Eternity RPC Board
Ingemar Kauping
Petty King of Visby
Born 753 : Died 1 May, 813 (age 60)
![[Image: xn8AnXC.png]](https://i.imgur.com/xn8AnXC.png)
Click here for full size
Young Ingemar was born with no birthright, the son of a fisherman and a milkmaid born in a small village on the island of Gotland. The only thing the gods had graced him with was unnatural strength and height, and a booming deep voice. His father died when he was still young, and his mother died shortly afterward. He was alone in the world, seemingly forgotten. However, one fateful March day, in the year 767 the gods seemed to smile on him. The old King of Visby had never taken a wife. He had no heirs and a court filled with those who despised him or were only there to swindle the throne from him. It was on that day, that the old king had ridden with his Hirdsmen to Ingemar's village. The old king had taken him in as his ward, given him the name Kauping and designated him as his heir. He had the boy trained in his hall in all manner of subjects. Due to the odd manner of his arrival, the old king's court took to calling him Ingemar "the Strange." Suddenly, on the eve of the new year, the old king died. On the first day of 769, as he was mourning the death of his adoptive father, he was brought in to the great hall and made King of Visby.
![[Image: fyrt541.png]](https://i.imgur.com/fyrt541.png)
On the advice of his council, his first order of business was securing a marriage so that he would not make the same mistake that his predecessor had. He found a worthy match in a young woman by the name of Gerðr, daughter of a Norwegian Thane, Oddr. It was not a prestigious marriage, but his daughter was fertile and Thane Oddr had a large host of men at his command. After his marriage, Ingemar sat about fortifying his holdfast. He built reinforcements around the hall, turning it into a hillfort, certain that his builders had done their job well he soon turned his eyes to the shoddy town of Visby.
![[Image: 0b2ZCBx.png]](https://i.imgur.com/0b2ZCBx.png)
Before he could look to spend his hard earned gold on the town Ingemar's Seer, Geirr, approached him requesting assistance in building a new temple on the island. Being a zealously religious man, Ingemar saw it as his duty to assist in the construction of a new temple with which the people of Gotland could venerate the gods. He donated one hundred gold to the cause and was assured by Geirr that Odin's blessing was with him.
![[Image: ihaKi66.png]](https://i.imgur.com/ihaKi66.png)
Geirr would be proved right in 773 when Ingemar's first child Freyja was born, and again in 775 with the birth of his first son Kettilmund. Freyja would inherit her father's gods-given strength which was apparent even at a young age. Her brother, however, would prove to be slow of mind. Little Kettilmund, although loved by his father, was said to have been tainted by Loki in his mother's womb for only such meddling could bestow such a curse on the young boy.
![[Image: ulQpnea.png]](https://i.imgur.com/ulQpnea.png)
In 777 a young girl named Ulfhildr was brought before Ingemar. Her parents were dead, it seemed some sort of magic had killed them in their sleep and the girl was said to be the one who did it, albeit accidentally. Her village no longer wanted her so they brought her to Ingemar in the hopes that he would deal with her. The decision he made, certainly lived up to the name he was given. He took the girl in and made her a member of the court. A month later Ingemar's second son, Þordr, was born and Geirr's temple was completed. In a controversial move, Ingemar would name Þordr his heir over Kettilmund. Ingemar's fortune would not last as it seemed that when Loki cursed the boy Kettilmund, he also cursed his mother to a short life. She would die only months after giving birth to Þordr.
In his grief, he would find solace in the arms of another, the witch Ulfhildr. Within months of his first wife's death, he would remarry to the young girl and father another son, Tolir. Soon after Tolir's birth, another tragedy would strike in Ingemar's halls. Þordr would take ill and die, leaving Tolir as the heir to Visby. Ingemar would fall into a two-year-long depression after being informed of his son's death some say he was never truly the same afterward.
![[Image: Xz9C26r.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/Xz9C26r.jpg)
In the years following the death of little Þordr Ingemar would expand Visby into a bustling trade hub. A small port would be built and placed under the management of his childhood friend Dag. He would expand the local mustering grounds and build a barracks to house his full-time warriors and as a result, he would command the second largest host of warriors in the north. He had taken the poorly managed kingdom and turned it around for the better.
It seemed however that despite his good deeds, tragedy continued to stalk him wherever he went. In 787 his second wife died and because of the grief he bore, Ingemar would never remarry. His two wives had borne him nine children of which eight survived childhood.
