The Log of the Retvizan TwylightChapter 9
Sometime in the early Middle Ages, Scandinavian adventurers called 'Varangians;' from the Slavic word 'Varyag, ' itself a transliteration of 'Viking;' named the local inhabitants east of the Baltic 'Rus.' 'Rus' is believed to come from the Gothic word for 'red, ' but there is ongoing debate on the subject. The word 'Viking ' was rarely used by the old Scandinavians and its derivation is also controversial. Rather, Scandinavian adventurers were more likely to identify themselves...