Drearime

The Drearime Wickers are a group of native Headlanders who, despite apparent militant prowess, were overpowered by a conglomerate of smaller, wrathful clans and forced to immigrate into Ardeiria .

## History

Originally natural enemies of the extremely early ancestors of the territory that would become the Kingdom of the Mountain, the Drearime Wickers settled into a harsh, rocky environment nearby constantly mist-covered rapids. Originally, instead of being lead by a hierophant, godshunter and waybinder, the hierophant and godshunter were merged, due to their warlike culture, whereas the waybinder position was abolished.  Contenders for the Chieftan's Headdress are forced to lead small warbands against each other, which only ends after only one remains undefeated, though originally ending in all opponent's death. Those who are beaten early on are executed or made slaves, being seen as worthless. After their original space in the Reach being far too crowded, they headed to the far north Bite, where they ended up in their harsh home.

Seen as conquerors or reapers by nearby clans, depending on hostilities, their Golden Age was shortly before the Kingdom of the Headlands' formation. They took multiple areas, absorbing the Crimsonrapid, Stormstone, Bristleborne, and Flamebrand clan. While not a huge amount of land was taken from this, the far-north clans gradually managed to break away from the psuedo-Empire that the Drearime had created. Crimsonrapid and Flamebrand broke off and absorb themselves into other clans in the Reach, while the Stormstone and Bristleborne created a rebellion based on lies and old alliances, ending their era. Lord Raichfen Kresten had been creating these seeds of dissent before his poisoning, and it fell to his son, Roisforth Kresten , to finish the plan after he fell ill.

Meeting the near-broken people near a month after the failed genocide against them, he promised them a role in the Bull for their undying loyalty. After striking down their Chieftan in a duel to the death, they agreed to join forces with the Krestens. This was mainly to prevent aggression from Vaerina Caer without getting outside aid from the Kingdom, as well as lessen Redfist influence. The Drearime and Kresten religious views are near-identical, which makes them easier to control than the Redfist, as well as giving them an excuse which does not require explanation to prevent Light-worshippers from immigrating publically.

## Culture

The Drearime Wickers are typically cynical, distant people. Fanatically loyal to their religion, which fuels their war-like tactics, they operate during the Dusk until Dawn. Melancholy is not uncommon among them, though not to the point of obviousness or absolute whininess. Women and men distinctiveness is only in creating the next generation, the rest being used as strength. If a certian threshold is not reached, the weak are enslaved. Once they've proven strong enough, however, the murder of their masters is celebrated and the roles are reversed. They are instinctively hostile to Light-worshippers, and will attack on the slightest excuse to do so.

 File:Drearime-Chieftan.jpg
## The Headdress

The Headress, worn by the chieftan, is the skull of a massive Elk with bear fur pasted around it, and is commonly seen as enchanted in its own way, possessing dark green, glowing eyes. Moss hangs off each prong of the antlers, and the skull its self is meshed to fit around the chieftan's neck. After he dies, a new headress must be hunted to replace it, while he is made to stand with the others in their crypts. This has gotten harder with their immigration, though thankfully they can bait deer from the Stag over the border for their tradition. Their crypts, however, were lost in the genocide lead by the Stormstone and, lesser so, by the Bristleborne.