House Thornstrom

A once minor Southern Hold family that rose to prominence under the Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar, House Thornstrom are an exctinct Aedrinarian noble house who can trace their origins to Einmanfjell and King Knut's invasion of the Southern Hold. Their rise to power was centuries long and would see them grow from Aldermen to fielding 4 High King's.
Amongst the most prominent and notable houses of the current Aedrinaran kingdom, the Thornstroms had humble beginnings in the form of a small mine-owning family on Einmanfjell loyal to Knut. They would migrate to Aedrinar proper and settle in the southern hold along the Lokistrom, building Roseberg, a modest keep and town that acted as a coaching stop on the profitable inter-hold trade lines. Roseberg would be destroyed during the reign of King Olaf III Kingmaker and the family would become minor nobility and tradesmen in the city of Odinsthrone by the mid-seventh kingdom, acting as Aldermen of the Vurgeborg and later Kingshelm districts. Throughout the third interregnum, the house became the principal family of Odinsthrone and fielded multiple Jarls and claimed Knut's Palace of the Heroes as their new noble hall.
Through the family's ties to High Queen Sigrunn III, the family became the 'royal' dynasty of Aedrinar following Sigrun's death in 956, 3e. They would hold the position of High Monarch throughout their family for 84 years throughout the reigns of Ivar II, Olaf V, Karl IV, and Karl V. Their prominence and control of the propsering trade empire of Aedrinar brough the family wealth and prestige and allowed them to cement their legacy throughout Odinsthrone.
The Family's extinction came during the 40 Year War. As High Monarchs, the Thronstroms had formed an alliance with The Commonwealth and joined the war to defend them. Two Thornstrom monarchs, Karl IV and Karl V, would die in the war. The latter's death at the Battle of Raven Road saw his immediate family and heirs wiped out in an Eldrian assault. Combined with deaths of extended family members throughout the conflict, there was no direct heir to the Thornstrom name and they were officially declared extinct, ending a near century of dominance.

Heraldry

The family's coat of arms consisted of a white field, representing the snowy mountains of Einmanfjell, with a Red Rose, likely a reference to the house's founder, Rurgir the Flower Shield, and two battleaxes, the symobl of Knut's war-banner. References their symbolism can still be found throughout Odinsthrone.

Culture

The Thronstroms were known to be a mercantile family with an eye for earning wealth through 'honourable' trades and control of vital resources. Still fielding a respectable warrior contingent, their berserker band were known as Rose-Warriors and would get floral tattoos as mark's of their seniority within the Thornstrom warband. The family would often choose their more martial members to join this warrior order and their more astute and mercantile members as leaders from the Great Interregnum onwards, showing a marked shift from the more traditional warrior culture of their surrounding houses.

Assets

The Thornstroms claimed numerous assets throughout their existence. From their original home in Einmanfjell to Roseberg and their later holdings in Odinsthrone, as well as rulership over the entire eighth-kingdom of Aedrinar.

Rurgirstead

This small, now lost, homestead was located somewhere in the mountains of Einmanfjell. Conflicted census data of the fifth and sixth kingdoms places in multiple places throughout the island, indiciating they may have been semi-nomadic as an early house. This mine, adjoining homestead and farm was abandoned during the invasion of Aedrinar led by Knut. House legend states it was originally destroyed by High King Ebbe, prompting them to abandon it completely.

Roseberg

This now destroyed small town lied on the Lokistrom between the western and southern holds. Acting as a carriage stop and market town, Roseberg was built following the conquest of the Southern Hold by Knut and was seen as a 'stopping' point between the resource rich holdings around it. The town would be destroyed during the invasion of Olaf III Kingmaker in 510, 3e when the family declared loyalty for the Jarl's of Kriegerholm. The surviving members of the family joined with Olaf in recognition of his victories and would migrate to Odinsthrone, leaving the ruins of their old home behind. Roseberg's ruins are long gone, but The Rose and Axe inn and surrounding farmsteads occupy its former land.

