The Valhallen Stellar Concordat

[thescreamingswede]

WORLD LOG
Location: E-12.0:S-22.0
System Name: Valhall
Number Class M: Two

World Name: Gronvald
Position in System: IV
Number of Satalites: None
Planetary Gravity: 1.1
Planetary Size
Diameter: 14,300 km
Circumference: 44,000 km
Total Surface Area: 561,000,000 sq.km
Percent Land Mass: 49.0%
Total Land Area: 274,890,000 sq.km

Planetary Conditions:
Length of Day: 33 Hours
Atmospheric Density: Terrestrial
General Climate: Cool Temperate

Mineral Content:
Normal Metals: 20%
Radioactive Isotopes: Trace
Gemstones: 5%
Industrial Crytals: Trace
Special Minerals: 3%

Dominant Life Form: Valhallen (humanoid)


Gronvald.bmp (778.92 KB)

Gronvald's main regions are a mix of mountains, rolling hills, and woodlands. The lofty peaks of the mountain regions tower over each other in a strange but beautiful ballet to reach the sky. Many of these ranges are over 29,000ft (8680m), dwarfing Terra's tallest peak, Mount Everest. At the lower altitudes, these mountains and valleys are covered in dense, lush forests of evergreen and pine. Some of these forests stretch for over many thousand square kilometers, broken only by vast lakes and rivers fed by the emmence glaciers that dominate the mountain peaks and polar regions. The oceans of Gronvald are unique as well, with only one consisting of salt water; the rest being comprised of freshwater.


LIFE AND CIVILIZATION LOG

World Name: Gronvald
Code: 9 A A 9 9 5 9 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Technological Index: Dominant Race: Valhallen
Space Science Index: 9 Life Form: Humanoid
Physical Science Index: A STR: 30 INT: 10
Engineering Index: A END: 20 CHA: 10
Planetary Science Index: 9 DEX: 0 LU: -10
PSI: -40
Life/Medical Science Index: 9

Psionics Index: 5

Socio-Political Index:
Social Sciences Index: 9
Cultural Attitude Index: 6

INDEX DEFINITIONS
Warp drive, FTL vehicles, advanced astrogation

Advanced fusion weaponry,

Bio-genetic circuitry,

Terraforming

Protoplaser surgery, nerve regeneration

Basic psionic theory,

Psychological theory/principals about alien races
Controlled Monarchy

[tinker]

Swedes in space!

While it is a controlled monarchy - what kind of economic system does it have?

[thescreamingswede]

Jan 28, 2020 5:55:07 GMT -7 tinker said:

Swedes in space!

While it is a controlled monarchy - what kind of economic system does it have?

Well, according to the RPG Game Operations Manual, it states that a Controlled Monarchy is a society in which "strong leadership of a ritualized nature is combined with a set of checks and balances to insure the well-being and cooperation of the populace." I think what they probably meant was "Constitutional Monarchy", but I digress.

The Valhallen utilize something of this structure. The Concordat is split into six ruling factions. Each faction is ruled by one of the six original family lines; Eriksson, Johannosen, Hammnersen, Ragnarsson, Gustav, and Riga. Riga is the overall ruling family line; having brought the remainder under control a millenia or so ago in ritual combat. From this noble line the head of the family is King, or Kung in Valhallen. The remaining five noble lines are ruled by a prince, or Jarl. These family lines represent the "strong leadership of a ritualized nature".

Beneath them are the elected representatives of the Valhallen society. Every five years general elections are called. Before the advent of the modern age (computers, internet, ect.) the electoral process was done via representation by population with each sub-district sending a representative to the central parliament. Later when technology allowed for near instant communication over a mass population, this system was rendered obsolete and the Valhallen instituted a direct referendum style. It's the parliament system that provided the checks and balances to the Monarchy since they too must abide by the will of the population in regards to social reform items such as health care and environmental policies. While the Kung and Jarls have the power to make any decision they need, they leave the general operations of a society this large on the government, signing off on most items merely as a formality.

Which brings me partially to the economic system of the Valhallen. Now I realize it seems contradictory to those used to a capitalist society and as such will probably draw criticism, but the Valhallen do not own anything beyond the traditional familial things that have been passed down from generation to generation. The entire society is geared towards supporting the whole, not the individual. As such, their politics are not as dirty and underhanded as we understand politics today. Since the only motivation holding office has is to help their fellow Valhallen, there is nothing to gain by winning and since nobody owns anything, voting power blocks are pointless. It's in the mindset of the population as a whole.

Granted not everybody in the river floats the same way, but since the Valhallen still practice a martial society, any disputes between individuals is taken care of in ritual combat; a circle of equals, and since everyone serves a mandatory stint in the Valhallen military, nobody really has the upper hand except for any physical differences that normally arise. Even then, these combats are not to the death. To kill someone without just cause is a waste of resources, so combats are done un-armed. Since the Valhallen citizens are not allowed to own personal weapons that are not considered ritualistic these disputes rarely end in death.

