A setting for BFRPG

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Slaeghunder
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:07 pm

A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

I have been working on an fantasy world setting that's been percolating in my head for years.

I recently got a subscription to Inkarnate so the map made it out of my head and I have a fair approximation of this particular region of a much larger world.

I have about 17 or 18 pages of stuff so far, basically expounding on the peoples found there and their culture, and the environment. I dabbled with some mechanics stuff, but that was because I felt I needed to make a new class, and I just used one of the supplemental classes from this site and modified it. I haven't actually played any RPGs for a long time, so game mechanics are not my strong suite.

I would like to share what I have done so far and, if folks think it would be worthwhile I would like to invite other creative folks to collaborate. I am, I like to think, a good writer. I am not a great artist, though sometimes I can get the idea across in a sketch. I am passable at desk top publishing but no expert by any means, and not familiar at all with the guidelines for submitting things for BFRPG.

For me this world is a setting for short stories, drawings, and day dreams but I think others might enjoy it as an RPG setting, and if they did I think that would be cool.

I will attach a synopsis below this, and attach a picture of my map. If it seems people would like to see this, and/or are willing to help me make that a reality, we can get after it.

________________________________________________________________________

The area depicted in the map of Norskheim and the Northern Wilds is about 618,800 square miles: a fair span (for reader reference, around the size of Ukraine), though admittedly much of that total area consists of the frigid waters of the Gray Sea.

In the heavily forested, rocky hills and island riddled fjords of the southern coasts we find the seaports and farmsteads of the Norskr, a population of fierce warriors and incredible craftsmen with an unequaled passion for two things; artistic pursuits and the glories of war. The fourteen holds of Norskheim are depicted only by showing the abode of the current lord of that hold, as the boundaries between them are impermanent, often contentious, and aways fluid. The exceptions to that rule are Ornkyrn and Skyrn, the two great Island territories.

Among the Norskr there are some folk from other parts of the world, mostly men from some of the nearer nations to the south across the gray sea. A few are from far flung lands who’s tales of home seem mythical to the Norskr, who can hardly imagine oceans of windswept sand or densely crowded cities that sprawl for miles in every direction. Rarely, one of Elven or Dwarven kind passes through, and even rarer still settles down amongst the Norskr.

The Elven Kingdom to the southeast (not shown in the map) is closer to Norskeheim than many nations of men, but they are separated by a storm plagued sea and a mountain range known as the Dragon’s Tail, home to Goblin tribes and other, more brutal enemies that constantly harry their northern border. Elves are not as prone to strike out from their homes to seek their fortune as men are, but enough of the younger ones (less than 300 years old) get the wanderlust that the sight of an elf isn’t considered remarkable in the southern nations. In Norskheim, this is not the case.

The Dwarves come from much farther away, beneath the Iron Mountains on the far end of the continent. Their Kingdom is one enormous city, built by refugees driven from their original homeland so long ago that the details have been lost to history. Most care little or not at all about what happens beyond their gates, but occasionally a Dwarf will come to Norskheim with the legends of his people’s lost homeland in mind.

Further inland, the vast expanse of tundra, specked with rolling hills and frozen lakes, is home to the Sa’ati tribes. Nomadic hunter/gatherers, they wander the arctic plains with the migrating herds in ingenious mobile shelters built from hides and light wooden poles, pulled along the ice on runners behind teams of domesticated Caribou. They are well known to be superb scouts and trackers, eschewing metal weapons in favor of what they produce with their own methods. Though their way is to avoid conflict when they can, in their hands their bows of birch and pine seem incapable of missing a target and their flint-tipped arrows and spears drop moose, bear, and goblins with equal lethality.

To the farthest north lies the forested foothills of the Jotungard range and the great mountains themselves, home to goblins organized in loose tribes that spend more of their time fighting each other over territory, resources, and personal grudges than they do posing a threat to anyone else. Orcs, Hobgoblins, and Bugbears are not nearly so common above ground but when they do appear they come in force, belched from the depths of a sprawling subterranean realm they call “Naz’Shirrat”, which loosely translates from their tongue as “the under-mountain”. Here also dwell more sinister and brutal creatures, Ettin and packs of Vargr, black wolves the size of ponies that revel in spreading terror and bloodshed.

The Northern Wilds are full of beauty and danger , populated with colorful characters, amazing creatures, and terrifying monsters. The mead halls echo with the songs of the bold, and the unlucky find their way to the mound sooner than most.
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SmootRK
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by SmootRK »

Sounds excellent to me. Pseudo-Viking in both geography and your cultural descriptions. As one who also uses much Norse in my games, I am very interested in how you continue to develop the region.
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Slaeghunder
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

I am unsure how to go about posting my documents in their various states of completion. I think I'll just post by subject.
Slaeghunder
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:07 pm

Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

The Norskr

Norskheim is the land of the Norskr, who are also known as “North men” in the civilized world because as far as anyone south of Norksheim knows, there are no people farther north than them. (Even the Norskr themselves have limited dealings with the Sa’ati, as they have no desire to go farther north into the arctic). The Norskr are a fierce, hardened people accustomed to environmental hardship and constant fighting. They are grouped into many great clans, all of which have their own unique customs and traditions but are united by a common tongue: Norsk. (In fact, the word Norskr literally means “Norsk speaker/s”). Their native tongue leaves most Norskr with a strong accent, though regional dialects are different enough that anyone familiar with the language can tell what part of Norskheim a speaker is from by their accent.

