An old stern Viking warrior stood on the deck of his longship, the Drakkari. His weathered face showed years of battle scars, dressed in chain mail and leather bracers, with a wolfskin cloak covering his shoulders. A Carolingian sword hung from his belt, and he carried a young captive woman, completely naked, on his shoulder. The stormy sea, leaden-gray sky with dark clouds and lightning, set the dramatic scene of the Dark Ages.