Getting Started

[Frosty]

Midgard

Although all Northmen use the title "Midgard", "Middle World" in their language, to refer to the mortal world as a whole, it is commonly accepted by other peoples as the name of the icy sea-country inhabited by these folk. In the interest of simplicity, Northmen use the name in this context when dealing with foreigners. Midgard is an inhospitable land largely unfit for man or beast, a vast and frigid sea located in far northern waters, most of which have yet to be charted. Only one fifth of Midgard is comprised of dry land above water, and even this sparse territory is riddled with indomitable mountains and treacherous fjords. Some land capable of supporting human life does exist, but it is often limited by geography and infested with all manner of dangerous monsters and beasts. Thus, Northman ‘countries’ tend to be small, rarely larger than a handful of towns, and constantly under very real and very imminent threat. As a result of this dangerous lifestyle, the people are hardy, industrious, practical, and learn to live every day as though death would be at their door tomorrow.

The society of Northmen is straightforward and pragmatic, valuing attributes such as strength, courage, and wisdom over wealth and lineage. Inhabitants of Midgard love freedom and instinctively resist authority, an unusual cultural aspect which might account for their natural sense of adventure. Almost every man, woman and child in Midgard know something about sailing, fighting, or trading; often all three. Common industries include metalworking (iron, gold and silver), fishing, livestock farming, seaborne trade, exploration, and freelance soldiery.

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YGGDRASIL
Also known as the World Tree, the Yggdrassil is an ancient, mighty ash that supports the nine worlds, reputedly the greatest tree ever grown. Its canopy ascends over Asgard, while its roots dip far beneath even Niflheim into the yawning emptiness of the Ginnungagap. Although the Yggdrasil is the pillar which supports the entire world, it is also a terrible, dangerous creation - some of the old sagas claim that it is the source of all monsters that stalk the lands and seas of Midgard.

ASGARD
The stronghold of the Aesir is the highest of the Nine Worlds, cradled in the treetop of the Yggdrasil. This land of rolling hills, verdant valleys and unblemished sky is surrounded by a high wall built by a stonemason named Blast, who asked for the hand of Freyja and the sun and moon as his price for completing the task. The gods tried to trick him by demanding the task be finished in six months, but they underestimated his skill as a craftsman. Much to the gods’ dismay, Blast nearly completed the wall three days before the deadline agreed upon. To prevent him from winning their wager, Loki disguised himself as a mare and beguiled Blast’s magical horse, whereupon the stonemason revealed himself to actually be a frost giant called Hrimthurs. Enraged by this deception, Thor, eternal enemy of the giants, slew him.

Valhalla: The gigantic hall built for the Einherjar (honourable dead) in Asgard, with over five hundred doors built wide enough to allow eight hundred men to march through abreast. In Valhalla, the chosen dead battle each day from sunrise to sunset, only to be miraculously risen and healed each night for a feast where they are served food and mead by the Valkyries. In reality, Valhalla is a training ground for the Aesir’s armies in preparation for Ragnarok.

Plain of Ida: Two great halls serve as meeting places for the gods (Gladsheim Hall) and goddesses (Vingolf Hall). There, the Aesir meet daily to decide on important issues, serving the function of a royal court. Only the Aesir are permitted to tread in Ida.

Bifrost: The rainbow bridge that connects Asgard to Midgard, said to have been built by the gods out of red fire, green water, and blue air. This crucial entrance to Asgard is guarded by the watchman god, Heimdal.

VANAHEIM
Cradled in the branches of the Yggdrasil below Asgard is the empty world of Vanaheim. This vast desert of white sand is completely devoid of native life, although a few migrating tribes of alfs and giants have taken up residence in the burnt-out shells of beer halls and crumbling ruins of fortresses left behind by whatever creatures used to inhabit this world. Vanaheim is so named by human scholars because it is believed that this wasteland was once home to the Vanir, a family of gods related to the Aesir, now thought to be long extinct. Whether there is any truth to this claim is unknown, and the sole survivors of the Vanir dynasty – Freyr and Freya – are not talking.

ALFHEIM
The land of the light alfs lies in the deepest, thickest level of the World Tree’s canopy. Alfheim is a world of unearthly natural beauty that surpasses even that of Asgard. Tribes and families of alfs build their homes in the treetops, living side by side with the flora and fauna native to their land in perfect harmony. Unlike the humans of Midgard, the alfs never mastered agriculture or any form of mass society, and therefore number far fewer in their realm, possessing no armies or formal trade networks. Though curious, the residents of Alfheim are extremely shy, and use their magical powers to hide their communities and muddle the senses of foreign explorers. As such, few visitors to Alfheim ever see the world as anything more than an untamed, unpopulated wilderness.

