Sigjariahlæm

**Sigjariahlæm** (Land of the Sailors) is commonwealth of islands off the main continent of Nomos. The main island, Hloshiríc, is literally translated as Horse Island from Feynsigjari, due to a herd of horses that inhabited the island when the first migrators arrived on the island. The capital of Seæriclitukduínril is located on this isle.

The second isle, north of Hloshiríc is known as Geddæøahl, meaning Mountain or Great Rock. Between the two, a miniscule island known as Nervatsbeør is frequented only by fishermen.

Sigjariahlæm are known as raiders and sailors, with the soil of the isles too temperamental to grow anything more complex then turnips, the sea, hunting and raiding provides for the people who live in these harsh lands. This has provided a unique architecture for the Sigjarir who are forced to construct their ships, known as Visørima, out of the bones of whales and other such beasts of the sea, and their homes out of ice and snow.

The national faith is the prophetic Síggiøríngíkemærseær which prophercices an eternal winter.

## History

### Early History

The history of the Sigjãrir tribe is one marked by competition, survival and adaptation. Once, upon the land now known as Ygnaokfoyd a great many number of tribes inhabited the land and Enykauðhlẽgaza sacrifice still kept the eternal winter at bay. However, this waned each coming year - harvests provided less and less, trees stunted and and the sea froze over longer each year. With this change came fear. The Sigjarir tribe had always been known as keen sailors (from where the name originates) but with the requirement of the remaining wood for houses, their once fearsome longships rotted and were left to die a slow death on the sand banks of the sea. The tribes soon fell into chaos, as the first summer came and went without the ground thawing. War quickly erupted over the land as resources dwindled. With too little food to maintain the tribe, and their once proud sailing heritage all but forgotten, it came upon the Ragnímfeynri to see the tribe through these dark days. Her name was Vinaaðvik. She gathered the rotting longships and constructed a final ship of the Sigjarir. It took many nights and the ice crept in across the sea night by night. Finally, a blood stained seærgeddæhlos rider returned, warning of the coming of the other tribes in a desperate attempt of cannibalism. Vinaaðvik gathered up the remaining Sigjarir and set sail across the sea. The journey was hard as the survivors of the migration fed on the sea for what seemed like months. One cold morning, as the last of the frost was melting off the ship which headed further south, a raven perched itself on the rigging. Land was close. The following morning the remaining ragged Sigjarir set foot on their new home, filled with snow covered forests and abundant with animals who cowered at the sight of the migrators. Hloshiríc it was named, after the dwarf-like horses that galloped down the shores. Sigjariahlæm was born, the Land of the Sailors. The ship of Vinaaðvik was used to construct the first homes for the tribe, along with a mighty throne. The Sigjarir prospered on this new land constructing new ships and with the abundance of trees, pine, ash and birch, quickly rediscovered their heritage of sailing.

### Recent History

Emíngkahlsboltunri came and went as the decades past and with each passing generation the winter's grew colder and more violent. The trees upon which they built their homes and ships grew sparse as the saplings grew brown and cowered from the cold, unable to meet the ever-growing demand of the Sigarir. It was during this period that the Sigjarir developed new methods in which to continue their way of life. From building great ships of bone to a town constructed of ice over the ruins of the dilapidated and rotted settlement. The sea became their most important resources giving them access to it's plentiful harvest, and the most adventurous of the tribe journeyed far and wide bringing back great treasures and cargo holds full of food.

It was during those expeditions that new lands were discovered and settled, the first of which was the isle of Geddæøahl in which the town of Ægeddæøahl can be found. The current Ragnímfeynri, Seærgeddæhlossmæø, a powerful wielder of Emrylír, and a known Læguit; is keen to see his people continue the exploration for new lands in the hope of finding a suitable safe haven from the Síggiøríngíkemærseær

Ultimately it can be said that while the Sigjarir are ever fearful of the Síggiøríngíkemærseær they, like their great ancestor Boltunri have shapeshifted their way of life to match the looming threat of nature. A way of life that is still followed today, while the land they landed on may have changed from a forested snow covered land, filled with creatures, into an inhospitable land covered in ice and snow. They remain and survive regardless.

## Society and Culture

### Practices and Traditions:

* Oral History: Since most of the Sigjarir are illiterate, traditions and practices are primarily passed down through oral history.
* Artefacts: Some significant artefacts, such as the remains of Vinaaðviks ship, have been preserved and repurposed, like constructing the throne of Sigjariahlæm.
* Lost Traditions: Due to the reliance on oral history and the great migration, countless traditions have been lost to time.
* Raiding: Known as a Læguit amongst the Sigjarir, this is a more recent practice, driven by the lack of natural resources in their own lands. They engage in pillaging others for goods, bringing them back to Hloshiríc. Additionally, while the act is for the benefit of the collective, it is not uncommon for Læguitr to disappear with their bounty, with some individuals becoming wealthy enough to be considered Hlæmfæ̃aðrũazrĩ (leaders) in their own right. Perhaps the most well known was during the War of the Læguitr in which the Læguit leader Hløgæaþ attempted to overthrow the Emíngkahlsboltunri, although he was ultimately unsuccessful.

