The journey was a two mile trek through the deep snow of the frozen continent. The trip was made quick, in only four hours. Immediately at the entrance he saw Chieftan Yelm, keeping guard with his fighters. He ran up to his superior, "Chieftan Yelm, the fleet is gone. We were engaged by Slav's and... I couldn't hold.... we salavaged eight vessels... hundreds dead." The Chieftan looked at the distressed Warchief, "Take a breath Warchief. You say you were attacked by the Slavs? What of the garrison?" The Warchief took several long breaths before speaking, "A large army of Slavs killed over 300 of us, 100 more wounded and 100 of us still remain guarding. I managed to salvage the Warlord's vessel, but we must immediately return to the fleet."

The Chieftan nodded. He quickly ran to the Warlord who was at his chamber, looking through the food collected and consumed sheets. The Chieftan enterred through the Warlord's fur door and bowed before speaking, "Warlord Grimm, our garrison at the fleet has been attacked by a Slavic Army. A majority of them are dead and wounded, and most of the ships have been taken. Warchief Hurm requests immediate assistance." The Warlord looked up. Jaroslav had made the first big move, attacking the fleet that brought them to this hell hole. "I shall assign 300 men to the fleet, they will move to the location as quickly as possible. Also prepare an army of 500 fighters, make sure they are always ready to fight. If he attacks again I will be ready." With that Chieftan Yelm bowed and went to send out orders.

It had been nearly 30 years since the attack against the fleet. The Grimms had not been able to find, nor locate the position of their lost fleet nor the enemy Slavs. Minimal confrontations from both sides had been ongoing for nearly two decades. The "baby boom" had led to the rise of many young Norse fighters, all of which knew how to fight and fight well they did. Under the leadership of Warlord Erik Von Grimm the colony had grown tremendously. They now had over 11,000 inhabitants, most young men and women from the baby boom which still hasn't ended. The increase in population almost starved the entire colony but after some more increased hunting trips there was more than enough food for everyone. Warlord Grimm himself had aged physically, but mentally he was still the most skilled warrior and tactician. He practiced daily up to six hours with his weapons ensuring his technique never fades. He is as agile and flexible as he was in his twenties, when the colony first started. A burning hate still lingerred in his heart however, and that was the common hate for Warlord Magnus Jaroslav.

The Slavic colony had grown in size as well. The colony now had roughly 5,500 inhabitants, a great accomplishment after leaving the Grimm Colony with only 1,000. The fleet had been well maintained in the harbour, much better so than in under the care of the Grimms. The ships themselves were almost sea worthy, if it not were for the treachorous ice frozen ocean. Warlord Jaroslav had also kept his training up. The Slav's kept a well armed and trained army of 3,300 men. This army practiced daily along with it's great leader Magnus. Warlord Jaroslav knew this training would be vital in the battle which is sure to come. His scouts have reported increased Grimm patrols into Slavic territory. However the Warlord could do nothing of it. The Grimm's had a larger army, and possed the greatest amount of kyrie (the blue steel). Still, Warlord Magnus knows that soon his colony will be discovered, and soon after the great army of the Grimms will march and he will meet them in battle.

OOC:An introduction to the next post to follow.

A tired, young scout runs hasitly through the cave complex, he wears some heavy layers of fur and skin, along with some light armour. Finally he is stopepd at the entrance to the Warlord's chamber. The big guard spoke to him, "Of what business do you have with the warlord?" He looked up at the massive Norse elite fighter. Without a hint of fear in his voice he speaks loudly, "I have come to give an important message to the Warlord, tis not of your concern at the moment." The guard nods and lets the man through. Immediately before speaking he bows, "Warlord Grimm, I have brought excellent news. The camp of the dreaded Slavs have been found. It is no more than twenty miles North, I know of it's exact location." Warlord Grimm stood up, "Are you certain?" The man nodded, "I saw Warlord Magnus the Betrayer myself. Will we march?" Smiling the Warlord nodded. He called for Chieftan Yelm and newly appointed Warchief Klien Yelm, nephew of the Chieftan. "Prepare my army, we march North, the day of battle has come, all are to be called foward. All armour is be worn. We march to the Slavic Camp." Horns blew all around the complex, signifying the call for battle. In all 6,100 fighters we mobilized to fight this battle. They formed rank and quickly marched to the lands of the Slavs.