Thorndagger Hall

Thorndagger Hall was the first noble hall the family claimed in Odinsthrone in the 650s of the 3rd age. The hall was built in the north-west of the city in the Vurgenborg district and was a modest timber building that would last till the Vurgenborg fire of 803. It would undergo numerous renovations and expansions, including the adding of stone defences and feasting chambers but was largely out of use by the late 8th century as the family moved into Knut's Palace.

Place of the Heroes

The grand palace of King Knut would be claimed by the family following the extinction of the Thunderstones and their occupation of the ancestral keep. The palace was grand, but largely a ruin until the arrival of Sigrun III and its massive redevelopment funded by the kingdom and the combined family's of Odinsthrone. Upon the death of the last Thornstroms in the Battle of Raven's Pass the family's holdings were granted to House Iceaxe.

History

Formation

The origins of the Thornstrom dates back to the mysterious Rurgir the Flower-Shield. Born Rurgir Offassen, not much outside of their familiar titles are known. Rurgir was known as a man of exageration and intrigue, and across three different chronicles claimed he was the bastard son of Eda Wintershiled, the son of a mining family in Snowhelm, and a mysterious baby found by the Reindeer Clan in the northern glaciers. What is known is that Rurgir was adopted by a nearby cleric of Loki, Offa the Lame, and served as a berserker for the Wintershields under Hjordis's reign as Jarl and later High Queen.
Known as the Flower-Shield for his use of floral art in his shield and armour work, Rurgir left the Wintershield's service upon Hjordis' death in 2030, 2a and begin a Jomsvikingr for half a year, before settling on Einmanfjell where he claimed a mining vien from a clan of goblins. Named the Thornstrom in reference to the thorns of the rose on his shield, the family were officially founded and Rurgir is recorded as having 4 children with a local ranger.
Rurgirstead would never grow to heights, but his warrior tradition grew as his humble warrior band, the Rose-Warriors, would continue with his sons and his only daughter, Hjorda, became the new family leader and overseer of the mines. The house were of such little note none are recorded as joining the booming raids on the continental Prima Terra, instead capitalising on abandoned resources back in Einmanfjell and beyond.

Migration to the Southern Hold

The family held little power but remained loyal to the ruling Einmanbjorn of the island. When High King Ebbe attacked the island as part of Jarl Haartha Einmanbjorn's rebellion against the king, the Thornstroms are noted as joining the battle. When the Einmanbjorn lost the battle, at least some of the Thornstroms survived. The loss of chronicles centuries later in the burning of Roseberg has seen the precise details and sources lost, with the total number of dead Thornstroms and the fate of their home in Rurgirstead unclear. It is commonly believed that the family were defeated and their home plundered by the high king's armies, leaving only a handful of them and the families who worked their mine surviving.
The remained of the family, led by Erikja Thornstrom, would join Knut on his blood feud fueled invasion of Aedrinar. As their reward for the conquest of Riverholm and the defeat of Ebbe, they claimed land on the prominent Lokistrom, building a new noble hall and using plundered wealth to construct a small settlement including a jarlshall, inn, stabling, smiths, granary, and numerous farms. Other retired warriors and the survivors of Rurgirstead settled here, founding Roseberg.
Roseberg would fall into various dominions between the Western and Southern holds, the family earning a not-modest amount of income from their vital market town position, but hardly being a major player in greater house politics. During the great Interrregnum, their Rose-Warriors would defend their hold and fight for whichever of their neighbours in Kriegerholm, Odinsthrone, or House Horfhand were strongest at the time.
A brief schism is noted in the 3rd century of the third age when the children of Thane Darolf the Careless battled over who woudl succeed him, but beyond that the Thornstroms are noted merely as signatories of various moots for Jarls.

