In the early 10th century CE, several viking tribes made their way to the rumored Valley of the Jarls to seek the blessing of the All Father. Months of ceremony and sacrifice were ahead of you.
The Jarldoms were established and began to work towards their goals when Surtr began scheming against Odin and his favored tribes. Surtr sought to bring forth Ragnarök.
He sent his warriors to slay the Jarls and the tribes were sent to await Odin's call in Valheim, a realm previously thought lost. Before you entered the portal to Valheim, you were Cursed by Surtr.
Now the tribes wait for their return to Midgard while Surtr continues his war. Odin is doing all he can to prevent Surtr from gaining ground.
You are Cursed. You were follower of one of the lost Jarls and a member of one of the four tribes. You must seek to keep your tribe together while you wait for Odin's call. Your story begins as you are ushered through the portal to Valheim to find your tribe.
You are a member of one of the four Jarldoms who have temporarily settled in the Valley of the Jarls and who have now been sent to Valheim. Your duty is to ensure the survival of your tribe at any cost. You must be a member of one of these four tribes. You may seek to undermine the current Jarl of your tribe, empower them, to take over the tribe, harm it from within, whatever you wish, but your character will belong to one.
Hooks:
Jarl Freymund was the leader of his lands by birthright. Under his command the lands were blessed by Freya to be rich and bountiful, where before they were not. Well fed vikings went out to trade their grain for goods, or went to pillage with strength from their meals.
He sought the blessing of Odin to carve out a place in the Uppland region, across the Baltic Sea, with the most fertile soil and command of the Gulf of Bothnia.
He was quiet and contemplative. Kind to his folk, and stern to outlanders. He listened to input from the Jarldom, attempts to appease, but made final calls on what he deems fit.
Jarl Hallveig, the Seidr, was the last survivor of a brutal war of succession. Though not initially considered for the Jarldom, all other potential candidates met with death. She led her people with her prophetic visions, but weary from the long war is untrusting of outsiders and found herself more paranoid that others are seeking her crown.
She sought the blessing of the Allfather to lay claim to the Valley of the Jarls in order to fulfill her prophetical vision of a peaceful life for her clan.
Jarl Hellveig was isolated and paranoid, she liked to live unseen. She could be tyrannical, as the bloody war that preceded her reign gave her reason to hold all the power.
Jarl Frostulf Gunnarson was the son of Jarl Gunnar, a renowned chieftain and raider. Jarl Frostulf inherited a successful and prosperous clan when his father entered Valhalla. Jarl Frostulf had refocused his tribe on militarized trade through the Dnieper pass to the Greeks, where riches are guaranteed. His trade with them had created a culture that has embraced the finer western arts. He worshipped Víðarr fervently, the god of revenge and silence.
He and his people came for the blessing of Odin to achieve domination over the pass through any means necessary.
Frostulf was rigid in his ideas, and believed long term prosperity for the clan can be gained through an iron grip on trade and respect rather than temporary gains from raids and war. He was driven and calculating, wry, brave, and deeply empathetic to his people, the Mjut.
Jarl Frode Arneson had lived through trying winters and bloody war, but peace has finally befallen upon his Jarldom. His son Harold still conquested in his family’s name but Frode wanted to enjoy his twilight years with the fruits of his labour. Living at the base of the Scandis, Frode partook in many hunts with his clan then prepared their spoils for glorious feasts in the name of the gods. These lands were hard won and Jarl Frode would make sure he saw every inch before his final breath was drawn.
Jarl Frode and his tribe came to the Valley of the Jarls to be blessed with prosperity through raid and war led by his imminent successor, Harold Frodeson.
Many in the clan remembered a time when Frode was tenacious and handled most disputes with brutality (a trait his son inherited) but in his older age he had mellowed and used his wisdom and level headed-ness to solve his issues. Many used to worry his brutal side still lays dormant under the surface, waiting for the wrong person to push him on the wrong day. He was fair and just. Had the wisdom and experience of age but understands when to take a step back in order to step in at the right moment to serve justice or punishment. He was partial to drinking contest and enjoys sharpening his axes every morning as the sun rises, as a tribute to Týr for guiding all Frodes success in the battles that had come before.
Can I switch tribes once in game?
Yes, you will need to talk to other tribes in game to do so.
I don't wish to play a Viking or a character with any ties to their culture. What options are available to me?
All characters this season will belong to one of the Jarldoms. If you wish to play a character who is a part of another culture or place in the world, you are limited on options. It may be best to #create-a-ticket and discuss these with the admins.
Will I be able to play with people from other tribes?
Yes, much like in previous seasons, no character is barred from interaction with any other. Beyond being part of your backstory, you will be in the world together. You may switch your allegiance from one tribe to another given you meet whatever requirements are given to your character.
What if I want to start my own Jarldom or tribe?
For this seasons story you are required to follow a Jarl. You are free to scheme against them, attempt a takeover, a coup-- the options are endless. There are options available for governance. See the Gameplay Changes below for details. As far as being a part of no Jarldom at all-- though it is perfectly fine to live apart from your tribe, you are in this location with people you have known your whole life for the most part. You would be expected to be part of them still.
I'm worried that my tribe will be inactive or will "lose" too often.
Though you're in the Valley for a specific purpose, there are safeguards in place for inactivity. You will understand more as the season progresses. For "Losing", tribes are here to prove themselves, not "win".