Warlord Magnus Jaroslav had heard the news as well. One of his scouts reported the movement of a large Grimm army, the camp had been found. The entire cave complex came to life as many weapons were brought forth to the mouth of the large cave opening. All 3,300 men had been called foward, they all rested at the mouth of the cave, waiting for the upcoming battle. Chieftan Oslo Jaroslav, son of Magnus Jaroslav, walked up to his father. "Father, the defensive lines are set. All men are ready, the women and children have been sent to the bottom of the cave complex. If they come they will leave dead." Warlord Jaroslav looked at his young 18 year old son. "You are brave my son, but do not give out your identity to the Grimm fighters. They wish to cause me pain and loosing you would surely cause about my death. Hold your section and all will be fine. Encourage your men and fight the good fight." His son nodded and went off to the lines.

Reports came in rapidly about the advancing Grimm Army. By day break tomorrow the two great armies will meet in battle to decide the true ruler of the Frozen Continent.

The two large armies were now in view of each other. The Slavic army had a four line formation guarding the entrance to the cave. The Grimm's followed the same formation. Various horns blew, and flags were flying high, this was the day that would decide who was the undesupted ruler of the land. Warlord Erik Von Grimm stood at the very front of the line, yelling words of encouragment to his fighters. Warlord Jaroslav did the same, telling them to think of thier women and children, for if they are defeated they will all be killed. Finally the voice of Warlord Grimm broke the silence as he yelled charge. The thunderous footsteps of over 6,000 fighters quickly followed. The Slavs had their throwing arms at hand, and when the fighters where within range they unleashed thousands of them. The axes pierced through specific parts of the Grimm armour dropping dozens. The Grimm's answered back with their own throwing weapons, dropping nearly a hundred. As the Grimm's approached even closer the Slavs brought of their Kyrie Spears (metal poles with a sharpened edge) A solid line of spearmen were put in the front as the Grimm's smashed into the lines.

The skillful fighters managed to dodge, or toss away the spears but some were not as well trained and fell dead. Warlord Grimm easily cut through four spearmen with his two five foot long swords. He sliced easily through the columns of Slav fighters, dozens approached the veteran fighter only to be quickly slain. The fighters on his left and at his rear were fighting increasingly hard, seeing that their leader was right in the fray of battle as well. The line of Slavs still stood, despite taking crippiling losses. Suddenly seeing the situation beginning to crumble, Warlord Magnus joined the fight. His mighty sword engraved with gold took many lives, chopping through the Grimm fighters. His men began to push harder, trying to drive the Grimm's farther back. Several furious swings of Warlord Jaroslav's sword brought down nearly two dozen fighters as they approached the Warlord. The Grimm's numbers began to take it's toll on the Slavic line, steadily they were being pushed back, soon defeat would be inevitable. Warlord Jaroslav couldn't let that happen.

He ran from his current position to that near Warlord Grimm's position. Warlord Grimm was hacking Slavic fighters left and right, bodies of fighters were being flung into the air after being hit by the awesome power Grimm possed. Warlord Magnus called out, "Erik Von Grimm, I challenge you. And after my victory I will personally have your head hanging off my wall as an ornament." Warlord Grimm pushed his way towards that of Warlord Jaroslav, he looked at the Warlord for several long seconds before speaking, "You dare to challenge me? Well then come foward Warlord, and prepare to meet your demise." With that Warlord Jaroslav charged foward towards his opponent. He lifted his sword high and yelled a furious battle cry. His first blow was blocked by one of Warlord Grimms swords, his second shot was dodged. Warlord Grimm now expertly swung his two swords at different body parts of the Warlord. All blows were blocked or dodged by Warlord Jaroslavs sword or his shield. This continious battle continued for nearly ten minutes.

