Haleren

## Overview

The country of Haleren lies in the east of the island of Ritian, with its western border against Norshame-ruled Burdam and sea to the north, south, and east. When the great army of Norsvik arrived in Ritian, it was in Haleren that they landed, and they returned there many times during their campaign. In fact, when the great army finally broke apart, it was in Haleren that one part settled.

Haleren is ruled by Ealdor Faltha, a noble of mixed descent (Norshame and Ritian), as a dependent kingdom to Kewes. The Norsvik of Haleren took part in a failed attempt to invade Kewes and Mierrsa seven years ago, and a new influx of Norsvik from that time are still making their mark.

The Norshame who settled Haleren after being defeated and driven out of Kewes a generation ago have long since converted to worshipping the gods in the Thebian congregation, and can no longer join the Norsvik, though they may be capable warriors and fight alongside them. This makes them fair game to be raided by the Norsvik.

The native population whose last king was slaughtered and who were dispossessed by the Norsvik landgrab resent their new elite, but the increase in trade has benefitted some of them. The new status quo had mostly been accepted by most people, until recently when they realised their new Norshame elite were not protection against Norsvik raids…

## Government and Law

Theoretically, the laws in Haleren echo the laws of Kewes, as Norshame Haleren is a dependent kingdom. The elite from before the Norshame takeover use this almost as a weapon against the Norshame, and especially any Norsvik who still remain. The Norshame sometimes have trouble recognising that non-Norshame have equal rights under the law, their own blood price and protection from further dispossession.

Ealdor Fatha has come to power fairly recently, following the unsuccessful uprising against/invasion of Kewes and Mierrsa. So far, things seem to be settling and there have been no raids between Haleren and the rest of Ritian.

Justice is often dispensed in the form of fines, although execution is also possible. People still have a blood price, and even a price on each part of them (if a punishment for theft would be cutting off the hand, a fine could be paid instead). Even slaves have a blood price, payable to their families (if they are known), or their owners (if their family is not known), or should the owner be the guilty party and the family not known, to the state. The only crime punished by death as a first offence is treason. Ealdors dispense justice, though there is a right of appeal to the ruler (in theory, the ruler of Kewes, but in practice this does not happen). Imprisonment is not a punishment used, as prisons are small and only used to hold those awaiting trial or execution. The Ealdors move around their domains collecting rents and taxes, dispensing justice, and ensuring everything is as it should be. Below the Ealdors are the Thegns, who are the lower lords, village heads and guild leaders. Then the free farmers and labourers, and then the indentured, and then the slaves.

Landowners have a responsibility to maintain roads and bridges, in addition to any taxes they pay. Around the towns, a general tax is raised whenever repairs are needed. The temples are not exempt from the duty of roads and bridges, and tolls may be charged – not everyone demanding money to use the road is a bandit.

## People

Most of the common people, free and indentured, are native to Ritian. A higher proportion of the elite are Norshame, their wealth having originally come from Norsvik raids. There are, however, both Norshame of low social standing and native Haleren aristocracy, as well as (especially at the aristocracy level) many people of mixed heritage.

The Ealdors are the highest ranks of society, beholden to the ruler, who is in turn beholden to the monarch of Kewes. Native Ealdors are mostly drawn from old families, related to tribal leaders from before the kingdoms coalesced, but some few have earned their positions by competence alone. Norshame Ealdors are often descended from the initial wave of settlers, who have become enough part of society to be trusted.  They lead the military forces, collect rents and taxes, and dispense justice. The High Priests leading the largest religious foundations have roughly equivalent rank but slightly different responsibilities, as they are not expected to lead in battle but have greater educational responsibilities.

Thegns are the next rank; whilst they are often from the same families for a generation or two, they are not hereditary positions either. These are the village leaders, master crafters, experienced career soldiers, and guild leaders. They have responsibility for smaller areas and fewer people, and are beholden to the Ealdors. The High Priests of smaller temples have similar rank.

