Skarsind
Overview
Skarsind is a place of alpine slopes and valleys, pine forests and rising mists, set in what's known as the Great Vale, a bowl of mountains that holds both Skarsind and the forest of Hercynia. Gildenheim in the east was the second largest settlement in Wintermark. Founded by Gilda Heimssdottir, it stands over the entrance to a frozen underworld cavern into the walls of which are carvings in a mysterious alphabet that are said to be the source of the magical runes used throughout Wintermark.
The folk of Skarsind were particularly noted for their fine rune work and many of the best artisans and runesmiths travelled here to study their craft. There were troubles with tribes of yetis that live in the valleys above Skarsind, but most of the danger here came from the Thule barbarians living on the far side of the mountains in Otkodov.
Skarsind has always been riven by conflict; a saga called Lament for Skarsind is popular in some parts of Wintermark.
Recent History
In 373YE a savage blizzard swept down out of the mountains. The blizzard raged for three days, serving as magical cover for an army of Thule barbarians who marched beneath it. They attacked Gildenheim with the assistance of a dozen enslaved Artok, smashing great holes in the defences. The blizzard continued for another four days, and the orcs used the advantage it gave them to ravage many of the low-lying halls. The Winterfolk who were not killed in the attacks were taken as slaves. Some small pockets of resistance remained - mostly based around the mines and halls to the north-east - but the situation looked increasingly desperate. Following the initial attack the weather remained unnaturally harsh, with snow falling for nine months out of each year, and supplies and the will to fight both dwindled. There was little doubt that the Thule were employing powerful magic to reinforce their position - including the use of powerful Winter rituals to reinforce their armies with hordes of walking corpses created from battlefield dead - packs of which still represent a recurring nuisance to those attempting to rebuild the territory.
Throughout 377YE, Imperial forces pushed into Skarsind. In the Autumn, they succeeded in driving the Thule forces out of the territory and reclaimed it for the Empire. The inhabitants are beginning to pick up the pieces of their lives, and the damage done by the rapacious barbarians is slowly being assessed. The Military Council is already looking at the allocation of certain key resources that may help encourage quick regeneration of the territory in the wake of their victory.
At the beginning of 379YE, a historic motion was brought before the Imperial Senate to relinquish Skarsind. The motion passed, but requires the ratification by The Throne - until then it has no legal basis. If the motion is ratified by a future Throne, then Skarsind would be reallocated by the Senate. The intention behind this contentious move is apparently to assign it to the Imperial Orcs, making it their first territory and giving them their first senator. The move is not without its critics however; not only would the Brilliant Shore cease to be a Wintermark Bourse seat, but the Wintermark residents of Skarsind would almost certainly be forced to relocate from their ancestral homes.
Major Features
Gildenheim
At its height, Gildenheim was the second largest settlement in Wintermark. Founded by Gilda Heimssdottir, it stands over the entrance to a frozen underworld cavern into the walls of which are carvings in a mysterious alphabet that are said to be the source of the magical runes used throughout Wintermark and the wider Empire. In 373, it fell to the barbarians after a long siege. Inge Suvvisdottir, most recent of the bearers of the crown of Wintermark, fell with it. Despite the demands of Wintermark senators for resolute and overwhelming response, Emperor Walter dithered and did nothing to support the defence. The town itself has been devastated by barbarian occupation, although some optimistic explorers believe there is still a chance that the crown of wily king Ulmo may still be recovered.
One of the few structures still standing in Gildenheim is the Hall of the White Ravens. Many survivors see this white granite hall as a symbol that Gildenheim can rise from the ashes of the occupation and reach even greater heights than before. Survivors of the Thule oppression still come here to seek spiritual guidance; the hall just needs a stormcrow to offer solace to the people of Skarsind - and perhaps take on the arduous task of rebuilding Gildenheim in the process.
The Brilliant Shore
The Brilliant Shore
The Brilliant Shore is a Bourse resource located near Gildenheim. Custodianship of the Shore is an Imperial Title that brings with it a Seat on the Imperial Bourse. It produces 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season. Custodianship of the Brilliant Shore is currently a Wintermark National title, although that has been thrown into confusion due to the assignment of Skarsind as the new homeland of the Imperial Orcs. Control is allocated during the Summer Solstice.
The Will of the Wintermark ("Hengesthal")
A new fortification, The Will of the Wintermark, was constructed in Skogei Glens to protect Skarsind from further Thule aggression. Built on a low hill surrounded by a fence of sharpened stakes, the sturdy walls of the Will of Wintermark are reinforced by white granite. The tall central keep is flanked by two shorter towers and topped with a great beacon to warn of invaders.
Work actually began on the castle during the campaign to drive the barbarians out, and was completed in early Autumn 378YE. The name is already being shortened to The Will in some places, and the local people have dubbed it Hengesthal or Hengest's House in praise of the Senator for Hahnmark who is widely regarded to have been the driving force behind the project. (OOC Note: The Will of the Wintermark is a level one fortification)
Regions
Crow’s Ridge
The hills of Crow Ridge are the location of the craggy stronghold of Crow's Keep, a lookout tower and beacon. Has not been heard from since the barbarian invasion, but hope still live that it holds. It was high and well-fortified, with deep wells, they say; its stormcrows crafty and wise in war.