Physical Characteristics of the Norskr

Generally speaking, Norskr – men and women – are among the largest of the races of men, and are often spoken of in books and stories as “towering folk with braided hair and beards the color of fire”. While it is true that they tend to be tall and broad shouldered, light skinned, and fair haired, Norskr of smaller stature and darker complexions are not particularly rare. The most common eye color is grey, but blue, green and brown are not uncommon. Beards are popular, in a wide variety of length and styles. Hairstyles run the gamut, with the more traditional clan styles being long and involving intricate braids, and more modern styles being whatever any particular individual fancies, from wild manes to shaven heads, and anything in between.

Norsk Society and Governance

Norskr society is less egalitarian than their nomadic Sa’ati neighbors to the north, and is organized in a quasi-feudal structure. Norskheim is broken up into 14 territories ruled by Chieftains, wealthy and powerful individuals whose personal residence is often the center of a large community and political and economic influence in their hold.

The Bryndmark, Erland the Red
Toten Hold, Kjote The Bent
Fyrdafylk Hold, Vikar Night-Seer
Sudrjar Hold, Hrosbjorn The Tall
Oakdalen Hold, Njall The Wise
Grondelog Hold, Halfdan Snow-Mane
The Jordmark, Erikr Fair-Hand
Skaokyrk Hold, Hakon The Black
Dyfrn Hold, Ivar Vargrs-Bane
Tondelar Hold, Hjor One-Eye
The Vingolmark, Thorulf Far-Seer
Sytlund Hold, Geirmund Steel-Fist
Isle of Ornkyr, Throfinn Skull-Splitter
Ile of Skyrn, Thorvald Storm-Singer

Any given Chieftain or territory may have friendly or hostile relations with any other. The Chieftains may convene as a group in council to discuss matters that affect them all, a rare occurrence called “The Great Thing”, a larger version of the annual “Thing” held by Chieftains in each hold to settle disputes among their own people. These positions of power are only quasi- hereditary, and a Chieftain who serves poorly may be replaced – sometimes after being killed by his dissatisfied followers. A Chieftain may groom an heir to be their successor but if they are not up to the task, they won’t be accepted by the Thanes, and someone else will seize authority in that Hold when the Chieftain dies.

Serving as the metaphorical right arm of any Chief are the Thanes, warriors given a land holding and retainers in return for their service to the Cheif. The Thanes typically manage this land and retainers, commanding a number of Huskarls (professional warriors loyal to the Thane) and free men who work for profit but pay taxes to their Thane. It is the Thanes and their Huskarls that maintain order in the holds. In addition, while not full-time soldiers like the Huskarls, every man is nonetheless a warrior out of necessity. Each is charged with maintaining suitable arms and being ready to answer the call of “The Fyrd”, a mustering of free men to battle. Women may also take up arms, and though it’s not something you see every day neither is it a rarity. These “shield maidens” often fight in tight-knit groups.

One remarkable facet of Norskr culture noted by strangers is a group of warriors unique to the Norsk; the Bjornulfr. These men (and a few women) belong to a secretive warrior cult whose members eschew any kind of armor (some do, however, use shields) for tunics and leggings of wolf and bear pelts, wearing the animal’s skull like a helmet and leaving the teeth and claws intact, often carving runes and sigils on them. The longer fur on the pelts is often plaited with scalps taken from dead enemies, and other grizzly trophies. The Bjornulfr believe this garb, along with various amulets, symbols painted on their bodies, ritual chants and dancing help them summon and control the battle madness - a trance like state of rage which is the hallmark of their kind – allowing them to perpetrate almost superhuman feats of strength and endurance. In the grip of it, they may cast aside weapons and leap on enemies to tear out their throats with their teeth. Its said that when they lose themselves completely to the battle madness no weapon will bite them, and that some actually transform into bears and wolves. This last part, at least, must surely be a myth.

What is most assuredly not a myth is the role the Bjornulfr play in Norsk society. In times of peace, they are considered a deadly nuisance, and that reputation is well deserved – but in times of war their services are in high demand..

