Vic the Viking

Powerful winds coming from all directions, created by giant bellows, are keeping our Vikings from landing on the Celtic shores of the self proclaimed kingdom of « The Wind Queen». Only Vic is able to reach the shore, thanks to a kite. The natives believe that Vic is a messenger from Kirk, the Celtic god of the winds.

Drawn to a shooting star that has fallen on an ice field, Halvar and his men are convinced they have found a fabulous treasure. Sven the Terrible, who is also floating in the neighborhood, has the same thought. But the heavenly debris turns out to be nothing more than ugly, charred stones. Certainly not jewels worthy of taking home to Ylva!

The drakkar runs aground on a reef in the fog! When they call for help, the Vikings only draw the attention of Sven and his men, who steal their cargo. Vic manages to recover the goods by making it appear like the pirates have been cursed. To do this, he uses bamboo sticks that are actually filled in with gunpowder. These are loud enough to sound like the god Thor's thunder...

In order to scare away tax collectors sent by Eric the Greedy, Vic invents a magic lantern (from flat pieces of translucent stones painted by Ulme and mirrors that focus the sun's light). He uses this to project "monsters" at the entrance to a cave (where the villagers have hidden all their wealth), frightening the tax collectors away.

Halvar, his men and the drakkar are kidnapped by Sven! In order to catch up with them, Vic whips up some kitesurfing gear with a board and burlap bags. With Snorre and Tjure, he manages to get his father's drakkar back. Since the sail is ripped, Vic has the idea of making it move by building two large paddle wheels built with the help of Tjure, the crew's carpenter, and Snorre.

An old shipwrecked sailor is the accomplice and bait for a group of pirates, who use the tempting prospect of a fabulous treasure to lure sailors in order to seize their riches more easily. Our Vikings fall into the trap, but Vic and Ulme use their talents as puppeteers to scare the brigands of the seas and send them packing.

Gilby challenges Vic: whoever can reach the highest point on the drakkar will accompany the Vikings on this year's expedition. With his scrawny arms, Vic has no chance. Unless he freely interprets the rules. In fact, there are no restrictions about how to climb...

Our Vikings are captured because Faxe has stolen and eaten an Icelandic Viking clan's sausage stash. The Icelanders, thinking the Vikings are bearing treasure from their expedition, hold them ransom. Vic convinces them they have Dagda's Cauldron, a sort of cornucopia that contains an unending supply of food...

Tjure's eighth child is born. But this new baby has a lot trouble sleeping. Everyone tries something but Vic finds the solution by imitating his father's silly noises (like farts). Baltac is on his way to challenge Halvar. But the chief of Flake hasn't had enough sleep and Vic is worried. He then thinks Tjure's son can defeat Baltac with his awful screams.

In Flake, it's the big harvest celebration. And as most senior member of the village, it is Snorre's mother Greta's duty to host the festivities. But this year, Snorre, her son, smells even worse than usual! Greta refuses to host until he has washed up, which of course, he obstinately refuses to do...

The kids of Flake commandeer the drakkar under Gilby's lead and hoist the anchor. Vic tries to convince him to surrender the command to him, but Gilby won't listen, even though he doesn't know beans about navigation! The drakkar gets ever further from the coast. Overcome by sea-sickness, Gilby finally abandons the command to Vic under pressure from the other children.

A flamboyant magus arrives in Flake and makes Urobe looks like a cheap druid. Claiming to be a soothsayer and healer, he bluffs the villagers with conjuring tricks and a sly scheme. Vic and Ylvi aren't taken in, even though they don't understand how the charlatan cures Faxe, who goes insane, and how he knows all about the villagers, including the most personal of things.

While doing a contest of skipping stones, Snorre, Tjure and Vic are kinapped by Sven. As Halvar and the others try to deliver them, Vic, Tjure and Snorre set confusion on the Pirate ship as Snorre projects his voice and impersonates Sven.

Each year, our brave Vikings have to plough the field so they can have enough vegetables and cereal. Unfortunately, Halvar is not ready to do so and rather like to go pillaging. Women are not happy and have blocked the drakkar on shore. Vic tries to plough the field with the drakkar's anchor but it stays stuk in the ground. He discovers the forgotten treasure of Flake hidden between some roots.

Halvar has to face a new challenge to prove he's the right chief for the village. Urobe says he has to make a seagull land on his helmet. But with Gorm around, it's quite impossible! While the poor Viking tries to get away and leaves his chief win, the seagull keeps landing on Gorm's helmet. Seagulls are nesting at this time of the year which gives a bright idea to Vic but it still doesn't work.

Halvar and his men discover a mysterious cavern where Sven and his pirates hide their loot. This cavern has kept all the words Sven and his men exchanged during the last winter. When the pirates arrive to the cavern, the clever Vikings pretend to be invisible and with the words released from their frozen bubbles, the pirates soon get scared. Halvar can have his loot back!

Urobe is declared bravest Viking of Flake for this year. Ylvi thinks Vic should have "won" and Gilby suggests a challenge: stay in the wood for one night where the wolves are... Ylva refuses, but Halvar can't favor his son. Watched by Urobe, Gilby and Vic enter the forest. At the end, Vic will save Gilby from a wolf, but each will receive his share of congratulations.

On their way to a spa island, the Vikings are provoked by Brendall, a haughty Viking with an impressive boat. Upon arrival, Halvar wants to fight, but Brendall proposes a true competition between their two boats.

A series of messages are floating in wooden bottles. They are calls for help from a damsel in distress who is offering a reward to anyone who will rescue her. Vic identifies the wood from the bottles as Bird Cherry. The crew are reluctant to go, but Halvar, in an incredible show of strength, flattens a table with his bare hands. This settles the crew, and they set out for Bird Cherry Island.

On a trip to Britain Halvar and his men are captured by fierce Celtic women warriors who accuse them of plundering their kingdom. For once, Halvar is innocent but the Britons insist that he must prove his innocence by undergoing four trials by ordeal. Only after Halvar has successfully passed through trials involving earth, wind, fire and water can he and the Vikings be freed.

The Vikings sail home through Scottish Waters after a successful voyage. They happily celebrate until night falls when talk of monsters generates fear amongst them. As a thunderstorm closes in, the ghostly light causes the Vikings to mistake a shipwreck for the hideous monster and they throw to 'the monster' all of their food. As morning approaches, they are now starving and have nothing to eat...

Whilst playing with a set of dominoes, Vic accidentally discovers the 'domino effect' which he later uses to flatten a circle of standing stones driving away the Welsh druids who're threatening to shave off Halvar's prized beard in order to appease their gods.

When a runic shape appears on the side of Halvar's face, Urobe convinces everyone that he has been visited by the Gods, and soon the whole village thinks that he has the power to take the shape of any animal or person. Halvar disappears, and a duck takes his place as captain of the ship. To avoid disaster, Vic has to pretend to be Halvar, and restore his father to his rightful position of captain.

Halvar is convinced that he is cursed with bad luck. He can't catch any fish, things fall on him, and he gets struck by lightning. It's the wrong time to be suffering from a crisis of confidence, because three Viking warriors are travelling to Flake to challenge his leadership. Vic and the other villagers try to cheer him up but nothing works...

The King of Sweden is out hunting in the forest. He smells some delicious food from nearby Flake and decides to go there. Halvar mistakenly believes the king comes to honour him. Instead the king appoints Ylva to be his royal cook. Halvar will not have the king take his wife away and calls his men to arms with the result that Ylva is taken away in the kings' camp...