Chronicles of Astravara

Where gods whisper and empires rot.

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Geography & Climate

Norvhar lies in the icy northern cliffs of Astravara, where the sun rarely warms the land. Jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, ancient tundra plains and evergreen forests dominate the terrain.

• Snow falls year-round in higher regions
• Winds howl across the Thain Peaks and Frostmar Tundra
• Roads are scarce — the people travel by sled-beasts, snowships or foot

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Political Structure

Norvhar is not a unified kingdom, but a coalition of clans under the Banner of Thainhold.

Each clan governs its own territory, customs, and rituals — but all clans honor the Call of Blood and Stone, an oath binding them to aid the High Warleader if Norvhar is threatened.

Key Clans:

• Clan Skjarvold – Bear-helmed warriors, Thainhold rulers
• Clan Rorgrim – Beast tamers and axe masters of the tundra
• Clan Ylvarra – Half-elves and scouts, guardians of hidden ruins
• The Seers of Ulfgard – Isolated mystics tied to ancient runes and starlore

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Cultural Traits

• Values: Honor, perseverance, community over self
• Religion: Animistic, tied to ancestors and nature spirits
• Rites: Coming-of-age trials, blood oaths, mourning bonfires
• Crafts: Bone jewelry, froststeel blades, fur-lined armor
• Language: Old Norvhari (gravelly dialect of Common mixed with tribal code)

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Military Strength

While not an empire, Norvhar’s warriors are among the most feared in Astravara:

• Thainshield Guard – personal guard of the High Warleader
• Wolfkin Raiders – hit-and-run cavalry that ride winter wolves
• Frostbear Warriors – berserker units from Clan Skjarvold
• Rune-Speakers – magical elders who inscribe protection into wargear

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Capital: Thainhold

A fortress carved into the side of the Mountains of Vireth-Kael, where stone meets ice.

• Layers of rune-carved halls and hot springs run beneath
• The Council Fires burn at the Great Hearth, where clan leaders meet
• Every stone wall bears the name of a warrior fallen in battle

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Alliances and Relations

Faction	Status
Eldoria	Mutual respect, rare trade
Caltheron	Neutral to cold, no ties
Sylvaran	Minimal contact, no hostility
Daemons	Feared and fought when encroaching south
Rakkesh	Little known, distant lands

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Notable Locations

• Thain Peaks – sacred mountain range of ancestral shrines
• Frostmar Tundra – vast, empty plains of ghost howls
• Hall of Winterblood – temple of victory and remembrance
• Runestone Vale – magical site guarded by Seers
• Ulfgard Ruins – remnants of a pre-human civilization

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