Nolthwyk

**Nolthwyk** is
a dead empire, it once ruled over all the islands of Novron but is now encased
in a dreadful eternal winter. The men of Nolthwyk are said to have arrived by
sea from a distant land. Legend has it, they were lead through the shadow world
by a man known only as The Ocean King. These men forged a mighty empire
of the north, before they were cursed and destroyed. The Land of Nolthwyk is
now a frozen wasteland, where none dare travel.

## History

### The Khêlékanni

Elvish legend maintains that the lands now known as Nolthwyk were originally settled by the Khêlékanni elves after the great migrations following The First Light. They were tasked to be the eternal guardians of the region to protect all the living thing that dwelt there. Very little is known about these elves, as they were all destroyed by the humans known as The First Men. The Khêlékanni at first tried to help The First Men when they arrived in Nolthwyk, but their barbarity proved too much for the elves and the Khêlékanni were wiped out.

### The First Men

It is said that the first humans to arrive in Nolthwyk, known as The First Men, arrived by ship on the northern coast of Nolthwyk in the 1st Century 8E. These men were haggard and broken, almost to the point of insanity. They had travelled vast distances, through shadow and madness to arrive upon the shores of Nolthwyk. They were first encountered by the Khêlékanni elves, who took pity of these beleaguered men. The elves sheltered and tended to the humans.

The men were lead by a mighty leader, who was known only as The Ocean King. He told the elves that he and his followers had no memory of where they had set off from. The king spoke of a veil of darkness that his ships had passed through. They encountered horrors beyond reason or sanity, that stalked and haunted them on their journey.

The elves found that these men were violent and brutal. They constantly fought amongst themselves, fighting over power and property. The Ocean King tried to keep them in line, but their barbarous behaviour was too great to control. The elves tried to sooth the violent spirits of these men, to teach them to live in harmony with the world. Their efforts proved fruitless and soon, conflict erupted between the two peoples. The war was short and brutal. The Khêlékanni were well versed in the art of war, but the sheer ferocity of these humans could not be matched. Eventually, the Khêlékanni were wiped out.

### Colonisation of Nolthwyk

Once the elves were destroyed, the First men started to spread out across the land. They founded settlements along the coasts and rivers of the land, which they names Nolthwyk, or "New Home". Between the 1st and the 3rd centuries of the 9th Era, the Nolthwykans had great cities all across their new home. During this time, they were known as The Nolrandi Kingdom.

### Expansion into Novron

Once all of Nolthwyk had been settled, the Nolthwykan's attention soon turned to the ocean. Their ancestors had been a mighty seafaring race and these northmen took to the sea in search of new lands to conquer. They extended their reach over the lands of Frysdar, Voltya, Kania, Hallas, Zweisslûnd and Iskandar. In the south, stories began to circulate of vicious strangers from the frozen north. Striking from the misty sea without warning, in great ships shaped like dragons. The Colonisation of Novron took place between the 3rd and 9th centuries 9E.

### The Sundering of Nolthwyk

During the the 8th century 9E, trouble had started to brew within Nolthwyk. As the colonies grew in power, the central authority of the King in Nolthwyk began to diminish. The colonies were becoming more and more independent and the great riches that use to flow back to the capital were more often kept by the colonial leaders. Unrest grew in the capital and the noble houses were questioning the king's ability to secure dominion over the colonies.

in the year 9E 876, a civil war broke out as the Kol leaders sought to usurp Thangen, the last king of Nolrandri. The war was incredibly destructive as the noble lords carved the once unified kingdom into dozens of small states. Over the next 274 years, the colonies of Novron broke away from Nolthwyk and the kingdom itself remained in a fractured state, the lords constantly warring with each other for local power.

### The Gediryalt

By the end of the 9th Era, Nolthwyk had been fractured and broken for almost 300 years. Out of this civil unrest a great Kol had emerged, the Parhond Kol. The Parhondi were great warriors and had long hoped to reunite the warring factions of Nolthwyk. Through diplomacy, they had managed sway many of the other Koli to support them. Those they could not persuade, they defeated through strength of arms.

Once Nolthwyk was once again united, the Parhond Kol turned to their former colonies. Over the next two hundred years, each former colony was brought back under the control of Nolthwyk. All except for the colony of Zweiran, which the Parhondi were unable to conquer. By the 3rd century 10E, The Nolthwykan Empire was born, ruled by the Parhondi.

### The Nolthwykan Empire

Once the Parhondi had managed to reclaim the old colonies, Nolthwyk entered a golden age. With the valuable resources of the colonies, the new empire grew rich. Because all the islands of Novron were centrally administrated by Nolthwyk, goods and skilled workers were moved around to benefit whoever needed them most.

It was during this time that Nolthwyk also started its military expansion into The Pale, Arland, and Ehstvär. The empire was able to muster enormous armies from their vast holdings and the kingdoms offered only poultry resistance. The only notable exception was Ehstvär. Although they were greatly outnumbered, the Ehstväri often were able to outmanoeuvre the Nolthwykans, earning themselves many victories.

### Fallandír's Folly

Over the centuries, the power of Nolthwyk grew. They
expanded their civilization, colonizing the many islands that surrounded them.
They spread across the north, carving for themselves a mighty empire. However,
it was the hubris of the Nolthwykan Emperor Fallandír that brought Nolthwyk to
its knees. It was the wish of Fallandír to create an eternal summer, so that
Nolthwyk would never face the wrath of winter. He scoured the world, searching
for the greatest mages so that he could defy the gods themselves and create an
empire that would last a thousand generations.