The Seventh Kingdom and Third Interegnum

The dawn of the seventh kingdom would see the minor house face near extinction. The conquest of Aedrinar by the aspiring Olaf Kingmaker saw Odinstrone conquered. The Thronstroms, then allied to the Jarls of Kriegerholm, resisted Olaf's calls for submition to his hold. A modest force would attack Roseberg in 510, 3e which saw the town sacked, burnt to the ground, and much of the Thornstrom wealth claimed by the victors. The three surviving Thornstroms submitted to Olaf's host and moved to Odinsthrone.
Steadily regrowing as traders in Odinsthrone over the course of a century, 2/3rds of the family died fighting for Karl III across the various rebellions and later conquest of Odinsthrone by High King Haarold V The Great Uniter between the years 582 and 599. They would spend the better part of the century of light again regrowing, building a trade and merchant base, and managing to earn a modest noble hall and becoming Aldermen of the Vurgenborg district. The family began to form a close alliance with their fellow descendant's of Knut's conquest, House Iceaxe, and upon the extinction of the failing House Thunderstone after Sven the Uncrowned in the late 8th century they became Aldermen of Kingshelm as well.
A modest 25% of the family were killed in the Calamity of the Terrassic in 789, 3e, sparing them from the collapse that many noble houses faced during the post-calamity and early third interregnum period. This allowed the Thornstroms to become Thanes of Odinsthrone on mulitple occasions throughout the interregnum, having stablised their family and rulership steadily. Their third ancestral home in Vorgenborg was destroyed by fire, and the house completed their move to Knut's Palace by the 800s.

