The Murreins of Valhalla and Hadrian

Last weekend I was at the Viking Valhalla Festival down south, and what a cracking time I had - full of ale, turkey legs, hot sunlight, roof tents, new words, somewhat dodgy costumes and lots of cat lady tat!

Vikings MC

When one of our playtesters - Dayle of the Wulf Death Star - visited the Vallhalla Viking Festival a couple of years back, I immediately decided I wanted to go, too; the only trouble being, it's about four hours away from Sherwood, near Basingstoke in Hampshire, so it's been a little tough to arrange the time and the expense really.

(I presume the organisers of the Viking Valhalla Festival are aware of the irony of a festival celebrating all things Norse in deepest darkest Wesseax - a stone's throw from Alfred's seat of power, Winchester, no less; and if they don't... well, Ælfred's descendants haven't paid much of a Danegeld of late, I'm sure, and I'm not going to argue with the Vikings MC.)

Our lass and I love a road trip though, and with new roof tent installed on the trusty old Disco, we decided this year's Valhalla would be an excellent way to test it out without breaking the bank. You can actually camp at the event, but I bought the tickets too late this year - the camping was sold out - so we had to camp elsewhere; but that was no issue, it was only half an hour's drive.

We've fallen in love with the roof tent!

All I can say about the event is that it's definitely worth going, even if we are but Angles and Saxons, and next year we will definitely camp there - if only to watch the boat burning at 9pm on the Saturday; sadly we didn't get to see that this year, but that's something to look forward to. There's lots for everybody at the festival, Miercenaries - there's tons of viking gear to peruse in the official tent from leather cuffs to mjölnir necklaces to drinking horns, and loads of what I like to call ‘cat lady stalls’ that are definitely aimed at the, er, ladies. You can dress up as a viking yourself, or admire those dressed up; participate in firewalking; watch mock battles; have your photograph with Loki the giant raven on your arm, among other birds; get a tattoo*; play hnefltafl; throw axes or shoot arrers; become a blacksmith for the day; and, of course, drink as much ale and eat as many turkey legs as you can stand.

I definitely enjoyed the turkey leg

Anyway: this is not really a ‘what I did on my holiday’ story, although I've enjoyed writing that. It's actually a bit of a thought. What if I held a stand there, next year, selling Darklands 3rd (coming very soon), with lots of Norse miniatures alongside their enemies? Something to think on during blood-month, that's for sure.

*our lass being a tattooist, she was most concerned about how on earth they got certified in a dusty, draughty tent, but don't let that stop you getting one!

I'm Getting the Murreins

I read a word in a book on our road trip and I just had to share it with you. One of the things I love about reading historical fiction is that, occasionally, you'll come across an archaic word that just sounds right; whilst reading the much-vaunted Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlmann (the hype is justified in my eyes) the word ‘murreins’ arrived, fully formed, just asking my mouth to speak it, as if I'd never not spoken it before. It was almost as if my whole life had led up to me learning this new-but-old word for... the plague.

So, the next time I'm poorly I'm going to tell people I've ‘got the murreins’. I urge you guys to do the same, and to read as much historical fiction as you can while doing it!

Alfred Duggan's Conscience of the King is definitely recommended; it concerns the first king of Wesseax, Cerdic, and his route to power over the Romano-Britons, and doesn't spare the horses in doing so. Alongside that, read Men Went to Cattraeth, effectively a readable novel of Y Gododdin by John James (if you're Welsh, you're allowed to sing a lament afterwards). Then get yourself Eduardo Alberto's Northumbrian Thrones trilogy, Edwin (I), Oswald (II) and Oswiu (III), in which Penda and Cadwallon make hay while the sun shines... until they don't; then, without further ado, read Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories with Uhtred, Finnan and his merry men.

You never know: you might learn a new word that you should have been saying years ago.

The Wall of Hadrian

A few months back I decided it was finally time to organise something I'd wanted to do for years, but never got round to; walk the Hadrian's Wall Path, eighty-four miles of relatively easy-going terrain next to the wall that Hadrian built (or, more accurately, his lapidarii).

I mean, why wouldn't you?

