Initial Setting Info

[Marullus]

Initial Pitch:

Thanks all for the interest - I'll open a 5E game to explore Sveilland, a Norse setting.

Svilland is a Norse Mythology inspired D&D 5E campaign setting; it is designed to bring the valour, brutality and drama from Norse tales to your roleplaying games. The game is compatible with 5E, but its theme and dynamics are very different than your usual high fantasy game. Sure, there is magic in this realm, plenty of it even. Yet, it is given in a way that reflects omens, spirits, runes and Norse deities with their true forms in the mythology. In Svilland you will learn the true meaning of blood, magic, raids, and wrath of the gods.

This will be a game with dark and horror themes, an adventure set in the cold, harsh lands of the north with literal struggle between the forces of life and death. The adventure adds a corruption mechanic called Hel points to emphasize this struggle.

I will ask that you make a 1st level character using the rules in the Svilland Campaign Setting book. and the standard Player's Handbook. The setting is highly modified and tremendously thematic, so most other D&D material won't apply. You'll need a copy of the Campaign Setting book, but if that's a hardship please PM me. There's a wealth of custom options in this book - I'd like to playtest this material, so I'll set you fairly free within it to see what elements you gravitate to.

We'll accept 4 to 6 players. I'm looking primarily at running Freya's Tears, so please don't read that one. (We might modify based on the direction of play.)

I intend a slow, immersive playstyle. I will try to commit to a major story beat post as DM once a week, with 1-3 posts a week from players as your roleplay and interact with each other within the beat. I'm looking for players to be narrative and to color freely within the theme with your posts (which is my preferred DM style).

Please post here for interest. I'll request the forum be opened and once it is, I'll post some summaries of the changes the setting provides and what the start-points will be for the story. (Roughly, you'll be 1st level characters who are young folks in villages at the foot of the mountains and the edge of civilization who are coming to testing themselves at the Day of the Hunt festival to be proven worthy of joining the warbands of the region against the threats of the untamed wilderness beyond.)

You can have a few weeks time to explore the book, make characters, and for me to set up the forum, and I'll hope to launch by mid-October.

Starting Location...

In the midst of the large steppes of Alsvartr, near the
famous lake Freyja’s Tear, there are three villages; Holmdar,
Jannamot, and Pineheim, which altogether are called
the Trinity of Wilderness. Three strong rangers rule the
villages, and each of these villages has a population of nearly
three hundred. Most people make their living by hunting,
gathering, and crafting basic items. Some villagers also raise
deer and pigs, which they then use to make dried meat, for
the cold winter months. Since the villages are very close to the
Mercy of Freyja, which is a fruitful sacred forest, the villagers
who reside in them have always found enough food to feed
their people.

The villages have been protected by warbands from
monsters and other attackers for years. Warbands get their
orders directly from the Council of Trinity since they are the backbone
of the Trinity of Wilderness’s defense and attack force;
however, not everyone who applies to become a member is accepted.

First, one must prove their worth to be a member of this
special, intrepid force. Traditionally, young Svillanders of
the Trinity who are old enough to fight, and sometimes
commoners who wish to join the forces, willingly face a
challenge set out by the leader, or Jarl, of each village to prove
their strength on the first day of Winter.

This day is also a day of celebration called The Day of the Hunt
among Svillanders, aimed at increasing the morale of young
Svillanders who are up to the challenge.

Each year, a different Jarl hosts the feast. However, things
have recently started to change. For the past few years, a
sickness has started to spread over the Trinity of Wilderness.
It first began with poor harvests, and then the animals
started to get sick, one by one. The soil lost its fertility and
the youth started dying from diseases that were previously
unheard of.

Nowadays, the villages are attacked by nameless creatures
of the night. Some say that these creatures are simply savage
beasts, while others insist that they are creatures that have
been distorted against the laws of nature. In truth, there is
a recent surge in the activity of Hel cultists trying to defile
all life on Svilland. Nature, and all wildlife is thus affected by
these activities, and the influence of Freyja seems to fade more
and more with each passing day. Each village takes precautions
by building watchtowers, constructing (higher) walls,
and acquiring better equipment.

The villages have started to make sacrifices for Freyja for
fertility and life. Gothis have started to arrive from Knafgata,
which hosts the biggest Freyja temple of Svilland. Villagers
visit the sacred lake, Freyja’s Tear. The altar devoted to her is
always filled with new sacrifices, each more precious than the
other. Nevertheless, life in Svilland is not the same as it was
before.

