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It's time to start another saga! This time, we've decided to finish off the last of the "outlaw sagas." We're headed to south-western Iceland for the thrilling post-classical Saga of Hord and the Island-Dwellers, also known as Harðar saga og Hólmverja. In this episode, we meet all the principle characters (there are a lot) and get to know our protagonist a bit before he dives headlong into the life of a medieval Icelandic outlaw. This section of the saga features a troubled marriage, prophetic dreams, an abandoned child, a thrilling fight with an undead Viking, and an amazing head of hair. We hope you enjoy! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Poetry Music - selections from "Skjoldborg" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

After a full year of summary and discussion, the time has come to put Egil's Saga on trial. If you don't remember how judgments work, we totally understand. In this episode we review candidates for the following categories: Best Bloodshed, Nicknames, Notable Witticisms, Outlawry, and Thingmen. We also provide a tally of the saga's untimely deaths and offer a final rating of the saga. Will your favorite moment of saga violence make the cut? Will John keep his Nicknames section under 20 minutes? Will Egil survive the outlawry section? And does Egil's Saga have what it takes to join Njal's Saga as a perfect 20? There's only one way to find out! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

In this episode of Saga Thing, John and Andy celebrate the penultimate summary episode…again. Things got out of hand when Andy took over preparations and he made a whole episode out of the story of Egil’s son, Thorstein. Never fear, it’s a great episode all the same. This one will feel more like a family saga than what we’ve had so far in Egil’s Saga. We’ve got property disputes, arguments over who can graze their cattle where, slaves doing bad things in the name of their master, bloodshed, lawsuits, and regional politics. All the things you’ve been missing since we started Egil’s adventures in Norway. We promise you won’t be disappointed with this one. And, we've got a special announcement. Come see Saga Thing Live at the Scandinavian Cultural Center in West Newton, MA on Friday, January 31st at 7pm. John and Andy are uniting live and in person to revisit the subject of The Vikings in the New World. It's free! Register now: Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Review Music – "Who's Sorry Now?" by Memphis Five Preview Music -  "Gungnir" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Floki's Last Journey" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/    

In this episode, we turn from Egil's exciting adventures abroad to more serious matters back home. After the tragic deaths of his sons Bodvar and Gunnar, Egil descends into a pit of despair. Cutting himself off from society and family, Egil locks himself in his room to await death. After a clever trick by his daughter foils his plans to end it all, Egil finds solace in poetry once again. In an effort to eulogize his sons and come to terms with his grief, Egil composes what might be his very best and most famous poem, the Sonatorrek (Loss of Sons). With the mead of poetry once again flowing, Egil composes a praise poem to his best friend Arinbjorn. The Arinbjarnarkviða may not be as powerful as the Sonatorrek, but it's a great poem in its own right. As you'd expect, we spend most of our time discussing these two incredible poems. If you'd like to hear the Sonatorrek sung, Wardruna has recorded the lament. It's worth listening to, especially if you read along with the Old Norse original and a good translation. For those of you who want to go deep with the Arinbjarnarkviða, you can access the Old Norse version here. I also recommend you consult Þorgeir Sigurðsson's recent dissertation, The Unreadable Poem of Arinbjorn: Preservation, Meter, and a Restored Text. It's an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the poem. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music – "The Vamp" by the Rega Dance Orchestra Preview - "Fornheim" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Valravn" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

Put down the curds and loosen your belt. There's fancier fair on the menu today, friends. This episode provides a hearty feast of adventure and in-your-face surprises as Egil accepts an impossible mission to collect some long overdue tribute from Earl Arnvid in Varmland. After the king's men abandon him in hostile territory, Egil is forced to make his own way through the harshest of winter conditions toward the court of Earl Arnvid. Along the way, he'll make a few new friends and plenty of new enemies. Egil will also expose the dangers of playing with runes and make a little magic of his own. At the end of the episode, we dip into the Rune Sack to share a few observations and insights from our devoted listeners. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music – "The Great One Step" by The Victor Dance Orchestra Preview - "Jotunheim" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Fornheim" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This is our action packed dueling episode! Egil suits up for battle against a pale-skinned Swedish berserker hell bent on destroying the family of Arinbjorn’s sister. Then he tackles Atli the Short, whose magical invulnerability to weapons forces Egil to get creative in battle. And if the duels weren't enough, Egil and Arinbjorn go on a series of Viking raids in Saxony and Frisia.   Want to know more about the holmgang? Listen to our Saga Brief "Holmgang, Or the Icelandic Art of Dueling" and check out our further reading bibliography. The image above is a sketch found in the 14th century Möðruvallabók (AM 132 fol. 61v). It reads: Hér berjast þeir Egill Skallagrímsson og Ljótur inn bleiki. [Here Egil Skallagrimson and Ljot the Pale fight.] Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music – "On the Mississippi" by The Prince's Band Preview and Poetry Music - "Valravn" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 In this episode, we welcome Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri Haraldsson (aka King Haakon the Good) to the throne of Norway. And with the deposed Eirik trying to find a new life for himself in Northumbria, you'd think there wouldn't be time to mess around with ol' Egil Skallagrimsson anymore. But Gunnhild holds a grudge. Cursing Egil to a restless life until he crosses paths with her once more, Gunnhild makes sure that she'll get the chance to avenge her son's death. Of course, she'll have to accomplish this vengeance through her husband, Eirik, and things don't always go as planned when Gunnhild puts Egil's head in Eirik's hands. Find out what happens when Egil meets Eirik and Gunnhild in York. You can read Egil's "head ransom" poem here in the original. Pick up a copy of Egil's Saga in translation here and read along with us. You've probably noticed that our latest episodes have been lacking the brilliant illustrations of our pal Matt Smith. That's because Matt's a success. He's got plenty of paid work to do with real deadlines. We're excited to see all the stuff he's been working on and look forward to his eventual return to Saga Thing illustration. In the meantime, we'd love to see more illustrations of the saga scenes and characters we encounter here at Saga Thing. If you feel inspired to illustrate something you've heard on the podcast, please send it to us through social media or our email address. Use the hashtag #SagaThingArt when posting on social media. If we get enough, I'll put together a special gallery on our website organized by saga. Any scene or character from any saga we've covered is fair game. Finally, for those of you looking for a deeper dive into what we're talking about, check out our updated bibliography page here. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music – “Rainy Day Blues” by Joseph C. Smith Orchestra Preview Music - "Floki's Last Journey" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Fornheim" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, Egil mourns the death of his brother, Thorolf, at least until someone offers him enough money to feel better about the whole thing. Shortly after that, our hero heads home and slips into a love-sick depression. While composing poetry helps him deal with his feelings, he won't feel better until the wedding bells ring (or is it until the wedding horn blows in this case?). Meanwhile, a new rival arrives to challenge Egil for Asgerd's Norwegian inheritance. Berg-Onund has married Asgerd's sister and takes the property that belonged to their father, claiming Asgerd is nothing more than a king's slave-woman. This insult forces Egil into action, resulting in a number of significant deaths and a sentence of full-outlawry from King Eirik and Queen Gunnhild. The story is heating up. Come along for the ride! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "The Royal Vagabond" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra Preview Music - "Vanheimr" by Danheim Poetry Music - Asgerd Poem from "Bittersweet" by Kevin MacLeod and Berg-Onund Poem from "Lifa & Dauðr" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

