Selma

The Linnorm

written by Alvhild Sagadatter

A serpentine dragon-thing, immensely long, with fins spaced equidistantly around its body and very thin, glimmering scales that catch the light, like rainbows scattering across water droplets. She moves equally well in air, in sea, and on land, she never stops growing, and she shares that growth with her environment. It is said that a shed scale may sprout into any plant, and thanks to its presence, the Fjordlands are also known as the cornucopia of the North.

The Power

Selma is a creature of growth. She sheds her thin, feathery scales as she flies, slithers, and swims; they make the plants grow taller, wider, more fecund. Animals either eat the scales with their feed or absorb them through their living area. As a result, the Fjordlands Distribution Federation proudly provides for villages both near and far—grains and meat, herbs, pelts, and wood. All are produced in excess here, and villages near and far rely upon them. The folk of the Fjordlands thank Selma, and they revere her by being stewards of nature and sharing her gifts as far and wide as they can.

People

The people of the Fjordlands refer to Selma as “Unni”, an archaic word in their dialect that means “beloved.” It is considered a prosperous omen when she comes close, and seeing her overhead during a wedding is a sign of particularly good fortune.

Selma is known to be shy, but the people are not above calling her—they know they can lure her to the docks by playing tunes that resemble her mating calls. The traditional Fjordlands fiddle has a piercing, keening noise to it, and when the full dozen fiddles sound, the village gathers, collecting the fish and other foods they’ve been gathering for the occasions alongside carved wood and bone offerings that are brought to the water’s edge. They sing and dance for hours, until the writhing form of the serpent is seen in the sky or the wake of her movement goes through the water’s surface. This brings hollering and whooping cheers, as the people draw back, continuing their dance and lighting lanterns to lead the way. Selma will consume the gifts left for her, and those bold enough (and there are plenty of those bold enough) will show their affection for the serpent and seek her boon through a touch. Many of the herbs used to prepare the fish for linnorm consumption are imported from elsewhere, ensuring a healthy interdependence with faraway places.

There are those touched by the Linnorm’s scales, and they are said to be larger than life in every way. They are big people with big personalities and big hearts. It is tradition for young people to rush into the woods and hunt for the Monster’s scales, mixing them into teas, salads, and special fish dishes that are known to improve fertility.

Notable History

It was before the time of Kings that the people settled the Fjordlands in one of many migratory waves. Along one of the passes that lead to Petris-Mal there are ancient pictographs that depict fur-clad humans coming to the edge of the waters and being greeted by a tiny serpent. Over time, the serpent grows and coils around the village and the fires of the people, and trees sprout alongside it. This shows that even in the time of Kings, the folk of the Fjordlands had a relationship to the Serpent. One commonly-told tale speaks of a King that wanted to take Selma’s power away from the people. Though his name is lost to time (and, indeed, he is ignoble enough that nobody wants to remember his name anyway), it is well known that he tried trapping Selma on land, in the sky, and in the waters, and she defeated him differently each time. First, she made the forests grow. Second, she made the rains fall. And finally, she created a cresting wave that carried the king to the sea, where he was never seen again.

Thus, claim the people of the Fjordlands, they were one of the First Free Folk, thanks to their celebrated and cherished Unni.

This is also where the phrase “good enough for a King’s commission” comes from. Sabotaging the function of carved tools and weapons by adding ostentatious elements at the expense of practicality was at the time a subtle method of resistance.

Prosperity has reigned for generations, and after the Crystal Crafting Confederation sprung up in Petris-Mal, the Fjordlanders have been avid customers of their unique wares—there’s a particular love for salt in the region, and getting to quite literally spice it up with new and different kinds (the primary source of salt in the Fjordlands being the fjords themselves) is a customary treat.

In recent times, however, disturbing changes are afoot. More than just her scales, Selma is leaving behind a vitreous red-gold liquid, her poisoned blood, that eats away at any substance. Her cries of pain echo through the woods and the mountains, causing rock and landslides. Fires start in faraway places and threaten the land. Moreover, the scales found are thinner, and crumble away more easily, their power lessened. If the power of the Monster is affected as well, this could threaten both the prosperity of the region and the food supplies at home and abroad.

Epic Destiny

Selma is a Monster of Fertility and Growth. Her ultimate destiny is to become so grand that she encoils the entire world, at which point she will become god-like (even more so), and rather than a physical being will suffuse the entire world of Ald-Amura with her fertility and fecundity.

Wounds

1. Always thin and iridescent, her scales now make Selma incredibly sensitive.
2. Mingled with the False Gold, Selma’s unnatural-hued blood becomes a vicious toxin.
3. When Selma cries in pain, earthshaking vibrations turn the environment against the group.
4. Cancerous growths and crystalline fragments jab into flesh of Monster and Specialist alike.
5. Burning with fever, Selma gets so hot she scalds and scorches people and objects.
6. Selma spawns a number of smaller, mindless serpents with similar abilities.