>I own a spear for home defence, since that's what the Aesir intend!

  >Four brigands break into my home.

  >"What in Hel?" As I grab my helmet and runed polearm.

  >Stab a fist-sized hole through the first man, he's dead where he stood.

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  >Fling my axe at the second man, miss him entirely because it's not for throwing and hit the neighbour's war hound.

  >I have to resort to the ballista mounted at the back of the longhouse.

  >"Valhalla awaits!" The bolts shred two of the men, their dying screams startling the cattle.

  >Heft my halberd and charge the last raving marauder. He bleeds out, waiting for the Valkyries to arrive, since enchanted blade wounds are impossible to bind closed.

  >Just as the Aesir intend.