In this episode, Egil and Thorolf arrive in King Athelstan's England. The good news - Athelstan really likes the Skallagrimssons. The bad news - Anglo-Saxon England is about to go to war with King Olaf and his massive army of Scots, Danes, Irish-Norwegians, and Welsh. We'll get a front row seat as Egil and Thorolf command Athelstan's Viking troops in the Battle of Wen Heath! If you're not familiar with the Battle of Wen Heath, then perhaps you know this incredibly significant engagement as the Battle of Brunanburh! That's right, Egil and Thorolf will both play a significant role in the battle that would seal England's fate. Are both Egil and Thorolf battle-savvy enough to survive the onslaught of King Olaf's forces? There's only one way to find out. Along the way, we talk about the major figures of the Battle of Brunanburh and the saga author's fictionalized stand-ins. You'll hear all about King Olaf Guthfithson of Dublin, King Constantine II of Scotland, King Owain of Strathclyde, the earls of Northumbria, Godric and the swift-footed Alfgeir, and the earls of Britain, Hring and Adils. We also touch on the origins of Alfred the Great's famous epithet and the life of his dynamic daughter, Æthelflæd (see the picture from Matthew Paris' Additamentorum episode below). Click here for an excellent biography of Æthelflæd by the boys at Rex Factor. Finally, we announce the identity of the very special guests we invited to join us for a Saga Brief on the Battle of Brunanburh. That's right, we've got a special episode coming for you soon with some guests we think you'll all love. And thanks to Danheim, a Nordic folk/Viking inspired music project, for letting us use his music. Check the credits below for links to the songs. If you're interested in hearing more from Danheim, visit his webpage or Youtube channel. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Wild Cherry Rag" by The Victor Orchestra Preview Music - "Hringrás" by Danheim Poetry Music - Poem 1 from "Vanheimr" and Poem 2 from "Hringrás" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