A fast attack at Warlord Grimms arm cut him above his elbow, bleeding but still able to hold on to his sword. After receiving his cut the Warlord went into a frenzy, a blow to the chest gave Jaroslav a long cut across his chest. The battle around them continued as well. Everyone knew the battle would depend on which Warlord would survive in the end, for they gave the fighters their true inspiration. As the battle between the Warlords continued Chieftan Yelm stood at the line of combat, yelling words of encouragment as he continued to fight. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Chieftan Burggs, now slightly old of age. Chieftan Burggs has a long dagger in his hand, preparing to throw it at the battling Warlords. Immediately Chieftan Yelm gets one of his throwing axes out from his side belt. He throws it expertly towards Chieftan Burggs. The axe hits the Chieftans chest, breaking his chest bone and cutting into his heart. Immediately he fell dead.

Both Warlords were now bleeding heavily. The blood loss drained them of some of their strength, as blows became weaker and slower than before. Using all the might Warlord Jaroslav had he threw his sword up high, and dropped it hard into the sword of Warlord Grimm. Grimm lost the grip in his sword, and it was flung twenty feet back. Now with only one sword Jaroslav was at and advantage. He quickly saw his oppurtunity and began to throw countless attacks to the Warlord. Jaroslav used his shield to push Warlord Grimm, getting him off balance. One hard blow knocked away the final sword of Warlord Grimm. A hard shield push knocked down the old and tired Warlord. Warlord Jaroslav stood over his enemy. With his sword high he was about to finish the job. Suddenly Warlord Grimm hears a familiar voice, calling his name. Looking to his right he sees one of his swords being slided towards him. He quickly grabs it just in time to block the hard blow of Warlord Jaroslav. Getting to his feet he begins a new attack, using both hands this time. Warlord Jaroslav was now forced to block all the quick blows deliverred by Warlord Grimm. Warlord Grimm took out a dagger from his side and began using the sword and dagger combination.

Aiming for Jaroslav's rib cage he swings hard against his shield, the blow nearly broke the shield had it not been for the sword supporting the back of the shield. But now Warlord Grimm saw his chance. With his dagger in his right hand he thrusted it deep into the gut of Warlord Jaroslav. Warlord Jaroslav was in shock from the blow, giving Warlord Grimm enough time to swing his sword back and thrust it into the chest of Warlord Jaroslav. The Warlord stood still for a moment, there was a stunned look on his face as he slowly fell to his side. Though not dead the Warlord's strength was completely sapped, within minutes he would die. Seeing his other sword on the ground Warlord Grimm picked it up, and swung it high in the air. Using the very last bit of his strength he killed more than 16 Slav fighters. From that the right line broke, the Slavic line was broken. Warlord Grimm spoke loudly, "Slavs, your leader has been defeated, drop your arms and you all will be spared. If you continue to resist we will bring to fight to the women and children. You decide your fate." Slowly the Slavs dropped their weapons. One Slav fighter of high rank ran towards the fallen Warlord Jaroslav. Seeing this Grimm realised that fighter was the Warlord's son. The fighter stood by his fallen father's side. Grimm spoke to him, "Your camp will not be decimated. There has been enough killing today. A small garrison will remain in this camp to ensure loyalty." The fighter said nothing, nor did he even look up. Several minutes later the Norse Warlord known as Magnus Jaroslav the Great died.

For ten years after the War For the Seas the Slavic and Grimma communities prospered. The baby boom continued on, an average of 10 pregnancies were reported per wife during this era. Further cave complexes were built to accomodate the increase in population. During this time Warlord Grimm died of natural causes, his body was buried and a shrine was made. His armour and weapons were all buried with him. During his last words he revealed that Chieftan Yelm was of his own blood line. Chieftan Yelm was his brother's son, one of the reasons he had Chieftan Yelm brought along with him. The Chieftan displayed courage and excellent combat skills. And so started the Yelm Dynasty, which continues to rule the Frozen Lands.

A war between the Slavs and Grimms were still inevitable. A strong hate towards the other continued on despite the fact that trade and the arts flourished. Several Slavic cave complexes had formed in the Northerlands, they formed the Slavic Alliance, a trade alliance which secretly called for the defense of each others in case the Grimm's ever attacked. Already the Slavic Alliance began stockpiling weapons and armour in case a war ever broke out. These caches were kept away from the Grimm garrisons which numberred roughly 500 in every cave complex. Twenty years after the death of Warlord Grimm the total population stood at 76,000. 30,000 were Slavs, and the other 46,000 were Grimms. Cave communities dotted the land as the populations increased. Finally war broke out between the two factions. The Slavic Alliance immediately banished the Grimm guards from their lands and established several large outposts near the Slavic and Grimm borders. To counter this the Grimms began raising several armies bent on taking over the rebellious Slavs. Under the command of Warlord Salvas Yelm, the former Chieftan of Warlord Grimm, the armies marched. Three armies were mobilized, leaving four more scattered amongst the Grimm Cave complexes. Each army contained around 5,000 fighters. The Slavs raised three armies of 4,000 to counter the Grimm's army. Both sides predicted a quick victory. Neither would be find out that this war would last over 1,000 years, a terrible price to pay for the unification of the Frozen Continent.

