Anyway, I have arrived in Britain.
Although Rurik was a little surprised, the extremely exquisitely framed holy object in front of him was enough to prove that the old islanders had become the lambs of the Lord.
It is very normal that a large number of kingdoms established by Saxon and Anglo immigrants are completely Christian.
What about the various Celtic tribes in Scotland or Ireland? Are they all Christianized too?
Rurik did not dare to be completely sure. After all, the new islanders, this group of immigrants from Bergen, described the world in the south of the archipelago and the local people as so-called "a group of tattooed people." ". Is this really the case? How can these people with tattoos all over their bodies be the Lamb of the Lord?
Rurik didn’t have much illusions about the Holy See, and he didn’t want to think deeply about theology and philosophy. It was an endless pit of thinking.
I led a group of allies and brothers to distant places just to get rich treasures. If there were a lot of gold and silver hidden in the discovered monasteries, considering very practical factors, I also have to be a ruthless person.
But Rossburg does need to store some important Christian artifacts. In the future, when contacting distant Eastern Rome and other Western European forces, using these holy artifacts as a guide will probably make the contact between the two parties more convenient. rapport. The book "Exodus" written on a parchment is considered a holy object, and now this cross studded with diamonds is another.
Take a closer look at this silver and diamond-encrusted cross. It should be placed in the most prominent place in the monastery.
Rurik put it in his arms: "It is indeed a treasure. It is obviously mainly composed of silver, but you didn't melt it into coins."
The priestess hurriedly Explanation: "This is a sacred object that the priests fought to protect. We don't believe in their gods, but if we destroy the sacred object, maybe we..."
"Haha, will we be punished by their gods? "
"Yes. That's true. We are afraid of this."
Rurik really didn't want to say anything, "Then give it to me and consider it as one of yours. A tribute. Listen, I also want to know everything you know about the islands in the south, and what else? "The priestess just thought she had taken care of this. The dangerous army breathed a sigh of relief and now became cautious again.
"You...should know that there is an island in the west."
"Ah! You..."
"I heard something." He said , Rurik kept knocking the holy cross in his hand, "I don't believe that the old islanders have such a treasure. You must have snatched it from somewhere else."
In the eyes of the priestess and other men, the landing army was clearly prepared. The army has revealed that they will attack the south of Britain along the eastern coastline and send troops in that direction, but this is an experience that the people of the Islands have never had.
However, if it was an expedition along the western coastline, the people of this island had sent an expedition with a fierce Danish lord.
The priestess said hurriedly: "Do you know Lord Torgils of Bergen?"
Rurik shook his head, and the other casual family leaders also looked at each other.
Only Biyongni raised his bald head full of patterns: "I have heard of this man. I went to Bergen many years ago and learned about a man named Togils or Soji. The leader of Si, he is gathering troops to plunder a distant place."
"That's him! His fleet passed by our Gem Island, asking for some supplies, and forcing some people to help. He fights," said the priest.
“What happened next?” Rurik probed and asked.
"We have a hundred men fighting for Lord Torgis, about this matter..." The priestess immediately identified an witness to the incident present.
As those who have experienced it come forward and give their own accounts, Rurik knows a lot about the past events of this small world.
Who is that Lord Torgis? In short, it is definitely not the best in the Bergen area.
This person must be a military noble with considerable power to gather a group of brothers to go out and rob.
Hearing the descriptions of the witnesses, Rurik estimated that the so-called "Torgis Expedition" took place in about 826. The lord gathered twenty longships, plus three longships composed of 100 people who forced this Shetland Islands fishing port, a total of twenty-three ships headed straight for the Western Island.
These expeditionary Norsemen raided settlements on the westernmost island, especially attacking monasteries.
But when they were at a river beach, happily feasting on the captured women, feasting on the looted bread and bacon, and counting the various gold and silver items they grabbed, the locals' counterattack began. .
A large group of warriors smeared with woad juice and painted with black stripes suddenly rushed out and fought with the unsuspecting plundering army.
This must be the "Indigo Raider"! Rurik was completely sure of his judgment, and he was also sure that the Norwegian expedition many years ago was counterattacked by the Celts in Ireland.
This is indeed the case.
In the end, the Norwegian expedition team paid a terrible price of more than a hundred people dying in battle and defeated the enemy who suddenly attacked.
Based on this incident, Torgis gave the Western Island a clear name - irarland (Wild Island).
irar, the Old Norse word for "wild".