In this episode, Egil and Thorolf go a-Viking across the Baltic Sea and then up the coast of Sweden. Along the way, Egil falls into a trap set by some clever Curonians, Thorolf makes friends with yet another nobleman, and Queen Gunnhild hatches a plot to kill the sons of Skallagrim. We also discuss torture in the sagas, Viking ethics, time fudging in saga narratives, and the character of the Branno Islands across multiple sagas. We don't cover a lot of chapters in this one (get used to it), but we have a lot of fun. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Don't Be That Way" by the Chick Webb Orchestra Preview Music - "Intended Force" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Poetry Music - Edited selection from "Skjolborg" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, Egil arrives in Norway. While his brother Thorolf kisses up to Norwegian royalty and works his way into the families of Norway's most powerful influencers, Egil will travel to Atloy Island to help Olvir the Farmhand with a bit of rent collecting. When Atloy Bard, their gracious host tells them that there's no ale or meat to be spared, they happily make due with curds and whey. But something feels off. Atloy Bard is on edge and he keeps going in and out all night. Egil soon learns that Atloy Bard is also hosting King Eirik Bloodaxe and Queen Gunnhild in the main hall. And there's plenty of ale and fine food for everyone. Find out how Egil responds to his inhospitable host in this very special episode of Saga Thing. We also talk about the culture and expectations of gift exchange in medieval Scandinavia, structural patterns in Egil's Saga, the quality of Egil's poetry, and the pronunciation of Egil's name. There's something here for everyone! Thanks, as always, to Matt Smith for another brilliant illustration from Egil's Saga. We think he captured the mood of Atloy-Bard's party quite nicely. If you'd like to know more about Matt and his work, visit his website and follow him on Twitter. And thanks to Danheim, a Nordic folk/Viking inspired music project, for letting us use his music. Check the credits below for links to the songs. If you're interested in hearing more from Danheim, visit his webpage or Youtube channel. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Some Smoke" by National Promenade Band Preview Music - "Ginnung" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Berserkir" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we follow Thorolf Skallagrimsson to Norway with his newfound friend, Bjorn Brynjolfsson. While visiting Bjorn's father-in-law, Thorir the Hersir, they encounter a young Eirik Bloodaxe, heir to the throne of an aging King Harald Fairhair. Eirik and Thorolf soon become close friends and history appears poised to repeat itself. But there's something different about the future King Eirik. He's willing to befriend Thorolf against his father's better judgment. And he even offers his father's former foe, Skallagrim Kveldulfsson, a fine axe as a gesture of friendship. Perhaps things will turn out different this time? Along the way, we'll also encounter an old Saga Thing favorite, Queen Gunnhild Mother of Kings. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a refresher on Gunnhild's greatest hits from previous episodes of Saga Thing. We don't cover a lot of chapters in this one, but we make up for it in discussion. You'll hear our first impressions of Egil, discussion of the parallel structuring of Egil's Saga, a listener theory about the three seashells Egil received from his grandfather, and several interpretations of King's Gift, the axe King Eirik sends to Skallagrim. Here are the promised images of the Mammen axe head: Thanks, as always, to Matt Smith for the great Egil's Saga character portraits. If you'd like to know more about Matt and his work, visit his website and follow him on Twitter. And thanks to Danheim, a Nordic folk/Viking inspired music project, for letting us use his music. Check the credits below for links to the songs. If you're interested in hearing more from Danheim, visit his webpage or Youtube channel. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "The Vamp" by the Rega Dance Orchestra Preview Music - "Gungnir" by Danheim Poetry Music - "Ulfhednar" by Danheim Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

