Date: August 25 2018 7:48 PM Title: Chapter 42
"Léon still smiled, knowing that Thorsten was not like to live and see the resurrection of Thorwal. Wood and stone they would find aplenty, but there was no way to repopulate so large a land within a singe lifetime."
Actually, there kinda is a way... who says that the repopulating of Thorwal has to be with the Thorwalsh? They are a race of people that have been nearly genocided into extinction by Janna and Laura, but the world is full of many other races in lands that the giants have not touched or barely touched. I think this could be an expedient solution to Thorsten's dilemma.
The destruction of Thorwal was so thorough that there probably isn't much reason for the giants to return there anytime soon. For that same reason it would be a logical place for the refugees caused by their destruction in other lands to find their way there. It is also unclaimed land for the taking.
If the Thorwal aren't even there to defend it, then the refugees could just come and claim it anyway. But if someone like Thorsten incentives immigration, it could be a way to much more rapidly rebuild the kingdom into a force to reckon with.
I completely get though that the other races aren't as tall or burly as the Thorwal and wouldn't be as effective warriors, but anything is better than nothing. Culturally and linguistically, it would also be a challenge to assimilate a massive influx of foreigners. But this is a problem the Thorwal now face themselves, because Laura destroyed their God, so they are now divided on what to believe in, or if they even believe in anything at all. This would be fertile ground for foreign ideas to take root, and the synthesis of a new collective identity for Thorwal.
As you've written, the Thorwalsh are excellent seafarers, shipbuilders, raiders, etc. But they lack in other ways, like armor and artillery. An influx of immigrants would not only rapidly repopulate their lands within Thorsten's lifetime, but also bring in the knowledge to build better weapons and armor, and make them more formidable against the giants.
Its an idea, anyway. Not one that most people would easily embrace, but the Thorwalsh are desperate at this point.
Author's Response:
Ooooh! Thanks so much for this comment. I don't want to spoil anything, but Thorsten has basically laid it out already.
The Thorwalsh are seafarers, mostly pirates, smugglers, mercenaries and traders. Therefore there is a large expat population of ethnic Thorwalsh all over the continent at any given time. If they hear the call, who knows, maybe they will come back. This might be even likelier since there is now arable land to distribute. Right now, there are a few thousand Thorwalsh in Nostria alone, wrecking havoc in a sort of guerilla war.
On top of that, there are still some THorwalsh communities left to start over with. There is a bunch of rocky islands off the coast as well that have been settled. Nevertheless, the remaining Thorwalsh are in trouble. Why? For one, Nostria is a bunch of greedy pricks and even though they are being harrowed right now (next chapter will expand on this), they are already planning, or in the process of, crossing the river at Salza and claiming the Thorwalsh lands for their own. That's the southern threat.
Then there are barbarians in the mountains, in the far north and in clefts along the coast where they live relatively secluded and are hard to find. The Hjaldingers, Gjalskerlanders and Fjarningers were all smashed by the Thorwalsh ages ago and have been resentfully living in their shadow. Especially the Fjarningers (the wildest people who live mostly in the mountains) pose a threat. But Thorsten already has a Fjarninger chieftain on his side (Arombolosh), and he aims not to divide and conquer but to unite and rule.
Nevertheless, that is going to take a lot of time.
For the refugee question, Thorwalsh are relatively open minded when it suits them. That being said, they certainly do not want to see themselves become a minority in their own land. And Thorwal is really unsuitable for refugees, too. It's winters are hard and while Thorsten restablishes his Jarldom there is practically no rule of law there, meaning the strong take from the weak as they will - not to mention the likelihood of getting in between the frontlines when there is fighting, which there certainly will be.
But the technology point is well taken, and Thorsten is already edging towards change. He's seen Horasian artillery in action and has learned upon his own body that having armour is certainly a useful thing, afraid of death or not. I think maybe Thorwal could go the way of Denmark. Not sure yet. Whatever they do will take long and Janna and Laura move very quickly so I'll be occupied for quite a while before I pick up the Thorwalsh again.
Thanks again for this engaging comment. Stay tuned for the next chapter. It's almost done but it will go up on Patreon first, maybe a week later here.