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Skandia is one of the many countries featured in Flanagan's books. It is the home of the Skandians, a fierce and warlike people. They often grow long beards, train extensively in the use of huge swords, war axes, and shields, and plunder other countries' coastlines with their wolfships. Skandians are known to wear helmets with two massive ox's horns on them and are usually fond of their helmets



Etymology[]

Historically, Scandia (or Scandza) was a name used by cartographers to refer to the Scandinavian Peninsula. Skandia appears to be based on Scandinavia, particularly Norway, the Norsemen, the Vikings. The word “jarl” means “manly” and "chieftain" in Old Norse. In Norse legend Jarl was the son of the god Ríg and the founder of the race of warriors. Skirl and skipper are synonyms and may share an etymological connection.

Geography[]

  • To the east, Skandia borders the great mountains of Alpina, which provides security and ideal terrain for defensive look-out forts. To the south the Stormwhite Sea also provides a natural boundary. To the north the Frozen Sea is largely inaccessible. To the west lies the country of Sonderland. In the books, Skandians generally distrust the people of Sonderland. They view them as cowards, pirates, thieves, and liars
  • The south of Skandia consists of hills and plains, where sheep graze, but the north consists of pine forests. The mountainous highlands include lookout forts and garrisons (Fort Ragnak). There is a lake fed by a river high up in the mountains bordering Alpina and the more distant Temujai on the Eastern Steppes (Return of the Temujai).
  • Winters are very cold in Skandia. The drug warm-weed provides an illusion of warmth but it empties the mind and is addictive.

Islands in Stormwhite Sea:

  • Some general locations of Skorghijl and Fallkork islands:
  • Shelter Bay at Skorghijl. Skorghijl Island is a rocky way-stop near the mouth of the Stormwhite Sea, only two kilometers long. It contains Shelter Bay and a few rough huts. In Icebound Land, Svengal to Evanlyn: “This isn’t Skandia,” he told them. “We’re barely halfway to Skandia. This is Skorghijl.” [2] It took Erak 12 days to sail from Skorghijl to Skandia: “ On the twelfth day of the crossing, they made a landfall with the Skandian coast—exactly where Erak had predicted they would fetch up.” [3]
  • Fallkork Island is a small rock within a day sail to Hallasholm, where Jarl Erak dumped about 150 Temujai to foil the traitor’s plans. It is not far from Vulture Narrows. [4]
Skandia is on the Stormwhite Sea

Government[]

  • Democratic: Skandians shun the very concept of nobility, as they consider all citizens equal, being quite egalitarian. However, they also kidnap people from other countries during sea raids, either for ransom or to make them work as slave labour, though this practise was abolished during Erak's reign. Furthermore, the owners of slaves have the right to set their slaves free and Katrina is living proof that most released slaves who are now part of Skandia's community are treated with the same rights as any born Skandia would have been.
  • The Oberjarl, literally “over-jarl” is the democratically elected chieftain. He presides from the great hall in the nation's capital Hallasholm and is considered the "king" of Skandia politically, but is elected instead of inheriting the position by birthright.
  • The government and economy is largely influenced by its seafaring endeavours (raiding, trading, exploring, shipbuilding, escorting merchant ships, etc.).
  • In the Skandian government, skirls (wolfship captains /skippers) hold some influence over politics. Many skirls begin as leaders of a Brotherband at age 16. Skirls are relatively free and most of the time can do whatever they want, but must share plunder (a form of taxation) and swear allegiance to the jarls and the Oberjarl, although it is regarded as something of a sport in Skandia to attempt to cheat one's way out of paying taxes.
  • Skirls/skippers can eventually grow in rank to become jarls, government leaders. There are numerous jarls. They all must pay taxes and help defend the country. Meetings are held in the town hall in each small township and in Hallasholm. The Jarls have their own ranks and senior Jarls, such as Erak, wield enormous influence over the community of Skandia, as it is they who elect a new Oberjarl, typically from among their ranks, after the previous ruler of Skandia dies. The Oberjarl is the individual who has the most number of votes from his fellows and as such, their have been elections where the position of Oberjarl is left vacant for a time due to separate contestants not being confident enough in the way of support from their followers to call for a vote.
    • 718f3672ccfa72520235bc4a1a926321