We finally made it! The fourth episode of Egil's Saga actually takes place in Iceland (for the most part)! After burying his father, Skallagrim quickly establishes himself in Borgarfjorð, distributing land to all and sundry. We also get to meet his sons, Thorolf and Egil. That's right, Egil is on the scene. And young Egil makes quite a splash, providing us with some impressive poetry and a few killings to keep us entertained. This episode may not be packed with the same kind of adventure and action you've gotten used to in the past few chapters, but it's got plenty to offer all the same, including an abduction and secret marriage, the boyish hi-jinks of Egil, a family feud, and some disturbing deaths as Egil and Skallagrim go tit-for-tat to annoy each other. Enjoy! And since I visited Borgarfjorð and young Egil's stomping grounds this past August, I thought I'd share a few pictures of the monument to the slave, Thorgerd Brak, killed by Skallagrim in his feud with Egil. A special thanks to Danheim, a Nordic folk/Viking inspired music project, for letting us use his music in this and future episodes. Check the credits below for links to the songs. If you're interested in hearing more from Danheim, visit his webpage or Youtube channel. As always, thanks to Matt Smith, our Saga Thing illustrator for providing us with yet another series of original portraits from Egil's Saga. And a very very special thanks to Sebastian Anderson (Andy's son), for providing the voice of young Egil. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jockers Dance Orchestra Preview Music - "Gripir" by Danheim, from the album Mannveigr Poetry Music - "Hefja Blot" by Danheim, from the album Fridr Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Those pesky Hildiridarsons are up to their same old tricks in this episode, causing further tension between King Harald Fairhair and the rapidly rising Thorolf Kveldulfsson. When King Harald learns that Thorolf has a large cargo ship laden with expensive English goods returning to Norway, he dispatches his most-trusted henchmen, Sigtrygg Travel-quick and Hallvard Travel-hard, to intercept and seize the ship. With that betrayal things reach a breaking point between the two men. Will Thorolf make the right moves and restore his lord's faith in him, or will he light the match that brings about his own destruction? Along the way, we talk about the theme of kingship in the saga, the logic (or lack thereof) behind Thorolf's choices, the value of understanding Scandinavian geography, some interesting nicknames, and the effects of a berserker rage. Somewhere in there we manage to toss in some references to old movies, Thundercats, and "Yakety Sax." Join us for the fun. If you'd like to better appreciate the action and landscape of the sagas, we highly recommend Dr. Emily Lethbridge's fantastic Icelandic Saga Map. It allows you to get a sense of distance, landscape, and place. Because we talk about berserks briefly in this episode, you might want to learn more about the subject. While we have talked a lot about berserks over the years, we've never devoted an episode to them. But you're in luck. For more on berserks, check out Noah Tetzner's interview with Roderick Dale on The History of Vikings Podcast. A special thanks to Danheim, a Nordic folk/Viking inspired music project, for letting us use his music in this and future episodes. Check the credits below for links to the songs. If you're interested in hearing more from Danheim, visit his webpage or Youtube channel. As always, thanks to Matt Smith, our Saga Thing illustrator for providing us with the above image of the Travel Brothers. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Rainy Day Blues" by Joseph C. Smith Orchestra Preview Music - "Holmgang" by Danheim, from the album Mannveigr Poetry Music - "Syrgja" by Danheim, from the album Fridr Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Our journey through Egil's Saga continues with chapters 7-15. This time, we're following the meteoric rise of Thorolf Kveldulfsson. Against his father's better judgment, Thorolf makes his way to the court of King Harald soon-to-be Fairhair. It's no surprise to anyone when Thorolf distinguishes himself and becomes Harald's most trusted and successful follower. But like Icarus, Harald flies too close to the sun. With all his success, he's managed to gather extensive landholdings, abundant wealth, and a lot of followers. Before long, rivals at court are working to undermine him and sully his good name with King Harald. Who are these rivals? What cause do they have to hate this paragon of Norwegian virtue? And will King Harald fall under their spell? There's only one way to find out! This episode includes the famous and decisive Battle of Hafrsfjord, where King Harald vanquishes his enemies and unites Norway (at least a significant portion of it) under a single crown (or so legendary history would have us believe). The battle places Thorolf, Olvir Hump, Eyvind Lamb, and their new fried Bard Brynjolfsson at the prow of King Harald's ship. We've covered this battle before, but never from this perspective. Perhaps you'll encounter a familiar face on the enemy side if you pay attention. Sverd i Fjell monument in Stavanger, Norway If you'd like to dive into the scholarship used to prepare this and other Egil's Saga episodes, visit the bibliography page on our blog site. Thanks again to Matt Smith for another original illustration. If you enjoy Matt's work for Saga Thing, you'll want to keep up with his latest doodles, drawings, and projects on Twitter. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "April Showers" by Eddie Elkins' Orchestra Preview Music - "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  A few months ago we once again put the fate of Saga Thing in your hands. You had the option to choose our next saga, selecting between two of Iceland's greatest literary monuments and The Saga of the Foster-Brothers. The will of the people was made manifest and we got to work. You've been waiting patiently. Join us now for the first of many episodes on our listener selected saga of 2019, Egil's Saga. In this episode, we cover chapters 1-6. Here the dramatic tension revolves around King Harald Tangle-Hair's rise to power as he seeks to become sole ruler of Norway. One by one, the best men of Norway fall like dominoes before him, dying in battle, fleeing to new lands, and even burying themselves in mounds to avoid submitting to King Harald. Some embrace the seemingly inevitable and join the swelling ranks of King Harald's supporters.  You won't run into Egil Skallagrimsson in this episode. This one is all about setting up the world into which he will be born. But you will meet Egil's grandfather, Kvelduf, his father, Grim, and his uncle, Thorolf. You'll also meet Kari of Berle, Kveldulf's best friend, and his sons Eyvind Lamb and Olvir Hump. How will these men respond to calls to either join Harald or risk their lives fighting against him? There's only one way to find out (assuming you can't read the saga yourself for some reason).  Please feel free to submit any questions or comments you'd like us to address from this episode. We'll set aside some time at the end of each episode going forward to tackle those. You can send them to us via email, twitter, or facebook. When you're finished, be sure to check out our Select Bibliography for Egil's Saga on our blog site. There you'll find citations for all the articles and books we mention throughout our journey through Egil's Saga. We'll be adding to it as we go. As always, a special thanks to our Saga Thing illustrator, Matt Smith for the portraits of Kveldulf and his sons.  We look forward to seeing what he does with the rest of Egil's Saga. If you like the work Matt's been doing for us, check out his latest project Metal Quest, a collaboration with Tom Pappalardo. You can keep up with Matt's latest doodles, drawings, and progress on Twitter. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Preview Music - A blend of "Procession of the King" and "Mountain Emperor" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, Thorhall Ale-Hood burns down his woodlands making charcoal. Unfortunately for him, he also burns down the neighboring woods that belong to 6 of Iceland's most powerful chieftains. The woods aren't terribly important to them, but when Iceland's bully chieftains see a financial opportunity, they take it. This short saga tells the story of Ale-Hood's attempt to defend himself against the chieftains. If you liked Bandamanna Saga, then you'll love The "Saga" of Ale-Hood. It's a quick one, but it's full of laughs. Thanks, as always, to Matt Smith for another original drawing. This one depicts Thorkel Fringe, one of the saga's bad guys, in a compromising position. Listen to the episode to find out more. You can visit Matt's webpage and follow him on Twitter to see more of his work. We managed to do both the summary and the judgments for this one. It's been a while since that happened. Judgments start at 1:03:31. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Crowd Hammer" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/    

At long last, it's time to put Flóamanna saga on trial. In this episode we debate the literary merits of Flóamanna saga, trying to determine if there are any at all. Along the way, we highlight the saga's best moments, including some gems from little Thorfinn. There's also some of the usual bickering over the quality of our thingman selections. This was a fun one to record, probably because we were finally finished with this wacky saga once and for all. Is this the saga that sets the low bar for all the family sagas? Will John and Andy punish it with a final rating of 1 for the pain it inflicted upon them while trying to prepare the summaries? Listen now and all will be revealed! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode we rejoin Thorgils Scar-Leg’s Step-son on the icy shores of Greenland. Of the 35 men and women who traveled with him to Greenland, his only companions are his son Thorleif and a pair of helpful brothers, Kol and Starkað. And then there’s the child, Thorfinn, nourished by his father’s love and bloody breast milk. Together these castaways must battle the elements on land and sea to make their way home again. Along the way they’ll encounter troll women, a polar bear, terrible Vikings, and more than one opportunity to duel. There’s even a guest appearance by everyone’s favorite grumpy pagan, Eirik the Red. Nearly a decade after being shipwrecked in Greenland, Thorgils finally returns to Iceland. He’s greeted by his daughter Thorney, now grown into a beautiful young woman. In his absence, Thorny was married to Bjarni of Grof, an arrangement that Thorgils finds less than ideal. And when he attempts to take the lovely Helga as his own bride, Thorgils ends up feuding with a rival suitor, Asgrim Ellida-Grimsson, a familiar name from Njal’s Saga. This conflict threatens to disrupt the relative peace of the region and prompts one of John’s thingmen into action. Will young Thorfinn survive the journey from Greenland? Does Thorstein the red-shirted Norwegian companion ever die? Will Thorgils manage to rearrange his daughter’s marriage to his liking? Does Helga choose Thorgils or Asgrim? Or is her opinion not worth a hill of beans? And which thingman emerges from John’s mead hall to settle the dispute over her hand? Find out in the sometimes thrilling but poorly told conclusion to Floamanna Saga! Thanks as always to Matt Smith for contributing another original drawing. Check out his webpage or Twitter account to keep up with Matt's latest projects. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Review Music - "Some Smoke" by National Promenade Band Summary Music - "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

