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Cold be hand and heart and bone, and cold be my sleep under stone...
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Don't be so hard on yourself, man. Your character looks very nice, although it's true that starting the campaign with only one player wouldn't make much sense. So, for now I'll just bump this thread (and the IC) and hope for the best.
TheBlueShotgun said
Why does the king trust him to be on the lead his bodyguard if he's untrustworthy? I'm assuming the king can control who occupies this position and it seems weird at first that he'd allow an enemy to get that close. Also, how large is the bodyguard? A few dozen men? Or closer to a hundred?
Because, being the bodyguard's leader, he is a rather powerful man, and his soldiers are more loyal to him than tp to the king: by attempting to remove him from his position, he'd risk a revolt. The bodyguard numbers around two or three hundred men.
Thread's been silent for a whole Creation (plus day of rest). How is everybody doing?
Very nice!
Now that everybody submitted his character sheet, we are ready to start. This is the starting situation I came up with:
Oanez and Tiberius are part of a quite mysterious diplomatic mission, sent by the Cornovian rex, Magnvs Qvartvs Artorivs, to the king of Brythonia; at the start of the campaign, they are on a ship sailing from Tintagol to the kingdom of the Pendragons. Meanwhile, a great Norse invasion of Wales is taking place, the likes of which haven't been seen since the times of Rhodri, which Halvar and his soldiers have joined. The Vikings, numbering in the thousands, under Gunnar, king of Manx, and supported by soldiers sent by his cousin Guðröðr of Sudreyjar, have landed near Ynys Môn, and have since moved southwards, pillaging large parts of Gwynedd and Dyfed, and is currently headed towards Powys, which is preparing to face the invasion. Cadell has been sent by his king to the south, to the fortress of Caersŵs, with a few hundred soldiers in order to help the castle's garrison to withstand the incoming assault.
However, I'd like to hear your ideas as well.
Also, here is a short list of NPCs which will play a role in the story. This list will be updated whenever a new character is introduced, so that everybody has a clear idea of who's who.
Magnvs Qvartvs Artorivs, Rex Cornoviae: the young and recently crowned Rex of Cornovia. He is a part of a cadet branch of Magnus Artorius's (a.k.a. King Arthur) dynasty. He is known for his reputation of being a formidable fighter and a brilliant tactician and strategist, gained during a battle in which he humbled a much superior Dumnonian army. He is also described as a very attractive man, and his enemies like to say that he indulges in carnal pleasures a little too much for a king.
Cadwagan, Dvx Alae Artorii Invicti: the commander of the Ala Artorii Invicti, the Cornovian king's personal bodyguard and heavy cavalry retinue. Although he isn't seen very much in the Cornovian court, he is actually what some would call the king's right hand, and Magnvs puts a lot of trust in him. He is part of the mission in which Oanez and Tiberius are involved as well.
Avitvs Tertivs, Sancte Pater Ecclesiae Mithrae Domini: the current head of the Holy Mithraic Church. Residing in Ravenna, in his church his role is equivalent to the Pope's for the Catholics. Like all the Holy Fathers before him, he obtained the title by defeating all his opponents in a ritual tournament after his predecessor's death.
Alwyn ap Glynn, King of Powys: the current king of Powys. Under his reign, the fortifications and castles built under Rhodri the Great were repaired and renovated, and many new ones were erected: this proved to be a wise choice, and now Powys is more well defended than ever. The king is known to be cynical, and terribly cruel with his enemies.
Peredyr: the second in command of the armies of Powys, and leader of Alwyn's personal bodyguard. Known to be a corageous and ruthless warrior, there are rumors saying that enmities between him and the king exist, although the reasons of this are not clear. He is currently at the head of Caersŵs garrison.
Gunnar, Konung of Manx: the current king of Manx, feared raider and pirate. Under his reign, Manx has reached the peak of its reputation as a lair of pirates and pillagers. Gunnar even claimed for himself the title of King of Pirates, and currently seeks to expand his domains. He is known to be cunning and deceitful, both in warfare and in politics. Currently, he is camped with a large army near the border between Gwynedd and Powys, not far from Caersŵs.
