[b]The Province of Arda’Njor[/b]

[b]Jarl:[/b] Koval(The Greater) Brute-Blade

[b]Path:[/b][i] Way of the Warrior [/i] (bonus to battle rolls)

[b]Household:[/b]
[b]-Jarl Koval Brute-Blade-[/b]
Age 54, Jarl of The Province of Arda’Njor, and head of the Brute-Blade clan. He is the fourth member of the Brute-Blade clan to rule over the frozen lands of Arda’Njor. A once honored and respected warrior who led the armies of the Arda’Njor against the enemies of the King, he and his ancestors have traditionally offered the absolute fealty of The Arda’Njor Province to the King of Norsia. This tradition of fealty ended when King Beron the Bard ended the war against Gothra, whom the Brute-Blade clan have had a long lasting hatred for. When the King went missing on his quest to find Everwinter, it was Jarl Koval who refused to send any of the Arda’Njor to help find him.

Jarl Koval is an immense man of grand and imposing stature, his long braided hair is dark with hints of greying, and his eyes are of a stark blue and affirm his confidence in his Province.

[b]-Arl Koval Brute-Blade-[/b]
Age 29, Arl of The Province of Arda’Njor, and first son of Koval The Greater. Koval The Lesser is the most likely heir to the throne of Arda’Njor, though some question his chances of ascension. A skilled and talented warrior like his father, he has yet to prove his bravery and courage on the field of battle against a real foe. He is also arrogant and dictatorial, lacking the understanding and steady-handedness of his father, the Jarl.

Arl Koval takes after his father in appearance more than attitude, as he too is a man of grand an imposing stature. His hair his long and braided, though is more fair in color.

[b]-Arl Toral Stone-Fist-[/b]
Age 42, Arl of The Province of Arda’Njor, Governor of the City of Cold Port, and head of the Stone-Fist clan. He is the seventh member of the Stone-Fist clan to govern the coastal city of Cold Port. For the last two hundred years the Stone-Fist clan has remained fiercely loyal to the Brute-Blade clan, and have helped them maintain their rule over the Province. Toral, as head of the Stone-Fists, has sworn to maintain this loyalty so as long as his friend and mentor, Koval The Greater serves as Jarl. Some have questioned this swearing, curious as to whether or not Toral will remain as loyal to Koval The Lesser, should he ascend to the throne as Jarl.

[b]-Bathar Black-Blood, Thane of Arda’Njor-[/b]
Age 39, Thane of The Province of Arda’Njor, Governor of the City of White Plains, and head of the Black-Blood clan. He is the ninth member of the Black-Blood clan to govern the city of White Plains. The Black-Blood clan is the eldest of all clans to still hold power within the Province of Arda’Njor. Five centuries ago, the Black-Blood clan waged a brutal civil war against the other clans that then made up the bulk of the White Plains; in their conquest, they took ownership of a majority portion of the farms that cultivate the rich and fertile soil. As such, the Black-Bloods have ensured their place of power, so long as they control the primary source of farmland in the Province. When the Brute-Blades came to power, they immediately saw the need to keep the Black-Bloods close, and granted the title of Thane to whomever leads the clan.

[b]-Voloh Broad-Trunk, Thane of Arda’Njor-[/b]
Age 47, Thane of the Province of Arda’Njor, Governor of the City of Gray Sands, and head of the Broad-Trunk clan. He is the first member of the Broad-Trunk clan to govern the city of Gray Sands. The Broad-Trunk clan has traditionally been a clan of woodsman, and tree herders. But when the Stone-Fist reign came to an end, they were the first clan to join the Stone-Fists in supporting the ascension of the Brute-Blade clan. For their loyalty to the Jarldom, the Brute-Blade clan granted the Broad-Trunk clan the governing rights to the City of Gray Sands, as well as the title of Thane to the leader of the clan.

[b]Dynasty Bio:[/b]
The Brute-Blade Clan’s place as rulers of The Province is afforded by the loyalty of a large contingent of the most prominent clans that dot the landscape of Arda’Njor. This place however, has not always been guaranteed, as Koval The Greater is only the fourth Brute-Blade to claim the throne of Jarl. Before the reign of the Brute-Blades, The Province was ruled over by the head of the Stone-Fist clan for five hundred years; their reign brought to an end at the hands of Gothran assassins. For this transgression, the clans of Arda’Njor have all held a long lasting hatred of Gothra.