Eighth Kingdom

The family's true prominence came with the arrival of Sigrunn III in 920. The ruling Thane Greig Godsmount was killed, and several Thornstroms died in the short battle that took the city. Ivar the Older Thornstrom was elected Thane, and worked closely with Sigrunn. He would be appointed first as Master of Lore in her court, and was instrumental in convincining the Queen to help redevelop the south of Aedrinar. Ivar would be declared Jarl of the Southern Hold, and helped Sigrunn, alongside House Iceaxe, to invade Kriegerholm and unite the south under his rulership.
The position of Jarl, alongside the redevelopment of Odinsthrone and conquest of Kriegerholm, swelled the Thornstrom coffers. They were transformed from a minor but notable house into one of the most powerful in the space of 20 years. Ivar's son, Ivar the Younger, was elected Jarl in 955. He would be appointed as Master of the Hoard within two months. Ivar would host Sigrunn for a feast in 956, where the elderly and frailing queen fell sick and bedridden. Ivar sent word to the rest of the Sigrunn's allys and court to come at once. He was present for her honourable death at the hands of Estra Wintershield.
Ivar the Younger stood at the moot, and in a close four-way election between himself, Estra Wintershield, Sigrunn's son Jarl Roald of Lastlight, and Hilda, Sigrunn's daughter. Ivar would win the narrow moot when Roald stood down and backed him instead, creating the first Thornstrom high king in the history of the realm.
Ivar's reign would be incredibly peaceful, using his knowledge and building off of Sigrunn's foundations to create a wealthy trade empire that dominated the Terrassic trade routes. He would become an adventuring king, leaving his son Olaf and other courtly members to manage the realm whilst he travelled and built international relations. He would visit Eldron, Seldros, Askh-Limas, the ruins of Rexia, Neapia, Ceannastra, Saunton, Rassendorf, Soliel, Falzeno, and Stormwatch, and even the grand camp of Kondir tribe in the great steppes. These journies marked his house internationally as one of reknown, and the treasures he returned with decorated and adorned their palace in Odinsthrone.
In his later life, Ivar became obbessed with soothsayers and prophecies. This is said to have been prompted by the death of his grandson, Ivar Olafssen and presumed successor in a tournament accident during Thorginsvar festival at only 16 years old. He would visit Mount Valhalla and receive 'revelations' that troubled him. He would record these in a set of tomes and is beleived to have handed them down to all his successors. Ivar would be succeeded by his eldest child and only son, Olaf V, upon his death in 724 where he wondered into the Summerswood in Asrinheim. His body has never been found.
Olaf V assumed his reign in a near unanimous moot in 989, 3e. The family continued to press themselves internationally, and Olaf caused a stir in 992 during the Commonwealth war of Independence after Aedrinar opened their ports and traded with the 'rebel' commonwealth cities. This prompted the Eldrian ambassador in Odinsthrone to demand a meeting with the high king. In the meeting, the ambadassor demanded that Olaf stop trading with the 'rebels' and only with the empire. The king was dismissive of the ambassador's concerns, prompting the Eldrian to allegedly go on a rant about how the Aedrinarans has been crushed by this own empire and were nothing without imperial trade networks, if the king continued to support the Commonwealth cause the empire would embargo all ships to and from the isles - further saying the Aedrinarans could do nothing about it as their ships and military were 'puny' compared to that of the empire. The common legend holds Olaf let the ambassador finish his speech then had him dragged him to the river outside the Palace of the Heroes and threw him in it, saying, "If our longships are puny, then you can swim home."
It turned out the ambassador couldn't swim and subsequently drowned. This diplomatic incident nearly caused a war between the Eldrian Empire and Eighth kingdom but was avoided due to the Eldrians backing down and recognising Commonwealth independence in 993. Olaf is said to have been disapointed at the warming of relations, saying, "A pity, I would have liked to use the emperor's crown as a toothpick." Olaf also allowed the Eldrians to send a new ambassador, and let the Commonwealth open their own embassy in Odinsthrone.
The family largely kept to themselves, keeping a peaceful kingdom and organizing major trade deals and keeping a loose grip but close eye on their vassals. The Thornstrom domination of the kingdom's wealth, and their status as stable lawbringers who allowed wealth to prosper brought them few challengers. Olaf also expanded the kingdom's trade and relationships with the neighbouring Asrinheim and Jotun, stabalising the Aedrinaran islands. In his final years the king warned against Aedrinarans joining the newly begun 40 year war. Secretly, he did much to build up the nation's warrior classes and stockpiled key resources and metals.
He would die in 1004, survived by three children, including his heir Karl IV. Karl would ally the nation with the Commonwealth, formign a house alliance beteween the monarchies of Aedrinar and the Commonwealth so long as his family reigned. Karl would bring the nation into the 40 year war in 1022 after the Commonwealth was invaded by the Eldrian Empire and Seldrinar Supremacy. Karl's heir, Olaf, died 3 years into the war at sea trying to resupply the beleagured Commonwealth forces in Saunton, and Karl would die in 1028 at the age of 64 after placing himself on the vanguard of an attack into Eldrian Lines in Tumbria to ensure and honourable death.

Disbandment

The war would see several key members of the family die across Tumbria and the Commonwealth. From Aedrinar's entry to the war in 1022, the following members of the family would perish:

• Erika Thornstrom: (1022) Karl IV's sister would die early into the campaign in a naval skirmish off of Klipperland. She was 57 at the time, and likely saught an honourable death in war alongside her elderly crew.
• Einman Thornstrom: (1022) Karl IV's and Erika Thornstrom's niece. Died alongside Erika after suffering from a stomach condition for 8 months alongside his elderly father, Gier.
• Olaf Thornstrom: (1025) Heir apparent of Karl IV and a promising warrior. Olaf was a devoted warrior and battle-leader who died at the battle of Zverghelm. He was unwed, but was rumoured to have unclaimed lovechildren in Odinsthrone, Kriegerholm, Lastlight, and Madgenkurst.
• Dane Ingveldssen Thornstrom: (1025) Grandson of Olaf V, Nephew of Karl IV, and cousin to Karl V. He died trying to protect Olaf Thornstrom at Zverghelm aged 32.
• Oba Aelassen Thornstrom: (1026) The grandson of Ivar II, nephew of Karl IV, and cousin of Karl V. Oba died in a sea skirmish off the northern shore with the Seldrinar Navy leading his ship, Krakenstone. He was 41 years old.
• High King Karl IV: (1028) The High King who originally entered the war, Karl Olafssen IV Thornstrom would die in battle at the age of 65 years old to ensure and honourable passing. He deliberatly placed himself on the vanguard against the Eldrian cavalry to increase his chances of a death in battle.
• Sigrunn Karlsdottir Thornstrom: (1029) Died at an ambush near Gask. Daughter of Karl IV, sister of Karl V, aged 37.
• Lud Aelassen Thornstrom: (1029) Cousin of Karl IV, he died in 1029 at a skirmish in the Black Forest.
• Tara Thornstrom: (1030) Queen Mother of Karl V and wife of Karl IV, Tara died at the hands of Imperial Archers during a scouting party in Tumbria.