Erling: a warrior serving in Gunnar's army, and head of his húskarlar. Known to be terribly cruel and ruthless, he is regardless seen as a heroic figure by other Norse soldiers. Many Røkkatrú warriors serve under him, and some even say that he is part of the cult himself. He is currently following his king in his campaign in Wales
Paul III, Rightful Shepherd of the Britons: the current head of the Pelagian College. Differently from the Catholic Church, the Pelagian one is headed by a College of cardinals, acting as a council and settling matters by voting, rather than referring to the authority of a Pope. However, the College elects a Rightful Shepherd, which acts as a spokesman or representative of sorts, and has the power to "tip the balance" when the College is evenly divided on an issue. Shepherd Paul is very old, and is known to be a saintly and pious man. Currently, he is residing in Berecingas together with the rest of the College.
Alexander II Episcopvs Romae: the current Pope of the Catholic church.
Now that everybody submitted his character sheet, we are ready to start. This is the starting situation I came up with:
Oanez and Tiberius are part of a quite mysterious diplomatic mission, sent by the Cornovian rex, Magnvs Qvartvs Artorivs, to the king of Brythonia; at the start of the campaign, they are on a ship sailing from Tintagol to the kingdom of the Pendragons. Meanwhile, a great Norse invasion of Wales is taking place, the likes of which haven't been seen since the times of Rhodri, which Halvar and his soldiers have joined. The Vikings, numbering in the thousands, under Gunnar, king of Manx, and supported by soldiers sent by his cousin Guðröðr of Sudreyjar, have landed near Ynys Môn, and have since moved southwards, pillaging large parts of Gwynedd and Dyfed, and is currently headed towards Powys, which is preparing to face the invasion. Cadell has been sent by his king to the south, to the fortress of Caersŵs, with a few hundred soldiers in order to help the castle's garrison to withstand the incoming assault.
However, I'd like to hear your ideas as well.
Also, here is a short list of NPCs which will play a role in the story. This list will be updated whenever a new character is introduced, so that everybody has a clear idea of who's who.
Magnvs Qvartvs Artorivs, Rex Cornoviae: the young and recently crowned Rex of Cornovia. He is a part of a cadet branch of Magnus Artorius's (a.k.a. King Arthur) dynasty. He is known for his reputation of being a formidable fighter and a brilliant tactician and strategist, gained during a battle in which he humbled a much superior Dumnonian army. He is also described as a very attractive man, and his enemies like to say that he indulges in carnal pleasures a little too much for a king.
Cadwagan, Dvx Alae Artorii Invicti: the commander of the Ala Artorii Invicti, the Cornovian king's personal bodyguard and heavy cavalry retinue. Although he isn't seen very much in the Cornovian court, he is actually what some would call the king's right hand, and Magnvs puts a lot of trust in him. He is part of the mission in which Oanez and Tiberius are involved as well.
Avitvs Tertivs, Sancte Pater Ecclesiae Mithrae Domini: the current head of the Holy Mithraic Church. Residing in Ravenna, in his church his role is equivalent to the Pope's for the Catholics. Like all the Holy Fathers before him, he obtained the title by defeating all his opponents in a ritual tournament after his predecessor's death.
Alwyn ap Glynn, King of Powys: the current king of Powys. Under his reign, the fortifications and castles built under Rhodri the Great were repaired and renovated, and many new ones were erected: this proved to be a wise choice, and now Powys is more well defended than ever. The king is known to be cynical, and terribly cruel with his enemies.
Peredyr: the second in command of the armies of Powys, and leader of Alwyn's personal bodyguard. Known to be a corageous and ruthless warrior, there are rumors saying that enmities between him and the king exist, although the reasons of this are not clear. He is currently at the head of Caersŵs garrison.