The first battle of the Great War was between the a one Slav and a Grimm army. The battle was for the defense of the Burggs Cave Complex, home to over 9,000 inhabitants. The Slav's won a landslide victory, using the elevation of hills to their advantage. Not wanting to waste the momentum Warlord Oslo Jaroslav led an army to attack the Grimm Outpost Tartnum. The outpost was taken and 400 Grimm fighters were killed. A large Grimm force of two armies under the leader ship of Warlord Yelm marched to find and defeat Jaroslav's army. Warlord Oslo fled the scene once he heard of the massive army heading towards him. One further Army was called off defense and was mobilized for battle. For five years this War went back and forth, overwhelming armies challenge small outposts and defeated them. Nothing significant came about. Not until a large Grimm army of 9,000 met against an opposing Slavic Army of 8,000 for the battle for Burgs Cave Complex. The battle lasted two days and in the end the Grimm's successfully captured the Complex, roughly two thousands Slavic fighters escaped. The inhabitants were spared.

Knowing that the best defense is a strong offense, Warlord Oslo Jaroslav led an army of 6,000 to attack and hold Outpost Sicar a large outpost that held 2,000 fighters. These fighters guarded the precious hunting grounds vital for supporting the Grimm communities. The Grimm fighters put up a tough fight but were eventually defeated. A Grimm Army of 5,000 under the command of Warchief Erik Browk marched to the hunting grounds to defeat the Slavic Army. The resulting battle nearly annihilated the Grimm army, but the Slavic Army was crippled itself and was forced to return home. The outpost was later regained by a large Grimm militia column. With the Slav's remaining armies a force of 10,000 fighters under the command of Warlord Oslo Jaroslav, met against the 8,000 Grimm fighters holding Burgs. In the end the Slavs regained their lost city. The Grimm army returned home with 1,600 fighters, and 2,000 more wounded.

The Slavs were now nearly crippled, with only 6,000 fighters left total of the original 16,000. They managed to scrape together four more armies of 3,000 each. All four armies were ordered to guard the four Slavic cave complexes. The Grimms had a total of 20,000 out of the 35,000 original fighters. Four armies of 5,000 remained, and after rounding up some more fighters who haven't fought they bolsterred their army to 24,000. A fifth army of 4,000 was made to conduct offensive operations against the Slavs. By this time both Warlord Oslo Jaroslav, and Warlord Salavas Yelm were dead from natural causes. Each had over 10 sons and daughters, the eldest took power. The new Warlord of the Grimms was Warlord Erik Von Yelm, named after Warlord Von Grimm, and Warlord Magnus Jaroslav II, named after his grandfather.

The conflict between these two powers shfited back and forth with no clear winner after a decade of fighting. The baby boom continued strong as ever as every wife averaged nearly 15 children. Rotations were made within the armies to ensure that a man would be in the same complex with his family for atleast a month. So the war continued on.

Occasionally trading trips would be made by loyal Norsemen. The old ships were reinforced with steel in vunerable places and had their navigational systems replaced with reinforced steel ones. Despite being isolated from the rest of the world the Norse still had great knowledge in sea travel. The trading voyages usually lasted a year, and merchants brought back new weapons and material. Some never made it back due to rough seas and ice.

OOC: Next post is going to be in the 1500-1600 time frame. I don't want to go into every little detail about the Great War.

