Aelgard

The city of Aelgard sits on the northern coast of the the North, near the Dales, and serves as the de-facto capital of the former. It is the largest settlement north of Falkryst, and as such, is one of the only remotely urban areas for miles. It is notable for hosting "the Thing", an annual political meeting where the Norsken Jarls meet to discuss politics.

Demographics

• The Norsken dominate the city's populations. Dale-Men and orcs from the Dales are the other notable ethnic groups.

• During "the Thing", Jarls from all around, as well as cadres of warriors and servants, arrive in Aelgard, nearly doubling its population.

Government

• The Jarl of Aelgard is Freyr Sveinnisen. He is well thought-of by the other Jarls and his subjects, but is not an especially powerful figure. Rather, due to the fact that he rules Aelgard, he has less bearing on "the Thing" than the other Jarls normally do. However, he serves as the event's officiator and mediates conflicts.

Defences

• Like most cities in the North, Aelgard is surrounded by a wooden palisade with a stone foundation.

• Freyr Sveinnisen's personal war-band consists of 400 able-bodied Norsken warriors.

• During "the Thing", there are as many as 5,000 warriors in the city.

Industry & Trade

• Agriculture is tough in Aelgard; the majority of food sources come from fish and goats.

• Lumber is the single biggest industry; lighting fires, constructing longhouses, and building boats are its most vital uses.

• The city's most novel industry are its troll-quarries. The trolls of the Yswald turn to stone if exposed to sunlight, so many enterprising North-Men have set-up "troll-traps" around the city, ensnaring the beasts and subduing them until daybreak, when their bodies can be broken up and used for construction and craft. "Troll-stone" is one of Aelgard's most expensive exports; it's more malleable and less prone to cracking than other types of stone found in the region, retaining that fleshy aspect from its grisly manufacture.

• In addition to lumber and troll-stone, mercenaries, and salted meats are traded for finished goods, mostly from Falkryst. The meat of the ysvulfen, the winter wolves of the Yswald is highly sought-after, not only due to its rarity, but also due to the fact that, because of the magical nature of the winter-wolves, the meat stays frozen even in temperatures above freezing.

Infrastructure

• Aelgard has dirt roads; this is fine during the winter months, but during the summer months, streets become muddy and tough to navigate.

• The city has a developed system of docks and ports for fishermen.

Type

Town

Population

25,000 (40,000 during "the Thing")

Location under

The North

Characters in Location

• Freyr Sveinnisen