Storstrøm Vale
The long valley of the Storm River runs from the lower slopes of the Waldron Mountains to the North Sea. It is the longest-inhabited and most heavily-populated area in the North, and as such is often considered the heart of the Northlands. There is currently no køenig of Storstrøm Vale, but in times past, one or another jarl amassed enough power to claim the crown. Today, Storstrøm Vale is divided into a host of petty jarldoms, each vying with the others to become powerful enough to claim the title of køenig. The local Things exert a great deal of authority, often challenging the jarl for power. Many of the Things’ jurisdictions cross the boundaries of more than one jarldom. The Althing of Storstrøm Vale meets once every 10 years, and is the scene of some of the most heated political battles in the Northlands, for it is the vote of the Althing that decides who shall wear the crown. More than once over the years, these votes have resulted in spilled blood.
Storstrøm Vale is the cultural heartland of the Northlands, the place where the Northlanders’ society as it exists today originated and where Northlander social mores find their greatest expression. While the coasts of the Hord Peninsula are nearly as densely settled, and the Gatlanders are the epitome of the viking ethos, the Vale-folk are the standard by which all others are judged. The largest godshouses and the burial cairns of some of the Northlands’ greatest heroes can be found here, and it is the setting for many of the most popular ballads sung by the skalds.
A wealthy and industrious land, Storstrøm Vale is rich in good farmland and pasturage for their famed sturdy ponies, has plentiful fishing offshore and in the Storm River, and even has access to iron and silver in the Waldron Mountains. The land is deficient in only two things: true wilderness (though the foothills of the mountains are somewhat wild) and room. Every generation sees individuals or entire families leave Storstrøm Vale seeking their own land in less-crowded regions.
Several generations ago, a band of heroes fought a sect of the Beast Cult in the heart of Storstrøm Vale, defeating the vile cultists and freeing the upper reaches of the Storm River from the grip of the God of Blood and Beasts. The center of the cult’s worship was a great stone idol depicting Shibauroth sitting atop a massive runestone, images of his bestial followers and their victims coiled below him like the scales of some huge wyrm. The totem disappeared after the cult leader was slain, but has since appeared time and again where the Beast Cult finds a new home. After a local sect of the cult is defeated, the totem again vanishes, only to appear again in some out-of-the way location. Every appearance seems to draw in new cultists, calling to fell beasts and perverted souls alike.
Region
Storstrøm Vale
Controlled Territories
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