The Norsemen

The Norsemen
Vikings. Northmen. Barbarians. These are the names that have been given to the Norsemen by the more civilized peoples of the main and mist continents. They are a collection of tribes and clans united under a High King. Their native home is far to the north, a frozen land of mountains, tundra, fjords, and powerful mamono.

Though called barbarians, they are a cultured people in their own right: The High King is elected when his predecessor dies. Regional and political matters are decided in tribal councils where every free-man has a say. Arts and crafts made by Norse hands are intricate, beautiful, and sturdy.

Do not let this fool you though. They are slumbering wolves, sleeping bears. The Norsemen, on average, due to their isolation and xenophobia, are tall and muscular people with a fiery spirit. They often raid the other lands with unmatched brutality and ferocity, taking slaves and loot for their families, and to support themselves in a harsh and brutal home. In open war, despite their lack of heavy cavalry and technology, their warriors are legendary, and their infamed Berserker cults even more so.

Homeland, and Settlements on the Main and Mist Continents
The homeland of the Norsemen is a land far to the north. They call it Midgard.

Midgard is a land of high, snow-capped mountains, wide tundras, deep fjords, and vast fir and birch forests. Fertile land is sparse, and many men are fishermen. What few are farmers mostly raise cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs, and grow oats, rye, and barley. The land suffers short summers and long, harsh winters. Thanks to this, the people have been forged into a hardy culture accustomed to surviving impossibly cold conditions.

The major settlements of Midgard are Slensvig, Yurnholm, and Henrickheim.

Slensvig is a coastal city of accomplished sailors and fishermen. The Norsemens' fleets are comprised of swift and maneuverable Longships, and the people of Slensvig take great pride in the legendary naval prowess with which they gift their brethren and themselves.

Yurnholm is a city further inland, and home of the legendary Berserker cults: The Ulfhednar, and the Bjorhednar. It has no walls, as the ferocious berserkers of the city claim, "Walls?! WE are Yurnholm's walls!" Walking through the streets, one would constantly hear the sound of men marching in battle drill, and the clang of hammers from the forges. The city is both a military hub, and a massive forge-works that supplies the Norsemens' entire warriorhood.

Henrickheim is the capitol of the Norse Kingdom. Situated at the foot of the tallest mountain in Midgard, it is a truly massive, walled city. Every enterprise and craft of norse culture was born there, from shipmaking, to smithing, to woodworking, to slaying. The mighty citadel of the High King of Midgard is called the Sal-af-Konungum, an impregnable stronghold carved into the mountain itself.

The Norsemen refer to the mist continent as Thokaheim, "Fog-Home". There is a single coastal town there that supports a small region of farmers, called Alfrikstadd. The rich and fertile conditions of the Mist Continent allow the Norsemen to produce a great amount of surplus crops, which are exported to Slensvig to feed Midgard's people.

The main continent is refered to as Utgard, "Demon-Realm". For many years, the Norsemen had raided a small, coastal Order Kingdom, the name of which has been forgotten. Then, deciding that the land was more fertile than their own, an invasion spearheaded by the warrior Erik Gunarsson. The invasion completely ousted the native people and destroyed any hope of peaceful relations with the Order, leading to the War of Utgard, whence the Order's troops were crushed. The result was the formation of Aerikstedd, a northern region that is the Norsemen's portal to Utgard. Wary of the mamono, the High-King forbids the sale of Demon Realm products and merchandise within the region, and its border is ringed by a tall palisade.

Religion
No solid name had ever been given to the Religion the Norse people follow. But it has been dubbed as "Paganism" by the Order. In a show of defiance and ferocity, the Norsemen willingly define themselves as Pagans, and wear that name like a badge of honor and pride.

