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Sonderland

A map of Sonderland.

Sonderland is an island-nation west of Skandia. Not much is known about it. It may be based off either Iceland or Greenland. Its slaver practices and attacks on Hibernia (based off of Ireland) share similarities with early medieval Norway, too.

In The Tournament at Gorlan, Crowley mentions that people from Sonderland used to raid Araluen's coastline. These raids also affected the designs of some castles found near the coast, such as Castle Dacton, which was designed to defend against such marauders. The Sonderland Raids were seemingly brought to an end at Castle Dacton's formidable defences.

We don't know much about its relations with neighbouring Skandia, but as there are trade fleets which sail from Hallasholm to Sonderland and as Sonderland is presumably among those whose waters are patrolled by hired wolfships, we can assume they are trade partners or even allies (as Iceland and Greenland were Viking colonies, Sonderland could also be a colony of Skandia [though they are obviously an independent country]). Despite the fact that their people are both mercenaries, some Skandians, like the Heron Brotherband, hold Sonderlander mercenaries in contempt, something that has seemingly been proven in the past (suggesting past tensions or even skirmishes between the two countries) and others, like Erak, used to launch the occasional raid on Sonderland coastal settlements, such as Malmet. Despite this, Erak does willingly comment that, shady and backstabbing as the Sonderlanders might be, they are skilled fighting men.

Sonderlanders are known to be slavers, with Sonderland ships occasionally launching sudden strike attacks on Araluen with the intention of taking slaves to be sold at the Socorro slave market and raiders, as launching raids on the Hibernian coastline. Ironically enough, Sonderlanders despise pirates, despite being raiders of the sea themselves (Hal mentioned that there are Sonderland pirates, but they are most likely traitors to their country, rather that associates of the Sonderlandic government) and the penalty for piracy in Sonderland is hanging. Strangely though, if Zavac's lies are to be believed, Sonderland is also trade partners with Magyara, a nation that's main source of income comes from piracy.

The Sonderlanders, as mentioned, are mercenaries by trade, often hiring out warriors to aid one side or another when civil wars break out within foreign countries, with the common Sonderland battle gear seemingly including metal helmets or hardened leather caps with metal bands, rounded oblong shields hewn from wood and reinforced with boiled leather and spears, axes and long-bladed swords. Fighters from Sonderland are seemingly renowned for their skill in battle and are thus in high demand either for reinforcing armies, aiding in uprisings and crushing revolutions. Really, their only loyalties lie with money and they'll fight for whomever offers the most money and seems to have the best advantage. The people of Sonderland are apparently loyal to each other, as they are mentioned to look after their own. They also accept foreigners into their midst as troop commanders and the like, as Dimon lyingly claimed he and his followers was fleeing to Sonderland in an attempt to lure Cassandra out into his clutches, although, as he was lying, the authenticity of this is dubious. However, as mercenaries, Sonderlander fighters are unreliable for a long-standing siege, fighting for valuables rather out of loyalty and, should fortunes fail to continue flowing and their prospects of success seem low, Sonderlanders will not hesitant to melt away for richer conquests. During the Red Fox Rebellion, Dimon hired out a vast collection of Sonderland warriors under the command of Vikor Trask, among which was Ruka Bel, to reinforce the local Red Fox dissidents positioned to attack Horace Altman, Gilan and the Araluen Army, as well as province weaponry and armour for the rabble of Foxes. After the Red Fox Force's defeat, all of the Sonderlandic survivors were dropped off on the Iberion shoreline. King Carlos seemingly also intended to hire mercenaries from Sonderland to put down an Iberian revolt.

As well as fighters-for-hire, the Sonderlanders are also traders, their primary forms of trade materials seemingly being wool, fleeces, cooking oil, brandy, iron, salted meat, onyx stones and mother-of-pearl shells, and possess a fleet of barge-like ships, though, like their warriors, the fleet is hireable. The Sonderlander barges, unlike the Wolfships of Skandia, are large vessels with huge lee-boards in place of keels that manoeuvre more clumsily in the open sea, their lee-boards being designed to allow their sailors traverse the shallow sandbanks that fringe the Sonderland coast with the boards raised and the ships’ draught reduced, then lower them in deep water to act as keels. The barges of Sonderland are also capable of transporting horses easily, suggesting that Sonderlanders might also breed equines. The southeast coast of Sonderland in fringed with sloping seabeds of shale at high tide and a prevailing northern wind and northwest current, which Skandian seafarers have noted in their navigation notes. Strangely enough, however, despite their seafaring trade, with the except of Malmet, Jalkerk and a few others, the southern Sonderland coastline, dotted with coves, is near-deserted, the Sonderlanders having left it to the wilds and animals, a scattering of farmsteads and hamlets being the only other civilizations. These farmsteads, however, are well protected by its inhabitants and it is only a witless or desperate bandit that chooses to attack them, for most of these settlements keep close to each other and are close-knit communities who devise their own signals for help, which will be answered swiftly by their neighbours.

The people of Sonderland seem to have heavily-laden accents, if not their own language all together, though they are confirmed to also speak the Common Tongue with fluency. Light hair, blue eyes and fair skin are all traits common for the people of the island-nation, though an individual with a swarthy complexion is not so uncommon.

Sonderland is ruled by a triumvirate made of three men who gain their positions through scheming, bribing and, occasionally, murdering. Rotating the ruling position of Hierarch, the ruler of Sonderland, the Hierarch, controls the country for a period of two years. The court of law in Sonderland is firm to crime, despite the lands mercenary ways, and its community is relatively stable and united, making it far harder a foe than the turmoiled lands of Teutlandt, Gallica and others of unstable lay. Piracy, as has been mentioned, is a capital crime and should one be found guilt of it in Sonderland territory, operating against Sonderlandic communities, they will hang.

Etymology[]

Sønder, from both Danish and Norweigian, means "torn" or "broken", with land meaning country.

Sønderland is a remote area in Greenland, just west of Bjornesk, and home to many islands. Thus, sønderland, or "torn country" can easily refer to the archipelago. 

Places[]

  • Livosk: The Sonderlandic Capital. Livosk is situated on a wide bay area defended by guard boats instead of a boom or defensive device. It is the seat of Sonderland power.
  • Malmet: A coastal trading port. Prior to the Skandians sea policing, Sea Wolves like Erak Starfollower occasionally launched raids on it.
  • Jalkerk: An isolated village settled on the south Sonderland coastline that's source of income comes presumably from fishing.
  • Hekberg: A town located on the mouth of a river as it opens into the Stormwhite, lying sprawled on the hills of the neighbouring headland.
  • Pirate Bay: South of Malmet, this bay was used as a strategically placed area of operations for El Despiadado's pirates.

Geography[]

Sonderland is a large island that lies across a strait from Skandia to the west. The strait is filled with countless small islands. Sonderland also forms a strait with Gallica and borders the Stormwhite and Narrow Seas. To its west and north, the vast expanse of the Western Ocean and Frozen Sea lie.

Trivia[]

  • The coast of Sonderland is home to bears, making parts of it rather dangerous areas when mother bears are protecting their young
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