Crime and Punishment

The system of law in Norskheim is often seen as odd by outsiders. Legalized duels, called “Holmganga” are one way disagreements may be settled. Another is to take the dispute to the local Thing, and have it arbitrated by a law speaker. The looser will have to pay geld (recompense) to the aggrieved party in the matter, which can involve anything from a dog killing a neighbors chicken to a slain relative. Failure to appear at the Thing when summoned, and/or failure to abide by the verdict handed down there may result in the guilty party being declared “outlaw”. There are no prisons in Norskheim, law breakers don’t serve time in jail. Being outlawed means one has no protection under the law, they are no longer considered a person in the eyes of the law and can be killed on sight by any law-abiding citizen, just like any other vermin. Those branded outlaw typically flee for their lives from settled areas, often with little more than the shirt on their back. Many die, but the more enterprising among them sometimes manage to survive and even thrive, forming bandit clans which may plague outlying farmsteads and smaller villages. If they manage to procure a ship, they may even raid larger targets along the coast of Norskheim and across the Sea of Glass.

Across hold boundaries, feuds between clans or villages spill into what most other societies would consider war, but for the Norskr it is almost something they consider “in good fun”. If it starts causing real trouble the Cheiftains will call a Great Thing and the matter will get sorted.

God and Religion

The Norskr worship many gods, though individuals tend to favor one or two over the others, usually those pertaining directly to their livelihood. Those deities governing war, fertility, and seafaring in particular are most prevalent. There is no centralized religious authority and no priests or temples (or clerics) to speak of, instead the leader of any given community will officiate over rituals and sacrifices to the Gods. The Norskr are a deeply spiritual people and approach the gods in very direct personal ways, the idea of organized religion as it exists in other lands is alien to them. The religion of the home and hearth is where most Norskr make their offerings and prayers. Ancestor worship is ubiquitous and the appeasement of the lesser spirits of waters and woods is nearly as common. There is a loose cosmology, and most among the Norskr generally believe that their race descends from the offspring of two powerful deities, Hlodyn and Njordr. Many other gods fit one way or another into this narrative.

Below is a short list of the most commonly revered deities among the Norskr.

Hlodyn
A goddess considered a personification of the earth itself, who joined with her husband Njordr to give birth to the Norskr people. She is associated with the cycle of life and death, fertility and prosperity.

Njordr
A god considered the personification of the sea, the sire of the Norskr people. He is associated with seafaring, wind, fishing, fertility and wealth.

Svidur
A god of lordly authority, and galdr (a magic of chanting and inscribing runes) popular with those who fancy themselves leaders of men.

Sonnungr
A god of protection from storms and enemies, a rough and tumble god of the common folk.

Yngvard
A god Associated with Fertility, Peace, and weather

Valfrey
A goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr (magic of foretelling

Tyrwaz
A God associated with honor and oaths, he is the patron of warriors who’ve sworn fealty to a lord or cause.

Hallrigr
A God associated with boundaries, vigilance, and protection. He is the patron of those sworn to guard people and places.

Skathi
A Goddess associated with snow-peaked mountains and forests, often favored by hunters.

Norskr cosmology also acknowledges the power of unfriendly supernatural forces, such as Ymir (The dark god of the Giants) and Hatr (The Wolf that hunts the sun). The worst of these is Svikjar, the betrayer. The brother of Svidur, he was driven by pride and jealously to turn on his brother and by extension all the gods, and was imprisoned beneath the sea for his treason. It’s said if he is ever freed, he will rally all the enemies of Gods and men under his banner, and bring about the end of the world in blood and fire.

The God of the Bjornulfr is older than all these, but the stories and rituals of that religion are secrets kept by the warrior cult.

Death and the Afterlife

The Norskr bury their dead in burial mounds, called barrows, with elaborate funerary rituals that may last for days. They are buried with their finest possessions – in the case of the very wealthy, this may entail a massive barrow containing an entire ship, a herd of horses, prize hunting dogs, livestock (all ritually slain), barrels and crates filled with fine clothes, expensive imported wine and ale, weapons, armor, precious metals, works of art, and other treasures. Those of more modest means will have a less spectacular barrow, but even the poorest of Norskr are buried by the community with full reverence. As one might imagine, among the Norskr grave robbing is highly taboo offense. It is a sign of immense disrespect to the dead (bygone ancestors are highly revered among the Norskr) but it also carries very real dangers beyond offending the law or cultural mores.The barrow is believed to become a gateway between the world of the living, and the place of the dead through which the soul of the departed may pass on. Those who live and die with honor, they believe, will pass over the bridge of souls and into the world of mist, and find refuge in the great halls of their ancestors. However, those who’ve brought shame to their clan will be barred from the halls of their ancestors and cast adrift in the underworld to be preyed upon by the enemies of man, who devour or enslave any who fall into their clutches. Some souls manage to flee back across the bridge to the barrow mound, and take refuge in the lifeless husk that was their body. These are the Draugr, and they tend to be even more foul in undeath than they were in life, bound to their barrow and doomed to guard their worldly treasures to the end of time.

