Arnmar

Arnmar is a cold land of tough northfolk. Arnmar is ruled by King Jomur in Halmstad. To the northeast lies the Island of Fridardal.

## **Locations**

* Ainby
* Astham
* Dal
* Frosthavn
* Emhyr
* Graffenwald
* Halmstad
* Tilham
* Dwarven Kingdom of Dunir
* Frostheimr
* Instindur

## **Ecology**

In the far north lies Arnmar. It is filled with pineforests and mountains. Some land has been developed by the humans. But vast areas still lie untamed or untouched by civilization. In the northwest lies the forests surrounding the tree Emhyr, bound in eternal winter. To the northeast lies the broken valley of Frostheimr, torn apart by war. Southeast lies plains and farms, a testament to human impact on nature. South of Dunir lies the cursed forest plagued by a mysterious disease, spreading to Ainby.

The summer can get relatively warm in the southern parts of Arnmar, but is soon overtaken by the harsh and unforgiving winter.

## **History**

### **The Jotunn and the Dwarves**

Before the arrival of the Humans, there only lived Dwarves, Elves and Jotunn. In the craggy mountains lived the Dwarves. From Dunir to Istindur the Dwarves lived peacefully inside the mountains, they lived secluded inside their mountains, from the fear of Glazhael. This led to the foundation of the Undersölum, a vast network of caves and halls connecting the mountains. In the Underdark the Dwarves found great wealth, their greed evergrowing. The Dwarves of Istindur were overcome with greed, as they began to dig deeper. Soon they turned on each other, their skin becoming grey from the depths. In the depths they found the Illithid, becoming enslaved. The dwarves minds were twisted and bend, no longer normal dwarves they had become something else, Duergar.

The Jotunn ruled the lands above. These Giants were not afraid of the Dragons. They waged war upon the Dragons and their leader the false tyrant Glazhael. At first they had success, killing many dragons. The might of the Jotunn was impressive. But the cruel mind of Glazhael began to enslave tribes of Jotunn. Marking them his slaves, he turned the Jotunn against each other. War continued and slowly the Jotunn were driven back into Frostheimr. Here the last stand would take place. The Jotunn King Hrym would not leave the lands and prepared for a last stand at the Battle of Jordsundrbro 445 SA. Hrym was betrayed by Beldr the Lonesome King, as Hrym was thrown of the bridge. Beldr had been promised by Glazhael to become King of the Jotunn if he became a subject of the White Dragon. The battle was a slaughter almost half of the Jotunn massacred in one battle. Few were left after the battle and those who survived refused to kneel before Beldr. Many were killed, but those who survived named Skrymsli the rightful King of the Jotunn. Not willing to see the rest of the Jotunn be killed, Skrymsli and the rest of the Jotunn fled to the north-eastern island Fridardal. Beldr was left alone to rule over Frostheimr, the Lonesome King was forced to pay tribute to Glazhael.

### **The Frost Elves**

In the Northwest in the untamed forests lived the Elves. The Elves used their magic and forests to hide from the Dragons. Most lived by Emhyr, a Tree of Silvanus. This was known to Glazhael, who knew they tapped their magical energy from the tree. The Elves unwilling to bend their knee and pay tribute to Glazhael, made the Dragon furious. If he could not find them, he could atleast destroy Emhyr from which they drew their power. For a year the Dragon flew around the tree freezing it. From the roots to the top, Glazhael froze it solid. But the tree was not destroyed, instead the Elves attuned their magical powers gathering a new found energy within the tree. What he had sought to destroy he had altered. The nearby forest became engulfed in snow and ice. An eternal winter surrounded the area, the elves assimilating their skin became a pale white, with a frozen blue shine.

### **The First Settlers**

Arnmar was first settled by Vailian explorers in the 5th century of the Second Age. The cold climate was harsh for many of the settlers coming from the warm climate of Vailia. Though the untapped wilderness and valuable amber helped with interest for those who sought fortune in new lands. The lands were empty of civilization, but signs of the Jotunn was allover. Giant landmarks were left behind by the Jotunn. Slowly the settlers formed their own culture as they adapted to the lands. The Dwarves of Dunir was no threat as the settlers formed colonies such as Halmstad. While some found fortune in the lands, all was forced to pay tribute to the tyrannical dragon Glazhael, whose heart was used in the forging of Vinterringen.

### **Tyranny**

Glazhael, the Tyrant of the North, forced the villagers and inhabitants of Arnmar to pay tribute to him. Those who couldn't feed the greed of Glazhael, would feel his wrath as he turned them to ice. Trying to keep up with his growing demands, coastal villagers began sailing south to raid the rich lands.

### **Rebellion and the First Heroes**

In the end of the Second Age, the tyranny of the Dragons was being brought to an end. The Arnmarian hero Talos struck Glazhael with a bolt of lightning as he stunned the dragon near its lair. As Glazhael was stunned by the lightning, Talos carved out its heart and gave it to the Master Smiths in Dunir, to forge Vinterringen.

When Tiamat was banished to the Nine Hells and the First Heroes ascended to Godhood, many of the Arnmarian worshipped Talos as the hero and saviour of the north.

### **The Third Age - Raiders**

Free from the tyranny of Glazhael, the tribes began fighting internally, until the Warrior King Arnmar was crowned. As the realm found peace, the restless warriors sought to find wealth in the south, as they had done under Glazhaels rule. The rich lands of the Vailian continent would once more become a target of raiding. Raiding and trading would become an integral part of Arnmarian culture, as the raiders would worship Talos to calm the weather as they would sail out in search of fortune. Though it was not long before another enemy came about.

### **Enemies of the North**

As the threat of Glazhael dissappeared, a new enemy appeared from the north. The Jotunn, a race of giants, began to wage war on the humans. They sought to reclaim their lands in the valleys of Frostheimr. In 236 TA, the Arnmarian city Anderrung fell. The Steinnfyrre of Arnmar could not hold back the Jotunn. Though vast areas of Frostheimr was broken in the battles. The Arnmarians retreated south of the river Byg. The land between Frostheimr and Halmstad would become a no-mans land.

### **Newfound Wealth**

Through their raiding the Arnmarians found great wealth. While they had settled much land, the landscape was still dominated by landmarks of the Jotunn. While the war was raging with the Jotunns, King Oddrwulf the Builder, began the construction of the Godstones. Enormous stones carved out to depict the Gods. The stones were used to guide travellers through the land and as a symbol of the lands belonging to the humans.

### **Trolls and Diseases**

Trolls roam all of Arnmar. They are regarded as a pest on the land, that is one thing humans and dwarves have in common. Deep in Dunir the dwarves have fought the venomous trolls for centuries. In 778 TA the Dwarves of Dunir succedeed in repelling the trolls out of their mountain, much to the dismay of the nearby humans. An unknown plague is spreading in the forests south of Dunir. Twisted plants and ashen zombies arise as the Arnmarians are slowly pushed out of their towns and villages. The plague slowly reaching Ainby.

### **Making Peace**

As King Jomur was coronated, he sought to make peace with the realms of the south. In hopes of creating goodwill and establishing more permanent trade routes he banned raiding. This led to great unrest within Arnmar, where entire economies was shaped around raiding. Many found themselves without a job, as their way of life was banned. This led to much anger towards King Jomur, who would be called 'The Coward' by many. Even though raiding was banned and made punishible by death, many still secretly raided.