Skjolway

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 Skjolway, the land of the Nords. Scenic Skjolway, centered in an area deep in the south of Thrae along one of the only survivable large peninsula jutting out from the barren ice-wastes below in the entire region, is a harsh land filled with an even harsher people. Protected from much of the deadly magical radiation filling the eternal twilight by a great block of mountains separating the rugged landscape from utter destruction. All year round the region closest to these mountains is cold, snowy, and frequented by deadly blizzards that roll down from the mountains high. Further on is an area of dense boreal forest, a wooded taiga stretching from end to end of the lowest parts of the mountain basin. Further up from this basin lies the first area of active population, usually ranging from small villages to large towns, but rarely anything larger. The actual cities lie much further on.

 Broken up by large rivers that feed into the great fjords of the land's fingers, the entirety of Skjolway is green in some form year round, usually in the form of evergreens and the short rugged lichens and plants that stick to the surface of whatever sits for too long. Further south, in a wide band dispersed from the end of the deep woods to the edge of the coast is a region of foothills dotted with dense forests and mountains. This band has become known as the highlands, and is famed for many of the wild men and Nords living there. Further on comes the main source of life in the peninsula; the frigid coastal waters warmed by a geothermal line beneath the massive inlets. It is here that many water creatures gather in the winter months to rest and breed, using the great inlets to travel upstream. The fishermen here learned their trade from their ancestors many generations past, and use the skill to navigate even the harshest of waters with ease. These are the men known for their ability to teach navigation past the great sheets of ice that serve as a permanent barrier to all but the craziest of outsiders seeking entrance, a massive ring of ice-sheets from around their peninsula kept at bay by the warm waters further in.

 This is the start of the area known as the fingers. Several long extensions from the mainland that jut out like the curled fingers of a closed fist ready to strike. Here the main cities have grown free, independent from one another till the past two centuries when all of the warring tribes that made up the majority of Skjolway gathered for the great moot in Fyalkry to decide how best to stop the bloodshed. It was decided there that a moot-king would be elected to rule over the lands till either his death, or till the Jarls grew disgruntled enough to challenge his reign. In doing so Fyalkry became the true seat of power, from which the standing army would live and disembark on the great raids for which their land is known in nearby regions.

 PEOPLE ===

 Skjolway and its people have long been known for the rugged strength and durability that has become the trait of the Nords. The extreme cold they endure in their homeland has made them hardy against foul weathers. The monsters they face both in the seas and in their lands from across the mountains has made them strong, and stalwart in the face of danger or death. The warring and raiding of foreign lands has long since made them cold to outsiders who do not know their customs, as well as fiery in temper. But in all, their brutal way of life has made them band together to become something of a living entity of a society, united by hardship.

 Most people in Skjolway live within walking distance of a neighbor. There are many who don't, but each have their own reason for avoiding towns and villages. Almost all natives hunt in some capacity, even the women, by spear or arrow, or even by the fishing rod; all people contribute to the sustenance of their kin and neighbors. Equally, all people are considered warriors when the need arises. In times of war, even the women are expected to pick up arms and defend their homes, or even to go into battle with their men as shieldmaidens. Children are taught to fight young, their fiery nature kindled till the flame of youth turns into a bonfire of passion that urges them to seek an outlet in their land or beyond.

 Even still, there are many who do not have this flame. Gentler folk who survive only through necessity and often find work inside the mead-halls or required work of a town and village. Idle fishermen, seamstresses, gentle souls who seek a profession of something other than a weapon and shield. These people are by no means frowned upon, even in times of festivity when fights abound among the gathered masses; the natives know the value of having skilled professionals in the varied crafts, blacksmiths, clothiers, and woodworkers especially for their ability to provide ships weapons and armor for the men going to war or raid.

 All Nords in Skjolway view magic as a practice better kept to the druids and priests of their pantheon. Those who weave the magic of the air into uses far beyond the imagining of the common folk, to cure, or curse. Many of the priests have a penchant for becoming doomsayers; cultists of the pantheon who live in the high mountains to be close to the whispering winds, the flow of magic. These men have a penchant for ensuring their predictions come true in one form or another. The druids, however, are better known for their healing and protection, offering help to the sick and diseased as well as guards from the evil abounding the realm. Many of these factions draw their talents from those Nords born with an attunement to the whispering winds, picking them up in their youth to train them early on how to use their abilities. Some, however, escape the allseers who come to towns and villages looking for these children, and grow as they normally would with a buried capacity for magic.

CITIES ===

Fyalkry - The king's city. A great city built atop an icy outcropping at the edge of a massive inlet, overlooking the massive port below capable of holding several armies as well as their ships. This town is one of the oldest, and one of the most protected from outsiders. It is a city of natives tied to the ancient practices for which the Nords are known, drawing many of them in at times of the year for festivals or moots. The great stone city of the king, whose hall stands high at the top of the massive outcropping.

Skjarhus - The Wolf's den. A less than stellar city of violent Nords known more often than naught throughout Skjolway for their ferocity. The town, burned down and rebuilt several times over, is a mix of stone and wooden buildings built upon an ancient settlement long since forgotten. All that remains of these ancient settlers is the great stone protected port in which much of the city's fleet is stored. The Jarl, an old man of sixty seven, has been cooped inside his hall for long enough that much of the town is now controlled by local raiders. Each time a moot is called, the heads of these raiding bands gather to decide who will be sent in the Jarl's stead... in many cases it's the one left standing that gets to go.

Yggendrol - The city of Merchants, and Priests. Fixated along the coast beneath a distant collection of red mountains, and surrounded by great fields of green, Yggendrol is one of the more peaceful settlements in Skjolway. This is a hub for merchants traveling between the outside realms, Fyalkry, and the interior of the peninsulas. Yggendrol is known for it's wealthy air, as well as being one of the more holy sites in the region. The red mountains in the distance are considered to be the watchtowers of the gods, overlooking all of Skjolway in protection, and because of this they have become a site of pilgrimage. Many a temple now sits at the base of these mountains, fed and protected by the city beyond.