The Land of Erik Helgaf

The Great Voyage

“The sea will grant each man new hope. His sleep brings dreams of home."

--Marko Ramius, The Hunt for Red October

(attributed to Christopher Columbus)

It has been hundreds of years since my native land was founded, when Nobleman Erik Helgaf was forced to make the great voyage across the sea, as punishment for subversive activity, whether real or imagined. Knowledge of whether it was a conspiracy against the man by The Old Kingdom, or that there was indeed a conspiracy of his own against The Old Kingdom, has been lost by now.

Through this inquiry may that be only in what amounts to a minority of details which would become a mystery, to our posterity. What follows is the inquiry of an impressive land and equally impressive people, our ancestors. May this inquiry give strength for times more prosperous and excellent than those we are in now.

The Old Kingdom believed that the forced voyage would be a most savage fate in the frigid time of the year, when the unappeased Abyss could devour seafarers and their rigged galleys. Erik and hundreds of faithful companions boarded their vessels; Some were of similarly respectable blood, but many were the common citizens of his fief; general outcasts from the greater Kingdom as well. Even in peril, they stood by their lord, knowing that while he wasn’t the wealthiest or most powerful, he would find a solution.

Over the long weeks at sea, tempests tested the integrity of Erik’s vessels. The seas threw themselves at the exiles, Helgajens as they would be later known as, in a determined fashion. There were two storms, the latter with waves nigh unrelenting. These Helgajens were proficient seafarers, but not all could hold back Abyss. Several ships splintered under the pressure of the wind and ocean. Erik’s wife Astrid clutched their baby Bjorn as Erik himself complimented and encouraged the crew on their seamanship, leaping to aid in some task if need be, not exempting himself. They worked against the waves almost all night, and when the storm’s eye closed in sleep, so too did that of each man, exhausted both. Once they survived the storm, the level of supplies became the concern, if they were to continue on at sea for much longer.

There was a revered elder among Erik’s following, named Janolf. He awoke early in the morning, before any other man except the one on watch. To his greetings Janolf replied, and said “I had a dream, and in it I saw land. First there were sturdy cliffs which the waves warred against day and night. Then these cliffs became gentle slopes, and the waters became docile; there was no warring, but there had been.” Replied the watchman: “I have also dreamed about our old homeland.”

That day no land was sighted and Erik’s followers continued their journey through more forgiving waters. Darkness brought no storms, but men were worrying conspicuously about the supplies. On the second morning, Janolf again woke early, and was noticed by a different man, who watched the horizon. To this watchman’s salutations, he stated: “I had a dream, and in it I saw land. First there were sturdy cliffs which the waves warred against day and night. Then these cliffs became gentle slopes, and the waters became docile; there was no warring but there had been, in the wilderness.” “You and I have both recalled our previous home.”

Still, none of the ships spotted a barbarous shore, and the abyss was relatively calm. It was estimated that their food would be depleted within days, and a grim silence came over each person. Few words were spoken that day. Once more Janolf arose, but this time letting out a cry which stirred Erik and his crew. “My friend,” began Erik, “why have you awoken us? Is there a looming danger more imminent than the supplies that the watchman himself was unable to detect, or perhaps he was asleep and neglected to swap positions with another man?” “This is not so, my Lord. He has neither neglected to warn us of danger through poor senses nor because he was asleep. I apologize that in my ecstasy I woke everyone.” “Tell us then, what has come to you?”

“I myself was visited and had a dream, and in it I saw land. This was the third night in a row. ‘First there were sturdy cliffs which the waves warred against day and night. Then these cliffs became gentle slopes, and the waters became docile; there was no warring but there had been.’ This I saw the first night. Then, I saw that there ‘had been warring, in the wilderness.’ Finally, I saw a battle there in the wilderness. The side of the horse laden banner charged that of the wolf laden banner. The weapons carried by the ones with the horse banner were unfamiliar and strange, but one figure brandished a great Seax, and so too did a company around him. These were familiar. Suddenly the armies, banners, and weapons vanished, and the wilderness became perfectly clear, for it had been hazy before.

O companions! I believed these images to be remembrances of the home we left, but in their latest form they point to the home which will be ours! To those who consider me wise, may this reinforce that I only consider myself so since I know that I don’t know the meaning of everything--it took three times and in greater clarity for me to understand! See how your Lord possesses such a long Seax as I saw; the Seax of Arn. But the figure is not Lord Erik. There will be no warring for the land, and the banner of the horse shall not be your own, as this wilderness has been fought over already by Arn himself. Land is close! In that direction I feel it.” He pointed to a new course.

Janolf was right--the vessels’ new course brought them to the expected headlands. They appeared to rise out of the sea, their tops piercing the placid horizon. As they got closer, a man raised his voice from the bow. “Look Janolf, Abyss lays his endless siege upon the cliffs, as you said! Land at last! Now I believe that I see a channel leading inward through the rock, too!” “That is where we will go into this fjord,” Erik commanded, “and that is where I think we will find the gentle slopes which meet with tranquil water, and this wilderness, is this correct my friend?” “Indeed,” confirmed the elder.

All of Erik Helgaf’s ships followed his to the mouth of the channel that stretches from the sea in the west to the mountains inland, to the east. Abyss mostly remained calm, impressed with their skill in sailing during the storms it is said, as they approached the mouth. Though in bad weather, it would be treacherous. Along the banks and bluffs, massive glaciers were perched, and along the edge exquisite shades of turquoise water, which darkened gradually to blue. This is the scene that the men on Erik’s vessel and those of others absorbed as they sailed in further. Erik looked to starboard, then to port, and felt the urge to speak, but suppressed it. He did not want to speak before further signs of Janolf’s reception were confirmed, since the banks were ill suited to landing and habitation there. But eventually they did see the higher banks lower themselves the further they sailed, until the fjord widened into a vast body of water stretching towards the south as far as the eye could see, but the northern shore up ahead remained mostly straight in an eastward line. This was the shore which they could see, however peaks appeared to vaguely loom far to the east, straight ahead. The northern shore showed no signs of settlement--the wilderness.

“Beloved followers!” Erik Helgaf roared, and every being on every ship ceased their work, “you have lived to see a glorious day! Surely the pompous leaders of the Kingdom, gorging themselves by their hearthfire and caring none for us, expected that we would perish already! or in the near future at least--no, we will continue to prevail--they take us for weaklings!” Cheers echoed, “Come follow me as I claim our new refuge!” And so the exiles eagerly beached their ships and stepped onto land, the first time in many weeks. Men, women, and children held handfuls of earth aloft and sung out. They wept at Janolf’s knees, kissing his hands in gratitude.