The tomte

Another really neat little creature that I immediately wanted to feature is the tomte. These guys are tiny but really strong little men who live on farms and look after the buildings, land and animals while the family sleeps. I guess you could call them grumpy little house spirits!

It was important to stay on good terms with the tomte. If the farm was well managed he would bring luck and good fortune to the farm, but the animals were mistreated or if the tomte was angered all sorts of nastiness could happen. Food and gifts had to be put out (and left alone!) to keep the him in a good mood.

Maybe I should start signing my pictures...

This particular fellow isn't too fond of humans since they, well, stopped believing in him. I think his name is Gard... Haven't decided yet. He lives on his own - without a farm to look after - and isn't interested in helping the player in any way. Not even Yrsa can convince him, which is saying something about his grouchiness! The player has to prove their worth before receiving any help or guidance from Gard, possibly through a series of tasks that involve both hard work and quick wits.