JORVAST

Continent:  Aaldnarech
Capital:   Nev, in the far east of Aaldnarech
Location:  Eastern Aaldnarech

“Freedom and Strength. One cannot exist without the other.”

So spoke Bjorn Nor’tan, eldest brother of an ancient bloodline. Once loyal to the Thertian Empire, the Nor’tani recently turned their back on its throne, disgusted at the emperor’s resistance to the old ways. Always fierce protectors of individual freedoms, the Nor'tani have fully embraced the ancient clans’ way of life and returned to their ancestral lands of Jorvast. They reclaimed and rebuilt Nev, city of their forefathers, and it is now the seat of King Bjorn’s power and the center of their culture. Making up the kingdom are dozens of holds ruled by jarls, each loyal to Jorvast and Bjorn but little else.

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Stories

• Odrin and Maric

The People

With the Nor’tan homelands being in some of the most unforgiving terrain of Aaldnarech, they are some of the hardiest people in the land. The clan being the smallest of the three forced them to choose their battles carefully and they developed superior tactics to other clans. Nor’tan’s small numbers did not prevent them from fighting for dominance and rising to being one of the strongest clans in the north. In fact, with their extreme discipline, they would often stand unscathed as enemy armies left the battle bewildered, believing their formations impenetrable.

The Nor’tan people are the largest and bulkiest of the Aalds. Their size grants them a resilience that they have become well known for. Hair colors are limited to very light browns, blond, and strawberry blond. All true sons and daughters of the Nor’tan have blue eyes, though the shade varies. Their hair is long, occasionally braided, and loosely kept. Some Nor'tan men grow thick and long beards which they prize, and care for regularly. Children, following military training, often shave their heads, a tradition common in Aaldnarech. Nor’tan clothing makes use of flax-linens, leather and furs heavily. They prize practicality more than decorations, and are far more likely to wear beautiful furs or fur-lined garments than anything with decoration, beading, or trim on it. Women do occasionally break the mold and wear mildly decorated dresses, though they often keep their furs close at hand.

Culture

While the Nor’tani are warriors like all Aalds, they have never been known for their martial prowess, but rather their durability, resilience, and discipline. A Sevator warlord once said that archers are useless against the Nor'tan, because they will have slain every man with a bow before the arrows piercing their hearts bring them down. Others believe it is more accurate to say it is Nor’tani defensive tactics and patience coupled with superior armor and shields that makes them as formidable as they are. There are legends of Nor’tani warriors plowing through battlefields missing limbs or impaled with spears and still dispatching opponents as if they were never wounded at all.

The land itself is untamed and considered some of the most inhospitable in Aaldnarech, yet the hardy Nor’tani brave the dangers in search of wealth and the resources the clan so desperately needs. Boasting dense forests, ore-rich hills, and a variety of game to hunt, the land's natural resources – combined with the difficulty of acquiring them, and the constant power struggle between jarls – presents grand opportunities for those who possess the strength and skill to take advantage of it. The opportunity has presented itself. You need only reach out and take it.

Religion

Nor’tani devotion to their gods faltered under the yoke of the Thertian Empire. While the empire never mandated or outlawed any particular religion, its culture eroded the dedication of the faithful. With the return to the ways of the clans however, religion is quickly becoming an important part of their culture again. Shrines to the most common Aaldnarech gods, such as Kral, Qrod, and Nepheri, have begun springing up throughout Nev. The citizens do not intentionally favor one god over another, believing each of the pantheon plays an important role in the world – though it is clear that some gods are held more dear within the collective heart of the Nor’tani. Meanwhile, magic and those who practice it are outlawed, believed to have played a role in the apocalypse and the silencing of the gods – a belief the religions are eager to support.

Government

Jorvast is a feudal monarchy, ruled by a hereditary king, supported by local warlords (the jarls). The king rules from Nev while the warlords hold outlying territories. Each jarl constantly strives to gain more land, wealth, and power through any means necessary – often in the form of raids and what the clan calls skirmish wars. They take what they are strong enough to seize, and protect their own property viciously. While the jarls eagerly compete with one another, they will, at a moment’s notice, unite to face foreign threats or to answer the call of their king and stand as brothers and sisters on the battlefield. The highly competitive nature of the clan does not end with its warriors, as craftsmen and traders are just as driven. This has led to Jorvast having some of the finest crafters in the north, making up for their lack of quantity with high quality.