I accompany Liv to meet the sejdwomen, and it is going to be interesting. I and a large group of women are not unusual, but in this case it is more than unusual, because this is a sejd meeting. In addition to Liv, there are 14 Völvor and Fjölkunniga plus some apprentices inside the large round tent, and it is quite crowded where we are sitting in a ring on the floor, with the apprentices behind. They seem to be in ages from maybe 20 to 50, and I have never seen such a collection of shaman regalia, furs, bone, jewelry and just dangling bits before, especially on the oldest and the Völva. I guess it is the Völva variant of 'show, don't tell'. I don't blend in at all in just my usual discreet clothes and my Boomstick beside me, and sword on my back, both of which they definitely look at carefully. It is a telling contrast between the god-worshiping half shamanistic pagans with wooden staff, vs modern person who believes in proven technology and science with a modern metal cane and admittedly old fashion sword. The general consensus between the sejdwomen is that they think it's quite right I don't carry my sword in my belt as other men do.

I recognize Völvan Steinny from Jarl Naeswulf's feast and the two Fjölkunniga who were sent by the King to examine me, and Petronilla is Asbjörn's Fjölkunniga, which of course gives her more respect. There are some faces I recognize from last night when I walked around, which I then did not know were Völvor or Fjölkunniga. I said 'no' to everyone.

For a couple of the young people, this is the first time they attend such a large meeting, and I understand that the elderly have seldom been to such a large sejd user meeting except for some special gatherings and Northmen Ting, and not with a Sejdmann or even Seerman. Many are a mixture of curiosity, caution, badly hidden desire or just discomfort that I intrude among them. No one doubts my knowledge and skill, partly for what Liv has already shown and told, partly the rumor from the duel and what I showed the night before, and finally for what the King's proclamation described that I have done. I'm pretty sure none of them have anything like it, or have been able to do anything like it.

I try to get it to a short effective meeting after the presentations, and tell them that I will not get involved in women's affairs if I can avoid it, or most of the sejd they perform. That IUDs are a gift to women in general - not a sejd to be exploited by sejdwomen to oppress or harm others. Help the women who want to get it and need it, and spread the information to other sejdwomen. Of course, they can charge for their time and craftmanship - but I would appreciate if they do the job for free to those who really need it, even if they can not pay, and let the rich pay more. Many seem to agree with it, although some seem to not like it. I ask them to be careful because it's about lives, and I do not want unnecessary suffering on my conscience, even though I know that suffering is inevitable.

We talk a bit about that my Academy, and that it will primarily be about technology; sejd in the form of crafts, to make and sell things like north arrows and monoculars. To gather knowledge, write it down, teach it and spread it. I show them a monocular, sextant and a north arrow I brought with me, and I get respect for the fact that I work and make crafts in metals and wood, which is masculine and bound in reality. I continue to say that I stick more to practical areas such as crafts and agriculture, but will wander into areas that are medicine and pratical healing, especially external care and medical instruments for the body, but I avoid touching anything with regard to gods, divinations and incantations - galdr. That is sejd I really avoid, and it seems to calm down especially the Völva; that my area barely overlaps theirs. It also distinguishes me more as Sejdmann as Seerman interprets signs from the gods, performs divination and magic, and Gothi is more a form of male priests who perform rituals and act as intermediaries to the Gods. I have far more in common with Fjölkunniga. All the women are of course interested in getting better at healthcare, just because it is so important practical knowledge, so any help I spread in that is fine and appreciated.

I continue to say that I would appreciate if a skilled woman in medicine and herbs could move to my islands in the future, because I will gather knowledge and medicine from other parts of the world, and I am working on an expensive project to be able to grow plants here in winter, and plants from the south that normally can not grow here. Of course, I also wish it for everyone's health in my household and on my islands inhabitants, as I will not even try to take care of that myself. But also so that we together can develop things that improve medicine and healthcare. To better understand the body and how it can be healed, but at the same time help to write down and gather their information.

