A Brief Bit of Background on Egil and Bjarni
by Egil Njalsson
(January 1997)

Egil, the son of Njal the Lawspeaker, was born on October 1, 1006 in the Westfjords of Iceland. As the fourth son of his father, he was not due to inherit any property worth mentioning, and was sent into the priesthood as a servant of Tyr, the viking god of justice. Six years before his birth (to the exact day), Iceland had officially adopted Christianity as its national religion; but as with many "official" religions this was largely a matter of government mandates which did not necessarily become immediately accepted by the populace at large. Nonetheless, as Egil trained in the ministry, he learned the ways of The Christ, and added him to the pantheon of viking gods. Thus Egil became a servant of both Tyr and Christ, and combined their holy symbols to make his own personal symbol (and later the symbol of his household), "the arrow/tree-looking thing."

The more he studied the two religions, the more conflicts he began to see in them: particularly the fact that Christianity was not open to the existence of other gods. Confused, Egil began to wander. From Iceland, he migrated to the Eastern Settlement of Greenland, and eventually joined one of the later Vinland expeditions headed by the sons of Erik the Red. Arriving in North America, he left the settlement and continued his wanderings, interacting with the various native tribes and in general looking for a place to belong. Eventually, in the year 1040 (at age 34), he discovered the land of Dragonspine, and found a spot in the nearby woods, by a waterfall, to establish his own household which became known as Egilsstead -- a haven for those who missed or desired to adopt the viking way of life. The people of Dragonspine did not seem to mind his confusion and reclusive nature, and eventually the old life was all but forgotten, though through magical messengers he continued to receive news of the old country.

Despite his quiet, serious ways, Egil soon gained a reputation as one who could be trusted; and he was often chosen for positions of leadership within the community. This fact remains true to the present day.

In the summer of 1041, Egil discovered a basket on his doorstep with a crying child in it, and a note attached which said "this is yours -- you take care of it." Thinking back to the previous fall, he recalled a druidic festival and the fertility rites which followed, and this made him smile. Though he knew full well who the mother must have been, he never told anyone -- including his son -- her identity, for obviously she had no desire to be part of the young child's life. Egil named the boy Bjarni, and raised him on his own.

Growing up in the woods, as the son of a hermit, Bjarni learned the simple joys of nature. From his druid father, and from his own observations and play, he learned the ways of the forest, and of the animals and stranger creatures which inhabited it. Growing up, he never knew a female influence. The few visitors who arrived at his father's longhouse were always people who could be trusted completely, so Bjarni grew up innocent and naive. He never experienced people lying, or trying to take advantage of him, so he learned to trust completely everyone he met. Occasionally, during his sojourns in the woods, he would encounter other members of Dragonspine, but each of these only served to reinforce his complete trust in those he came into contact with.

Through his father, Bjarni also grew up hearing the exploits of King Harald Hardradi of Norway. It is Bjarni's fondest wish someday to visit the great king, and perhaps even to join his army which is attempting to unite all of northern Europe into one great invincible kingdom.

At the coronation of Baron Solmoriah, when Bjarni was 24 (in what to him was the year 1065), his forest friend Ironpaw called upon him to lead the royal hunt to gather food for the feast that night; and he gladly came out of the closet in which he had been hiding to serve his land for the first time. Though he bungled the job completely, his youthful innocence, sense of humor, and enthusiasm ensured that others were willing to put up with his lack of skill, because he brought a freshness into their lives which they had not felt for quite some time. He was quickly accepted by the community as one of their own. His love for sausages became well-known, and was sometimes the source of good-natured pranks from his friends. He has also discovered, for the first time, the wonders of the female gender, and he finds this to be a wonderful new aspect to his life.

Though he is not likely ever to be entrusted with a high office, he exhibits some of the leadership qualities of his father, and became known as a specialist in dealing with the various non-human lifeforms which often pass through the area.

 

The anachronistic nature of this land means that the father and son typically appear 25 years apart (in 1040 and 1065, respectively), yet each seems aware of the doings of the other within their respective times. If they ever appear on the same day, it will be in 1065, at which time Egil is 59 years old; which is much older than a viking typically lived: apparently his mastery of the druidic arts has helped to prolong his life. However, at this advanced age, Egil's eyesight is sporadic, and he has become known as something of a mystic.

It was at age 59 that Egil first discovered and married the 17-year-old Elaine, who saw beyond Egil's age to the finer points of his character. As was often the case with vikings, several children of other families have been sent to be foster children to the couple, and even Bjarni now has a foster daughter.

 

If you wish to know other details of the lives of this father and son, watch for the stories of "The Meeting of Egil and Elaine," "The Death of Bjarni," and others. Andacar, the first resident skald (bard) of the household, is even now chronicling Egil's ancestry, and "Egil Njalsson's Saga" will be available for reading as soon as it is complete.

There are even rumors of further family members who have not yet been revealed to the populace of Dragonspine. The story of Egil and Bjarni will probably never be complete...

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