Skogr Hjarta, The Home of Clan Askr

[Pretzelparty]

 

At the center of one of Whitescar's largest forests, by a long river that slithers further to the core of the land itself... there lays a curious source of light and sound. Boisterous and occasionally bawdy laughter accompanied by spirited musics serve as a good omen to any wanderer in these treacherous woods: For they have found the heart of the north-eastern forest.

 

Skogr Hjarta: The oft talked about home of the Askr clan. Great walls of sturdy lumber and stone serve as a massive ring of protection around what from above appears to be nothing but a series of hills of varying size within smaller rings. Up close however, one would find that these hills hide the homes of the eccentric residents of this forest they have come the closest to taming. The homes of the residents of the east forest are called turf houses. Their roofs hidden by the grass and snow of the season with surprisingly spacious interiors. Warm hearths, communal baths lay beneath the cold weather that harasses the clan daily.

 

Some structures are more visible to the scouting eye than others, such as the ritual buildings that serve as places of worship to the gods of the caribou. The three primary deities that clan Askr put their faith in being a trinity of beings: Tuktu, Qalipu, and Hreinn. Tuktu is the askr clan's spirit of war, fertility and loyalty. Associated with not just the night sky but the stars that speckle it's majesty. According to myths every star in the sky they can see and cannot is one of their clan's fallen. Watching over them and cheering on their prosperity. Qalipu is a the clan's spirit of wisdom, compassion, love, and is closely associated with the practice of Seidr. The shaman of the clan will often hold great festivals and celebrations around the time of the aurora as it hangs and wafts overhead. Hreinn is a deity with more mystery and obscurity about him, Refered to as both the spirit and guardian of the eastern forest Askr lives in... Hreinn is a cold, harsh, but not uncaring spirit. Said to be the being who grants strength to those who pass the askr will test, he represents the unending challenges of life and his graces can be felt both in the tranquil moments in the wilds and the bristling of fur on your neck when you feel as if you are being stalked.

 

While the Askr clan still show a clear preference for the major deities they feel most benefit them. Travelers can still find shrines to gods from other clans to be used and revered as any faithful wanderer may see fit. These structures serve as places of reverence for not just the gods, but also their fallen: Stories are often shared of past heroes and how now they have taken their place among the stars. Adjacent to the ritual buildings and at the center of the fortress ring is the chieftain's keep. 

 

The Chieftain's keep differs from most buildings inside the rings as it is built beneath the largest tree at the center of the fort-city and is reinforced with more stone and iron that the rest of the buildings. It is an old building that stood since the clan's genesis, Surrounded by large rune-stones around it with intricately detailed carvings of the heroes to the clan who have occupied it. In this hall is the seat of what government the Askr clan has. The chieftain of the clan makes their home in this keep, protected by the elite guard of the clan who also stands watch over their family members. TO what few invading clans who have made it to the heart of the forest they have been met by the challenge the keep puts in their path. Tall stone walls rest on top of a great mound created by the past members of the clan. The slope of this mound making getting any siege engine's close a trial, and the great tree above making maneuvering longboats to attack from above even harder to manage.

 

Not all inside the fortress ring are hills and trees however. Within the city there are several worn streets made by those who walk these paths so often on busy days. Longhouses lay close to eachother, some of them connected to the turf houses partly below the surface. These buildings serve as a sort of face to those who travel to their clan's territory. Many of the these structures being taverns and shops, selling the wares that make them so effective in both travel and conflict. It is in this aspect of the clan that Askr enjoys showing the most, especially to travelers from foreign lands. Any pony, griffin, zebra, or otherwise that can make it through the ancient woods that surround the heart have already proved strong enough to be celebrated.

 

A curious blend of turf and boathouses have also been created by the eastern caribou, attempted attacks that somehow make it past the dangerous wilds and the great sea of trees flummoxed by ships that seem to come from nowhere. Dotting the insides of the ring there are several of the clans' namesake trees, standing guard over them and protecting from outside threats.

 

In the present years, The heart has grown quite a few sizes in these days. The clan's rise as a power player in modern Whitescar politics has grown the Heart to a size rivalling even Barn. It boasts an impressive population and diverse members, all of whom wear the clan's symbol.

 

 

Clans of the Ages: Records of Whitescar

Eydis Hildusdottir, Skald and Historian of Clan Hakon