The Helm of Konungr Omadon

Written by Marty McMarn

Konungr Omadon was the leader of a famous clan of marauders and traders who raided and conquered the isles near to his holdfast. He was renown in battle for his unbeatable tactics that seemed to defy the odds and within five summers had unified the disparate seafaring clans of the Latro. At the feast celebrating his crowning as High King, he had his men fill his famous helm with Ice Mead and swiftly downed it in one draft. Shortly thereafter he fitted and thrashed on his throne. His supporters declared he had been granted a vision by the Gods. His detractors suspected an overindulgence of hard liquor. Either way, he announced a voyage to find the fabled land that is now known as Lohadalar. The next spring he set out with 27 boats, a massive flotilla for such a modest land.

He found the promised lands after a three-month voyage that claimed lives and where many hardships were endured. Konungr and is men wintered on a rocky outcrop on the coast and in the spring set off inland to discover peoples to be conquered or traded with. He soon encountered the wild denizens of Lohadalar and fought a skirmish with them. Three pitch battles later he had broken their armies and marched on their capital built of stone. The precious few made it back to the longships and then to Latro all had a differing tale when they returned but it was whispered that it was foul magiks that mortally wounded Konungr and broke his army as they entered the city. All however agreed that his famed helm was lost in the retreat.

After the fall of Konungr Omadon, many tried to recover his helm. Yet no reaver nor sailor, sailing south, east, or any of the routes thought to be charted, could even find this new world for hundreds of years. Even as it was fading into deep myth, and thought to be a fool's tale, it was found again. The Second Saga of the New World began with Snorri Liffrikson’s expedition. When he and his men made landfall they faced savage men that were part beast. It was said that Snorri summited a stepstone mountain, seized treasure, and left - the proof of his success in the gold coins he brought back to Latro. This set off another rush, and some lesser sagas are told, and many sagas are not told for those who never returned.