The Clan Domain of Havardholm
by Jacob SkytteHavardholm is located in the southeastern part of Konslo Island in the Kingdom of Ostland. It contains three hexes of heavy forest and one clear hex. Havardholm exports a lot of wood, and has a steady supply of food from hunting and fishing. Foreigners are tolerated and other Ostlanders are readily admitted to this domain. Clan Havardholm typically raids the Alphatian part of the Isle of Dawn.
Head of Domain: Jarl Bodvar Dogleg rules Havardholm. His great hall is called Kroken.
Population: 2000 people live in Havardholm. Of these 700 are thralls, 900 are non-warrior freemen, and 400 are warriors. 800 people carry arms and will fight if need be.
KROKEN
The village of Kroken (350 inhabitants) lies shaded by the forest on three sides, and with easy access to a stretch of beach on the fourth. The town has a small palisade to keep boars and bears (typically found in the dense woods) out of the village. The Great Hall of Kroken lies close to the beach, and is home to the jarl's personal retainer of 100 men.
Bodvar Dogleg
Chaotic 11th level Fighter (Str 17, Int 8, Wis 7, Dex 13, Con 16, Cha 11, AC 4, hp 84)
Personality Traits: Modest/Proud 6/14, Peaceful/Violent 5/15, Courageous/Fearful 14/6, Energetic/Lazy 13/7
39 years old, Red hair and beard, Green eyes
Bodvar firmly believes that the strong are meant to rule over the weak, and he has set out to become the strongest of all. When he was 26 years old he killed his own father, Vigfus the Red, in battle and became ruler of the clan. He has since challenged every man who seemed too ambitious for his own good to combat, believing that it is better to get it over with before they have time to plan too much, and gain too much support. Consequently the jarl's men all keep their ambitions in check and serve him obediently. Most everybody thinks that he is well within his rights, since he clearly is the strongest warrior in the domain.
Every night that the jarl is home sees at least one battle (or holmgang) for the jarl's amusement. Any argument is taken into the ring, and settled with a fight. Bodvar gained his nickname when he lost most of his left foot during a particularly bloody holmgang three years ago. His foot now resembles a dog's paw, according to his men. Bodvar is satisfied with the nickname, owning three large hunting dogs that he thinks are worth more than any of his men, and preferring not to hear the name of his father mentioned.
When raiding Bodvar wields a two-handed sword+2 called "Tve-Ęg" (Twin Edge), and carries a spear. He wears a chain mail+1. When going holmgang Bodvar either wields a club or fights unarmed; wrestling or with his fists.
When Bodvar turned 21 he forcefully took his first wife, a thrall from Dunadale. She killed herself and her unborn child soon after. Since then Bodvar has had five wives, all of them thralls. Each of them have either run away, or committed suicide. The latest of these, Ariella, is an Alphatian from East Portage, who is cowed by the forceful Bodvar, whose language she doesn't even understand. She has been his wife for three years. Bodvar has several children, but he has disowned each of them, claiming they are too weak to really be his children. Bodvar's only other relative is his sister, Thjodhild the Vile.
Thjodhild the Vile
Chaotic 13th level Wise Woman (Str 5, Int 16, Wis 14, Dex 6, Con 10, Cha 7, AC 10, hp 30)
Personality Traits: Reverent/Godless 3/17, Forgiving/Vengeful 2/18, Honest/Deceitful 3/17, Loyal/Unreliable 3/17
43 years old, Dirt-grey hair, Black eyes
Wise WomenThis special NPC class is unique to the Northern Reaches. Sometimes known as witches, these women (they are always female) are practitioners of the so-called "dark" magics that was used in ancient times. They are known for fortune telling and deception. Some wise women possess very powerful magics. Their spells are drawn from a limited mix of magic-user and cleric spells, and they often receive spells at different levels than other spellcasters. Wise women are generally shunned, but are sometimes sought out for guidance or magical aid. Since they are always outcasts from society, most wise women have poor social skills and delight in trickery and causing mischief or harm. |
The horror that is Thjodhild lives in the woods outside Kroken in a burrow beneath an ancient yew tree. She is known in the entire domain as a frightening and ugly witch, who can (and will) curse men if it pleases her. Many stories are told of Thjodhild, including the following:
- She killed her mother when she was 5 years old, eating her heart to gain power.
- She fed her baby brother, Bodvar, with blood when her mother died.
- She poisoned her father that fateful night, when he went holmgang against her brother.
- She killed several of Bodvar's wives, making it look like suicide, and ate their hearts.
- This practice is what drove her from Kroken three years ago, when she and her brother had a fight.
- She made Bodvar stumble and lose his foot soon after during holmgang.
- She can make any animal follow her command, and always keeps a huge black bear near her burrow.
- At full moons she can be seen roaming the forest, naked, howling, and looking for defenceless people to kill.
- She can brew magical potions with many strange and wonderful powers, but she exacts a dreadful price for these.
How many of these rumours are true is uncertain, but the fact remains that she just might be capable of all of this. Thjodhild will not fight physically, but if confronted she has many spells and charms to protect her, including the following magical items: A wand of fear, a wand of illusion, a wand of polymorphing, a snake staff, a ring of animal control, a ring of spell turning, a medallion of ESP (90' range), and a scarab of protection. She may also be carrying any potion. In her burrow, she has an alchemical laboratory, and several potions of different types.
Thjodhild doesn't have a husband or children and does not have need of either.
Spells usually carried:
1st level: Detect Magic, Darkness (reversed Light), Protection from Evil, Interpret Runes
2nd level: Detect Invisible, Curse (reversed Remove Curse) (x2)
3rd level: Charm Person (x2), Sleep
4th level: Charm Monster, Dispel Magic, Polymorph Self
5th level: Polymorph Others, Pass Wall
6th level: Word of Recall