History of the Hall

Sigehold Hall - the Hall of Victory - was founded by Striking Ardith in the year 377 after the Thule occupation of Skarsind had been repelled. Initially formed from a group of resistance fighters who had worked together since the Fall in 373, it has since grown and expanded in size and strength.

Currently
Sigehold Hall currently resides in Hahnmark following the gift of Skarsind to the Imperial Orcs, under Thane Osric. Several of its members are known to attend Anvil, though more remain at home.

The Resistance Band
Ardith was the first of the Hall to really form anything close to leadership, drawing together what had been a desperate band of survivors into something resembling a skirmish strike-force, though frequently called a Resistance Band or a War Band.

Ardith's war-band was made up of men and women of the Mark, most of them originating from Skarsind itself. Their homes were razed and they fled from the Thule, alone or in small groups. Either sheer luck brought them to the growing war-band under Ardith's command, or they heard of the band's reputation and flocked to her banner.

Lacking in numbers and with only what armour and weapons they could find, they mostly operated a hit-and-run tactic against prisoner camps, freeing as many of the enslaved Wintermarkers as they could. The group originally consisted of Ardith, the three brothers Wulfric, Osric, and Jussi, as well as sisters Elva and Elsa. Their third sister, Ingrid, was among the captured, and after tracking the Thule that took her for several months, they were able to strike at her camp and set her free.

Others rescued include Eeva Sieging and her sister Helka as well as Ardith's own sister Lumi. Together they battled the Thule in Skarsind, both alone in striking enemy supply lines and in supporting the formal military. They were a mismatched band of raiders and picked their battles carefully, but they played their part in harrying the Thule in the reclamation of Skarsind. Since then they were driven in rebuilding the gutted spit of land, with its ruined masonry and wrecked remains of civilisation, and make it home.

Forming the Hall
Sigehold formed from the remnants of many groups as different halls came together under the leadership of Ardith and Jussi to take back Skarsind from the Thule. Sigehold as a name came about even before they actually found the place and started building. On the day of victory, the day that Skarsind fell formally back under imperial control, Ardith named their future home. Roaming some little ways into the peaks they settled land found for them by Henrik, they built their thane's Hala in the ruins of a hall destroyed to a man by the Thule.

A war-band before they reclaimed the territory in Skarsind, the people of Sigehold fought in the resistance against the Thule. They raided supply lines, freed slaves and prisoners, and were amongst the many groups supporting the Empress' campaigns in small matters. A small group of raiders rather than an organised military, their deeds were minor, but their fighting spirit persistent

Attending Anvil
Sigehold Hall first attended Anvil in 378 and have been regular attendees ever since. Sigehold made it's mark upon the wider nation of Wintermark when the first thane, Ardith created the Warden of the Mark position in 378, after she demonstrated the usefulness of that position it has been held by a variety of people since. Aware they are still a new Hall, the people of Sigehold seek to ensure their home's prosperity and security. They desire to prove their worth to Wintermark to gain support if needed, and above all ensure the Thule are to never again be a threat to Skarsind.

Since starting to attend Anvil members of Sigehold have held a variety of positions in Wintermark and within the wider Empire.

Striking Ardith was Warden of the Mark from 378 to 379.

Ulfa was Wintermark Coven-Keeper from 381 to 382.

Derowen was made Wintermark Runesmith in 382.

Veikko has been Cardinal of Loyalty since 380.

Iron Osric has been General of the Green Shield Army from 380.

Ingrid Sigeing was Conscience of the Senate in 381.

Seaver was made Gatekeeper of Wisdom in 382.

Gifting Skarsind
The Wintermark decision to gift the territory of Skarsind caused many rows within Sigehold, as it did across the whole of the mark. As Sigehold Hall had been founded by people who had fought to free their home from the Thule, giving it away again scant years after it was won was not done lightly.

Of particular note was the argument between Theo Kelvinsson and Roana in which most of Sigehold found themselves on one side or the other screaming at one end of the Square in Anvil.

Eventually the Hall, under Ardith came down upon the side of gifting Skarsind to the Imperial Orcs, this was not done without some bitterness and likely contributed to Relnor meeting his death fighting alongside Dogri Thulesbane. Those who found the gifting of Skarsind difficult hall were generally mollified by Sigehold lands being specifically gifted to the Skywise Orcs and Veikko sought to ensure peace by collecting together what became known as The Book of Sigehold as a gift to the Skywise.

The Move to Hahnmark
Garrius was instrumental in deciding where in Hahnmark to move and the location of Sigehold Hall is not far from the Kelvinsson farm. Sigehold find's itself very close to the border with Kallavessa only a little way from Kalpaheim. Henrik built his salmon farm on a watercourse to the south of the Kelvinsson's Farm with Osric setting the foundations for the main Hala between the two not far from an extant village (where amongst others Faolan Freothgarsson and Maarit made their homes).

Jana has found herself battling the Feni bandits in recent years due to this very location. Ironically the infamous Urizeni physic, Medea Ruth considers Sigehold to be very restful and ideal for patients whos psyches have been damaged. In 382 she walked from Urizen with 100 patients, Sigehold was her last port of call and took in the final 15 who had been unable to find rest in the hospitality offered elsewhere along their journey.