Fjorgallahar

In the fantasy series, 'The Trinity Throne,' Fjorgallahar is an isolated island fortress located in the northern Tjor Sea. Varkrona is the continent to the west of the island, and Nordham is to the east. Ruled by no one, Fjorgallahar is a disputed island where the Trinity Throne is located within its stone caste, and is the focal point of the plot as several throne heirs race to Fjorgallahar to be crowned the new king or queen of the Nordlands.

During high tide, the island is inaccessible by land, air, or sea. Strong ocean currents, constant thunderstorms, and high waters make all passage impossible. However, once every 6 to 9 years (variable), a strange low tide occurs, called the Trillian Tide. When this happens, the weather calms, the currents stand still, and the water recedes. This opens up a pathway to the island by land, air, and sea that the Nordlandics, Vaykians, and Myr can all access. However, the Trillian Tide only lasts until the next new moon, then it all collapses again. This is often only days, meaning it is a race to get to Fjorgallahar and back. During high tide, Fjorgallahar remains unoccupied, not only because it is impossible to reach, but because staying on the island any longer than the length of a Trillian Tide is though to bring about a plague in its occupants called the sog. This rumor began due to the accounts of the only survivor to have ever made it off the island, Tjorheilda.

Creation
Fjorgallahar has a disputed creation story that varies amongst the Nordlandics, the Vaykians, and the Myr. All three factions, however, do agree that the island appeared in the sea several millennia ago, long after the rest of the world map was defined.


 * The Nordlandics believe the ice of the north receded after the last ice age and carved away a gap between Varkrona and Nordham.
 * Vaykians believe a meteor crashed into the sea from the heavens.
 * The Myr believe the island came from underwater volcanic activity.

The creation of the fortress on top of the island is also derived from these beliefs, since no faction has been capable of claiming responsibility for the stone-carved castle that occupies Fjorgallahar.

The Trinity Throne and the Throne Heirs
The Trinity Throne is the centerpiece of Fjorgallahar; most of the castle exists purely to emphasize this stone-carved throne. Whomever sits on the throne is crowned the king or queen of all the Earth, Heavens, and Seas, and while that title is seemingly only ceremonial, it has sparked centuries of rivalry between Norlandics, Vaykians, and Myr who all wish to be in control. Since the throne is only accessible very briefly and very irregularly, the changing of the king or queen happens often and often cycles between the three factions.

Getting to the throne is often seen as a competition and a race, but it can only begin once the Trillian Tide has begun. The first attempt was foolishly made during high tide, before the concept of the Trillian Tide was discovered, resulting in the death of three rulers who each wagered a race to Fjorgallahar in an attempt to become the ultimate ruler over all three worlds. The first of this 500-year-old tradition was called the First Crossing. The First Crossing was attempted by:


 * Hameth Baargold, Chief of Nordham
 * Tjor of Mjol, Bishop-King of Thaelfasia
 * Umyami, Queen of Myrden

All three perished during their attempts. Hameth Baargold's ship was swallowed by the sea. Tjor of Mjol was struck by lightning mid-flight. Umyami was thrown by currents into sharp rocks.

Following the failure of the First Crossing, throne heirs were devised in order to spare actual heirs from succumbing to a tragic death, to represent their factions as crowned kings or queens. The first throne heirs were typically indirect descendants of nobility who were not directly in line for their individual faction's thrones. The first throne heirs to compete were:


 * Bjarne Baargold (brother of Hameth)
 * Alod of Thael (uncle of Tjor)
 * Atsut (cousin of Umyami)

Alod of Thael was the first to successfully step onto Fjorgallahar and was crowned the first Trinity King. Alod intended to rule from Fjorgallahar with his new wife, Heilda, who abandoned Thaelfasia to marry him and become the empress of his new world, which she hoped would be shaped around her new interpretation of Sygrid. Alod and his family (three children) stayed on Fjorgallahar after high tide, but all succumbed to the sog, which spared only their middle daughter, Tjorhelda. Her accounts of the plague and what a horrible place Fjorgallahar was during high tide forever made it an undesirable place to live permanently. Fjorgallahar therefore remained merely a ceremonial ground where the Trinity King/Queen was promptly crowned, followed by a short gathering of the rulers of the three factions to lay out the throne heir's plans/orders until the next season, and then a mass exodus once again.

Current throne heirs
The recent Trinity King is a Nordlandic, Reginjold Reinhardt. However, due to age and poor mental health, the High Court of Madraheim named his eldest son, Rorvin, as the next throne heir to compete in the race to Fjorgallahar. Upon Rorvin's untimely death, that obligation was then passed to Reginjold's daughter, Helga. However, Helga's life is in danger due to usurpers who wish to overthrow the long reign of the Reinhardts, and her protection becomes a priority.

In Vaykia, the line of the true throne heir has been lost to history, and with the Thinning ravaging the kingdom (possibly also devouring the throne heir), there is a need to hatch a plan of unity between Vaykia and the Nordlands. Currently, a plot is unfolding by Prime Vaykian Foen Haalfax to get a fake throne heir of his choosing to marry the Nordlandic heir, Helga, and force her to begin a new line of royalty that can boost Vaykian numbers and instill the old Thaelfagen kingdom to its former theocratic glory.

In the Myrden, the throne heir is chosen by competition, which is held yearly in order to maintain a strong warrior who can compete for the throne. Plot missing.