Despite the significant losses early in the war, this was not unusual as many other family's were facing such fates. As per Aedrinaran culture, this was seen as a positive thing as these warriors had earned an honourable death and entry to Valhalla. Karl IV's death in 1028 would also mark the first Aedrinaran king to die in battle against a hostile power since Ulfgir V the Wolf King in 789, 3e, some 239 years previously, during the Calamity of the Terrasic and was marked with great celebrations across Aedrinar.

The Northern Shore

The arrival of the Dragon Empire and their entry into the Commonwealth Coalition saw plans laid out for an invasion of Cape County to liberate it from the Seldrinar forces. The plan was largely orchestrated by Refid The Black Fox Wintershield, but was spearheaded by numerous houses. Karl V, already leading a successful but bogged down campaign in Tumbria, wanted members of his house to help lead the charge. Choosing his daughter, Karla, a talented warrior and potential heir, to lead his family's contigent numerous other membeers of the Thornstroms would join her in an attack on Gurnbourne.
The following members would die as part of the battle:

• Styr Ivarssen Thornstrom: (1032) Son of Ivar Karlssen Thornstrom Died in the Battle of the Northern Shore at Gurnbourne in a failed attack on Seldrinar lines alongside his mother at the age of 29.
• Rollo Ivarssen Thornstrom: (1032) Died at the Northern Shore alongisde his brother and mother aged 27. His infant son had died of complications a year previously.
• Karla Karlsdottir Thornstrom: (1032) Daughter of High King Karl V. Died in the battle of the Northern Shore near Gurnbourne leading the initial attack aged 18.
• Bjorn Thornstrom: (1032) The adopted son of Karl V's sister, Sigrunn Thornstrom and her wife, Gernja Thairgir. His cause of death is unknown, but his body was found following the victory surrounded by 18 Seldrinar Elite warriors. He was 19 years old.
• Wulf Ingveldssen Thornstrom: (1032) A cousin to King Karl V, nephew to Karl IV, and Grandson of Olaf V via Olaf's daughter Ingveld. Died in the middle of the battle to magic missiles aged 36.
• Astrid Dragontooth: The wife of King Karl V, she died trying to protect her daughter.

The northern shore saw the potential lines of succession heavily limited. One of the king's two children was dead, all three of his nephews, his wife, and a prominent cousin left only his son, Karl the Twin, as a potential heir without looking to his cousins' branches of the family. These losses devestated the king, and he began to ensure the few surviving members of his family were always close at hand.