However, Torgis himself was not the first person to name the island of Ireland. In other words, any outsider who conquered the island would be horrified by the wildness of the locals. Even though the local Celts have become the Lamb of the Lord and will pray in front of the Holy Cross, the Druids have been replaced by robed priests on a large scale. But the "lambs" still remember the old traditions of their ancestors. They apply blue dye on their so-called tattoos and paint themselves all over.It is painted in blue and black colors to hide in the dark forest.
What good things can the island of Ireland have?
Most of what Rurik knew about this island was that from 1850 to 1857, two million Irish people immigrated to the New World due to the great famine caused by potato disease. Sadly, they became mercenaries on both sides of the Civil War. And the same people fight against each other. Second, the Irish fought a series of struggles to get rid of the rule of the British Empire.
However, these are all stories that happened in another world and another era.
For the current era, Rurik prefers to regard the island of Ireland as a barren land.
The incident mentioned by the Shetland islanders opened the eyes of everyone in Rurik. Some family leaders who could not hold back their composure simply shouted: "Since the people from Bergen did it, We also grabbed some treasures, so we should follow suit." As soon as this was said, some people immediately objected: "We must be cautious. Those Bergen people who were fully prepared also encountered counterattacks from the locals. , more than a hundred of their brothers died, and hundreds of others must have been injured. We have a lot of troops, but our equipment is not stronger than the Bergen people."
"Is this the reason for our cowardice? ? How can we be cowards?" The speaker was Osten's eldest son Geiger. This young man who was eager for money stood up, raised his right fist and kept shouting, as if he was targeting everyone. Ireland.
Rurik pursed his lips and gave Biyongni a wink.
Biyongni suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed the hot-blooded Geiger to the ground: "Shut up, my little brother, Rurik decided that we will attack there."
A pair of eyes randomly stared at Rurik's handsome face.
Ryurik deliberately kept quiet at this moment, because this strange silence made people feel more awe.
Even several locals in Shetland are looking forward to this beautiful boy giving them an acceptable fate.
Rurik finally spoke: "I! I don't plan to attack that wilderness island. I just want to go south along the eastern coastline. I don't want to go to war with any British tribes. Those people are just a group of people." Poor people. I will attack Northumbria, and I will attack their coastal cities.”
The term Northumbria is extremely unfamiliar to most people present.
"Rurik, is this a southern country?" Biyongni asked cautiously.
"Yes! It must be quite rich there. The temple there (actually a monastery) contains a lot of gold and silver, and the warehouses there are filled with wheat. If we set out soon and the battle is over, we can Seize the new wheat that the locals have just harvested. Not only will we make a fortune, but we will also have enough to eat.”
Although the brothers don’t know the inside story of this Northumbria, it is obvious that Lord Ruric is on an expedition. If you set the most precise goal, you will definitely win the battle.
However, these words made the priestess of Shetland tremble with shock.
"Young warrior, you..."
"I allow you to call me Rurik."
"Yes! Young Lord Rurik , you Narvik people actually know about Northumbria?”
This question really reminded Rurik, and he suddenly thought that these islanders said that they had explored In the southern seas, the existence of Northumbria and some local cities were glimpsed.
Rurik actually felt a little guilty about this matter. His understanding of the Seven Kingdoms era in Britain was very general. He only knew the names of the Seven Kingdoms, as well as a few such as London, Lincoln, Stamford Bridge, York, Edinburgh, Oxford and other place names.
Wait! Edinburgh? !
Rurik suddenly remembered that this city is the capital of Scotland, and its geographical location is exactly on the dividing line between Scotland and England.
It is already 832 AD, Edinburgh should have existed.
Rurik boldly approached the priestess and asked sternly: "Have your explorers discovered a city named Edinburgh? Perhaps it is a city in Northumbria."
p>The priestess was surprised and hurriedly confirmed: "Yes! Our men are exploring. We tried to exchange fish with the locals, and we did do a little business. However, those people forced our fishermen to change We believe in their gods. Since then, we have had no contact with them."
Rurik smiled bitterly: "It seems that abandoning Odin's faith is absolutely impossible."
"Of course." A local man said indignantly: "I've heard about the Danes. Their most noble leader believed in the Frankish god, so all the lords united and killed Odin. The traitors were expelled."
Rurik stretched out his right hand, indicating that there was no need to mention the Danes.
He deliberately asked: "Since you fishermen have arrived in Edinburgh, do you still remember the route?"