1500-1600's
The War had continued on to the great suprise of many. The war was the longest and most bloody conflict ever known to the Norse. The population of the land stood at an amazing 500 million. The Slavs had maintained control of the original three Cave Complexes but have also expanded in the North to incude over 150 more settlements. The original three were by far the largest and most well designed cave complexes the Slavs had. Each complex had room for up to 600,000 people. But the original three had room to accomadate nearly 3 Million people. Using machinery from the North and from their own tools they managed to dig into many parts of the mountain including underground. Each of the three large settlements had over sixty miles of tunnels if you tally how long each are. The total population of the Slavs now stood at 120 Million.

The Grimms also followed similar techniques like the Slavs. They had over 500 settlements which could accomodate up to 1 Million each but most never reached that high. Using reinforcements of kyrie they managed to greatly reduce the amount of cave ins underground and in the mountain tunnels. Rifles and pistols were brought in from trading expeditions. Only the Warlord, and Chieftans however wielded these amazing weapons. Most of the fighters still used swords, and axes as their main weapon. The Grimm population stood at 380 Million.

Living a life of war took it's toll on the Norse people. Several large battles with armies over 100,000 each drained each sides fighting able population. Still they continued to fight. The war still remained at a stalemate, neither side strong enough to take the other's capital city. During this peroid the greatest of battles were fought. The most notable being the Battle For Burggs which was the most sought out Slavic city. An army of 700,000 Grimms, met with an army of 630,000 Slavs. The battle raged on for months as both sides Warlords joined in on the fray. Warlord Oslo Jaroslav III was killed in battle by Warlord Fredrick Yelm. Despite the death of the enemy Warlord the Grimms were defeated when Warlord Jaroslav III's son rallie the remaining fighters to push the Grimms out of the cave complex. Over a million men died fighting.

1900's-Present
The 1900's marked the introduction of firearms. Merchants had purchased several large container ships with gold found deep in the mountains of the frozen land. These container ships had enough strength to crush any ice that came in their way and soon machinery was brought into the caves. Though cramped and in small quantity rifles were made by both sides. This caused the reducton of armies. With more men staying at the caves not fighting wars the population once again increased greatly. This was the biggest "baby boom" yet. An average of 16 babies per wife was calculated. Soon the Norse population was nearing 1.5 Billion.

In 2001 Warlord Erik Von Yelm XI marched a well trained army of 48,000 to the Slavic City of Burggs. There they faced off against 16,000 rifle armed fighters. The city was taken after loosing some 8,000 men. This would be the first Slavic city under the Grimm control for over 800 years. Another army of 35,000 Grimms armed with rifles captured Tartnum. And a third Grimm army under the commmand of Warlord Erik Von Yelm XI captured Jaroslav, the capital of the Slavs. The Slavs counterred by launching an attack of over 50,000 fighters, Using superior tactics the Grimms held on to the city until another army of 55,000 came to their assistance and defeated the Slavic army. From there five Grimm armies of 50,000 hopped to every remaining Slavic settlement. By 2004 all Slavic lands were under Grimm control except one. Yarrow held an army of 60,000 rifle armed fighters, including the Warlord Magnus Jaroslav XXIV. The Grimms prepared three armies numberring 150,000 total to launch the attack against the city. After three weeks of battle the city was taken. The two rival Warlords ended the conflict with an old-fashioned sword battle. Warlord Erik Von Yelm XI won descively. By 2005 the two Jaroslav, and Yelm families joined together to form the government of Yelm.

The Warlord Erik Von Yelm XI was appointed the title King. His son and the Slavic Warlord Viktor Jaroslav made up the three man Council which decided on the important issues of the day.

The Council of Three sat at in the Meeting Chamber. The Chamber was a fairly small sized room, with relics of the old age. The King spoke first to the other two members of the Council, "I have found out that there are more inhabitants on this continent. They are foreigners however and do not live here permanently. Our people live a hard life, one based on how good your hunting skills are. War has spilled the blood of our people into the ice and it finally ended not several months ago. I want to broaden our worldly knowledge, and I want to give our people new hope. I propose we make public knowledge of our existance." A silence remained in the room for several minutes. Warlord Jaroslav spoke first, "I agree" Warlord Salavas Yelm spoke next, I agree as well. But I suggest we re-build our military, foreigners may see us as weak and may attack us. I do not want to see our civilization die from invaders." The King nodded, "So it is settled, I shall make the annoucment as soon as possible"

With that the Council left the Meeting Chamber.