Clan Varaldsen
Mar 30, 2014 22:20:56 GMT
Post by Adele on Mar 30, 2014 22:20:56 GMT
Clan Varaldsen
House Head: Jarl Osbar Varaldsen
Heraldry: Black Sea Serpent on a Blue Field
Motto: Storm and Steel
Main Religion: Angoroth the Warlord
Domain: Ilse of the Serpent, Storm Ilses
Decended from the legendary halskan hero, Varald Stormspear, who slew the last sea serpent, Clan Varaldsen's history stretches back seven centuries. At first a small clan, focused on preserving the heroic legacy of their founder, and raising their families, they soon turned to raiding and piracy to sustain the growing population on their island. The population could not be supported by the good fishing alone, as most of their island's mountainous land was not fit for raising crops, and the arable land that was present was forested, and thus needed to grow trees to harvest lumber for shipbuilding. Their victims soon organized impressive militias to counter the raids, as other Clans also began frequent expeditions as well. As the piracy and raids became more difficult, then Jarl Haralf Varaldsen had the bright idea of taking tribute from the villages and towns along the coast of Middleheim, instead of raiding them, and protecting them against other Clan's raiders in exchange. This brought the Clan much wealth, and also even managed to get them friendly trading agreements with several towns, but also made them deadly enemies amongst several other Clans, who did not appreciate the Varaldsen's new approach.
Today is no different, the Clan continues to protect the coastline against the predations of other less than honest Halskan seafarers, taking food, supplies, and gold in exchange, and has begun exploring the possibility of hiring out some of it's impressive fleet of longboats as an escort force for merchant convoys. This friendship with the mainland still brings them the hatred of other Clans, though now it is somewhat accepted now, and a challenge met with typical Halskan ferocity by their enemies. After all, any death in battle is a good death for the northmen, even if it's against another northman. The most recent Jarl, Osbar, has also begun to investigate alliances with some of the noble powers further inland, particularly those who can offer skills that offset his own family's weaknesses, such as a lack of arcane knowledge.
The Varaldsens boast an impressive fleet of fast, expertly manned longships, and a moderately sized army of highly mobile light infantry well suited to coastal raiding, as well as forays up navigable rivers. Their power is limited to areas accessible by water, however, as they have no heavy cavalry or infantry. They cannot stand up to most other houses in a classical battle royal. For this reason, in warfare they strike hard, strike fast, and then vanish back across the waves, repeating this tactic until the enemy is worn down, and they can finish the job.
Jarl Osbar Varaldsen, Aristocrat 4, Barbarian [Dragon Totem] 5 [Family Head]
Thane Brunr Storm Eye [Ranger 3, Fighter 4] His captain of the guard.
Rolof Varaldsen [Aristocrat 2, Barbarian 4] Heir Apparent.
Volun Half-Nose [Cleric of Angoroth 7] His adviser.
House Head: Jarl Osbar Varaldsen
Heraldry: Black Sea Serpent on a Blue Field
Motto: Storm and Steel
Main Religion: Angoroth the Warlord
Domain: Ilse of the Serpent, Storm Ilses
Decended from the legendary halskan hero, Varald Stormspear, who slew the last sea serpent, Clan Varaldsen's history stretches back seven centuries. At first a small clan, focused on preserving the heroic legacy of their founder, and raising their families, they soon turned to raiding and piracy to sustain the growing population on their island. The population could not be supported by the good fishing alone, as most of their island's mountainous land was not fit for raising crops, and the arable land that was present was forested, and thus needed to grow trees to harvest lumber for shipbuilding. Their victims soon organized impressive militias to counter the raids, as other Clans also began frequent expeditions as well. As the piracy and raids became more difficult, then Jarl Haralf Varaldsen had the bright idea of taking tribute from the villages and towns along the coast of Middleheim, instead of raiding them, and protecting them against other Clan's raiders in exchange. This brought the Clan much wealth, and also even managed to get them friendly trading agreements with several towns, but also made them deadly enemies amongst several other Clans, who did not appreciate the Varaldsen's new approach.
Today is no different, the Clan continues to protect the coastline against the predations of other less than honest Halskan seafarers, taking food, supplies, and gold in exchange, and has begun exploring the possibility of hiring out some of it's impressive fleet of longboats as an escort force for merchant convoys. This friendship with the mainland still brings them the hatred of other Clans, though now it is somewhat accepted now, and a challenge met with typical Halskan ferocity by their enemies. After all, any death in battle is a good death for the northmen, even if it's against another northman. The most recent Jarl, Osbar, has also begun to investigate alliances with some of the noble powers further inland, particularly those who can offer skills that offset his own family's weaknesses, such as a lack of arcane knowledge.
The Varaldsens boast an impressive fleet of fast, expertly manned longships, and a moderately sized army of highly mobile light infantry well suited to coastal raiding, as well as forays up navigable rivers. Their power is limited to areas accessible by water, however, as they have no heavy cavalry or infantry. They cannot stand up to most other houses in a classical battle royal. For this reason, in warfare they strike hard, strike fast, and then vanish back across the waves, repeating this tactic until the enemy is worn down, and they can finish the job.
Jarl Osbar Varaldsen, Aristocrat 4, Barbarian [Dragon Totem] 5 [Family Head]
Thane Brunr Storm Eye [Ranger 3, Fighter 4] His captain of the guard.
Rolof Varaldsen [Aristocrat 2, Barbarian 4] Heir Apparent.
Volun Half-Nose [Cleric of Angoroth 7] His adviser.