### Gender Roles:

* Equality: Sigjarir society holds no distinct gender roles, with men and women having equal power and responsibility. Both genders contribute equally to supporting the tribe.
* Succession: The succession of the crown of Sigjariahlæm follows absolute primogeniture, meaning the eldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne.

### Artworks:

* Rarity: Artworks in Sigjãriahlæm are scarce. They are primarily carvings made on large blocks of stone or bone, and smaller art forms are created using wood from Ygnaokfoyd. These artworks are highly prized.

### Clothing:

* Animal Pelts: The Sigjarir utilize pelts from polar bears, reindeer, and arctic camels as clothing and coverings for barren surfaces.
* Skins: Skins from seals and whales are used to create tents, clothes, and small canoes, providing shelter in their frozen environment.

### Diet:

* Seafood: The Sigjarir heavily rely on seafood as a primary food source, given their proximity to the ocean. It forms a significant part of their diet.
* Tundra Bounty: In addition to seafood, the Sigjarir also gather resources from the frozen tundra. More affluent members may have access to meat through hunting or trading.
* Full List of Sigjarir Foods.

### Culture:

* Brutal Culture: The Sigjarir have a harsh and brutal culture. Each member receives training in the warrior arts and wilderness survival to ensure their ability to survive in their challenging environment.
* Survival of the Fittest: Those deemed too weak to survive on their own are often abandoned in the wild, left to be consumed by animals. This reflects the survival-focused nature of their society.
* Emrylír: While most of the tribe are gifted with emrylír, very few dedicate themselves sufficiently to be able to wield the power with much success. Those that do are heavily revered for their craft and often spend time away from the tribe during their tutelage to travel the world akin to Boltunri.

## Geography

   Spanning three isles. Sigjariahlæm is relatively uniform in it's geography, although, the interaction of the Sigjarir rather than nature has altered each of these islands from their natural origin.

### Hloshiríc

Harbouring the capital of Seæriclitukduínril with it's cascading fountains as the city slopes down towards the port where the Visørima dock bringing back riches from the sea and shore. The rest of Hloshiríc is a tundra, the trees that once covered the Isle have been cut down by the Sigjarir in the subsequent decades and the requirement for wood has stunted any new growth beyond that of a sapling. The waters of the Aaðmærøahlvikrs (Sea of Wealth) can be particularly choppy apart from the cove within Seæriclitukduínril.

However, out of the three islands. This is most hospitable to life as the island itself houses a great number of animals and vegetation in comparison to the others and the ground is kind to those who wish to journey by ski or horse.

## Hierarchy

### Ragnímfeynri

The influential and powerful person in the tribe of the Sigjarir. The Ragnímfeynri is a member of society elected by the people to serve their interests. It is the sole office of government and has no legal power, other than to settle disputes and chair meetings in the yearly Beørirfeyn (A moot, literally meaning a place to speak). A new Ragnímfeynri is elected every three years by Hlæmfæaðruazria and Þorkauða.

### Emíngkahlaboltunri

Descendants of Boltunri, while most native Sigjarir can claim their descent from their founder, they are still esteemed above all others are true sons of their Gods. While not particularly important in common society due to the frequency of descent, it can make immigration or becoming a Þorkauð difficult until one is able to prove descent from Boltunri. In almost all cases, the Ragnímfeynri will lean in favour of the Emíngkahlaboltunri in a court of law over a non descendant. Being able to prove your Emíngkahlsboltunri is a requirement to own land and therefore be elected as Ragnímfeynri.

### Hlæmfæaðruazri

Hlæmfæaðruazri are the landowners in Sigjariahlæm and therefore are typically the most wealthy and influential of the Sigjarir, with being a hlæmfæaðruazria a requirement to stand for election as the Ragnímfeynri. Most of the land is usually used for grazing or small plots of farmland in whatever can be grown in the inhospitable climate of Sigjariahlæm. Many hlæmfæaðruazria will not stand for election at the Beørirfeyn for fear of the loss of their land should they lose, meaning only the most powerful or bravest hlæmfæaðruazria choose to stand for Ragnímfeynri.

### Þorkauð

Þorkauð the backbone of Sigjariahlæm. They are the merchants, bankers, farmers, and læguitr. They are the free peoples of the land, and a few may even rise the ranks to own land in their own name or be elected as a Ragnímfeynri. All Þorkauð are expected to join into a war effort. In elections, a Þorkauð could choose to support any of the hlæmfæaðruazria. In exchange for the hlæmfæaðruazria protecting his interests and often granting their stronger supporters land in the case of winning the election (often at the expense of their electoral opponents when conflicts are brought to the Beørirfeyn, mostly dubious in nature), the Þorkauð would provide armed support to his hlæmfæaðruazria during feuds or conflicts, even raiding abroad when required.

### Nøajari

Nøajari are the lowest members of Sigjarir society, and they are forced to do the grunt work in Sigjariahlæm that no one else wants to do. Becoming a Nøajari is the result of being dishonourable and or breaking the law, they serve the person which they dishonoured by committing a crime. If the crime was against the nation itself if the action was no singular person, then they will be drafted into the servitude of whatever project needs them most. However, they could be freed by their masters at any time. However, it is possible to buy their own freedom from the state or owner and become a citizen or leave the nation entirely.