Hear this, sons and daughters of Hvalla.
We've weathered the dark before. Every warg among us carries the scars to prove it. But this time there were no claws. No black fog. It was quieter than that. Voices fell silent. Names were scraped from the stone. The hearthfire was snuffed out, and when the smoke cleared, the hall was gone.
We survived the Cataclysm. We'll survive this too.
Hvalla was never the hall. It was the oaths sworn inside it. The stories carved into its beams. The wargs who answered each other's call across frozen miles. The battles fought shoulder to shoulder with strangers who became shield-kin. The fires kept burning through long winters when the rest of the world forgot we were here. None of that was lost. None of that can be taken.
Stone by stone, we've raised a new hold from the frost. The hearthfire burns again. The banners hang heavy with familiar sigils. The horns are filled and the seats are warm. All that's missing is you, wanderer.
It's time to come home.
A New Hall Rises
This isn't a replica of the old hall. We've taken the opportunity to rebuild smarter: cleaner structure, condensed channels, clearer navigation, and stronger security from the ground up. The heart of what you remember is still here, but the bones are better. Think of it less as restoration and more as an upgrade forged from hard lessons.
What We've Improved
- Ownership structure has changed. Discord will always have a single point of failure at the owner level. We can't change that. But ownership now sits on a dedicated secure account, separate from anyone's personal account, with moderation powers spread across the team.
- Two-factor authentication is required for all staff roles, and we strongly encourage every member to enable 2FA on their own Discord account. That said, the compromise that took our old server was caused by malware that bypassed 2FA entirely. So beyond enabling 2FA, be cautious of links sent to you, even from people on your friends list. If an account is compromised, it can be used to spread the same malware to others. If a link feels off, don't click it.
- Regular backups of server structure, role configurations, and important pinned content are now part of our routine.
Fortify the Hall
We lost all of our previous server boosts when the old hall fell. If you're able to, boosting the new server would go a long way toward helping us rebuild what we had. Boosts unlock better audio quality, higher upload limits, server tags, more emoji slots, role styles, and a custom server banner. These are small things on their own, but together they're what made the old hall feel like ours. Every boost helps us get there faster.
For Returning Members: Read This First
We want to get your roles reassigned and get you settled in as fast as possible. Here's how you can help us help you:
- If you were a participating member with a verified character, set your display name to your DeviantArt username
- This is the single most helpful thing you can do. When you join, edit your server nickname to match your DeviantArt username exactly. This lets our staff team verify who you are and assign your roles without needing to chase you down in DMs. No guessing games, no "wait, who is xX_ShadowWarg_Xx again?"
- To change your display name: Right-click your name in the member list → Edit Server Profile → change your nickname.
- This is the single most helpful thing you can do. When you join, edit your server nickname to match your DeviantArt username exactly. This lets our staff team verify who you are and assign your roles without needing to chase you down in DMs. No guessing games, no "wait, who is xX_ShadowWarg_Xx again?"
- Spread the Word
- Not everyone will see this journal. If you know Hvalla members who haven't found their way back yet send them the invite link. The more of us who return, the faster this feels like home again.
- Not everyone will see this journal. If you know Hvalla members who haven't found their way back yet send them the invite link. The more of us who return, the faster this feels like home again.
- Be Patient with Us
- We're a volunteer team rebuilding from the ground up. Role assignment may take a little time, especially in the first wave. We promise we'll get to everyone.
To Our New Members
If you're discovering Hvalla for the first time through this journal, welcome. You're arriving in the middle of a rebuild, and there's no better time to pick up a blade and join the ranks of those awaiting the next opening. The foundations are fresh, the energy is fierce, and there's something powerful about being part of a community that chose to come back.
Jump in. Introduce yourself. Ask questions. We don't bite.
(Well. Some of the characters might.)
Final Words
Thank you for your patience, your loyalty, and your willingness to rebuild alongside us. Hvalla was never just a server. It was, and remains, its people.
We'll see you in the new hall.
Wulfghast, Founder