Beornhelm

* **Size**: 921.000 km2
* **Location**: North Greenfield, north of Sirendale, north of Oldwood, and coast to the north, west, and east.
* **Authority**: Autocracy by a Warchieftain and chieftains

#### **Geography**

Beornhelm's most remarkable geographical feature is the great mountain range of Orean's Hand. It is the tallest and longest mountain range in Frostmark. The northern arm of Beornhelm is an arctic landscape with all year long snow, ice, and glaciers. Along the coast of the Bay of Nechim, the islands of Nechim, and the western coast, the climate is slightly warmer by the grace of warm ocean currents pressed upwards into the bay of Nechim, by Selzissa island. Along the southern coastline of the bay of Nechim and on the islands of Nechim, there may be small human settlements, primarily surviving on seal and whale hunting.

Further south, the Orean's Hand is broken up into what is commonly named the Orean's Fingers. These sprawling mountain ranges are sporadically divided by deep and fast sea and mountain rivers. Over the millennia, they have pierced through weak points in the mountains and created v or u valleys, depending upon whether the river ever freezes into glaciers during the winters or colder periods. The biome in central to southern Beornhelm is boreal taiga. There are three vast valleys in between Orean's Fingers, Devatti Dale, Razyak Dale, and Prexarros Dale. These valleys' edges are covered in evergreen trees, but the center experiences so low precipitation that it is mostly covered in resilient grass and bush species. The diminished chances of snowfall in the winter make these valleys easy to travel through and ideal for herding.

The southwest is the warmest region in Beornhelm, where there might be some profitable farmlands by the Eagle's Straight. In between the Scyris and Thetian river, there is an old and coveted redwood forest. The rest of the south is covered in the Oldberry Woods, a thick temperate forest that is hilly, rocky, and may hide small swamps here and there. The Oldberry Woods is dominated by pines, firs, and birches, but other cold-resistant trees can also be found. The eastern and western shoreline is mostly deep and rocky, so natural harbors are easy to find, but there are also stony beaches with more shallow waters occasionally.

#### ***Summary***

The land of Beornhelm is cold, mountainous, windy, and progressively more arctic. There is little opportunity to farm in these lands. Instead, they survive on animal husbandry, fishing, and taking the rest from each other or through raiding other kingdoms. This harsh land has created equally fierce and sturdy people who share a practical mindset and a code of honor. There is only one simple rule for the Beornish, honorable might makes right. Therefore, power fluctuates in these lands, either split between local warlords or held in a vice grip of a Warchieftain who has somehow managed to intimidate all other warlords under them. But no institution of power lasts for long. As soon as a leader makes too many mistakes, they are swiftly exchanged for another ambitious upstart. The Beornish trade with Stormholme and Karthmere for food and wares and raid kingdoms closer to home for whatever else they require. Unfortunately for the Beornish, Oldwood and Sirendale are becoming harder and harder to raid, Oldwood through its impressive defenses, and Sirendale is now protected by Armathain. For the first time, the beornish are turning their hungry gazes further south, building seafaring boats.

#### ***Living in Beornhelm***

Due to the low life expectancy in Beornhelm and the paranoid climate, there isn't much of an educational system in Beornhelm. If you're lucky and you have some aptitude, you could be picked up as an apprentice of rare and sought-after masters of different trades. Most things your family must teach you, and if you have none, you must train yourself. Sometimes masters can be kidnapped from another Beornish tribe or another kingdom and then intimidated to spill their secrets to whoever wants to learn them or forced to live and work in their new home village.

The Beornish is a proud and independent people, which says a lot about how harsh a ruler needs to be to exact control over these lands. Loyalty and honor are imperative for any free man or woman, and so is also your word to a fellow honorable Beornish. If you lose your integrity, others will treat you with none. If the Warchieftain believes that a chieftain has abandoned their loyalty, the punishment is swift and merciless.

There are generally four social ranks in Beornish culture: slaves, free folk, masters, and chieftains. Slaves are unlucky souls who have either been kidnapped from another settlement or kingdom or become one through punishment. The free folk is the peasantry, folk who are not professionals in a trade or full-time warriors. Masters gather more respect than the rest of the free folk, either from the fear of pissing off someone who can quickly kill you or losing someone who contributes significantly to the community. Examples of masters can be exceptional hunters, smiths, healers, warriors, leatherworkers, distillers, builders, etc. The chieftains are simply bold warriors or masters who believe their influence might be grander than anyone else's.

