Hello Warriors and Shield Maidens,
What do you think of when you hear the term „Viking“? Conquerors? Seafarers? Fighters? All of it is true. Not to mention their family bonds, which seem to be second to none. But especially the images of warriors overshadow a more basic truth: the Viking society rests on the foundation of artisans.
The shipwright, for example, is a master engineer who crafted the iconic longships, thus unlocking the world beyond the horizon and, with that, enabling long-range exploration, trade, and raids. Equally vital was the blacksmith, who in a quite alluring way mixed soot and mystique. With raw power as well as finesse, he was able to transform ore into essential farming tools or formidable weapons. Without artisans like these, the Age of Vikings, marked by mobility as well as ingenuity and battle might, would have been quite limited.
Some would even go as far as saying that artisans became the visual poets of Norse culture, in the sense that their worldview is evident in every object they created. Let’s look at intricate metalwork on jewelry, for example, or animal carvings on a wagon. Some might say they are more than just decoration. Way more. They could be seen as a visual language representing the intertwined forces of the Viking belief systems. An amulet with Thor’s hammer or vibrant patterns on the ships‘ sails could be seen as a portable statement of the artisan‘s and even more so of the client‘s beliefs, identity, or status. The work of an artisan can become a direct pathway to prestige and economic power. A master craftsman generally had a high standing and was sought after by jarls and other high-ranking figures who needed symbols of their status and lineage. The everyday work of crafters, from simple soapstone bowls to fine combs, fabrics, and processed metal, became valuable trade goods, building the wealth of the individual as well as the renown of the settlement.
And you can become a part of that journey, once you travel with Vikings Dynasty to the Steineyjar Islands on an extraordinary adventure. Not only can you learn various trades, but once your travels put you on the path to becoming a jarl and distributing jobs to your villagers, you will see and feel that the artisans were the architects of Viking culture.
We can’t wait to show you more.
Until then!
Skål,
The teams from Digital Daredevils and Toplitz Productions
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2753930/Vikings_Dynasty/
