Jorns

*"And from the mingling of the blood of Thrund and Mogrid's pyre arose two new beings, alike to the Tryggavolk in appearance but were shorter of stature and lacked the great horns of that race, and their names were Britta and Jorn."* ~Jornasmal, Book I

## Basic Information

### Anatomy

Despite being descended from giants, Jorns are considered a human species and as such resemble other human races. They are typically fair of skin, hair, and eyes. Their hair is typically blonde, red, or brown, and their eyes are either green, blue, or brown. Due to their giant heritage, they are generally taller and more strongly built than other human races. Their bones are also thicker and stronger than other races', making them resilient to physical attacks.

### Ecology and Habitats

The Jorns came to be in the cold northern islands of Jorland. This had a profound impact on them culturally. It is considered responsible for their reputation as sailors, explorers, and fishermen, as well as their reputation as fierce warriors, as the limited space of their homeland gave rise to frequent conflict, and established their warrior culture. It also instilled in them the importance of self-sufficiency, hard work, and perseverance, as their new homeland of Rokara is equally harsh as their ancestral homeland of Jorland.

## Additional Information

### Geographic Origin and Distribution

Jorns can trace their ancestry back to the northern continent of Jorland, but have since settled Forgosia, establishing the kingdom of Rokara and can be found all over the continent, although they are in greater numbers in the more northern nations.

## Civilization and Culture

### Naming Traditions

**Common Male Names:** Ravn, Thrunding, Skjor, Bolli, Tornar, Jofnir **Common Female Names:** Brynhild, Gritta, Fjara, Brida, Hilda, Thyrja **Family Names:** Jornic family names are almost always patronymic, taking the first name of the child’s father, with very few exceptions. Depending on the sex of the child, the suffix after the father’s name will be -son for males, and -dottir for females examples include: Bjornson, Gaermundsdottir, Sigmundson, or Hjalfsdottir **Other Names:** In addition to the patronymic names given to Jorns at birth, a Jorn may come by a nickname or kenning during their life due to a habit, deed, physical characteristic, etc., that they will become known by as an alternative to their patronym. Examples include: Saltmane, Frosthide, or the Bear.

### Beauty Ideals

The Jorns place a high value on hygene and appearance. It is not uncommon to see both men and women with long, well-groomed, braided hair with metal or wooden beads. Men are often seen growing beards that have been braided and beaded in a similar way to their hair. It is also very common to see different wood and metal jewelry, which often incorporate religious images or runes, are also worn by both men and women. Men and women also often get various tattoos on their bodies. They feel it is very important to bathe as regularly as is possible and take good care of their skin and hair. Strong, well-built people, both men and women, are generally seen as being more attractive to Jorns. Softer features are more favored in women, while harder, more rugged features are more favored in men.

### Gender Ideals

Because much of Rokara is very harsh, both Jornic men and women have to be very strong to survive. Due to this, men and women are in most instances seen as equals. From a young age, children are traditionally taught farming, self defense, and how to maintain a household. That being said, men and women both are traditionally taught to serve different essential roles. Boys are often taught hunting, fishing, sailing, horsemanship, basic survival skills, and basic carpentry and blacksmithing. They are expected to bring in food, go to town to make money, and repair and maintain the house. Girls, on the other hand, are taught how to prepare food, create cloth and clothing, make bowls, cups, and other containers, and how to run the household. They are expected to maintain the household, produce goods for the house and to be sold, and to manage how the house is run in general. Both genders are expected to be able to defend their home if need be, but the man is expected to defend his wife, children, and the servants. In times of war, the man is expected to join the cause while the woman generally stays behind to protect the homestead. However it is not uncommon to see female warriors within Rokari military ranks, as sometimes the husband may stay behind, or the household is left in the care of trusted servants. While these ideals can be found throughout Rokara, they are more common in rural areas, and are much less prominent, if not almost nonexistent, in urban areas, as urban areas are much less harsh than the wilds, and these gender roles are not as important. In urban areas men and women live very similar lives.

### Courtship Ideals

In urban Rokari culture, couples generally take a relatively long time to court before getting married, to ensure that they can remain happy together. Marriage in urban Rokara is generally done purely for love. While in the past it wasn't uncommon for a head of a household, especially a Jarl, to marry off their children, today that practice has mostly died out. Rural Rokara, on the other hand, is much different. Couples are generally married young, sometimes around 16 or 17, and may be betrothed to each other by the age of five. This is because marriage in rural Rokara is more a matter of practicality than of true love. Even with the matter of the practicality of early, arranged marriage aside, most small communities only have a few children from different families, and more solitary settlements may not have any potential spouses at all. In the latter case, and sometimes in the former, although that is less common, when the child comes of age (again, around 16 years old) they are often sent off to the nearest city to find a spouse.

