|
|
Post by joatmoniac on Nov 12, 2015 0:25:04 GMT
 Barbarians of Northfell - Northfell Clans - Ragnar's Kin
The Barbarians of Northfell are the men and women that make up the Northfell Tribes of the far north. They live and die in the frozen north, following migrations of great beasts that provide them with everything from food and clothing, to insulating their shelters from the winter storms. They are divided into family Clans that often war between each other. They consider battle to be a the greatest test of a man, and often settle differences with violence from the individual level to the clan level. Their Clan Leaders and Shamans lead the men and women of the Northfell Tribes. The Shamans guide them spiritually for the God* (to be determined) have specialized in weather and tempest magic to help the clans survive, or retreat to the many known caves in the north when great storms are coming. The Clan leaders are the strongest, boldest of the Clan members. Family lineage does not play a part, although Clans won't follow the leaders of other Clans (except in exceptional circumstances) but any clan member can become the new Leader through physical force, displays of strength, or in a contest when the current Clan Leader decides he is no longer fit to lead the Clan (Or would like to live out his days before a challenger would be stronger then he). The women of these tribes are nearly as fierce as the men, and if in a situation where they must fight, have no problem wielding the nearest weapon with deadly efficiency. Once a summer they gather at Ragnar's Hold, to commemorate Ragnar Stormhammer leading them from the Great Blight and into the North, from which all Clan's can trace back to this originating event and all differences are put aside and a week long celebration is had by all Clans together. In the centuries since this migration north from some great threat, most of the history has been lost as to what actually led them there, but many consider them to be an old empire of men, that faced some great calamity and had to leave their lands. For the most part the Northfell Clans rarely venture out of their lands, and despite their warlike nature usually do not threaten the nearest realms, but once in a great while a "Ragnar Reborn" will rise in their ranks and combine all the tribes on war path in honor of some tradition, perceived slight, or the will of their "war god*" * - Insert proper final pantheon match here.Figuring that it would be cool to flesh out a previously established idea from a different DM-Nastics mixed in with some of the awesome ideas from Lou Anders. With all the talk of Norse awesomeness I figured that fleshing out some of the clans would be fun. Hopefully they are very different groups of people that can't help but war with each other. Grab a clan and flesh it out! Maybe grab some of the details from DM Kiado's post and flesh those out some more. Clan Name: Clan Leader: Clan Animal: Clan Symbol: Preferred Weapon: Preferred Travel Method: Notable Deeds: Past Warriors of Note: All around badassery should abound! |
|
|
|
Post by kjmagle on Nov 12, 2015 1:45:33 GMT
I couldnt decide 1)  2)  3)  4)  5)  |
|
|
|
Post by lasersniper on Nov 12, 2015 7:29:51 GMT
I love the first symbol
|
|
|
|
Post by DM Kiado on Nov 16, 2015 23:36:26 GMT
Oh I feel special. I will return to this thread soon and add some more when life isn't kicking my teeth in.  |
|
|
|
Post by DM_Starhelm on Nov 17, 2015 0:51:07 GMT
I personally really like the deer head symbol, and if I were to name a clan off of that I'd probably go with Frosthorn. Clan members would rely heavily on hunting their sacred animal, the deer, reindeer, elk, or *insert magnificent and magical fantasy deer here*, from which they would harvest many of the necessities for life in a harsh winter environment. Hides for clothing, tents, possibly used as sails for awesome snow sleds? The antlers would be especially important and used in ceremonial dress/headgear or weapons, bones might be shaped into tools or weapons as well.
Thoughts?
|
|
Samuel Wise
Demigod
Ready to Help...
Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
|
Post by Samuel Wise on Nov 17, 2015 4:59:48 GMT
Love it! I was trying to think of a really good clan animal and a deer is perfect (I was trying to think outside of the box from boar or bear). However I would vote for an Elk, since it is slightly larger and more viking looking ( or should I say Anne Elk):
Anyway, I'll take their Preferred Travel Method. Since they use Elk (deer) hide in order to make sleds, that is probably how they prefer to travel, these sleds are probably drawn by domesticated wolves or some type of dog. Perhaps the Barbarians of Northfell attempt to outdo each other in making their sleds the most war-like and ferocius looking.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM_Starhelm on Nov 17, 2015 5:38:40 GMT
Love it! I was trying to think of a really good clan animal and a deer is perfect (I was trying to think outside of the box from boar or bear). However I would vote for an Elk, since it is slightly larger and more viking looking ( or should I say Anne Elk): Anyway, I'll take their Preferred Travel Method. Since they use Elk (deer) hide in order to make sleds, that is probably how they prefer to travel, these sleds are probably drawn by domesticated wolves or some type of dog. Perhaps the Barbarians of Northfell attempt to outdo each other in making their sleds the most war-like and ferocius looking. [br Elk works well in 5e especially with the new Elk options for the Totem Warrior Barbarian subclass in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Also, channeling some Wulfgar is always fine with me I think sleds are awesome. My original thought (and what I might use if I parallel this in my own world) was that if that particular region was windy enough they could have light sleds that use sails to soar on top of the snow and ice, but animal drawn sleds are classic and awesome too and I could definitely see an "Iditarod meets Death Race" style competition that maybe all the many clans get together to compete for either annually or every certain amount of years like the Olympics and they do their best to not only compete but also have the greatest and fiercest looking sleds. |
|
|
|
Post by joatmoniac on Nov 17, 2015 9:02:29 GMT
I had initially thought that people could each take a tribe for themselves and flesh it out, but the collaborative vibe can't be shaken! Love it still, haha. Added the preferred weapon, and compiled the ideas thus far for the Frosthorn tribe. Clan Name: Frosthorn Clan Leader: Clan Animal: the deer, reindeer, elk, or *insert magnificent and magical fantasy deer here* Clan Symbol: Preferred Weapon: The warriors of the Frosthorn tribe fashion horns into easily gripped sets of sharpened antlers that work well in close combat for slashing and stabbing their enemies, a la Braveheart.Preferred Travel Method: Since they use Elk (deer) hide in order to make sleds, that is probably how they prefer to travel, these sleds are probably drawn by domesticated wolves or some type of dog. Notable Deeds: Past Warriors of Note: |
|
|
|
Post by kjmagle on Nov 17, 2015 17:33:12 GMT
I can totally see these as weapons.  |
|
Samuel Wise
Demigod
Ready to Help...
Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
|
Post by Samuel Wise on Nov 17, 2015 17:48:10 GMT
I can totally see these as weapons. Oh yeah. Those would be awesome weapons. Hmmm, this tribe would only survive in a place with a multitude of Elk or dear. |
|
|
|
Post by kjmagle on Nov 21, 2015 0:11:09 GMT
I was thinking even though a celtic god they can worship cernunnos. He is pretty basass.   |
|
|
|
Post by whipstache on Nov 22, 2015 16:01:33 GMT
Clan Leader: Jan Stormfallen
In an entirely unprecedented scenario Jan (pronounced "Yaan") Stormfallen challenged his predecessor, Ralk the Snowblind, for leadership. This was not unusual in and of itself; while not an everyday occurrence in the Frosthorn tribe, the clan chief had to defend his position from time to time. The fact that Jan was the Frosthorn shaman at the time is what made the situation groundbreaking. In fact, never before in ANY clan has one person held both positions, shaman and chief, simultaneously.
Jan is one of the most powerful shamans the clan has ever seen, and has significant power over the winter elements, gained through extremely devout (and some suspect devious) worship of Cernunnos. And, since there has never been a leadership challenge by a shaman, there was no protocol for whether or not the shaman was permitted to use his powers during the duel. Jan killed Ralk quickly.
Eventually, the clan elders decided that a leader should be able to defend against any threat, magical or not, and Jan was officially installed as clan chief. He is a fierce leader, one who tolerates little weakness. He has never been overly compassionate or kind, but he is just. Simply, he understands what it takes to survive, and even thrive, in the harsh environs of the Northfell and plans to equip his clan to be their best.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM_Starhelm on Nov 22, 2015 19:10:43 GMT
I would imagine as a shamanistic society rather than worshiping a specific god it would be more of a spirits/ancestors scenario, but then again there's no reason it couldn't be both.
If they were to worship a god like Cerunnos I think having a deer antlered minotaur like image either for his avatar or for his angel-equivalent celestial servants would be pretty awesome, cooler than a centaur in my opinion.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM Kiado on Dec 1, 2015 18:06:38 GMT
I would think of them as a combination of both perhaps. Perhaps they are being mixed with more "modern" societies. Maybe from trading with outsiders to the Clans, or a myriad of other reasons. It's a common theme in Earth "Barbarian" tribes, such as those introduced to Christianity on real world examples. So perhaps they are internally divided by long standing tradition.
|
|
DMForeclosure
Squire
Posts: 33
Favorite D&D Class: Wizard
Favorite D&D Race: Gnome
|
Post by DMForeclosure on Dec 25, 2015 3:52:24 GMT
Clan Name: Vrrta-vansh (Clan Vrrta) Clan Leader: Septa-fassa-vansh-dhur (Septa-fassa, Axis of the Clan) Clan Animal: The Serpent (purveyor of immortality) Clan Symbol: The Ouroboros (the end is the beginning / the circle is infinite) Preferred Weapon: Chakram (some enchanted to return when thrown, others modified with a handle section and an edge on the inner circle, many with faelglass blades) Preferred Travel Method: Above ground, the Vrrta train massive horned lizards as mounts. Below ground, the Vrrta move their settlements through the deserts with the aid of the clan’s ret-chepar (sand sculptors). Notable Deeds:- Conquerors of the Great Wastes - The Vrrta were the first clan in seven cycles to unite the Desertkin beneath a single banner. While some victories came through conquest, many clans came to the Vrrta willingly when they offered the waters of peace to struggling families. Auspicious rains and winds in recent seasons blessed the Vrrta, providing them with the resources to care for their ever-growing flock.