Magic

The Norskr practice of magic is, like their practice of religion, quite different than that of other lands. Just as there are no Clerics to speak of among them, nor are there men who define themselves by their use of the arcane arts. In Norskheim magic is broadly divided into two main branches which are generally practiced by women and men, respectively.

Seithr is a type of magic generally undertaken by women, those who assume it as a profession are called Seithwomen. There is generally only one such woman in any given community, though there may be many women who practice Seithr. A Seithwoman will be accorded a significant amount of respect from the community and will have many other skills beyond spell weaving; she will likely provide council to community leaders and will often be sought out by men and women alike for advice and assistance with anything from worming cattle to curing love sick teenagers, brewing a potion to help someone sleep, or making an amulet to help someone keep from getting lost on a long journey. While Seithr is perfectly acceptable for the feminine persuasion in Norskr society, it is seen as inherently feminine and therefore not generally practiced by men, though there’s nothing other than social convention stopping them.

The other type of magic in Norskheim is known as Galdr, and though Seither sometimes involves Galdr, Galdr is considered a different kind of magic and is an acceptable practice for male and female alike. It involves sung or chanted incantations composed in a particular meter referred to as galdarang, and can be used to accomplish a wide range of tasks; a master of the craft is said to be able to blunt swords, turn arrows, make armor soft, raise storms and even sink ships. In addition, galdarang can be used in conjunction with the ritual inscription of runes to impart magical abilities to an object.

Geography, resources, and material culture

Norskheim is a cold, wet land of rocky coasts and alpine forests, riddled with mountains, rivers, and lakes. Most settlements are found along the coastline, inland along the island-specked fjords, and on the banks of those rivers large enough to travel by boat. There is little infrastructure outside of the settlements, and no roads to speak of though there are usually trails, and there are bridges to be found in some areas; usually along trails between settlements that trade with each other. These are typically small but overbuilt, to handle weight and weather.

Travel over land in Norskheim is on foot or on the backs of the blocky, sure-footed ponies native to the region. Small and hardy, they come in all color variations and are ubiquitous in Norskr settlements, and herds of their undomesticated kin can be found ranging bout the length and breadth of Norskhiem. During the summer they feed on the lush, green grass getting ready for the winter, and a thick, woolen coat protects them against the cold and harsh winter storms. Despite being small, they are exceptionally strong, helping to clear new land, working fields, and bearing burdens long distances across rough terrain. They are sure footed and calm, and bear their riders faithfully in circumstances that would test many other horse breeds beyond their limits. In addition, because of their integral role in Norskr life, horses are often offered to the gods in sacrifice (some are raised from birth specifically for this purpose) and the consumption of horseflesh is common both as part of festivals and religious rituals and everyday life. Strangers to Norskheim are sometimes taken aback by this, but they would do will to keep their offense to themselves.
Horse or goat drawn carts are sometimes used to move small amounts of freight overland, but most trade is by boat. The coastal settlements are almost exclusively maritime communities, making their living by fishing and trading, and occasionally by raiding.

Those who live in the interior herd hardy, long haired goats with great curling horns and stout, shaggy cows which provide meat, milk, leather and wool, and supplement their livelihood hunting and fishing. Dogs are employed for hunting and herding, and cats prowl steadings and docks alike, doing their duty as pest control.

There is some agriculture, though only cold hardy crops do well there- cabbage, turnips, and the like. Barley is growable for a short season in the southern regions. The relative scarcity of fruit and grain means that wine and ale are expensive imported beverages - mead, made from the honey of bees who pollinate the wild grasses and flowers of the forests and meadows, is more common. Many settlements have apiaries and breweries for this reason.

Skilled wood workers, the timber-built halls and homes of Norskheim are a thing to behold, with scroll work, runes and intricately carved beasts crowing the peeks of tall, steeply sloped roofs built to shed snow. Likewise Norskr shipbuilding and sailing skills are legendary- their sleek, open hulled longships easily crossing the harshest open seas and just as easily traveling inland for hundreds of miles up rivers only a few feet deep. Trade across the sea has brought knowledge and material goods from across the world.

Iron is relatively abundant in Norskheim, and steel weapons are common. Spears for throwing or thrusting, axes, and knives can be produced by any smith who can make common tools, and round wooden shields by any barrel maker. These are ubiquitous throughout Norskheim. Bows, typically constructed of yew, ash, or elm, are used for both hunting and warfare.

