Vanaheim

Character

The Vanir gods are less inclined to violence than the Aesir, and their realm reflects it. Seize the day, and earn glory through triumphs told round the fire. Blood and adversity can be overcome, and victories won alone are better than victories shared.

Power

The Vanir, including Frey, Freya, Uller, and Njord. Frey and Freya are the brother and sister powers of fire, passion, and fertility. Though they are the best known of the Vanir, they're only here pan of the year; Frey's favored realm is Alfheim, and Freya spends half the year in Asgard.

Description

Strung along a lengthy seacoast. Vanaheim is a land always within earshot of gulls and seabirds. Frey sails his cloud ship here on his rare visits home, skipping between the great earth rivers. The land is often cloudy even without his cloud ship, and sight of the sun is rare. Thick fogs roll in from the sea each night.    Most petitioners gather near the Folkvang, the "Field of Folk." Freya's hall, Sussrumnir, stands near the center of the Folkvang, and fertility festivals revolve around the hall twice each year, at the planting and harvest times.    Ydalir is a yew grove set somewhat back from the sea. Uller, the god of archery, lives here because the yew wood makes excellent bows. Petitioners in the area are usually archers, and battles here usually involve a hail of arrows.

Principal Towns

Noatun, or "the Shipyard," is a great hall built near an ocean, where the Vanir god Njord dwells. The hall is built to accommodate Njord's enormous height, and its furniture equals the size of accommodations in Jotunheim. The cold hall is surrounded by a sandy beach. A peery berk can sometimes see Njord fishing in the cold, foggy waters offshore, trolling the "shallows" with an enormous net. Anyone swimming or sailing in the area is caught and forced to help build longships for Njord's followers.   Freya's hall is called Sussrumnir, and a few einheriar warrior-spirits make their home here as Freya's servants. It's a hall of glowing white beechwood rafters, thatched with silver and set with tables of solid, unscarred walnut. Its pillars are treetrunks that grow through the roof: only half of the trees are still alive, as a sign that Freya spends only half her life in her homeland.

Special Conditions

Petitioners in Vanaheim are reborn each day just as they are in Asgard, but the realm's many feasts and pleasures mellow them. Few seek glory in wild melees: instead, they fight in set duels, as if a fight to the death were a hand of cards. Each fighter tries to gain the greatest following for himself: reputation is everything, and there is no greater insult than to refuse a duel in Vanaheim. All petitioners scorn anyone who has turned down an honest challenge.    The duelists are usually single opponents, but doubles and teams are popular in some halls. Archery duels, magical contests, and horseback duels are also known in Vanaheim, and all attract huge amounts of wagering and speculation. Favorites change daily, and those not native to Vanaheim can rarely keep track of the status of the thousands of well-known blades.

Principal Non-Player Characters

Swanhild Prow-Gleant (PLanar/female human/Fighter 14/Fated) is the greatest shipwright of Vanaheim, and her dragon-ships are sought after far and wide, despite her grating personal manner. She refuses to take on apprentices, and she is a notoriously hard bargainer, but anyone who has built ships for powers is not someone to play the cross-trade with.    Torsten the Fair is a smooth-throated skald who has drunk the mead of Odin and roared his many triumphs to the gods (Pl/male human/Bard 12/Ring-Givers). Torsten wants a good time, and roams the plane till he finds one: he has many friends among the Sensates. Despite his talent, no giant has captured him to keep him as a house bard; his noxious habit of insulting his hosts is well known, and his satires are infamous.    Volund the Unruly, the Spear-shaker from Nidavellir (Planar/male dwarf/Cleric 9, Wizard 9, Fighter 10/Fated) is the greatest mage-smith of Vanaheim, but his temper makes him dangerous. He lives near a root of Yggdrasil as far from the sea as one can get in Vanaheim, under a mountain called Smoke-Top. Like Swanhild, he can command any price he chooses.

Services

Few services are available to strangers; most work is done by family, friends, and neighbors. However, anyone who visits and makes a good impression on the petitioners finds many helping hands able to provide food, shelter, and weapons.    The only permanent shop of the plane is the Starry Night, an inn that also functions as a bard's school, wine shop, and casino. The Starry Night is strung along the highest branches of an enormous maple, sheltered by its branches and open to the stars during winter. Its hearth burns dry and fallen branches laboriously carried up from the forest floor far below. Each visitor is expected to bring at least a twig to feed the flames.