The man who just spoke stood up immediately. It was obvious that this man realized something. Big opportunity: "I am Hod Brodisson. I personally went to Edinburgh, Northumbria many years ago, and I was the one who experienced that event."
"Oh?" stay Rick raised his eyebrows, "Have you been embarrassed by the locals?"
When mentioning this, Huo De obviously looked hateful: "I was captured and imprisoned by them, two of them. My brother became a traitor and believed in their god."
"What about you?"
"Of course I lied about my belief and then let him go. I drank a cup of strange fat. I didn't betray Odin, I managed to escape."
What's this? Is this what the so-called "false conversion to regret" refers to? Rurik was trying hard not to laugh, but he managed to hold it back.
Obviously, there is already a guide for the expedition! It was this man named Huo De.
Rurik stood up and facedAll the islanders sitting cross-legged gave orders especially to the priestess.
"Since the lords of Bergen have called you for an expedition, our army in Northport (Narvik) will also call you. I! Rurik Ottosson Principoulos ( Duke of Ross), order your Gem Island to mobilize a hundred men to join my army!"
Rurik pointed casually: "Hold Brodisson, you are. The commander of the Gem Island Army."
Looking at the current situation, the islanders feel a pressure called power, as if they are no longer free people and have not become the hometown of Bergen. Instead of being a vassal of the supreme leader, he became a vassal of the Beigang people. They didn't care about Rurik's full name, they were just distressed that they were being used as a tool by another group of strongmen.
It could be seen that they were a little disappointed, Rurik chuckled: "Don't worry! You also have the right to rob when you fight for us. You rob based on your ability, and everything you get is yours." . I can swear to God!"
They were shocked by Rurik's declaration. After a period of silence, Huo De suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and asked weakly: "Is this true? We also have the right to loot, but not to hand over the looted property?"
"Of course. I need more troops to ensure that the battle ends quickly. Grab the treasure and leave immediately. There is no time to waste with the locals. I will try my best to plunder as much as possible this summer, and you fishermen of Gem Island know the route to the south better than us."
"Yes! Many brothers know the route. If we have the support of your army, we will indeed dare to explore south again." Huo De continued.
"You know the route, so allowing you to plunder along the way is the best reward for you." As he spoke, Rurik patted his chest: "My army is not for free. Fish. Let’s unite to form a larger army, and we will have more cooperation in the future. Remember, the people of Beigang and the people of distant Russia are your trustworthy friends.”
By now, the islanders' fear has faded too much.
The men in the discussion shed were eager to try the expedition. They volunteered without hesitation and vowed to serve as the vanguard of the army.
A short and peaceful night passed quickly, and a new day dawned, with bright sunshine shining throughout the harbor.
The escaped islanders returned one after another when they saw that everything was peaceful in the harbor. They learned of the major incident just after they returned.
It turns out that the fleet coming from afar is not an enemy. In a sense, it is a friend with a "big appetite" that can be contacted.
More than a thousand islanders accepted the call of the priestess and gathered together. A group of men and even young boys who claimed to be strong came forward. They intended to form the "Shetland Army" and join Liuli. In the "Balmok Viking Army" under the control of K. The weapons and equipment condition of the people of this archipelago is worse than that of the Balmoks. We cannot expect the locals to have chainmail. They all haveWearing leather and cloth clothes, wooden shields, hand axes, and short spears are the most commonly used weapons.
The eyes of the islanders reveal their desire for wealth. Look at the huge army in front of them. This is everyone’s most reliable backer!
In the past, the islanders knew that they could not snatch anything good from the Britons (Pict tribe) with their own strength. Now, they are bold enough to follow the strongmen to attack Northumbria. Ya.
Rurik stood on a high place and gave orders to more than a thousand soldiers who had assembled.
He made an impassioned speech, identified the clearest sign of attack, and deliberately described Edinburgh as a land of "gold, silver, wheat, and women", directly poking at the inner desire of every soldier.
People started to get excited, banging their wooden shields and letting out Viking war cries. In such a warm atmosphere, everyone ignored any risks of the expedition. They felt that the city called Edinburgh was a wild deer within easy reach of the army, waiting for hunters to hunt it!
However, Rurik still felt that these Balmoks and Shetlanders were inferior to the real Ross army in terms of momentum.
No problem, if it was a raid, such an army would be enough to attack and sack Edinburgh.
Rurik ordered the army to rest for another two days and recharge their batteries before setting off for the expedition.