Swords are the product of specialized artisans, and therefore typically found in the hands of the wealthy. Norskr swords are renowned for the superior properties and the beauty of the pattern-welded steel, created by plaiting iron rods together in the forging process. That process is a jealously guarded secret, and Norskr swordsmiths enjoy a fraternal bond somewhere between that of a guild and a cult. Swords from other lands are considered naturally inferior, but still serviceable – being substantially less expensive they can frequently be found in the hands of Huskarls and even Fyrdmen in the southern regions where the products of foreign trade and travel are more common. As armor goes, mail coats are the garb of the wealthy, rarely found outside of a Lord's court. Among Huskarls, brigandine is most common. Frydmen may have a leather jerkin but often have no armor at all.
Slaeghunder
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:07 pm

Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

The Sa’ati

The sub-arctic home of the enigmatic nomads known as the Sa’ati is a huge expanse of tundra running east to west – a wide, frigid plain dotted with lakes and striped with rivers, flanked to the north by the frozen barrier of the Jotungard mountains and the alpine forests of the rocky coastlines to the south, where the Norskr live. Despite the inhospitable climate this area is teeming with wildlife, most visibly herds of thousands of caribou. There are wolves, bears, moose, elk, and occasionally -if Sa’ati tales are to be believed- Ice Dragons. The tundra itself is not host to goblin kin, but the forested southern slopes of the Jotunheim range is a different story, and in the long dark night of winter the unsavory denizens of the mountain travel south with the howling arctic winds across across great frozen rivers.

Society and Governance

Sa’ati society is a tribal collective, the basic unit of which is an extended family-group called a kin, which is led by an elder (which may be either male or female) but is a purely democratic arrangement, as every member has a say in any matter of importance. A grouping of related kins is known as a Kith, which is governed by a council of elders from each kin. There are many Kith. During times of great urgency all the Sa’ati may convene in a great gathering known as “kithmoot”, but this has not happened in living memory.

The Sa’ati are hunter/gatherers and don’t seek out conflict with others. They are also curious by nature, and rarely act with hostility when confronted with the unfamiliar. They frequently trade with the Norskr, which are the only other race of men they have regular contact with – while not xenophobic, they can be very cautious of outsiders, especially ones they’ve never met before- they have learned through bitter experience that not everyone can be trusted, so they do tend to value their relationships with those who’ve dealt with them fairly.

The Sa’ati speak Sa’at, a language that shares no common root with Norskr- It is a difficult language for foreigners to learn, and Sa’ati that learn other languages are usually easy to spot due to the thick accent their native speech leaves them with. The written form is not so much an alphabet as pictographs, which are often understandable to those who do not speak Sa’ati. The Sa’ati also sometimes trade with some Goblin tribes, though this is less like trade and more like charity, as the Goblins have little that interests the Sa’ati apart from their good-will. Because of this contact, many Sa’ati can tell goblins of one tribe from another, may know things about their customs and possibly even be able to “speak” goblin-sign, a pidgin trade language utilized by most intelligent humanoids in the Northern Wilds- i.e. goblins, orcs, bug bears, the more intelligent ogres and ettin, etc.

The Sa’ati way is to avoid conflict. So alert to their surroundings as to never to be taken by surprise, when they encounter hostility their custom is generally to pick up camp and vanish with their herds before the potential adversary is ever aware of their presence. Though they avoid violence as much as possible, the Sa’ati are tenacious fighters if forced to it. They are superb archers, scouts and trackers. Their fighting skills are never employed against their own kind outside of wrestling or archery competitions held for entertainment, and for that matter combat with the other humans of the region is almost unheard of… however, they frequently find themselves in conflict with the goblin-kin who inhabit the foot hills of the Jotungard range– and worst of all, the Vargr; Black wolves the size of ponies, these beasts possess a malevolent intelligence (they speak their own language and some may speak Norsk or Sa’ati) and delight not only in killing and devouring humans, but in causing as much terror and suffering as they can in the process.

Crime and Punishment

Due to the communal nature of Sa’ati culture, crime of any sort is incredibly rare. When someone consistently breaks the rules of Sa’ati society or, in some cases, violates them in some extreme way (for instance, murder) the Sa’ati simply exile them -not just from a band or a tribe, but from the Sa’ati people as a whole. They are no longer considered Sa’ati. This is somewhat similar to the process of outlawry among the Norskr, except that Sa’ati NEVER actively attempt to harm an exile. Exiles are turned out into the wild with their clothes and personal effects and what supplies they can carry with them, and never spoken of again. The exiled person simply ceases to exist in the eyes of the Sa’ati – not as if they had died, or gone away, but as if they had never lived at all. It is believed that these people are exiled not just from Sa’ati society, but the natural world itself. Some believe that the Vargr are the manifestation of those dark souls cast back into the world.

Religion

The Sa’ati believe that everything in nature (animals, plants, rocks, rivers) has a spirit, a life, and a language, that all things are part of an interconnected system, with a place for everything and everything in its place. The Sa’ati way is about knowing one’s place in that system. They honor animal spirits, especially the animals that sustain the people, the Caribou: Sa’ati lore tells of a great white bull that sacrificed itself to create the world. Its veins became the rivers, its fur became the forests, its stomach became the ocean, and its horns became the mountains. Certain natural sites like springs, great ancient trees, and impressive rock formations are often Sa’ati holy places, where they perform religious rituals.