Now there are extending reasons why the Valhallen have evolved this way, much of which has to do with the resource poor area they are situated in and that constant warring over resources nearly devastated their population to the point of extinction, but since I am working on a complete Intelligence Briefing akin to the Romulan and Klingon versions I would be remiss to repeat everything here, but this is the nuts and bolts of the basic system the Valhallen work from.

Hope that answers your question for now Tinker.

[tinker]

Works for me - thanks!

[thescreamingswede]

GLOSSARY OF VALHALLEN TERMS

The Valhallen language is rooted in the ancient Norse languages of Swedish and Norwegian. Granted, 1000 years of societal evolution has introduced new words, phrases and terms, but the Valhallen language has basically remained the same, so this glossary will cover only the words and phrases that have deviated from the root languages.

Note. This list is far from inclusive. Many more words, terms and phrases may be added.

ANTI-PROTON RIFLE
The Anti-proton rifle is a common weapon used by the Valhallen people. Several versions exist, both as ship-borne weaponry and as personal side arms.

BLOOT
From the ancient Norse term Blot, the Bloot is a ritual sacrifice wherein the sacrifice, usually some form of animal, is boiled and consumed and the blood spread on items or the practitioners themselves. It is believed to strengthen and forge the participants together and bind them to their ancestral spirit realm.

EINHERJAR
Originally referring to warriors who were slain in battle, the word has become more synonymous with those who have died of natural causes. Since all Valhallen are considered warriors (as everyone serves in the military at some point) the term has come to mean "those who fought alone".

FOLKSVANG
Believed to be a derivative of the Norse word Folkvangr, Folksvang is the field in which Einherjar go. Similar to Valhalla, where warriors are taken to by the Valkyrie, it is still an honoured place.

FUSION BEAM
Another energy based weapon system, the Fusion Beam is a highly cohesive form of energy that literally fuses matter at the sub-atomic level. Highly volatile weapons, they are only used at the capital level.

GOTHI (GODAR, GYOJA, GUPI)
Originally having a religious significance, it is now primarily a term that refers to a regional leader, a governor or leader not of noble decent. It can also be used as a title, but is more of a general term and is less specific.

GRONVALD
The name the Valhallen call their home world. It is loosely translated to "Green World". 

HEL
The Valhallen do not believe in the common constructs of "Heaven and Hell" however Hel is a female deity who rules over what can be compared to as an underworld, also called Hel. There is really no evidence to support that those who have died and gone to Hel were evil or did negative things however.

HORGR
A type of alter or, more informally, a site where rituals and customs are performed. Generally Horgr are very simple constructs of stone piles. Bloot rituals are commonly performed around a Horgr.

PROKOLL OFFICER
A position on board all Valhallen vessels, the Protocol Officer’s job is to understand and interpret intents and actions of other species, especially ones technologically advanced enough for interstellar travel and give advice as to how to proceed. They are experts in the workings of their own society as well.

SIDR
Meaning custom, it is used in many ways to denote different times in Valhallen history where their society changed in some way, shape, or form. An ancient custom is referred to as “Forn Sidr” whereas a period of change or conversion is referred to as “Nyr Sidr”, or “the New Custom”.

SLAENDEFARG
Reserved for only certain situations, Slaendefarg can refer to an act of atonement or capitulation wherein the person committing it gives up all rights or possessions to another party in exchange for their life and in extension the lives of those in their social group. This can be military, familial, or societal. Since Valhallen people do not own things other than of very personal nature, Slaendefarg is a very personal act.

[brickwall]

Swede, this is fantastic! This is an exquisite expansion of the Valhallen's background. Thank you VERY much for posting this.

And please forgive my impatience -- one of my many character flaws -- but I'd love to see what Valhallen freighters look like and operate. I'm thinking they will have similar features like their warships -- that is in sharing similar replaceable parts. Only they'd have a lot more heft to them due to carrying cargo. Would that also be part of their design philosophy?

[atolm]

Brilliant work!

[thescreamingswede]

HISTORY

PRE-HISTORY AND THE TERRAN LINK

It is blatantly apparent that the Valhallen people share a direct link to ancient Terra. If the Federation were not aware of the existence of The Preservers it is quite possible that the discovery of the Valhallen would have been classified under Hodgkin’s Law of Parallel Planet Development.

Nevertheless, Valhallen development took a very distinct path from the one their ancestors who were left behind on Terra took. Remaining the most powerful exploratory force on a new world, they quickly came to tame that world and expand beyond their new solar system, something experts believe The Preservers had not anticipated.

