Svartvelheim

Svartvelheim is an ancient lost civilization of goblinoids that was native to the island of Jotun during the mythic age prior to the arrival of the Krowethic Empire settlers who would found the successor Frost Giant kingdom of Jotun. Believed to be around from arround 100, ma, to around 1100, ma, Svartvelheim ruins can be found dotted around the isle of Jotun, however most of their artefacts and records are long lost, with what remain being found primarily in the Museum of Goblin History in Storonthorpe, Jameleskan Museum of History in Jameleska, and the Mammoth Library in Nordenstor.
The history of this civilization is known primarily through goblin oral tradition and what few artefacts can be found. The majority of intact ruins can be discovered in the Duchy of Jameleska, which was once the seat of their power.
The empire was destroyed in the Jotun war with the arrival of the Giants who easily overcame the technologically stunted and disunited goblin cities. The civilization is most known by its infamous last monarch, Lich King Gryllfagor
The kingdom is succeeded by the numerous goblin clans who roam Jotun and claim ancestry from this once powerful civilization. The written text that still exists appears to be a goblinoid dialect isolated from those of the mainland, but is mutually understandable on a written level with modern goblin.

Extent

Svartvelheim relics and ruins can be found across the isle of Jotun, but the centre of their activity was in the river plains of the Fathos and Arthos, modern day Duchy of Jameleska. The largest and most impressive of their city’s lied in this heartland, with the other Svartvelheim settlements found across Jotun being significantly smaller and restrained to glacial mountains and the coastline. By the end of their empire, Jotun records state the kingdom only had de jure control of its heartlands and the south of Jotun.

Gryllfagor

See Also, Lich King Gryllfagor
For at least 500 years, Svatvelheim was ruled by a powerful warlord from the city of Fasingos named Gryllfagor. Gryllfagor had a massive shift on Svartvelheim culture. Prior to the lich king’s rise, evidence of regal worship and palace culture was limited, but during the high period grand palaces and idols of Gryllfagor were erected around the empire.
It is unknown how Gryllfagor unlocked the secrets of lichdom, some state he travelled to the human tribes and entreated with the Forgotten Gods to unlock this power. Goblin legend talks of the wise shadow king gifting it to Gryllfagor as praise for his work in battle with the ‘Lilggbytians’ (likely proto-yeti tribes in northern Jotun).
Gryllfagor ruled Svartvelheim until its collapse, and was known for cursing the Crown of Thorns, which served as both his phylactery and his symbol of royal power. The crown is currently in possession of Azura.
Even in death, Gryllfagor could not be defeated. He was sealed away in Fasingos where he lied dormant in the form of a demi-lich. This demilich form was destroyed by Doomed 2 Die, with Gryllfagor’s soul now in an unknown place.

Collapse

Svartvelheim’s collapse came very quickly with the arrival of giants from Krowethia. They exact reason as to why Krowethia wanted to establish a colony in the north is unknown, oral tradition says the Jotun were sent by Maglubiyet as a punishment for the people’s worship of Gryllfagor.
The collapse appeared to have happened over a one year period, as the kingdom was significantly weaker than it was during its golden age at the start of Gryllfagor’s reign. Evidence of battle can be found throughout the ruins, with the top most layers showing signs of massive destruction and out of control fires. A mural at the Archives of Storvakis show a battle of frost giants and Svartvelheim that sees undead army’s being crushed by a depiction of Ymir, the founder of Jotun.
It is clear that Svartvelheim did put up a brutal struggle, the complete eradication of goblinoid culture and forcing the survivors to scatter into the hills as disparate tribes was unlike usual Krowethic patterns of conquest. The magical mists of the dead on the western coast the Duchy of Jameleska are also laced with inert necromantic magics, likely the aftermath of powerful spellcasting that ripped a whole in the weave itself.

Culture

Most of Svartvelheim culture has been lost to time, tomb raiders, and cultural vandalism by the frost giants. The Svartvelheimers had a unique art style in comparison to neighbouring cultures; depicting a range of things in a heavily stylised side-on profile in art and exaggerated portions in their statues. From oral records in the Goblin tribes of Jotun, Svartvelheim seemed to have a cultural appreciating for magic, and some have theorised they may have been a magocracy. There was a definite class system as determined by their graves.

“By the looks of what we found, there are two classes of Svartvelheimers buried here. The elites, who are mummified and interned with important objects, likely to serve them in Acheron. Those who weren’t so lucky are cremated and buried without name or possessions, given the Lich Kings name, it is likely he took their souls. As the final resting place of the last Svarvelheimers, this place gives us the best insight into the end of this culture.” – Falia’s research notes

Those were buried were mummified given the intact graves found, historians are divided on whether this was for the lich king to use them as undead soldiers or as a sign of respect for high ranking members of their society.

“The ancient tales tell of the rooms of embalming, when we still had the rituals of death. This was one of those rooms, Gryllfagor looks down on the final preparations. Now, we throw our dead in a ditch or a pyre. There is a beauty to the ancients we need to recapture.” -Hilgot

When categorising artefacts, there are three date periods used which show an evolution in craftsmanship and style. The oldest artefacts come from the Early Period which predated the rise of Gryllfagor. The High Period is a two century period at the start of Gryllfagor, with the late period encompassing the last century and any post-collapse artefacts.
Evidence of trade with earl Aedrinarian humans has also been found in Gudshard, Einmanfjell, and western Aedrinar.

Disbandment

Svartvelheim was destroyed finally in the Battle of Fasingos and saw the Lich King's body torn assunder, leaving only his head which would later become a trapepd demilich form.

Religion

Early Svartvelheim worshipped a handful of gods that are likely ancient translations of the current Goblin pantheon, chiefly Maglubiyet, the creator of the goblinoids. Small maglubiyet like idols have been found buried throughout Jotun and multiple can be found in the Museum of Goblin History in Storonthorpe. By the late period, oral tradition says the people worshipped Gryllfagor directly.

“Falia had assumed this was for ancestor worship. We kept its truth hidden. The storytellers say by the end of his reign, Gryllfigor had imposed himself as a god king, all were bound to worship him. This is the last such chapel dedicated to him.” - Hilgot

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Fasingos

Leader

Lich King Gryllfagor

Economic System

Palace economy

Controlled Territories

• Rorisgrad

Related Species

• Hobgoblin