Freepeople may own their own land or pay rent (which may be in coin or in kind), but they always own their own labour. The indentured own themselves but not their labour (they owe it as a debt until it has been worked off), and slaves (mostly those captured in battle) are owned by others. Being indentured is a temporary state and the majority of those who find themselves in it will manage to work their way out. Slaves can only be freed by their owners.

Dress in Halaran is a mixture of Norshame and Ritian fashion, with the ubiquitous tunic and either trousers or overtunic or both. Jewellery is often brooches, but the bulky hacksilver arm-rings are also in evidence. Robes are often worn over tunics by priests and scholars.

The Dowran are more numerous in Haleren than in any other country in south Ritian. They make their homes in the extensive wetlands and along the rivers. Having fewer belongings to be stolen, they suffered less from the Norsvik raids. However, given the way they are treated in Skaldinavia, they have withdrawn much of their contact with the human population now that there are Norshame holding power.

## Trade

The arrival of the Norshame has certainly stimulated trade. Whilst the country was reeling under the raids of the Norsvik, the slowly increasing export industries had all but stopped. Having Norshame and Norsvik in charge offered a degree of protection, especially when they were beholden to King Alfen of Kewes.

The land of Haleren is incredibly fertile. Although much of it is fenland, people fish and hunt for game in the bogs, and some of the fish are considered great delicacies – far from being an unproductive waste, the marsh is a great resource. Cheese and skyr are other bulk exports, as the culture of Skaldinavia meets the fertility of Haleren soil.

Trade between Skaldinavia, Burdam, and Haleren is brisk, with jewellery, precious metal, and fine wooden objects being the most common high-value exports. Wool is less of a major export from Haleren than from most of the countries of Ritian. A few traders from other places do visit Haleren, but for Norshame goods that are more likely to visit Burdam and for typical Ritian goods they are more likely to visit Dolinium.

## Religion

Most of the pre-Norshame inhabitants of Haleren follow Thebian gods. Some of the Norshame have also converted, especially those who have been living in Ritian for decades.

The Thebian faith originated nine hundred years ago, when a magician of great power and compassion was killed by the Namorians. Her ghost haunted the place where she had died, and her followers began to revere and then to worship her. Eventually, some of those who worshipped her found themselves filled with divine power. Ever since, she has been venerated as a god. Her ghost has not been seen since the first divine acts done in her name.

Though all those of the Thebian faith acknowledge Thebe as the First, most of them follow their own gods. Many of these gods are very specific, tied to a place or a profession, and have existed since long before Thebe lived, but joined the Thebian congregation either defensively because of Namorian persecution, or strategically to gain the support and cooperation. There are some few more powerful gods in the pantheon, depending largely on how many faithful they have. This faith is found from Kewes to Atturia, and West to Zantian.

The first in Ritian to join the Thebian faith were the Namorians – by the time the empire collapsed, the worship of Thebe was widespread among the soldiers and the elite. Although not every god in Ritian has joined the congregation, all those native to Haleren have.

Feast days of the various gods are scattered through the year, many celebrated only locally. The Year’s End is observed throughout the country, and most places have at least one god celebrating the summer solstice and each of the equinoxes.

The other Norshame continue to follow the Skaldinavian families of gods led by Wod, though there are no great temples here as there are in Burdam. Wod, the parent of the Virae, leads them in the way a still-vigorous elder leads a mortal extended family. Wod has always been acknowledged as the greatest of all the gods, and their powers are mystical and far-reaching. They traded an eye for knowledge of the world, and have two ravens that fly anywhere they command bringing back information. The eight-legged horse they ride is known over Skaldinavia as an omen of momentous things to come. Wod may be called upon for advice on any subject, though they have a particular affinity for rulers and powerful mages. Although naming people after the gods is a valued tradition in Skaldinavia, no child is ever given the name of Wod. It is an ill omen to name a child something they cannot live up to.

