The wooden tower burned until dawn the next day and finally turned into ashes, and the last relics were collected by Rurik himself.
Rurik was clearly collecting the last remains of his wife and concubine Mary, and a wooden box contained the last relics. In a secluded place on the shores of Lake Ilmen, Rurik built a tomb to bury her.
This area was also designated as a cemetery for nobles.
Neither Otto nor Nia spoke loudly. They took advantage of Mary's death to tell their son what happened after their death.
"Novgorod is a good place. We will be buried here, and many people also talk about being buried here. After death, my soul will go to Asgard, and my body will be turned into ashes and buried here. Cemetery. Set up a stone monument for me so that descendants can know their ancestors."
Cemeteries are the spiritual link between settlers and their ancestors. Even if priests and priests describe a wonderful soul destination, maybe it exists, but the living always hope to face their ancestors. As a result, the marble coffin lid was engraved with a relief of the deceased. By doing this, the nobles let their descendants know the appearance of their ancestors.
This is not idolatry. Even a Frankish die-hard like Eskil would not say no on this issue.
Because the iconoclastic movement in Europe is over.
Otto is already very old. An old warrior never dies, he just slowly withers away and grows old. Rurik guessed that Otto might want to die in a battle, but this idea was destined to never come true.
Many old people will die in the coming years. A group of old people from Rus' settled in Novgorod this winter and will also die here in the future.
It is necessary to erect a stone monument for the veteran soldier and directly hire someone who is good at carving to make a bust for him. Presumably this form of tombstone should also be a Slavic characteristic, just like what the residents here did more than a thousand years later.
The winter solstice of the Julian calendar finally arrived, and before it arrived, a tall tower was erected on a wasteland beside the lake. The snow was cleared, and a tower of pine and fir was erected. It is very tall and conical in shape.
It has ten stikas, is four stories high, and has a fairly regular rectangular base with six lengths and widths.
Rurik built it by employing readily available local labor, as did the local Slavs.
In the past Winter Solstice "Festival to the Fire God", they would not erect such a huge tower. Firstly, it was unnecessary, and secondly, it would consume too much materials.
The Varyag people, mainly Rus, decided to settle down and built a magnificent tower in the first winter. The flames it ignited could also warm the people and even melt the snow in a large area, like a small sun.
Building a tower is rewarded with salt and silver coins, and the tower is built quickly driven by real interests.
Once the wooden frame was erected, a large number of grease-rich pine branches were piled upwards, creating a flammable structure.
However, it takes a process to make it burn as a whole. When it turns into a fire tower, it is also the most critical moment for sacrifice.
The sunshine has become stingy, and the days have shortened rapidly in recent days, and anyone can really feel it.
The Julian calendar has not yet been revised to the Gregorian calendar, so the winter solstice is postponed to December 28th.
According to the current calendar, this date will continue to be postponed. But every year, it still trembles for more than ten hours.
This place is much better than his hometown in Roseburg. There are many advantages to not having the polar night. Rurik decided to make good use of this winter.
Rurik selected a wooden ridge and gathered a group of people to establish the etiquette standards for this year's sacrifice.
The priests and goddesses of White Tree Manor were invited and sat in front of Rurik anxiously. They wanted to say something, but they were also worried that their words about the ceremony would make Prince Rus angry.
Rurik also had arrangements. Seeing that the local priest was stunned, he took the initiative to ask: "How many rituals are there in your grand sacrifice? Don't be afraid. Tell the truth. I rule here and I am very interested in your rituals."
A bald male priest took the courage to whine: "Just go around the fire tower in a big circle and sing some songs. Then kill a few livestock and throw them into the fire. This is how we used to do it."
"That's it? So simple?" Rurik felt that this person was perfunctory.
"Sir, this is what we...do, otherwise what else can we do?"
Rurik scratched his head and asked the goddesses who were good at smearing their faces with chalk mud to explain. But he saw these goddesses whining non-stop, and Rurik didn't understand them at all.