Magic

The Sa’ati view the universe as three distinct worlds – the upper world: the domain of the gods (the most important of which is the sun), the middle world: the domain of men and animals, and the lower world: the dark depths of the sea, the place of the dead. Among the Sa’ati there are those who can move between the three worlds and communicate with the spirits. Called “wise ones”, they are highly respected. They oversee communal rituals, read omens, protect their kin from supernatural threats, and practice healing arts.

Geography, resources, and material culture

Rather than living in permanent settlements the people of this highly mobile culture live in structures built of light, flexible wooden poles and sewn Caribou hides affixed to large sleds made to be drawn by teams of Caribou, which the Sa’ati have domesticated from the great herds they follow on their migratory routes across the land – these mobile dwellings allow for the Sa’ati to pack up and have their entire camp on the move in minutes. The Sa’ati also employ cunning, wolf-like dogs to guard their camps, hunt moose and bear, and pull smaller sleds. The Sa’ati view these animals not as pets or livestock, but as part of the kin- equals who do their fair share of the work and receive their share of the bounty.

Subsisting as they do on the Caribou herds, hunting, fishing, and trapping, the Sa’ati are unsurprisingly renowned for the quality of their workmanship with furs, hide, bone, and ivory. They even manufacture some items which few others know about and no others use – such as skis and snowshoes. They make colorful dyes and decorate their hide clothing with porcupine quills and feathers. They carve horn and bone with intricate scrimshaw. These articles are highly valued by the Norskr, who can in turn trade the relatively exotic goods of the arctic at high value in the southern lands. They also often hire the Sa’ati as guides when they must travel farther north than they are accustomed to, and they pay heed to the advice they are given with deep respect for Sa’ati expertise in such matters.

The Sa’ati in turn are happy to work as guides for the Norskr, and they trade primarily for metal objects - cooking pots, rather than weapons or armor. They find metal armor impractical and by and large consider metal weapons to require an excessive amount of maintenance, unjustified by any superior performance over their traditional materials. Their alder spear shafts and the arrows of their peculiar composite bows of birch and pine are tipped with razor-sharp points carved from animal bones or flaked from certain types of stone, and take down moose, bear, or goblin with equal utility.

One noteworthy artifact of Sa’ati culture is the athuko. The athuko is a stone-bladed knife which every Sa’ati man, woman and child carries at their belt. No crude thing, each is a work of art and no two alike beyond their general construction; an intricately carved handle of bone or antler, designed in such a way that the flint blade can easily be replaced if broken. Athuko are not made to be traded and sold, they are made only as a gift, given by the Sa’ati people to each Sa’ati child when they are born. Though it is exceptionally rare, it has happened that someone who was not born Sa’ati was offered an athuko. When that happens, what it means is that person has been invited to become Sa’ati.
Slaeghunder
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:07 pm

Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

Goblin

Goblins are the smallest, weakest, most prolific species of goblin-kin. hairless creatures with grey-green skin, sallow faces, beady eyes, and long, pointed ears, the tallest among them might reach 5 feet in height if they stood upright like men, which they do not. They have a stooped posture, bringing their gnarled, clawed 3 fingered hands close to the ground. They have an ambling gait on two legs, but can drop to all fours to run much faster - though they typically only do this when fleeing for their lives, having dropped any weapon or shield they may have been holding.

There are two types of goblins - the wild goblins of the mountain tribes, and those that have been enslaved by their larger cousins under the mountain.

Wild Goblins

Wild Goblins live relatively free, though they may pay heavy tribute to a local Ettin, Vargr pack, or other larger goblin-kin. They are a proud race, despite their poverty and rude condition. Typically, they are swathed in poorly tanned hides and fur that keeps them warm and allows them to blend into their alpine environment. Being hairless, goblins have an affinity for elaborate head dresses of wood, bone, leather, fur, horns and feathers which they style and fuss over like some humans primp and preen their hair. To a knowledgeable observer, these head dresses often impart some information about the social standing of the wearer in Goblin society.

Their weapons are crude but reasonably effective; stone-headed war clubs and crude spears (little more than sharpened sticks with fire hardened tips) dominate. Tribes that trade with the Sa'ati may have a smattering of higher quality Sa'ati-made weapons. Many wild goblins carry roughly made shields cobbled of wood and hide, painted with symbols holding various meanings; tribal allegiance, personal status, or sigils they believe will protect them from harm by some magic. They sometimes paint their faces for hunting or war.

Wild goblin tribes generally take up residence in shallow caves (I.e. not connected to the subterranean labyrinth under the mountains) and these are easily identified even in their absence by the refuse and primitive wall paintings they leave behind. They have no architectural knowledge and don't build shelters.

