Norland, sometimes called Rogarsheim, was a Northlander kingdom that dominated most of the island of the same name in the Moonshae Isles. It was one of the most powerful and populous realms of the Northlanders as of the late 15th century DR.[5][6][7][1][3][4]
Government[]
The King of Norland was known as the "king of the Norls",[2] a title held by Grunnarch the Red in the mid–14th century DR[8] and by Rault the Wise in the late 15th century DR.[2] The King of the Norls ruled the realm from Stormbanner Hold in the city of Rogarsheim, where they presided over about a dozen lesser kings scattered along the eastern coast of the island.[3][4]
During the era of the United Moonshae Isles, Norland pledged fealty to the High Kings and Queens of House Kendrick beginning in the mid-to-late 14th century DR. In recognition of their new status as vassals, the local kings of Norland came to be known by the title of "jarl".[3][9] Following Jarl Rault the Wise's decision to secede from the Kendricks' rule in the late 15th century DR,[3] he once again adopted the title of "king".[2]
Defenses[]
The various kings of Norland could collectively field a fleet of about 45 longships, each manned by 40 burly fighters, and this fleet could very quickly muster and transport itself across the sea. Most kings boasted fleets of between two and five ships, one of which was crewed by elite warriors, while largest and most elite of these fleets were the six ships based in Rogarsheim.[4][10] The warriors of Rogarsheim were known as the Stormbanner Wolves.[1]
The people of Norland worked together to keep their homes safe from the monsters of the island.[1]
Trade[]
The realm engaged in trade with the other Northlander kingdoms of Gnarhelm, Norheim, and Oman, as well as further ports north such as in Ruathym and Waterdeep. Rogarsheim served as the realm's primary port on the maritime trade routes between these locations,[11][12] where visiting galleons from the Sword Coast or Calimshan could drop anchor in the cove.[10]
Prior to the Treaty of Oman, the Northlanders' primary export was the spoils of their raids against the Ffolk, including slaves and weapons.[11][13] In the century following the treaty, many Norls turned to farming or fishing.[3] The eastern coast of the island provided both fertile agricultural land as well as abundant fishing grounds to the north.[12] Despite the vast supply of timber available in the island's forests, the Norls were largely uninterested in woodcutting save to build more longships.[4] Prior to the rise of Grondsgrunn, mining also took place in Norland within the South Jotunhammer Mountains.[7][12][14]
Norland's main imports were amenities that they did not produce themselves, such as gold, exotic liquor, oil, and textiles.[11]
Culture[]
The Norls regarded the sea as their highway to the world. They prized their longships more than any other possession and, it was said, even more than their families. A true Norl was said to derive an almost sensual pleasure from sailing a longship, and indeed, they were highly proficient at navigating the sea with these vessels. They would "anchor" their longships by pulling them up onto Norland's gravel beaches, a fact which allowed them to settle any location on the coast where they could find shelter and resources, whether in a cove or on the edges of forests, regardless of the availability of a harbor. Any community of notable size was easily recognized by the line of longships along the shore. These vessels were primarily reserved for raiding or trading voyages, while more mundane activities (like fishing) were performed in smaller boats.[4] Traditionally, women were not permitted to engaging in either raiding or fishing, although these norms were challenged by the rise of the Storm Maiden in the late 15th century DR.[2]
Because they valued the sea so highly, the Norls were largely disinterested in the interior of their island, and did not bother to make roads nor maps of it. They travelled between their coastal settlements by sea.[4][10] Even so, they were highly invested in keeping these woods free of the likes of orcs and trolls, and such monsters' numbers had been vastly diminished by Northlander warriors as of the 14th century DR. The Norls also had great animosity towards giants such as firbolgs, however they held great respect for the frost giants of the Jotunhammer Mountains, whom they saw as being culturally similar to themselves. They were known to leave offerings of food and drink for these giants.[10]
Norls enjoyed feasting. Their diet was heavy on cod, herring, and salmon.[4] They also raised chickens and pigs.[10]
Relationships[]
The Northlander raiders of Norland took great pleasure in running down and sinking Amnian merchant ships, whom they saw as colonizers following their annexation of Snowdown in the 15th century DR.[1]
Tensions existed between the Northlanders and the Ffolk who had settled among them by the late 15th century DR, especially as Norland became a rival to the Ffolk High King on Alaron. However, the two groups worked together to repel invasion attempts by the giants of Grondsgrunn.[3][1]