### Relationship Ideals

The ideal Jornic relationship is one in which both parties contribute equally. As stated in the Gender Ideals paragraph, especially in rural areas, the wife is expected to handle things at home and the husband is expected to handle things elsewhere. Within many of Rokara's cities, however, there is less of a need for this and is therefore not seen as often. Husbands and wives are expected to be faithful to one another, but while affairs are frowned upon and are generally not tolerated by one's spouse, many Jorns would see it as nothing more than a mistake, and would generally not publicly shame or treat the person much more poorly then they already would treat them. Open relationships are generally considered taboo, as are polyamorous relationships, and relationships with thralls, and while not actually taboo, marriage to a Wood Elf is generally frowned upon, due to long-standing animosity between the two races.

### Common Etiquette Rules

The Jorns don't have much in the way of public etiquette. Violence and drunkenness are tolerated to an extent, that extent being when violence goes beyond a simple brawl or a person is drunkenly vomiting and passed out in the streets. Friendliness and amiability are two traits very appreciated by Jorns, as they help raise spirits when the nights are long and cold. However, while it is generally seen as a good thing to be friendly, minding one's own business and speaking one's mind, regardless of who it may hurt, are also respected by the Jorns.

### Common Dress Code

Rokari people are well known for their richly colorful and embroidered clothing. Most urbanites and wealthier citizens wear clothing dyed in deep shades of red, blue, purple, and green. Women generally are seen wearing dresses and men are seen wearing shirts and pants. Amulets worn on chains are common for both men and women, as are metal and wooden hair beads. Women may be seen wearing a circlet and men may be seen wearing arm rings, generally as a sign of marriage or social status. Poorer people and people who care less for elaborate clothing generally opt for plain-colored clothing, although much of the other criteria remain the same. In colder climes thick furs may be worn, and sailors and fishermen on the northern seas are often seen wearing walrus-skin coats to keep out the cold and damp.

### Culture and Cultural Heritage

Jornic culture puts a great deal of emphasis not only on hard work in more mundane life, but also on courage and valor on the battlefield. To die in combat is one of the highest honors a Jorn can receive. They are fine weapon and armor smiths, known for their suits of mail and helmets, often adorned with horns or antlers. They are some of the finest shipbuilders in Forgosia. Their longships are known to be some of the most versatile craft in Forgosia, capable of sailing rivers just as well as the high seas. The bows of these craft are known to be carved in shape of animal or dragon heads, adorned with runes, or bear animal skulls. This is meant to denote who the ship belongs to. When not performing raids in wartime, Jorns use these craft as trade vessels. Their nation of Rokara is divided into small kingdoms ruled by Jarls, all of which are united under a High King.

### Common Myths and Legends

The Jorns have their own ethnic religion called Borstahl. It is overall a more archaic version of the Deretil Pantheon commonly accepted throughout Forgosia, and uses archaic, Jornic names for the gods, omits several gods, and follows a very different mythology which is documented in the Jornasmal, a collection of epic poems that serve as both mythology and history of the Jornic people. In addition to their gods, they revere local nature spirits and believe in the power of their ancestors. While there is no defined organization or hierarchy to the religion, there are shamanistic or druidic priests called Blood Shamans who serve as a conduit between the gods, spirits, and mortals.

### Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Jorns overall have mostly positive relations with other cultures of Forgosia. While many who are unfamiliar with them may imagine them as savage, wild brutes, they often earn the respect of and change the perception of those they meet. However, their relations with Wood Elves have long been shaky, the aftermath of many wars between the two peoples, which has created a longstanding and mutual resentment, which has led to racism and discrimination on counts of both peoples.

Genetic Ancestor(s)
* Tryggavolk

Origin/Ancestry
Human
Lifespan
70 years
Average Height
6-6.5'
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Fair skinned

## Magic Culture

Jorns, despite generally being perceived as axe-bearing warriors, actually have a proud magical heritage. The most common types of mages found in Rokara are bards, called Skalds by the Jornic people. The Jornic Skaldic practice of tapping into the Worldsong is a semi-mythological practice spanning back even to the creation of the Jorns, and carries considerable cultural importance. The Skald's College in Halenfjord is considered one of the finest institutions of musical learning on the continent, despite being primarily centered on Jornic cultural practices. Druids, warlocks, and clerics are also fairly common, as Jornic Blood Shamans seem to combine aspects of these three types of spellcasters into Jornic religious practice. Most other Jornic mages are not pure mages, but instead imbue and augment their Jornic martial traditions with magic, becoming magic-wielding barbarians, rangers, and fighters. Sorcerers and wizards are present in Rokara, but generally only appear in small numbers in major cities. The exception is the city of Ravencrest, which is the center of magical and mundane academia in Rokara. Lycanthropes are generally not as universally hated and feared as they are in many other nations, and are shrouded in layers of fear, respect, and mysticism. The highest ranking members of the warrior group known as the Valiant are known lycanthropes, and are highly respected as warriors. The Jorns have long been known to use people with lycanthropy in martial combat.