"Forget it." Rurik waved his hand, "It seems that you don't want to host the ceremony. It just so happens that I intend to host it myself. As long as you continue to cooperate with me, you can continue to enjoy special treatment."
Since White Tree Manor is a traditional Slavic commune, the small group of priests, goddesses and pharmacists inside are the ones who receive material support from the people. This situation is very natural, but they are not yet capable of competing for the dominance of the manor.
Then the monarch who controls the theocratic power, military power, financial power and other powers of the Principality of Rus is a dimensionality-reducing blow to the local Slavic priests.
The local priests and goddesses very cleverly expressed their unconditional servantship and respected the prince as the high priest, so things would be much easier to handle.
Rurik nodded and looked sideways at the wives and concubines of the lower-level priests, led by Nolen, who were sitting upright.
"Nolen, just like we arranged, I want you to play."
"Yes, as long as it's the music you told me, my sisters and I can play it," she said firmly.
“Not just playing, but singing.”
"Which one is it?"
"This is it. Rossia Vith Svietaheimr (Rossia Our Sacred Home)."
Nolen nodded: "Is there more?"
"Of course, this is the only one that represents our Principality of Ross. Others play the flute, but you are the only one. Your singing is the most beautiful and can directly touch everyone's heart."
"All right."
There should be a song in Ross that represents her will, or the will of all Ross people. Rurik is not a musician, but he adapted a widely circulated melody very naturally.
The melody belongs to Ross, and it starts with a standard classic tongue-picking sound, concisely and concisely shouting out Ross.
As for the lyrics, Rurik made some magical changes to cope with the current situation. Therefore, it is also divided into two types: the Rus dialect of the Norse language and the Ilmen dialect of the Slavic language.
Singing and playing music are important parts of the ceremony, and Nolen will show off his skills to the fullest here.
It’s just that the musical instruments are too limited. The only eagle bone flutes and leather drums can constitute the classic medieval music performance mode. Rurik currently only has these two instruments in hand.
As for the harp, its volume is limited and not suitable for playing in public, and the Principality of Ross does not have one in stock.
His wives and concubines can all serve as priests, and most of the rituals will be done according to the style of his hometown in Roseburg.
The ceremony is naturally divided into two parts. The first is the traditional Viking ceremony, and the second is the Slavic "fire tower circle".
When the local priest told him to "give up treatment", Rurik felt that he had received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Through this ceremony, he wanted to establish spiritual contact with the local Slavs.
He was sure that everyone was willing to take the initiative to accept new and novel things. If they just circled around the fire tower, this kind of ritual would be lively but not entertaining enough?
Any sacrificial activity is a gathering opportunity that everyone loves to see, and it essentially becomes an entertainment act.
Then make it truly entertaining! Brand new music and songs must be delivered into the hearts of the people through this winter solstice gathering.
Rurik successfully arranged the ceremony schedule, and the boat-shaped altar made of wooden piles in front of the wooden tower was also built.
The Russians must show off when they come, and it is precisely the prince of Russia who has the financial resources to show off!
Rurik once learned that Hafgen, the Danish leader he killed, publicly beheaded one hundred and eleven slaves to sacrifice to Odin before deciding to take revenge on the new Swedish kingdom.
The Principality of Rus had done this kind of thing in the ancient tribal era, but it obviously hadn't been done in the following decades until now. At least the "note board" left by the deceased Vilia did not describe it in the sacrifice records.
I think this kind of thing is related to the fact that the Russians have been unable to get slaves for a long time. Now that the Russians have emerged from the cramped fjords, a strange principality is rising. There is no need to plunder slaves, or there are smarter methods that don't go to waste.
Five cows were selected as sacrifices. Rurik actually spent money to buy these elderly cows, and the owner was happy to sell them. When cows get old and are no longer able to produce milk or calves, it is their fate to be slaughtered. Now it is also appropriate to sacrifice them as sacrifices.
In addition to the old cow as a sacrifice, there were also fifty chickens killed in recent days and a hundred frozen bass.
