Alfheimr Renaissance

Borgarsandr, day 11

Ballistics on the beach

Before breakfast I do my daily morning repeat of words and phrases, and I ask Kari if there is something I can do, should do, or not do, to secure the future she planned. In addition to the obvious like actually ask to be given her hand, she asks me to do something that is impressive and proves my sejd, but discreetly so it is not overly clear that it is to impress. The timing is so damn good I wonder if she can actually predict the future, because today I'm going to test my mini cannon and try different black powders. I would have done it yesterday but the weather was unpleasant - I mean; I didn't want to disturb the initial hammering of the steel lumps. So I ask Kari to stay here in the garden and enjoy the view and sea, while we go down to the beach.

So I ask Alith and Bodil who is the least afraid of sejd, and loud bangs. Seems like both are equally unaffected by it if I'm the cause and just curious, but Alith has nothing to do and spent a big part of yesterday playing chess, so this time Bodil will stays with Kari in the garden. So I have Iselin, Ciara and Alith as company and spotters. I can't help think it's damn primitive that there is no wheelbarrow on the farm, so a couple of slave will carry down a handbarrow with stuff and then return, and I load it what I need for the tests. As we walk down to the beach, just like yesterday, I tell everyone that what they will see is secret and they will keep it to themselves as much as possible, and not talk about it where someone might overhear. They all nod with a serious look and confirm. Alith is the only one I think might talk, but she seem to take this very serious. In the future I will be more open to her and Bodil, but now is not the time for that. Ciara is leaning a little forward and looks sore, but she says it will pass in a couple of days, and she seems to have messed up her back, and I feel bad for asking them to help me work the bellows yesterday. Best that I let her have the less mobile duties on the beach.

The idea for the shooting test is that with the same black powder weight, and the same size and weight on lead bullets, try shooting on the flat long beach and see where the first impact is if the bullet bounces, and to make 4 shots with each black powder, and switch during testing and try see possible difference in average distance and spread. I must of course scrub the barrel clean and dry between shots, as well as to try and have a consistent angle and placement, which is the reason I stand the cannon on a small cliff. Range gives an idea about the velocity and thus the energy in the ball. To protect us from explosion or mishaps I fill the emptied handbarrow with sand, so it act as a small sandbag thing between us and the cannon.

I pace up distances on the beach, stick branches in the sand and make a small cairn with rocks, writes numbers and mark a shooting range in 25m intervals. We also removes debris and rake some parts with a leafy branch so it will be easier to spot new disturbances. Ciara has to crouch quite far away behind some low cliffs to see a possible impact at that far range, Alith about halfway behind another cover, and Iselin next to me. My sunglasses are used as eye protection once again, and both me and Iselin have earplugs to protect against the noise.

I start with one gram of black powder, and use a long wooden stick with a rope tied to the end to light the fuse, and I light the rope on a small fire Iselin started. Ugly solution, but works. Everything works above expectations and the shot is almost too much for the length of the beach. So much fail on me. I should have realised that a slightly lobbed bullet of course goes much further than a classic musket shooting almost straight ahead, and I can only lower it another step but that should be horizontal. Iselin makes a shocked face and stare at the cannon. No one sees the impact, but we find it as we walk along the beach in a line, and seeing Alith reaction is quite fun too. Aiming sideways will be difficult here, and the cannon barrel is quite short.

So I switch to a basically horizontal angle and reload. Eventually we get a routine and it's mostly Ciara who sees the impact and with a small cloth flag on a branch stands at the impact and waits for us to measure the distance. Since everything hits far away, Iselin accompanies her far over there and keep record on a slate board how far each shot went and signals with different hand waves. Alith stands close to me, to protect me from the mini cannon and keep me safe, and she's got Iselins earplugs. As expected, some shots are simply gone, but already after 16 shots it's clear that both black powder works well, but the grinded powder is slightly better with more distance than the mortared, so that is the method that will be used in the future. More power is better. Then I gather everyone, as they might just stand here because I will shoot some more powerful loads and they will probably shoot too far or miss the beach.

