Cleve

*For the background, see Cleve Barbarian.*

The **Cleve**, also known as **Cleves**, and the **Hillsmen**, are a cluster of human tribes in Nordain that's existence dates back to the Dark Ages.

## History

Although often referred to as a single entity, the Cleve are actually groups of small tribes who share their beliefs and culture but otherwise operate independently of each other. They were one of the tribes of the Drahanim which crossed the White Spine in **-2415D** to escape what legend says was a "shadow goddess".

In **-1815D**, Ysolet Cleve-Mother refused Auden the Tall's offer to cross the Narrow Sea to plunder the riches of the Golden City and instead led her tribe to split from the rest of the Drahanim and make the inhospitable White Spine their home. Afterwards, she established trade with the dwarves and, allegedly, had a child with Barnur, a dwarven prince, to ensure her tribe's continued survival. For this, she became known as the Cleve-Mother. The two groups warred with each other for centuries afterwards.

By the time the Adamantium started aggressively expanding their borders northward, some Cleve had settled in the Ansoun Mountains. Some clans were wiped out by the Adamantium's legions while others were enslaved or forced to flee north across the Narrow Sea. Circa **-712D**, the Adamantium launched their first expedition against the Cleve, planning to march further into the mountains to defeat the last of the tribes, and then turn their attention fully to the Welserine and Drahanim. But the Cleve put up heavier resistance than expected after the Adamantium seized one of their gods' sacred relics.

With the help of the dwarves, the Cleve built the fortresses of Droskyn Hold, and Vigil's Fort. The former became home to Nordain's Institute of Magic.

As the First Scourge raged across the rest of Morgaea, the Cleve chieftain Gwen'nan, said to be a descendant of Ysolet Cleve-Mother, waged war on the Drahanim chieftain Lugas Dwarfson, who had spurned her for a dwarven princess after their tryst. War raged for fifteen years until Lugas unknowingly killed the son that Gwen'nan had bore him. After Gwen'nan revealed that Lugas had killed his own son, the tide of the war turned against him. Lugas and Gwen'nan eventually killed each other at the Battle of Redfall in **-355D**.

Following the First Scourge, the Cleve made considerable advances on Adamantine territory. Thetsoll, a Cleve leader married to Sibylla, invaded the Adamantium with the help of other Drahanim tribes and elven slaves led by Febrion. However, concerned that their victories would be short-lived, Thetsoll betrayed his wife and worked out a secret deal with Archon Janerius. In exchange for truce and the lands that would eventually become Maudet, Anderlay, the Freemarks and Nordain, Sibylla would be given to the magisters for execution.

In **1A50**, after Heford's efforts to drive the fiendish hordes out of Drahanim lands during the Second Scourge had decimated the Drahanim's numbers, the Cleve and Welserine joined forces to prey on their weakness. Under Heford's leadership, the Drahanim prevailed against the other clans, forcing them to flee to the wilds and the highlands and cementing the Drahanim as the dominant clan in the Nordish Valley.

In the Fifth Age, King Lontan Kaulden united a branch of the Drahanim tribes known as the Ketharri to form the nation of Nordain. Some Cleve and Welserine tribes supported Lontan's motion, but most of the Cleve did not enter the alliance. Those who resisted the unification were further pushed to the fringes of the new nation, with the Cleve being forced deeper into the White Spine.

By **6A50**, the Cleve were united under the great warlord Berek and attacked the Thaneholds in massive numbers. However, after two years, they were pushed out of the Nordish Valley. This conflict resulted in one of the worst famines in Nordish history. Relations with Nordain has remained very sour since.

## Culture

Stability is a foreign concept to the Cleves. Nothing in the Spine stays the same forever, and nothing in Cleve life is permanent either. Their settlements are temporary, their agreements are temporary, and even their marriages are temporary. Literacy isn't very common among the Cleve; instead, they rely on stories passed down through the oral tradition by skalds and other people among the hold. The ability to read and write is usually expected in leadership roles, however, such as thanes and augurs, with augurs specifically learning how to read in order to study arcane texts.

While Cleves like to say that they hold all oaths close to sacred, the final authority on oaths rests with the Thane. A clever one can always find "a hole in the tent of any promise, a place for the cold wind to sneak in". To make up for breaking an oath with another hold, the party which has done wrong can pay the price of their transgression with gifts and new trade conditions. Spiritual rules are considered equally stringent.

