These three nations, living in chilly northern coastal lands, are all similar to Viking cultures. The Soderfjord Jarldoms is a poor nation full of contentious jarls (earls), and constantly plagued by humanoid invaders. Vestland is a mainland country with a history of military achievement. Ostland is an island nation with a great tradition of seamanship and piracy.

Soderfjord doesn’t have one ruler: each jarl has his own very small independent nation.

King Harald Gudmundson, a modern and fair ruler, is advised by a council of representatives of Vestland’s nobles, craft guildmasters, merchant’s clerics, and others.

King Hord Dark-Eye, a middle-aged and traditional king (whose interest in rule has waned in the ten years since his first wife and unborn son died in childbirth), and Queen Yrsa, Hord’s ambitious second wife; much political power also lies in the hands of clerics of the immortal Odin.

The men and women of Soderfjord, Vestland, and Ostland are a tall, fair, rugged breed. Shaped by their environment and their histories of warfare and noble adventure, they’re a very aggressive lot.

Travelers in these lands could run afoul of Ostland pirates, or help the Vestland people against invasions from Trollheim and other humanoid areas, or be caught up in a small-scale warfare between the two competing jarls in Soderfjord.