Game Information: Arnar & Lilja’s Family Tree

Tinna’s my aunt. No.
Tinna’s my niece. Nope.
God damnit! Icelandic’s easier. She’s just my cousin! Yup, she is.
– Eyþór & Volly

Family is a complicated thing, especially for our little band of adventurers. Unlike in many English speaking countries, there is no “family name” in which we can refer to the family since surnames are usually a patronym (see Icelandic Names article here). To clear up who is related to who and how, we put together a family tree!

When we started out, Volly only gave the players one instruction: be related to Grandma Lilja, and a cousin named Helgi. You can be married in, you can be siblings, you can be whatever you want, just be connected in a family sense. Volly really wanted to pre build that connection into the characters DNA (word play unintended) into the story as its not one that they have really had experience playing from the get go before.

From there cousins and children began to spread into the mess of the family tree that you see before you.

In Icelandic, there aren’t specific words for Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Nieces – they’re all cousins.
Frændi for male relatives and frænka for female relatives.

Arnar and Lilja’s Family Explained

Lilja (70) was formally a book keeper, and Arnar (73) was a successful fisherman. They now live in Reykjavík

Huginn (52), their eldest son, follwed his mother into book keeping, marrying his childhood sweetheart Margrét Péturs (53) who became a bank clerk. Together they have two children; Una (27) a librarian with a keen interest in both Icelandic and English literature as well as guns, and Jón “Nonni” (26) a final year medical student and played by our very own Dagur Jóhannes.

Sóley (48), the eldest daughter, was a housewife, until she left her good for nothing husband, taking the 4 under 10 year olds with her and putting herself through school to become a plumber in Grindavík to provide for them. She has four children; Ragnar (30) who is unemployed and looking for work in Reykjavík, Hlynur (28) who followed his grandfather into fishing and serves aboard the Sjávarblóm, Sindri (26) who now co-owns the plumbing business with his mother, and the youngest Tinna (21) who is a student of journalism, online whistle blower and gaming enthusiast. Tinna is quite close to her cousin Ólafur.

Vignir (39), is a fisherman like his Dad and captains the fishing vessel Sjávarblóm. He is married to Fríða Ólafs (39) who is a part time teacher. Originally living in Grindavík, they moved temporarily to Þorlákshöfn (and still live there now) when the eruptions started taking place. They live with their only son Ólafur “Óli” (22) a video editor, streamer and former survivalist prepper. Óli is played by Eyþór Viðars, who also so happens to be the video editor for VARÚÐ RPG!

Anna (35) is a research nurse, assisting a doctor of virology based in Selfoss. Anna is thrilled there is a cousin who is also stepping into the medical field. Anna is also a twin. Her twin was Magnús “Maggi” (35) and they were extremely close. Unfortunately Maggi passed away unexpectedly, leaving anna devestated. Anna had also become close with Magnús’ boyfriend, Bryce Smith (36), with Bryce becoming like another brother to her – especially after Maggi’s passing. Bryce is an American who immigrated to Iceland to start a bakery with Magnús. Bryce is played by Neil Martin, who is also VARÚÐ RPGs audio engineer and in house musician!

Finally, there is Helgi (28), youngest of the siblings. Helgi is a priest – although not pushy, and was waiting on his first ministry to serve when 17th June happens. Although he is the baby of the family, Helgi is also one that many of his siblings goes to when they are on hard times as his emotional intelligence is quite high.

Now comes the awkward part – depending on how many of a type of relative you’re talking about, and HOW you’re talking about them will bend the word. So there isn’t 1 way to say brother as it will change according to the context of the sentence. You can check out the pronounciations of the root words on our Icelandic at Our Table page

Is it true that there are Anti Incest apps for Icelanders?

Technically yes, but it was a for a joke and isn’t used. And unfortunately perpetuates the myth that you have to check before you date.

Truthfully, no, an Anti Incest App isn’t a thing. There is Íslendingabók that is logged into via a persons national security number and you can look up another person to see how you are related. The population is quiet well connected, so incest isn’t that common despite being a small population.

Grandparents, Grandchildren, Parents, Children and Siblings (be it half or full blood) relations are criminalized under Icelandic Law, although first cousins and beyond are permitted as cousin unions have been a traditional part of Icelandic heritage due to isolated and small populations.

Ironically though, both our non Icelanders only heard about the Anti Incest app myth from the Icelanders.