#### ***Relation to the Church***

The Church of Riahn has struggled to regain its foothold in Beornhelm ever since the Empire fell. Being assigned to Beornhelm is often regarded as a fool's errand or a death sentence for any priest who isn't a naive zealot. Depending upon the current ruler of Beornhelm, the attitude towards the Church can be chilly or antagonistic. Most Beornish see no reason to participate in the rianish faith. Any attempt for the Sacred Arms to work within the border of Beornhelm is met with open hostility as they are regarded as foreign forces. Historically, people have been able to worship whatever they want in Beornhelm, but most practices have been forgotten after the invasion of Geanor purged other religions.

#### ***Relation to other Kingdoms***

Raiding is a relatively common summer activity for warriors and free folk of Beornhelm. If there is no reward in raiding another village or town in Beornhelm, they raid their neighboring kingdoms instead. Sirendale, Greenfield, and Oldwood have significantly suffered from these raids and, as a result, despise the Beornish. Trade still happens between these kingdoms and Beornhelm, but it is only conducted when the Beornish believes they would lose more from attacking. Sometimes, trade ships from Stormholme and Karthmere appear on Beornhelm's coast, which the Beornish trade rigorously with. Attacking these vessels would not benefit the Beornish, as Karthmere and Stormholme would stop sending trading ships to them in response.

In recent years, as the Armathainian presence in Sirendale has intimidated Beornhelm and chieftain Falconer has changed his ways, Sirendale has started to warm up to the idea of a transformed Beornhlem in Falconer's hands. Greenfield is the king who has the most reason to hate Beornhelm. Chieftain Idris turned a successful summer raid into an invasion and occupation that has lasted for years. Today, the chieftain controls most of the northern territories of Greenfield and the northeastern region of the kingdom.

Beornhelm has also been dissuaded from attacking Oldwood. Duke Grimcolt has created an impressive defense of the northern border and is currently in the process of building a wall. As the invasion of Greenfield has entered into a bit of a stalemate recently, and Sirendale and Oldwood are not profitable raid targets anymore, the absence of influx of slaves, food, gold, and other sought-after wares, has undoubtedly been felt by the Beornish. To keep the Beornish people's respect, the Warchieftain Kynemund is now forced to find other means of prosperity for those loyal to him. He has started a grand project of building seafaring boats, and already a few prodding raid parties have been sent to the coast of Armathain and Applegate.

#### ***Military***

The military might of Beornhelm is composed of chieftains' forces, which the Warchieftain can take control over when he or she issues orders. Most commonly, the Warchieftain's army is the largest. If another chieftain would build an army that could rival that of the Warchieftain, the Warchieftain might expect trouble in their future. To remain in power as a Warchieftain often means to show off your strength and a constant game of intimidation, which hopefully keeps other chieftains from plotting to take their spot. It is up to the individual chieftain to train and organize their troops. Possessing no military prowess is just an invitation for another chieftain or chieftain to be, to take what is yours. However, a valid excuse to attack another chieftain or Warchieftain is required to justify your cause, to ensure that your honor remains intact. A common way of achieving this is to claim that the chieftain has lost their honor.

In the past, Beornhelm has only needed riverboats and smaller trading or fishing vessels for their coastal region. With the change in the political landscape around Beornhelm, they are now experimenting with creating ships that could carry raiding parties and bounties on longer sea voyages.

Beornish warriors carry leather with some complimentary items of iron or steel, most commonly a helmet of metal. The most common weapons are axes, bows, and spears. Though chieftains love to get their hands on Armathainian steel to outfit themselves with. It is unusual to see a chieftain or successful warrior outfit themselves in a full set of plates, as the Beornish prefer a more aggressive and dynamic fighting style.