Sessrumnir: Though she has a residence of her own in Asgard, Freya has always considered Alfheim her proper home. Her seat of power in this world is the grand hall of Sessrumnir, a large structure made of at least one specimen of every plant in existence, all woven together by Freya’s magic into an architectural masterpiece. A third of the heroic dead come to Freya’s hall, where they spend the rest of eternity in peace and tranquility among the goddess and her alfin children.

JOTUNHEIM
Immediately below the Yggdradil’s leaves is the rocky, frigid world where the giants make their home: Jotunheim. This land boasts one of the harshest, most inhospitable environments of all the nine worlds. It is constantly wracked by terrible blizzards and gale-force winds, as well as being overrun with monstrous creatures spilling out of a gaping wound in the World Tree inflicted long before the gods came into existence. That the stone and frost giants have been able to carve out a center of power in these conditions is a testament to their might. The borders of Jotunheim are uniquely undefined among the nine worlds, and in fact parts of it spill over into the land of the Northmen in Midgard (which accounts for the extreme conditions found there). In the mountainous regions of Midgard, the boundary becomes so thin that it is outright impossible to tell where that world ends and Jotunheim begins.

Utgard: Known as the Outland, Utgard is the stronghold of the Aesir’s mortal enemies, the powerful frost giants. From their massive citadels of stone and steel, the giants wage endless war against Asgard, battering its walls since time immemorial. In more recent ages, some frost giant kings have realised the futility of their strategy and have shifted tactics to attempting to take Bifrost from Heimdall. Naturally, this has brought much misery to the Northmen, who are unfortunate enough to stand directly between Utgard and Bifrost.

MIDGARD
Although all Northmen use the title "Midgard", "Middle World" in their language, to refer to the mortal world as a whole, it is commonly accepted by other peoples as the name of the icy sea-country inhabited by these folk. In the interest of simplicity, Northmen use the name in this context when dealing with foreigners. Midgard is an inhospitable land largely unfit for man or beast, a vast and frigid sea located in far northern waters, most of which have yet to be charted. Only one fifth of Midgard is comprised of dry land above water, and even this sparse territory is riddled with indomitable mountains and treacherous fjords. Some land capable of supporting human life does exist, but it is often limited by geography and infested with all manner of dangerous monsters and beasts. Thus, Northman ‘countries’ tend to be small, rarely larger than a handful of towns, and constantly under very real and very imminent threat. As a result of this dangerous lifestyle, the people are hardy, industrious, practical, and learn to live every day as though death would be at their door tomorrow.

NIDAVELLIR
Nidavellir is the realm of stone and darkness beneath the surface of Midgard, a vast honeycomb of tunnels and caverns woven around the middle branches of the Yggdrasil. This world is home to the dwarves, a race of exceptionally talented miners and craftsmen. These stubborn, hard-nosed creatures organize along strict clan lines, with each large family group controlling a network of caves out of a massive stone citadel. The dwarves’ affection for powerful structures and grand architecture has served them well in recent years under the relentless assault of Muspelheim’s fire giants. Various Nidavellir clans maintain close trade relations with the Northmen in Midgard above, mostly exchanging crafts, gems and precious metals for textiles and foodstuffs, items which are difficult to acquire in their subterranean homeland.

SVARTALFHEIM
As the Yggdrasil’s roots twist beyond the subterranean world of Nidavellir into the crushing depths of the earth, the World Tree intersects Svartalfheim: realm of the dark alfs. It is a world where no light exists, and twisted cousins of the alfs, born of the maggots who consumed the corpse of the first giant, inhabit the bleak caverns. The svartalfs, alternatively called ‘dvergar’, are both expert craftsmen like the dwarves of Nidavellir, and talented sorcerers like the alfs who live in a world of light and beauty beyond their understanding. The alfs of darkness have a reputation for malice and depravity that is not completely undeserved, but most of these unfortunate creatures are neither good nor evil; they simply wish to be left alone.

MUSPELHEIM
Below the subterranean worlds of Nidavellir and Svartalfheim lies Muspelheim, the land of fire. The cracked, flame-blasted landscape is broken only by lakes and rivers of flowing magma, and the air is filled with clouds of toxic volcanic gasses. Muspelheim is the homeland of the fire giants, the only creatures capable of surviving in such harsh conditions. Though less powerful than their cousins in Jotunheim, the fire giants are nevertheless a very real threat to the Aesir. Highly secretive and isolated for millennia, the kingdom of the fire giants has recently become far more aggressive since their new king, Surt, rose to power. They count the dwarves of Nidavellir as their most hated enemies and frequently launch attacks into that world – though, wisely, they have avoided the land of the Svartalfs thus far.