In Norse Belief, all the world is set upon a great Ash Tree, Yggdrassil, rooted in the center of the universal void, the Ginunga-Gap. There are nine worlds upon the tree, of which three are the "-gard" worlds, the major circles. The Nine worlds are, as follows, in the order of each pair of three being upon a level higher than the next upon the tree:
 * Asgard, the realm of the Aesir, gods of the Sky, Battle, and Death
 * Vanaheim, the realm of the Vanir, gods of the Earth, Sea, and Fertility.
 * Alfheim, the realm of the Fey, Elves, and creatures of light.
 * Midgard, the realm of Humans.
 * Svartalfheim, the realm of Dark Elves, and creatures of the Night and Underworld.
 * Jotunheim, the realm of the Ice Giants.
 * Niflheim, the realm of Primordial Cold, and Helheim, the land of the Dead.
 * Muspelheim, the land of Primordial Heat, and Fire Giants.

Concerning the gods that the Norsemen worship, the mythology is the same as that of Earth's Scandinavians. The gods, and their associated patronages, are:
 * Utgard, the Realm of Demons.
 * Oden, the Allfather, God of Battle, Death, Poetry, Knowledge, Magic, and the Battle-Fury.
 * Thor, Protector of Mankind, Son of Oden, Lord of Thunder, bringer of Good Harvest, Master of War.
 * Frigg, Goddess of Wisdom, Clouds, and Patron of Mothers.
 * Freyr, Master of Alfheim, Lord of Virility, Fertility, and Prosperity.
 * Freya, Mistress of the Valkyr, Goddess of Love and Battle.
 * Ullr, the Glorious, Lord of Glory and The Hunt
 * Skadi, Goddess of Snow, Skiing, the Wind, and Archery.
 * Njord, Lord of the Calm Sea, Patron of Sailors.
 * Idun, Goddess of Spring, and Immortal Youth.
 * Hel, Goddess of the Land of the Dead, Motherly Caretaker of Forlorn Souls of the Dead.
 * Baldr, God of Peace, Innocence, Beauty, and Rebirth.
 * Dagur, God of Daytime.
 * Delling, God of Dawn.
 * Eir, Goddess of Healing.
 * Heimdallr, Guardian of Asgard.
 * Tyr, The Lanbringer, God of Courage, Honor, and Justice.
 * Nott, God of the Night.
 * Ran, Goddess of the Furious Sea and Storms.
 * Vili, God of Vengance and Blood-Feud.

Culture
The Norsemen have a lack of and a disdain for much of the technology used by their mainland neighbors. Despite this, they have weathered the storm of numerous invaders and foes, and their warriors and their stoicism is truly Legendary.

They are highly accomplished seafarers. Slensvig produces some of the finest, fastest, and most maneuverable Longships in the world. And the fishermen, warriors, traders, and travelers that man their oars and helms know the sea-routes by heart. No Norseman has ever lost himself at sea.

Many Norsemen also pride themselves on crafts. Every Norseman is a warrior at heart, and few are professional warriors who fight year-round. Indeed, many are farmers and craftsmen. This is not altogether bad, as the crafts exported from Aerikstedd are renowned for their beauty and sturdiness. Many a carving, or wrought necklace has been coveted in Order cities, simple for their beauty and intricate care. However, most of the Order itself bans the sale of Norse goods, deeming them "pagan-made".

War, that is the one domain the Norsemen have without peer mastered. The favored weapons are the Ulfbehrt sword, a double-bladed longsword of high-grade steel mined from the mountains of Midgard. The axe, as the Norsemens' axes are known almost world-wide for their distinct, "bearded" style. And the spear, the most common weapon of the Norse Warrior. Every man also usually carries a round shield of wood, ringed with metal or leather, with a metal boss in the center.

Armor-wise, the Norsemen consider plate cowardly, and will at Most wear only chain-mail and ring-mail. Helmets of leather and Steel are also popular, and most every fighting man owns one. The furious berserker cults, however, are near world-renowned for their insisting on fighting without armor, clad in nothing but shoes, trousers, tattoos, warpaint, and wolf or bear skins.