Handbook

Sigtryggring is the largest and most active Viking age reenactment group in Ontario. Founded August 26th, 2018, we have grown quickly without sacrificing the quality of our membership. Sigtryggring specializes in portraying the late 10th century Scandinavia, though we also welcome Saxon, Rus, Norman, and any other late 10th century portrayals into the group.

We have three main focuses:

• Firstly, we attend public events, renaissance fairs, festivals, or other similar events where we entertain and educate the public on the Viking age.

• Secondly, we attend private events with other Viking age groups where we get to socialize with our friends, learn new crafts and take part in competitive combat events.

• Thirdly and most importantly, we strive to create a “brotherhood” where members can make new friends and gain a sense of comradery and esprit de corps.

In short, this group should never feel like “work” as our goal is to have fun learning and sharing Viking history and life.

This handbook is meant to assist new members through those first steps of membership, but is not intended as an all-encompassing document on any one topic. It is rather a “Coles Notes” guide introduce you to the group and what we do.

Reenactment is a fantastic hobby: you can learn new skills, make new friends, and get the motivation to improve your physical fitness (because when you’re fighting nothing is worse than being too out of breath to defend yourself).

Though our group in located in southern Ontario, we have friends (other Viking age groups) in Quebec, the US and Europe, and it is not unheard of for us to attend each other's events.

Remember, this handbook is designed to give you a helping hand but is not a definitive all-inclusive resource. You are encouraged to ask questions; our members are keen to help you.

Congratulations, you as a reenactor are now poor and busy every weekend

JB Coulter

Founder of Sigtryggring

Leadership roles within the group are chosen by the Jarl. The Jarl is chosen by membership vote when the necessity arises, not on a regular basis.

Jarl

The leader of the group, the Jarl is responsible for the actions of the membership, maintains order, discipline and group health, both offline and online. The Jarl provides direction and plans for the group's future and appoints officers to specialty leadership roles. The Jarl mediates and helps settle disputes between members and in the occasion where a member has a dispute with a member of another group the Jarl will step in and work with the Jarl of that group to resolve it. The Jarl leads the Shield wall in battle.

As Sigtryggring is not a democracy: the Jarls decisions are final. However, it behooves the Jarl to make good and wise decisions lest the membership become unhappy, become divided, lose interest in the group, and leave. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.”

Head of Household

The Head of Household is in charge of the camp set up at events, guides the membership in putting together their soft kit (Viking age clothing), assists the fighters with safety checks of their kit, assists with the setup of Artisans work areas, and maintains the group's first aid supplies. In short, the Head of Household is there to help you get ready for events and get ready at events. The Head of Household also puts forward the names of Recruits who have met the requirements to be invited into the Household. The Head of Household is appointed by the Jarl.

Treasurer

The Treasurer manages the group funds, which includes having exclusive access to Sigtryggring’s bank account, and keeping a balance sheet. The Treasurer provides quarterly financial reports, reimburses group members who had expenses for the group that stand to be repaid based on the membership’s vote, pays annual insurance dues, and collects payment at events.

Combat Thane

The Combat Thane is responsible for planning and conducting fight practices, including planning all aspects of training events, monitoring member progress and assessing them for advancement, and maintaining a safe combat environment. The Combat Thane is appointed by the Jarl. There may be multiple Combat Thanes.

Standard Bearer

The Standard Bearer is unique in that they are not necessarily appointed by the Jarl but instead win their position through combat, typically in a tournament. Any Shield Wall ranked member may take part in the tournament. The position is held for 1 year circumstances permitting. The Standard Bearer carries our colours, our battle flag, and when forming up a shield wall, they take the far-right side of the formation, all others form up to their left.

Fight Marshals

Fight Marshals maintain a safe fighting environment during fight practices, fight shows for the public, and private competitive fighting events. Anyone can be a Marshal so long as they possess a deep understanding of the combat system being used, including the safety requirements for fighters, gear, and weapons. Fight Marshals are appointed by the Jarl.

Ranks within the group are earned through merit demonstrated by commitment to attending events and/or advancing in Viking age skills.

Prospect

When you first take interest or attend an event you are counted as a prospective member or “Prospect”. You are our guest, free to interact with us on our Facebook page, come to our events, give combat a try if you like (you don’t have to fight to be a part of our group), and try crafting. Ask as many questions as you like! This is your time to decide if this hobby, and this group, is for you.