Cleves despise capture and would rather end their own life or die in battle than be prisoner to an enemy.

### Community roles

Positions in a hold include Thane, Augur, Master of the Hunt, Skald, and Arena Trainer.

#### Thane

Thane is a title of the hold's leader. Thanes are responsible for settling internal and external disputes. They make the final decisions for the hold, especially when it comes to entering or breaking alliances with other holds. They take counsel from augurs.

#### Augur

Augurs are spiritual leaders of the Cleve. They are chosen from among the mages. They commune with the gods, seeking advice that they later share with the Thane.

#### Master of the Hunt

Masters of the Hunt are in charge of hunters in a hold. They lead the hunts, ensuring that the hold gathers enough food. They also handle the initial preparation of ritualistic offerings.

#### Skald

Skalds are responsible for cultivating the history of the Cleve, as the tribes rely heavily on oral tradition. Skalds learn old songs and sagas to share with the rest of the hold. They are tasked with preserving important decisions and events, such as oaths, saga-naams, and battles. Creating a pleasing tale is considered a notable accomplishment.

#### Arena Trainer

Arena Trainers are in charge of training Cleve warriors. They "prepare warriors for the gods", as the Cleve sometimes call for the spirits' help in battle. It is the Arena Trainers' duty to train the warriors well so that they can receive the gods' gifts, like additional strength or better situational awareness in a moment of need. Arena Trainers oversee the trials that take place in the hold's arena, known as Frostad's trials. This is a fight against the best warriors in the hold, until one of the sides surrenders. Before entering the trial, participants have to deliver an offering to the Arena Trainer.

### Naming

Cleve clans live in holds that bear the name of the clan that lives there.

In some Cleve holds a person is identified by a firstname and a surname, and the surname is determined by the firstname of a parent, with the suffix "-den" (meaning "son") or "-dotten" (meaning "daughter") added to the parent's name. For example, "Finn Metgenden is the son of Metgen; and Yrsaa Leneldotten is the daughter of Lenel". As such, the Cleve do not use typical family names, as the surnames change from generation to generation. For one to continue using their parent's name as a surname after the death of said parent, the individual must complete the traditional funerery rites, which includes giving a sufficient offering in honor of the deceased. If they fail to perform these rites, they no longer introduce themselves as a son or daughter of their parent, and the family relation stops being recognized by the rest of the hold.

A Cleve can also earn a "**saga-naam**" by accomplishing a significant feat. A saga-naam is a cognomen that replaces the surname, usually in honor of a great deed performed by the individual; e.g., Ysolet Rigkirdotten was posthumously made "Ysolet Cleve-Mother" in recognition of ensuring her tribe's continued survival. A saga-naam can also signify someone's negative traits.

### Wedding customs

*See also: Sexuality and marriage*
The Cleve do not marry for life, instead, they practice temporary marriages. During the wedding ceremony, the bride will sing a hymn to Thora of the Skies while the groom attempts to undo a series of knots she has tied in a long rope. The number of knots the groom undoes before the hymn ends determines the number of years that marriage will last. Both the bride and the groom may try to affect the result of the ritual, for example, the bride can tie the knots very tightly, while the groom can decide to only untie a certain number of the knots before the hymn ends. The ceremony can be repeated multiple times to extend the duration of the marriage.

Since each Cleve hold is made up of several extended-family clans, Cleves must often marry outside their hold to avoid their relatives. They see this as a good thing, for it brings in new blood and strengthens the ties among Cleves. Cleve men go about securing brides by kidnapping them. This is partially arranged in advance by approaching the elders of the target clan and announcing one’s intention. Failure to do so can lead to a blood feud.

Once permission has been given, a warrior is expected to prove his skill by slipping into the hold and removing his new bride. A warrior who is caught on his first try can expect a severe beating, but nothing worse. If he is caught again on the second try, though, he is likely to become lunch for the clan’s sacred animal. Cleve men may approach a lady directly if they wish to secure her agreement, or assistance, and some Cleve women make it known that they desire a specific man.

### Living Conditions

The majority of the Cleve peoples live in subsistence conditions, with the greater part of their days spent gathering the necessities of survival and little time given over to activities without an immediate practical application. Ornamentation is rare among Cleve-made goods that aren’t religious in nature. They prefer well-made items that endure the Spine’s extreme weather. Homes are sturdily made of wood with thatched or peat roofs.