We hear some lead bullets hits cliffs and rocks at the end of the beach. I increase the load step by step and shoots one last shot with the last of the mortared powder, so about 6g right at a tree just 6 meter distant, and I stand behind the sand filled handbarrow with Iselin and Ciara further back in the protection of a couple of tree trunks and boulders. Although the cannon is mostly behind a lot of sand, with a couple of big rocks on top they insisted on, Alith also insist on standing right in front of me and protect me with her body and shield.

There is quite a large impressive mark on the tree. Alith seems scared of the little cannon, and she seems to understand what would happen if, for example, she stood in front it and even behind a shield.

I confirm that yes, this can be used as a weapon, but in this form is obviously impractical. Even improved it will be bad in a regular battle. A bow, spear or sword are more practical than this. But if Alith and Bodil continue to work for me, in the future they will learn to use special weapons based on this sejd. For hunting. But they will see when we get there, because it is a lot of work, and I don't want to spoil the surprise. That seems to drive Alith mad with curiosity. Which just makes it more fun. However, I get a little worried when she discreetly and with a sexy voice whispers that she can probably 'persuade' me to tell her, as she discreetly let a hand slide along my leg and crotch.

Ciara fetch the slaves as Iselin helps me pack the handbarrow, and when we eventually arrive back at the farm and I have unloaded the handbarrow, I go out to Kari and Bodil in the garden. Kari gives me a small silent applause and a beautiful smile. So I just bow as I stand on stage after a performance. On the way in, Kari rewards me with a kiss on the cheek, and I don't know if I should complain or not.

Everyone except Alith accompanies into town. I take my three crucible steel lumps with me since the goal is to find a skilled weapon blacksmith who can turn it into something useful, and Kari have said there is a well-known master here.

The master blade smith we meet is a confident older man named Olafr who is obviously good, and his craftsmanship is just beautiful. But what I like above all is the precision, and the details on the handles. Not flashy if it isn't in demanded, but smooth, fine and exact. Precision more than flash and bling. As an excellent tool more than blingy fashion accessory. I tell Olafr, that I want to get something forged from a very special iron called steel, and it will be a challenge for him as the steel doesn't want to cooperate as common iron, but instead fight against being worked. If he takes the job, he must follow certain specific guidelines. Other choices are up to him as a master blade smith, but warn that even a skilled master smith as he, can fail with this material. I notice that he doesn't really want to reveal exactly how he does things, but when he notices I understand a lot of the steps, especially the thing with inlays and acid, and asks about his liquid for quenching and tempering, he is willing to go a little further. I am treated more like an exotic colleague with an interesting challenge, than a customer to be impressed. I really appreciate that.

In the end, Olafr is instructed to try to make a sword, with a tapered tip etc. What I consider an ordinary Viking sword design and he has a couple of, which he agrees is a good sword with the right balance and weight. He will also try to make an inlay in the blade with a text of ordinary iron; triangle, ROB, triangle A. I must give some homage to +ULFBERH+T swords, which apparently doesn't exist here, and the triangle is a more powerful symbol than the cross. And I don't want it to be associated with religion. The second lump can be a sword or knives and the third lump is the backup reserve. Should the blade crack he shouldn't try to forge it back together again.

If everything worked and he's crafted a good sword, he should make knives of the other, preferably four, but save smaller steel parts, since I want to make tools and other things from the material. The knife design I want is basically a copy of the Mora knife I carry with a rounded 12cm blade with a bevelled tip, and where the knife blades tang run through the entire length of the grip and have a hole for a lanyard at the end, and a small anti-slip guard before the blade. With a wooden grip that is riveted on. I would have preferred to do with riveting at the back of the grip for durability, instead of a lanyard hole, but I prefer this, and it is easier to change the grips if they become crooked or rivets get loose and so on.

I know he is a blade smith but if he can and wants, I would appreciate if he can make some precision files and drill bits from the last little of material because the material is special. It's not a priority or a requirement, just a wish he can refuse. He is hesitant, but say we will see when he made the sword, and he doesn't directly refuse.

