The ten travelers from the Balmok tribe arrived in Roseburg during the warm period of summer. It was already October.
Do we have to walk back to our hometowns on ice and snow in winter?
Modgen, the leader of the travelers, encouraged his brothers and friends to cross the mountains with their boats, taking huge risks in an attempt to trade furs with the Kovin people, and he had made a fortune in his hometown. If it was just the fur trade, this operation really made a good profit.
Visiting the homeland of the Rus is truly an adventure on the road to travel.
At first, Modgen was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality of the Ross people, and even more shocked by the construction of their homeland by the Ross people, and the ambition of the Ross leader.
After completing the trade of exchanging salt for leather, due to Rurik's request, they were treated as guests of the leader and were able to stay in Fort Ross. The daily living expenses were essentially paid by Rurik himself.
They maintained absolute awe at the beginning of the period, knowing that they were in unknown territory and must remain cautious for their own benefit.
However, they did live with the Rus.
"You are not fundamentally different from us."
There are many large cargo ships in Modgen because the Russians have them, and fishing boats frequently go in and out of the fjord. On sunny days, a crowd of fishermen will gather on the sandy beach. The shipbuilders are building ships in their small workshops, and the loggers are always carrying small trees on their own hands through the twists and turns of the settlement...
There is a similar scene among the Balmok tribe. Everyone's lifestyle is very similar, and there is no communication barrier in the language they speak. The strangeness at the beginning is quickly disappearing.
"Perhaps we have a common ancestor, and our ancestors also crossed the mountains and entered the fjords in the west from here?"
Until the Russians began to demonstrate some incredible black technologies, especially molten iron casting in blast furnaces, mass-produced steel swords, various soap making, and even glassware manufacturing.
"Ah, we have the same soul, but we are not really the same. Your way of life is really more wonderful."
Modgen imagined that if he brought a lot of silver coins, he would buy some rare things in Fort Ross. They would be smaller and easier to transport, and their value would be much higher than leather. However, I am really poor, and the original purpose of crossing the mountains is to pursue wealth.
While he was living in Fort Ross, he learned about the past of many local people, even some ancient legends, and even recent heroic stories.
For example, Rurik, the wise man blessed by Odin, Arik, who made the Gotlanders fearful, conquered Otto, the leader of Eastern Novgorod.
These three people are all real heroes. Since they have the most contact with Rurik, Modgen is completely convinced that this child has received the favor of God.
But what about the woman?
The tribe’s high priest, Vilia, is said to have lived to be eighty years old! Some Russians gossiped, saying that Vilya had died long ago, and there was someone else who had been hiding in the longhouse of the priests for a long time. In other words, the aging skin is still Vilia, and the soul inside is already a Valkyrie.
Ordinary people have no right to enter the longhouse of the priests. Who knows what it is like inside?
Many people are willing to believe that gods have come to the world, just because everyone hopes to be favored by gods and that their lives can become better.
…
Perhaps in September, Modgen should return to his hometown with his already restless brothers and the leather they exchanged.
The leader of the Rus and the huge fleet have not returned yet, and even the familiar Rurik has gone to Melalen, the core area of their Siiya tribe alliance.
"Maybe I need to choose a time to try my luck with the legendary Melalen tribe. Oh, if I meet other Norwegians there, will they recognize us Balmoks?" A big dream in Modgen Brewing in his heart, he firmly believed that no one else in the entire tribe could run further than his own expedition team.
If your team can conduct an in-depth investigation, then how many treasures you can bring back to your hometown will become secondary. If you sell the expedition information to the leader, wouldn't you make a lot of money?
Modgen made up his mind that if it snowed in October, the team would rather stay in Roseburg and wait until the ice melts next spring to return. This is what he thinks, but the brothers don't want to stay in the Russian territory.
After all, they are not Rus people, not even people from the Siiya Tribe Alliance.
Do you want to celebrate Hanukkah in a foreign land? If we can't go back early, will the people in our hometown think that the ten brothers have died on the other side of the mountain?