This was an animal sacrifice, and there was also a sack of oats as a food offering, and a roll of patterned cloth as a special offering.
The local Slavs have never seen this kind of sacrifice. Rurik also knows that doing this is a wasteful act. He feels it is necessary to do it on special days.
Everything is ready!
The people of the entire White Tree Manor walked out of their homes and the wooden city walls of Novgorod that protected them, formed a mighty torch army, and walked along the frozen Volkhov River to the shores of Lake Ilmen.
A huge cone-shaped wooden tower stands in front of you, and the sunset turns it orange in the soft light.
It's a huge red tower!
Slavs all like the color red, and the Klivi Slavs went even more outrageous. Blood, flames, and the sunset are all red, so the name of the Krivi people comes from this.
This group of Ilmenslavs also called themselves Slavinje, the so-called "Glorious Ones", and now they began to call themselves New Rus's.
Nowadays, the merger means becoming stronger, and the Slavic people of White Tree Manor, who have been enjoying the benefits for several years, not only accept Varyag's winter solstice rituals, but also look forward to seeing the world.
Rurik has already released news about the sacrifices used in the so-called ceremony, as well as some necessary and fresh processes...
Thousands of people gathered by the lake. They were very thickly dressed and covered with fur. They stepped on the extremely thick leather boots and stood on the snow, trampling it into ice.
Otto held two-year-old Velika, and Niya held Reglaf, who was only ten days old. Young children must participate in this ceremony. Because it is not only a ceremony, but also the spiritual sustenance of the Russian people.
Bonfires were lit in many areas, lighting up the entire venue. When the moon rises again, the snowy world becomes clearly visible.
Rurik has been waiting for the time, and it would be best to start the ceremony at midnight, but unfortunately he cannot determine the time through the Big Dipper.
It doesn't matter, when the moon rises high enough that's when the sacrifice begins.
The foundation of the city of Novgorod is indeed the White Tree Manor, and it has indeed become a city in every sense. Now the population has expanded to 7,000 people due to the arrival of the first batch of Varyag permanent residents.
Seven thousand pairs of eyes saw a fantastic team.
Rurik was dressed in white fur, followed by a group of girls in plain clothes and covered with gems (stained glass). The girls played the flute or drums, and the sound of music was very beautiful.
They are none other than the prince's wives and concubines! Rigus's youngest daughter Svetlana is here too, and she's actually playing the flute!
Alas? The governor's sister and the youngest daughter of Ligus, she actually became a priest! Is this considered a priest? ! Without chalk coating, they participated in the ceremony like fairies.
Indeed, Rurik could not feel any sense of sanctity from the local priests whose faces were smeared with chalk mud. Who knows why they did this and made themselves ugly.
Since it is a sacrificial ceremony, any priests involved must at least keep it clean.
Behind them were some people leading oxen and pushing and pulling two-wheeled carts. Cattle and vehicle loads were sacrifices.
The group of people deliberately slowed down and walked into the wooden boat altar in a very ostentatious manner.
It was wonderful that there was no wind tonight. Oil lamps were lit on each wooden post, and Rurik stepped among them.
Nolen led the other girls into the altar and began playing the songs.
The crowd, which was roaring at first, miraculously fell silent almost instantly. This is not the power of music, but their reverence for the gods.
Even an idiot can see the current situation, and the formal ceremony has begun.
Nolen has a melodious voice and a three-dimensional face with blond hair. She is the most typical Viking, like an elf born in the ice and snow.
The song "Ross Our Sacred Home" was sung loudly by her, and the accompanying flutes and drums further enhanced the atmosphere.
The songs in Norse were mostly incomprehensible to the natives until Nolen began singing in Slavic.
Those who only found the melody beautiful and interesting immediately straightened their bodies, and the originally quiet scene suddenly became agitated.
People with sullen faces began to smile, and even though those standing far away could only hear a rough outline, they could still hear some key lyrics.