When our story begins, you are gathered at the village of Jonnamot, which is led by the ranger Grey Eyed Boe, who himself honors the will of the Council of Trinity. It is the Day of the Hunt, and you have found your way here to accept the challenge as a young aspirant, hoping for the honor of proving yourself in the warbands.

[Marullus]

Map of Svilland (the three towns of Trinity marked in the red box):

Map of Trinity.jpg (516.35 KiB) Viewed 485 times

[Marullus]

Play by post is highly narrative. Feel free to add color to scenes as you wish. I prefer a "yes, and" style as you interact with each other (I'll step in if No's are ever needed.) I encourage your creative writing contributions as we build this shared story together.

I will use your passive Perception, Investigation, and Insight as I set each scene. Beyond that, it is up to you to specify an action to look more closely at things.

When you state an action, make a roll. To keep the play-by-post moving, I want you to roll proactively any time you say you want to do something. I'll either "say yes" and ignore the roll, use the roll, or "say no" if the action is impossible, as is appropriate.

When you roll, always roll [1d20][1d20]. I will use the first roll, or account for the second roll if advantage or disadvantage are determined to apply. It is just helpful to always have two die results available in a single roll with 5e. Also, make sure all your rolls are done in the die roller and tied to your character (and thus the game) for accountability purposes.

Always give me an extra mystery roll. At the end of any particular turn/post, include a "Mystery Roll [1d20][1d20]" that I can use during adjudication if a roll is needed. This helps speed things up, too.

[Marullus]

must remember to read up on wider Svilland background without pickung up ooc info.

Starting small and expanding outward...

Map of Trinity.jpg (516.35 KiB) Viewed 271 times

Trinity of Wilderness
(Village council, population: 850)
Trinity of Wilderness is a small local council that was formed
by the union of three small hamlets; Jannamot, Pineheim,
Holmdar and their respective rulers; Grey Eyed Boe, Asulf
Verdnardsonn and Frosted Johan. These three rangers
decided to act as one to protect their settlements against the
increasing werevargr activity in the area.
These villages are close to one another so they can easily
send soldiers and supplies to each other in case of need. Also,
the rangers meet in an old barracks inside the forest to make
the important decisions regarding their villages.
Frosted Johan, the ruler of Holmdar, is a Skadi ranger who
was named “frosted” after he was imprisoned in the ice and
snow for a long time in battle. but he says that he was able to
break the ice with his warhammer -which he now calls ísabrot - and
free himself.
Asulf Verdnardsonn, the ruler of Pineheim, is a land spirit
ranger. He is believed to be the strongest member of the
council and can call animals to his aid. Asulf advocates that the
villages must make reinforcements to their defenses rather
than hunt down the werevargrs, due to a lack of information
about their strength and location.
Grey Eyed Boe, the ruler of Jannamot, is a famous hunter in
the area. He likes to hunt wild animals and also enjoys trying
to tame them. His confidence in his abilities makes him want
to hunt the pack of wolves. Even if he is aware of the lack
of information about the numbers and the strength of the
wolves, he still insists on going hunting.

You have moved from the Trinity of Wilderness area (the villages of Holmdar, Jannamot, and Pineheim with their joint council) to Knafgata.

Knafgata
(Town, population:3100)
Knafgata is established around the biggest Freyja temple
in Svilland, the House of Fertility. Even though Knafgata is
situated on a lakeside, it is impossible to see boats, nets, or
fisher’s stalls since it is forbidden to enter the lake, Freyja’s
Tear. The economy of the town is based on trade, as travelers
who visit the lake and the House of Fertility ensure the
presence of a vibrant marketplace for the townspeople.
Knafgata has many taverns and inns to host and entertain
all the visitors. Herbalism is also very popular thanks to the
abundance of wildlife in Mercy of Freyja. Herbalists collect
rare and special herbs to brew some potions and pastes.
The stone walls of the House of Fertility are quite eyecatching.
It is where Freydis, the ruler of the temple, lives
along with many other Freyja gothis and where they host most
visitors. The temple has its own little dock, which is sometimes
used for some rituals and sacrifices that need to be carried out
on the surface of the lake.
The two most influential figures in town are Freydis and
Bogdunn. Freydis is a young Freyja gothi who is trusted and
respected while Bogdunn, a strong and clever veteran, is the
ruler of the town. Many people sense a rising conflict between
Freydis and Bogdunn, because it looks like Freydis interferes
with the decisions of Bogdunn. It does not help that some
gothis believe Knafgata should be ruled by a Freyja gothi
just like Morestrong. On top of Freydis’s pressure, Bogdunn
also tries to resist the orders of both Enkleistra and North
Assembly. He believes that Alsvartr deserves better than both
the nephew and the uncle.