Gunnar, Konung of Manx: the current king of Manx, feared raider and pirate. Under his reign, Manx has reached the peak of its reputation as a lair of pirates and pillagers. Gunnar even claimed for himself the title of King of Pirates, and currently seeks to expand his domains. He is known to be cunning and deceitful, both in warfare and in politics. Currently, he is camped with a large army near the border between Gwynedd and Powys, not far from Caersŵs.
Erling: a warrior serving in Gunnar's army, and head of his húskarlar. Known to be terribly cruel and ruthless, he is regardless seen as a heroic figure by other Norse soldiers. Many Røkkatrú warriors serve under him, and some even say that he is part of the cult himself. He is currently following his king in his campaign in Wales
Paul III, Rightful Shepherd of the Britons: the current head of the Pelagian College. Differently from the Catholic Church, the Pelagian one is headed by a College of cardinals, acting as a council and settling matters by voting, rather than referring to the authority of a Pope. However, the College elects a Rightful Shepherd, which acts as a spokesman or representative of sorts, and has the power to "tip the balance" when the College is evenly divided on an issue. Shepherd Paul is very old, and is known to be a saintly and pious man. Currently, he is residing in Berecingas together with the rest of the College.
Alexander II Episcopvs Romae: the current Pope of the Catholic church.
Actually, I was thinking about suggesting Templar Knight to do it, since he has written his char's backstory/appearance yet, if it's ok with him of course.
Nice! However, I must admit that the lack of Saxon/Roman characters is disturbing.
Very well then, we've already got two players. Before starting the campaign, however, I'd like for a couple more to join us. In the meantime, feel free to ask any question you might have about the setting or the plot.
Very nice! I found only two minor things that need to be "fixed", but they're only details.
Brythonia is a Celtic Christian realm, which makes the Brythonians much closer to the other Celts rather than to the other Christians. Besides, the throne is held by the descendants of King Arthur, considered the savior of the southern Celts. Perhaps, the Pelagian kingdom of Dyfed would be a better target?
I am fine with your char dissing on Christianity, but like most forms of paganism, Germanic/Saxon/Norse paganism is an ethnoreligion, which means that neither the Norse or the Saxons are going to try and force it on anyone as "the true faith". So, your character shouldn't have to worry about his people being forced to convert by pagan Norsemen or Saxons.
TheBlueShotgun said
a raid into Brythonia
Brythonia is a Celtic Christian realm, which makes the Brythonians much closer to the other Celts rather than to the other Christians. Besides, the throne is held by the descendants of King Arthur, considered the savior of the southern Celts. Perhaps, the Pelagian kingdom of Dyfed would be a better target?
TheBlueShotgun said
Oden
I am fine with your char dissing on Christianity, but like most forms of paganism, Germanic/Saxon/Norse paganism is an ethnoreligion, which means that neither the Norse or the Saxons are going to try and force it on anyone as "the true faith". So, your character shouldn't have to worry about his people being forced to convert by pagan Norsemen or Saxons.
kingkonrad said
Basically, I had not much to go on I'm afraid- as aformentioned it was quite vague, I'm glad you picked these out, this will all be fixed.
No problem man.
The Norse kingdoms of Britannia:
Beornice: the Kingdom of Beornice is one of the three main Norse realms in Englaland. It was estabilished in the end of the eighth century by the (in)famous Viking raider and warrior Ívarr Loðbrók hinn Beinlausi, also known as Ivar the Boneless. Commonly called "the Scourge of the Islands", Ivar is considered to be one of the most cruel and terrible Norse leaders to ever descend on Britannia; also, it is said that he was secretly part of the Røkkatrú cult. He first arrived in Britannia landing in what would would become Beornice, and utterly ravaged the land, killing or forcing to flee a vast part of the Saxon population. Then, the pale skinned Ivar continued his rampage across the northern part of Britannia, conquering Innse Gall and lastly the isle of Man. He was famous for his frequent use of the blood eagle as an execution method, performed by cutting the skin of the victim by the spine, breaking the ribs so they resembled blood-stained wings, and pulling the lungs out through the wounds in the victim's back before finally sparkling salt in the wounds. Today, Beornice is still rightfully feared as one of the most powerful Viking kingdoms in Britannia, and is home to some of the most fearsome Norse raiders of all the isles. The current king of Beornice is Guðrǫðr, residing in Dun Holm.