I knew the latter would not be popular, and they don't want to share all their knowledge even to each other. Those are secrets that are inherited and their way of competing with each other, of achieving power and reputation. Which I understand, and tell them that some information I write down and collect will not be disseminated or taught, but knowledge and history are simply too important to just disappear and it happens so easily. How many times has it not happened where some powerful sejdwoman died and took her knowledge with her to the grave? It's something they all understand. It has, of course, happened.

Would it not be better that I, as Sejdmann - one of them but still not, who is not interested in exploiting their secrets or competing against them - to be the one who gathers the information and guards it for future generations? The Academy is neutral ground for kingdoms and rulers, and can be for sejd as well. They don't give their information and secrets to a competitor, but to a third party who knows how to protect it and preserve the knowledge for the future. Would they not wish that their name be preserved for the future, as the one who provided this important information and made sure that it did not disappear? To be the one who thought of future generations?

When the Academy is finished, they can visit it in the future to get someone to write down and draw what they bring with them. I ask them to look at my friend Jane's craftsmanship to understand what I mean, and everyone seems to know of her pictures and a couple are proud that they have been depicted. Everyone is in agreement that it is completely right that a woman is the one who performs such a skilled artistical craft. It is a kind of sejd, and many are convinced that Freya will welcome Jane to Folkvang. Some take Janes existance as proof that Freya wants them to be depicted and have their secrets stored.

I point out that they can write down the information themselves and give me the book or papers. I will keep it in my own library which is not for the public. They can make a will that says the information must be kept secret for a long time, or only until they die. My successor will understand to respect that, because their sejd is not the only secret that the Academy will protect and preserve for the future.

It interests a lot of them. They ask to have a conversation between them and I tell them to let me know when they decide.

I watch the crowd around Iselin and Bodil who have taken the opportunity to show Boomerangers and Kites, and there is a large crowd of people of all ages.

After half an hour, an apprentice comes to let me know, but excuse herself, and before the meeting continues, all the sejdwomen take a trip to the show, and I confirm that they are toys more than anything else. The kites that look like an eagle or falcon, might however keep birds away from the field after sowing. Just stick a long rod into the ground and attach the kite with a string. As long as they are moved around so the birds don't get used to the kite it might work. We will test it at the Academy. But it is not sejd, just that many birds take the safe before the unsafe and stay away from what looks like a dangerous hunter.

No one has power over anyone else during the Sejdwomens meetings, except the youngest who are apprentices and do not have their own district, and thus have no right to vote. But the rest are equal in voting rights and just like in a Ting, things are discussed before they vote and it is almost always decided by a good margin, so in retrospect it will limit arguements about the decision. They have agreed to my proposal, and they will share such information, because it is still voluntary for each woman what she shares, and in the end the decided reason was that someone might want to keep their knowledge secret, but someone else may know the same and is willing to tell it, and then their secrecy is wasted. They do not talk about the biggest secrets, so they probably have a hard time knowing exactly what someone else knows, or thinks they know, and I will ask all sejdwomen in the north, while I can keep secret who knows what. Some didn't like the power that might give me so its a matter of trust.

I prefer if each persons knowledge is saved separately, just to find common knowledge and let future generation know. What I don't tell them is that its partly to make everyone feel a little more important if their knowledge is received, regardless of what has already been saved. I won't say 'oh, I've already have that written down' or something stupid like that.

They have also realised that young women who wish to become Völva or Fjölkunnig will continue to be taken as apprentices as has always been done, but the apprentices may benefit from spending a year or two at the Academy in the future, when they are considered mature for it and worth it. They will be able to take part of the accumulated knowledge there and gain broader knowledge and become even better. The Academy will be able to be a center for higher learning also in sejd, with the prestige of having it as a merit. It is of course an important bonus to get that network of contacts and other knowledge, which its increased power and influence. A Völva or Fjölkunnigs life isn't just about sejd.

