A rich world of Norse mythology,
vast and unexplored, awaits you…
THE DWARVEN CLANS
WHITEBEARDS
Beneath the dragon-infested Nordland, the Whitebeards dare to make their dwelling. The Frost Mountains, remote and dangerous, are rich with ore and relatively untouched; thus did they attract the dwarves of old to take refuge there, who were then yet unaware of the Northern Threat. When they realized they had built their home on the doorstep of a dragon-den, they did not flee as others would have done, instead hunkering down in the mountains and doggedly defending themselves against the attacks of their enemy. Hence, they are the hardiest of the dwarven folk, toughened by constant battle and the unremitting cold of the north.
Infamous among their ranks are the berserkers or bear-warriors. Wearing bearskins after the sigil of their House, it is said that none can stand against them at the height of their battle-rage. It is even said that they can take the shapes of bears, though many of them have denied the practice of druidism.
More renowned still are the dragon-riders, to which only the bloodline of Fornbogi the Noble-hearted belong. Only they command the respect of the ice-drakes, and are able to bend them to their will. It is prophesied that a dragon-rider will one day end the age-long war between the dwarves and the dragons.
FIRESMITHS
The Firesmiths live and labor in the fiery heart of Gimberg. As Ívaldi tamed the fire-drake Nidhogg to further his craft, so did the Firesmiths bring the volcano under their control for the same purpose; thus are they most alike to the god in devotion to the anvil, and are closest to him in skill.
Of the three clans, they are the most distrustful of other races. This is due in no small part to the theft of their works by men, particularly members of the notorious Hooded Snake, and their entanglement with the Duke and the consequent Dreambloom Crisis. Their hatred for the elves is no less potent, initially brought on by Salune's disregard for the sacredness of their places of worship, most commonly exemplified by the Mount Geirr Incident. Thus do they favor a policy of isolationism.
Their Father is Mótsognir, whose death and re-birth led them to establish the system of reincarnation, and the methods by which they would identify the Heirs. It was perhaps this discovery that sparked their interest in archaeology, and pushed them to uncover the mysteries of their race, thereby unveiling Ívaldi's Secret and causing the devastating War of the Three Fathers.
STORMWATCHERS
Storm clouds, unable to pass the natural barrier of the White Mountains, dump their loads on the Hundred Valleys wherein the Stormwatchers reside. If their cousins in the east are the finest blacksmiths, then they are the best stonemasons. The Wall of Axes, a massive dam and one of the Great Wonders of Aldaheim, was constructed by them in the First Age. Pooling the meltwaters of the White Mountains, it prevents the flooding of the valleys and forms the shimmering lake of Heidtjörn.
From the Stormwatchers come the Order of Paladins, a class of warriors who are stalwart bodyguards to the king. Donning plate armor and wielding mighty hammers, they are both feared and revered by any who are unfortunate enough to meet them in battle.
Their clan was the first to reach out to the other races in the form of Dvalinn's Expedition, in which the king traveled to Hallvardness, Álfkelda, and the Evenwood, with the intent of creating an alliance with the other nations against the Dragon Menace. Although he succeeded, it was a tenuous covenant at best and fell apart at the breakout of the War of Fire and Ice, resulting in the Long Silence.
The Northern Threat grows…
A pair of Whitebeards dare to venture deep into the Nordland. Will you follow?