Just in time for Halloween, John and Andy return for the second part of Flóamanna saga. When last we left you, our hero, Thorgils had battled two restless spirits. This time around, he's taking on berserks, madmen, and everyone's favorite hammer-wielding deity. As if that wasn't scary enough for you, Thorgils also contends with a shipwreck in Greenland, starvation, the walking dead, and a hungry baby. Along the way, we talk about keg duels, a lucky Norwegian companion, and male lactation. Check out some of our sources: Oren Falk, "Bystanders and Hearsayers First: Reassessing the Role of the Audience in Duelling," in A Great Effusion of Blood: Interpreting Medieval Violence edited by Mark D. Meyerson, Daniel Thiery, and Oren Falk. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004: 98-130. Caroline Walker Bynum. Jesus as Mother: Studies in the Spirituality of the High Middle Ages. Berkeley and Los Angeles: The University of California Press, 1982. Barbara Orland. "Why Could Early Modern Men Lactate? Gender Identity and Metabolic Narrations in Humoral Medicine" in Medieval and Renaissance Lactations: Images, Rhetorics, Practices edited by Jutta Gisela Sperling. Burlington: Ashgate, 2013: 37-54. Nikhil Swaminathan. "Strange but True: Males Can Lactate" Scientific American September 6, 2007. A special thank you to Matt Smith, aka Barbarian Lord on Twitter, for sharing his talents with us once again. This original drawing will make more sense once you listen to the episode. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Review Music - "On the Mississippi" by Prince's Band Summary Music - A blending of "Classic Horror 2" and "Unease" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

IT ONLY TOOK US NINE MONTHS Sure it was recorded in February, but that's not stopping us from releasing this episode looking back on one of the best years in gaming and movies - 2017! Anthony, Jake, and Nate break down their favorites from video games, theatrical releases, and even from their personal lives on what made 2017 so damn amazing. NOT JUST VIDEO GAMES Even though we skew more on the side of video games here at Game and Movie, this episode features more movies than ever before. Jake and Nate break down hard on the movie and even Netflix scene for the best of the best. Hell, even some worsts get thrown around! WHAT MADE 2017 SPECIAL? Exactly what made 2017 important to you? Do you agree with our picks? There was a hell of a lot of media produced last year, and a lot of it was pretty damn good. Have a list of games or movies you want to share with us now that you've had nine months to digest? We would love to hear your picks! LISTEN/SUBSCRIBE: iTUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/game-and-movie-podcast/id1082652473?mt=2 GOOGLE PLAY: https://goo.gl/N1tep4 SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/game-and-movie-podcast YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfb8tD_Rtgb_mx9TwTwuXQ STITCHER: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/game-and-movie TUNEIN: http://tunein.com/radio/GAME-AND-MOVIE-PODCAST-p865572/ CONNECT: WEBSITE: http://www.gameandmoviepodcast.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/gameandmoviepodcast TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GAMEANDMOVIEUSA TUMBLR: http://gameandmoviepodcast.tumblr.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/gameandmoviepodcast E-MAIL: gameandmoviehellyeah@gmail.com PHONE: (414) 530-5432 Call us with your hot movie and gaming takes! Get on the horn with that drunk dial and we’ll react on a future episode! Sound-Off, GaM-ers! MUSIC CREDITS: INTRO MUSIC: “Fillmore (8-Bit Remix)” - youtu.be/BE4BTKSDecI (Original score "Fillmore" composed by Yuzo Koshiro) - Actraiser [SNES/SFC] 2ND SONG: "A Fine Day for a Walk" - COMPOSED BY: Dan Pantzig 3RD SONG: "Hard Gay" - COMPOSED BY: Dan Pantzig 4TH SONG: "Stranger in a Strange Game" - COMPOSED BY: Dan Pantzig OUTRO MUSIC: Written and used with permission by Mark Peterson EDITED BY: TIM REDFORD

