The Warborn

> *"The hammer of the gods w'ell drive our ships to new lands, to fight the horde, and sing and cry,*
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> *Valhalla, I am coming!"*
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The Warborn are a tribal confederation of Valkyrja located in the Valkenheim region to the south of Nadir. From the city of Kaer Hríd, the High Queen plans campaigns to come across the whole of the world.

## A Nation Born of War

The Warborn are a civilisation built on one principle: that war and conflict are what drives the development of society. To this end, their entire philosophy is geared towards martial development and innovation. From the early development of iron weapons and armour, to taming the great mammoths and thunderwolves of the region, the Warborn are preparing to unleash their warriors upon the world in as many conflicts as possible, regardless of the reason or the moral justification. Indeed, few of them care what side of the battlefield they will fight on, as a strong arm and blade is highly desirable in the badlands separating Valkenheim from the north of Nadir, and the demand for mercenaries is likely to be high.

## Society

As a tribal confederation, each Warborn tribe is ruled by a jarl. The jarl is considered an absolute ruler of their tribe, advised by their thegns who own their own land. Each jarl and thegn is served by a group of huscarls who serve them as bodyguards and elite warriors in battle. Every jarl owes allegiance to the Storm Ruler, who is chosen from the most powerful jarls in Valkenheim through trial by combat.

Each Valkyr who makes up the society is expected to be a warrior, even if they have skills in another field. As a result, each settlement is well defended in the event of an attack by another tribe or outside forces. However, industry suffers as a result, due to the gearing of the whole populace to the purposes of war.

To remedy this, on their raiding forays, the Warborn will take thralls back with them in their longships to Valkenheim. These thralls form the main labour force of the Warborn, and sit at the very bottom of society. Having been defeated in war, and reduced to such a pitiable existence earns them nothing but scorn from a society of warriors. To the Warborn, such pathetic creatures are deserving of nothing else.

## Marks of the Gods

At the closing of the First Age, members of the Warborn found themselves marked on their very souls by one of the aspects of their goddess. As this phenomenon spreads, the Valkyrja's belief that they are chosen by the divine grows stronger, and the blessings granted by the marks will grow with them.

### The Mark of Kára

The first mark to be stamped on the souls of the Warborn, the Mark of Kára fills its bearer with a furious rage, that can barely be constrained outside of the battlefield, leading to a great emphasis on self control developing in Warborn society. When on the battlefield, the fury generated by the mark boils over into a blood-fueled frenzy that will not end until either all enemies are slain, or the bearer lies broken upon the anvil of war.

### The Mark of Úlrikke

The second mark that appeared was that of the Wolf Queen, the Mark of Úlrikke grants great charisma and leadership to the bearer. A bearer of this mark will quickly rise to a position of power within the Warborn, and are able to control those afflicted by the Wolf Scourge and the Mark of Kára. Many Warborn jarls are bearers of the Mark of Úlrikke and it is common for these jarls to be accompanied by a great thunderwolf to ride to war.

### The Mark of Thóra

The third and final mark of the Goddess is the Mark of Thóra. Those who have this mark upon their soul are known as Stormcallers and are able to call upon the magic of the storm to create winds, torrential rainfall, lightning strikes and in rare circumstances, a thunderous tempest. Rarer than those who bear Úlrikke's mark, Stormcallers rarely stay in one settlement, often wandering from place to place, joining whatever force will take them.

## The Great Covenants

The deep devotion of the Warborn has lead to many of their number swearing covenants with their goddess's children. Each Great Covenant grants different rewards to those who pledge themselves.

### The Stridsmenn af Sturmljós (Warriors of Stormlight)

* *An ancient covenant of warriors, pledged to the Storm's Firstborn.*
	+ *Warriors of Stormlight, who worshipped the blood of lightning. The red cloth of their armour is said to symbolize their yearning for blood. The worship of the Firstborn has captured the hearts and minds of warriors across the lands for many ages. Perhaps such warriors are attracted to doctrines of few words.*

### The Vördur Prinsessunnar (Princess's Guard)

* *The Guardians of Gwynhwyfar, Princess of Stormlight. They have received blessings from the princess herself, so that they may aid each other.*
	+ *The ring granted to those who enter this covenant is slightly warm to the touch, like a beam of stormlight.*