Not particularly formidable as individuals, in numbers they can pose a threat even to seasoned fighters, and their numbers are basically all goblins have going for them. Not highly intelligent or courageous by human standards they can be clever, using tactics to take advantage of their environment and exploit an opponent’s weaknesses. They rarely attack without a significant advantage of both surprise and overwhelming numbers, and will often flee at the first sign that the tide of battle is turning against them. However, when cornered they will fight tenaciously. Wild Goblins are not always automatically hostile, and will often act according to their assessment of the risk vs. the reward in any given situation.

Known Wild Goblin Tribes – Though there are doubtless more tribes than this, these reflect those tribes with which Sa’ati and/or Norskr have had dealings (good or bad) enough to record some information about them, even if sometimes the only thing known about them is their name.

DrazKabul-“Broken Horn”
This tribe’s symbol is the skull of mountain goat with, with one of its two horns broken.

Kretzahg – “Deep Rock”
This tribe’s symbol looks like a crude V – it’s meant to represent the deep canyon at the heart of the territory.

Kudghal – “Blood Maw ”
This tribe’s symbol is a stylized depiction of the toothsome bottom jaw of some predatory animal, stained red. When hunting (animals or enemies) they paint the lower half of their faces red.
A particularly brutal clan lorded over by an Ettin exiled from Naz’Shirrat (what one has to do in that place to be branded outlaw is a question best left unanswered). They strive constantly to provide enough food to their master to keep themselves off his dinner table, and they have no qualms about feeding him goblins from other tribes (or eating goblins from other tribes themselves). They have no allies among the other tribes for this reason.

Nazvorg- “Black Moon”

Orarden – “Red Hills” Tribe
A large tribe in the southern foothills, and one of the few who are truly free – and for that they live in a perpetual state of war with most other goblin tribes as well as the denizens of Naz’Shirrat and the Jotungard Vargr packs. Led by a chieftain known as Grindelbok the Great, they have managed to ally themselves with a few packs of wild wolves, and some among their number ride on the backs of wolves to hunt and fight. This earns them a special hatred by the Vargr, who bully goblins and kill wild wolves wherever they find them. Red Hills goblins consider the Sa'ati allies and will not attack them or their dogs, and there is a better than average chance that at least one among any group of them can speak broken, thickly accented Sa’ati. Among wolf-riders (the elite warriors of their tribe) all will speak this goblinized Sa’ati.

The wild wolves allied to the Red Hills goblins are highly intelligent. They will not attack Sa'ati or their dogs, and the Sa'ati consider them allies. Sa'ati legend implies the wild wolves share a common ancestor with their own camp dogs.

Rinzugh – “Three Spears”
This tribe’s symbol is two spears in an x shape with a third through the middle.

Uddovrag-

Urdgarzad-

Vozirrokh –

Vrazklot-


Enslaved goblins from under the mountains are wretched things, dressed in tattered rags and bereft of head dresses. Their only mark is that of a hot iron put to their face, that denotes their slave status. If they have weapons or armor, which is rare, they will be of Orcish make, and the poorest quality. They are seldom encountered above ground and tend to flee at the sight of enemies unless driven by their masters to do otherwise.
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Neigdoig
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Neigdoig »

I actually like what I see here. Though I'm not using anything Norse (mostly British in my module I think), this is very interesting to consider. I wonder if this will be in a module in the future, because I'd love to use that in a game.
Slaeghunder
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

Vargr

The Vargr of the Jotungard Range are a unique species found only in the Arctic tundra and mountains on the northern edge of the Sa’ati lands. With the overall appearance of a large black wolf with gleaming yellow eyes, they are nocturnal apex predators that grow about 8 feet long, stand about 4-1/2 feet at the shoulder, and weighs about 450 pounds. They typically hunt in packs. Their size and intelligence allow them to hunt and kill creatures much larger than themselves. Vargr packs work together to bring down large game, while lone Vargr rely more on stealth and ambush. Both often use hit-and-run tactics to exhaust their quarry.

An individual hit by a Vargr’ bite must save vs. Death Ray or be knocked to the ground prone. Vargr are immune to cold effects.

Vargr speak their own language, most speak goblin and some may even speak Sa’ati and/or Norskr.
They typically use their ability to communicate to threaten or taunt enemies, as they delight in terrorizing and tormenting other creatures. The Vargr consider Hatr (the wolf who hunts the sun) to be their god, if they can truly be said to have such a thing, and view the sunless winter as "their time", packs sweeping south out of the mountains with the arctic storms in an orgy of slaughter and destruction. The mountains themselves are wreathed in storms year-round and the sun is rarely seen there even in summer.

Vargr may occasionally work with humanoids (or just as often, slaughter them for entertainment) but they view other species as inferior and will NEVER serve as mounts. There is a 1 in 6 chance any lone Vargr, and a 3 in 6 chance that one of a pack of Vargr will be a fell Vargr – generally standing a foot taller and weighing around 100 lbs heaver, they are easy to spot among their lesser brethren and when found in a pack, are invariably the leader. Their bite deals cold damage for an extra 1d6. There is a 1 in 4 chance a fell Vargr’s bite will become infected and will not heal by normal means.