Recruit

Once the reenactment bug has bitten and you want to take the plunge with us, just let the Jarl know. By doing so, you become a Recruit.

You need to start working on getting a basic set of “soft kit” (Viking age clothing) together: you can make your own, with assistance if you like, or you can buy it. You are strongly advised to show members what you are planning (to make or buy) so we can help guide you on authenticity; otherwise, you risk putting your hard-earned money, time, and effort into something you can’t wear to events. We would like to help you avoid this, so please do ask for opinions or help!

It’s also time to consider what you want to do in the group, although of course you can change or add roles as you explore along with us. Fancy fighting? Start getting your fighting gear and weapons together. Again, we can help. Recruits fight with a black shield and may not use spears or two-handed axes. PLEASE SHOW US WHAT YOU PLAN ON BUYING BEFOREHAND because again.... hard-earned money time and effort should not go to waste. Perhaps you are interested in crafting? There are a huge variety of crafts to consider, including but not limited to woodworking, blacksmithing, glass bead making, fiber arts, cooking, music, storytelling... and all are valuable contributions.

Household Member

Once you have attended 2 public events and 2 social events during one year (January to December) and put together a basic set of soft kit that is suitable to be worn at a public event (absolute minimum being a long tunic or dress, in linen or wool of appropriate colour, and some kind of belt), your name gets put forward by the Head of Household to the Membership for consideration to be promoted to Household Member (aka Full Member, or collectively called our Membership). This is where we make sure you are a good fit with the Members, so that we have a harmonious group, avoiding drama or cliques.

Once you are promoted to Household Member, you will need to pay the group membership fee for the year. We aim to keep this amount as low as possible given the plans and goals for the year, and historically it has remained at $50 for the year, which allows us to cover liability insurance for the group.

Shield wall/Artisan

Within our household there are two branches you can level up in: fighting and living history. You can strive to advance to Shield wall within our fighting branch, and to Artisan within the living history branch. Yes, you can do both if you work to develop both branch skills.

To be a member of the Shield wall you must progress in your fighting skills to the point that the combat training officer puts your name forward for testing with the basic combat test. Passing this test allows you to put our colours on your shield (you will be presented with your first shield by your Jarl), and allows you to fight in events as a member of our shield wall. You are also now allowed (and encouraged) to train with spears and two-handed axes. There will be further testing on these polearms before you can use them at events.

To become an Artisan, you must develop a period skill that can be demonstrated at events, and possess a set of the period appropriate tools to demonstrate the skill. As we are a living history group, we do public events where we put on display the skills of the Viking age. These demonstrations are big selling points that help us get these event gigs in the first place and the people who do them are prized members of our group. Examples of skills we may include but are not limited to are demonstrating Viking games, storytelling, food and drink preparation, furniture or tool or jewelry making, fiber arts, and pottery. Persons wishing to become Artisans need only approach the head of the household and demonstrate their trade to their satisfaction. Demonstration of the skill would include an explanation of what is done, how we know this is the way Vikings did it (reference), and be able to answer basic questions about the process.

Oath Sworn

Oath Sworn is where your commitment to the group takes that extra step. You must truly want this rank within our group, because it is a physically arduous test of character. Oath Sworn are chosen for testing after an absolute minimum of 2 years of membership to the Household. It is currently a rank only earnable through the fighting branch, however a comparable rank through the living history branch may be developed.

Oath Sworn

One does not ask to be considered for this rank. Only those who have consistently demonstrated superior combat skills and possess the strength of character needed to pass are ever approached for it. There is no dishonor in either refusing the test or failing it. The test is done in secret with only other Oath Sworn in attendance. Once passed you will be presented with silver from your Jarl upon which your oath is sworn both to him and your fellow Oath Sworn. Join the ranks of the Jarls bodyguard.

Though the year, particularly in the warmer months, we attend events. These are most often local in Ontario, or in Quebec, although we are frequently invited to Ohio and points further. We attend events open to the public and events that are only for reenactors. All events are posted on our groups Facebook page, our Google calendar and listed in the Internal Event Calendar on our website. Please remember to click on the “going” or “Maybe” tab it helps us get a good idea of attendance.