While Jarl Koval Brute-Blade’s merit as a warrior and competent leader has never been called into question, the same cannot be said for Koval The Lesser. Arl Toral Stone-Fist himself has questioned whether Koval The Lesser is the right choice to ascend to the throne if and when Koval The Greater passes. This has raised the concern of the other major clans of Arda’Njor, as the word of the head of the Stone-Fist clan carries great impact. In fact, Koval The Greater has himself expressed concern regarding his son’s merit as a leader of The Province, and this has lead to a strenuous relationship between the two.

Though it is expected that Jarl Koval will officially name his son as heir to the throne as Jarl of Arda’Njor, the rumor has arisen that he will instead choose Toral Stone-Fist as his successor, thus bringing and end to his own clans rule of the Province, and restoring the Stone-Fist reign. Whatever Koval chooses, the clans of Arda’Njor trust that it will be for the betterment of the Province as a whole.

[b]Province Name and Number:[/b] 
4. The Province of Arda’Njor.

[b]Fiefdom Bio:[/b]

[IMG] http://i59.tinypic.com/24n1szq.png [/IMG]

The land that makes up The Province of Arda’Njor had long been a barren wasteland, devoid of civilization. Legend had told tales that the land had been carved by the Goddess Frigga, as a gift to her husband, the All father, Odin. So cold and remote that no man could ever tame the land, and ruin it’s beauty. At least, that was until the great ancient warlord Arda’Njor ventured north with his armies at the end of a great war. He saw the land as a challenge, and with the spoils of riches gained in his conquest, he began to cultivate the land.

His armies were made up of the great clans that had once been so widespread throughout Norsia, but now congregated together in service to their warlord. Legend holds that It wasn’t long until Arda’Njor ordered these armies to tear down the White Mountain, a peak so grand that it dominated most of the central land. It is said that it took the lives of every last of Arda’Njor’s men to flatten what was once the greatest peak in all the land, and that when the task was done, Frigga shed a single tear at the loss of her beautiful mountain; this tear fell upon the land where the mountain once stood, and made the soil fertile. Thus the White Plains were born, lands so fertile that they can grow any crop regardless of the snow that falls upon them.

Satisfied that he’d cultivated the land to his liking, Arda’Njor declared the land his Province, and welcomed the lesser clans of Norsia to migrate north. It is said then, that Arda’Njor went further north, and founded the city of Frostmourne, wherein he would rule his Province. There he died, and was later laid to rest in the catacombs beneath Great North Hall.

In the wake of his passing, the lesser clans gathered in Frostmourne to determine their new leader. It was decided that a Jarl would be named, and that from then on, he would name his successor. If the Jarl failed to name a successor, then there would be another meeting of the clans to choose his successor. In the time since, the clans have only met to choose their Jarl twice, most recently when the Jarl Torak Stone-Fist and his heir were assassinated. The clans then decided to name a Brute-Blade as their Jarl.

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Geologically, The Province of Arda’Njor is made up of rolling hills to the west, a great region of flat plains in the north central, and a great range of mountains to the east, called The Hold Mountains. The north central region is home to the most fertile farmlands in all of Arda’Njor, and are the primary source of food in the Province. 

There are seven major cities spread throughout the Province. The northern most city and capital of Arda’Njor is Frostmourne, where the Jarl and his family reside. South from Frostmourne is Broad Hill, the fourth most populous city in Arda’Njor. Further south is the city of Gray Sands, so named for the gray volcanic ash that make up the shoreline. To the southeast of Gray Sands is the southern most city of Arda’Njor, Fort North; built from the ruins of Arda’Njor’s first encampment on his journey into the land. To the northeast of Fort North is the third most populous city of the Province, the city of Cold Port. Cold Port is the primary hub of transport and trade into Arda’Njor from the Shivering Sea. Excess crops raised in the fields of White Plains often make their way there to be traded throughout Norsia. Southeast of Cold Port is the second most populous city of the Province, and the agricultural center of Arda’Njor, the city of White Plains. Finally, to the far east is the least populous city of the Province, the city of Windy Shores, which borders a steep cliff side over looking the Shivering sea.

[b] May make more changes later, if need be. [/b]