history.}
In the year 0, a boat carrying individuals inflicted with a mysterious disease washed up on Spanish shores. While trying to study the disease, Iceland closed its borders and eventually so did the rest of the nordic countries. The disease quickly became an epidemic that wiped out most of the population, with Iceland carrying 75% of the world's population, with its own population of 200,000. The remainder of the nordic countries are generally populated around the coasts, as any other land uncleansed of creatures called trolls is considered dangerous and labeled as The Silent World.
Emil was born in year 71 in Östersund, Sweden to a previously wealthy family. His family was able to afford private tutoring for him in his youth, so he was able to forgo the Icelandic lessons mandatory for all academics. Having been a boy spoiled by riches, he adjusted badly when he had to be sent to public education. He was disliked by his instructors, and decided to enlist in the military to become a cleanser, a special designated role of someone who goes to the Silent World to kill the trolls that reside there.
He is recruited to an expedition by his aunt and uncle Siv and Torbjörn, and go with them to Björkörfjärden Train Station in order to meet up with some other recruits. He puts a great deal of effort into making a good impression, but falls asleep and has something spilled on him from someone else, giving him no time to clean up before meeting his new crewmates.
Before they depart, Emil's weapons are confiscated since he lacks the proper license. Then they board the train to Öresundbro in order to meet up with the remaining crew members. During the night, there's an attack on the train by a troll classified as a Giant, and Emil comes out of bed to see what's going on but the train crew attempts to usher him away. The Giant is killed by a tunnel, but asks Emil for help before it does, which causes him to freak out and punch it.
They meet with Sigrun and Mikkel, the remainder of their crew, and begin their expedition outside Copenhagen in Kastrup. They enter what used to be a public library, and try to recover some books. While they're successful in this endeavor, a troll shows up above Emil and he fights it off with his lantern. However, a second one shows up and he needs to be rescued by Sigrun, who discovers they've awoken a troll nest. Emil sets fire to the building as the crew escapes, but tries to run back in for Lalli who is nowhere to be found. Lalli, however, jumps out of the window just in time for the crew to make their escape.
While at Kastrup fort, they inspect the books and decide that they are probably not going to get any buyers, and Emil waits for breakfast as the others decide where to venture next.
Emil and Sigrun then break off from the group to investigate a school, where Emil raises concern that it might be a troll nest, to which Sigrun responds that the school is too flimsy a building for trolls to want to live there. He also sees a deer and raises a gun to shoot it, but Sigrun comments that it’s not affected by the illness. He hears something outside and goes to investigate what turns out to be an affected dog cornering a cat. He shoots the dog and it transforms into a troll and chases him, but stalks off leaving him returning to find Sigrun trying to coax the cat off a pole. It dies, but they rescue one of the cat’s kittens. Later, the dog returns and Emil kills it for good after burying the mother cat.
Following that, they go out to scout a hospital and return to have dinner. Reynir warns a few of the crew that they need to leave, but he’s not taken seriously as no one believes he’s a mage. A troll then comes and the fighters of the crew have to chase it to leave it stuck stranded somewhere.
The crew move along, and Emil begins to learn Finnish, though badly. Emil questions if magic is real, and then the crew is attacked by a large spirit that has been stalking them. They ward it off, but the spirit resolves to come back stronger. Believing that a spiritual pastor woman might have answers for them, Reynir shakes Lalli asking why he won’t assist finding her as he is the stronger mage, and Emil punches him in the face.
This history is caught up to page 701.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