If the people in my hometown really feel that way, wouldn't their property be divided among their relatives and friends? This is really unreasonable.
The other brothers made up their mind that it would be best to meet the leader of the Rus people when he returns, and then brave the frost to return home.
Their waiting was not in vain, no, the great leader of Rus had returned in triumph.
When the Otto fleet sailed into the fjord, the sails were raised like fog pressing on the sea. It was an unprecedented sight!
Among the many people standing on the beach watching the triumph, Modgen and his party were also present. They witnessed the spectacular fleet, thinking that this was normal for the Russians, and couldn't help but admire them even more.
Of course, for ordinary Russians, what they saw was the largest and largest fleet in the history of the tribe.
Finally, they met Otto, a weathered and strong old man. It just so happens that such an old man actually has an extremely beautiful and intelligent son.
They were met by Otto and promised an in-depth conversation.
No, the historic, semi-official exchange between the Ross tribe and the Balmok tribe was finally held at Otto’s home!
This was a private meeting. Otto didn't want to make the meeting too grand, and he only invited Modgen.
It's early winter, and the days are shortening rapidly every day. Since the astronomical autumnal equinox has passed, the daytime is now much shorter than the nighttime.
The life of many Rus' people has entered its usual winter state with the return of the Sorgon fleet and the absolute coldness of the climate. They are not "ice and snow warriors" and dare not fish for treasures that can only be obtained in winter, such as large amounts of precious leather. They just want to stay in a warm home like rabbits and survive on the food they have stored until the ice melts.
The cold could not break Otto's will, and he felt that there was still a lot of work to be done.
You need to go to the Oulu River in the east to collect the squirrel leather from the Kovin people, and you need to go to Ironburg in the north to collect the iron tools provided by the Iron Squirrel Tribe. Next, after Hanukkah, we have to organize a hunting team to collect leather from unknown places.
Since the Balmoks are like people who suddenly emerged from the ice sea, separated by a long space, the two sides definitely have no reason to be hostile, so the deal between the two parties must be established and made bigger.
In this regard, before the meeting, Otto had already made up his mind to be smart.
The charcoal in the fireplace was burning slowly, the thick wooden door was closed, and the warm living room of the leader's house was lit up by the wooden chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The matrix of bronze oil lamps illuminated the entire room.
Rurik and Otto were here, father and son, wanting to have a heart-to-heart with Mordgen.
After some polite greetings, Otto basically learned the general profile of the Balmok tribe.
"A huge tribe with a population of perhaps 20,000 people? And everyone speaks the same language as us. Are they equivalent to the second Melalen? We must establish a good relationship with them!" Otto was surprised. Fortunately, the surprise was limited to his heart, and his face was still calm with a little joy.
After listening to Modgen's eloquent introduction, Otto laughed happily: "What a powerful tribe! I didn't know you."
"Great is the leader, now you know us. You are the masters of the Corvin people, then we have reason to trade with you."
"Trade? Okay! What my son and I want is a trade!" Otto straightened his back and asked knowingly: "Tell me, what goods can you provide? I want to hear your list."
"This..." Did the topic suddenly become a purely business negotiation? Modgen was a little excited, but then he thought about it and worried that this was a temptation from the Russians.
Yes, the Russians are already using "magical magic" to make iron tools at an incredible speed. What kind of things do their own Balmok tribe have that can really attract the Russians?
He calculated: "There are salt, salted fish, rosin, and..."
There is nothing special about the things listed.
"Isn't there something we don't have?" Otto deliberately showed disdain, hoping to force out what Modgen might be hiding in his heart.
"Ah! Chief, don't you like this? But Rurik, he said our salt is very good."
Originally, it was certain that Dad, as the leader of Meeting Ross, would reach some mutually beneficial agreements with these travelers. I discussed it with my father in advance, and both of them originally wanted to make a distant friend.
Rurik coughed twice: "Your salt is indeed very good, but who in this world doesn't know how to boil salt? It's not a big problem to tolerate poor quality salt. Modgen, I hope you can understand that we treat you and your group as The guests have supported me until now, and I didn’t listen to what you said. Tell me, what other treasures do you have? We are interested in trading."
