Hulfirdum

Compass direction
 Population
 Diversity
 Languages
 Government

Being the 'capital' of the Ausii tribe, Hulfirdum is a fairly large trading hub in the north. From here, people from the more southern regions can safely trade their goods for pelts of animals only found in the north. Due to the amount of trade the city sees, the ruling tribes do not raid anyone else other than the other tribes they are at war with. The residents, like the rest of the Ausii, are generally more accepting of outsiders than other Wolfkin tribes further north but they still treat them with a bit of caution. The clans that make up the Ausii have always had a decent relationship with the Empire to the south despite their more warlike brethren. Since coming together, they have agreed to officially be a part of the empire and to act as a bulwark against their more xenophobic kin in exchange for iron and have even sent some of their own to join the Imperial army as a show of friendship. The city is governed by a council of elders and chieftains with a single gothi (priest) to oversee all religious matters. Disputes between residents are often solved between the two parties, though in rare cases the council will intervene. In order to make sure that outsiders are not scared off the council has declared that blót (ritual sacrifices) are only to take place in the sacred groves while the feasts afterward are left open to the public.

### ***LF: Civil War***

**Northern Territories** – The tribes of the north tend to be less welcoming than their southern brethren. Descendants of raiders and warmongers, those Ulfhedinn from the north remain extremely independent. They see no reason to assist the Lionsdale Alliance and provide as little assistance as they possibly can. Other races face a good amount of prejudice in these territories, though humans seem to get the worst of it. Those from the northern tribes are wary of the newly formed alliance and their council members frequently push for the retraction of any support and even a declaration of war against Vanderhill.

**Southern Territories** – Do to their proximity to and their history with the old Lionsdale empire, the tribes of the south are quite willing to aid the Alliance. These territories tend to be far more diverse than those in the north. Other races face some discrimination, but it is usually only in the form of suspicion, not outright violence. Council members of the southern territories support the current state of aid for the Lionsdale Alliance, suggesting that it will grant a powerful ally and a strong bargaining position at the end of the war. Quite a few members also support waging war against Vanderhill, but most are content to wait until after the current conflict is dealt with.

The territories are a loose confederation of tribes unified in their fight against the republic. They are all technically beholden to the council of elders but are given a great amount of autonomy. Each territory is allowed to govern itself, but is not allowed to negotiate with or declare war on foreign powers, only the council can do that. All territories have representatives on the council, but some have more than others. As the original minds of the new nation, the old confederation of the Ausii tribe holds the most seats and control over Hulfirdum itself. Their members tend to act as mediators during meetings. Though unified against the republic, there is a great deal of infighting and tribal bickering among council members.

Following the presumed death of the emperor, Hulfirdum has declared itself a separatist nation and commenced warfare against the Republic. This is due to the negligence that the empire had in regards to the wellbeing of Hulfirdum and the inclusion of the northern territories. Around hundred years ago, a plague infected Hulfirdum and the empire proved inept in helping. The people of Hulfirdum yearn for a new order, a redistribution of power that sees them elevated during the next political consolidation. Hulfirdum supports the Lionsdale Alliance to a degree, but their aid is circumstantial. Their aid is tentative at best. Hulfirdum's support comes in the form of the Haelvrigen Band. As per the agreement, Lionsdale must provide Hulfirdum AND the Haelvrigen Band with a monthly payment. These payments ensure that the mercenaries remain under contract. Any default on these payments will result in the prompt withdrawal of the Haelvrigen Band and even the possibility of them switching sides in the conflict. Having seen the fall of the empire and now living through its aftermath, the people of Hulfirdum have come to question the strength of the Royal lionshifters; rumors abound throughout the land, and they do little to mask their suspicion of the coalition.

## Geography

Though contained within the boundaries of the northern region of Visgird, Hulfirdum is located south enough to escape the tundra biome that contains most of the north. Instead, Hulfirdum lies in a taiga biome, surrounded by coniferous forests and marshes. The soil has few minerals, making it poor for farming. Efforts to cultivate crops are further hampered in much of the surrounding area by a layer of permafrost. Still, the Wolfkin of Hulfirdum put forth the effort and produce an admirable amount of crops given the circumstance. Instead of flowers and shrubs, mosses and mushrooms cover the forest floors.

### Climate

The weather around Hulfirdum can be summed up in two words: Cold and wet. In the Winter, which lasts for 6 months (Initium, Litar, Yulif, Fiban, Medini and Zartd), the area is covered in snow and frequently sees snows storms. Temperatures during winter average out at around -4° Celsius (25°Fahrenheit) with little variation. The winter only sees around 8 hours of sunlight a day, the sun rising at 9 am and setting at 5 pm. In the spring (Qoi, Augustus and Tsuki), the temperatures rise to about 10° Celsius (50°Fahrenheit) give or take a few degrees. During spring, the snow melts and makes much of the soils soggy and results in the reappearance of marshes. Late spring is also the beginning of the storm seasons, with thunderstorms scattered throughout the last few days. The average amount of daylight the region gets is 16 hours, the sun rising at 4 am and setting at 8 pm. The summer months (Septem andTribus) are when the thunderstorms really begin to pick up, with one or two storms sweeping in every other day. The average temperatures hit their peak of the year at around 18° Celsius (65° Fahrenheit). Daylight lasts for 17 hours, the rising at 4 am and setting at 9 pm. Fall (Totin, Senari, Novet, Factum) continues to see thunderstorms, though fewer and less severe than in summer with one maybe every week or so. Temperatures average out at around 4° Celsius (39° Fahrenheit). The amount of daylight is around 12 hours with the sun rising at 6 am and setting at 6 pm.

### Wildlife

The wildlife inhabiting Hulfirdum is adapted to its low temperatures. There is little vegetation and most fauna is carnivorous. See below:

* Yeti