      A small outlying settlement led by a Jarl

      Furthermore, many of these high-ranking Jarls serve as the leaders of outlying villages, their position being the equivalent of that of the Baron of a fief. Jarls often command far more loyalty from their settlement's citizens that the Oberjarl does and most citizens of such villages regard an attack on their Jarl as an attack on themselves.
  • Skandians do not bow to their Oberjarl, nor do they address him with honorifics like majesty or lord, but simply by title (example: “Yes, Oberjarl, I will.”) This way of addressing extends to how the address others of titles (such as Skirls and Jarls), an example being "greetings Jarl (insert name)" and even foreigners, like Princess Cassandra, who they address as such (and who wonders, given the corrupt ways of monarchy, if Skandians don't have the right way of things.
  • The Hilfmann is the advisor and administrative assistant to the Oberjarl.
  • A Maktig, winner of the yearly mighty-one competition, has special political standing and can speak up at townhall meetings for any citizen in need (The Caldera). They maintain the power to claim such rights even after losing it.
  • Betrayal is considered one of the worst crimes for a Skandian to commit and execution will often meet any who commit such action. The honest nature of Skandians also result in the Sea Wolves finding it abhorrent for one to attempt to kill a guest and if one is charged with such a crime, they can either be executed or banished from Skandia, after which the Skandians will regard the banished figure as the walking dead, shunning them if they meet outside their borders and executing them if they meet them within.

Religion[]

Main article: Skandian Religion

The Skandians are polytheistic and follow the Vallas, (as well as several other gods such as Loki, Orlog, and Gorlog). The most solemn vow a Skandian can take is the Vallasvow.

Skandians believe that if they die in battle and do not have a weapon in their hand, their soul will wander forever, and never find peace.

History[]

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A Heron-designed wolfship on the waves

Araluen and Skandia have traditionally been age-old enemies, as Araluen was a popular target for Skandian raids prior to the Treaty of Hallasholm. While common citizens will either fight or flee, most fiefs on the coast maintain outposts of knights that will be called upon to fight raiders and defend the defenceless in such raids.

Incidentally enough, the saxe knives utilised by the Ranger Corps took inspiration from the sea axe 'saxe' that the Sea Wolves used, although the quality of the Corp's weapons were far greater.

Gallica, Teutlandt, Sonderland, Iberion and even Arrida — on the Constant Sea — are also common locations for Skandian raids.

In light of his second attempt to seize the Araluen crown, the rebel baron and Lord of Rain and Night reached out to make contact with Ragnak, offering them a share of the plunder gained if his invasions on Araluen and neighbouring Celtica if they succeeded. Accepting the bargain, Ragnak still demanded an immediate profit with he intended to use to pay his men and the call was answered by a great force of Skandians.

The Temujai from the Eastern Steppes, similar to historical Mongolian horsemen, have tried to conquer Skandia through history, but it came to a real war in book 4, Battle for Skandia. With the help of Will, Halt, Horace, and Evanlyn the Skandians stopped the Temujai attack.

After the battle, Jarl Erak was elected Oberjarl, as the previous Oberjarl Ragnak had died honorably as a berserker warrior in the battle. Oberjarl Erak agreed to a treaty between Araluen and Skandia, known as the Treaty of Hallasholm, outlawing massed raids and invasions against Araluen by wolfships and discouraging individual raids. In addition, a force of 300 Araluan archers was to be stationed in Skandia year round in case of attacks.

Another Temujai invasion was foiled some years later in the Brotherband series, Return of the Temujai.

List of settlements[]

- Hallasholm: The capital city of Skandia. Here lives the Oberjarl of Skandia.

- Ostkrag: A minor city in the southeast of Hallasholm. It lies at the Teuton of the Alpinan Mountainrange.

Trivia[]

  • Skandians are most likely based on Vikings.

References[]

  1. The Outcasts, chapter 2
  2. Icebound Land, ch 3
  3. Icebound Land, ch. 17
  4. Battle for Skandia, ch 29
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