The specific types of warriors in Beornhelm vary between chieftains. However, some common archetypes of warriors exist, like that of an infantry unit with a round shield and who carries axes or spears. Another distinct unit type is muscular marauders with two-handed mauls or axes who utilize their brute strength to create openings in the enemy's frontline. As hunting is a common way to feed your family, archers are a common occurrence in Beornhelm. Chieftains like to bring a number of them to pick on the flanks or shoot down any opportunist who break from the round shield formation.

#### ***Warchieftain Kynemund***

***Ruler***: Warchieftain Brand Kynemund (33 years)

***Family***: Female partner (22 years) and a son (3 years old)

***Coat of Arms***: A black shield with a forest green diagonal cross above it, displayed in the middle an outline of a mound with a black bull passant with vicious horns standing upon it.

***Rule***: Frostborn capital

Brand Kynemund is an exceptional fighter, as Warchieftain's tend to be. He served as a raid commander under the last Warchieftain. He experienced firsthand how Oldwood tightened their borders, Greenfield grew too desolate, and how Sirendale gained support and protection from Armathain. He saw how their coffers slowly became drier, how their number of thralls decreased and how Beornish raiders growing increasingly restless, turning to rampant civil unrest. In the end, Kynemund considered the last Warchieftain had failed their task of leading Beornhlem. He gathered support in secret, and one decapitated head later, the power was his.

Kynemund couldn't immediately try to mend Beornhelm's circumstances but had to for a few years consolidate power, gain loyalty from chieftains, or create new ones where he had to. But this last year has finally allowed him to turn his gaze outwards. Kynemund is determined to bring Beornhelm back to its former glory by boldly raiding further south than they have ever done before. Kynemund is protective of Beornish traditions and culture, passionate for his cause, and ruthless to his enemies.

#### ***Chieftain Falconer***

***Ruler***: Chieftain Soren Falconer (36 years)

***Family***: Female partner (33 years) and a deceased son (15 years)

***Coat of Arms***: A black shield with a forest green diagonal cross above it, displayed in the middle a copper falcon rampant.

***Rule***: Eaglemouth city, Sleetforest town

Soren Falconer arose to the position of chieftain on the west coast, ruling over quite a substantial area, by the grace of his honor and his sharp aptitude for tactics. Soren has been one of Kynemund's closest allies, often raiding together in their youth. Soren supported Kynemund when he plotted the last Warchieftain's death and has been an essential advisor to Kynemund during his reign.

Soren was ecstatic when his son was born. Like every other Boernish chieftain, he attempted to turn his child into an accomplished warrior who could inherit the chieftain's title. Instead, Aelric turned out to be a great shame for Soren, as the little runt was incredibly sensitive, preferring to stay inside to read books. There were many quarrels in Soren's household as he continued to fail at molding Aelric into what was expected of him. As Aelric grew older, he became more and more intelligent and secretly collected rare books, which his mother assisted him with. Aelric wanted nothing more than to tell his father the stories he read about other countries and what they have achieved, discussing their systems of education, trade, and law. All the while, Aelric wished he had been born in Malgrave or Karthmere.

Then, Aelric fell ill simultaneously as Soren was ordered by Kynemund to oversee another attempt to raid Sirendale. Aelric's mother begged Soren not to go, informing him that the fever could be fatal. Soren's last words to his dying son were that he would stay and stand vigil over a child that does not possess a single bone in his body. When he eventually came home, Aelric had already passed. Despite his harsh words, the death of his son made him realize how much he had loved him even if he was not cut from the same personality Soren possessed. It was a profound moment for Soren, as he started to doubt everything that he believed in.

He isolated himself from Kynemund, claiming he was busy with internal affairs in his chiefdom. During this time, Soren discovered his son's books and read a few of them. He reevaluated his beliefs and principles. He realized that he disagreed with how things were done in Beornhelm, the constant cycle of life and death that only led to stagnation. Maybe the old traditions weren't as beneficial as he once thought. Soren now believed that what would be best for Beornhelm is to steer it in the other contemporary kingdoms' direction and become more like them, more peaceful and prosperous. Merely a year ago, he declared his open rebellion against Kynemund, staking his claim on the position of Warchieftain. So far, Kynemund has only sent Soren messages, asking if he is earnest and begging him not to continue with this foolish action, seemingly in disbelief and, so far, reluctant to fight his old friend.