History[]
The island on which Norland would be founded had originally been settled by Ffolk and halflings prior to the start of Northlander raids in the mid–3rd century DR.[9][15] Norland was the first Northlander realm on record in the Moonshaes, with it being ruled over by a King Stromm as of the 7th century DR, who warred with the Ffolk High King Embro II. An effort was made in the Year of Nineteen Swords, 621 DR, to thaw relations between the Northlanders and Ffolk via a political marriage between Prince Scothgar of Rogarsheim and Princess Bridget of Callidyrr, however the bride-to-be vanished on her voyage to Norland, leading both sides to blame the other. In the ensuing fighting, King Stromm would slay High King Embro II, and war between the two peoples would continue. The Ffolk refused to even conceded the Norls' claim to the island until the collapse of the Cymrych Dynasty of High Kings in the Year of the Animated Armor, 944 DR.[9]
In the Year of the Saddle, 1345 DR, King Grunnarch the Red allied with King Thelgaar Ironhand of Oman and King Raag Hammerstaad of Norheim to attack the Ffolk kingdom of Corwell, thus joining the Darkwalker War on the losing side. Of these three kings, only Grunnarch would survive, and would go on to be a party to the signing of the Treaty of Oman in the Year of the Bright Blade, 1347 DR, which largely ended hostilities between the Northlander realms and the Ffolk lands led by High King Tristan Kendrick.[9]
In the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, Norland was one of the Northlander realms that agreed to put aside ancient grudges and swear fealty to High Queen Alicia Kendrick, thus joining the United Moonshae Isles.[9][16] Over the following century, Norland would see an increase in Ffolk settlers as well as an intermingling of Northlander and Ffolk cultures, and many Norls who would have traditionally lived as raiders instead pursued lives as farmers or fishers.[3][16] However, relative to other Northlander realms, Norland maintained its distinct and warlike identity to a much greater degree.[1] Thus, when a young woman known as the Storm Maiden appeared in the late 15th century DR and urged the Norls to cast off the High King and embrace their heritage as warriors, her message quickly reignited the spirit of conquest among the populace.[3] As she drew more and more Norls to her banner, her aspirations of leading a war against any and all of her enemies raised concerns across the Moonshaes, especially for Jarl Rault the Wise at Rogarsheim, who agreed to secede from the United Moonshae Isles to avoid being overthrown by the Storm Maiden while his son also made plans to assassinate her.[3][17] When the Storm Maiden finally began her wars shortly after the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, she and her fleet would ultimately be defeated, but the fighting ended with the death of all of Rault's male heirs as well as a great diminishment of Norland's influence in the Moonshae Isles.[2]
Notable Locations[]
The capital and largest settlement of Norland was Rogarsheim.[3]
Other major settlements included:
Inhabitants[]
The population was a mix of Northlanders and Ffolk, with some fey and dwarves residing at Rogarsheim.[3] The Northlanders were famously warlike.[1]
At least one small community worshiped celestials and acknowledged Zariel as their patron goddess, seemingly unaware of her fall from grace.[20][21]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
Comics
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 153. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 10. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae (Map). Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Map included in Douglas Niles (February 1989). Darkwell. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-717-3.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., pp. 5–6. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (May 1987). Darkwalker on Moonshae. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 1, pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-88038-451-4.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Brian R. James (December 2007). “Grand History of the Realms: The Moonshaes”. Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2009-06-01.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 88. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 11. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 3. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Karen Wynn Fonstad (August 1990). The Forgotten Realms Atlas. (TSR, Inc), pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0880388573.
- ↑ Jean-Philipe Chapleau (October 2008). The Sea Drake (MOON1-2). Living Forgotten Realms (RPGA), pp. 22–23.
- ↑ B. Dave Walters (February 2019). “A Darkened Wish 1”. A Darkened Wish #1 (IDW Publishing) (1)., p. 7.
- ↑ B. Dave Walters (October 2019). “A Darkened Wish 3”. A Darkened Wish #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., p. 12.