Bloddvergur, once a quaint Nordvergur settlement nestled on a solitude island beyond Norska's eastern shores, has since been transformed into a grim staging ground for raids and warfare. The village, home to the Tribe of Bloddvergur, reflects the harsh and desolate environment that has shaped its people. Once prosperous and bustling with the work of shipwrights and spear-fishers, the village has fallen into despair after the perma-frost froze the sea. Now, it serves as a strategic outpost for the tribe's ruthless raids on coastal settlements, its once proud shipyards now filled with longboats built for war.
Location and Landscape
Situated on the frozen, rocky shoreline of a mountainous island, Bloddvergur is perched precariously between the sea and rocky slopes behind it. The jagged cliffs and frozen waves serve as natural barriers, protecting the village from direct assault. The once plentiful sea has become a treacherous landscape of ice floes and jagged icebergs, making navigation nearly impossible except for the most skilled sailors of the tribe.
In the past, the village thrived off the bounty of the seas, often trading fish and oils with the other Tribes of Khaos. But with the sea frozen over, those days of prosperity have long passed, and the village's focus has shifted entirely to raiding. The rugged terrain and harsh climate have only strengthened the people of Bloddvergur, turning them into some of the most fearsome warriors in Norska.
Architecture and Construction
The structures of Bloddvergur are imposing and rugged, built to withstand the brutal cold and harsh winds that sweep across the shoreline. Most of the longhalls and huts are constructed from the bones of great sea serpents and the scarce, frozen timber found along the coast. The serpent bones, taken from the tribe’s sacred hunts, form the skeletons of the buildings, with their ribs arching over the roofs like frozen spires. These ancient bones are revered by the villagers, believed to hold the blessings of their god, Skorn.
The village's docks, once teeming with fishing boats, are now frozen and desolate, though they still hold the longboats of the tribe, each carved with sigils of the Unknown. These longboats, once used for fishing and trade, are now used to launch devastating raids on southern villages. The bone and timber structures creak under the weight of snow and ice, as the bitter cold bites at the edges of the village, leaving it frozen in time.
The Seafaring Life
Situated upon the frozen seas of Norska, Bloddvergur now serves as a staging ground for the tribe’s raids on coastal villages. The once thriving fishing village has become a fortress of sorts, from which warriors launch their longboats across the icy waters to pillage and plunder. The tribe’s longboats, crafted from the bones of sea serpents and reinforced with iron and timber, are built for speed and durability, allowing the Bloddvergur raiders to strike quickly and retreat before their enemies can react.
The frozen sea has also provided the tribe with natural defenses, as the icy waters are near impassable to outsiders. Only the tribe’s most skilled navigators can traverse the treacherous ice floes and frozen waves to reach their targets. From this fortified position, the tribe can wreak havoc on southern settlements, taking what they need to survive and offering it as tribute to their god Skorn.
Symbols of Strength
Despite its grim transformation, Bloddvergur remains a place of potent pride for the Tribe of Bloddvergur. The great serpent bones that form the village’s buildings are symbols of the tribe’s strength and resilience, as are the frozen docks where the longboats await their next raid. The dwarves of Bloddvergur take great pride in their hunts, and the village itself is a reflection of their worship of Skorn, their god of wrath and bloodshed.
Though the village is no longer prosperous, it remains a symbol of the tribe's indomitable will to survive in the face of eternal winter. The frozen shoreline and the desolate landscape have only hardened the people of Bloddvergur, making them some of the most feared raiders in the north.