Story Book Plan

 The main ideas that I would write stories about and adventure through is the tales of Ragnar Lothbrok and his equally famous sons along with a story about their legendary gods. I would like to try to weave a story about the might of the gods into the stories of Ragnar and his sons because it is fabled that they are descended from the god Odin, and it would serve the reader as further justification as to why the story of these famous Vikings is so important.

The first story will be the Tale of Ragnar's sons, in which it details the rise of Ragnar to power after his father, Sigurd Hrings death, and his marriage to Aslaug in which his equally famous sons; Ivar, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Bjorn, and Sigurd are born. Ragnar later is killed in a snake pit by the Northumbrian King Aella. The sons set out to avenge their father and but the armies of England are too large. He then asked king Aella to give him Wergild, equal in todays terms as a life insurance payout. He then out smarts the king, taking the considerable prize of the entire city of York as compensation. After this, the brothers with their armies attack the whole of England, and they capture and kill king Aella by blood eagle.

This story will help establish the main characters of the storybook, along with their cultures, and how they got to where they are.

Additional sources that will help with this story are The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, and Heimskringla which tells of the great heathen army that fought in England.

The next story would be about the Viking attack and sacking of Paris in the mid 9th century lead by Ragnar. There is many different ways to tell a battle from either side, through either a third person overview, or through the eyes of someone important like the king Paris watching his city fall.

The third story could be about The Fortification of Asgard, in which a giant builds a wall around the gods home in exchange the hand of the god Freya, along with the sun and moon. The builder almost completes the wall but is sabotaged by Loki. The Giant is then killed for not finishing the wall. This story could be adapted to almost any other culture because they all have gods. 

There could be a fourth smaller story through the eyes of someone not normally told in stories, the wifes of Ragnar during different parts of his life as he had many. Telling of the difficulties of husbands going away not sure if they are to return. The burden of caring for the children in the Viking age. As well as the pride of being a shield maiden, and the freedoms not likely to be enjoyed by other women during the time.

I would prefer to write each story separately, as it would give me more freedom in the storytelling without negatively impacting another. But I am sure I could write a overall story arc that starts at Ragnar then goes to his Sons, then a recap by the gods telling the stories as they dine with famous Vikings in Valhalla or something to that effect. I also could do the story telling completely via the viewpoint of a god, as suggested by Professor Gibbs, to more align the reputation of the characters to be remembered by the gods.