This is the saga of the hero Thorgils Scar-leg's Stepson. In this episode, you’ll encounter a number of Thorgils’ ancestors, starting with Atli the Slender, who was given charge of Sogn in Norway by Halfdan the Black. The story of Thorgil’s family is tied to this land and their claim of sovereignty over it despite the objections of several generations of Norwegian royalty. You’ll also meet Thorgils’ great-grandfather, Hallstein Atlason, a noble chieftain who was forced to flee Norway due to rising tensions with King Harald Fair-hair and the results of a hastily made oath to be a fair-minded judge. But don’t worry about Hallstein. Things turn out well for him in Iceland, where he marries the lovely Thora Olvisdöttir and becomes both popular and quite powerful. After he dies happily in his old age, we’re introduced to his son, Atli, a meddlesome man who enjoys wielding power and influence. In the end, Atli gets caught up in a property dispute that proves fatal. Fortunately, Atli’s young son, Thord proves a capable avenger. Young Thord survives just long enough to father our saga’s hero, Thorgils, before disappearing at sea. Thorgils has a bit of a rough start in Iceland, but he’s soon off adventuring, making friends with Norwegian royalty, and wrestling with the walking dead. Yes, Thorgils is a monster killer. But he’s more than that. Learn all about his life, his adventures, and the miracles he performs as Saga Thing takes on Flóamanna Saga! As always, a special thanks to our resident Saga Thing Artist, Matt Smith, for bringing these stories to life through his talents. This time around, we've got the restless corpse of Audun's mother, Gyda, popping out of her coffin to get one last hug from her baby boy. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Darkling" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

DO INDIE GAMES MAKE LIFE BETTER? You bet your sweet ass they do! Welcome back to Weak Points. A shorter format (?!) podcast that focuses in on specific topics. This episode the original crew from episode one is back! It's more indie games that we love! Mark, Tony, and Dieter each bring three of their beloved indies to discuss and explore with each other while simultaneously firing off predictable dick jokes, witty interpersonal verbal insults, and the unavoidable dread and realization that we are adults now. We have spent our youth and now we face the back half of life where nothing is new and the pains multiply. Each of us knows that death is starting to get scarily close. In the back of our minds, everyday, there's a voice that gets louder and harder to ignore. It says, simply, "you are going to die". For some of us, maybe that day is coming soon. WHOA, THAT GOT DARK No shit. Welcome to being an adult. I mean really, the luckiest of us might have 40 more years before it's over. But is that truly what you would call lucky? Watching all of your friends and loved ones die? Your body slowly revolting against you until your existence finally fully compromises, robbing your mind of its last incredibly sad and lonely thought? No. That's not luck. But you know, we all gotta go sometime, so why the fuck not get silly and talk about the few things in life that make us happy!? INDIE GAMES! WHOA, YOU MADE IT NOT SO DARK I had to. I realized I was being a cynical Cyndi by saying awful things with a wink and a smile. Not everyone gets that I'm joking by magnifying the self aware mortality. I was. It also proves a point about what it means to be an adult gamer, and in turn illustrates how important an amazing game can have on your mental health. Besides, I already wrote the turnaround to end the last paragraph, so lets focus on our favorite interactive joys we brought to the table today. Let's turn up the mirth in this bitch and get down to business! SO, YOU EACH PICKED THREE GAMES...? Yup. The title of this episode is more indie games that we love. And we all take turns like nice boys. I'm not going to list them here, but if you must peek ahead and spoil yourself, you can always peek at the music credits below. I wouldn't do that, though. Why ruin the surprise? If you keep cheating yourself of these simple joys, that voice in the back of your head gets louder. Don't make it louder, enjoy your life and this long overdue episode of Weak Points. We truly love you. Rate us five stars on iTunes and give us money. MUSIC CREDITS: INTRO MUSIC: “Fillmore (8-Bit Remix)” - youtu.be/BE4BTKSDecI 2ND SONG: "By The Mallet Of Mario" - COMPOSED BY: PixlCrushr The Swapper - COMPOSED BY: Carlo Castellano 3RD SONG: "Alt Theme A" 4TH SONG: "Observatory" Ultimate Chickenhorse - COMPOSED BY: Vibe Avenue 5TH SONG: "Main Title" 6TH SONG: "Waterfall" Golf Story - COMPOSED BY: Joel Steudler 7TH SONG: "WellWorn Grove Challenge" 8TH SONG: "CheekyBeak Peak Course 1" Stacking - COMPOSED BY: Peter McConnell 9TH SONG: " Lounging Around" 10TH SONG: "Intro Cinematic" Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime - COMPOSED BY: Ryan Henwood 11TH SONG: "Cetus" 12TH SONG: "Launch Into Deep Space" Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes - COMPOSED BY: Liam Sauvé 13TH SONG: "Wait" 14TH SONG: "MELTEDTHREE" 15TH SONG: "PITCHFORK" Firewatch - COMPOSED BY: Chris Remo 16TH SONG: "Something's Wrong" 17TH SONG: "Camp Approach" 18TH SONG: "Stay in Your Tower and Watch" Cuphead - COMPOSED BY: Evan Skolnick 19TH SONG: " Introduction [Music]" 20TH SONG: "Inkwell Isle One" 21ST SONG: "Carnival Kerfuffle" Cave Story - COMPOSED BY: Daisuke Amaya 22ND SONG: "Cave Story (Plantation / Main Theme)" 23RD SONG: "Last Battle (Vs Undead Core Final Battle)" 24TH SONG: "Eyes Of Flame (Boss Theme #2)" 25TH SONG: "Meltdown 2 (Sand Zone)" Cuphead - COMPOSED BY: Evan Skolnick 26TH SONG: "Fiery Frolic" OUTRO MUSIC: Written and used with permission by Mark Peterson