"Ah, we still have some iron ore, and we are also smelting iron, although the quality is not as good as yours."
"Is there anything else?" Otto continued to ask.
"And...and..."
Being stared at by two distinguished people, one big and one small, Modgen felt really uncomfortable all over.
He thought hard in a panic, and suddenly an idea came to him!
"Where are the slaves? I see that you are recruiting many foreigners. Maybe you need slaves very much."
"Do you have slaves?" Otto became slightly interested.
"Yes! Of course there is! It's... just further to the west, that big island." Modgen tried hard to recall the news about Britain he learned from the adventurers who returned to his hometown, and the news reached his ears. Of course it's embellished. Now in order to show the strength of the Balmoks, Modgen deliberately said: "There are many Britons in that British island. They are rich but weak. If you need slaves, I can tell our leader about this when I go back. We The Balmoks dare to sail the western sea, how about we capture a group of Britons and sell them all to you?"
Hearing this, Otto thought this was feasible without even thinking about it.
Although Rurik heard it a little awkward, this is the current normal situation in Northern Europe, Western Europe, and even Europe as a whole. Any kingdom, tribe, tribe. They are all trying to use violent means to plunder other ethnic groups' populations, expand their own productivity, and maintain and expand their power.
What Rurik knew was that the British kingdoms were still at war in this time and space, and there were still many tribes in Scotland and Wales that were separated from European civilization. As the owners of the majestic port of Narvik, why don't the Balmoks do this?
Otto actually liked the good salt they made very much, and also because the five British slave girls he kept at home were really serious about their work. They all have a good impression.
Otto closed his eyes and meditated for a moment, then opened his eyes and suddenly said: "Modgen, I think about it now, you should understand my attitude. I am willing to have close contact with you. If our business cooperation can continue, I even hope to form an alliance with you.”
"Ah?! Form an alliance?!" Modgen never thought of this level from beginning to end. He was flattered: "Chief, I am just an ordinary traveler. My brothers and I are ordinary people in our hometown. We do not have the authority to represent Baal. Chief Merck,"
"Of course I know! You are just ordinary people? But have you ever thought that being able to sit in front of me means that you have been instructed by Odin secretly? My Rurik is sitting here. In this way, you Is it really ordinary?"
The praise from Chief Ross made Modgen excited. He also estimated the intention behind Otto's beautiful words.
Modgen asked respectfully: "Big Chief, what can I do for you? Just transport the good salt and Briton slaves you like in the coming years?"
"Of course not! I want to let your leader know that there are us Russians on the other side of the mountains. We are willing to be friends with you, provided that you can transport goods that are useful to us."
"Oh, I will tell my leader exactly what I said. If you don't mind, chief, I will also tell my people exactly what I saw in Fort Ross. If the chief welcomes all Balmok traveling merchants, I think we all stand to gain a lot."
Modgen's words were what Otto and Rurik wanted to hear the most.
"I welcome you to do business! But you should also understand that when we do business here, you have to pay a certain amount of tax."
Modgen nodded deeply: "I will also tell my people about this matter."
"Very well, when will you leave?"
"If possible, I hope to leave in the next few days."
Modgen and his party should have returned long ago. After Otto learned the information provided by his son, he had no intention of keeping these Balmoks. If the return journey must be through ice and snow, a true warrior must be able to overcome this. If the Balmok travelers cannot overcome even this trouble, the two sides will not do business in the future.
They were leaving in the next few days and were working as messengers. Otto had originally intended to give them a ride to help them return to their hometown as soon as possible.
Thinking about it now, since taxes on leather and ironware still need to be collected, my Sorgon voyage is not completely over. There is still one last finishing project to be done.
"Then make a date! Three days later, I will organize a fleet and continue to collect the final tribute. I will take all ten of you and your boat away. When we arrive at Ironburg in the north, You begin your final journey."
A favor, what a favor.
"Oh! Thank you so much for your hospitality. I will summon the brothers and let them prepare..."