What to expect at a public event

A typical public event will take place during one day or over a weekend, with set up early on the Saturday and everyone ready to action by 10 am. We set up a camp display including tents and sunshades, cooking and crafting equipment, and weapons and armor displays. We maintain a strictly authentic setting in camp from an event opens to the public till the event close (typically around 5 pm). During this time, we wear period dress only, and any mundane items (modern stuff like cell phones, plastic containers or anything else out of place for a 10th century camp) need to be kept out of sight. We normally have one tent closed to public view where you can store such items. Over the course of the day, we will do 1 or 2 fight shows of around 30-minute duration each. If you are a member of the shield wall, or a marshal, you will be helping with the show; otherwise, you will be located at the camp to keep an eye on the encampment. If we are there for the weekend, we often camp overnight, maintaining a period encampment. Extra spaces may be available in a period tent should people need it, and modern camping is often available nearby.

What we expect of you

Public shows are (fun, really cool) work. The group is paid to do them by the event organizers, and it is how we finance our training space and travel expenses. Since they hire us to do a task, they rightfully have expectations from us. Therefore, your group has expectations of you as a member at these shows.

• Show up on time. We need to be set up and dressed to perform by the time the site opens to the public.

• Your soft kit needs to be in good order and previously checked for authenticity.

• You should be well rested and of good cheer; no one likes a hung-over grumpy Viking.

• Engage with the public! Say hello to people visiting the camp, and don’t worry if they ask you a question you can’t answer as you can direct them to a group member who you think could help answer.

• Help keep an eye out for safety and security. People have a tendency to grab weapons without asking, walk off with craft display items, walk off wearing helmets.... Be mindful of this aspect of human nature and be gentle but firm with them when you have to intervene, as their safety is our responsibility.

What to expect at a private event

The private event we attend are the opposite, where the name of the game is FUN. We go to these to kick back and relax with good friends, and play Viking. There will be a fun and festive atmosphere where you will meet new people interested in our shared hobby, get to browse the wares of local merchants and artisans working on various projects, and partake in combat training, large scale combats between groups, or tournaments. We have had guests from Europe come over to do seminars in the past, for example. We attend events in Quebec often, but we also have friends in the US who invite us down there so it is helpful to hold a valid passport. We are invited to events in Europe occasionally for those with the time and money to spend on travel, and it is an amazing thing to experience the European reenactment events!

What we expect of you

If you drink, know when to stop. If you plan on fighting in any of the combat activities, do not drink or partake of anything intoxicating beforehand.

Carry yourself in a manner that does not bring ill repute onto our group. If you have an issue with a member of another group bring it to your Jarl, he WILL take it up with the Jarl of the other group. Your Jarl has sworn an oath to stand by his group members in such things. Be certain he will stand up for you.

Private events are in period soft kit, and we use period camp gear as much as possible. However, it’s not the end of the world if your facial piercings are visible, your bright pink hair is showing under your hat, or there is a flashlight on your camp table. In general authenticity standards are more relaxed. You may spot plastic water jugs refilling the period containers, or use your Coleman stoves used to cook quick meals. Not everyone is expected to have their own complete period camp gear due to the costs and time involved in developing these items. Join in the Household camp to enjoy sharing what we have! The more effort you can put into authenticity at these events though the more satisfaction you will get out of them.

Other events

We hold regular fight practices, crafting days and purely social events like our annual Winter Solstice/Yule gathering and Viking hikes. These you’ll hear about on our group Facebook page, Google Calendar and Internal Event Calendar on our website. Again, please do reply as to your plans to attend, as this makes planning easier.

Merchandising at events

Some (many) events allow attendees to offer their wares. The privilege of merchandising at events is granted to all Full Members of Sigtryggring. At public, paid events, all offered wares need to be historically accurate in form and material, and should ideally be accompanied by a demo of making or using the items on offer. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis for artists and crafters of authentic goods and will be made for Nordic Market and select other events.

To begin, keep your outfit simple; a long wool or linen tunic (aim around knee/ mid-thigh length) or dress (aim around ankle length) and simple belt are the absolute minimum requirement. Yes, you can go without pants or shoes if you want; yes, it does make walking or sitting a challenge. A plain undyed linen tunic (or dress), linen or wool pants, a belt of either leather or rope, and period shoes are the strongly recommended first soft kit set.