Raven's Pass

The battle of Raven's Pass would be the doom of the Thornstrom dynasty. Only a handufl of them were left, and all served close to King Karl V. Karl also relied on his vassals, friends, and allies the Iceaxes. Hardara Iceaxe would be part of his personal honourguard, and despite no losses from 1032 onwards for the house, the fatal push towards Rassendorf would prove their downfall. In a pitched conflict in the heart of Tumbria against a worn down Eldrian Legion, the Eldrians unleashed all of their spellcaster's at once and pummelled the Aedrinaran lines with fireballs. The king, his family, honourguard, and many of his most elite troops were wiped out in an instant and the flurry of arcane fire descendened upon them. Deaths at the battle of Raven's Pass

• Ivar Karlssen Thornstrom (1035): Older brother to King Karl V, killed in the in initial fireball volley alongside his brother. Died age 48.
• Karl V: (1035): The last Thornstrom High King. He died in the fireball volley alongside Ivar and many of his honour guard. His body was protected from an Eldrian charge by his successor, honourguard, and friend, King Hardrada Iceaxe.
• Karl Karlssen The Twin Thornstrom: (1035): Son of High King Karl V. Died around the same time as his father, but some witnesses claim he survived the initial assault and fell shortly after. Aged 21.
• Ingveld Olafsdottir Thornstrom: Sister of Karl IV and Aunt to Karl V. Died shortly after the fireball explosions, is beleived to have been crushed by a horse. She was 65 years old.
• Nura Wulfsdottir Thornstrom: The daughter of Wulf Thornstrom and second cousin of Karl V. Was granted permission by house leader Karl V to take the family name in 1032 after the deaths of multiple family members and potential successors at the Battle of the Northern Shore. She fell quickly in the initial barage, it is beleived her grandmother Ingveld saw her dead body shortly before her own death. She was 23 years old.
• Fjera Ingveldsdottir Thornstrom: The grandaughter of Olaf V, Niece of Karl IV, and cousin to Karl V. Fjera's exact cause of death is unknown, her body was heavily burnt but also had sword, spear, mace, and arrow wounds. She was 36 years old.
• Gier Thornstrom: The grandson of Ivar II, nephew of Olaf V, and cousin of Karl IV, Gier was a senior captain in the Thornstrom forces and tried to lead a counter attack after the Fireball volley. He died fighting alongside Hardarada Iceaxe aged 52.

Hardrada would defend the body of the king and his son, Karl the Twin until the arrival of reinforcements. The king's loss in battle was celebrated, but many also mourned as the noble house of the realm was fully extinguished in a single conflict by enemies. This did drive the Aedrinarans to further victories with a revigorated attitude, seeking to avenge the death of the Thornstroms.

Survivors and Descendants

Raven's Pass saw all direct named descendents of the house. More distant relations long removed from the house's line of succession and honour can be found throughout the realm. A few who married into the Thornstroms survived the war. The last living descnedents of the Thornstrom kings are a family in Pennygyntaff that are part of the O'Lairaigh clan. In theory, a member of this family could claim the heirship of the Thornstrom if they so desired, but this is unlikely nor would they garner any support.

• Ria Thornstrom: Wife of Erika Karlsdottir, daughter of Karl IV and sister of Karl V. Survived to the end of the war, dying in one of the final battled at Ravensdawn Clearing to ensure her honourable death aged 76.
• Jura: The wife of Rollo Ivarssen Thornstrom. She would remarry to Helvig Bjornssen, a merchant sailor and warrior of House Iceaxe after Rollo's death. She survived the war and is beleived to be living in Odinsthrone. 
• A branch of the O'Laraigh clan from western Gwenydd, headed by Ryan O'Lairaigh, married Tara Ludsdottir, an Aedrinaran warrior and the daughter of Lud Thornstrom. Ryan and his children with Tara still survive as minor political figures in Pennygyntaff. They are the great-granchildren of Ivar II.
• Olfyria Bartasdottir: The wife of Oba Thornstrom, a grandchild of Ivar II still lives as a cleric of Freya in the Fogbowl within Odinsthrone.
• Erik Thornstrom: The husband of Gier Thornstrom survived the battle of Raven's Pass but was severely wounded. He joined Ysgard's Warriors after reciving replacement limbs in Menklestead and died to a young white dragon in the northern isles in 1047, aged 64.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Circa 2030, 2a - 1035, 3e

Location

Odinsthrone

Notable Members

• High King Karl V

Related Species

• Human