#aldine

The history of Vetrheim is a tale of endurance, valor, and the power of stories that shaped an entire culture. It began with a collection of tribes residing in the harsh northern realms of Aldine. These early people eventually migrated through the Blackridge mountains alongside the Dunarii tribes, traversing the ice bridge that connected them to new lands. However, unlike the Dunarii, they diverged from the path and ventured onto what would become the Islands of the Skalds, eventually known as Vetrheim.

As the seas rose, submerging many smaller islands, the people of Vetrheim adapted to their new environment. They clung to the stories brought back by scouts who explored the mainland, developing a deep reverence for storytellers and historians. It was this foundation that led to their identity as the People of the Tales.

In their new home, the People of the Tales encountered an ancient spirit known as Jolmir, the god of stories and song. Jolmir welcomed them to the islands, claiming them as his children and promising them his protection. However, this divine gift came with a grave challenge. The Thur, a term used by the People of the Tales to describe the first children of Jolmir, trolls and massive giants, were the first inhabitants of these lands and they did not take kindly to their fathers replacing of them. The Thur launched brutal raids, decimating human settlements and leaving behind only blood and destruction.

The war between the People of the Tales and the Thur raged for over a thousand years. The people, blessed by Jolmir's divine children, the Singers of Praise known as Girgi and Fluki, fought with titanic strength, driven by the promise of a heavenly paradise if they became heroes whose stories would be told for generations. The Singers of Praise urged them to achieve legendary feats, ensuring that their names would be immortalized in sagas and songs.The first High Jarl of Vetrheim, Gunnar, was a warrior of unparalleled prowess. Under his leadership, the people waged a relentless campaign against the Thur, leaving a trail of slain giants and trolls in their wake. Gunnar's victories pushed the Thur further and further from the archipelago until the remaining creatures were forced to flee into the sea and the northern realms of ice. This epic conflict gave rise to countless heroes, each the subject of their own sagas and songs, their adventures and deeds becoming the foundation of Vetrheim's way of life. The tales of these heroes continue to be told, preserving the legacy of a people who, through the power of their stories and their unyielding spirit, claimed their place in the world. With the giants banished to the Lands of Ice and the trolls reduced to scattered remnants, the islanders were finally free from their monstrous adversaries. Under the leadership of High Jarl Gunnar, the humans unified and dedicated their new homeland to the three gods who had guided them.Their lives and culture became deeply intertwined with the worship of these deities, and the pursuit of fame and glory through stories and heroic deeds became the highest aspiration. However, with no more great enemies to conquer on the islands, the warriors of Vetrheim faced a new challenge. The island was at peace, and the once-glorious battles against giants and trolls had become tales of the past. To attain their promised paradise and achieve legendary status, the warriors needed new ways to prove their valor. Thus began the first days of the Age of the Raiders. Deprived of formidable foes on their own shores, the warriors of Vetrheim sought glory elsewhere. The invention of Dragon boats, created with the guidance of Foljuldor, the great serpent god of the seas, enabled them to embark on daring voyages across the vast oceans. These sleek and formidable ships allowed them to sail to distant lands in search of worthy opponents, fierce monsters, and new challenges to test their mettle.

As they ventured into the unknown, the raids became a means not only of proving their worth in battle but also of plundering and ravaging the coasts of larger nations across Aruin. These raids, initially driven by the desire for fame and heroic stories, grew in scale and frequency, becoming a cornerstone of Vetrheim's warrior culture.

Skeleton British penny dreadful cover, Aldine Boys' First-Rate Pocket Library No. 340 (circa 1902), "Deadwood Dick's Dutch Pard", anonymous, original story?, cover by Robert Prowse?.