Today's featured @aecwyrd brand pendant is this styalised #Hnefatafl board taken from a #runestone #ockelbo in southern Sweden.

Historically, Hnefatafl was the precursor to European versions of chess, and other games like nine men's morris. To be skilled at it marked you as intelligent and a skilled strategist.

So why not get your medieval gamer on, and go play a few rounds of #Tafl

Cast in English pewter and provided with an adjustable waxed cotton suspension cord and natural fibre drawstring pouch.

Priced at £10 each (postage varies by country)

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#norse #anglosaxon #viking #heathen

Here's a bit about me and my interests outside of music, while still staying on topic. Here's my first battle-ready Viking shield, which I recently created. I also made a few smaller ones for decoration. Maybe also a different insight into what else musicians do. I also make the axe handles myself. It's definitely fun, looks good in the studio, and provides some good inspiration every now and then.

Gransfors Bruks axe with a Ken Richardson knife and coyote leather bag I made. #mountainman #historic #axe #axes

A great group of young people braved the cold and wind to come out for some adventure, May 3, 2025! #barefootbushcraft #Adventure #outdoorlife #axethrowing #archery #recurvebow #bowandarrow

Today, I'm going to be casting a selection of pewter #Woden #Odin pendants so I can restock for an upcoming event next week.

The finished pieces will be inked, provided with an adjustable waxed cotton suspension cord and a natural fibre storage pouch.

#handmade #handcrafted

Anyone else here that lives off-grid or very remote? I’ve been living in the mountains of Alaska for 11 years now. Solo. I charter a helicopter to get in and out. Snowmobile can make it back to town but it’s a 3 hour ride, one way. So six hours of riding but only 4 hours of light. A portion of the trip will be in complete darkness. And this winters warm weather kept the creeks from freezing fully, so that wasn’t an option this year. You can hike in and out during summer but that takes 24 hours non-stop and a packraft to cross the water obstacles. Summer you have the bears to contend with too. Supplies have to be brought in by helicopter. Or ski plane but that requires me to compact a runway on a small lake that local pilots don’t like to land or takeoff on in the best of conditions. A ski plane I chartered to bring in supplies almost crashed on takeoff a few years ago. Float plane can also land but no good spot to beach and unload/load. I love living this way. Couldn’t see myself ever going back to “civilization” to live. Zero debt and no bills other than yearly property taxes. ($500 year)

An early medieval styled broad axe pendant, cast in english pewter. This particularly version has been upgraded with the addition of glass beads.

Provided with an adjustable waxed cotton suspension cord and natural fibre storage pouch.

One of my favorite things. My shovel.
It is also an axe/mace.
Goodnight, my friends.
Till next time. Be well and find yourselves in good spirits

3 Norse Tales of Bravery You Might Not Have Heard About-

1. Rauðr did not yield

In Olaf Trygvasson's tyrranical reign over the kindgom of Norway, he tried to convert the whole land by force: refusal could result in full outlawry or death.
During one of his purges, he personally went to a landed man, Rauðr who was known to be heathen, in the night and the king appeared over his bed. Quote:

"Rauðr shouted in protest, saying that he would never believe in Christ, and blaspheming greatly. Then the king became angry and said that Rauðr should die the worst death. Then the king had him taken and bound face upwards on a beam, had a piece of wood put between his teeth so as to open up his mouth. Then the king had a heather-snake taken and brought to his mouth … the snake wriggled into Rauðr’s mouth and after that into his throat and tore out through his side. There Rauðr lost his life." (Source: Olaf Trygvasson's saga by Snorri Sturlusson)

Just one of the many who accepted torture over conversion, but the gruesome choice makes it stand out.


2. Thjódólf the Strong (Berserker at Stamford Bridge, recorded by Snorri)

As the combined force of England and the treacherous Jarl Tostig neared Harðraða's split and tired army, the norse king needed to buy time for reinforcements to arrive. According to the saga, Thjódólf, a court poet volunteered to hold the bridge at Stamford by himself only using an axe. There he took down around 40 men, being the most impressive last stand in history, before one englishman floated in a barrel and took him from below with a spear.


3. Arinbjörn's honesty (Egill's Saga)

An Icelandic viking-hero, Egill got shipwrecked off the coast in England. There the short-tempered Eirik Bloodaxe ruled, somebody who hated this man badly. Luckily, an old friend of his was around named Arinbjörn and inside the hall where the king was, he said Egill had come to England only to make peace and asked the ruler to spare Egill's life or he would be forced to take his as well. Eirik agreed only because of the friendship with Arinbjörn, and at the cost of a heroic poem made by the Icelander which was to be read in the morning.
Despite a loud bird hindering progress with the poetry, Arinbjörn helped secretly and with more help later Egill got out of England alive.