Anatomy
DNA and micro-biological analysis proves the Valhallen are direct descendants of the Terran people found in the North Atlantic and European areas formally known as Scandinavia. Researchers from the Icelandic Cultural University were approached in order to confirm the findings.

The ICU used data from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault to confirm the DNA and micro-organism findings. (The Seed Vault was expanded in 2023 to include pure human genome and micro-bio-organism samples from around the globe in fear that growing concerns over genetic manipulation and Human genome enhancement may result in war. ED)

Environmental Influences
Since The Preservers drew stock from the beginning of the Scandinavian exploration period, there is practically no dilution of the stock genome, so the modern Valhallen people are very similar to the peoples found on Iceland in Terra’s North Atlantic region in the 1900s (there are several family lines from Iceland that still carry a pure genome in the 23rd Century. ED) it is therefore easy to extrapolate the environmental impact that Gronvald, the Valhallen home world, has had on the species.

First and foremost is the lack of radioactive trace in the blood. All Terrans carry a trace radioactive signature. This is due to the liberal use of nuclear devices during World War III, which resulted in the deaths of over six hundred million people. The subsequent fall out and residue from that war lasted until the 2080s but the remnants can still be found, especially at the sub-atomic level (these remnants are benign in nature however and have posed no real threat to humanity. ED). The Valhallen people though far more aggressive and military in nature than Terrans, managed to avoid unleashing nuclear destruction on each other.

The planet itself is fairly similar to Terra in regards to atmosphere and climate however the slightly higher gravity has resulted in a noticeable difference in musculature and skeletal development. The Valhallen are therefore slightly stronger and hardier than their ancestors and standard modern Humans. The Spartan lifestyle of Valhallen society, as well as the mandatory military service, also has had an impact on the physical differences between Humans and Valhallen despite our shared ancestry.

Enter The Preservers
The Valhallen have a very rich oral tradition that has survived intact for over a millennia. These “Edda”, or stories, have capsulated the Valhallen history in poetic rhyme. While they carry with them the stories of their ancestors, the Valhallen have added to their own history starting at the point where they began on Gronvald. The Valhallen have since kept vocal and hard copy historical records of their history. They refer to this period as the Nyr Sidr, or New Custom.

The Valhallen consider The Preservers responsible for their rebirth of a sort. While the Poetic Eddas do not name The Preservers specifically, the numerous accounts from the various colonies that were set up during this time all refer to a great exodus in some shape or form. The most notable comes from the Riga clan, who’s Edda speaks of a great battle interrupted by the Valkyrie (more on that later. ED)

While the Valhallen have ebbed away from the supernatural lore of Norse mythology, they have evolved a sense of purpose from their contact with The Preservers. It was in their nature to explore and conquer one thousand years ago and that has not diminished now. In fact, once the Valhallen had tamed Gronvald, they went on in search of their missing heritage from the Forn Sidr, or Old Custom.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON CULTURE

Gronvald was not an inhospitable world when The Preservers placed the Valhallen ancestors on it, but it was a large, untamed world in the throes of an ice age. Starting out from scratch for most of the many transplanted colonies was difficult and forced some of the neighboring tribes to either work together or fight to survive. This also forced the fledgling Valhallen to adopt a “strong survive” attitude, though it wasn’t much different than the lifestyle their Forn Sidr demanded.

MAJOR EVENTS AND DATES IN VALHALLEN HISTORY

There are many milestones in Valhallen history since their transplant on Gronvald. Their early reliance on oral tradition is less specific in terms of dates. This early record keeping was also in the form of Poetic Edda; stories told from one historian to another. While colourful, the information must be taken as is. Additionally, the Valhallen look at their early history as a rebirth and as such have based their entire timeline as Nyr Sidr in their Edda. Time predating this is referred to as Forn Sidr. These are therefore an interpretation of the Poetic Edda with dates being extrapolated from the events listed. The translation of the Edda also shows through in the wording of the timeline since the early history was oral.

-Nyr Sidr 0 (approximately 1000c, Terra): The people of Odin (Valhallen) are taken to the new world by the Valkyrie. Ten family tribes are uprooted from various colonies.

-NS 150: Erik the Bold circumnavigates the new world, meeting the ten tribes of Odin at various points around the world. It is from these voyages that the name Gronvald is first coined.

-NS 450: Trade and commerce breaks down as several of the tribes of Odin, suffering from starvation during The Year of Winter attack neighboring tribes.

-NS 451 – 460: The ten tribes of Odin are reduced to eight as three of the stronger families eliminate the two weakest. One is absorbed and one is felled to the last warrior.

-NS 600 to 800: The Great Winter starts as a mini Ice Age consumes the planet. Trade and any wars being fought come to a complete stand still. It is during this ice age that contact with the seventh tribe is lost.