Borrow as much as you can from us until you can make or purchase your own. We understand you don’t want to be up till 4am the night before the event franticly sewing seams on a shirt or emptying your bank account buying items off Etsy. Borrowing items will also give you a better idea of what is the norm for our show outfits, and what is considered acceptable for authenticity.

Once you have your own basic set of soft kit, the next items you might like to add would include a 4-panel hat, a pouch for your belt (useful to hide modern glasses, inhalers, antihistamine injectors etc. that you need to keep with you), a hood, a cloak, and a set of eating tools like a bowl and spoon and knife. Again, ask before you buy, there are a lot of “reenacterisims” out there to be avoided.

Materials

Linen is cool in the summer heat and comfortable to wear. Sales at your local fabric store typically occur mid-summer. Ikea is an unexpected good source of linen; they have bolts of it as well as products like table cloths and curtains made from it at fairly affordable prices. Aim for natural coloured linen to start, as linen is difficult to dye and tends not to hold colour well with period dyes. This would mean that very few would be wearing “brightly coloured” linen due to the cost of dying and maintaining it in such a colour. When making a purchase make sure it is not too thin as it will tear under stress.

Wool is warm even when wet, and nicely durable. It is the best choice for cloaks and outerwear, and a good choice for heavy fight pants. Wool naturally comes in a variety of colours, straight off the sheep. And as dying wool is easier, it is possible to achieve a wide range of colours using period dyes. This means a wider range of colours is acceptable in wool garb while being period authentic. Wool is easier to find in a range of weights and weaves in stores in the autumn and early winter. However, lightweight wools are often available year-round in the form of suiting etc. Ask for advice before you buy is the suggestion. Leave the plaid for the Scottish reenactors.

Silk was a very expensive import item in Viking time, and thus had very limited use by only the richest of Vikings. It would not be part of common kit.

Fur is used minimally for trim. It isn’t necessary, so real fur or nothing please.

Colours for soft kit

The people of the Viking age loved colour in their attire. They had access to a wide variety of natural dyes, and made good use of them. Colourful clothing was a way to show off wealth and status because such clothing was not cheap to produce. Your first outfit should focus on showing off a lower status, as you will not have all the items to show off being higher status to start. This means being mostly naturally coloured items with possible dyed wool items. You will always have that set to fall back on and use as underlayers or sleeping clothes later in your reenactment career. Underclothes were typically undyed; this way, the layer closest to the skin can be washed often without fading away the investment in dyes.

See the picture under the handbook section for an example of colours available and the plants used to produce them.

Basic clothing design and use

Basic clothing consists of a dress, or shirt and trousers. The clothing can be made from either linen or wool; comfort will dictate I recommend using linen to start as most of our events are during the summer and it can be a bit overwhelming in the heat to be wearing wool. Later you should acquire a wool version that can go over the linen. The linen underlayer will keep the wool from being itchy, and the wool will keep you warm when it cools down at night. An exception is for those who are fighters, where wool pants are more durable and stand up to the stress of combat better so are the recommended first pair of bottoms.

The smock (woman’s dress) is made of linen and is the same design as the tunic except for length; a man’s tunic should end about his knee and a woman’s smock should be about ankle length. Both are often tied with a belt; a man’s belt is most commonly made of leather and has a buckle; a woman’s belt is most commonly tablet woven without a buckle and tied in place. A rope belt tied in place would be worn by the poorest of poor and perfectly acceptable as part of your first set of soft kit.

Belts

Viking age belts were made of leather and typically no wider that 1 ½" and most were around ¾' to 1”. Making your own belt is a very good project, and you can get the hardware fairly inexpensively through local artisans or online. We have several leatherworkers who can help you learn to cut and stitch leather.

Turn shoes

Viking age shoes were made of leather and stitched together inside out, then soaked in water and turned outside in so the stitches are on the inside: thus, the term “turn shoe”. Making them yourself without a purchased pattern is certainly possible and there are online guides that can assist but... as a wise man once told me, “making turn shoes is easy, making turn shoes that fit is very hard”. I recommend purchasing a pair if you want to avoid the crafting, or we can also recommend an excellent online shop that sells a “shoe kit” that you assemble yourself, or for those wanting the most hands on crafting, you can buy the pattern and go from there for a small fraction of the price of the kit or fully assembled shoes. These kits and patterns are well made and sew together perfectly, where trying to size from scratch is a known challenge with related “fail expenses”. Leather is not cheap, and can only be cut once, so pattern purchases are the recommended.