Keyword: Hills
Estermark
The forested hills of Estermark are the site of two (formerly) wealthy settlements - Krysse and Gulhule. These towns appear to have fared better than Gildenheim at the hands of the barbarians. Winterfolk who managed to escape slavery, or who were left behind during the Thule retreat, are already beginning to rebuild their homes and their lives.
After its fall in 371YE, Krysse became a bastion for the barbarians protecting their eastern flank. In happier days it had close ties with nearby Mormyk in the Varushkan territory of Miekarova and was a local centre of trade between the two nations, hosting a market at each turning of the seasons. Now that Skarsind has been regained, it remains to be seen if the market can be restarted.
Gulhule is a valley settlement known for its runesmiths and well-crafted weaponry taken by the barbarians in 372YE. Empress Britta was instrumental in buying sufficient time for the people of Gulhule to escape the barbarian advance; many of the smiths fled and managed to found forges elsewhere, scattered across the Halls of Wintermark. Others took refuge in mineworkings, such as the extensive Wells of Janon or the tunnels operated by the Crimson Peak miners. Now that the Thule are defeated, it remains to be seen how many of them choose to return. Of special interest to the Empire are the status of the mines here; the black maggots of the Thule have stripped the area and many captured runesmiths are said to have been sent north into the forbidding homelands of the barbarians.
Keywords: Forested, Hills
Gildermark
This region is the site of the town of Gildenheim and was the centre of Thule presence; their shamans and warlocks seemed fascinated by the icy caverns beneath that settlement. This flat region has been almost entirely denuded of trees - first by the Winterfolk, and the by the rapacious Thule. Their interest was possibly fired by the presence of the Brilliant Shore, one of the largest quarries of white granite in the Empire.
Pakaanan's Pass
The hills of Pakaanan’s Pass were once the site of Pakaanan’s tower, an enigmatic tower of mammoth bone that was said to be impossible to enter. During the occupation, the Thule magicians made several unsuccessful attempts to breach its walls. Given it allegedly contained the notes, paraphernalia and failed experiments of the legendary volhov, it is unsurprising attempts to get inside proved so popular. No-one ever managed to enter it - or discover why Pakaanan spent so much time here in virtual exile from the forests of Miekarova where he was born. At some point shortly after the liberation, however, the entire tower vanished leaving behind a circular garden of dark purple heather that flourishes to this day, yet never expands beyond the area that was once encircled by the tower's walls.
Several miles east of the site where Pakaanan's tower once stood is the Clattering Gulley, a winding rock crevasse used for generations by Steinr Runesmiths to collect mana crystals.
Keywords: Hills
Skogei Glens
The forests of Skogei Glens are the site of the settlement of Skogei. This region was the last to be brought into Empire, in 154YE, and its halls were first to fall during the invasion of Skarsind. In 371YE its wooden walls were burnt, and few can now be found who once lived there. Recaptured by the Empire relatively early in the big push of 377YE, it was quickly reinforced with makeshift defences. In early Autumn 378YE, work was completed on The Will of the Wintermark, a solid fortification capable of defending the whole of Skarsind.
With the liberation of Skarsind, the Empire has regained control of the Goeki Expanses, a large and previously very prosperous area rich in dragonbone. During Autumn 378YE, construction began on Sylvihrafn, a stone circle on the eastern border with Miekarova. Built near the Hold of Hrafnar, this magical site provides crystal mana to the Guardian of the Cairn each season.
Keywords: Forested
Solvihill
Forested Solvihill was in the hands of the Empire until the disaster of 376YE. The well defended foresting town of Solvi served as a base of operations for the Imperial campaigns to drive the barbarians out. Once a foresting town providing Wintermark with wood, charcoal and beggarwood from the extensive barrens above the town, it was adopted as the base of campaign for the Imperial forces led by General Dunstan Irontongue. The settlement was hard pressed, and he led an aggressive series of sorties to relieve the pressure. He fell on one of these raids early in 376YE alongside Empress Britta. His body was never recovered.
Keywords: Forested
Southpine
There are forests here, but they are not extensive and neither are there many hills, meaning Southpine is reasonably open - which is a rarity in the uneven terrain of Skarsind. The settlement of Torfast, in the heart of Southpine, represented the high watermark of the barbarian advance in 373YE. It was retaken by Wintermark, League and Varushkan forces in 375YE, the first of the Skarsind settlements to be returned to the Empire. The town is now reasonably fortified, and bears the scars of many battles. It guards a major trade route from Skarsind’s forges down to the League city of Temeschwar, which helped caravans operated by businesses such as Southpine Southbound to get valuable supplies to the resistance forces throughout the occupation.
OOC Note
- As of Winter 377YE, all the regions of Skarsind are under Imperial control.
- The Will of the Wintermark is a level one fortification.
- A list of the spoils of war, allocated by the Military Council at the Winter Solstice 377YE can be found here.
- This page is still under development - the next stage is to review approved backgrounds for details that would enrich the description of the territory.