Norsca

Norsca

Norsca is a fictional place in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy world setting. It is analogous in position within the "Old World" to Scandinavia and its human occupants, the "Norse", are a fantasy version of the Norse peoples (including the vikings).

Norsca has a heavily indented coastline and is otherwise mountainous. To the North lies the Realm of Chaos (also called Shadowlands by Norse and known as Chaos Wastes), to the south beyond the Sea of Claws are the Empire and to the South east the kingdom of Kislev. Between Norsca and Kislev is wild area called Troll Country. Norsca is usually referred to be part of the Northlands.

Norsca was originally populated by both High Elves and Dwarfs. Humans came to this land long after them. Norse Dwarves still remain, but Elves have left the land. There are ancient ruins that Elves left. One of the mysterious places is the Forest of Knives which is situated in the middle of Norsca where an ancient Elven temple is located. But this place is extremely hard and dangerous to reach.

Contents

Norse Dwarfs

The Norse Dwarfs are the most northerly of the Dwarfs of the Old World. While related to the Dwarfs in their strongholds to the South the separation over the years has led to some changes and the Norse Dwarfs have taken on some more wild characteristics compared to the mainstream of Dwarf society.

Norse Dwarfs are featured in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP1) supplement Dwarfs: Stone & Steel and also in the (WFRP2) supplement Tome of Corruption.

  • The main stronghold (capital) of Norse Dwarfs in Norsca is Kraka Drak. Other major holds included Sjoktraken (port), Kraka Dorden, Kraka Onsmotek, Kraka Ravnvake.
  • In the 2008 Warhammer Fantasy Battle (7th edition) book: Warriors of Chaos, features story about destruction of Kraka Drak. This is done by "the Emperor of Chaos" Valmir Aesling. Valmir was generals of mighty Chaos Champion and Everchosen Asavar Kul, so this story probably happens during the time of "Great War Against Chaos" (IC circa 2300). Even though the story gives the idea that Kraka Drak is totally destroyed, it is still featured in many sources that are dated after the war. One possibility is that hold was retaken by the Norse Dwarfs sometime after the war (or not totally taken by the invading Chaos Horde).

The Norse

The Norse are in description and in the models produced similar to the Vikings. They are described as great sea borne explorers, traders, reavers and slavers who have built and maintain colonies in Lustria (the Warhammer world's version of South and Meso America). Models released and entries in publications such as Warhammer Armies for 3rd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle and the Man O' War naval game are clearly based on the Vikings.

Main information about Norse can be found from the Liber Khorne which is Volume I of Liber Chaotica (other Volumes also have stories involving Norse characters), Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP2) supplement Tome of Corruption and Hordes of Chaos supplement for Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Some information can be found from many other Warhammer sourcebooks, for example Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP2) supplement Realm of the Ice Queen, which has little information about Norsii migration. There was also large article about Norse for the use of Warhammer Fantasy Battle in the Citadel Journal Issue 6. Also Norse Marauders make an appearance in the mercenary supplement Dogs of War and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP3) Liber Carnagia adventure Crimson Rain, which is part of Omens of War supplement.