Ginnungagap: The Yawning Emptiness, from which the Yggrasil sprouted and the nine worlds formed, is an unfathomably deep chasm that separates Muspelheim from neighbouring Niflheim. There are many folk tales and legends about the relationship between Ginnungagap, the World Tree, and the lands of fire and ice. Some say that hot air from Muspelheim and the frigid winds of Niflheim flowed into the void and by their mixture created the Yggdrasil. Others say that it was the Yggdrasil that formed the two worlds and the chasm below. Whatever the case, it seems the truth may never be known; for any creature, god or mortal, who ventures into the inky black of Ginnungagap never returns with their sanity intact. If they return at all.

NIFLHEIM
This world of darkness and cold is the ninth and final realm, situated at the lowest level of the universe, on the far side of the gaping wound in existence, the Ginnungagap. It is where those unworthy dead are destined to spend eternity – those who die of old age or illness. These unlucky souls find their end on the Shore of Corpses, where the dark serpent Nidhogg devours the damned and gnaws on the roots of the World Tree. Others, arguably even less fortunate, are bound for eternity in the Hall of the Dead…

Hel: This massive hall of bone and rotting sinew is the place of final judgment for the wicked. Its roof is said to be made from the spines of serpents, which drip poison onto the imprisoned mortals as they wade through rivers of blood. The people who dwell in Hel are given nothing but goat urine to quench their thirst. Hel is an impenetrable stronghold, surrounded by the river Gjoll – a rushing, freezing water flowing with the weapons of dead warriors. The only entrance is a single bridge guarded by a monstrous hound called Garm and the undead giantess, Modgud. Hel is ruled by a queen of the same name, the monstrous half-living, half-dead daughter of Loki, who claims as her subjects all cowards, traitors, murderers and lawbreakers. An unfortunate third of the warriors destined for Valhalla are also claimed by Hel as a result of a contract between the underworld’s queen and Odin.

[Frosty]

WYRMSFELL

Capital: Sudentor
Population: 3 670
Government: Thinglaw
Religion: Freyr, Njord, Tyr
Major Industries: Farming, fishing, commerce, seaborne trade
Location: Southwestern Midgard

Wyrmsfell is a tiny but prosperous island kingdom of some three thousand people located in the southern reaches of the Midgard Sea. Though small, it is one of the most crucial and famous Northman settlements in the fractured land of Midgard. By iron, fire and blood, it was founded two centuries ago when a company of adventurers came from the west to wage war on Girfaeldingr, an ancient dragon who had been terrorizing the southern sea for nearly a thousand years. According to legend, after a month of ferocious combat, a sixteen-year-old boy named Alaric took up the sword and shield of his dead father, slain by Girfaeldingr, and felled the monster in blood vengeance. Claiming the island for themselves, the Northmen raised a mighty fortress on the dragon’s perch and named it Wyrmsfell, or Worm’s Hill.

They dissected Girfaeldingr’s corpse, burnt the entrails, and scattered half of the ashes across the whole of the island as an offering to Freyr. In reverence of Njord, god of the sea, the other half was dumped into the ocean where the war band first landed, at the site that would eventually become Wyrmsfell’s harbour. Its scales, fangs and claws were collected to make shields and armor for the warriors in honour of their victory. The head remained where it fell when Alaric’s sword pierced Girfaeldingr’s heart, to this day framing the castle’s main gate. The spine, wings and ribcage were carried down to the field below the hill, treated with a resin to harden and preserve the bones, and erected to serve as a pavilion for trade, social gatherings, and the governing assembly – the thing. Thus was the site called “Hrygrsthing”, the “backbone assembly”. Alaric claimed the dragon’s tail for himself, but no one is quite sure what he used it for to this day. Nor does anyone think that detail particularly important.

Even Alaric’s great generosity failed to put a dent in the vast treasure Girfaeldingr left behind, and the young conqueror of Wyrmsfell spent every gold coin and every precious gem of his bulging treasury wisely. In the first year of his reign, he sent his retainers on numerous expeditions to search the southern seas for a route to the wealthy lands beyond. By Njord’s favour, they found a safe way to sail what was then a highly perilous crossing – and in doing so, secured Wyrmsfell’s status as one of the most important seaports in all of Midgard. Upon the discovery of the sea route, dubbed Njord’s Path, Alaric made a number of large investments in the construction of a permanent harbour, drawing in craftsmen and engineers from all around. At the same time, he offered a number of generous incentives in the form of land and gold to lure farmers, traders, and adventurers to the island in great waves. Around Hrythsthing, the town of Sudentor (“Southern Gate”) seemed to spring up practically overnight. Wyrmsfell’s fame grew so quickly that an affluent clan of dwarves even dug a tunnel to the island from their territory in Nidavellir far below.

