"'The Snow Prince flew past the clansmen like a long boat riding the wind and waves in the icy waters of Lake Fjälding.'"
Sitting on the stone under the altar of Genales and opening the book with the body temperature of the huntress, Wu Chen couldn't help but think of the legend about the Snow Prince. But this is not the focus of the lord. So he continued to look down:
"On the eastern shore of Lake Fjälding stands Thirsk, a magnificent mead hall and home to the bravest tribe of Nord warriors. Long ago, a small group of Skahl decided to leave the closed main village, Freed from the shackles of their fellow citizens' strict observance of the worship of the Creator, they sought to live the lives of their ancestors in Skyrim - killing whatever prey they wanted, free to worship the gods in any way they chose. The group braved the wind and snow to head towards Heading south to the shores of Lake Fjälding, they found the ideal new settlement there. They unanimously decided to build a magnificent mead hall by the lake as their warm new home and spacious hunting lodge. After months of construction, The group of companions finally completed their task and named the mead hall: Thirsk. All the hard-working settlers were sincerely proud of their achievements. But their happiness was so short-lived, because not all All welcomed the completion of Thirsk.
As the mead hall is built, noise and commotion disturb an ancient creature dormant beneath the ice. In a tragic twist of irony, the sleeping beast finally awakens when the last beam of the basilica is nailed in place. He is the legendary troll 'Udyrfrykte', the god of death who was awakened and angered by the settlers. Udfrikt traveled to the newly built mead hall to exact brutal revenge on the settlers who had disrupted his long, cold hibernation. He killed without warning and without mercy, cutting the number of the Thusk Nords in half. It was the heroic mage Eldrid Ice-Light who finally drove the beast back to its lair beneath the frozen lake and sealed the entrance with a magical ice wall. The horrific war was over, but the price was huge. It took the settlers two months to repair the damage caused by Udfrikt, until Thirsk was once again on its feet.
Although the settlers worked together to build the Mead Hall and drive away the threat posed by Udyr Freakt, tensions quickly grew over who would serve as their leader. Most Nord warriors consider Hrothmund the Red their de facto chieftain, as he is the strongest and most capable of the group. One strong warrior, Drengr Bronze-Helm, disagreed. He believed that he was the only one best able to rule Thirsk and raised his voice against the Red Hrothmund. Knowing that conflict and infighting would only destroy the new life they had worked so hard to create, Hrosmund Red immediately swung his ax and chopped off Drenge Bronzehelm's head. The Nords appreciate the prowess of warriors in battle, and the duel that killed Drenge proved to them that Hrosmund was indeed the most worthy chieftain of Thirsk. So that his companions would never forget the leadership he had wrested with his great axe, Hrothmund placed Drengl's head on a pedestal in the center of Thirsk Hall for all to see.
And so began Thirsk's oldest tradition. Any warrior, regardless of race or gender, can claim leadership of the Mead Hall by displaying their most impressive battle trophy (trophy) on a pedestal in the hall. As long as the spirit of Red Hrothmund agrees, that warrior is appointed chieftain.
The Bane of Hrothmund: For twenty-one years, Hrothmund the Red ruled as chieftain of Thirsk and its inhabitants. With his soft voice and his massive ax, said to be the largest weapon ever wielded by the Nords, Horosmund brought peace and prosperity to Thirsk. But the peace proved to be devastating for Hrothmund, as the powerful Nord grew restless in the warmth and safety of the mead halls. They long for battle and adventure, long to feel the ice in their veins again, and can no longer forget the call to heroism with a hangover. When word spread of a huge, bloodthirsty white wolf terrorizing travelers in Moise Ridge, Hrosmund immediately took up his great ax and went off to hunt the beast alone. The mountain people named the white wolf 'Ondjage', which means the fallen wolf. The beast was as big as an ox, with fur as white as freshly fallen snow, and said no living man could bring down Unjachi. A later battle proved the mountain man's words correct. Hrosmund chopped off a leg from the wolf, but Unjac devoured the mighty Nord alive, leaving only his great ax as a cruel testament to man's failure against the beast. When the news came, the warriors of Thirsk marched towards the mountains filled with grief and anger, looking for the fallen wolf they called "Hrothmund's Bane". Together they finally slew Onjage and feasted on its roast as a family around the warm fire pit of Thirsk Hall.
The following is a list of Thirsk's chieftains since Hrothmund's first reign:
Hrosmund Red. Nord male. Kill Drenga Bronzehelm and offer his head as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for twenty-one years. Killed and devoured by Onjaqi, the fallen wolf.
Isgeror White-Wave. Nord woman. Kill the necromancer Hildir Worm-Heart and offer his heart as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for four years.
Einarr. Nord male. Killed the frost giant Guolog and presented his foot as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for six years.
