Clan Vethfolnir

The Clan of the Hawk. Like those of Huegmuen, the peoples of Vethfolnir are great explorers and merchants. It is even said that it was the descendants of those that settled Hravndalr that also settled Haukrfjall. Rumour also suggests that the Dreki that led these two clans were related. The people of Vethfolnir have carved out trading routes through the expanse of mountains and have contacted Ainvi tribes to trade with as well as those in Zhawenim. Though some villages in Bjarkvar also trade with Zhawenim, it is Clan Vethfolnir that harbours the better relationship with the Wolves of the North. Due to these trades, several Ainvi have left their way of life and journeyed to come live in Haukrfjall. Swift and fierce, the warriors of Vethfolnir are also known to send raids across the river into Craincath for resources. However, they are not nearly as aggressive or reckless as those from Geirfreki.   The city shares another trait with its sister the city of Hravndalr, in that it sports a sizable Ainvi population. However, rather than these Ainvi being refugees, the Ainvi in Haukrfjall have come to live here willingly.

Haukrfjall finds itself built upon the mountainside between the twin lakes. Built into the walls of the tiered city on the northeastern portion lies Hawk’s Landing, the district which is home to the Jarl’s multitiered lodging. On the greens leading up to the Jarl’s house stands a tall statue of a hawk at rest with its wings outstretched. The remainder of the city cascades down the mountain side, flowing along with the river that cuts through the city. The Great Lodges district, immediately outside Hawk’s Landing is the city’s wealthy district and is part of the original settlement, where the four great families of explorers built the first lodges. These ancient buildings still stand today, though the families that inhabit them have changed over the centuries.

South of The Great Lodges is Spirit’s Cross, a district with two large prominent bridges that cross over the river that winds through Haukrfjall. The bridges were once of spiritual significance and are adjourned with hawk statuettes on each corner. Many come to these two bridges to watch the river boats travel up and down stream.

Beyond the city's wall is Builder’s Way. A sprawling shanty town on either side of the river, this district is home to many tradesmen, with shipbuilders being the most common.

The people of Clan Vethfolnir are renowned as merchants and explorers, and all that begins here in Haukrfjall.

Two roads lead in and out of the city, on northwards towards Clan Bjarkvar, and another southwards following the river that cuts through the city. These roads are often filled with caravans of people headed in and out of the city, while the river is never not filled with boats or some kind. Even in the winter months, where the river can sometimes freeze over, the people of Haukrfjall have engineered a means of traversing the river by ship, gliding over the ice.

Like it’s sister city in the Empire, Carndrum, Haukrfjall also made use of the Issberg Mountains numerous caverns and cave system, carving out pathways through the mountains to their neighbors in Zhawenim and the Great Plains. Unlike Canrdrum however, Haukrfjall’s relations with their Ainvi neighbors is on excellent terms, and the Jarl of Haukrfjall is one of the only Sairshi that can conduct visits to Zhawenim. Due to these relations, Haukrfjall has one of the highest Ainvi populations in Fornland, with many of them living within Spirit’s Cross, or Builder’s Way.

In the outlying lands of Clan Vethfolnir, life for the small villages is not a warm and cozy city with many amenities. In the summer and spring months, citizens spend most of their time either farming or hunting to stockpile for the winter. Some villages may migrate to the Haukfrfjall for the winter months if they are within close enough distance, increasing the size of Builder’s Way, and filling in some of the large lodges found at the base of the city, just outside it’s walls.

Clan Vethfolnir, like many of the Fornish clans, also partake in summer raids, often raiding the lands of Craincrath for food and valuables to sell so that they can make through the harsh northern winters. Of the Fornish clans, those of Clan Vethfolnir are among the least aggressive, and only take what they need to survive. As years go by, their need for raiding has lessened as trading is far more effective.