Alaric reigned over Wyrmsfell for nearly fifty years before leaving this world for the great halls of Valhalla. His final will was that Wyrmsfell’s treasury would be given over to the thing in accordance with tradition. Alaric’s reign can be considered a success by any measure, yet one blemish remains on his legacy to this day; for neither Alaric nor his heirs were able to completely extend their rule around the island. As one tiny spark can grow into a wildfire given enough time, this shortcoming has proven to be Wyrmsfell’s potential undoing. As the Northmen have recently discovered, Girfaeldingr’s presence on the island held more than its human neighbours at bay…

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OSTERIKE

Capital: None
Population: 80 374
Government: Peasant Republic
Religion: Thor, Freyja, Odin
Major Industries: Farming, mining, timber
Location: Southeastern Midgard

The Eastern Nation occupies one of the largest islands in Midgard. Its fertile soil and abundance of natural resources enabled it to support a large and thriving population, quickly launching it into a position of power among its neighbours. For nearly three centuries, Osterike gradually expanded its influence over nearby lands. It incorporated into its territory a total of six islands and claimed three other kingdoms as vassal states. It even struck out into the unknown eastern sea, where it established colonies in two foreign lands, Fennmark and Gardarike.

Osterike was on the road to uniting all of Midgard under its banner, but her young king Harald Bransson desired too much, and moved too fast. His ill-advised war with the warrior-nation of Koln gradually drained Osterike of men and resources as the years ground on. Ultimately, the burden of famine and conscription drove the peasants to open rebellion under the Lawspeaker, Snorri Vandarsson, whose infamous words, “But if thou wilt not do as we desire, we will now attack thee, and put thee to death; for we will no longer suffer law and peace to be disturbed,” chilled the blood of Midgard’s kings and spelled the end of Osterike’s ruling dynasty. The peasant rebellion overthrew the king and eliminated the monarchy from its system of government, effectively bringing the warrior class under the popular assembly’s control and elevating the lawspeaker to the position of high priest.

The rebellion ended the war against Koln and liberated the territories once under Osterike’s control, but peace did not return to the land. King Harald had narrowly escaped the peasant mobs and fled to Fennmark, which, along with Gardarike, continues to support pockets of loyalist resistance in the new peasant republic.

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FENNMARK

Capital: Vaasa
Population: 34 076 Fenns, 9 752 Midgardar
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Religion: Odin (enforced state religion), Fennish folklore practiced secretly among peasants
Major Industries: Fishing, timber, gold mining
Location: Due East of Midgard

Fennmark is an ancient, some say magical land that rests directly east of Midgard. A few centuries ago, it was colonised by Northmen from the kingdom of Osterike, who embarked upon an aggressive settlement policy of the virgin country in order to gain control of its vast deposits of gold and lumber. During Osterike’s war against Koln, it could be said that the burden of the indigenous Fenns was even greater than that of Osterike’s peasants. The natives of Fennmark, however, lacked both the means and confidence that their counterparts in Osterike enjoyed, and so were unable to mount a similar rebellion.

The deposed king of Osterike fled to Fennmark after the coup, where he established his court in Vaasa and continues to rule his colonies, leveraging their abundant resources to support loyal resistance back home. Harald Bransson rules this place with an iron fist, his army brutally repressing the faith of the native people in a misguided bid to win Odin’s favour, while Fennmark’s Northman overlords, overcome with greed and desire for vengeance against the rebels of Osterike, continue to desecrate more and more of this pristine hinterland.

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GARDARIKE

Capital: Holmgard
Population: 80 764 “Slavar”, 11 350 Midgardar
Government: Vassal nation
Religion: Odin, Thor among nobility. Native peasant folklore somewhat tolerated.
Major Industries: Commerce, mercenaries
Location: Southeast of Midgard

Osterike’s second and more tenuously-held former colony, Gardarike is a vast and rugged landscape sparsely populated by nomadic tribes, who are generally referred to as “Slavar” by their foreign masters. Since the rebellion that overthrew Osterike’s rulers, Gardarike has been ruled indirectly from Fennmark through a group of warrior-nobles tied to Harald Bransson. This arrangement and the sheer size of Gardarike makes the tight rulership seen in Fennmark all but impossible here. Because of this, the colony remains firmly under Harald’s control, but the Slavar are given a certain amount of leeway which the Fenns do not enjoy. In particular, where the native faith of the Fenns is harshly suppressed, Gardarike’s rulers tend to look the other way when it comes to Slavar practices. The Northmen here know that their subjects are content to be ruled for as long as the gold keeps flowing, but they have learned much from the peasant revolts in Osterike – and here, they are outnumbered eight to one.

Gardarike serves as the other half of Harald Bransson’s trading empire; while Fennmark generates wood and raw gold, the Northmen of Gardarike use the many rivers that criss-cross the region to deliver it swiftly to markets in foreign lands. The territory is also renowned for its Slavar and Northman mercenaries, known collectively as Varangians. With the revenues both of these trades draw in, Harald aims to eventually raise a massive army to retake his homeland.