- Spinners of Faelglass - This “desert iron” is rarely found in nature and the secrets of its shaping are known to precious few outside of the Great Wastes. To the Vrrta, the creation of faelglass is a time-honored tradition, one backed by both ceremony and practicality. The brown, semi-translucent glass is hard, sharp, and light, making it perfect for swift strikes masked by swirling sands. Faelglass is also the Vrrta’s greatest export, for there are those who will pay much for the artfully crafted material.
- Sandseers - The Vrrta purport to be blessed with the gift of prophecy. The trails left in the sand by serpents can be read by those with the proper training and who were born under certain stars. Some attribute the Vrrta's political and military successes to this “talent,” though few are privileged enough to bear witness to its execution. The Sandseers are heavily guarded in Vrrta society, showing that even if they lack the ability to discern fate, they possess enough cultural significance to be worth guarding.
Past Warriors of Note:- Mertu-losso-kamal-talavaar (Mertu-losso, Blade of the Lily) [Human Fighter] — Mertu-losso ascended to the rank of legend when he single-handedly felled a wing of Ulasa-vansh with but two chakram by his side. Those few who bore witness to Mertu-losso’s bloody deed report that he wept as he fought, saddened that the protection of his clan demanded such horrid loss of life. When Vrrta reinforcements finally arrived, Mertu-losso alone stood conscious among the bodies. Yet through the carnage, his tears watered the sand and grew desert lilies both beautiful and sad. To this day, the greatest fighters of the Vrrta are given the title “Blade of the Lily” in his honor.
- Fastra-ulsa-ret-chepar (Fastra-ulsa, Sculptor of the Sands) [Half-Elven Druid] — Fastra-ulsa hid her talent in her early life, remaining a devoted servant of her sand sculptor masters and a faithful adherent to the Laws of the Desert. Yet when the Vrrta were threatened by an invasion of beast-men from beyond the sands, Fastra-ulsa revealed her true power. When all others cowered, Fastra-ulsa beseeched the sands to swallow the defilers of the desert, and the desert answered her call. When she turned to apologize to her masters for her impertinence, she found them bowing to her instead. “It is not our titles that define us Fastra-ulsa,” spoke her awe-struck teacher, "but the measure by which our hearts mirror the desert.” Her teachings are still taught to apprentice sand shapers today.
- Wehi-sile-saan-kasad (Wehi-sile, Butcher of Snakes) [Half-Orc Barbarian] — The Vrrta once admired Wehi-sile, a fearsome warrior and master of the bari-chakram. Though her honor was long unquestioned, a day came when the Sandseers revealed her inevitable betrayal of the clan. In protest, Wehi-sile denounced the Sandseers, but their visions had never led the clan astray before. In defiance, Wehi-sile conquered the neighboring clans in the name of the Vrrta, but the Sandseers remained convinced of her evil. In kindness, Wehi-sile gave her wealth and water to the poorest of the clan, but even generosity soured the clan against her and soon she had nothing. In the end, she sold the secrets of Vrrtish faelglass to Relsi-vansh for food and shelter, and the Sandseers proclaimed her betrayal complete. She was named Butcher of Snakes, a traitor to the Vrrta.
- Kolso-etri-ret-dekhan (Kolso-etri, Sandseer) [Dwarven Sorcerer] — In the writhing of the hooded cobra, Kolso-etri saw the shadow of a demon fall over the lands of the Vrrta-vansh. Speaking to no others of the impending doom, Kolso-etri left only a carved snakeskin to tell of his mission. He walked to the edge of the desert, near the cold stones of the mountains. There, in the shade of the grim peaks, lay a wounded warrior of Olto-vansh, a sworn enemy of the clan, and a dying woman of Vrrta-vansh, beautiful and pleading for a savior. In the cold light of the morning, he knew what he must do. He slew the woman and rescued the enemy, knowing how the demon would tempt his flesh to ruin. As he walked away, the dead woman’s flesh bubbled and scabbed, revealing the demon within. Yet when Kolso-etri returned home with an enemy in his embrace and the blood of the clan on his blades, can it be said that no demon entered that day?
|
|