It was as Fallandír put into motion the final step of his
plan in the year 577 of the 10th Era, that he was thwarted by the God of Winter himself, Brenmoran. So angered by
Fallandír’s scheme, was Brenmoran, that he drove the continent of
Nolthwyk into the most terrible of winters. The whole nation was frozen by a great
and terrible wind. Millions of people were turned to ice and then shattered
like brilliant glass. All were destroyed, all but Fallandír. His was to be the
greatest punishment of all. While his mighty empire fell, he would sit frozen
upon his throne. Unable to die, he was condemned for all eternity to a bitter
world of his own making.

## Religion

The peoples of the former Nolthwykan Empire follow twelve
gods of Novron.

**Griimaerín, The Wanderer:** Depicted as an old man wearing worn
travelling clothes and wielding a gnarled wooden staff. Anyone who is about to
embark upon a journey, will pray to Griimaerín to watch over them and ensure
they get to their destination. Travellers wishing to secure the protection of
Griimaerín will offer a small carved token in the shape of Griimaerín’s staff in
a mound of dirt of the traveller’s starting location. More serious protection may
warrant the sacrifice of a foal.

**Selgar, The Sailor:** Selgar is usually depicted as a man
festooned with kelp and barnacles, often wielding a harpoon or equipped with the
claw of a crab. He is the patron of sailors, fishermen and all those travel on
the seas. It is said that he dwells deep below the Novron Sea, brewing great
storms to destroy those who do not appease him. Before a voyage, a ship’s crew
will burn a pyre of fish bones to ensure the voyage’s safety. The larger the
pyre and the bones, the more it will please Selgar. Selgar is known as a fickle
being, usually drunk, he will sometimes sink ships for no reason other than he
is bored.

**Gelfemori, The Golden Woman:** Gelfemori is the goddess of
healing. The sick and wounded pray to her to heal them. She is depicted as a
beautiful woman with long golden hair; Girls with golden hair are said to be
blessed by Gelfemori and will often become healers and herbalists. Gelfemori is
said to be a loving deity who is dedicated to helping her followers, those
praying to her for help can light candles and sing the hymns of healing.

**Herfingrei, The Farmer:** All those that work the land pray to
Herfingrei to provide a good harvest. Herfingrei is depicted as man with simple
clothes and a bent back. Farmers will usually make an offering of whatever
produce or livestock they keep to secures Herfingrei’s blessing.

**Lifirmov, The Life Mother:** Lifirmov is said to be the mother
to the world. She protects all people of Novron as a mother would protect her
children. She is depicted as kindly, yet powerful woman wielding a silver
shield.

**Venndar, The Mage:** As magic is not as common as it once was,
the worship of Venndar has dwindled. He was once the patron of all magic users,
but is now viewed with fear and superstition. Some believe that Venndar is more
of a demon, and that he is responsible for the foul and magical monsters that roam
the world. The remaining mages of Novron still regard him as their patron and
conduct strange magic rituals with blood sacrifice and the consumption of hallucinogens
to appease him. He is depicted as mysterious figure, hooded and cloaked in
blue.

**Lufjenan, The Lover:** Also known as the Joiner of Peoples,
Lufjenan is the patron of love and companionship. Novroni marriage ceremonies
are conducted by Lufjenani priests, couples will join hands before a shrine of
Lufjenan and pray for a long and blissful life together. Lufjenan is shown a
figure with the face of a man and a woman, joined as one.

**Strenovull, The Warrior:** Those about to do battle will pray
to Strenovull by offering their own blood, usually from a cut to the hand. Those
mighty enough to impress Strenovull in life will be offered a place at his
table in the afterlife, where they will drink and feast with the greatest
fighters of all time. Strenovull is depicted as warrior clad in fur and iron,
wielding his great axe: Brônbrengan.

**Honvil, The Builder:** Builders, masons, craftsmen, artisans
and all manner of tradesmen pray to Honvil to help them ply their craft. Honvil
uses his great hammer to help strengthen buildings, tools and weapons. Men
appease Honvil by building monuments to his glory. A mason might build a spire
or statue while a blacksmith would craft a hammer to be hung above his forge.
Honvil is depicted as giant made of iron, holding his hammer: Stonbrek.

**Sprennolel, The Speaker of Future and Past:** Also referred to
as The Storyteller, all men respect and fear Sprennolel. It is said that he
knows all that has passed and all that lies ahead. He determines the path that
all men take and once something is set in motion, it cannot be changed. He is
depicted as a withered old man, weaving a great tapestry that shows the fate of
the world. Men do not usually pray to Sprennolel as their future is already
known to him. In times of true desperation many will plead with The Storyteller
to change their fate, offering a sacrifice of whatever is most precious to
them. This prayer can be disastrous, as it may not change a man’s fate for the
better.

**Lukluan, The Artist:** The Patron of all musicians, painters,
writers and poets who pray to Lukluan for inspiration. Lukluan is a vain and
self-centred goddess who loves herself above all. Artists wishing to gain her
favour will create works to flatter and praise Lukluan. They will write poems
that tell of her wonder and grace, or paint portraits that show her beauty.
Lukluan is depicted as a crimson haired woman, more beautiful than any other,
holding a silver mirror.

**Brenmoran, The Bringer of Death and Winter:** Depicted as a
gaunt figure shrouded in tattered black robes with deathly white skin and
eyes that gleam with pale light. Brenmoran is the ultimate adversary, he brings
the cold and desolate winter to punish all those who insult the gods. All those
who do not appease Brenmoran in life will be made his slaves in death. It is
said that it was Brenmoran who brought about the eternal winter that grips the
land of Nolthwyk, angered by the hubris of the last Emperor Falandir.