Verthandi
Overview
Verthandi is a territory in Otkodov. It is in the south of the Thule nation, to the east of Uldur and to the west of Sküld. It lies to the south of Niddhogir. It shares a border with the Varushkan territories of Miekarova and Volodmartz.
Once past the mountains along the southern border, most of the territory consists of chilly plains and tundra interspersed with cold lakes and several rivers. Some of the naturally occurring bodies of water are warmer than those found in the Empire - in some cases they actually bubble and steam at temperatures near boiling. The cold plains are home to a sizable population of mammoths, hunted and in some cases herded by the orc tribes that live here.
Verthandi seems to be quite populous, with many orc settlements. The largest number of settlements are built along the shores of a large, shallow lake in the region of Erskjuvaten. The lake freezes over from early autumn through to mid-spring; it is more often traversed with sleds and skates that with boats.
Imperial information about Verthandi is quite limited - while there is a spy network here, the Empire has only begun to uncover information. The map in particular lacks many details, although it is sufficient to provide a focus for scrying rituals such as Eyes of the Sun and Moon. A significant force of Imperial scouts would need to be assigned to the spy network if the secrets of this frozen northern territory are to be uncovered.
Recent History
In Summer 377YE, the Thule attempted to move forces south from Verthandi through the mountains of southern Tjinfalla into Volodmartz. The mountains there are believed to be riddled with hidden passages, and the Thule attempted to use these to launch a surprise attack in support of their invasion forces in Karsk. Imperial heroes managed to disrupt their effort to establish a base camp near Void - and within striking distance of the Granites of Veltsgorsk. Varushkan armed forces drove the remaining scattered forces back through the mountains, and the tunnel they were attempting to use was collapsed.
The Empire maintains a spy network in Verthandi, established in Summer 377YE. After an initial survey of Otkodov, the spy network was largely ignored by Imperial forces until the Winter of 379YE, when a number of scouts from Wintermark made the trek north - during one of the worst Winters on record - to cautiously explore the territory.
Major Features
There may be other major features in Verthandi, but so far Imperial scouts have uncovered only one of significance.
Lake Dauthötter
This large lake covers most of the border with Urdur to the west. In addition to some fishing, there seems to be at least some trade using the lake - Imperial scouts have marked small boats traveling both east and west. The Thule favour the use of oared vessels rather than anything with sails, and there were several sightings of small one- or two-person vessels similar to the canoes used by some Suaq hunters.
The water of Lake Dauthötter is significantly warmer than might be expected. It is noteworthy that it did not freeze even during the dreadful winter of 379YE (although chunks of ice were still visible on the surface, there is a possibility that they originated elsewhere). It is theorised that the great body of water is fed by underground hot springs as well as the cooler waters Scouts report that the waters "taste funny" - although they seem potable enough.
According to some reports, there is a large seal population that lives in the lake – many of them with white pelts marked with odd red striations - but as the majority of the seals are in Urdur it is hard to say much more about them except that the local hunters seem to give these white seals a wide berth for some reason (while being more than happy to slaughter a group without such a beast among them).
Regions
Verthandi is broken up into seven regions.
Askja
In the north of the territory, large parts of Askja's cold plains are covered in eerie craters. Many of these craters are filled with water, usually boiling or at least very warm. It is a hostile area, but there are still several small settlements of Thule tribesfolk here, many of whom appear to be engaged in tending to the larger "cauldrons". Opinion is divided as to whether the hot springs are sites where crystal mana is harvested, or whether the heat allows the cultivation of herbs that might otherwise be unable to survive the cold climate.
Erskjuvaten
The most populated region in Verthandi, Erskjuvaten is dominated by a great shallow lake fed by the Juvaten Cascade that flows down the side of the unscalable Mount Huversk that is frozen over for nearly half the year. The shores are scattered with settlements, the largest being Skjuhalm on the northern shores. The orcs split their time between hunting, cultivating a tough but hardy strain of edible grass, and fishing in the lake - both with small boats and more commonly by cutting holes in the ice.
Ierkul
Cold tundra stretches from Erskjuvaten and Tinfjalla east toward Sküld. There is some sign that there were once forests here, long ago. Today there are only stretches of frozen stumps and stretches of tough, woody brush that seems adapted to the cold temperatures.
The region is home to several nomadic clans of Thule hunters who move regularly, favouring animal-hide tents and yurts over more permanent structures. They are primarily involved in tending and hunting the mammoths herds that roam the tundra here.
Hengill
Hengill is a cold plains, with several stretches of woodland and hills especially in the northern parts of the region. Wild woodlands are rare in Otkodov outside of Sküld – these trees appear to be given a wide berth by the scouts, although several report what look to be orcish faces carved into their trunks.
There is one major settlement - Samkǒma - which lies on the northern shores of Lake Dauthötter. The lake stretches east into Urdur, and boats are regularly seen passing back and forth across it surface. Unlike the waters of Erskjuvaten, Lake Dauthötter rarely freezes solid – but in the colder months chunks of ice are visible bobbing on the surface.
Erawayugot
As with Ierkul and Askja, Erawayugot is primarily cold plains. The tundra becomes more hilly the further north one travels. As with Ierkul, the population here are somewhat nomadic - they live in the north during the spring months, and travel south in late summer. The clans here are not mammoth hunters - it's not entirely clear how they make their living. Several scouts report the presence of eerie structures here and there in the northern part of the region – tall trees stripped of branches and carved and decorated in unsettling fashion.
Tinfjalla
The hills of Tinfjalla are riddled with mines, and according to scouts it is likely that somewhere in this region lie the hidden tunnels through the mountains into Volodmartz that the Thule have used in the past. This is particularly hostile territory – even without the deathly chill and constant snow of the deep winter the paths are treacherous and a horrible fall with a sickening crunch at the end seems all to common a fate.
There are several cave mouths high in the hills here that are clearly not mines, but are marked with runes and curtains of bones tied to thin cords that clatter and jerk madly in the wind. No scout has yet gotten close enough to determine what these odd adornments may represent.
Keyword: Hilly
Yurah
As with Tinfjalla, this is a hilly region. There are several settlements here low in the hills. The largest of these is called Sasuihk and is built on the shores of a deep mountain pool fed by a magnificent waterfall that cascades down the side of a mountain. Called Virt Sasuihk Ussa, this waterfall is crystal clear and appears to be an object of veneration by some of the Thule.
While there are mines in Yurah, there are significantly less than are found in Tinfjalla.
Keyword: Hilly
Game Information
- The Thule control all seven regions of Verthandi, and with them the territory.
- Imperial information about Verthandi contains significant blank spots - there is no information about armies, fortifications, Bourse resources, significant personal resources, or arcane effects for example. To secure this information would require a more significant force be assigned to the spy network (at least 1,000 strength to uncover economic information, or 1,500 strength to gain significant military information).