Gisl Round-Gut. Nord male. Kill Einar and offer his sword as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for two months.
Einarr the Younger. Nord male. Kill Gisl Roundgut and take his stomach as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for seven years.
Grjotgaror. Nord male. Killed the white witch Katla and gave her staff as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for two years.
Amelie Bontecou. Brighton woman. Kill Gejotgarro and offer his head as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for three years.
Thorormr Storm-Killer. Nord male. Kill Brothers Ani and Ali and give their magic hammers as loot. Ruled Thirsk for sixteen years.
Aegilief. Nord woman. Kill Oddny the Unfaithful and use her hand as a battle trophy. Ruled Thirsk for eight years.
Caccino Aurelia. Imperial Man. Killed the imperial hero Claudius Anzione and presented his sword as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for three weeks. Fraud.
Eldjar Bear-Skinner. Nord male. Killed the imperial trickster Cacchino Aurelia and offered his tongue as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for five years.
Falki the Fat. Nord male. Killed six rabid wolves and took their claws as trophies. Ruled Thirsk for three months. Descended into madness and death due to rabies.
Svana the Knife. Nord woman. Kill Gretta Wolf-Child and offer her sword as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for four years.
Beinir White-Beard. Nord male. Kill three orc raiders and take their eyes as battle trophies. Ruled Thirsk for twenty-two years.
Skjoldr Wolf-Runner. Nord male. Kill the wizard Griss the Yellow and offer his head as a trophy. Ruled Thirsk for three years. Killed in the Mead Hall.
There is an unrecorded history here. At some point, the legendary troll Udfrikt was dealt with once and for all, but there is no record of Thirsk's leader at this time. Apparently, several other chiefs came and went before records were restored. Thirsk's devotion to oral tradition means these names may forever be lost to history.
Girgun the Colossus. Nord male. Kill Thjold the ill Minded and display his brain as a battle trophy. Ruled Thirsk for six years.
Vibeke the Stone. Nord woman. Killed seven Imperial pirates and took their helmets as trophies. Ruled Thirsk for three years.
Hjarknir Green-Hand. Nord male. Killed an entire forest of dryads and took their Taproot Hearts as trophies. Ruled Thirsk for twenty-seven years.
Bujold the Intrepid. Nord woman. Kill the great beast of Ilfark and offer its stomach as a trophy. Rules Thirsk, at the time of writing.
Expansion: The Thirsk Mead Hall today is almost the same as it was more than a hundred years ago, which is a testament to the quality of its construction. While Thirsk itself did not expand, its population continued to grow, and before long the grand mead hall could no longer accommodate all those who wished to live within it. Therefore, over the years, many Nords left Thirsk and established their own private camps in the wilderness of Solseheim, relying on the island's many caves and natural refuges. But those who leave always enjoy returning to Thirsk and enjoying the hospitality of the Mead Hall. It is also important to note that despite the fact that over a hundred years have passed since the group first left the village of Skarr, there has been constant communication between the Nords of Skarr and Thirsk, sometimes even exchanging resources.
Relationship with the Raven Rock: The Nords of Thirsk have the same relationship with the Raven Rock as they once had with the Empire, when the aloof relationship was known on the isle of Solstheim: willfully uninterested and lacking in complexity. Both sides would be happy if they could be reasonably sure that the other side 'didn't exist'. But this does not mean that there is any reason for hostility between the two sides; on the contrary, there is no reason for the two completely different cultures to intersect (meaning that the two sides have no intersection at all, so there will be no disputes, let alone hostility).
Law and Order within Thirsk: Within the Mead Hall of Thirsk, the Chief serves as judge, jury and executioner when necessary. The reality is that Thirsk has always been a fairly peaceful place, where friendship and goodwill are the norm (ask about the trophies on display?). The Nords of Thirsk had long since realized that Southerheim was a harsh home, and fighting each other was not as productive as fighting the island's bears, wolves, wights, snow goblins, let alone any other fallen creatures. Creatures may roam the land. Despite this, disagreements did occasionally arise between Thirsk warriors, which often ended in bloodshed. Every few years, someone will challenge the chief and engage in a Blood Duel, trying to gain the right to rule Thirsk and become the new chief.
But by and large, the Nords of Thirsk are one big, happy family of barbarians. And, like any family, they had their quarrels.
Age of Ashes: Since the eruption of the Red Mountains, the desolate south of Sothorheim has been overrun by the Dark Elves. However, Thirsk sits directly above a desolate region and has happily escaped the ravages of volcanic ash that covered much of the land. In the years since, Thirsk has taken its role as a 'safe haven' even more seriously. They specialize in hospitality and welcome outsiders, whether they seek respite from the ashes of the south or the cold of the north. ” - "Thirsk, a Revised History" (Say important things three times: reading books is really useful!).
