Vear the Poet Warrior

Concept art for my Viking story, The Drunken Sagas: Monsterous Mead.

Vear the Poet Warrior

Vear was born in a small town in Norway at the same time as Eric, this lead to them believing that they're fates were intertwined and a desire to work together. Though before Vear found himself in the company of Eric, he had been a warrior in the Norwegian King’s personal guard. While in the employ of the King Vear became deft at the use of the broad sword and few were his match in the keep. Though Vear made one fatal mistake and fell in love with the Kings daughter, he would write her poems and slip them under her door. Vear was as apt a poet as he was a swordsman; there was an argument on who blessed him more, Braggi, the god of poets or Tyr, the sword god. The princess quickly swooned to at the advances of this highly regarded guard, they were in love, they were foolish, and they were caught. The King flew into a rage when he found out what had happen, he condemned Vear to death. On the spot he was knocked to his knees and one of his fellow guards drew their swords and raised it to strike. The Princess pleaded for her lover’s life to no avail. Vear asked for a simple request, recite a death poem. The King allowed the request and gave him but 10 minutes to compose it. He sat quietly for a moment and then began to recite. The court fell silent for a long time after he had finished. The King was moved; he decided to change his punishment from death to banishment. Vear was given 1 day to be out of the King’s keep and 3 months to be out of Norway or he would be hunted down and killed. Vear had contemplated for a time spending his three months with his lover and dying a warrior’s death. Though she would not hear it and one night drugged him and had him set on a ship to Sweden. He awoke at sea he was confused and angry, thinking he had been abducted, he started to lash out at the crew, he took out about five men with his bare hands before a tall berserker knocked him out. When he awoke once again, he was much calmer and tied to the mast of the ship. The Berserker sat next to him drinking ale out of a horn asking the former guard about himself. Vear was reluctant to talk to the berserker; they were known to be bad luck, though this one seemed different somehow and started to speak when his earlier thought turned out to be true and their ship was attacked by a sea serpent. Quick as lightning the serpent killed four of the oars men and had wrapped its body around the ship. The berserker turned to Vear and cut him loose, hoping that he would recognize the real threat as the serpent. He threw him a sword and grabbed his ax and hurled himself at the mouth of the serpent. At that moment Vear started to head over to where the Berserker was doing battle with the head of the serpent and instead jumped over the edge of the boat and began to use his sword to gut the monster. Even though his valiant effort had killed the monster the fact that he was still wearing his chain main was about to have him dragged into Ran’s net (Norse equivalent of going to Davey Jones locker). Though in the next moment he was saved by the berserker, who placed him back onto the ship with the aid of whom ever was left on the ship. Once Vear had been revived the Berserker said, “I guess that makes us even then huh?” they both laughed and The berserker got the ship under way and opened a cask of ale and they all started to drink. Over ale, Vear told the berserker of his past and of his plans to gain wealth and return to Norway as rich as a prince and get his princess back. The Berserker liked this man and decided to help him on his quest and thus began a long friendship.