See the picture under the handbook section for an example of a turn shoe example of a turn shoe.

Clothing accessories beyond the basics

After getting a basic set of soft kit together you can add to it with some common accessories. Pouches for your belt, Winningas (leg wraps), naalbind stockings or hat, a four or six panel sewn hat, and a small Seax knife with sheaf to wear on your belt are all examples of things you may be interested in making or buying next. Women often wore an apron dress over their smocks, typically made from wool (fire resistance properties, plus easily adjustable warmth layer) and held in place with broaches. Women also wore necklaces connecting their apron straps with a few glass beads (5-13 most common), with crafting tools (like snips, needle case) and hygiene tools (ear spoon, comb).

As you develop your kit to suit higher status, the addition of tablet woven trim on the collars and cuffs will help show off your wealth. Silk was sometimes found in these trims, in very limited amounts.

It is easy to get carried away and bedazzle your outfit but remember the status you are representing with your appearance. It is better to show simple garb that the average viking would wear on a Wednesday, than to wear “fake machine-made polyester trim” or piles of poorly made, inauthentic items and decorations or period-impossible colours of garb just because they may look cool or were available at some medieval festival attended. Please ask or start a Facebook discussion on things you may see or be interested in making or buying, as others may have tips on construction, or authenticity to help. Heck, you may prompt a crafting day dedicated to that item! W00t!

In the world of Viking age reenactment there are 3 main fighting styles.

Western, which is popular in western Europe and North America, is light contact as attacks are pulled so that they do not hit with any force. Attacks are limited to the T Shirt and Shorts area except for the back of the spine. No attacks are allowed to the head or neck, the knees and below, the elbows and below.

Eastern is where attacks are made with enough force to make sure your opponent knows they have been hit with an incapacitating blow. As you train with us you will learn to calibrate your attacks based on target area and circumstance. Target areas are similar to Western with the exception of parts of the head; the head from the edge of the helmet up is also a target. The inclusion of the head as a target area and the force used in attacks changes the dynamic of the combat drastically from that of Western. There is also a Modified version of Eastern where targeting includes everything except the face and neck.

Huscarl is where the entire body is a target, HEMA fencing masks are worn to protect the face, and HEMA gear is used most commonly instead of historical equivalents. Huscarl is purely competitive in nature, and not used to put on living history demonstration battles. Attacks are made with force; spear heads and two-handed axe heads are made of rubber for safety but swords and hand axes are the same ones used in Eastern.

Our group does Eastern style and are going to include Huscarl in the very near future.

Fighting kit

As a new member you are not expected to already have any fighting kit when you first come to a fight practice other than an athletic cup. We have a great selection of weapons and gear for you to borrow from. It’s expected once you take the plunge and begin regular training you are going to start acquiring your own fighting kit. Our main fighting style is Eastern, so we will focus on the requirements for Eastern style here. Again, talk to us about what you plan on buying beforehand please so we can avoid buyer's remorse.

Helmet

The helmet is the most important piece of safety gear, for obvious reasons. As the head is a legitimate target area you can expect to take some hits there, occasionally hard hits from a two-handed axe. You can make your own helmet; we have people in the group who can help you and it’s always possible we will have another helmet making session at a crafting day. Otherwise, you can purchase one online or from people we know within other Viking groups. Your helmet must be at a minimum 14ga. mild steel and be historically accurate for the Viking age.

Elbow/forearm guards

There are no finds of Viking age arm or elbow protection so we have no basis for authentic arm protection, yet leather arm and elbow guards like the ones pictured below are commonly used at many events and therefore acceptable for our group.

Knee/shin guards

Again, we have no evidence for period protection for knees and legs. All protective leg gear needs to go under your clothing. People use a variety of types, the motocross and hockey examples below are typical of what people wear.

Athletic cup

Really pretty straight forward, pick up one, wear it when you fight, every time. You may not be asked if you are wearing it every time, but it is a standard safety requirement (just an invisible one). If you don’t, you’ll wish you had the first time you take a spear to the nether regions.