![[Image: VHNHF3E.png]](https://i.imgur.com/VHNHF3E.png)
Ingemar had little time to mourn, however, as the populous of Gotland began to grow restless. They had begun to hear stories of Norwegians and Swedes who had struck out in their longships to raid eastward and take the wealth to be found there as their own. After much debate, Ingemar agreed to lead a raid from Visby to Estonia to see what could be found. He set his shipbuilders to the task of constructing 44 longships to carry his warriors across the frigid seas. In 793 they had been completed, and off Ingemar sailed with 1,500 men, his son Tolir and his loyal commander Olafr at his side.
![[Image: fTOQTGq.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/fTOQTGq.jpg)
Their journey through the Baltic Sea that winter was harsh. But after a weeks travel they arrived in Inkeri and set about their raid. Breaking down the doors to Suomensko temples, taverns and homes they stole all they could: gold, iron and whatever else of value they could find.
![[Image: RNijQrI.png]](https://i.imgur.com/RNijQrI.png)
Ingemar even allowed Tolir to command a small force of men in an attack on an Estonian village. To Ingemar's surprise, his teenage son's ability outweighed even his own. The military men of his court, as well as himself, had turned little Tolir into a brilliant strategist. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Estonians were just as poor as they were. They arrived home with a little over fourteen pounds of gold and a few iron weapons.
![[Image: y3hCD50.png]](https://i.imgur.com/y3hCD50.png)
Upon their return to Gotland Ingemar sent an emissary to the Thane of Island and proposed a marriage between Tolir and his daughter Þyra. The great Thane accepted his proposal, and the emissary returned with his son's new wife. An alliance, as well as the future of his family, was secure.
![[Image: uiOI3mO.png]](https://i.imgur.com/uiOI3mO.png)
In 805 Ingemar would set out on another raid. This time his target was the rich Sjællander Islands. Well known for their trade ports, he would find more success here than in the east. After ravaging several villages and ports he would arrive home with ninety-five pounds of gold and silver. He would also take prisoner the King of Jutland, who had been visiting with the Sjællanders at the time Ingemar's forces arrived.
He would return home in 806 to find that his son's wife had died of a severe illness. After burning her body, he would send out emissary's to make a suitable match for his widower son. That match would be made in 807 with the great Thane Sörkver and his daughter Sigrid.
![[Image: A8lfaeU.png]](https://i.imgur.com/A8lfaeU.png)
Six years after returning from his second raid Ingemar would die at the ripe age of 60. He built his house from near ruin, and offered to his son a bright future, he was surly feasting with Odin in Valhalla. With little fanfare, Tolir would ascend to his father's seat. Well-liked by his father's council, and known as a brilliant warrior to his soldiers his position was secure. With his newfound power, he could turn his eyes on a greater prize.
Petty King of Visby
Born 753 : Died 1 May, 813 (age 60)
Click here for full size
Young Ingemar was born with no birthright, the son of a fisherman and a milkmaid born in a small village on the island of Gotland. The only thing the gods had graced him with was unnatural strength and height, and a booming deep voice. His father died when he was still young, and his mother died shortly afterward. He was alone in the world, seemingly forgotten. However, one fateful March day, in the year 767 the gods seemed to smile on him. The old King of Visby had never taken a wife. He had no heirs and a court filled with those who despised him or were only there to swindle the throne from him. It was on that day, that the old king had ridden with his Hirdsmen to Ingemar's village. The old king had taken him in as his ward, given him the name Kauping and designated him as his heir. He had the boy trained in his hall in all manner of subjects. Due to the odd manner of his arrival, the old king's court took to calling him Ingemar "the Strange." Suddenly, on the eve of the new year, the old king died. On the first day of 769, as he was mourning the death of his adoptive father, he was brought in to the great hall and made King of Visby.
On the advice of his council, his first order of business was securing a marriage so that he would not make the same mistake that his predecessor had. He found a worthy match in a young woman by the name of Gerðr, daughter of a Norwegian Thane, Oddr. It was not a prestigious marriage, but his daughter was fertile and Thane Oddr had a large host of men at his command. After his marriage, Ingemar sat about fortifying his holdfast. He built reinforcements around the hall, turning it into a hillfort, certain that his builders had done their job well he soon turned his eyes to the shoddy town of Visby.
Before he could look to spend his hard earned gold on the town Ingemar's Seer, Geirr, approached him requesting assistance in building a new temple on the island. Being a zealously religious man, Ingemar saw it as his duty to assist in the construction of a new temple with which the people of Gotland could venerate the gods. He donated one hundred gold to the cause and was assured by Geirr that Odin's blessing was with him.