Olafr asks for a week to learn the material, see what it is like to be forged etc and try with the sword, and then we will see. He thinks it might take a couple of weeks as I don't want a lot of special mounted jewels or fuss. The price for everything depends on how successful he is, but since I supplies the material, it will be 3 ounces of gold for the sword, and 3 ounces of silver per knife. Seems like he likes the challenge more than anything, and he can be a good contact for the future if he manages to do the job well enough.

A trip to the glass maker shows that the lenses are ready and looks okay, and Craftsman Digraldi who makes my 'candle' holders also turns out to be finished with them, and parts for my gimbal slash gyro suspended compass. Why does it feel like my work is being prioritized by the craftsmen? Because I pay well? It doesn't feel normal that I always get everything so quickly, as they should already have jobs to do. Maybe the King have discreetly influenced them to give me preferential treatment? I tell Craftsman Digraldi that I will have another job for him, so I will return in a couple of days.

Back at the farm, I announce that I want to be undisturbed for the next few hours, and sit down and start taking notes how the log buildings for the Academy's buildings are to be made. I use the documentary on the tablet for how they in Finland build a traditional log house in the old way, but I will modify it. Both for my needs are different and I want to incorporate some lessons from other old wooden houses that have had a long life, and the most important thing is that wood doesn't stand or lie directly on the ground, but on a stone foundation.

So I sit there with headphones, sketches, and makes drawings. Pause, restart, etc. There will be a lot of drafts, but in the end one of those empty books will be filled when I have a clear idea, both on construction method, details, and plans. It feels like the builders will start on a house like the one described in the documentary, but I need to modify it a bit so it includes a stone fireplace with chimney, so the builders learn how I want that built, and get some experience of the building technique before the larger and much more complex building that will be my home. This first building isn't wasted and will have later use, and it is faster and easier to build. A small entrance room with narrow ladder up to the crawl space attic that will be a storage area for food and other things. Then a door in to a living room with fireplace and cold storage under the floor, and with a door in to the bedroom in the back corner. The back of the fireplace will spread some warmth to both the entrance room and bedroom. In total the house will just be about 6 by 4 meters, and it might become a common small extra house. Quite a good chance that people will use it in a similar way as houses like this were traditionally used, where the living room is used for everything, including sleeping in, and the bedroom more becomes the classic chamber and storage. There will be windows even if there is heat loss there, but thin white curtains can probably help a little and still let light through, and I might as well let the rooms have low ceilings to make heating more efficient. If the Academy and my land become as I intend, it will be a small, scattered community with various craftsmen and a village with their families, and I want good houses for them, as well as premises and buildings for their respective crafts. Better living standards will probably attract more skilled people.

However, my own main building will have an extra outer wall outside the log walls with planks as a facade, and additional insulation between in the form of sawdust or planing flakes/chips. Plus a whole hell of a lot of other solutions to make it more comfortable, safer, modern etc, but the principle is the same as this small timber building, only far larger with two floors and a cellar.

If I go according to the documentary, maybe I can get enough timber felled and transported during the winter and the main building finished sometime in the summer of next year. Maybe I can buy ready-made dried timber, but I will have trouble transporting it, and the size of the building will require a hell of a lot of timber. I can hardly transport logs longer distances along the road, and if there is a water route to use, letting it float directly on water waste that it is dried. Construction time depends on how much building material and manpower I can gather, where it will be and how much it will cost. I will have to make calculations how many logs are needed and really think about unpleasant 'oops' to avoid, such as changing the direction of the ends on the logs at each layer so that the building becomes straighter. I need someone who is a builder and makes decisions on the spot, and understands how to read my drawings and sketches. I could probably do it, but I have no idea about building something in this era, or to handle all the builders, so better to hire someone competent to do it. However, I can live with it taking a year, since even with the gold I have and from the King, I will need time to collect more silver and make plans, but we need somewhere to live this winter, and have food, and it should probably be here in Borgarsandr to get access to the craftsmen. Some specialized tools probably need to be manufactured as well. I might have to try and buy a house somewhere, or I might have to try to be a court magician or something over winter. Oh, man. That will suck.

