The History of Frosthaven
By Saldís Frjoldi
We Hird know not from when or where we came, but have lived in Frosthaven for many cycles. We Hird are known as rune-carvers and have shared the world with only a few other races; Vhosek, our dark complexion brothers and sisters, known as Urlans. To our great displeasure, we share these lands with the bestial Sha’ om. a freakish people. These Sha’ om call themselves ‘Blessed’, as they think they are ordained by their false gods to rule over all others. With no intended disrespect to our dark skinned brethren, the Sha’ om are also known as Urlan, or Niten.
In many areas across Frosthaven the temperature is so unbearably cold that it will cause permanent frost damage, even when fully protected by the warmest hides. Another race who had vanished long ago called themselves the Alfr, a truly brilliant people, able to work metal into living beings, powered by steam and soul essence. The Alfr’s passing hurt us all, and they will forever be missed.
Frosthaven is a predominantly monotheistic landscape with the odd polytheist. While there are no laws enforcing a set faith, it is uncommon and generally considered blasphemy to serve more than one deity on Frosthaven. The Hird primarily follow the All-Father, while the Vhosek primarily follow Ruptga, The Niten however, exclusively follow either Ahnurr, Fadomai or both, which of course is greatly frowned upon, even by their own.
For as long as any of the three primary races can remember, the Niten have claimed to be the original inhabitants, blessed by one of their two deities as the rightful rulers of the land. In their own words, “Why would either Ahnurr or Fadomai bless the Sha’ om with such fine fur if they were not intended to be the natural rulers?” Often, but not always has the Hird and Vhosek gathered forces to war against the crafty Niten.
In the First Age, a ship builder named Njal and his crew made their way into the great crystal woods to gather the strongest and finest wood. After a day’s worth of travel, the crew came to a strange structure that defied reason. The structure had moving metal pieces and seemed to breathe and feed off of the very cold that surrounded them. Having warred with the Niten since time began, they assumed it to be another trap to overthrow the power of the Hird. Njal ordered two of his crew to report to the elder while they investigated the glorious anomaly that stood before them. When the team had returned with reinforcements, they were greeted by Njal and his new friends at Mchulinthal. The Alfr at Mchulinthal were a strange sight for Njal and his team, as they had never seen such a skin tone, nor did they expect to see an elf as foretold in the runes. The Alfr were welcomed by the Hird and their structures began to erect all over the Hirdic landscape.
Over the cycles, there were some attempts at warring initiated by the Vhosek as they feared our alliance with the Alfr, but an agreement was reached with the Vhosek as well, and the alliance grew. There was a new and long lasting piece between the Alfr, Hird and Vhosek. With this grand alliance, much of the lost lands, the barrens, were recaptured with the ingenuity offered by the Alfr. It is important to note that while there was an alliance, the Alfr never shared any of their secrets with us, though they did retrofit the barrens with their technology, providing steam power lighting and heat. While this new way of living was embraced by many, some were not convinced and opted to keep with tradition.
In the First Age, all the Alfr on Frosthaven vanished, and all that remained was a pile of ash where they last stood or sat. This time period is known to both Hird and Vhosek as either the lesson from the All-Father, or the Dark Hunger. Many bonds were flourishing with the Alfr prior to this event and many Hird and Vhosek lived and worked with the Alfr. When they vanished, all of their machines turned on the non-Alfr. It was a massacre as none of them were prepared for that day. Though the tragedy didn't end in there steam filled abattoirs. All the technology that was implemented in the homes above the surface stopped functioning as well. Remote icy locations that once had stores of wood for burning, relied solely on Alfrtech. Many of the people were lost to this, but none hit so hard as the Vhosek, who adapted this strange new technology into all their homes in the wilds. Most of those who abandoned the old ways died. The people who were slow to change and kept with the old ways survived and even aided in restoring order to the homes that lost all heat and lighting. Everyone that survived did so only through struggle, until the Blessed Sha 'om proposed a predictable yet unwholesome solution.
With the few remaining Hird and Vhosek that were at death's door, the High King agreed to the supremacy of the Niten, the Blessed Ones. Nearly total rule had come to the Blessed Sha 'om. There were a few traditional Hirds here and there that clung to the teachings of the All-Father, though the Niten did not pay them mind as they kept to themselves and the vast majority of Hird were subjects to Her Order. Her or She is the leader of the Sha 'om. A queen or princess, claiming to have royal blood as divined by Ahnurr.
There is of course a growing rebellion and this is where Her focus is. Quelling the rebellion and demanding obedience of all Her subjects. It is interesting to note that while most of the Sha 'om say they are monotheistic and either pray to Ahnurr or Fadomai, it is power and self they worship most as seen by their actions. This marks the era of Frozen River Cycle, when She ruled.
