Snowreaver

An artificial Human ethnicity created by the Svartalfar, Snowreavers were intended to be the mighty shock-troopers of their growing army. First bred from the wombs of Broodkeeper mothers in pits beneath the earth, the Snowreavers were instilled with an intense desire to fight and destroy, a resistance to the wintry climes that surrounded the Svartalfar's hidden otherworld, and a robust physique capable of granting them dominance in battle. Bloodthirsty and aggressive, the Snowreavers could not be fully contained, and those who escaped from the Svartalfar's pens are what ultimately drew the attention of the Aesir and Vanir, and through them, the other pantheons.
Snowreavers appear to be muscular, stout-bodied Humans with a faint grayish-blue hue to their otherwise pale skin, pale eyes that are usually a shade of blue or green, and pale hair that is often white, gray, or has a pale bluish color. Their robust physiques make them stand out among other Humans; even without significant exercise, they tend to thick with muscle and brutish-looking. Those who do condition themselves, which is many, sometimes border on the grotesque in terms of muscle mass.
Snowreavers were instilled with a sort of instinctive will to fight that is hard to express; the call to battle is almost like a rage that overtakes them. They feel it in a manner not unlike others feel lust. This they seek to temper with military discipline, but it often falters. Snowreavers are violent. To their enemies. To bystanders. To their allies. To each other. Even to themselves. The culture has a tradition of ritual scarification, counting kills and counting defeats in lines across the arms, legs, and chest. Even their mating tends towards violence; rough and rowdy, loud and competitive. This tends to make any kind of normal life a challenge, and so most Snowreavers survive through raiding and banditry. This is where their name arises from. Snowreavers that can tame their inner bloodlust tend to live remotely and actively seek out Beasts and the like to sate their need for conflict. Such individuals rarely form communities larger than a few families... However, their tendency to be territorial about their living space, viewing it as their property, means that they often know of other settlements in the area. Including those of other Snowreavers. Many make livings selling lumber and furs in more peaceful settlements, while others give in to their impulses and seek work as soldiers and mercenaries.
Snowreavers played a major role in the rebellion that helped topple the Svartalfar; their violent nature turned readily upon their creators at the urging of the Broodkeepers, leading to tremendous bloodshed within the ranks of the Black Elves' armies. In the days since the fall, most have settled in Hyperborea and the northern portions of Eastern and Western Thule, where the cold temperatures keep away interlopers without bringing them significant discomfort.