### Hold-beasts

Each hold has a "hold-beast" that ties the clan to the gods. This animal acts as a sort of revered mascot and is treated as kin to the clan. It is no pet and is granted independence to live as it chooses. It's free to come visit the clan whenever it wishes. The clan members may even offer it gifts of food, though not enough that it would not hunt for itself. It is said that a hold draws strength from its hold-beast. When a hold-beast is strong and happy, there is joy. When it sickens and dies, it is an ill omen. If a hold-beast is sick or missing, it's a sign to other clans that the whole hold is weak, so the Cleve may want to conceal this information. A hold-beast is expected to fight in protection of its hold.

## Beliefs

The Cleve still worship the Old Gods of the Drahanim, chief among them being Andaar the Mountain-Father, Frostad Wintersbreath, and Thora of the Skies.

It is nearly impossible to speak of the Cleve people without speaking of their beliefs. Faith is the vibrant cornerstone of their existence, filling their harsh lives with sacred implications, for the Cleve believe as the Drahanim once did: the gods live in all things. Wind from an unexpected direction, birds flying in unusual patterns, a sudden silence amidst the high peaks in the spring; these are nothing but chance to a lowlander, but are messages from the gods to a Cleve.

The Cleve believe without question that their gods have protected them and kept them strong, for do they not thrive despite their numerous enemies? Wise lowlanders avoid pointing out that the hillsmen have been pushed into some of the most inhospitable terrain in all of Morgaea. In truth, the Cleve love the Spine and would only take offense at the thought that they were “forced” into the mountains. The Cleve have a complex pantheon, which includes both nature spirits and legendary mortals who have ascended to the heavens. This is further complicated by the fact that the pantheon varies somewhat from hold to hold, as every clan has its own sacred tales and heroes; however, all Cleves agree on the three greatest gods, Andaar the Mountain-Father, Frostad Wintersbreath, and Thora of the Skies.

The Cleve deem spirits as their gods, treating them as patrons to be lulled and wooed. The Cleve deliberately invoke spirits for strength in battle or solicit them for advice. Such spirits have lived within their holds for many generations, and sometimes took the form of an animal or departed relatives when they pass on their wisdom. In the event a god is destroyed, the Cleve begin a year-long time of offerings, prayers, and rituals. At the end of this period, a new spirit takes on the name and role of the old one.

The Cleve believe in a hazily defined afterlife governed by Thora of the Skies called Twilight, where the dead are reunited with their kin.

### Andaar the Mountain-Father

Andaar the Mountain-Father, also known as the Father of the Skies, is the oldest and strongest god of the Cleve pantheon. The Cleve believe that everything found in the mountains stem from him and that it is through his benevolence the Cleve receive everything they need; be it prey for hunters, or green fields for goatherds.

### Thora of the Skies

* *See also: Funerary rites*

Thora of the Skies is goddess of all above Andaar's domain, of birds and even the wind itself, as well as the goddess of the dead. Rather than cremating their dead as Sibyllans do, the Cleve dismember their dead and offer them to Thora's children, the birds, to be carried back to her domain, where they will be reunited with their kin.

### Frostad Wintersbreath

Frostad Wintersbreath, also known as the Lord of Winter, is the god of war and death. Cleve warriors train in the martial arts in order to be found worthy by Frostad and, Frostad in turn, was said to grant such warriors who earned his favor with a natural intuition or a second wind during battle. The Cleve say that Frostad fell silent centuries ago for an unknown reason.

### Drode the Clever

Drode is the trickster of the Cleve pantheon, a slight man who must rely on his quick tongue instead of strength. The most popular tale of the cunning deity is the story where he bested an evil seductress who lured him into facing her and an army of demons. Playing the coward, Drode led them on a merry chase through a mountain pass. When they thought they had cornered him, Drode laughed out loud. The great noise shook the peaks, and the horde was crushed beneath the avalanche he caused.

### Bjeorn the Great Bear

Wisest of the mountain spirits and so large that Andaar once mistook him for one of his smaller peaks. The great bear sleeps at the foot of the Mountain-Father’s throne and is the guardian of wisdom. Cleves may challenge him to acquire knowledge, but the bones of many on such a quest are strewn about his den.

Cleves hold all bears sacred and, though they do sometimes hunt and skin them, do so with great solemnity.

### Naella of the Fireside

A god whose blessings aid in the making of babies.

