Re: OOC: A tavern outside the universe
I just realized that I never posted the winning submission for public viewing!
When asked about Krieghold’s motto, some will tell you it was created by the famous bard Björn Larsson, others will claim it was first spoken by Jarl Sig himself, while even others will have their own theories about its origin. One thing that everyone agrees on, however, is that it originated from the time Krieghold itself was born. Before Krieghold existed, the lands around the Krieg and Haverun used to be ruled by different clans, each with their own jarl. These clans had been waging war amongst each other for as long as people remembered, and it would’ve continued unchanged were it not for the arrival of a threat greater than ever before: a dragon.
It came from the east, terrorizing everything in its wake. The Haverun clans were the first to fall, as its people were preyed on and their towns were burned. As the dragon slowly traveled north along the Haverun, refugees started to pour into the other clans’ towns. Jarl Sig, whose clan occupied the region where the Haverun splits form the Krieg, called out to every other jarl in the land. The jarls met and for the first time in recorded history they were united to a common goal.
Every clan provided men and materials, each brought their specialties, and within weeks an army was formed. Warriors that were previously bashing in each other’s head, were now training side by side. Scouts continuously reported the dragon’s position and direction, and the jarls’ combined force prepared for the final battle. It was on the banks of the Krieg that the dragon and the army clashed. That fire met steel. The dragon arrived in the afternoon, and the battle lasted throughout the night. At last, in the early morning light it became clear that the people had emerged victorious. They had held the Krieg.
The combined effort had shown that the jarls and their people were not so different from each other, and that collaboration can be fruitful. Not long after their victory, the jarls joined in a union called the Krieghold. Jarl Sig was elected leader, and his town (Sigheim) became the capital. It is said that each jarl received an item made from one of the dragon’s teeth, and that even today these artifacts are passed down the original jarl’s bloodlines.
So, when asked about Krieghold’s motto, no one is sure who first said it. But everyone knows the story that preceded it. That through unified effort, we can be as mighty as a dragon.