In this episode, John and Andy continue to follow the adventures of the increasingly unlikable Bui Andridsson. We begin with a much needed change of scenery as Bui flees Iceland. I turns out that some people still hold a grudge for Bui's slaying of Thorstein. In Norway, Bui meets with a somewhat hostile King Harald Fairhair and his foster-father, King Dofri. Oh, and he happens to be a giant who lives in a mountain. What kind of shenanigans will Bui get up to this time? Will Bui reunite with his beloved Olof? And will he ever reconcile with the powerful family of Thorgrim the goði? And who is the striking young stranger wrestling with Bui at the end of the saga? Find out as we wrap up our summary of Kjalnesinga Saga. Thanks to Matt Smith for sharing his talents. This original drawing shows Bui meeting the imposing, but strangely seductive Frið. As you'll hear, she proves to be a bit more woman than Bui can handle. Matt wrote and illustrated Barbarian Lord, a graphic novel heavily inspired by the Icelandic Sagas.  You can see more of his work here: matt-illustrations.com. Again, if you like what he's doing for Saga Thing, drop him a line and express your appreciation on Twitter, where he's @barbarianlord. Be sure to listen through to the end, because we finally announce the winners of our Promote Saga Thing Contest. Winners should get in touch with us at sagathingpodcast@gmail.com with info on where to send the Saga Thing t-shirt. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Review Music - "Snake Rag" by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNQx3KPxifQ

As we have mentioned recently on social media, the great Matt Smith has agreed to join the Saga Thing team and provide us with an original drawing for each saga episode. We’re excited to be working with him. You’ll get a fuller appreciation of each image he creates for us by listening to the episode. I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that this image was inspired by one of the climaxes of the saga. One of the climaxes? Yes. Just one of many.  Thanks again to Matt for donating his time and talents. Matt wrote and illustrated Barbarian Lord, a graphic novel heavily inspired by the Icelandic Sagas.  You can see more of his work here: matt-illustrations.com. Welcome to the team, Matt! If you like what he's doing for Saga Thing, drop him a line and express your appreciation on Twitter, where he's @barbarianlord. In this episode, we discuss the first half of Kjalnesinga saga (The Saga of the People of Kjalarnes). You’re not alone if the name doesn’t ring a bell. This saga isn’t widely read or commented upon, despite being full of interesting tidbits for further discussion. For example, Kjalnesinga saga is the only saga whose action takes place within the modern boundaries of Reykjavík.  If you’ve been to Iceland’s capital, then you’ve no doubt seen the impressive Mount Esja (Esjan) looming across the bay. This saga offers some clues about where the mountain and the places around it got their names, at least according to the saga author.  In addition to some fascinating toponomy, Kjalnesinga saga looks into the lives of the first two generations of settlers in Kjalarnes, starting with Helgi Bjolan and a group of Irish immigrants that he graciously welcomes into his land. The majority of the action concerns the children of these initial settlers.  Here’s a quick key for those of you who have trouble keeping track of all the names. As if a genealogical tree wasn’t enough, we’ve also got a map of Kjalarnes for you, generously prepared for us by Rob from Totalus Rankium podcast, using Emily Lethbridge's Icelandic Saga Map.  to get a sense of the region and who lives where. Rob is an unofficial/official member of the Saga Thing team. We look forward to more awesome maps from Rob for future episodes. If you find these maps helpful, let Rob know on Twitter, where he's @TotalusRankium. When you've finished digesting all this great info, give the episode a listen. Kjalnesinga saga features a vivid description of a pagan temple, rising tensions between Irish Christian immigrants and the just-a-little-less-recently-immigrated pagan Icelanders, one of our more violent slayings (which is really saying something), an official holmgang, and our first ever love quadrangle…or square, if you will. There’s plenty here for everyone. Because we promised a link to our Saga Brief on the holmgang, as if you haven't already heard it, I'm providing it. John put no effort or time into providing this link, just as I suspected. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Summary Music - "Galway" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