Jórvík: the Kingdom of Jórvík is the second of the Norse realms in Englaland. The founder of this kingdom was Hálfdan Ragnarrson, or Halfdan of York. Ivar's brother, he was the main leader of the so-called Great Heathen Army, a massive host of raiders and pillagers who ravaged Englaland in the first years of the ninth century. This immense army landed near the city of Eoforwic (later called Jórvík), barely leaving time for the bishops of the College to flee, and from there moved southwards, defeating many Celtic and Saxon kings, including Lucius Septimus Artorius, the then High King of the Brythons. While the Great Heathen Army conquered and pillaged many cities, including Londinium, Halfdan could not hold on to his conquest, except his great stronghold of Jórvík. He was said to be an exceptionally cruel man, surpassed only by his brother: he had many of his defeated enemies blood-eagled, and his now almost legendary rampage through Englaland left nothing but death and destruction in its path. Today, Jórvík is still a powerful fortress of the Norse, a hub of both traders and raiders. The current king of Jórvík is Sigfred.
Danelagh: the Kingdom of Danelagh is the southernmost of the Viking realms of Englaland, and also the most recently estabilished. The kingdom was born in 837, when Guthrum, a great Norse warlord, landed in Eastern Englaland and from there he began his advance eastwards, conquering much of Mercia. The Saxon kings, terrorized, feared that the nightmare of the Great Heathen Army was about to become reality once again: thus, they decided to elect Alfred as Bretwalda, believing that he would be able to stop Guthrum. And able he was: in the battle of Ethandun in 838 Alfred spectacularly defeated the Norse armies. However, Guthrum's power was far from being broken, and in the end, he reached a compromise with Alfred: he would keep the already conquered lands, while renouncing all claims on the other Saxon territories. Guthrum's later conversion to Pelagianism was a clever political move: realizing that his kingdom wouldn't last long with much of its population being still Saxon and Christian, and with Saxon Christian kings surrounding his borders, he decided to embrace and enforce Pelagianism as the state religion. Today, Danelagh is the only Norse kingdom which enjoys peaceful and friendly relations with its Saxon neighbors, and has become the most civilized and centralized of the Viking realms. The current king of Danelagh is Ivar, residing in Torksey.
Anglia: the Kingdom of Anglia is youngest of all the Viking realms in the islands, and also one of the smallest. It was founded in 842 by Sveinn Tjúguskegg, or Sweyn Forkbeard. King of Denmark, Sveinn was arguably the second greatest leader of Norse history, and the first one to take the title of Keisari (Emperor). Before arriving in Britain, Sveinn went on to increase his domains in Danmark and Norégr; then, at the head of a vast invasion army, he landed in Britain, conquering the great city of Ludenwic. Many Saxon and Norse lords bent their knee to him, and thus he created a great empire, spanning from Denmark to Scotland. He was a very cultured man, and liked to present himself as the rightful heir to Roman authority in Britain. However, he died only two years later, and his realm fell into a civil war as various relatives and sons of his fought for the throne. Eventually, his son Knútr the Great emerged victorious, and is considered to be the greatest leader of Norse history. He reunited his father's empire and expanded it vastly, leading expeditions all the way from Suomi to Vinland. Knútr as an Emperor ruled from his great capital, renamed Londinium in honor of the Roman Empire. The Emperor of Miklaríki died without heirs in 851, and his empire collapsed as every vassal king reclaimed his independence. The only trace that remains today is the small kingdom of Anglia, and the great city of Londinium. The current king of Anglia is Svend, residing in Londinium.