  • Original people that migrated from the Empire to Kislev and finally to Norsca were called Norsii. They were the ancestors of current Norse tribes.
  • Biggest (main) tribes of Norsca are: Aeslings (northern tribe), Baersonlings, Bjornlings, Graelings (northern tribe), Sarls, Skaelings and Vargs (northern tribe). Liber Khorne mentiones also Brennuns, but this tribe is not mentioned in any other source which may mean that they are actually minor tribe. Possibly under one of the biggest (main) tribes.
  • There are many minor tribes or clans among the Norse, which are mentioned in many published sources. These included Fremen, the Hound, Iceblade, Ironpelt, Snaegr, Sortsvinaer, Stormfang, Stormraven, Ten Bear, Thunderbear, Ursfjordings (Bearmen of Urslo), the Wolf, the Wolf Brothers (the "Decayed Ones"), Wolfclaw.
  • The Norse tongue is a complex language with over a dozen tribal dialects. Structurally, it bears many similarities to Khazalid, the language of Dwarfs, but it's corrupted by the instrusion of words from Old Reikspiel and the Dark Tongue.
  • Norse mint small silver coins called Sceattas. The coins feature the crude likeness of the tribal King from which it originates. Norse do not use gold for currency, rather they melt down gold coins to make jewellery.
  • Norse law-system is called Wergild.
  • Norse "nobility" is usually referred as Jarls. But chieftains among the tribes are sometimes referred as Jerg. Jerg can have Jarls under his ruling. The highest rank is King, which usually rules one of the biggest (main) tribes. High King of Norsca is mentioned in some sources and this means that one of the tribal kings has risen to rule most of the tribes.
  • Among the Norse are berserkers and "Ulfsarks" (shape-changers into either a wolf or bear). These shape-changers are called Ulfwerenar by the WFRP2 supplement Tome of Corruption.
  • Because Chaos Wastes (and changing raw energies of magic and Chaos) are very close to Norsca, various mutations and warped effects are common among the Norse and even the terrain. Norse view these as marks from the Gods.
  • The port settlement of Skeggi is a Norscan trading post and colony on the Lustria coast.
  • In the latest edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle the Norse, along with the Kurgan and the Hung are described as the predominant Chaos Marauder tribes.
  • In the maps published with the 300th issue of White Dwarf the Norse of Norsca are marked differently to the "Norse" marauder tribesmen over the mountain range within the Chaos Wastes.
  • Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP1) supplement Marienburg: Sold Down the River has history which details many Norse raids against the Marienburg. Also it says that Rothemuur agents manage the Royal Trading Hall in Olricstaad, which is capital of High King Svein (current year for this information is 2512 IC or 2513 IC).
  • During the Storm of Chaos Archaon gathered his generals, The Four, amongst the Norse. Archaons the Four are featured in the Hordes of Chaos Special Characters.

Norse religion

Norse religion is dynamic and complex, featuring a broad pantheon. Norse worship mainly Dark Gods using human sacrifices. These Dark Gods include Chaos Gods Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch. Norse have many names for these Gods. But Norse also worship other beings (many seem to be Daemon and Daemon Princes) and spirits of ancestors and heroes. There also seems to be other Gods, which might be Gods that are not related to Chaos.

Main themes for Norse pantheon include: War, Desire, Decay and Hope. Their Pantheon rarely features just a single God per theme, rather they may have several. Norse religion is featured in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP2) supplements Tome of Corruption and Tome of Salvation. Also Liber Chaotica features Chaos Gods.

  • Norse do not have official priests and their holymen are called usually Vitki or Shaman. Sometimes Chaos Sorcerers also take this role. Norse may use different names for their holymen, like "Bloodfather"...etc. Among them these holymen are viewed with fear and they are basically untouchable, because Norse fear the wrath of Gods.
  • Skaeling tribe workships a Daemon God named Mermedus (believed to be a dark reflection of Manann), which dwells beneath the Sea of Claws. IF this is true he might be the same as the god Stromfels who is a dark aspect of Manann.
  • Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP2) supplements Tome of Salvation features Lesser Ulrican order called Order of the Winter Throne, which followers are simply called Ragnarites. There is secluded monasteries also in Norsca where also is orders legendary cave-system where mysterious Throne of the Snow King is located.

Fiction

Outside of games, there have also been numerous novels and short stories by various authors set in the Warhammer world. Some happen also in Norsca. Some novels involving mostly Norse characters and places are C.L. Werner's Palace of the Plague Lord, Forged by Chaos and Wulfrik.

Norse in other games

  • In Man O' War, the Norse ships are Dragon ships and Kingships which resemble the Viking longboats complete with square rigged striped sails and carved dragon prows.
  • The Norse are also available as a team in Blood Bowl where they are skilled blockers but have poorer armor than most other teams.
  • Norsca (and Norse Reavers) are featured in the Warhammer Online (WAR) MMORPG computer game published in 2008. Player can choose to play the side of Destruction and there to choose Norse character. Also Norse invanders are found many places in the game and Norsca is actually one game-zone. Norsca zone features only small part of Norsca between Troll Country and Sarl territory in the southern Norsca.

Miniatures

Citadel released a range of Norse miniatures in the 1980s but these are now out of production but examples of individual Norse models are still available for Blood Bowl.

Fan-based Norsca information

There are couple of fan-based Norsca sources. These are unofficial sources and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited:

  • One published Norsca source is Warpstone Issue 19, which features Ryan Wileman's The Sea of Claws background article which details also locations in the southern Norsca.
  • Original Norsca fan-project for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP1) was done by Morten Krog, with help of others in 1995. It can be found from the Warhammer Net (Warhammer.rs) fan-site (link below).
  • New Norsca fan-project for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP2) can be found from the Kalevala Hammer -site (link below) which was started 2007 and features unofficial Norsca Map and Timeline.

References

Bibliography

External links


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