Wod has had many partners, though their principle one is their wife Rygge, who lives with them in Gaard. Rygge is the god of marriage, invoked at weddings, and of prophecy. The oldest child of Wod and Rygge is Thorn, who has become the god of thunder and strength. Thorn wields a mighty hammer and takes an interest in the affairs of warriors. Their second child is Ador, their third is Njordn. Njordn fathered two children, twins called Frja and Frjo who became the gods of fertility and abundance.

There are many other gods in the pantheon. The one who causes most trouble is Lokk, who Wod bore and who was fathered by an ice giant as part of a bargain to secure Gaard. Lokk feels as the oldest child of Wod’s body, he should be given higher status than those whom Wod fathered. His resentment has caused a lot of trouble amongst the gods.

The gods of the Norshame are worshipped with sacrifices – human, animal, and treasure – at festivals, at deaths, and to ask for favours.

## Magic

Spiritual magic, like everywhere where gods in the Thebian congregation are dominant, has the highest status. Priests inspire respect and are responsible for teaching all sunjects, not just religion.

The marshes are a place known for the totemic magic used by the Dowran, often viewed with suspicion as the use of spiritual magic is so prevalent in human society that totemic is very rarely seen.

Elemental magic is seen as a tool by native Ritians, handy for crafters and creators, of use to farmers, but not very impressive in and of itself. The Norshame, with their origins as seafarers, hold air and water magic in high regard (the Ritians retort that it was religious magic that sank the Norsvik fleet and prevented the complete capture of Haleren).

## History

Haleren is wholly within the part of Ritian that was controlled by the Namorians, and has quite a few ruins to prove it. In the centuries immediately after the Namorians left, the island lost almost all of its foreign trade, the majority of its priests, and a lot of its population as the standard of living fell and the foreign armies were no longer there to be supplied and to want imported luxuries.

Slowly, travellers arrived from the west, and some of them settled in the vacated Namorian lands. Together with the descendants of those who had lived there before the Namorian invasion, these settlers became the inhabitants of Haleren. The gods worshipped by the travellers either joined the Thebian congregation or slowly lost faithful until they vanished. In the jostling for power that took place in the centuries between Namor leaving and the first Norsvik raids, Haleren was never dominant, frequently under tribute to Mierrsa, Deir, or (latterly) Kewes.

After the Norsvik began raiding, Haleren suffered their depredations as did all the other countries in Ritian. The most notable thing about their response is that, as part of the price for the great army leaving them, Haleren supplied the Norsvik with horses. It was a painful mistake, and only kept the Norsvik away from Haleren for a single winter.

When the Norsvik returned, they slaughtered the king and decimated the nobility. Some of the Norsvik remained there whilst the great army moved on, and a few years later many of them settled there after being defeated by Alfen of Kewes – allowed to settle on sufferance of non-aggression towards Kewes and her allies. The ruler of the defeated but still dangerous Norsvik was made Ealdor in Haleren, and remained true to his word and never again took part in offences against Kewes or Mierrsa. Nobody knows if this was out of expediency, or if he truly came to embrace his renunciation of the pantheon headed by Wod.

What is evident is that, once the Norshame Ealdor had died, the others did not see themselves as bound to keep from attacking other parts of Ritian.  Aided by another Norsvik army which had been raiding in northern Porea for a decade, they moved through Burdam and attacked Mierrsa. They caused some damage, but didn’t manage to get any territory and were driven back. The bulk of the Norsvik moved on to other hunting grounds, and Fatha took the Ealdor title. A few new Norshame arrived at that time, but nothing approaching the numbers that arrived when the first army settled.

## Bibliography

Haywood, John. *The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings.* Penguin: 1995.

Adams, Max. *Aelfred’s Britain.* Head of Zeus: 2017.

Bartlett, Robert. *The Making of Europe.* Penguin: 1993.

Fleming, Robin. *Britain After Rome.* Penguin: 2011.

Ramirez, Janina. *The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England.* WH Allen: 2015.