The regions these areas are in are called the Humming Lands and Austere Woods. They are one part of the kingdom of Alsvartr

Howling Lands Map.JPG (78.8 KiB) Viewed 271 times

Alsvartr
Located in the middle of Svilland, between Green Lights of
the East and Nionaem; Alsvartr has the shortest coastline
when compared to the other two kingdoms. It is therefore not
surprising that Alsvartr has the weakest navy in Svilland.

The land between Nionaem and Green Lights of the East was
united under Hazur. He was a young and strong warlord of
the Eastern Horn. After his death, his brother Hanlon took
the throne. Similar to Hazur, Hanlon was loved and respected
by many people. However, his demeanor is known to change
when someone mentions his late brother.
Gudrick, the son of Hazur, didn’t accept his uncle’s claim on
the throne and left the capital. He traveled across the land,
gathering folks’ sympathy, and building on his notorious
strength. He took the name Moonbearer, murdered his own
mother, and revolted against his uncle. This conflict divided
Alsvartr in two. Gudrick gained control over the majority of
Alsvartr and has been ruling from Enkleistra. Hanlon escaped
to the north and formed the North Assembly which he had
been ruling from Kolbovaik.

Politically, the kingdom is divided in two due to the fight
between Hanlon the Real King (p.212) and his nephew Gudrick
Moonbearer (p.210) over the throne. After Gudrick took over
the capital city, Hanlon escaped and established his authority
in the north, under the title of North Assembly. Nowadays,
neither accepts the authority of the other, and both reign
over their own regions, as they constantly try to expand their
influence. There is a rumor going around, which says that the
support for Hanlon has increased both among the rulers and
the people.
Despite the political duality and instability, the army of
Alsvartr is strong enough to discourage its neighbors from
waging a war. This is mostly owing to the success of the
rulers of the regions, which are Riverside, Iron Sands, Austere
Woods, West Vale, and North Assembly. The rulers of these
lands are quite adept at fulfilling their responsibilities: they
protect the region, maintain their settlements and armies, and
provide for their people.

Austere Woods
Austere Woods is at the center of Alsvartr and thus has
borders with all other regions.
The region is covered with large pine forests, which are
mostly within a forest named Mercy of Freyja, because of its
fruitful resources. The lake of Freyja’s Tear is in the middle of
the region and is a famous lake among Freyja followers. Many
visit the area to consult Freyja gothis and get the blessing of
Freyja.
Shadowlow Mountains, in the north of the region are the
points of highest altitude.

Humming Lands
Humming Lands is a region located to the north of Austere
Woods. It hosts Snowfall Catacombs, and Trinity of Wilderness.
It was named after the strange humming sounds that can be
heard in all the steppes. Even though the voices are not heard
all the time, they still cause most people to feel uneasy when
in the area. It is actually the wind that causes the unsettling
and disturbing humming noise as it passes through rocks and
holes in the ground.
The forest Mercy of Freyja is the source from which most of
the folk here make a living, providing resources for foraging,
hunting, and forestry. Yet, the number of monstrous creatures
in the forest have started to rise since both capitals, North
Assembly and Enkleistra, cleared the area close to them, which
meant that most creatures had to move here.

Snowfall Catacombs
Snowfall Catacombs is an ancient burial site that hosts the
graves of Eastern Horn soldiers. The site was set on a small,
serene hill. It is said that all soldiers died in their sleep
from extreme cold, and that the cold was caused by a seidr’s
sacrifice of a land spirit. According to legend, an extreme cold
covered the area right after its death and that this is why the
hill has remained much colder than the area surrounding it.
The soldiers were buried on that hill by those that were
still alive. Today, many people claim that they can hear the
screams, pleas and musings of the soldiers, coming from the
burial site.

Shadowlow Mountains
(Mountain, population: 50)
Shadowlow Mountains are a middle-scale, forested mountain
range on the border of the West Vale region. The range
includes two main mountains and two smaller ones, both of
which are covered by forests.
There is a group of people who live in the area and who visit
the nearby towns and villages only when necessary. They live
in skin tents which make it easier to move around in the forest
with the changing seasons. Villagers and townspeople call
them “highlanders.”

Note that Stigandr is one of those 50 people from Shadowlow who are called Highlanders.

Note that the three towns of Trinity together add up to a smaller population than some of these surrounding settlements, including Knafgata.

