Rookery Isles
Who We Are
Skjaldor is where the weak freeze and the strong thrive. We are the northern clans forged in ice and blood. While southern houses debate in comfortable halls, we fight for survival against winter itself. Every day. Every season.
We don't have politics. We have strength. We don't have soft words. We have honor codes written in scars. You earn respect through deeds, not birthright. The Jarl rules because no one can best them in combat - until someone does.
We live in longhouses, not castles. Few stone walls protect us. Just our will and our weapons. When dragon fire came for ten years, we had nowhere to hide. We held anyway.
Then Ashley and Trystane did something impossible - they united ALL the clans with Emberwave's knights. The Horde of the North. Barbarians and chivalry fighting together. That miracle won the war.
Now, the war ended just a few years ago. The wounds are still fresh. We're still rebuilding. Still burying our dead. And the celestials reinstated the dragon riders who burned us. Young Liram leads House Mudae now, and other houses debate whether to trust him.
We debate nothing. Our scars are fresh. Our losses are recent. Skjaldor remembers yesterday.
The Five Great Clans
- Clan Stormrider - Cavalry masters, horse riders
- Clan Ironshield - Smiths and defenders, forgemasters
- Clan Frostwolf - Survivalists and hunters of the frozen wastes
- Clan Seastrider - Sailors and raiders, sea wolves
- Clan Skybreaker - Aerial riders on griffons and giant eagles
Our Culture
- Clan loyalty above all else
- Honor codes enforced through duels
- Survival mastery in harsh conditions
- Warrior traditions from childhood
- Earned respect, not inherited privilege
- "Strength through Endurance"
- "Skjaldor Remembers" - Long memory for slights and attacks
- Saga-telling and oral histories
- Raiding as both warfare and economy
Our History - The Ten-Year Siege
We've always been here. In the frozen north. Surviving. Thriving in longhouses and scattered holds - few castles, just the strength of our clans against winter itself.
Then came the war. Ten years of dragon fire raining on wooden halls. Ten years of watching our people burn because we wouldn't bend. Rhaenor wanted the North to kneel.
Longhouses burn easy. Dragons had clear targets. We had nowhere to hide, no stone castles to shelter in. Just our will. Our fury. Our refusal to break. The clans held through sheer spirit - and we held our own. We didn't just survive, we FOUGHT. But gods, did it cost us. Every clan lost warriors. Every hold bears scars. The price was enormous, but we never broke.
Then something impossible happened: Ashley and Trystane brokered the unthinkable. The Horde of the North - ALL our clans united with Emberwave's knights. Clans and knights. We have a contentious relationship normally - they think we're barbarians, we think they're pompous. But the celestials made it happen, and we brought northern fury and southern steel together against the dragon riders who'd burned our homes for ten years.
Now? The war ended a few years ago. The ten-year siege is over, but our dead are still in living memory. Every clan lost someone. And House Mudae - the dragon riders who burned us - they're "fallen" and "seeking redemption" under young Liram.
The celestials reinstated them. Other houses debate forgiveness.
We're still burying our dead. We're still rebuilding longhouses. The scars on our bodies and our land are FRESH. And they want us to forget? To trust?
Skjaldor remembers. We remember yesterday. We remember last year. We remember ten years of hell. Some of us are willing to see if Liram's different. Most of us aren't ready. None of us will ever forget.
Pre-Suncoast Rule Era
Founding and Early History
Skjaldor, a land of frozen landscapes and rugged mountains, is home to a fierce and resilient people. The region is composed of several clans, each with its own territory and stronghold. These clans have long traditions of honor, bravery, and loyalty. The capital, Frosthold, stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of Skjaldor's inhabitants. The clans, though often independent, are united under a High Prince, chosen from among the clan leaders in times of great need.
Challenges and Unity
The harsh environment of Skjaldor has always been a significant challenge. The freezing temperatures, relentless snowstorms, and rugged terrain require the clans to be self-sufficient and hardy. Despite these difficulties, the clans often come together to defend their homeland from external threats. Their unity and strength were further solidified through ancient traditions and inter-clan alliances, ensuring mutual protection and prosperity.
Roleplay in House Dawnstar
This is raw strength across five distinct clans - cavalry, smiths, hunters, raiders, and aerial riders. This is survival. This is "we held when we should have broken, and you want us to forget?" The war ended just a few years ago. Your wounds are FRESH. Your losses are RECENT. You personally know people who burned.
