Kingdom of Jornur

Life and Society:

Jornur is the second-largest kingdom in Jotunar and the wildest of the five kingdoms. From the freezing waters of the Sea of Frost to the high peaks of the Deep Valley Mountains, to the treacherous mire of the Saltvahn Myr, to the swift and dark water of the Deepwater River, to the ice and stone of Wavebreaker Bay all of the land of Jornur seeks to test its peoples. It is not only the land but its inhabitants that are dangerous. Trolls and Giants patrol and make their homes throughout the land, as do other ancient and terrible beasts. All of this has come together to make hard and dangerous people. Jornur boasts the most fearsome warriors in all of Jotunar, these mighty warriors are tested time and again by the monsters they share their home with. Worship of Thor and Tyr is particularly strong here with shrines in every village, town, and city. They are also found, along with shrines to many of the Aesir and Vanir along the roads and riverbanks. Unlike most of the other kingdoms, every town and village in Jornur boasts walls, towers, and heavy gates sealed tight at night. BuktBorg is the only human city of any size in Jornur. Its placement gives it a dominating position over both Wavebreaker Bay and Deepwater River. The only other large city to be found in Jornur is Aslandby, the cultural center and ancestral home of the Hill Dwarves of Jotunar. This large and vibrant city is welcoming, much more than its mountain dwarf cousins, and boasts a large population of not only dwarves but also halflings and humans.
Nearly half the population of Jornur sets off each year during raiding season, not only raiding the other kingdoms but, of late raiding more and more along the northern coast of the continent. Others have begun to head west, crossing the Sea of Frost to raid Bhrtaine Mor and even sail beyond. Some of these ships, though few, return with tales of lands far across the great sea filled with treasure and lands not seen by any on this side of the disk of the world. These ships claim that to reach these new lands, first, a journey of several weeks must be undertaken and, for most, the risk is not worth the reward. For those that stay behind they make their livings coaxing what they can from the land and the sea, battling poor soil and monsters every step of the way. It is said that even the most timid farmer in Jornur is worth more in battle than a warrior from any of the southern kingdoms. Jornur was the last of the five kingdoms to be brought under one rule. King Grendra is the first person to unite the clans and cities of what is now Jornur. He was able to do this through a clever mix of martial might and diplomacy, solidifying his control by marrying the son of the Jarl of Hyngerbrink.

Major Geographic Features:

Deep Water River: 

Cold, lethargic, dark, and unsurprisingly, deep the Deep Water River is like many of the rivers of Jotunar the lifeblood of the kingdom it flows through. Hunting boats come down it from the Sea of Frost, towing whales, seals, and more exotic and monstrous creatures. Large wide bodied barges ladened down with ore, gems, and metal goods travers it from Hyngrebrink. Dwarven ships with wool, beer, mead, and other foods traverse it bringing goods from Aslandby to Buktborg and its bustling markets. The cold dark waters take ships from time to time, and many a monster makes the river its home. It rarely gives back what it takes, making the deep bottom of the river a veritable treasure horde to those brave enough to try for it. It is believed that the River was first made due to titanic blood from Mjolnir whilst Thor battled with his greatest nemesis, Jormungandr. The river disappears below the wailing peaks and emptying out somewhere deep in the earth. Some believe the waters of the river flows eventually to one of the three great wells that water Yggrasil, and more than one brave fool has attempted to navigate it to its end, never to be seen again.

Deep Valley Mountains: 

The tallest and coldest mountains in Jotunar the Deep Valley Mountains are perpetually capped in snow and ice, making them the ideal home for frost Giants, Trolls, Ogres, and goliaths. The mountains are rich in both ore and gems, though not as much as their more hospitable southern neighbors and the added danger of the monsters makes the value taken from them all the more precious. There are no easy passes through these mountains and most prefer to go around, or under them than over and through. The dwarves of Aslandby guard and maintain the passages below the mountains keeping them safe and open for trade.

Brokr's Forge: 

This fire mountain is the only known active volcano on Jotunar. While it hasn't had a major eruption yet, it is in a constant state of unrest and bubbling. Many believe that it will fully erupt on the day the Surtur strikes out for Asgard, harkening to the beginning of Ragnarök. Still, others believe that sleeping on its lip under the right conditions will allow one to awaken in Nidavellir in the halls of Brok and Sindri, the greatest craftsmen in the nine realms. The one thing, other than smoke and sulfurous winds that the mountain produces is copious amounts of obsidian, or dwarf glass as it is known throughout Jotunar. There are a few brave halfling clans that brave the dangers of the fire mountain to harvest this valuable resource.

