[b]Constantinople, Roman Empire[/b]

"How much have we made so far, Helgi?" 

Helgi Svartönnar, so named for his wonderfully decaying teeth received due to a mouth injury in a raid on Ireland so long ago, turned to face his leader and partner in this incursion to the great city of Miklagarðr, Sigbjörn Bláserkr himself. 

Not more than 3 months ago, the Blue-Shirts conducted a sucessfull raid on Eoforwic, taking with them more than enough loot to get what they needed from the merchants here in Roman Territory. Whatever they could provide would be much better than Saxon crafts. The nice little pay they got for joining the Romans in the battle they've been having with some eastern powers helped in getting nicer armor and weapons too. 

"I was able to get us some mail armors and very nicely crafted swords", the older Helgi spoke, handing over one of the two steel blades to his leader, who inspected the sword and smiled at Helgi's well picked merchandise. 

"I take it we have an offer?" Helgi asked to his companion

"Yes, we do", Sigbjörn replied, affixing the new sword and scabbard to his belt. "The Romans, they have a little problem comming from the east,"

"Oh? A little problem? I don't think Romans get little problems", Helgi replied as Sigbjörn chuckled a bit

"Indeed, but I don't think it will be too much for us anyways." he remarked as the two made their way towards the docks to meet yet another Norseman in the city. Egill of Uppsula, who truly lived up to his namesake; the greatest archer in all of the Blue-Shirt Army. 

"Egill, We should begin moving further south, towards the Levantine Area. That's where the fighting is going on." 

"Alright, Ivarsson." Egill said as he and the others went over to get the rest of the army, most of whom had already begun making their ways to the boats but some who had to be tracked down and brought back from the wonders of Miklagarðr and her exquisite buildings and sights. 

The Blue-Shirts came from all walks of life. Most were Rus, a tribe that had carved its way into the high social places of the Baltic, yet others were from the other Swede tribes, some were Geats, Finns, Balts, Danes, Slavs or even Germans. Men and Women alike were on the longships, though men did indeed outnumber their female raiders by a great bit. Bound by Loyalty, Oaths, the search for Glory, Valhalla, or just money brought them here, and they all served under the great Sigbjörn Ivarsson; some even serving under his father Ivar Geirrson the Blue-Shirted before he was slain by the Slavs of Kiev in a failed raid. 

This would be Sigbjörn's glorious campaign, with the blessings of the Allfather upon him and his army they would return the greatest among all the Swedes. This would be were the name Blue-Shirt would be made or broken. 

On his signal, the Longships of the Blueshirts took off and out to the Mediterranian, to meet their destiny in Antioch and beyond. A cachophony prayers to Tyr, Thor, Odin and Freyr echoed across the various ships as they began their journey across the wine dark sea to meet their fate in a far away land.