Fell Vargr are powerful, menacing creatures and their presence is inherently unsettling. They may issue a dread howl once per encounter, this howl has an effect equivalent to the spell cause fear, and any creature within 120’ must make a saving throw vs spells. Any target who fails must flee in terror for 2 turns. As pack leaders, Fell Vargr often use this spell to route prey at the onset of an ambush, making them vulnerable to attack by the other Vargr who’ve flanked them. Not only larger but more intelligent, fell Vargr always speak one or more languages of men. Often, they have names that are known outside of their own kind, such as Raud the Grim, an infamous pack leader notorious for defiling Sa’ati shrines and holy places in the wilderness, fouling water sources, and slaughtering entire herds of Caribou for the sheer joy of killing.
Slaeghunder
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by Slaeghunder »

Draugr

Draugr are a particular type of undead found in Norskheim, only in or very near the burial mounds in which they were interred at the end of their life. For this reason they may also be referred to as mound dwellers, or barrow-wights. Being the animated corpses of those who’ve been dead for some time, they are generally disturbing in appearance, and accompanied by the foul stench of putrefied flesh. A draug may delight in using their appearance to terrify and dismay their victims, and may take on even more grotesque forms to that end. Some (perhaps as vain in undeath as they were in life) shapeshift or simply veil themselves, appearing as cloaked or shrouded figures with hoods or helmets that conceal their appearance. They are inhumanly strong and have an insatiable hunger for flesh.

Any dishonorable person who dies and is buried in a mound (the mound is the typical burial form in Norskr society, as it’s believed to provide a gateway to the afterlife for the departed soul) may return from death as a draug. Draugr are believed by the Norskr to be those who’ve crossed into the land of the dead and are denied entry into their ancestor’s great halls for some crime or disgrace (or series of such) for which they have not atoned. Cast adrift in the other world, such unfortunates are usually enslaved or devoured by the less savory denizens of that dark and misty realm. Some manage to find their way back to the gate between worlds and pass through again, taking refuge in the decomposing vessel of their original body. Denied what they view as their rightful place in the afterlife, they are trapped in undeath in the world of the living and are virtually imprisoned in a small area around their burial site. The sun does not harm them, but it sends them back to the mound and they are powerless above ground while the sun in in the sky. The restrictive nature of their relationship to the barrow is why some Norskr burial mounds (those of strangers, or people the community knows and fear may become a problem) are located in the wilds, away from settlements or farmsteads or even places where people herd animals or hunt on a regular basis.

Predictably, these already unpleasant souls tend to be in a pretty foul mood about the whole situation.

The draugr's motivations in death, as in life, are primarily envy and greed. They are extremely protective of their mound and the grave goods interred with them (the wealthier they were in life; the greater will be both the treasure in the mound and the draug’s aggressiveness towards intruders) The draugr also expresses an innate envy and jealous rage against the living, and against the dead who were not barred from the afterlife.

The land around mounds inhabited by a Draugr are tainted by their presence, and such places tend to be obvious. The stench of decay that always accompanies the draug will be the most obvious sign. Plants, even trees that are too close to the mound of an active Draug will be withered and dead. Animals too close to the mound for any amount of time will be driven mad by its dark influence, and smaller creatures will simply die. Some legends tell of draugr so foul birds dropped dead as stones from the sky if they flew directly overhead.

Apart from their terrifying appearance, supernatural strength, cannibalistic impulses and generally evil disposition, Draugr are also said to have many other supernatural abilities as well, such as shape-shifting and influencing the weather (particularly if the mound is near the sea). Some have the ability to enter into the dreams of the living, and from there inflict harm that will be manifested in reality, even to death. Some Draugr may inflict sickness and diseases on men and animals, and some are capable of creating a supernaturally impenetrable temporary darkness. A Draugr in one tale was said to be able to sink in the ground at will to escape its enemies, another could pass through any crack or crevice in a wall or underneath a door despite having been described as being "thrice the size of the largest man". Many tales speak of Draugr that are completely immune to weapons, or vulnerable only to very specific weapons or in certain circumstances.

Popular legend says that to permanently destroy a draug, one must decapitated it, burn both body and severed head, and casts the ashes into the sea.
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borgar
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Re: A setting for BFRPG

Post by borgar »

As a Norwegian I tend to enjoy seeing Viking or Norse stuff in books, movies and game settings. If nothing else just to see what people find most interesting (which varies a lot). I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when Thor Love and Thunder wasn't an adaption of Thor's Wedding (https://www.storynory.com/thors-wedding/).

I assume you have a source of inspiration, but I'd still like to add this link for anyone who would find Norse/English translation interesting:

https://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/Old_ ... nary_E2N.s

BTW, I don't think there is any point in actually trying to use actual Norse names for everything though, translation is hard, no one knows the language and this IS a fantasy setting after all.
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