Normannia

The Ascomanni or Ascomanns, (Angevinan: Ashmen, Normanns) known to themselves as the people of **Khoya Gwaay** (Raven Island), the peninusla is known to the rest of the Evenlands as **Normannia**. The Waringjar of the Ascomanni are the considered to be the “terrors of the sea”, and are famous for their long-distance raiding and slaving, going often to Mossovy, Angevy and even Casance for trading or pillaging. Normannia is a harsh mountainous land surrounded by cold and stromy seas. A land of fjords and unforgiving winters and its dense forests are haunted by many dangerous pneumas.

The Ascomanni **Kloo** *(canoe)* are famed for allowing them to traverse the Hating Ocean to raid the coasts of Angevy, Almaine and Mossovy. The Ascomanni are talented as weavers, sailors, and woodworkers.

## Population & Goverment

The Ascomanni are tall people with tan-skin long-raven black hair and brown eyes. They paint into their skin (Kidnanang) symbols of nature. Both men and women wear their hair in braids.

Normannia is divded into several competing clans, while plenty of wood is present, most other materials and resources are rare, leading to dispustes over them. Each village is ruled by a council, each council elects a **Nankilstlas** *("he whose voice is obeyed")*, whos responsibilty is divide the loot and settle disputes. Somtimes larger clans become unified under a **Valkvhit**, an old title taken from the mythical founder of the ancient Fisher Kingdoms.

Normannia's Clans are divded into two Tribes, the **Tribe of Yaahl** and the **Tribe of Sidne**, its said that Sidne (the Old-woman-who-lived-in-the-sea) displaced the former Tribe of the Eagle. Each Nankilstlas must choose their Tribe and can only attack or marry members of the oppossite Tribe. Affiliation to a Tribe is passed down through the Mother.

## Religion

Very few of the Ascomanni follow Igniteism. The Ascomanni believe that fallen warriors go to the **Hall of Sun**, which is considered a highly honorable death. For this reason, a specially made military amor is prepared for Nankilstlas in case they fall in battle. The Hall of Sun is ruled by the dual gods of **Ta'xet** and **Tia** (violent and peaceful death).

Hostilities amongst the Ascomanni are not always violent and more often than not ritualized. **Transformation masks** are worn ceremonially by Healers and represented or illustrated the connection between various spirits. The Ascomanni tell of their origins from a lands beyond the Cosinian Ocean, where they flew on the wings of their highest god **Yaahl** the trickster White-Raven God, to their current home. Ascomanni villages are adorned with **Gyaagang** (Totem Poles). The Wildmen and Valahraban, since they take the form of ravens are held in high regard, as agents of Yaahl. **Gyhldeptis** is the forest goddess and creator of the universe, it is said that she fought the stroms and waters of the Hating Sea, allowing her children -the Ascomanni- passage across the waters. Many communites are build around an coastal "tree of life". Massive carved cedar monuments and cedar big houses are widespread.

A recent uptake of affiliation with the previously unknown Tribe of Sidne has taken place. Sidne is whale-women with a great hunger that causes her to demand children to be offered up by their parents as well other acts of cruelity. The Southern Clans live in a bleak and brutal landscape and must spend most of their times hunting in arctic conditions. Weird black oily idols are often found along the coast and abandoned altars dedicated to disturbing unknwon gods have recently been found in the deep woods.

Mothers often expose boys' placentas to ravens to encourage future prophetic visions, due to associating the raven with prophecy, similar to the traditions of Mossovy. These boys grow up to become Healers of a Ascomanni Village.

**Dannin**s are a sea-deities spread from the coasts of angevy and sudveg to walk the sea floor of the Hating Sea, using his Ondia (mermaids) and Nöcks to create stormy waters to capsize ships and drown sailors.
Similar to the northern fishermen, some coastal ascomanni try appease this god by offering human and animal sacrifices, weighting them down so they sink down to distract the god as they go on their voyage.

### The Potlatch

A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by the Ascomanni. A potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power. Potlatches are also focused on the reaffirmation of family, clan, and international connections, and the human connection with the supernatural world. Potlatch also serves as a strict resource management regime, where coastal tribes discuss, negotiate, and affirm rights to and uses of specific territories and resources. Potlatches often involve music, dancing, singing, storytelling, making speeches, and often joking and games. The honouring of the supernatural and the recitation of oral histories are a central part of many potlatches.

### Vision Quests & Pneuma

For young boys and girls entering puberty, its mandatory to embark on vision quests. These quests send them out alone for days, travel through the wilderness, in hopes of finding a spirit to guide them through their lives. It was believed that boys and girls who were destined for greatness find unique spirits. A successful vision quest is celebrated by the wearing of masks, face paints, and costumes.

To the Ascomanni the Pneuma are simply considered manifestations of the land, they are not associated with the "concept of evil", like most cultures of the Evenlands do. Due to this the people of the Evenlands see the Ascomanni as agents of doom and the endtimes and "fallen under the sway" of She of all-Evils.

## Waringjar

The Waringjar are often comapred to the mossovian frenzy warriors **Berserkers** or *Bareshirts* . Waringjar are especially feared in sea battles along the coast due to their superior practice in lighting raids (hit and runs). The Waringjar often cross the extremely harsh conditions of the Hating Sea and the Ocean of Rage. The goal of the Waringjar is capturing the defeated enemies and using them as slaves, as well as taking any wealth back to their home. Waringjar often wear children tooths necklaces into battle as protection charm, this is a tradition adopted from Mossovy. Their Healers join in battles or raids to break the enemies moral.