Wavebreaker Bay: 

Huge pillars of grey rock and large icebergs make Wavebreaker Bay a dangerous place for the uninitiated. These stone and ice islands are home to monsters and giants as well as a few brave or daring humanoids. Thanks to these features the worst of the tides and waves from the Sea of Frost are broken up, meaning that other than the obvious dangers the waters a comparatively calm. There is a great White Dragon that makes its home in one of the icebergs, as do several Frost Giant clans.

Saltvahn Myr: 

This large, twisting swamp is treacherous, like all of Jornur. It is made from the flooding of the Deepwater River and is a twisting labyrinth of shallow waterways, sucking mud, and floating villages. Most of the humanoids who inhabit this place are either halflings, who make much of their living farming and harvesting shellfish and mollusks in the rich water of the swamp, or Beastborn whose lineage can be traced back to Jormungandr. These reptilian peoples are well adapted to the treacherous waterways and act as a bulwark against invasion from Jornur's ambitious southern neighbor. More than one raiding party has entered the Myr to not be seen again.

Important Sites:

BuktBorg: 

The capital of Jornur, this sprawling city stretches from the bank of the Deepwater River to Wavebreaker Bay. It is the largest city on the east coast of Jotunar and while not many traders from outside the island are willing to brave the dangers of the bay, traders who make their home in Buktborg bring a steady stream of wealth and goods from across northern Arnareth. The first day of Sailing is a major holiday in Buktborg as the ships, both raiders and traders are launched for the yearly season. Midwinter is also celebrated differently than in most other cities, the entire city comes together to prep and bless the boats for their upcoming travels, and great sacrifices are made to Njord, Hermodur, Aegir, and Ran. The city is thought to have been first established as a war camp by Heimdall and Tyr when they were battling the Jotuns and driving them from Midgard. This warlike origin is still deep in the beliefs of the people who live there today. Despite this warlike origin, Buktborg boasts many a skilled artisan. Much of the raw goods produced in Hyngerbrink and Aslandby are exported to Buktborg where they are transformed into works both beautiful and functional.

Hyngerbrink:

Located at the head of the Hammerstrike Valley, Hyngerbrink is an economic and military settlement. It is there to protect the mining villages that dare to delve into the depths of the Deep Valley Mountains, and to store their hard-earned gains until they can be shipped to Buktborg and beyond. Despite this utilitarian origin, Hyngerbrink is not a dour place. It is beautiful, in an austere way with buildings made of various stones from across the mountains. This variety of materials gives the city a mosaic quality when looked down on from the surrounding high peaks. It is also one of the few humanoid cities where temples to the Jotun gods can be found and where they are actively worshipped. Due to the city’s proximity to both Aslandby and to several Jotun strongholds many of the peoples of Hyngerbrink boast either dwarven or Jotun heritage.

Aslandby:

The first and greatest home of the hill dwarves, Aslandby is more a large connection of villages than a unified city. Spread out for miles across the rolling hills of the Hammerstrike Valley. These connected clan-holds all specialize in a different craft of the hill dwarves from shepherding to beekeeping to weaving to brewing and many more. This eclectic group of clans and crafters makes for a lovely city filled with passionate and artsy people devoted to their crafts. Aslandby is overseen by a council of elders who guide the city as they see best. To become a council member you must be at least a century old and have at least three generations of family living in the valley. Outsiders are welcome and more than one halfling clan has settled in the valley living with and amongst the dwarves. This tendency towards the smaller folk makes for architecture that isn’t overly friendly to tall folk, but not actively hostile like Grimplegrin. Some in the past have made the mistake of assuming these craftspeople and shepherds are gentle and have quickly found out that when one cuts their teeth fighting off giants, trolls, dire wolves, and cave bears, people don’t pose much of a threat. Death and defeat come quickly to those who enter the valley with malicious intent.

Norobar and Soubar: 

The twin fortresses that sit at the edges of Wavebreaker Bay, Norobar and Soubar are hearty stone castles that have withstood the test of time, weather and war. Both are located on narrow thrusts that stick out well over the freezing waters of the bay making assaulting them a daunting task. Other than their location the thing that most separated them is the Norobar is predominantly human while Soubar is predominantly sea elven. The cities are linked by a pair of magical mirrors in their respective great halls that allow them to speak to each other each day at dawn. There are also a series of warning beacons that can be lit to warn Buktborg in times of great danger.