On the Holds and Settlements of Asgeir

Archeological evidence suggests the first Varan settlement (in the Overworld) was located at modern-day Bleakharbor.  Bleakharbor has long been noted as the only safe harbor along the northern coasts of Asgeir, so it is no wonder that the Varan settlers came ashore here.  A quick encampment was built on the location: longhouses for the men, women, and children to sleep, storage for foraged goods, and a dock for incoming ships.  In the Spring the Varan settlers raided inland, using their longships to traverse rivers, until the Autumn when they returned.  Women, children, and some men stockpiled resources throughout the warmer seasons.  During the Winter the Varan settlers had enough supplies in old Bleakharbor to last them until Spring.  Some Varan returned home to their original homeland, far to the north, with the booty stolen by the original inhabitants of Asgeir.

Eventually, the small encampment took on the name of Bleakharbor.  It became a major center for all goods coming into Asgeir via the sea.  The town attracted artisans of all kinds, who took advantage of the traffic, selling their wares to travelers.  Climate change ultimately forced the Varan to come to Bleakharbor in droves, until their original homeland was deemed inhospitable.  Rather than send raiding parties inland, they began to mobilize entire warbands.  These warbands conquered vast swaths of territory, where the Varan settled down into agrarian communities.  These communities, however, would need leadership and unity, and so the development of Holds became inevitable.

The earliest Varan settlements were located on rivers, and usually near a forest.  The river provided fresh water, irrigation for farms, transportation, and fish.  Nearby forests allowed the collection of lumber to build homes, livestock pens, and weapons (spears, shields, bows, and arrows), and provided wild game to hunt for meats, furs, and more.  As is obvious, the Varan were notable fishermen, herdsmen, farmers, lumberjacks, hunters, builders, and survivalists.  These settlements were very important and provided the basic living necessities for the Varan.

As time went on, smaller villages began to appear around the main settlements.  These villages resulted from Varan who traveled to mountain ranges in order to mine; they'd mine during the warmer seasons and return to the main settlement to sell their ore before resting there the Winter.  Smithing became an honorable and popular trade, allowing better weapons, armor, and farming tools.  Masonry became important with the advancement in construction.  Great inns were popular, as workers often spent their time here during the Winter.  Other villages appeared near or within forests, as better lumber could be harvested and taken to the main settlement for profit; one practice popular in Asgeir involved cutting massive trees and sending it down the main river, where it floated into the main settlement and was collected by workers there.  Most goods were taken to the main settlement via horse-drawn wagon

The small villages which dotted the region evolved into self-sustaining settlements.  Farms were built, artisans arrived, advanced homes were constructed, they obtained their own livestock, etc.  No longer did the workers have to return to the main settlement during the Winter; they could remain in their village all year round.  The main settlements remained important trading centers and central hubs for the various towns and villages surrounding it.  Miners may sell ore to local smiths, farmers may sell to local citizens, etc, but everyone knew it was best to take your best products to the main settlement, where buyers could browse the wares of the entire province in the proximity of a single market.  Taxes were collected and taken to the leaders of these main settlements, who used it to hire masons and builders to raise forts across the land in order to fend off would-be attackers.

The main settlements became the capital of a hold.  A hold became recognized as the territories surrounding these capitals; all of the villages, towns, forts, etc that relied on the capitals belonged to that hold.  Each hold developed their own laws, customs, and traditions.  The political leaders of the hold swore fealty to a king, who resided in the hold capital.  'Political leaders' denotes important individuals who oversaw development and function in the towns and villages throughout the hold; they usually owned large manors and/or forts, and handled the taxes of the people under their domain; these leaders, their families, and retinue, are known as Nostmen (Nostmen are the nobility in Varan culture).