The Town of Seeburg and its surroundings.

[They] "transport beaver hides, the pelts of the black fox and swords from the farthest reaches of the Saqaliba to the Sea of Rum [i.e., the Black Sea]. The ruler of Rum [i.e., the Byzantine Empire] takes a tithe of them. If they wish, they go to the Tnys river [i.e., "Tanais", the Greek name of the Don River], Yitil [i.e., Itil, the ancient name of the Volga], or Tin [variously identified as Don or Seversky Donets], the River of the Saqaliba. They travel to Khamlij, the city of the Khazars whose ruler takes a tithe of them. Then they betake themselves to the Sea of Jurjan [Caspian Sea] and they alight on whichever of its shores they wish. ... Sometimes, they carry their goods from Jurjan by camel to Baghdad. Saqlab slaves translate for them. They claim that they are Christians and pay the jizya."

885-886, Ibn Khordadbeh writing about the Rus merchants who brought goods from Northern Europe and Northwestern Russia to Baghdad

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The Town of Seeburg and its surroundings.

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The settlement of Seeburg is located in an ideal defensive position, surrounded on three sides by the river the centre of the settlement is a small fort at the centre of which is a large hall, several adjacent dwellings, a small hall dedicated to the old Norse gods and a larger church, the forts wooden boundary wall encloses 2 hectare (4.5 acre) home field, where hay is grown and cattle are kept over the winter. Outside the settlement are half a dozen farmsteads covers over an area of approximately 20 hectares.

During summertime, Seeburg is a hive of activity with the captains of trading vessels using Seeburg as their first port of call and a place to rest their crews and restock and provision the wide beaches along the river at this point allow them to bring their ships ashore to make repairs. In wintertime, only those traders caught on the river when it freezes tend to remain rather than face the Baltics notorious winter storms. Those left behind simply turn their boats upside down on low turf or stone walls to create short-term longhouses.

The settlement relationship with the local Curonian tribes is complicated and can most simply be described as an uneasy peace. The Curonians would like to rid themselves of the foreigners but are often to be found trading furs and foodstuffs with the ship captains.
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The Principle People of Seeburg.

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Asger (pronounced AHS-gƏr) Kelvigson - Chieftan/Leader of Seeburg an old raider who has settled Seeburg and now lives a life as a trader (now wealthy enough to finance ventures rather than risk his own life)

Taavetti "The Foreigner" - Asger's attractive Finnish wife, she has strange ways and people say she is a witch

Hadwin 'Golden Hand' - Asger's right-hand man if things were a bit more organised then Hadwin would be the Chancellor

Bjarðr - The Smith along with his sons, is probably the wealthiest man outside of Asger's family.

Javal 'the priest' Christian missionary, a young man with old ways he cares for Seeburg's small chapel.

Salbjǫrn - Shipwright, theoretically part of Asger's household, but typically he is his own man.
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Other non townspeople - 'foreigners'

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TBC
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