Orkneyjar: the Kingdom of Orkneyjar is the northernmost of all the Viking realms of Britannia, spanning from the far islands of Færeyjar to the upper regions of mainland Albion. It is one of the oldest Norse kingdoms in the islands, and tradition attributes its foundation to Rognvald Eysteinsson. Rognvald is thought to have been one of the most trusted companions of the semi-legendary warlord Ragnarr Loðbrók (father of Ívarr and Hálfdan), whom he accompanied in many expeditions, from the Volga to the Mediterranean. Eventually, Rognvald decided to create a realm of his own, and in the beginning of the second half of the seventh century in landed in the islands of Orkney, and there he set up his own kingdom. He often used the islands as a starting point for many great raids through Scotland and Northern Ireland, and he and his descendants attempted numerous times to subjugate the Pictish tribes, however unsuccessfully. Today, Orkneyjar is still a feared kingdom of raiders, pirates and plunderers, and the large sails of the Viking longships can be seen on the shores of the northen isles. The current king of Orkneyjar is Harald, residing in Rínansey.
Sudreyjar: the Kingdom of Sudreyjar is the realm founded by Ívarr Loðbrók during his rampage through northern Britannia. It is not clear how Ívarr died: most believe that he was killed during a raid in Éire and burned in a pyre, but another common version of the story holds that he died when his ship sunk in the Irish Sea during a terrible storm. This second version sparked a sort of legend or story that many Norse mothers tell their children to make them behave: Ívarr did not actually die, but was brought to Niflehimr by the stormwinds; in the days of Ragnarøkkr, he will return, at the head of an army of the dead, to pillage and plunder like none before. Of course, this is nothing but a superstitious legend. Ívarr had four children, between whom his dominions were split: to his secondborn was given the kingdom of Sudreyjar, which today is one of the greatest dens of pirates and raiders of all the isles. The current king of Sudreyjar is Guðröðr, residing in Fjarðargarðr.
Manx: the Kingdom of Manx is the third of the realms conquered by Ívarr Loðbrók, and later was inherited by his thirdborn. The island of Manx soon became the greatest Norse stronghold in the Irish Sea: from there, fleets of raiders, pirates and warriors left headed towards the farthest places of Britannia, from Fortriu to Cornovia. Given the small size of the island, fortifying it was relatively easy, and the island has gained the fame of being impregnable. The current king of Manx is Gunnar, residing in Sólabyr.
Ulaid: the League of Ulaid is the realm founded by the fourth son of Ívarr Loðbrók, Torfinn, and a most peculiar realm among those of the Norse. Finding himself without any realm to inherit, the fourth and last son of Ivar decided to create one of his own. Assembling a relatively small army, he landed in Northern Éire and, exploiting the weakness of the Irish High Kings he conquered a part of what would become Ulaid. Torfinn, however, was an intelligent and skilled diplomat and ruler. Realizing his scarce Viking host could not mantain his kingdom for much longer, he instead decided to offer the neighboring Irish rulers and chieftains a deal: they could bend the knee to him and enjoy absolute religious freedom, and a part of the incomes derived from trade. Many were hesitant, but in time almost all of Ulaid's rulers decided to submit to Torfinn's authority. The ruler of the newly born league of Ulaid turned his small number of longships into a trading fleet, and used the traditional Norse shipbuilding abilities to create more and more ships. Gold began to flow into Ulaid's coffers, and in time a League was formed, a sort of merchant republic in which the great and wealthy houses control the state, and elect a Speaker to act as a representative and head of state. Today, Ulaid is a melting pot of different cultures and religions, and one of the richest states in all of Britannia. The current Speaker of the League of Ulaid is Sigtryg, residing in Cúil Rathain.
