Valheimia[]
Valheimia is a country on the same continent Maztica, but situated much further north. Both Valheimia and Maztica lie west across the Trackless Sea from Faerún. The settlement of Valheimia began with the Year of Terrible Anger –111 DR. Orc hordes from the Spine of the World and the Ice Mountains ravaged Illusk and Gauntlgrym in a series of attacks known as the Orc Marches. After so many attacks from Orcs by this time many Human, Elf and Dwarf families felt that Illusk and Gauntlgrym were no longer safe places to settle. They took what ships they could and sought refuge across the Trackless Sea. Weeks passed by before they caught sight of land. The New World where they began building a new country they named Valheimia. Unfortunately not all was perfect here, as not only did some of the Orc tribes pursue them all the way from Illusk, but they also encountered many new monstrous tribes scattered throughout the new lands.
As decades went by the new colonies of Valheimia built city walls and learned to defend themselves against the new threats and the old. Various Orc tribes had claimed the new lands to the east now known as Thrakkal-Varn and often fought amongst themselves for its new richness in resources. As the colonies of Valheimia grew, leaderships and loyalties changed, various civil wars raged and so the settlements of Valheimia were split into multiple provinces each led by a different king.
It is now the year 1378 DR and some would say that Valheimia is a prospering country with eight provinces all at peace that trade well with each other and Faerún. Not all is perfect with Valheimia however. Many sinister things threaten the provinces. Threats arise from the dark lairs scattered throughout Valheimias many nooks and crannies and especially with in the Wulverheim province. Orcs still harass Wulverheims people from the eastern lands of Thrakkal-Varn. Frost Giants from the north raid the Dwarven Hammers Head Keep. Bandits and hungry beasts stalk the lands. And many other dark sinister plots are being stirred by greater powers on Wulverheimic soil. Many evil beings are afoot that need an adventurers courage to seek out and smite.
Without a shadow of doubt for Wulverheim it is now the time for heroes to bring steel or spell and lend a helping hand. Fame and fortune awaits!
The Province Of Wulverheim[]
One of Valheimias most note worthy provinces is Wulverheim. It is currently a prosperous home to an alliance of many Humans, Dwarves and Elves. But it was not always this way… Not before the great War Of Treachery. Before that war Wulverheim was the largest and most powerful Province in all Valheimia. Back then it was the Elven King Leg’san that sat upon the throne of Liascelyn, the once capital city of Wulverheim.
At the turn of a new century (1300DR) it had been many years of peace. The other provinces had a discussion to form an imperial revolution under one ruler. Leg’san being the king of the most largest and successful province ‘Wulverheim’ was winning the hearts of the people to become the countries first Emperor. Before the decision was made he was betrayed by his own Chancellor named Velareik. Velareik summoned a great Demon to wipe out Leg’san and his entire family ending their line and rule all together. After this, Velareik crowned himself king of Wulverheim where by he ruled the province bringing cruelty and torment to the citizens. The strongest were brainwashed and conscripted into Velareik’s army. Other citizens were forced to live in poverty as higher tax had to be paid. Many were forced in to thievery to survive, then caught and made to fight to the death in bloody tournaments. Citizens did as Velareik demanded, as they were all very afraid of him. This was not only because he had every soldier at his command but because he also summoned and commanded Demons with a mysterious staff, that he never let out of his sight. Wulverheim at the time was the most highly populated Province of Valheimia. It consisted of eight highly populated towns, where as most other provinces had only six or less. Velareik decided to exploit this by declaring war on the other two neighbouring provinces; Skelm, which was south of Wulverheim and Trondland west of Wulverheim. The War raged for seven long years, as thousands of soldiers and civilians lives were lost to pointless battle and bloodshed, all for Velareik’s appetite for conquest. The boarders of Wulverheim did grow as its neighbours were gradually losing towns to Velareik’s rule.
Lucky for the other provinces, one thing Velareik had not counted on was the growing population of Orc clans in the eastern Orc territory known as Thrakkal-Varn. The clans normally fight amongst themselves for territory but this time the weaker clans took advantage of the situation and aligned themselves to expand the overall Orc territory to the west in to Wulverheim. Wulverheims eastern towns were raised by the Orcs where Velareik had let down his guard for the sake of conquering the western provinces. Then more bad luck for Velareik came as the Hammers Head Dwarves threw down their long time alliance with Wulverheim and retreated home to their fortified keep in the Slegge Crags. The tides of war quickly turned against Velareik and his army, as he could no longer maintain the defence of all of his boarders. He lost all of the towns he had conquered, including four of his own Wulverheimic towns, leaving him only two towns and few minor villages. His capital town Liascelyn and Gallimere were the only real towns he had left standing and at his disposal but he did not give in.
Then came the great Paladins of Torm, an elite knight unit from Skelm, who spent the 7-year war training to infiltrate Wulverheim’s capital town Liascelyn, battle with Demons and liberate its people from its chaotic ruler. Steinolf The Brave the mightiest of this Paladin unit defeated Velareik and was crowned the new king by the people. With Velareik at Steinolf’s mercy, it was time for punishment. Steinolf asked of Torm to grant him the power to use Velareik’s demon summoning staff against him and banish his soul to the Abyss. Torm made it so and there he was banished. According to rumours originating from so-called cults that apparently worship him, Velareik took on a new demonic form and was renamed Vogbeloth. It was there in the hells he continued his old habits and eventually became the new ruler of the 101st layer. Of course neither the cults nor the rumours are likely to be true.
From there the war was over and the suffering that Wulverheim and its people endured was finally at an end. Wulverheim is a lot smaller now than it was before the war and its pride hurt with a generation of suffering brought by the infernal Velareik in the last war.
It was time for the new King to settle down into his new role and help Wulverheim make a new start.
Steinolf took a liking to the site that a small village was built on called Fossdam right in the heart of what is left of Wulverheim. It was here he met his beloved Ljufu, who would later become his Queen and give birth to his only son and heir Steinolf II. The King built his great castle up on an unusual solitary cliff that held it high above the river that flowed all around it and served as a moat like no other. King Steinolf claimed Fossdam as his capital city, renamed it Wulverberg and built a bright colourful temple dedicated to his deity, Torm. Then city walls were erected to protect its people and quickly the population grew.
As all mortals do, King Steinolf The Brave grew older and passed away in 1358DR. His son and heir Steinolf II, in memory of his father and his dedicated worship of Torm, established an elite army of Knights. Only the most honest and loyal of Paladins and Clerics are accepted into the order. They are known as the Knights Of Wulverberg and their priory is based in the south-eastern outskirts of Wulverberg.