Torvold Ostersonne

Torvold Ostersonne was a Solandian historian who studied the exploits of Emperor Harald V. He made record of events from 828-887.

Below is an excerpt from his written work.

### Excerpts from the Historien om Imperiet av Soland: Vesland

*Compiled and composed by Torvold Ostersonne and translated into Low Solandian by Ekberht Halfdan*

> …And so, in the year 828, on our Emperor, Harald V, son of Jovun III, son of Harald IV, House of Eldgammel’s coronation he looked upon the lands of his father and found them tamed and cowed. Kings of the south brought him incense and oil but this did not please him. Kings of the east brought him wine and silver but this did not please him. Kings of the north brought him furs and steel but this did not please him. Kings of the first father, his own house, brought him fish of lye and tapestries but this also did not please him. Harald V desired not the fruits of his father’s conquests, nor those of his father’s father. He desired new lands to bring into the glorious light of the Solandian Empire…
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> …In the year 830, from the Pearl Throne in the capital, Byenavsol, Harald V issued a decree promising gold, noble title, and glory eternal to any who dared to cross the Sea of Drager in search of new lands for his glorious patrimony. And so the great trade princes built great longships of the finest make and unlanded nobles, adventurers and thieves crowded together for the chance to crew them…
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> …In the year 841 the first ship returned from the east, the Dragedreper, captained by Magnar Lodbruk, son of Haedsil, son of Kanneg. The ship bore exotic fabrics, treasures, and the bones of the savages they slew in the taking of them. For such success where all had failed Magnar was bestowed the title of Jarl and given command of the Imperial Fleet to wage a crusade of conquest in this new land…
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> …In the year 855 the last of the savage Blomstmenn were defeated and driven out of the great peninsula of Vesland making way for the great settling of those verdant lands by the people of the Solandian Empire. But there was great greed and jealousy among the kings and dukes as to the question of who would hold the titles to such lands. It troubled Harald V deeply to see such greed poison the minds of his vassals and so he decreed that new houses shall be raised up to kinghood and that Vesland shall be divided between them and governed by them for the glory of the Empire. The Veslander Kings owed fealty directly to Emperor Harald V and so their wealth could not endanger the prestige of his house…
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> …In the year 874 Harald V died under suspicious circumstances and his sons were soon after murdered by bandits en route to the Summer Palace…
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> …In the year 876 House Kirtennen usurped the Pearl Throne and Osten the Bastard was crowned Emperor of Solandia. Many vassals and the Temple Hierarchs objected and wars were fought to contest his claim…Osten the Bastard was successful in many battles and in his triumph dissolved the Temple Hierarchy and slew the Eight Hierarchs, naming himself Primarch Kaiser I of all Solandia in 880…
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> …In 880 the Temple of Vesland refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of Primarch Kaiser I and declared independence from Solandia, seizing the land allotted to them by Emperor Harald V. The Kings of Vesland followed suit, drafting the Accord of the Free Kingdoms and electing one of their number Ragnar, son of Magnar, House of Lodbruk, High King…
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> …In 887 the army of Primarch Kaiser I led by King Jalstad was routed and their ships burned by the army of the Free Kingdoms led by Knight-Commander Sigfried of the Temple Crusaders at the battle of Meadow Bridge. Primarch Kaiser I could not continue the war after such a catastrophic defeat but as Vesland was so remote did not need to draft a formal treaty. No such peace was ever reached and no such accord ever signed. Kaiser I and his heirs chose to ignore Vesland for decades to come. In this way Vesland’s independence was assured if not secured…
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