Other settlements in this region are:

Morestrong
(Town, population: 860)
Located in the southeast of Freyja’s Tear, Morestrong is
ruled by an old Freyja gothi called Osk the Quiet. It is between
a steppe from the east and Mercy of Freyja from the west. The
town is calm and serene with buildings made of pinewood,
as well as some tents and old stone buildings scattered here
and there. The general atmosphere of the town is nice and
welcoming. People always help those in need. Many Freyja
gothis live in Morestrong.
Brynja has been the ruler of the town for 23 years and has
been loved and respected by her people for all that time. She
was once an ordinary Freyja gothi who lived in a deer skin tent
outside the town, but she was obliged to sacrifice her virginity
to end a horrible disease that took over the town. After her
sacrifice, the disaster disappeared slowly but surely. Since
then, the folk here feel a great respect for Brynja, who became
the ruler immediately afterwards.

Sangarholt
(Town, population: 75)
Sangarholt is a hamlet located near the Mercy of Freyja
Forest, which actually used to be a town. A few years ago,
most townspeople were slaughtered by three seidrs who
called themselves Wanderers. Of 300 people, there were only
50 people left alive after they cast a powerful spell. After this
horrible event, survivors decided not to leave town and they
stayed in Sangarholt under the rule of Liutrar.
The general atmosphere of the settlement is nicer than
expected; people are helpful of one another and they are
optimistic about the future. Most of them strongly believe that
Sangarholt is going to return to its days of glory.
Today, there are 75 people living on the ruins of the old
town. Most people in the region know the story and they do
not want to truly settle in Sangarholt just because they do
not want to be victims of a curse; as they believe the previous
settlers to have been. Still, the people of Sangarholt welcome
all travellers, adventurers and merchants. From time to time,
people try to persuade them to settle the village.

Vogsal
(Town, population: 850)
Located in the east of Howling Lands, Vogsal is an agricultural
town ruled by a keen and clever half-jotunn, Uznant. It is
surrounded by large fruitful steppes, which makes agriculture
easier. The economy of the village is based on agriculture and
trade; the town sells its products to northern settlements.
Strong wooden walls, which have been built recently after it
was understood that the creatures that harassed them were
not going anywhere, protect the town. Soldiers patrol the
walls and watch the steppes from the watchtower.
The general atmosphere is nice and welcoming. Even
if people are aware of the dangers in the region, they are
optimistic about the future and they believe the problems will
be resolved very soon. The population of Half-jotunns is higher
than any other settlement in the region.
Uznant has been the ruler of the town for three years, and
she has openly sworn allegiance to Hanlon the Real King. They
promised one another to send soldiers in case of emergency.
For that reason, she has attracted the attention of Gudrick.
Yet, Uznant is not afraid of this, she trusts both her soldiers
and Hanlon with her life. The soldiers, which are well-trained
by Uznant herself, consist of 40 half-jotunns and 160 Mithals.

Belmunt
(Town, population: 700)
Belmunt is a small-town to the west of Mercy of Freyja,
established around an old Second Age castle. The town is
situated close to the foothills of Shadowlow Mountains at
the time of the Kingdom of Eastern Horn. The main goal of
the castle was to watch over the west, but with the changing
borders of the third Age of Svilland, the castle lost its military
purposes.
Today, Belmunt is home to more than 700 people. The
town’s economy depends on forestry, hunting, trading and
its famous tannery. Kludi Igrimsonn has been the ruler of the
town for about ten years, and the castle is the home of Kludi
and his family.

Kraekross
(Town, population: 2500)
Located to the west of the forest Mercy of Freyja, Kraekross
is an iron mining town. Gorm Ironheart, whose family has
reigned in the town for more than 40 years, is the current
leader of the town.
From the beginning, it has been a mining town built right
next to mines. Since the big iron lodes in the area attract
many other settlements in the region, the Ironheart family
pays great attention to security. As a result, the town is
surrounded by high walls, and there are guards standing
watch at all times. Therefore, armor and hammer smithing are
the most sought-after occupations in Kraekross. All who visit
Kraekross can find fine weapons and armor here. Inns and
taverns are also more than eager to accommodate the visitors.
After Gorm Ironheart pledged his allegiance to Gudrick
Moonbearer (p. 210), he forbade dvergrs to enter the city, as
most of the dvergrs in the area live in North Assembly and
support Hanlon the Real King. He believes that this precaution
prevents spies of Hanlon from getting inside the town.