Beornice: the Kingdom of Beornice is one of the three main Norse realms in Englaland. It was estabilished in the end of the eighth century by the (in)famous Viking raider and warrior Ívarr Loðbrók hinn Beinlausi, also known as Ivar the Boneless. Commonly called "the Scourge of the Islands", Ivar is considered to be one of the most cruel and terrible Norse leaders to ever descend on Britannia; also, it is said that he was secretly part of the Røkkatrú cult. He first arrived in Britannia landing in what would would become Beornice, and utterly ravaged the land, killing or forcing to flee a vast part of the Saxon population. Then, the pale skinned Ivar continued his rampage across the northern part of Britannia, conquering Innse Gall and lastly the isle of Man. He was famous for his frequent use of the blood eagle as an execution method, performed by cutting the skin of the victim by the spine, breaking the ribs so they resembled blood-stained wings, and pulling the lungs out through the wounds in the victim's back before finally sparkling salt in the wounds. Today, Beornice is still rightfully feared as one of the most powerful Viking kingdoms in Britannia, and is home to some of the most fearsome Norse raiders of all the isles. The current king of Beornice is Guðrǫðr, residing in Dun Holm.
Jórvík: the Kingdom of Jórvík is the second of the Norse realms in Englaland. The founder of this kingdom was Hálfdan Ragnarrson, or Halfdan of York. Ivar's brother, he was the main leader of the so-called Great Heathen Army, a massive host of raiders and pillagers who ravaged Englaland in the first years of the ninth century. This immense army landed near the city of Eoforwic (later called Jórvík), barely leaving time for the bishops of the College to flee, and from there moved southwards, defeating many Celtic and Saxon kings, including Lucius Septimus Artorius, the then High King of the Brythons. While the Great Heathen Army conquered and pillaged many cities, including Londinium, Halfdan could not hold on to his conquest, except his great stronghold of Jórvík. He was said to be an exceptionally cruel man, surpassed only by his brother: he had many of his defeated enemies blood-eagled, and his now almost legendary rampage through Englaland left nothing but death and destruction in its path. Today, Jórvík is still a powerful fortress of the Norse, a hub of both traders and raiders. The current king of Jórvík is Sigfred.
Danelagh: the Kingdom of Danelagh is the southernmost of the Viking realms of Englaland, and also the most recently estabilished. The kingdom was born in 837, when Guthrum, a great Norse warlord, landed in Eastern Englaland and from there he began his advance eastwards, conquering much of Mercia. The Saxon kings, terrorized, feared that the nightmare of the Great Heathen Army was about to become reality once again: thus, they decided to elect Alfred as Bretwalda, believing that he would be able to stop Guthrum. And able he was: in the battle of Ethandun in 838 Alfred spectacularly defeated the Norse armies. However, Guthrum's power was far from being broken, and in the end, he reached a compromise with Alfred: he would keep the already conquered lands, while renouncing all claims on the other Saxon territories. Guthrum's later conversion to Pelagianism was a clever political move: realizing that his kingdom wouldn't last long with much of its population being still Saxon and Christian, and with Saxon Christian kings surrounding his borders, he decided to embrace and enforce Pelagianism as the state religion. Today, Danelagh is the only Norse kingdom which enjoys peaceful and friendly relations with its Saxon neighbors, and has become the most civilized and centralized of the Viking realms. The current king of Danelagh is Ivar, residing in Torksey.
Anglia: the Kingdom of Anglia is youngest of all the Viking realms in the islands, and also one of the smallest. It was founded in 842 by Sveinn Tjúguskegg, or Sweyn Forkbeard. King of Denmark, Sveinn was arguably the second greatest leader of Norse history, and the first one to take the title of Keisari (Emperor). Before arriving in Britain, Sveinn went on to increase his domains in Danmark and Norégr; then, at the head of a vast invasion army, he landed in Britain, conquering the great city of Ludenwic. Many Saxon and Norse lords bent their knee to him, and thus he created a great empire, spanning from Denmark to Scotland. He was a very cultured man, and liked to present himself as the rightful heir to Roman authority in Britain. However, he died only two years later, and his realm fell into a civil war as various relatives and sons of his fought for the throne. Eventually, his son Knútr the Great emerged victorious, and is considered to be the greatest leader of Norse history. He reunited his father's empire and expanded it vastly, leading expeditions all the way from Suomi to Vinland. Knútr as an Emperor ruled from his great capital, renamed Londinium in honor of the Roman Empire. The Emperor of Miklaríki died without heirs in 851, and his empire collapsed as every vassal king reclaimed his independence. The only trace that remains today is the small kingdom of Anglia, and the great city of Londinium. The current king of Anglia is Svend, residing in Londinium.
