Jotungard is a Traction Castle that appears in Scrivener's Moon. It is the command vehicle of Rufus Raven, the Movement's Marshal in the North.
The fortress is more heavily armed and armoured than the Traction Castle that brought Quercus to London. It is painted red, and has clawed wheels. The Stalkers assigned to guard it are painted red as well, and carry large swords in addition to their finger-glaives.
The interior of the fortress is described as gloomy, lit with oil lamps. There is a heart chamber in the centre with wooden walls, a large hearth, and numerous tapestries on display; this room serves as Raven's personal quarters as well as a meeting area for his guests.
History[]
Conflicts in the North[]
Jotungard's history before the Movement's conquest of London is unknown. It was commanded by Rufus Raven, a respected Movement war-leader. As his comrade Land-admiral Quercus worked to turn London into a Traction City, Raven was dispatched to protect the Movement's holdings in the Fuel Country. There he fought many battles against other Nomad Empires who sought to halt London's construction. Some of the most notable battles took place around Hill 60, where Raven positioned the bulk of his forces. Jotungard played a crucial role in the hill's defence.
Switching Sides[]
While operating in the Fuel Country, Raven became acquainted with Archangelsk prophetess Cluny Morvish, who told him of her terrifying visions of Traction London. On the strength of her belief, Raven was persuaded to turn against Quercus and join forces with the Northern Alliance. Jotungard and the Great Carn's fortress rolled towards London side by side, with lookouts positioned on both castles to make sure neither pulled ahead of the other.
Destruction[]
Jotungard was sabotaged and destroyed on its journey south. Jasper Borglum, a travelling Misshape and leader of the Carnival of Knives, orchestrated this sabotage in revenge for the death of Wavey Godshawk. The sabotage involved having the Carnival act as entertainers for the Nomad forces, then slipping a Paper Boy aboard the fortress, with each finger covered in a highly flammable mix of chemicals. This Paper Boy infiltrated Jotungard's main magazine, before igniting these chemicals as the gun-crews loaded the fort's weapons.
The ensuing explosion killed Raven and many of his staff, and damaged several other fortresses that were travelling nearby. This lead to the re-arrangement of the original battle-line, and also had the effect of causing several of Raven's surviving captains to desert the Northern Alliance. Traction Era historians debate whether or not the castle's destruction marked the beginning of the Northern War.