At the broadest, macro level, Alsvartr is one of three kingdoms that exist in Svilland in the Third Age. The other two kingdoms are:

After the great war between the east and west and the arrival
of the dvergrs in Svilland, the third age began with the
emergence of the new kingdoms. Svilland was divided into
three regions. Great winds of the north started to sweep the
borders of three kingdoms; Nionaem, Alsvartr, and Green
Lights of the East.

Nionaem
The west united under Klakkr and became Nionaem. He was
a strong soldier, who followed the ways of the Bear King, and
a respected leader. His middle child Ingmar succeeded to the
throne.
He followed the ways of the Bear King but was quite the
visionary on his own right. He ordered the construction of
walls and castles just like Eastern Horn had done. He thought
that it was necessary for survival against the raids on the
borders from Alsvartr.
Unlike his father, Ingmar was a cruel tyrant. He used the
power he possessed to get anything he wanted from his people
without mercy or hesitation. Eventually, his reign came to an
end at the hands of a boatmaker who returned from the dead;
Aleson the Arisen.

Green Lights of the East
The east united under strong clans and were ruled by Denil, a
famous Thor gothi and a member of the ruling clans. He took
the throne despite the intense competition and earned the
respect of the people.
After his sudden death, his eldest child Sturjorn succeeded
to the throne. However, his fate was the same; he suddenly
died at a young age. His brother Orrin succeeded to the throne
and was followed by his daughter. All who succeeded to the
throne thereafter were from Denil’s bloodline, and the family
became known as the ruler of the kingdom.
The rulers of the kingdom were always talented and welleducated,
and they almost always died at a young age. Some
believed the throne was cursed, however it didn’t stop the
Denil family. Currently, Bergljot Denildottir sits on the throne.

The end of the Second Age is remembered by the elderly, before the current kingdoms reorganized and formed. it was the age of the Eastern Horn and the Bear King. (This history is particularly important as the basis of Valdis' roleplay.)

Second Age
There are elderly people who witnessed the end of the second
age and who tell stories of it. They also tell the stories of their
parents and of their parents’ parents. The age of the Eastern
Horn and the Bear King. The heartbreaking tales of a massacre
that could be justified by none.
At the beginning of the second age, two kingdoms emerged
and dominated the abandoned ancient Vanir settlements.
They were the people of the kingdom of Eastern Horn, the only
political authority in the lands. They had many skirmishes
with the scattered tribes of the west but saw no threat in
them. The power scale was disturbed when an orphan named
Slon started to unite the western tribes against a mountain
jotunn threat; a quest which he was unable to complete as
another orphan bested him in a duel and finished what Slon
had started. He was called the Bear King.
At the same time, the High Seidr Council was assembled to
prevent Black Winter from taking hold over Svilland any more
than it had already done. Lots of seidrs settled close to the
obelisks of the Ymir’s Lash. The High Seidr Council met every
six months in a congregation near Winterbury, the attendance
of which was strictly forbidden to others. This consortium
gave important decisions about the errands of the north.

The Awakening
The weakened power of Balder’s spear could no longer contain
the might of Odd and the frost jotunn was awakened in its
chains. Black Winter grew even stronger and the High Seidr
Council started to fail in their task of warding it off. The
influence of the freezing cold began to reach the south.
The Bear King respected seidrs. Thus, he turned his
attention to them when they began to fail. One night, without
notice, he marched to Winterbury and murdered everyone
in the High Seidr Council and in Winterbury. He delusionally
thought this to be a great sacrifice to the Aesir. For this
madman, it was the way to succeed in what the seidrs failed to
do; to end Black Winter.
The tension between Eastern Horn and the Bear King was
already immense. After the massacre, Eastern Horn made its
move to end the reign of the blasphemous Bear King. Thus, the
War of Hooves and Claws started.

The War
Like two faces of the same coin, these two kingdoms shared
a common heritage. However, they had different manners.
Both wanted things that the other had, however, they settled
their differences with small skirmishes until the massacre.
The war began and Eastern Horn started its military campaign
deep into the Bear King’s territories. They tried to end the war
before it got out of control and miserably failed when they
encountered the army of the Bear King.
The war continued for many years; countless soldiers and
civilians died, and many hamlets, villages, and castles were
destroyed. The civilization in Svilland was on the brink of
annihilation. Eventually, Eastern Horn put an end to the Bear
King and stood victorious.
Yet, none was actually victorious. Both kingdoms collapsed
and the scarred people of the war scattered across Svilland to
find or build new homes. Households were filled with orphans,
Black Winter was stronger, and there was no authority to turn
to.