I continue to do a rough sketch of what will probably be my own future house, my farm. Gradually, it has grown into a large rectangular log building. Two floors with an open part in the middle with stairs up, a corridor in the middle out to each end on both floors and rooms along each side of the corridor so they can have windows for light, with a single-storey wing for kitchen, bath, indoor outhouse style toilets, laundry room, storage room, basement, and servant quarters. Overall the building get an L shaped look. I have to accept that I will need many smaller bedrooms, because the first student might live there, even though I don't want to, and later we will get guests who will need to live there temporarily, and it is designed to be a more modern house with a modern layout, which means separate bedrooms for everyone. No longhouse where people sleep on benches in the great hall. The plan is now 5-6 guest rooms in different sizes, but it makes a difference if you have a single bed or several bunk beds in the rooms. The overall design and placement of rooms and walls are affected by the length of the logs, the location of the chimneys to give most rooms a heat source, and the layout of the lower floor and load bearing walls, affect the design of the second floor and the size of the rooms there. Tricky.

If necessary, there is plenty of space in the attic of the wing for people to sleep, although I want part of it and the north side of the main buildings attic to be a cold and dry storage. The attics will not be luxurious or private, but will work as a sleeping spot and it won't be pitch black since every attic will have windows in the ends. I should probably add a few gables too. It will certainly be good if there is room for other things as well, because I would like to have a hobby room workshop with some machines and other things. However, that should be a little secluded and not right beside someone's bedroom. There will be annoying sounds from that hobby room sometimes, and I hope to be able to make a few electric machines in the future.

I take some inspiration from a fantasy fortress I designed several years ago and include an roof covered patio that can act as a training area and feast space. Large rectangular surface, with posts holding up a roof. As windbreaks and 'walls', there will be canvases or sailcloth that can be drawn close. I can also hide a small crawling escape tunnel from the basement under the patio walkway to the other side of the patio. I can explain it as a drainage tunnel during construction, which it will also work as in case of flooding in the basement. The stair and crawl tunnel will probably be slowly angled down, because I need a basement, and it's better to build the house on a slope so that the main building doesn't get an unnecessarily large basement that takes time to dig and build, and the basement need a somewhat level entry with lower land a few meters away for drainage. I want the main building entrances hall to the north, so the backside is towards the south, to get the maximum amount of light into the middle of the buildings great hall with the staircase, so the corridors and south facing rooms gets more light. It can also be a nice space by the patio and the house's basement for a future greenhouses where the building is the north side of the greenhouse, and it's stone foundation will work as a temperature stabilizing 'fruit wall'. If I can grow spices, vegetables or something exotic, yes please, but I need to find someone who can take care of it too, but I can let the future maids help. Glass is expensive, but may be worth it for the future, and the greenhouse can use cheaper bad glass, especially in the roof.

There will be a basement under at least a big part of the wing - for storage, food storage and more. Some of my ideas need a lower level basement. I contemplate a bit if I should start the tablet and sketch the house in Sketchup that I have installed with add-ons, because I often used it to create simple things for 3D printing since way back. It just barely feels worth the effort, because I still have to draw it on paper in the end. The main benefit is that its easier to try different things to find something I like. However, I generally have no problem doing plans on paper and thinking in 3D, and most things on a building can be easily recreated in layers. If I get plenty of time, it might be done in Sketchup, and then drawn back on paper.

I think I will focus on improving navigation in the autumn and over the winter, make a globe, ship compass, sextant and speedometer, possibly anemometer with direction for a larger boat to calculate movement and compensate. Plus making compasses and charts. I will probably have to go out on a couple of sailing trips just to test and map where towns are. A travel sundial can also be used on ships if it is designed correctly. Add life preservers, hammocks, water purification / storage, etc. It won't work on a ship, but I would love to make a pendulum clock and mechanical clock, and at least pendulum clocks are relatively simple.

I really want to lie down and just hold Iselin and cuddle, so anxiously I ask if she would like to spend the night in my bed. I should have guessed that the answer would be a very happy Iselin, and I get very happy by her enthusiastic answer, and internally I draw a sigh of relief. I just have to accept that I'm completely in love with her.