   It's time to put The Saga of Droplaug's Sons on trial.  We've got spears flying through dung beetles and testicles left and right in this episode.  If that's not enough for you, there's a man running across the heath in nothing but a bed sheet.  And don't even get me started about Helgi D.'s heroics on the battlefield or his brother Grim's hole digging prowess.  But will either brother make it out of our outlawry section and into the ranks of Andy and John's thingmen?  And if you had to guess, is John more of a Grim or a Helgi kind of guy?  There's only one way to find out! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It’s time for the thrilling conclusion to The Saga of Droplaug’s Sons.  This episode begins with an ambush as Helgi Asbjarnarson finally catches up with Helgi Droplaugarson.  You won’t want to miss this epic battle.  It provides some of the more detailed descriptions of battle we’ve encountered on this podcast.  If you follow us on Twitter, then you already know something of who gets hit where.  Poor, poor, Thord Cormorant.  If you listen carefully, you can still hear the shrieking. And if that’s not enough, we’ve also got Helgi D. doing his best impression of Lurtz, a secret resurrection,  and murder most foul.  And just because we love you, we’ll throw in some hnefatafl, a timely fart, meditations on the character of Vikings in the sagas, and John reading from the Middle English Geste of Robyn Hode.  Follow the link and scroll down to the bottom (lines 1787-1820) so you can follow along. Heck, we've even got an appearance by Don Knotts as Mr. Furley from Three's Company. While this episode doesn’t dwell on genealogies like the first part, you still may want to consult Andy’s handy Droplaugarsona saga genealogy to help keep things in order. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Episode Recap – “Perfect Rag” by Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton (1924) Helgi’s Poem – “Drums of the Deep” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Grim’s Poem – “Bittersweet” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we continue our series of stories from the Northeast of Iceland.  This time around, Helgi Droplaugarson goes head to head with the powerful chieftain Helgi Asbjarnarson.  While Helgi D. makes life difficult for his rival by undercutting him at every chance he gets, Helgi A. takes it all with patience.  Does Helgi A. have a good reason for holding back?  Or is he just biding his time as he waits for the right moment to attack?  There's only one way to find out.  Listen, as Saga Thing presents The Saga of Droplaug's Sons! The first part of this episode provides a bit more information on family connections and genealogies than usual.  Please use Andy's handy genealogy to help you through it. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Episode Summary - "All This" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  Still full from the epic meal of Njal's Saga, John and Andy turn to lighter fare.  In this episode of Saga Thing, we follow Thorstein the White as he grows older and older and older.  Along the way, he has some children and loses his beloved wife.  To make matters worse, he also loses his eyesight, which makes running the farm a bit more difficult.  Fortunately, his son Thorgils is there to pick up the slack...until he's killed in a local disagreement between Thorstein the Fair and his rival Einar.  How will Thorstein the White get on without his trusted son?  Who will raise little Brodd-Helgi Thorgilsson?  And whose saga is this anyway?  Listeners will find a lot more here about Thorstein the Fair and Einar than they will Thorstein the White.  Nevertheless, join us as Saga Thing takes on The Saga of Thorstein the White! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Episode Summary - "Iron Horse" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  In this, the penultimate episode in the Njal's Saga summary, we follow Flosi and the Burners as they bounce around the region seeking support for the inevitable legal case against them.  Meanwhile, a slightly singed, but recovered Kari Salmundarson prepares his own case against the burners.  And who better to help him than Thorhall Asgrimsson, the young protégé of Njal himself.  Unfortunately, Thorhall’s got a nasty infection in his leg and the case falls to Morð Valgardsson.  The threat of violence permeates the proceedings as Morð and Eyjolf trade legal barbs and try to out maneuver one another.  Will justice be served as cooler heads prevail?  Or will the hallowed site of the Alþing be desecrated with the blood of those too slow to dodge an incoming spear?  Find out as Saga Thing takes on Njal’s Saga, chapters 133-145. This episode is full of interesting scholarly tidbits and legal minutiae.  We've also got the usual nonsense, like old movie references and bad jokes.   Thanks to George Hook for the picture of the Althing from his trip to Iceland. This image is on the information sign for Snorri's Booth. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Previous Episode Review - "My Sin" by Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Episode Summary -  Drums of the Deep Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  Links: Check out The Viking Answer Lady Website for lots of fun facts about medieval Scandinavia.   Here's her page on measurements that John references. We've also got a select bibliography for Njal's Saga for all the books and articles we reference.

Saga Thing returns after a not so brief holiday hiatus.  When last we left you, the settlement for the slaying of Hoskuld Thrainsson had been disrupted by insults and threats of violence.  We pick the story up as Flosi gathers his forces to surprise the Njalssons at home.  When the surprise attack is spoiled by a wishy-washy conspirator, Flosi is left with the difficult task of finishing what he started regardless of the consequences.  In this episode, we finally discover how the Saga of Burnt Njal got its name. For an interesting read about the burning of Bergþórshváll, check out Emily Lethbridge's account of her visit to the site. Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Previous Episode Review - Fletcher Henderson's "Down South Camp Meeting Episode Summary -  “Despair and Triumph” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Poems - "Bittersweet" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

In this episode, we leave the conversion behind and get back to Njal's Saga. Tensions are running high yet again thanks to the careful plotting of your favorite villain, Morð Valgardsson.  Despite their troubled history with Morð, the Njalssons accept his friendship and quickly find themselves on the wrong side of the law.  With a major lawsuit pending and most of Iceland turning against them, the Njalssons seek help from some of Iceland’s most powerful men, including such notable figures as Guðmund the Powerful, Thorkel the Bully, and the inestimable Snorri Goði.  Will Skarpheðin lead his brothers to glory? Or will fate finally catch up with Njal and his sons?  Find out as Saga Thing takes on Njal’s Saga (again). Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Previous Episode Review -  “Don’t Be That Way” by Chick Webb Orchestra Episode Summary -  “Hitman” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of Saga Thing, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in Iceland’s history as the fierce Thangbrand arrives on a mission from King Olaf Tryggvason to convert Iceland once and for all.  It turns out John and Andy aren't the only ones who love a good digression.  This section of the saga is book-ended by action and violence brought on by the slaying of Thrain Sigfusson, but it's mostly about Thangbrand's visit to Iceland and the resulting divide between the growing number of Christians and those who remain loyal to Odin.  This episode features its usual share of bloodshed and wit, but we've also got some blasphemous poetry for you, a bit of history, a miracle, and an important test for a berserk.  There's something for everyone! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Previous Episode Review - "Moten Swing" by Harry James and his Orchestra Episode Summary - "Crusade" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and Deum Verum performed by Psallentes Poems - "Hell edar asar" by Leiungr Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we travel to foreign lands with Thrain Sigfusson and two of the Njalssons.  Thrain will find things easy going, but the prophecy of hard times for the Njalssons proves true. We'll also introduce you to two new players in the saga, the heroic Kari Salmundarson and the villainous Killer-Hrapp.  This episode of Saga Thing is full of adventure, intrigue, and digressions. Join John and Andy as they discuss the politics of medieval Orkney, minor deities of the Norse pantheon, and the wonders of the Icelandic landscape.  There's something here for everyone! Music Credits: Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Previous Episode Review - "Begin the Beguine" by Artie Shaw Episode Summary - "Clash Defiant" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/