### The Sturmáhorfendur (Storm Watchers)

* *Warriors who made a pact with the Stormlight Knightess.*
	+ *These warriors vowed to partake of wolf blood. They act in the dark, seeking out any sign of demons, fighting a constant war with these abominations. They also ensure that dead warriors sleep in serenity, by hunting down those who would trespass amongst the graves of the flooded Ulfrskógr.*

### The Varagyr Wolf Cult

* *Warriors who sought to emulate wolves.*
	+ *The Varagyr would partake of a greater portion of the wolf blood than the Storm Watchers, allowing them to assume the form of wolves. The fury of these warriors would spread beyond their order, as they unwittingly spread the curse they took within themselves.*

### The Thrall Riddarar (Thrall Knights)

* *The strongest thralls taken by the Warborn, used as fodder in the bleakest of battles. Those who survived would often grow decrepit, their skin covered in scars. Eventually many would go outright mad, but they were never relieved from duty.*

## Runic Lore

The dread goddess revered by the Warborn scorns the academic and scholarly pursuit of magical power, as such time can be better spent honing skill at arms for a more proper victory in war. Nevertheless, she saw the wisdom of granting those amongst the Warborn who had the aptitude for the arcane arts some measure of power, and so gifted the shamans of the Valkyrja with knowledge of the runes capable of harnessing such a force.

### Stormcalling

The first runes to be granted, the Runes of the Stormcaller the Valkyrja the ability to conjure mighty bolts of lightning and smite their foes from afar. Commonly tattooed onto the arms, these runes arc with electricity when their power is directed.

### Unleashing of Rage

The second of the runes, these allow the shaman to channel the divine fury within her soul and either spread it to others or to enhance her own abilities beyond that she would normally achieve. When spread to others, it can be used to rouse the spirits of her allies, or cause an enemy host to fall apart to berzerk infighting. These runes are commonly tattooed on the back and chest of the shaman.

### Summoning of the Spirit Wolves

These runes are those that call forth a pack of spectral wolves to assist the shaman either in battle or to track a foe. The Runes of the Summoning of the Spirit Wolves are inscribed upon the teeth of wolves and thunderwolves, and are cast upon the ground like a farmer sows their seeds, with wolf spirits coming forth from whence the teeth land.

### Icons of Wrath

The runes inscribed into these totems and banners are intended to attract the winds of magic that blow throughout the world and focus them into providing the warriors that bear these with greater strength and endurance. These Icons also empower the runes of the shamans that draw upon the winds of magic.

### Riders of the Storm

Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Warborn shamans is this collection of runes. When carved into the hull of a longship, they grant the ship the ability to sail the skies of Nadir as if they were an ocean. Whilst the capabilities of this runic array is yet to be seen, surely it will change the face of the world.

## Tribal Holds

As the Warborn are at best a loose confederation of tribes, their cities are essentially where the Jarl of each hold has her seat, with the High Queen claiming the coastal keep of Kaer Hríd as her seat of power.

### Kaer Hríd

Meaning "Citadel of the Storm" in the tongue of the Valkyrja, Kaer Hríd is the seat of the High Queen of the Warborn, and as such is viewed as the nominal heartland of Warborn territory. Situated in the Broken Shore region of Valkenheim, the citadel overlooks the greatest of the frozen fjords in the region, and boasts one of the greatest ports in all of Nadir.

Since the flooding of the Ulfrskógr, Kaer Hríd has become connected to the inner sea, massively reducing the journey time needed for the longships of the Warborn to reach the northern territories of Nadir, whether for trade, raiding or outright war.

### Skýhalda

The "Sky Hold" is nestled amongst the peaks of the World's Edge Mountains, and as such can boast perhaps the greatest natural defences of any city on Nadir. Accessible by only one great bridge of stone spanning a deep chasm, Skýhalda is virtually unassailable by most mortal armies. For those beings capable of flight, the towers are bristling with ballistae and archers, their eyes forever on the horizon as they guard the mines and living quarters built deep into the mountain beneath the fortress.

### Kaer Daudur

The "Dead City" is located within the flooded Ulfrskógr, and is where the cremated bodies of the Warborn are interned so that they may have their hard-earned rest following a lifetime of battles. The Sturmáhorfendur, and the Stormlight Knightess make their home within the grim keep at the centre of the city, their watchful eyes ever vigilant for trespassers within these sacred graves.