The Norse Boy Test

The Norse-boy test. (or period elementry school)

This is divided into several sections.  There are: skills you must have before you and the boyez go off by yourselves (basic survival).  Skills you would be familiar with because they would happen around you constantly.  Skills you would be expected to have (elementary school, here we come!).  Skills of leisure time and sport (remember, winter is real long). 

              All skills are assumed to be done with period supplies.   

We'll start with things you must be able to do before we let you leave the house.......

Cooking (did you expect to find a food merchant in the middle of Russia? How about the North Sea?  Outer Hebridies?  Have a taste for fermented shark?  No?  Ok, then you have to be able to cook the basics.)

1.Start the fire (yeah, with the metal and the rock.  Go gather your pocket lint)

2.Fry an egg (ah, break egg, put in pan, eat)

3.Make oatmeal (oats, water, pot)

4.Make small mead (um, period soda.  Also kills nasties in the water)

5.Make soup (whatever kind you want)

6.Cook meat (take dead thing, apply fire)

(you get extra points for the following)

1a. Skin a dead thing (fish don't count here. Extra double points for doing tanning and using the leather for something)

2a. Clean a dead thing (fish count here.  Remove parts you don't want to eat)

3a. Make bread/crackers/flatcakes/pancakes (well, what are going to eat your cheese on?)

4a. Identify wild plants and mushrooms that are edible.

Extra survival items.  (can you find your way home?  Sigh, no, not that way you doof! Oh, and there's a hole in the sail, and the tent collapsed because the other boys are inept.)

7. Identify the north star. 

8. Basic mending.  (thread needle, knot into fabric, sew)

9. Put up a long tent (with some help, but you're in charge)

(extra points)

5a. Identify the direction you live from here. 

6a. Use a stick sundial. 

7a. Dig a snow-cave

8a. Wash your clothes (oi, you smell!)

9a. Put up other kinds of tents (geteld, pavilion, Royal pavilions, etc)

Fighting, sports, transportation and games.  (What did you want to learn?)

10. Fighting (duh.  Besides, now you've annoyed the neighbors and they want to burn down the house) 

11. Axe throwing (hit the target.  Look, the enemy is that way!)

12. Archery (hit the target.  Well, did you think rabbits just jumped into the pot?)

13. Skiing (cross country.  You have to be able to stand up and go)

14. Snow shoeing (can go without constant tripping.  How did you plan to go to the next house over in 8 ft of snow?)

15. Spear throwing (hit target)

16. Ride a horse (stay on, make it go forward.   Sheep don't count.  Nor do cows)

17. Board games (Nine man's morris or hnaftafl at least.  Note, winter is long.)

(extra points)

10a. Sailing (small craft are fine, but must have an actual sail)

11a. Rowing (small craft are again fine.  Preferably wooden, but whatever)

12a. Load a vehicle in a reasonable way.

13a. Rope winding (make a rope from twine, and coil up ropes while not in use)

14a. Wagon driving (must make the horses go forward)

Extra useful Norse-boy skills. 

15a. Making things (for winter, and being becalmed)

16a. Wood skills (hand carving, build an item, lathe)

17a. Horn and bone working (steam spoons, combs, buckles, etc)

18a. Metalworking (forging, casting, etc)

Household tasks. (you really think you're going to get out of chores?  I can throw an axe pretty good mister! Besides, do you want to eat this winter or not?)

18. Gardening/digging (This is basic use of a shovel, and planting seeds.  Oh, and watering.)

19. Describe your house. (size, basic construction, number and location of rooms)

20. Describe your bed (or lack thereof)

21. Farm animals (basic knowledge of.  That cow.  That goat.  That sheep.  Herding is also useful, but not mandatory.  Name common ones you could buy in a big town.)

22. Meal times and practices (what do you eat and when?)

23. Clothing.  (Winter and summer, describe layers.)

24. Chop wood

(extra points)  (Well, do you want to be drunk this winter or not? If you're in Ireland, I can't help you brew.)

19a. Make beer

20a. Make long mead

21a. Dry fruit

22a. Plowing/harvesting grain (anything where you use a scythe) 

23a. Thatching

Cultural basics (I really don't think you want to leave the farm looking like THAT, and illeterate, unable to answer to insults....... besides it'll make us look bad.)

25. Poetry (one basic form at least.  Heiti and kennings)

26. Music (Know what period music probobly sounded like, intruments they had. Ah, the howling.)

27. Dance (yeah, whatever.  Just go learn how)

28. Runes (you must be able to at LEAST write your name, but really, you need to leave rude graffiti)

29. Rank (Know your own rank, and how to read enough signs of rank to put yourself in the right place in a procession.  Started fights over this in period.  No blood feud!  You sit over there!)

30. Mythology (gods and all.  Must know at least 7 god's names, and at least 4 stories about their adventures)

31. Folk tales (trolls and whatnot)

32. Religion (just who do you pray to, and how?)

33. Common knowlage (basic world assumptions.  Is the world flat or round? Why does it rain? etc)

34. Money (appearance, how you carry it around)

35. Describe a big town

36. Describe a little farm

37. Bathing, makeup, and purfume

(extra points)

24a. Local politics 

25a. Language

26a. Who lives in the next country over?

Tasks that aren't yours (but you've seen them done a million times.  So, to pass, if I hand you a wool comb, you should be able to tell me what it DOES, in extremely general terms.)

Weaving

Spinning

Cardweaving

Wool combs (and cards)

Felting/fulling

Soap making

Metal casting

Shoe making

Fruit gathering

Food preservation

Cheesemaking 

Ceramics

Stone or wood carving

Milking

(extra points for doing any of those)

Drenger section (If you aren't a drenger, you have to learn a craft.  If you don't do either of those, you'll be herding sheep for ever.  Yuck. )

38. Basic knowlage of VA armor (helmets, chain mail, padded gambeson?, rocks.  Basic manufacture knowlage, practical skills in upkeep. POLISHING. Leather, metal.)

39. Basic knowlage of shields (round and/or kites.  Making, upkeep, and painting of).

40. Basic knowlage of VA weapons (swords, and why they are rare.  Also spears, axes, knives of various kinds)

41. Basic battle strategy. 

42. Fealty and service.

43. Making a living (do they pay you?  In what?)