Orkneyjar: the Kingdom of Orkneyjar is the northernmost of all the Viking realms of Britannia, spanning from the far islands of Færeyjar to the upper regions of mainland Albion. It is one of the oldest Norse kingdoms in the islands, and tradition attributes its foundation to Rognvald Eysteinsson. Rognvald is thought to have been one of the most trusted companions of the semi-legendary warlord Ragnarr Loðbrók (father of Ívarr and Hálfdan), whom he accompanied in many expeditions, from the Volga to the Mediterranean. Eventually, Rognvald decided to create a realm of his own, and in the beginning of the second half of the seventh century in landed in the islands of Orkney, and there he set up his own kingdom. He often used the islands as a starting point for many great raids through Scotland and Northern Ireland, and he and his descendants attempted numerous times to subjugate the Pictish tribes, however unsuccessfully. Today, Orkneyjar is still a feared kingdom of raiders, pirates and plunderers, and the large sails of the Viking longships can be seen on the shores of the northen isles. The current king of Orkneyjar is Harald, residing in Rínansey.
Sudreyjar: the Kingdom of Sudreyjar is the realm founded by Ívarr Loðbrók during his rampage through northern Britannia. It is not clear how Ívarr died: most believe that he was killed during a raid in Éire and burned in a pyre, but another common version of the story holds that he died when his ship sunk in the Irish Sea during a terrible storm. This second version sparked a sort of legend or story that many Norse mothers tell their children to make them behave: Ívarr did not actually die, but was brought to Niflehimr by the stormwinds; in the days of Ragnarøkkr, he will return, at the head of an army of the dead, to pillage and plunder like none before. Of course, this is nothing but a superstitious legend. Ívarr had four children, between whom his dominions were split: to his secondborn was given the kingdom of Sudreyjar, which today is one of the greatest dens of pirates and raiders of all the isles. The current king of Sudreyjar is Guðröðr, residing in Fjarðargarðr.
Manx: the Kingdom of Manx is the third of the realms conquered by Ívarr Loðbrók, and later was inherited by his thirdborn. The island of Manx soon became the greatest Norse stronghold in the Irish Sea: from there, fleets of raiders, pirates and warriors left headed towards the farthest places of Britannia, from Fortriu to Cornovia. Given the small size of the island, fortifying it was relatively easy, and the island has gained the fame of being impregnable. The current king of Manx is Gunnar, residing in Sólabyr.
Ulaid: the League of Ulaid is the realm founded by the fourth son of Ívarr Loðbrók, Torfinn, and a most peculiar realm among those of the Norse. Finding himself without any realm to inherit, the fourth and last son of Ivar decided to create one of his own. Assembling a relatively small army, he landed in Northern Éire and, exploiting the weakness of the Irish High Kings he conquered a part of what would become Ulaid. Torfinn, however, was an intelligent and skilled diplomat and ruler. Realizing his scarce Viking host could not mantain his kingdom for much longer, he instead decided to offer the neighboring Irish rulers and chieftains a deal: they could bend the knee to him and enjoy absolute religious freedom, and a part of the incomes derived from trade. Many were hesitant, but in time almost all of Ulaid's rulers decided to submit to Torfinn's authority. The ruler of the newly born league of Ulaid turned his small number of longships into a trading fleet, and used the traditional Norse shipbuilding abilities to create more and more ships. Gold began to flow into Ulaid's coffers, and in time a League was formed, a sort of merchant republic in which the great and wealthy houses control the state, and elect a Speaker to act as a representative and head of state. Today, Ulaid is a melting pot of different cultures and religions, and one of the richest states in all of Britannia. The current Speaker of the League of Ulaid is Sigtryg, residing in Cúil Rathain.
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