A sejdwoman who can help improve life, hunting, fishing, agriculture, crafts or other things will be more valuable to the community she is in, and with that she gets more power, reputation and status. A small region cannot count on anyone from there being able to study at the Academy, and most of those who are will probably be a son or daughter of a Jarl or rich Storman, who might not bother to spread such knowledge to the people, but a sejdwoman works for the land, the gods and the people. I can definitely dedicate a few places each year to young sejd women, as it is a cheap and effective way to spread this information and hopefully get future influential sejdwomen positive to the Academy and me, and ensure that our own healthcare is top notch. Someone also needs to help carry out medical studies and simple operations in the future. I don't look forward to all those who will suffer or die due to failures, but it must start somewhere to get better, and I can probably establish a better hospital and operating environment than anyone else at Alfheimr, and a big city like Borgarsandr should have more patients and larger need. Liv has already heard these thoughts, and completely agrees, and Petronilla has already mentioned how much better my carriage is for transporting the injured. Good road might make all the differens if some becomes sick in bad weather.

It is also to educate the ruling part of the population, the merchants, craftsman and artisans and finally the spiritual religious part, in addition to improving living conditions for the public. The Academy might be very influential and gain enormous respect if this is the case for several generations.

They will also respect my wishes regarding IUDs, because it is powerful sejd I have freely given to all of them, and it probably gives me more respect than I understood, and it helped to prove the value of some knowledge the Academy will share with sejd women. They know that not even King Asbjörn knows that it exists, even if its just a matter of time. No one wants to be left out of such knowledge in the future. Liv also told them how impressive my mansions kitchen is, and how I have improved the kitchen and cooking past anything she's even dreamed of, and of course will spread that too - was another thing they really respect, and distinguish me more as Sejdmann. Cooking, food storage and fire are important things for the sejdwomen, and the oil lamps are also impressive.

A woman who is a few years younger than me, presents herself as Fjölkunniga Unn and is willing to move to the Academy this spring and act as the Academy's medical expert. She has a particularly great interest in medicine, healthcare, herbs and plants. Unn is primarily here to be able to buy from Borgarsandr's trade with the southern countries, and combine her visit with attending this gathering when it is nearby and at the right time of year. Unn is curious if she can help and maybe use some of the greenhouse I just quickly explained to Liv and mentioned here. There are some important herbs that don't grow here, and they are expensive to buy from traders. Also, some only work if they are fresh. She already has a garden with the species that grow here.

I thank and welcome Unn, and that I'm happy to let her help me to decide how the greenhouse should be used, and that we also will try to harden plants and try otherthing, even if I do not go into exactly what. Medicinal herbs, spices and possibly vegetables are the reason why the greenhouse was built, but I am not that good with plants. It is not my area of knowledge.

Botany was cutting edge science during Midgårds renaissance, and I sure is behind in that. I just know a bit about greenhouses, fertilizer and so on.

The discussion leads to a small lesson in reducing infections and disinfecting tools, equipment and themselves. Scrub surfaces with salt, let the sun's UV light work, boil thread and bandage and tools until they have counted to 400, about 10 minutes. Use the purest strongest alcohol they have to clean wounds after they have removed dirt and wood chips and other things. How to clean their hands with soap and be careful to clean under the nails, and then not touch dirty things when sewing back wounds. Don't touch their face or things that havn't been cleaned and sterilized. I give some examples as wiping sweat away from the forehead, and that they should use face mask and they should have someone to help them, so they stay clean.

Liv has heard a bit of it before, and the meeting grows intense as many don't believe what I say will help, while they partly know that some of it or other things work. I explain that I will in the future prove that it works, and also why for those who study at the Academy, but I have to make equipment for it, and also equipment that will help them with safer medicine and external treatment for injuries. As a better destilator to produce purest alcohol for disinfection. It will take years for the Academy to come close to my hopes, but they will see improvements over time, and I will use this gathering and others to spread knowledge and give updates.

In the end, a few point out that IUD seems to work when none of them even guessed it, and it is free knowledge. They do not have to use it. I thank and leave, after asking Unn to come over to my camp before the day is over, so we can talk.

It's a pity I did not really bother to read medical history. What is stuck are scattered parts of interesting documentaries about medical care in antiquity, how triage and medical care developed during different wars, or just a different TV series like 'The Knick' where I remember some of their instruments, which hardly makes any difference as it is just too big of a step towards the beginning of the 20th century's operating room. Hopefully I can help the elves skip large parts of pure quackery, miracle cures, and the like.