Geirr would be proved right in 773 when Ingemar's first child Freyja was born, and again in 775 with the birth of his first son Kettilmund. Freyja would inherit her father's gods-given strength which was apparent even at a young age. Her brother, however, would prove to be slow of mind. Little Kettilmund, although loved by his father, was said to have been tainted by Loki in his mother's womb for only such meddling could bestow such a curse on the young boy.
In 777 a young girl named Ulfhildr was brought before Ingemar. Her parents were dead, it seemed some sort of magic had killed them in their sleep and the girl was said to be the one who did it, albeit accidentally. Her village no longer wanted her so they brought her to Ingemar in the hopes that he would deal with her. The decision he made, certainly lived up to the name he was given. He took the girl in and made her a member of the court. A month later Ingemar's second son, Þordr, was born and Geirr's temple was completed. In a controversial move, Ingemar would name Þordr his heir over Kettilmund. Ingemar's fortune would not last as it seemed that when Loki cursed the boy Kettilmund, he also cursed his mother to a short life. She would die only months after giving birth to Þordr.
In his grief, he would find solace in the arms of another, the witch Ulfhildr. Within months of his first wife's death, he would remarry to the young girl and father another son, Tolir. Soon after Tolir's birth, another tragedy would strike in Ingemar's halls. Þordr would take ill and die, leaving Tolir as the heir to Visby. Ingemar would fall into a two-year-long depression after being informed of his son's death some say he was never truly the same afterward.
In the years following the death of little Þordr Ingemar would expand Visby into a bustling trade hub. A small port would be built and placed under the management of his childhood friend Dag. He would expand the local mustering grounds and build a barracks to house his full-time warriors and as a result, he would command the second largest host of warriors in the north. He had taken the poorly managed kingdom and turned it around for the better.
It seemed however that despite his good deeds, tragedy continued to stalk him wherever he went. In 787 his second wife died and because of the grief he bore, Ingemar would never remarry. His two wives had borne him nine children of which eight survived childhood.
Ingemar had little time to mourn, however, as the populous of Gotland began to grow restless. They had begun to hear stories of Norwegians and Swedes who had struck out in their longships to raid eastward and take the wealth to be found there as their own. After much debate, Ingemar agreed to lead a raid from Visby to Estonia to see what could be found. He set his shipbuilders to the task of constructing 44 longships to carry his warriors across the frigid seas. In 793 they had been completed, and off Ingemar sailed with 1,500 men, his son Tolir and his loyal commander Olafr at his side.
Their journey through the Baltic Sea that winter was harsh. But after a weeks travel they arrived in Inkeri and set about their raid. Breaking down the doors to Suomensko temples, taverns and homes they stole all they could: gold, iron and whatever else of value they could find.
Ingemar even allowed Tolir to command a small force of men in an attack on an Estonian village. To Ingemar's surprise, his teenage son's ability outweighed even his own. The military men of his court, as well as himself, had turned little Tolir into a brilliant strategist. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Estonians were just as poor as they were. They arrived home with a little over fourteen pounds of gold and a few iron weapons.
Upon their return to Gotland Ingemar sent an emissary to the Thane of Island and proposed a marriage between Tolir and his daughter Þyra. The great Thane accepted his proposal, and the emissary returned with his son's new wife. An alliance, as well as the future of his family, was secure.
In 805 Ingemar would set out on another raid. This time his target was the rich Sjællander Islands. Well known for their trade ports, he would find more success here than in the east. After ravaging several villages and ports he would arrive home with ninety-five pounds of gold and silver. He would also take prisoner the King of Jutland, who had been visiting with the Sjællanders at the time Ingemar's forces arrived.
He would return home in 806 to find that his son's wife had died of a severe illness. After burning her body, he would send out emissary's to make a suitable match for his widower son. That match would be made in 807 with the great Thane Sörkver and his daughter Sigrid.
Six years after returning from his second raid Ingemar would die at the ripe age of 60. He built his house from near ruin, and offered to his son a bright future, he was surly feasting with Odin in Valhalla. With little fanfare, Tolir would ascend to his father's seat. Well-liked by his father's council, and known as a brilliant warrior to his soldiers his position was secure. With his newfound power, he could turn his eyes on a greater prize.
![[Image: Wbs3DMM.png]](http://i.imgur.com/Wbs3DMM.png)