The Prince of Rus is singing the praises of this land! Although the prince is an outsider, the prince does not want to be an outsider!
The young Prince Rus made a promise to everyone that Novgorod would become a better place.
Rurik expressed his will through a series of ballads and music. These pieces of music are far better than the short folk songs of the locals. The melodies are gentle and the lyrics are very profound.
This is like a concert, Nolen’s home venue!
Rurik noticed that his concubine was indeed enjoying the spotlight. At this moment, she was a singer.
Her voice eventually had a limit, and Rurik didn't want Canary to break her voice.
When the music stopped, Rurik opened his arms and drew his sword.
The most important sacrifice was led to the altar, and he slit the cow's throat cleanly.
The blood of the five cows merged into the land, and they gradually became quiet and cooled down.
The joyful atmosphere became suffocating again, and the Slavic people saw with their own eyes the young prince slaughtering the cow himself. What a sophisticated technique!
"Pull the cow to the wooden tower and prepare to light it!" Rurik stretched out his hand full of cow blood and ordered his men to do things quickly.
The cow carcasses were still hot, and some of the cows were still alive. The cattle were pulled under the tower, and the other sacrifices were simply thrown into the tower.
The final finale is now!
It was at this time that the local priests and goddesses painted with chalk mud appeared.
Rurik shouted some Viking prayers in the altar, and now it was these Slavic priests who shouted some words.
However, everyone's eyes were sharp, and the local priest was muttering. As a result, the people kept whispering to each other, making the whole scene noisy. This was not the case in the past. When the local priests shouted prayers, the people remained silent.
Rurik was very satisfied with all this. He knew that he had become the focal point of the entire ceremony, and the held-up torch attracted everyone's attention.
The torch was thrown into the wooden tower, it started as a small flame, but then it slowly became a violent flame...
The fire burned more and more, and Rurik, who was nearby, consciously felt the power of the sun. The night was illuminated, and the people nearby were sweating. Their faces were burned. Many people took off their thick clothes and retreated spontaneously. .
A red fire tower was born, the largest torch ever seen on the shores of Lake Ilmen!
All the estates around the lake were celebrating festivals, and as a result, they all noticed a sky that was burning red in the north.
Rurik chose a place by the river, which was a little far away from the city. He just wanted to let others take a good look at this fire tower.
His plan did achieve the expected results. The most vivid sights were seen in several farms not far away. It was a huge flame, which must be the incarnation of Peron!
Has Peron arrived? It must be so. But God Peron is actually in the northernmost part of the lake. This God of Fire War actually chose Novgorod! Just because the Prince of Rus is there?
Some farm people began to gossip: Prince Rus has been recognized by God Peron, and anyone who violates the will of the prince will be punished by God.
Over there, the Varangians and Slavs have officially begun their actual grand party!
Six to seven thousand people gathered together and circled around the flaming red tower. As they turned and roared, concentric circles appeared one after another. Everyone was enjoying the undue heat in this harsh winter, as if midsummer was coming...
In such a lively atmosphere, the Russian people went crazy, and children of all ages followed the adults and circled and shouted, including infants.
They each have their own agenda. The Slavs hope to continue to be blessed by the power of God Peron, so that there will be no disasters in the future. The Russians were also spinning in circles, each keen on looking at the sky, looking for traces of the Valkyrie's parade.
This crazy joy didn't end until the second night, because the fire tower burned out and naturally collapsed and turned into scorched earth.
Rurik slept in a tent in the snow for the night. Many people had already returned to the city on foot or on horse-drawn sleighs, but he couldn't leave.
The sun on the winter solstice is so meaningful that most Russians did not leave. They waited here for the wonderful sunrise over the glacial lake. It was the first time for many people to see the sun on the winter solstice.
This was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Rurik immediately measured the shadow, and his wife and concubines immediately recorded the data.
The precise latitude of Novgorod was directly calculated by Rurik, which was of great military significance. It's just that this kind of behavior is completely submerged in the joy of the festival.
Welcome to the year 835 AD!