And now the dragon riders are back, "redeemed," under a young prince. Some of you might give Liram a chance. Most of you remember the smell of burning longhouses too well.
You also remember fighting beside Emberwave's knights - clans and chivalry, an impossible alliance that somehow worked. That relationship is... complicated now.
- Jarl leading your clan with burn scars from the war
- Shield-maiden who lost family to dragon fire ten years ago
- Berserker with fresh hatred for dragon riders
- Veteran of the Horde who fought beside Emberwave knights (weird alliance)
- Stormrider cavalry warrior, mounted combat specialist
- Ironshield smith forging weapons for the clans
- Frostwolf hunter surviving the frozen wastes
- Seastrider raider and sea wolf
- Skybreaker riding griffons or giant eagles
- Clan champion defending honor through combat
- Saga-keeper recording the ten-year war and those we lost
- Someone who lost their longhouse, their clan, everything
- Young warrior born during the war, shaped by loss
- Traditionalist who will NEVER forgive what Mudae did to us
- Rare voice saying "Liram wasn't his father, maybe there's a chance"
- Someone with complicated feelings about Emberwave after fighting together
The Great War and Its Aftermath
Conflict and Sacrifice
The Great War brought further hardship to Skjaldor as the clans were drawn into the wider conflict engulfing the Rookery Isles. Skjaldor's warriors, revered for their fierce combat skills, played a pivotal role in the battles against Rhaenor's forces. During a critical juncture of the war, the clans released the legendary "Horde of the North," a formidable force of elite warriors united under a single banner. This heroic horde turned the tide of many battles, their bravery and strategic prowess proving decisive. The war left many strongholds in ruins, and the loss of life was significant. However, the unwavering determination and sacrifice of Skjaldor's clans were instrumental in the eventual victory against Rhaenor. Their heroism and martial excellence cemented their reputation as the premier military force in the Rookery Isles.
Rebuilding and Revival
After the war, Skjaldor began the process of rebuilding. The remnants of House Mudae were integrated into the new order, and the High Prince, chosen from among the clan leaders, was reinstated to guide the recovery efforts. Frosthold was rebuilt stronger than before, and the traditions of the clans were revived with even greater fervor. The unity forged during the dark times laid the foundation for a renewed Skjaldor.
Current Era Under House Sunspear
Strength and Vigilance
Under the rule of House Sunspear, Skjaldor thrives as a land of strength and vigilance. The clans, led by the High Prince, continue to uphold their traditions of honor and bravery. The shores and borders of Skjaldor are well-defended by the seasoned warriors of the clans, ensuring the safety and sovereignty of their homeland.
Cultural Renaissance
Skjaldor experiences a cultural renaissance, with festivals and ceremonies celebrating their rich heritage. The grand halls of Frosthold and other strongholds are once again filled with songs of valor and tales of legendary heroes. The clan leaders, now restored to their rightful positions, guide their people with wisdom and honor.
Economic Prosperity
The strategic alliances with other nations, fostered by House Sunspear, have brought economic prosperity to Skjaldor. Trade routes are secure, and the wealth generated from these exchanges is used to further fortify the land and support the clans. The skilled blacksmiths, hunters, and sailors of Skjaldor continue to excel, contributing to the nation's strength and resilience.
The Test
The north doesn't care about your family name or your political connections. Can you endure? Can you fight? Can you survive?
Prove your strength. Earn your place.
Welcome to the frozen north. Welcome to House Dawnstar.
IMPORTANT TIMELINE: The war LASTED 10 years and ENDED a few years ago. Wounds are FRESH. Dawnstar held out against Rhaenor's dragon attacks for the entire 10 years, never bent the knee, but paid enormous cost. Their longhouses (not castles) made them vulnerable, but clan spirit kept them from breaking.
Dawnstar and Emberwave normally have a contentious relationship (barbarians vs knights), but Ashley and Trystane united them into the Horde during the war. That alliance is complicated now that the war's over.
Your character's stance on House Mudae (dragon riders who burned northern holds for 10 years) shapes major interactions. Some are willing to move forward with Liram. Most aren't ready. The losses are too recent, the scars too fresh.
Legacy of the Clans
The legacy of the clans of Skjaldor is one of unyielding strength and unity. The trials of the Dark Age and the sacrifices made during the Great War are remembered and honored. Under the vigilant eyes of the High Prince and the just rule of House Sunspear, Skjaldor stands as a beacon of resilience and pride in the Rookery Isles, a land where the spirit of its people and the bond between the clans remain unbreakable.