-NS 801: The glaciers of the ice age begin to recede, flooding the oceans with fresh water. Only the great inland sea remains as the only body of salt water. Contact between the remaining six tribes resumes in the form of another general war over resources.

-NS 805: With all the tribes still trying to recover from the ice age, the leader of the Riga tribe, Johannas Riga, attempts to quell the fighting by declaring a ritual combat. Exhausted, the remaining tribes finally agree to send their best warrior to Riga’s challenge. In the grand melee, Riga is finally victorious and unites the six family tribes. Gronvald is formally adopted as the name for the united world.

-Nyr Sidr 0/1 (approximately 1806c Terra): A new custom resets the old calendar as Riga is crowned Kung of Gronvald. The remaining five leaders, Eriksson, Johannosen, Hammnersen, Ragnarsson, and Gustav are named Line Jarls. The six leaders agree to split and share the resources of Gronvald equally. Any disputes are to be arbitrated by the Forn Sidr of ritual combat.

-NS 1/60 (approximately 1966c, Terra): Collaboration between families Hammnersen and Eriksson results in the first manned flight into space for the Valhallen. This is followed shortly after by another flight by Riga and Gustav. From this point the Valhallen begin their trek into the stars.

-NS 1/94 (approximately 2000c, Terra):
A united effort by all six family tribes results in the first permanently manned artificial satellite in orbit around Gronvald.

-NS 2/50 (approximately 2056c, Terra):
Ragnarsson scientist Vermund Tyrfingsson discovers warp drive while experimenting with high energy plasma.

NS 2/60 (approximately 2066c, Terra):
The Valhallen launch their first interstellar flight to their nearest star, aptly named Odin. It is the culmination of a decade of experimentation and test flights by all six family tribes.

NS 3/00 (approximately 2106c, Terra):
Four decades of expansion by the fledgling Valhallen space exploration force results in numerous star systems being brought under control of the six houses. Another exodus ensues as colonies on many planets are started.

NS 3/50 (approximately 2156c, Terra):
The Valhallen, having grown their interstellar empire to a considerable size of almost fifty colonies rename their united effort The Valhallen Stellar Concordat.

NS 3/54 (approximately 2160c, Terra):
The Valhallen make first contact with the Klingon Empire. Both militaristic expansionist empires clash immediately. While no full scale war ever erupts between the two powers, continued skirmishes and raids happen in both directions.

NS 3/96 (approximately 2202c, Terra):
The Valhallen discover a Romulan vessel entering their territory. The Romulan cruiser is on an exploratory mission to find a flanking route to Klingon space. The Valhallen warn the Romulans to leave their territory, in which the Romulans comply, however the return a month later with reinforcements. The Valhallen respond in kind. The resulting battle marks the first major fleet action the fledgling Valhallen navy has undertaken. The result is a stalemate after both sides take heavy losses. The Romulans retreat from the area however they eventually set up listening posts to monitor Valhallen movements. The Valhallen do the same. Like with the Klingons, the Valhallen and Romulans engage in sporadic raids and tests of strength for several years before the Romulans retreat from the area all together.

NS 4/84 (approximately 2290c, Terra):
Radningar (Captain) Freya Eriksdottir of the Riga Class destroyer Fensrir intercepts an unknown squadron of strange vessels exiting from the Klinzhai zone but matching no known design. Instead of attacking, the unknown vessels hail the Fensrir. This marks the first formal contact between the Federation and the Valhallen Stellar Concordat. The Federation commander responsible for first contact is Captain Jarvin Surik.

[thescreamingswede]

Feb 29, 2020 15:10:17 GMT -7 brickwall said:

Swede, this is fantastic! This is an exquisite expansion of the Valhallen's background. Thank you VERY much for posting this.

And please forgive my impatience -- one of my many character flaws -- but I'd love to see what Valhallen freighters look like and operate. I'm thinking they will have similar features like their warships -- that is in sharing similar replaceable parts. Only they'd have a lot more heft to them due to carrying cargo. Would that also be part of their design philosophy?

The Valhallen have kind of deviated from their ancestral ship concepts of bulk carrier. Their warships are designed to be sleek and powerful, but not capable of much cargo capacity short of what they need to keep the crew alive and the ship functioning. Their freighters are capable of carrying tremendous amounts of cargo, and yes, they share the same modular design characteristics that simplifies logistics greatly.

They have three freighter designs, two having similar modular capabilities like the Ptolemy class tugs from the Federation. I will eventually post those ships up in the Custom ship thread with the others eventually.

[brickwall]

Swede, is there anything new on the Valhallens? Their part of the Galaxy has been quiet for a long while. I'm sure both the Klingons and Romulans are uneasy that nothing's been detected from them for many a stardate.