Odin, Thor, and Loki are Babylonian deities!!

[Torm]

That's just one theory among a very large number. IMO, it's one of the more unlikely ones.

That's the beauty part of this - it doesn't matter whether it is right or not, for our purposes here. It only matters that it is a theory with some manner of logical structure that one could potentially hang roleplaying elements on.

Although, the theory makes sense to me, in and of itself.

 

[Enkhidu]

The OED holds that its built on the old norse "vic," (fjord, bay, inlet, or where the land meets water), and the saxons called them wicings (roughly "travelers"). In the Anglo-Saxon poems of the period, like the Battle of Malden, they were called invaders.

Easy to see where the origin gets muddy.

 

[tarchon]

That's the beauty part of this - it doesn't matter whether it is right or not, for our purposes here. It only matters that it is a theory with some manner of logical structure that one could potentially hang roleplaying elements on.

It's the "Did you know" preface to a highly uncertain piece of information that ever draws my attention. Like "Did you know paladins suck?"

 

[Desdichado]

Did you know paladins suck?

Yeah, I did.

 

[Torm]

It's the "Did you know" preface to a highly uncertain piece of information that ever draws my attention. Like "Did you know paladins suck?"

You're right, I shouldn't have said it that way. (You're wrong for your example, btw. )

Did you know that 85% of all statistics are made up on the spot?

 

[Enkhidu]

This whole thread is looking more and more like a dubious PSA.

 

[Desdichado]

This whole thread is looking more and more like a dubious PSA.

Huh? The Poulty Science Association? A Puegot-Citroen? The Professional Squash Association? A Prostate Specific Antigen?

 

[Torm]

Potato Survival Administration.

Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

 

[Umbran]

Back on topic, did you know that the word "Viking" comes from the word "Vikti", which means "wise"...

I did not know that. What I knew was that the etymology of the word is a bit less clear.

F'rex - it so happens that the Old Norse word for "creek" or "inlet" is vik. The suffix "-ing" typically means "coming from" or "belonging to". And thus a viking is one who goes messing about in creeks and inlets a lot. Reasonable name for sea raiders. More reasonable than "wiseguys".

Your "wise" version sounds cool, but somewhat less plausible, imho.

 

[Torm]

I did not know that. What I knew was that the etymology of the word is a bit less clear. <snip> Your "wise" version sounds cool, but somewhat less plausible, imho.

Yes. This point had been made. Thank you.