Havroun

Havrouns are uncommon and powerful norn warrior-shamans dedicated to one Spirit of the Wild. They are special servants of the Spirit, vigilant and active defenders of the Spirit's interests both in this world and the next. Havrouns are intimately connected with the Spirit that they serve, and there is only one havroun per Spirit of the Wild. Havrouns typically prefer to work alone and may have rivalries with other havrouns, but they can rarely be convinced to work together and even seek aid from non-havrouns under exceptional circumstances.

Havrouns are the only shamans powerful enough to spirit walk, that is, to physically cross into the Mists and go to the Hall of the Spirits, where the brave live forever. This ability allows the havroun to cross over into the Mists without the need of a portal or a ritual, by leaving their bodies behind. They may also create portals that will allow them to cross over in body, as well as take allies with them. In the latter case they recite a ritualistic invocation to their patron Spirit which requires all their concentration and leaves them vulnerable to attacks. Combat abilities between havrouns vary with some havrouns being more capable than others depending on their skills and experience.

Not all the Spirits have a havroun at any given time. No norn has been blessed as havroun for Ox, Eagle, Wolverine, or many others, in generations. Havrouns maintain a close connection with their Spirit, even more so than Speakers of Hoelbrak. Because of this connection, the last havroun of Owl proclaimed her death. Nevertheless, Owl Shaman Ulgadis believes Owl will never die if she is remembered, and Owl Shaman Garon even believes Owl can be revived if people believe in her again.

When a havroun feels that they have grown old or weary, they usually begin to teach an apprentice who will take over their role as they prepare for their final crossing into the Mists.

Current havrouns

Havroun Svena — Snow Leopard Havroun Valda — Wolf (succeeded Solvi in 1325 AE) Havroun Weibe — Raven Unnamed Bear havroun — Bear (presumably succeeded Grechen some time after her death in 1325 AE) Historical havrouns Havroun Solvi — Wolf (died in 1325 AE) Havroun Grechen — Bear (died in 1325 AE)

History

Personal story

Forging a Legend

In 1325 AE, the Sons of Svanir led by Styrr Frostblade attacked Havroun Solvi, havroun of Wolf, while he was training Apprentice Valda to spirit walk. Both were captured, and Frostblade impaled Solvi with a spike of the Elder Dragon Jormag's corrupted ice, leaving Solvi stuck between Tyria and the Mists, as he was spirit walking at the time. The havroun's stuck spirit allowed the Sons of Svanir to abuse his lingering portal to stage their attacks from within the Mists, while Valda was left in a death-like sleep in the woods until she was found and brought to Shaman Gamli who was unable to treat her symptoms as she kept muttering and screaming about danger in the Mists as if in a trance. After Valda's spirit was rescued by Eir Stegalkin and the Slayer of Issormir and returned to her body with help from Havroun Svena of Snow Leopard and the other two havrouns, the trio tracked down Frostblade and Solvi to Frusenfell Creek. There, the revived Valda and her companions confronted the Sons of Svanir who came out from the Mists through Solvi's portal to help in the fight. The trio eventually defeated and killed the Sons of Svanir, including Frostblade, saving the Mists from their incursions. Unfortunately, Solvi was too gravely wounded from his injuries so he proclaimed Valda the new Wolf Havroun, and perished shortly after, which led to the closing of his portal.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Some havrouns appeared in the crowd to cheer the Slayer on against Mikkel Toivosson in the Championship Fight later that year.

Victory or Death

A few months later in the same year, the recently formed Pact marched through Orr to confront the Elder Dragon Zhaitan. One of the many soldiers aiding the Pact during this campaign was Havroun Grechen, havroun of Bear. During a very important mission to the Royal Tombs in the heart of Orr where Pact Marshal Trahearne intended to perform a ritual to cleanse Orr from Zhaitan's corruption, Grechen was left guarding the entrance to the tombs with other Pact soldiers while the Pact Commander and Trahearne went inside. Unfortunately, Gretchen and the other Pact soldiers were overrun by the Risen and were turned into Zhaitan's minions themselves, forcing the Pact Commander's surviving party to kill her and the other turned soldiers. It is unknown if Grechen had any apprentice to succeed her, or if Bear was left without a havroun.

The Icebrood Saga

Whisper in the Dark

In 1332 AE, Havroun Weibe, havroun of Raven, traveled to Jora's Keep to assist the Vigil there against the invasion of the icebrood and the Sons of Svanir who had taken over the Raven Sanctum. To counter the powerful blizzard and the Icebrood Construct which the Fraenir of Jormag had summoned with magic stolen from Raven, Weibe began a ritual to keep Jora's Keep safe from the storm while attempting to summon Raven to clear the skies. The Vigil, the Commander, and other helpful adventurers defended Raven's shrines and battled the fraenir's forces, buying the havroun enough time to gather energy and successfully finish the ritual. As the Icebrood Construct fell, the exhausted Weibe witnessed Raven appearing in the sky to clear the blizzard.

Jormag Rising

Despite the last Owl havroun's seemingly definite statement from centuries ago, Braham Eirsson ultimately discovered that Owl had actually survived her encounter with Jormag during the norn exodus. To prevent the Elder Dragon from corrupting her, she had cut herself off from the Mists and had gone into hiding in the Sanctum of the Wild, which explained why her havroun, despite their deep connection to their patron Spirit, had not sensed Owl's presence and had presumed her to have perished.

Trivia

• Havroun is used as a part of a famous norn joke told by Neiska who has won the Moot Mother Mirthfest two years in a row: "A havroun, a wendigo, and the Speaker of Snow Leopard walk into a moot. Mootmaster says, 'We don't serve your kind here.' The havroun replies, 'Oh, yeah? Well, your mother hails from Groznev Delve.'" An alternate version replaces the joke's punchline location with Haivoissen Kenning.

See also

• A Spirit of Legend
• Speaker of Hoelbrak

Associated items

• Havroun armor
• Havroun Dye