So myself and a couple of other mates (yes, I do have them) will embark from Bowness-on-Solway - west to east, to avoid walking into the setting sun - in late August for ten days or so, and we'll bloody well enjoy it. I'll grab lots of images where I can and write up a few experiences regarding the wall itself and its forts, as well as taking the time to find the site of the Battle of Heavenfield.

Hadrian's Wall does have a bearing on the lore of Darklands, it being one of the largest structures in the world and (probably) still remarkably intact in the seventh century. It didn't stop the pesky Albainn climbing all over it nor the dastardly Welsh flying over it to get at the soft southern shandies, though. You won't find that in your history books.

And no, this is not just a ‘what I will do on my holidays’ story; there is a point here. Hadrian's Wall features as a scenario in the Desolate Fields Scenario Book, which it behooves me to tell you will still work with the forthcoming Darklands 3rd Edition, Darklands Lite, if you will; so I urge you to grab it with all speed, because it's definitely still a cracking book filled with all manner of Darklands goodstuff.

The wall in the photo was built and painted by the mighty Bishmeister General! All hail the Bish!

You can use the Siege of Cantscaul scenario to represent any kind of wall, of course, but you can't ignore the wall that Hadrian built forever. Get it in your Darklands games!

The Sixth Month Lies in Wait

There is actually some proper Darklands content today, people. August is almost upon us; the sixth month, going by our true calendar, and not the one forced upon us by nefarious actors of dubious provenance, anyway. In August you will find the absolutely incredible battle host known as the Persecutors of Var descend upon your hard drives or your postboxes, for - like the oghur - they are in stock and ready to go; and believe me, you really want to grab these guys!

Yes, they also persecute video assistant referees

I honestly think these are some of our best miniatures - ever - and all thanks to Danny Cruz's and Tommasso Luchetti's artwork, and Rafael Callegari's sculpting skills, which seem to improve with every day that goes by. He is truly becoming a master of his profession, and I am very glad to be working with him.

So, in a few days' time you'll get:

• Ariokh, Demioption on foot
• Ariokh, Demioption on Canisinferni
• Jezebel, Demianimager
• Jezebel, Demianimager [pin up]
• Noctis & Hounds of Dis, Demibestiarius and Canisinferni Unit (5x warriors)
• In III Judas, Demilegionarius Incaendium (8x warriors w cmd)
• In V Barabas, Demiballistarius Incaendium (8x warriors w cmd)
• In VI Orkus, Demicanisarius Incaendium (5x warriors w cmd)

A surprise addition (well it was a surprise to me, when my brain came up with him last week) is Noctis the demibestiarii, who leads the naked hellhounds known as the canisinferni with whip and axe; 

Brilliantly sculpted by Rafael Callegari!

Next month's monster can also be revealed in all his infernal glory; enter Tarus, the magnibehema of the Infernii, sculpted by Ivan Flaman with scenic base by Rafael!

As you can see, he's rather large; well, he'd have to be, to transport demilegionaries on his back... more on that another time.

Six and One Half a Month

So, as I've said previously, I have a few older battle hosts to physically release half-way through each month ahead, and I thought - why not start when it ended? That means the Atalantes khalkotes and korikolossi - the half-bronze men of Ilios and the lady colossi that should have been produced in late 2024, but weren't - are in production, and I hope to release them to you all in the middle of August; I've no graphics yet, but watch out for some very soon.

The Seventh Month

That gives me leave to show you a few things for the seventh month's battle host, which will be an absolute cracker. But when aren't they?

A ridden draiglas - not quite there, but almost

Carys of the pin up

The new rhyfelwyr!

In September you'll get:

• Warrior Carys, Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Warrior Carys [Pin Up], Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Hywel Hir, Dragon Bearer of Gwynedd
• Warrior Hywel Hir, Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Warriors of Dyngonwy, Rhyfelwr Unit (7x warriors w cmd)
• Spears of Dyngonwy, Rherelwr Unit (7x warriors w cmd)
• Fireblood of Gwynedd, Marchomawr Draiglas Unit (3x warriors w cmd)
• Firekind of Gwaelod, Draiglas Unit (3x warriors)

That's enough from me: keep it Mierce, Miercenaries!