The Viking Gene

Whether as a natural mutation or as some form of cosmic joke, every now and then, normal parents may give birth to a child carrying the Viking Gene. Developing the telltale signs of Vikinghood at an early age, the child will exhibit such traits as a beard (often blond, though not exclusively) and a helmet.

Because of the reputation of vikings, this can be a source of great shame for parents and it often leads to the child being ostracized. "Coming out" to one's parents can be a traumatic experience and unfortunately, many mothers and fathers will not accept or understand that their children are different. There is no evidence linking the Viking Gene to being evil, though it seems a disproportionate amount of viking-humans are prone to pillaging, compared to normal children. Luckily, there are schools where children can learn to control their viking powers and urges, but society still has a long, long way to go before they can accept the Viking Gene as a natural part of modern society.

"Have... have you tried not being a viking?"