Federation of Trollstigel

## *Unknown*

The archipelago of Trollstigel is home to the Ailor tribes of the newly founded Federation of Trollstigel and the native trolls and ogres inhabiting the central regions of the islands. Located at the southernmost point of Ellador, the cold, barren, and mountainous islands are each individually ruled by the sons of Sjurd Magnus Baardsson, who in 281 A.C. led the tribesmen of southern Ellador to the archipelago. The Ailor generally avoided getting anywhere near the islands, as those were known for being home to large amounts of dangerous beasts.

## History

Until 281 A.C., the archipelago of Trollstigel was entirely avoided by the Northerne tribesmen of southern Ellador, as it was known to be inhabited by highly aggressive ogre and troll tribes, with a vast majority of the latter, giving the area its name. The nomadic tribe by the name of “The Blessed Hounds” (as translated into Common) were the first ones who ventured onto the islands with the intention of finding a new home; The expedition being led by the tribe chief Sjurd Magnus Baardsson. Once they arrived on the central island of the archipelago, the expeditioners were surprised by the lack of savage beasts along the coastlines and pine forests. Thus, the construction of the first village “Lundr” began immediately. The two first born sons of Sjurd Magnus Baardsson, Veli Marcus Baardsson and Einar Axel Baardsson, gathered men to explore and settle the remaining islands to the east and the west. The western island, claimed by Einar Axel Barrdsson and his followers, was given the name of Siola. The eastern island, claimed by Veli Marcus Baardsson, took the name of Friomundara in honor of a deceased childhood friend.

While the newly settled tribesmen were on a hunt for resources, they found the barren and mountainous areas inland to Lundr to be where the majority of the hostile troll groups resided. The tribesmen, while faced with the dangers of the inland beasts, found these places to contain a high concentration of iron. While mines were quickly established at the foot of the mountains, the tribesmen began to form hunting communities to drive away the native trolls, their presence being an obvious threat to the industry. Being a well respected hunter and fighter, the leader of the Blessed Hounds tribe, Sjurd Magnus Baardsson, led one of the first squads into the mountains, only to find a horrible death at the hands of the underestimated trolls. His youngest son, Andreas Otso Baardsson, took lead of his father’s growing tribe shortly after his death. With the death of their glorious leader, and a clear lack of proactive direction and proper leadership from his heir, the population began to lose their respect for the leaders and eventually newer, smaller tribes formed out of the once glorious Blessed Hounds. The three sons agreed on forming the Federation of Trollstigel and declared themselves as the three princes of the archipelago.

Although being the absolute rulers of the Federation, the three princes of Trollstigel possessed little to no power at all due to a general lack of an efficient, centralized government. The uncooperative population also contributed to the absence of strength to the efforts of the princes. Currently the princes’ sole purpose is to control relations to foreign nations and to uphold the image of the Federation of Trollstigel. As the iron mines and ogre hunting parties grew in numbers, Lundr eventually turned into a highly active center of trade in Trollstigel, duly the uniform location all the people of the Federation would visit to sell and purchase their wares. Ogre blood, despite the difficulty of obtaining it and rarity of genuine product, and domestically mined iron became the main trade of the Federation, and trade routes outside the archipelago were established.

In the past two decades, little progress has been made in the young nation. Nothing bigger than a small village or outpost has been established outside the large capital city of Lundr, expansion being slow and sluggish. Barely any political relations have been formed, besides the mutual supply deals with Regalia and Hedryll. Except for the city guard and militia of Lundr, a military force of Trollstigel is nonexistent. To the outside world, Trollstigel is, however, very well known for being a place where countless fighters meet their ends in hopes of earning some coin by slaying the ogres and trolls of the mountains. As most outsiders tend to strongly underestimate the native trolls, very few return, most telling tales their own cowardice in the face of the hunt. Already hundreds of hunters have already lost their lives at the hands of their intended prey.

### Etymology

Trollstigel is what the Northerne tribesmen called the archipelago that forms the Federation of Trollstigel today. In their language, Trollstigel can be roughly translated into “Troll Mountain Island”. While the eastern island Friomundara was named after a deceased childhood friend of on the three princes, the name Siola of the western island has no known background. The capital city “Lundr,” is a shortened dialect form of the Northerne phrase for “First Village” when roughly translated into common.

## Geography

Almost similar in size, the three islands of Trollstigel are just as equal when it comes to the landscape. Surrounded by surprisingly shallow waters, the coastlines are made mostly of flat beaches, followed by dense pine tree forests. The biome becomes more mountainous and barren the further one delves towards the central areas of the islands, until the deadly mountains are reached where the ogre and troll tribes reside.

