The Court of Rus

[Tribes of Rus]

This is the court of Oberjarl Ingvald, it is located on an island off the coast of Helsinki. Helsinki is located on the southern tip of the Rus Peninsula, and the island is less than five miles off shore. Temperatures in the Summer can reach sweltering conditions, and in the winter it can get well below freezing. The court itself is located on the sea-fort island of Vallistein. The sea-fort itself is new compared to the city of Helsinki. Only 5 years old. The fort stands on a steep rocky hill. A tall castle was built to hold the court. The Oberjarl and his family though do not live in the fort.

Fort of Vallistein:

The Court of Vallistein passes every law in Rus. Jarls that come to the court may seek permission to change laws or create new laws. Once every year on August 10th every Jarl of the tribes come to the court. The Oberjarl receives 10 percent of his share of the raiding that each tribe did. Each Jarl tells the Oberjarl any issues their tribe has or any success they have. Basically they tell what had happened for the year; the High Seer records each court meeting with runes and symbols. Only other Seers can read them. Foreign ambassadors may come visit the court and ask for an alliance or anything else they wanted. It will be discussed with the court members and an answer will be given shortly.
Usually each Jarl brings five trusted warriors to attend the court with them. The warriors do not attend the court itself, but they rather attend the party afterwards. The warriors are also brought to protect their Jarl when traveling.

Party after the Court Meeting:

High Council
King (Oberjarl) Ingvald Svensson the Uniter- His word is law. He has final saying and is King.
Queen Eira the Merciful- When the Oberjarl is away then Eira will decide for her husband. Her word becomes law when the Oberjarl is away. She has the final say in the matter when her husband is gone and she is Queen.

Jarl Holger Bjornsson the Widower, Jarl of Joenstein
Jarl Leif Ulfsson the Serpent Slayer, Jarl of Medvediem
Jarl Rangvaldr Torsteinsson the Wicked, Jarl of Zofprog
Jarl Georg Roscoesson the Stubborn, Jarl of Vaasa
High Seer Vidar Thorsson the Mysterious, attends the council and is asked for wisdom, what the future holds, records each court meeting, and if the gods favor their decision.

[Rorukheim]

It's an average day in your kingdom. (Assuming it's winter) Snow falls on Helsinki. But through the winter's cold, your guards notice some shadowy figures approach your gate. In total they notice 3 all on horse back. As they approach, your guards notice one of them holding up a banner of some sort. Upon further inspection they see it none other than the banner of the Wolf. Rorukheim had come. The three figures stop before the gate. Your guard shouts down to them "What manner of business brings men from Rorukheim to Helsinki?!". The rider in the center, obviously the leader of the group replies "We are sent here from Rorukheim by Konge Ragnar himself to met with Oberjarl Ingvald to discuss diplomacy between our two nations! By the laws of the Odin will you let us in?!"

[Tribes of Rus]

One of the guards on the wall shouted down to the others below to open the gate. Very slowly the large wooden doors swung open. As the snowflakes were falling in an ever increasing amount the wind started to pick up. "Ye will be accompanied by five guards . . ." A howl of wind made some of the guard's speech indecipherable. "will guide you to the Hall of the . . ." Another breath of Njord blocked out the man's voice. Suddenly the large wooden doors in front of the three began opening inward. Five guards stood in front of the doors, they were clad in heavy furs and clothing, some of them wore chain-mail. A club or mace of sorts hung on the hip of each individual. As the three figures moved forward past the gate the men encircled them, none of them seemed very excited about trekking across the moor in a flurry of snow into the town of Helsinki. A man who looked to be the age of forty shouted to the three Rorukheimians above the wind. "We will escort you into the capital, please watch where your mount steps as there are a lot of steep and rocky points! Follow me with haste! May Njord coax Thor to lighten the storm in our way!" The man quickly started walking forward along the pathway. The rest of the guards nodded for the Rorukheimians to follow the head guard; the wooden gate was closed behind them as the group started along their short but tiring journey.

[Rorukheim]

The party wiling follow the guards to Oberjarl Ingvald's hold. The tie their horses and enter the large hall. "Oh great Oberjarl! I am Ubbe the Scholar, Konge Ragnar's son, we've come here to negotiate a marriage and an alliance with your great nation."

[Tribes of Rus]

The party wiling follow the guards to Oberjarl Ingvald's hold. The tie their horses and enter the large hall. "Oh great Oberjarl! I am Ubbe the Scholar, Konge Ragnar's son, we've come here to negotiate a marriage and an alliance with your great nation."

"Is that so?" Ingvald scratched his chin in thought for a moment. "Will you be marrying with my daughter?" As luck will have it Kari the Swift was actually in the hall, including the rest of the Oberjarl's family. In fact much of the village was in here, as it was very cold outside. Kari eyed Ubbe the Scholar carefully, she noted his relatively lean frame.

[Rorukheim]

"Perhaps I will, that depends Oberjarl Ingvald. You see in my country tradition has it where the man must show his strength to a potential sheildmaiden and she judges him on it. I may look a little lean but I am a good fighter. As you see...." He waves to the two guys next to him. The produce a bear skin wrapped around something heavy. "...I brought a gift."

[Tribes of Rus]

Oberjarl Ingvald nodded slowly, he had great curiosity with the gift. "You may proceed." Many in the hall were craning their necks to look at the wrapped gift.

[Rorukheim]

Ubbe with a wolfish grin on his face tells his men to set it down and unwrap it. It is revealed that a chest was covered by the bear skin. Surrounding the chest are a few dozen helmets of slain soldiers. You notice some of them are from what appears to be holy warriors. Ubbe opens it to reveal a treasure trove inside. Golden crosses with jewels in them, hundreds of gold and silver coins, some crowns and a ruby hilted sword. "This is my gift to you, Oberjarl Ingvald. All of this I paid for with blood."

[Tribes of Rus]

Ingvald stood up from his chair with shock, he never saw such treasure. Many in the hall gasped with delight. The Oberjarl started grinning widely. "Indeed you have. With Frigga's blessing you shall be married to my daughter Kari!" Kari the Swift was sent forward, she looked at the chest with great interest, sudden respect loomed in her for the foreigner. "But you have to tell us where you acquired such treasures! Tell us Ubbe!" Ingvald felt that he didn't know something that this young scholar did. "Where do you raid such treasures? Is it from those Southerners?" Everyone listened with much interest, even the dogs in the hall lay in silence.

[Rorukheim]

"I've traveled far. To lands where the sun never sets and there's seas of sand. I've raided Germania, Juttenland, Britainia, Espange, and Francia. They're filled with fat men with too much gold and with weak warriors. It just seemed ashamed to leave that gold with them so I kindly relieved them of their riches..." he looks up at ingvald "...and heads."

[Tribes of Rus]

(I don't know if you knew this, but the sun doesn't set in Helsinki sometimes in the winter. Also the farther north you go in norway, sweden, and finland then the more you see the sun and less night.)

Ingvald smiled, there was more of this he knew. "I will allow you to marry my daughter Kari the Swift, to establish an alliance between ourselves. But on one condition: We shall raid those people of Germania or what have you together. My tribes wish to accompany you."

[Auldenland]

An Aulden Messenger appears outside your encampment, he is unarmed and in formal uniform.

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