Knut's Landing
An ancient former capital, Knut's Landing is a village sized settlement in the Western Hold of Aedrinar and the only port in its hold. Founded by the legendary King Knut during his disputed reign at the end of the Sixth Kingdom of Aedrinar, thet own is a stoneworking and cargo focused town of a small population who mainly work in the maritime industry.
Long past its glory days as a hold capital, Knut's Landing is known as minor port along the Jotun and Jameleskan Trade routes and as a safe harbour for ships travelling throughout Aedrinar. The town also lies as the junction for the major highways of the Lokistrom, leading to Odinsthrone to the west, and the Pilgrim's Road, leading to Westwatch to the north.
Government
As a small town, Knut's Landing oversees most of the smaller homesteads and settlements within 15 miles. The ruling government is also small by town standards, the town relying on the government in Westwatch to oversee most of their governing.
| Position | Holder | Notes |
| Leader | Thane Liv Thorsblade | |
| Steward/Huscarl Commander/Marshall | Gudmund Gunvaldssen | The stalwart ally of Liv and son of the last thane, a member of the House of Gunvuld. |
| Master of the Hoard | Olga Flogisdottir | A former merchant leader of the town and current head of taxes. |
Assets
| Name | Type | Description |
| Askebarrow | Guilds and Civic | An old Jarl's hall built around the former site of Knut's castle. Was partially destroyed by the White Will. |
| The King's Ship Inn | Inns and Taverns | A large, continental styled inn and tavern near the docks. Damaged by the White Will. |
| The Boating Boardhouse | Inns and Taverns | A cheap boarding house for sailors and part-time cat sanctuary. |
| Shortspear Meadhall | Inns and Taverns | A simple meadhall popular with locals |
| King's Markets | Shopping | The major markets of the town, The King's Markets house a faded idol of King Knut at its centre |
| Cargo Markets | Shopping | A raw goods market by the docks, this set of warehouses and vendors buy and sell raw materials. |
| Docks | Guilds and Civic | The main docks of the town, located to the south and house merchant and personal vessels. |
| Glory of Knut Blacksmith | Shopping | The only major blacksmith in the town. The minor family of 'Nightaxe' run the shop. |
| Temple of the Seven | Religion | The major temple of the settlement, dedicated to the gods Njord, Hermod, Sif, Thor, Thrym, Tyr, and Uller. |
| Shrine of the Many Gods | Religion | The former home of Shan Flamesbane, this Draconic styled house is now a shrine to the Divinitist faith, Draconism, the Seldarine, Yondalla, and Garl Glittergold. |
| War Docks | Guilds and Civic | A military docks that houses the noble ships of the Western Hold. |
History
The hilllands of the Knutvjar Peninsula once housed temple cities of the Forgotten Gods before their eventual destruction, with some ancient sagas and legends talking of a small port facility where Knut’s Landing now stands.
The area remained largely uninhabited, with only temporary dwellings existing throughout the Mythic and first ages until Stronghelm was built as a small castle settlement and port for the Strong-Axe clan to launch attacks on Jotun. Stronghelm was to the north of Knut’s Landing and famed for its warriors and sailors.
The town was decimated by the Blue Dragon Fafnir and eventually submitted to his rule. The Strong-Axes honoured their oath to Fafnir, and fought alongside the dragon in its fight with Queen Astrid I, with their town eventually being destroyed by the Golden Wyrm as retribution, its ruins still buried beneath sand and dirt.
The peninsula was left as a migrating ground for the Seal Clan during the age of 1000 clans, but was eventually claimed by the Krakenjarls who built a large keep in the Thoringian hills and battled with the Seal clan for control of the peninsula. Both would eventually submit to Ragnar I, with the Krakenjarls maintaining control of the Western Hold.
The region rebelled in the early second age as Rollo II’s kingdom fell apart, with the Krakenjarls maintaining their power and control of the region for most of the age of Iron and Blood until the battle of the peninsula destroyed the Krakenjarl clan and routed the Seal Clan as the Coldstar’s became the Jarls of the West, ruling from Dawnfall from nearby Mount Thumheim.
A small fortress was built by the coldstars near modern Knuts Landing called Southwatch-by-the-Sea, although it paled in comparison to its sister fortress of Westwatch. Southwatch-by-the-sea would be sacked and occupied by House Winter-Shield, and faded into obscurity during the Age of Long Winter before being fully abandoned during the fifth kingdom, when the Southwatchers fled to the continent to invade contemporary cape county.
The castle fell into ruin and is supposedly haunted and remains as a notable landmark near the modern town. The site and peninsula lied mostly empty, bar a few temporary fortifications and settlements built throughout the fifth and sixth kingdoms.
In the 2260s, High King Ebbe executed the Jarl of Einmanfjell for questioning the troubled king’s honour. His son, Knut, the jarl of Einmanfjell, rallied his troops and declared a blood-feud with Ebbe’s clan. As various rebellions against Ebbe took place around Aedrinar, Knut saw his chance and landed on the peninsula, building a new castle and as Knut conquered the western and southern holds, sacking Kriegerholm, a town sprung up around the castle known and became known as Knut’s Landing.
The town was technically the capital as Knut claimed to be high king after slaughtering High King Ebbe, but most the other jarls including the Jarls of Sudurejya and the North refused to acknowledge him as high king, so the Kingdom of the West and South was founded, and Odinsthrone was constructed around the long-collapsed town of Riverholm.
Knuts landing remained as a key settlement long after the death of Knut, as his daughter, Aske, became Jarl of the west upon his death. This age of Knuttian reign lasted until the line of Aske died out and the town entered a steep decline during the Greater Interregnum. The town’s key status as a port waned during the seventh kingdom, and the title of Jarl of the Western Hold was taken by the rulers of Westwatch.
A new industry as a market town grew into prominence even as the town shrunk, but it remains an important pilgrimage for those seeking to pay homage to Knut’s conquest or read from the sagas of Aske.
Tourism
Many warriors from around Aedrinar come to the island to visit the shrine of King Knut or dock on their way to journey Mount Valhalla. Tacky souvineers and symbols of Knut, usually wooden necklaces with an icon of the former monarch's face, are frequently sold through the king's and cargo markets. The main idol in the centre of the settlement has stood for 1300 years and is worn down from the region's harsh storms and the tradition to rub the idol for blessings in battle.
The festival of King Knut takes place on the first weekend of Duskfall and draws in visitors from around Aedrinar. The festival celebreates the Knut's landing on Aedrinar island with an effigy of Knut being marched across the town and being burned with an effigy of King Ebbe. The lead up the main effigy presentation involves funfair games, reenacted battles.
Appearances: 7
- Session 83: The Clockwork God (Alternate Reality)
- Session 85: The Father
- Session 86: Southwatch by the Sea
- Session 87: The Court of Stars
- Session 88: The White Will Comes
- Session 89: Erika
- Session 106: The Wolf and the Fish
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