Padded gloves/mitts

The second most important piece of equipment, (third if you count the athletic cup), are gloves or mitts to protect your hands from accidental hits. You can make your own, or you can purchase a pair. Patterns are widely available, and we have people in the group who make them. Gloves give you more dexterity and offer a wide variety of grips on weapons, however they offer less protection for fingers as there generally is less padding on the individual fingers. Mitts offer superior protection for your fingers but limit you to holding your weapon as though it were a hammer. The choice is a personal preference.

The shield (yes, the shield is also a weapon)

Shields in the Viking age were made from planks of wood fastened together with glue and covered in multiple layers of glued on linen or pieces of rawhide for extra strength, gripped by a handle in the center which was covered by an iron boss to give extra protection for the hand. Though making your own authentic shield is rewarding and makes for a fantastic show piece, you want to make a sport combat shield from far less expensive material and far simpler construction as you will be building new shields often. Our shields are made from ¼ or 3/8th inch sheets of marine grade or “Baltic birch” plywood. 3/8th inch plywood makes for a more durable but heavier shield. It's your choice. Shields should be between 30” to 36” diameter and painted flat black. Raw hide or leather edging adds longevity for your shield, and is required for safety.

Swords

When you first start fighting, you will begin with using a sword. Swords were extremely rare in the Viking age due to the difficulty in getting the good quality steel, as well as the skill required to make them. Yet they are the safest weapon for a new fighter to use due to the control a balanced blade offers, as well as the blades length offering a larger surface area to transmit the force of a blow. Thus, we make an exception to period accuracy in representation, and all beginners and most experienced fighters use a sword in combat. If you plan of purchasing a sword talk to people in the group to make certain what you want to buy is practical and authentic. Buying swords online is risky: there are terrible quality, poorly balanced, inauthentic wall hangers aplenty. Our members have experience with several reputable sellers and can offer their advice (which is free: much cheaper than hundreds wasted on something you’ll never use).

After a time, you can take your shield wall test and begin training under supervision with other weapons such as had axes, spears, and the Dane Axe. These additional weapons may then be used in shows or competitions once skill has progressed to a level that satisfies the Jarl for that specific weapon.

We emulate 10th century Scandinavia in our activities, yet we as individuals come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Sigtryggring welcomes anyone to be a member regardless of religion, race, gender or orientation. In short, it does not matter what colour your skin is, what god you worship, who you sleep with or what pronoun you prefer - if you are a decent person and fit in well with us, you’re in! Viking is a verb, not a race.

At our solstice celebrations, we conduct small, often land-based rituals inspired by Norse and Celtic traditions to acknowledge the passing of time. Participation is completely voluntary and if any ritual creates a concern for you, feel free to step out. With regards to religious expression during public events, we allow wearing and displaying historically accurate religious symbols. Any conversation about religion, beliefs and faiths along with the display (altars, jewellery) needs to happen in the context of historical religious facts and practices.

Never bring the politics of the modern world into this group. Nothing is more divisive these days, and there is no place for it among us. Your political opinions are yours, please keep them to yourself.

If you promote hate or violence on social media, you will face expulsion (this applies equally to both sides of the political spectrum).

An easy way to support our group early on is sending us pictures you took at our events so we can use them in our social media channels and our website. We do not credit pictures submitted by group members (our IT specialists let us know that’s going over their heads as they are all volunteers) but know that your efforts are noticed. Pictures can be submitted to sigtryggring@gmail.com.

Dispute resolution

Members should always try to talk things out with the person they are having an issue with.

Failing that, speak to your Jarl if an issue exists. Part of his responsibility is mediate such issues.

If you have an issue with a member of another group, your Jarl is there to represent your interests and the interests of the group with the leaders of other groups.

Our group has a custom: at the end of each event or gathering, we “ring out” with the circle of participants getting together for a debrief of the activities. This is a chance for members to express any concern or issue they have had, including any with other members. In this way, issues are addressed promptly. I strongly recommend airing your grievance there and then as it can be settled and allow closure for all involved.

I’d like to thank you for taking an interest in Sigtryggring and I look forward to seeing you at events! Wow, you read all the way through! I’m told this is a bit long. . . I just want to help prepare you by letting you know who we are, and how we work, so you can decide if this group may be a great fit for you. Welcome!

JB

Founder of Sigtryggring Vikings of Ontario