### Climate

The climate of Trollstigel is cold and windy, as it is common for the regions of southern Ellador. Surrounded by waters and with a vast ocean located to the south, the blowing winds along the coastlines can reach temperatures below the freezing point, during the winter sometimes even down to -30 °C (-22 °F),becoming only a tad warmer the closer one delves into the dense pine forests of the island. In the mountainous central regions of the three islands, the climate only worsens. The bitter cold winds can, during winter, reach temperatures down to the point of -40 °C (-40 °F).

### Notable Landmarks

* **The Dwarven Fortress of Mazgar**

The tribesmen tell tales of a long forgotten and abandoned Dwarven fortress high up in the mountains of Friomundara. A few hunters managed to confirm its existence, yet it is also told to be inhabited by troll tribes. Nobody has tried yet to find out what lies inside the fortress, as the risk to those traveling there would be insurmountable due to the hostile creatures residing there, combined with the surrounding climate and unstable environment.
* **Lundr**

Located on the north-eastern coast of Trollstigel, the central island of the Federation of Trollstigel, lies the capital city of Lundr. It is known to be the first Ailor settlement on the three islands, and the only place of the Federation where people meet for trading. It is also the only place where the goods are being exported, as no other place has a harbor as large and active as Lundr’s.
## Government

The Federation of Trollstigel is mostly tribal in nature, without a true established government. The only civilized place one would find is the capital city of Lundr, where a law system has recently been established. The youngest prince, Andreas Otso Baardsson, has absolute control over the city with support of city officials and advisors. No enforced law exists outside Lundr as the tribal princes never bothered to attempt to establish one, as it is highly unlikely the local tribesmen would follow or accept it.

### List of Rulers

* 281 - 282 AC - Chief Sjurd Magnus Baardsson
* 282 AC - Current - Prince Andreas Otso Baardsson, Prince Einar Axel Barrdsson, Prince Veli Marcus Baardsson

### Foreign Relations

The independent Federation of Trollstigel has neutral relations to the majority of Alorian states. Although not allied, nor being enemies with the Regalian Empire, the Federation tri-annually sends shipments to Regalia in exchange for processed materials. Trollstigel holds no relations with Qadiriyye, and has never even made official contact to the Sultanate.

### Military

The Federation of Trollstigel has no true military. As the only somewhat civilized place in Trollstigel would be Lundr, and the rest of the archipelago is occupied by almost feral tribesmen, the military depends entirely onto the city guard and militia of its capital city. Should the Federation fear an attack however, the majority of tribesmen will most likely be joining the fight to defend their home.

## Economy and Technology

The island’s main export consists of the iron that can be found inside the numerous mines established around the central regions of the island. Ogre blood is also one of the main exports, due to the ogre tribes being found in the mountainous regions of Trollstigel. However, this comes in highly limited quantities due to the difficulty of hunting ogres. The whole actual trade takes place in the capital city of Lundr, where thrice a year a shipment of iron and ogre blood is sent to the northern lands of Regalia in exchange for various goods the tribesmen would consider as needed, such as finished clothing, food, and basic materials not available on the islands. The Federation is, compared to other states of Aloria, highly inactive when it comes to trade due to the less trade-savvy and inexperienced culture inhabiting Trollstigel.

### Demographics

* Northerne Ailor - 75%
* Other Ailor - 10%
* Orcs - 7%
* Dwarves - 3%
* Others - 5%

## Culture

Trollstigel is a typical Northerne cultured region. For more information, refer to Northerne Culture.

## Symbols

Trollstigel’s coat of arms is based on the first tribe to have settled down onto the islands, the Blessed Hounds. It resembles a large, pale wolf growling towards the right, as if facing a threat. Above the wolf, a shine of light can be seen, in front of a dark red background. The shine resembles the blessing of one of the Old Gods, the pale wolf being the hound, and the dark red background representing the tribe’s past savageness and bloodlust.

## Trivia

* Every year, hundreds of experienced fighters and hunters visit Trollstigel to prove their strength against the native ogres and trolls, or to collect ogre blood for quick money. However, usually not more than 20% of them make it back alive.
* The iron mines of Trollstigel are constantly threatened by ogres and trolls, and it is not uncommon to find mercenaries guarding the entrances. It is commonly assumed that the attacks are either from hunger, or to prevent the Ailor from delving deeper into their territory.
* The high number of Orcs in the region is largely due to ogre hunting parties using the Orcs for strength and resilience in combat, with Orcs enjoying the challenge that the dangerous hunts present.

## Some attributes

### Third

*Unknown*

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