Hafnarlond

"The sea remembers what the ice forgets. Listen to the tide before it listens for you." — Tidewarden proverb

General Information

Type: Settlement (Harbor Town)
Region: Coastal Striror
Climate/Environment: Frigid coastline, sea mists, frozen harbors
Population: ~2,700 (Primarily Humans, Snowborn, Sea Dwarves, and Selkies)

Community and Culture

Hafnarlond nestles within a jagged coastal inlet, shielded by towering cliffs and cloaked in eternal mist carried by the restless polar sea. The town is built upon frost-hardened timber, whalebone struts, and sea-sculpted stone. Many homes rise on stilts to endure the surge of tides and the creeping reach of ice.
Here, seafaring tradition and superstition are tightly interwoven—from bone-charms tied to every dockpost, to towering sea totems guarding the harbor against spirits of the deep. The people are pragmatic, wary, and deeply spiritual. Tales of storm witches, drowned spirits, leviathan cults, and ocean curses weave through every hearth and tavern.
Each year, the town gathers for the Rimewake Ritual, casting offerings into the deep and lighting sea-lanterns to honor the tide spirits—and to plead for safe passage through the ever-shifting seas.

Economy and Trade

Hafnarlond’s survival flows from its mastery of the sea. Its economy thrives on:

Icefishing and whale harvesting

Kelp farming and salt refinement

Trade in oceanic alchemical reagents and enchanted whalebone relics

Shipcraft and icecutter construction

The town serves as a crucial maritime hub, distributing goods to inland settlements like Brynjudalsa. It imports grain, ore, and rare southern spices—and exports rune-carved hulls, storm-treated sailcloth, spell-ice blocks, and trophies forged from leviathan bone.

Points of Interest

The Flóðhorn Beacon A cliffside lighthouse spiraled around a green flame, fueled by sea-soul oil. It cuts through fog and frost, guiding sailors to safe harbor—and, some say, speaking in riddles to those attuned to the spirits of the deep.
Stafnvörðr Circle A sacred ring of ancient oceanic totems carved from driftwood, coral, and baleen. Tidewardens gather here beneath the full moon to seek visions from the ever-shifting tides.
The Boneforge Docks The industrial heart of Hafnarlond, where whalebone and wreckage are reforged into weapons, armor, and relics. Every item is etched with sea-runes for strength, protection, and prophecy.

Notable Figures

Eydan Grimwake — Harbormaster and elder Tidewarden. Interprets storm omens and advises captains on offerings and safe passage.
Frida Driftcaller — Master crafter of the Boneforge Guild, famed for enchanted ghostbone weapons wielded by elite hunters.
Torren Seaflame — Keeper of the Flóðhorn Beacon. Claims to speak with sea spirits through the green flame—dismissed by many, but his storm warnings are rarely wrong.

Legends and Threats

A sunken city is said to lie beyond the harbor’s edge. On moonless nights, its drowned bells toll through the mist, and some vessels return empty—adrift but untouched.
Runed icebergs have begun drifting into the bay, bearing deep scars and glyphs. Tidewardens warn they are signs—or invitations—from a great being stirring in the ocean trench below.
The sea totems have begun weeping brine during high tide. Elders whisper of the return of the Deep Chorus, a forgotten cult of ocean prophets banished long ago into the depths.

Type

Town