Sverd

Sverd is the heart of the Blood Isles and the only true city among the scattered tribal settlements of the Bloodmen. Built where the cliffs meet the crashing sea, Sverd is where every clan—wolf-tattooed to whale-painted—gathers to trade plunder, boast of raids, and bind alliances over mead and fire.   Every tribe is represented here, from the oar-bitten warriors of Haldvik to the bone-masked reavers of the Shattered Shoals. Once a neutral ground, Sverd has transformed from a loose cultural capital into the de facto seat of power for the Isles—largely due to its ambitious and battle-hardened Jarl, Björn Sigurdsson.  

Culture and Traditions:

Despite its martial roots, Sverd maintains an air of celebration. Bloodmen do not come to Sverd to fight, but to feast, gamble, and tell tales. The city is known for its Great Hall, a longhouse grander than any in the isles, where warriors lay their axes at the door to enjoy brawny camaraderie beneath the banners of a hundred raids.   A rite of passage for youths is the Leap of Iron, where boys (and bold girls) fling themselves from the jagged Bluffs of Sverd into the freezing bay below, emerging as warriors if they survive.   Trade is vital here, both in coin and in blood. Raiders sell what they’ve taken from the mainland, spices, silks, and slaves, while smiths and shipwrights peddle the goods that keep the longships afloat.  

Politics and Recent History:

Sverd has long believed in the freedom of the Isles—no kings, only jarls and might. But that ideal died with Ubbe Ivarsson, the warlord of Astra who sought to crown himself ruler of all the Blood Isles by force. When Ubbe fell during his failed campaign, the Isles nearly fractured from within.   Björn Sigurdsson, once a staunch traditionalist, saw the danger. With the help of Brogan Stilltide and the infamous crew of the Sea Bitch, Björn turned from lone jarl to unifier. He now leads a growing coalition of villages and holds, claiming them in Sverd’s name not for tyranny—but for survival. "Better one of our own than a stranger with chains," he once said.   Though the conquest continues, most Bloodmen still view Sverd's rise with wary approval. Unity, after all, is not a virtue in Bloodmen culture—but strength is.