The Fjordlands

Cornucopia Of The North

written by Alvhild Sagadatter

Region— The Fjordlands are the steep lands along the mountains of the northern coasts of Ald-Amura, filled with verdant woodlands and rich waters, containing an abundance of resources that are shipped along to the entire realm.

The People

Two humanoids in a large boat sail on blue waters. One of the characters is dressed in a long green cape and clutches a spy-glass at the helm of the boat, their feet standing on the large red figurehead. The other has blue hair and a pale seaweed cape and is conversing with a blue-yellow Monster emerging from the sea beside the boat.

Thanks to the powers of their local Monster, the people here tend to grow larger than life, in every sense of the phrase: tall, broad, and with legendarily gregarious attitudes and generosity. Generations of plenty have fostered a culture of gift-giving. Between fishing and hunting in their lands, they have an abundant access to horn and bone of various stripes, which in turn has encouraged arts in the form of carving and sculpture. Their attachment to the serpentine Selma means that their art often features intricate and overlapping patterns of whorls and coils.

Salt is incredibly important to the culture of the Fjordlands. It’s common to carry a pouch of salt around, giving a pinch of it as a greeting, which is then poured into the pouch of the receiver, and as such, showing that the essence of the people are all mixed together. It’s also used in the preservation of meats and fish that they send elsewhere, and while they have access to sea salt that dries against stones and cliffs, it’s not uncommon for Fjordlanders to ask strangers to “show their salt”—they trade with, among others, the town of Petris Mal, and there are connoisseurs who happily show off their exotic collections of spices and minerals used in food.

Local Monster

Selma, the Linnorm, the giver of plenty. Called “Unni,” an ancient word for beloved/spouse in the local dialect. Always on the move, the monster spreads her life-giving scales across the land, air, and sea; as she grows, the land grows with her.

Notable Sublocations

  • The Seven Scales Lumber Yards—Built near the village of Seven Scales, the Lumberyards sit close to one of the many rivers that feed into the fjords, and close to one of the mountain passes that provide access to the rest of Ald-Amura. Here, felled trees are rafted down the rivers to be processed into a variety of forms, before being shipped by boat, wagon, or train to the rest of the world. Theirs is a mark of quality, and a number of specialty shops have cropped up nearby due to the access to top-notch woodworks. Maker’s Marks from this region often feature a scale motif or the coiling linnorm.
  • The Sacred Nesting Grounds—Deep within the woods, high up near the snow borders, there’s a gigantic aerie. To call it hidden would be a misnomer; the jutting rock is visible from miles around, but access is hazardous at best, with narrow paths and treacherous cliff-climbing involved. Overlooking almost the entirety of the Fjordlands, this place is home to a mysterious sort of rock-formation, oval and almost egg-shaped. Not quite crystalline, these rocks are taller than even the tallest of the locals and easily several meters in circumference. Given the shape, the location, and their resemblance to Selma’s scales, experts and amateurs alike conjecture about what they could be, with the most popular theory being that they could be eggs of some kind. If that’s the case, the presence of the False Gold could have an entirely different set of consequences for the future of the Fjordlands.

What Happens When You Arrive

  1. There’s a logjam by the end of the river and the people need help clearing it up. A trade ship has been trapped as a result.
  2. Normally a good omen, the shadow of the linnorm momentarily obscures the sun as the gigantic worm flies across the sky, an undulating serpentine thing miles long. Where she used to spread life-giving scales, she now drizzles poison blood as she writhes in pain.
  3. A mild earthquake rattles the ground, overturning things, but a few cracks appear in the earth, and golden, crystalline growths jut forth—a sign that Selma has burrowed through the earth here, spreading the False Gold.
  4. As you come upon the edges of the fjord, you see dead fish, their scales and flesh eaten away by something. Streamers of slick, iridescent, golden-red liquid mingle with the waters and become clouds of agony and death as they spread. Selma was here.
  5. The Fjordlands have only known plenty for generations, and to ensure that they appreciate this, a feast is being held, evoking ancient history of tyrants taking the land’s bounty for themselves, choosing to waste the excess to keep the people hungry and needy, at their mercy. Songs, poetry, and plays re-enacting the fall of the tyrants and the spreading of plenty are common. Alliterative arts are especially valued among the culture. Enter! Win a prize! Or just help spreading the plenty!
  6. A young one of the local people is looking to make an offering of thanks to Unni and wants the help of the group in finding a scale to be used as a centerpiece in their bone-carving of the great serpent.