Northmen

*"Go North until your toes freeze, and then go up. That's where the Northmen come from."*
-Uermont the Bards directions to the famous Northern Stretches, legendary origin home of the Northmen.

## The Northmen

The Northmen are an insular people who have only recently descended from their legendary homes atop the floating ice sheets of the Northern Stretches. They are hardy beyond reason, possessing the ability to function perfectly normally in sub-zero temperatures for extended periods of time. Their extreme fortitude makes them naturally perfect guides and path-finders, as they are able to brave uncertain terrain with little risk to themselves.

### Location

Although the Northmen originally hail from the Northern Stretches, they have historically traded with the Western Commonfolk in the Iron Valley and the Western Freefolk in the northern regions of the Freefolk Dwellings ever since the collapse of the old Rommulite Empire in 700PR, which had previously ruled those areas. Over time, trading routes have developed trading outposts, which have in turn promoted integration and the settling of Northmen into those areas in which they have traded.

Nowadays, Northmen are relatively common anywhere that is north of the Grand Imperium Arcarnum and West of the Great Forest.

### Cultural Origins

The Northmen culture originated entirely separate from the rest of Varia. Although it's peoples shared in servitude to the Old Gods prior to the period of ruination, nearly one thousand years of isolation atop the flying ice-sheets that make up the Northern Stretches allowed the Northmen to develop their own ideas and culture entirely separate from the influence of the Arcana-Supreme who had taken control of the rest of Varia. Thusly, the spellweavers of the northmen do not consider themselves Arcana-Supreme, nor do the Northmen fear the Arcana-Supreme in any way.

The culture of the Northmen revolve heavily around the spiritual connection between the body, the mind, and the community. A northmen who dies defending the community is never thought to have truly died, and is instead thought of as protecting the community from within the spirit realm. Furthermore, animals play a large role in the culture of Northemn, and are considered to be either humans who have forgotten how to talk, or spirits entering the physical plane as guides.

### Integration

Following the collapse of the arcane Rommulite Empire in 700PR, the Northmen began trading with the now-liberated Western Commonfolk in the Iron Valley and the Western Freefolk in the northern regions of the Freefolk Dwellings. This trade lead to a great deal of diplomatic tension in the early days, but was highly beneficial to all involved: The Western Commonfolk and Western Freefolk suddenly found themselves lacking in essential magics and refined resources which the Northmen could provide; while the Northmen found a land rich in raw resources and technological innovations.

Although the lure of exotic lifestyles ran in both directions, settling only occurred in one direction, as although the Northmen were able to settle south in the warmer lands of the Iron Valley and the Freefolk Dwellings, the Western Commonfolk and Western Freefolk would have been unable to survive for any length of time in the extreme temperatures of the Northern Stretches.

### Lifestyle

Northmen living outside of the Northern Stretches are expected to make a pilgrimage to their origin communities at least every three years, and to not do so is considered a complete separation of oneself from that community and any family who might remain there. Unsurprisingly, therefore, Northmen's lifestyles generally involve a great deal of travelling. For that reason, many act as merchants, alternating between two shops: One in the Northern Stretches selling southerner goods, and one in the south selling northern goods.

In some cases, Northmen have travelled as far south as the Grand Imperium Arcarnum, though few have any reason to do so aside from curiosity. Those who do travel so far south, few though they are, tend to lead truly extraordinary lives of travel and adventure.

### Magic

Northmen have a unique view of magic. Though a good number of them inherited arcane abilities similarly to the Arcana-Supreme following the Period of Ruination, they did not develop their arcane arts in the same manner as the Arcana-Supreme. Instead, they used their arcane gifts to enhance divination trances, communicate with that which they consider the spirit realm, or to produce arcane artefacts and devices.

When the Rommulite and Bennite Empires collapsed in 700PR, and the New Pantheon emerged with its divine magic, the Northmen interpreted these changes wholly differently to the rest of the world, and therefore do not worship the New Pantheon as deities. Instead, the Northmen regard the New Pantheon as a bleeding effect between two previously separate spirit realms. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Northmen are hesitant to worship the New Pantheon, though they benefit from it's new divine magic.

### Current Events

All northmen are familiar with the tales of a horde of demons from the spirit realm escaping into the physical plane and waging war with the Northmen. Though it sounds like a fairy tale, it is truth: In 1001PR, a horrific series of events lead to the Northern Stretches being infested with demons, released by a corrupted soul gem damaged by adventures in the Iron Valley. It is rumoured that both The Dragon Rider and the lavishly rich Mira were both present in Ironkeep, capital of the Iron Valley during this time, and have been linked in folklore in a variety of ways, though whether they were truly involved at all for better or worse is unknown.

A result of the demon infestation has been a mass migration of Northmen as they attempt to gather as a unified force against the demons. This migration and warring has continued for the better part of two years with no resolution, and many wounded, young, and old Northmen are now seeking refuge in the south.