### Demar the Wanderer

A god of the Wanderer's Wood. He is said to accept living sacrifice in payment for wrongs done in his sacred place.

## Cleve Magic

The Cleve call their shamans **augurs**. Only one mage is chosen to be the augur. The augur's role is to give council to other mages and the Thane. In turn, an augur takes council from the spirits they deem gods and shares it with the hold. The augur makes the clan's will known to the spirits and the spirits' will to the clan. By appeasing their spirit gods with rituals, the spirits in turn protect their hold and drive off spirits gone bad with rage or gloom. The augur also spots those who draw bad spirits, and councils the thane on how to deal with the matter.

The augurs allow their apprentices to be possessed by a summoned Spirit, and the spirit teaches the mage how to control their magic with patience and kindness. When the teaching is done, the mage must then release the spirit through a ritual that involves burning an offering and casting a taxing spell that usually requires a vial of lucenium to replenish one's strength. The Cleve are well aware that some spirits are reluctant to depart human hosts willingly, however, and have means of dealing with such uncooperative entities. After all, like other mages, they have no desire to become abominations, and have rituals specifically designed to force the spirits back out. Weak mages unable to control their magic remain possessed, though, and the Cleve's spirit gods watch over both mage and spirit so neither soul becomes corrupted. If a day comes that the possessed becomes corrupted or otherwise stands at risk of harming the hold, they are killed in their sleep.

When forced to consider complex spiritual matters, the Cleve turn to their augurs, the lore keepers of the mountains. It is they who watch the migrations of birds seeking wisdom from Thora, keep the old songs, and retain the knowledge of the proper rites to honor the gods and spirits of the mountains. The majority of Cleve augurs are powerful mages whose traditions stretch far back beyond the foundations of the Institute of Magic.

Neither the Ministry nor the Prophet mean anything to the Cleve, and Templars are not welcome in the Spine. This is wise, as many of the augur's rituals would horrify the Ministry. Even mild rites, such as inviting spirits to speak through casters for a time, can be considered nothing compared to some of their more powerful ceremonies.

## Politics

Each Cleve clan is led by a Thane. Cleves settle disputes that don't have a clear right party by undergoing tests and trials. Usually these tests are dedicated to their spirit gods: for example, the "Test of Thora" is a race to climb a rock face between two competitors, each of which represent a party or claim in the dispute. The Cleve have many of these trials and the procedures for each one varies. Thanes guide the gods in deciding who is worthy and decide which test will settle the dispute. Thanes also have the power to ask a warrior whose claim is foolish to bear a handicap in the test, such as to climb the Test of Thora with stones strapped to their back. The test and conditions of the test regarding a dispute between two clans or more are assumed to be negotiated and coordinated by the thanes of the invested clans. Peace is maintained between clans by creating alliances and officiating them with oaths. Some clans swear to defend and avenge each other. Admittedly, not all Cleve hold these oaths sacred, especially for clans who promise such oaths but bear little fondness to those they are sworn to. The realistic truth is that oaths last until they are broken. A cunning thane can find a loophole and should the oath-breakers emerge victorious through cunning, they can appease the other clans sworn to defend and avenge those they've transgressed against by sending offerings, trade, and gifts to pay the price of oath-breaking.

### Foreign Relations

The Cleve have a decent relationship with the dwarven kingdom of Ondrathum, as well as the Clasp, with whom they regularly trade in order to acquire fine weaponry and other supplies. This relationship extends back to the founding of the Cleve around **-1815D**, when Ysolet Cleve-Mother gave a promise of peace and established trade with the dwarves in secret, possibly due to the region being a subject of the Adamantine conquest campaign. Ysolet also, allegedly, had a child with Barnur, a dwarf-prince, who then succeeded Ysolet as leader of the Cleve tribe. Dwarves often surface in other ancient Cleve tales, such as the *Tale of Sildnhar*.

There is also limited commerce, dialogue, and exchange of ideas with the Maudesian Empire, and some Cleve holds may even be in possession of Maudesian books. Some traders make their way to cities such as Lyonedes, Verceau and Ducailles to trade furs and leathers for spices and things that the Cleve cannot make on their own.

The Cleves trade furs, goat milk, and free passage rights for dwarf traders, allowing them to travel over the Spine in peace, in exchange for arms and armor. The dwarves regard the Cleves as a useful deterrent against both Nordish and Maudesian ambitions.