The Hólmbyggjar [1] are an extended family group with numerous friends and allies. A modern person would call them Vikings: they consider themselves to be men and women of Ranrike, Jutland and so on.
Ulrik Sinfjotlison is the head of the family. He comes from Ranrike, on the westernmost border of Sweden. He moved to England with his sons Valgard and Skarf, and his fosterson Ubbi, with the intention of setting up a trading post. They have taken land on Osea Island in the Blackwater estuary, Essex. This is ideally situated for both trade and farming, and the settlement has prospered. Ulrik's ship is called the Svart-svín or "Black Pig".
Ulrik has now returned to Ranrike, and passed ownership of the land on to his son Valgard. Valgard in turn spends much of his time travelling and trading in the East, so the settlement of Hólmr [2] is administered by Bossi, Ulrik's styrsman and trusted lieutenant.
As pagans, the Hólmbyggjar venerate many supernatural entities. The family's special guardian is the Mead Fairy.
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This is not intended to be a complete history of the Vikings in England, as there are many excellent books and websites covering these topics. Instead, it attempts to set the story of the Hólmbyggja in its historical and social context.
There are no surviving recipes from the Viking Age, and we normally have to use a modern kitchen to prepare our banquets, so it's never possible to exactly replicate a Viking feast. We base our menus on the archaeological evidence which tells us what foods were eaten, knowledge of the techniques available and we also poach suitable recipes from Roman, mediaeval or traditional cookery. Here are a few recipes which have gone down well with DAS.