The Land of Skovva

The Land of Skovva is a wild country to the east of Ásaterra and the south of Treth. It is as diverse as its neighbours if not as sophisticated or developed, and it teems with life, if you know where to find it.

## Geography

To understand the Skovvans, you must first understand their home. It is a harsh and unforgiving land, given to terrible winters and dull summers, yet fruitful enough for those who know how to exploit it and are willing to risk its many dangers.

### The North-West

The north-western reaches of Skovva are dominated by wetland. Along the border with Ásaterra, Skovva is predominantly composed of swamps, forested wetland based along the banks of the River Dileann and its distributaries. Further east, swamp becomes marshland, trees becoming shrubs and grasses. It is common for eerie mists to roll across the marshes, so thick and chilling that many an unwary traveller has met their death in unseen boggy marshland.

Although the  northern and western reaches are dominated by marshes and dank forests, relatively fertile areas can be found here and there, and settlements have sprung up accordingly, built by the so-called Marchers. Bundles of wooden houses on stilts loom next to the river, connected by wicker bridges, clinging to it for dear life. With the swamps providing little in the way of food, and harbouring both disease and dangerous creatures, these villages survive through trading with merchants from Treth and Ásaterra. A surprisingly lucrative trade exists in bringing furs, fish, and lumber from Skovva to the warmer north; those who work this trade rely on the swamp villagers to give them shelter on their journey and, moreover, to supply them with alchemical ingredients and herbs. Skovvans typically have little need for such frivolous luxuries, but there are tales of hermits in the swamps who have grasped the arts of healing and poisoning with a talent rarely seen outside of the academies of Treth. The largest village in the area was known simply as the Myrr Marsh Village, although in 1297, it was mostly burnt and destroyed.

### The Centre and East

   Central Skovva is comprised of rolling plains, covered by Arctic tundra. Bitter winds whip across the wide open expanses, and in summer the rising temperatures thaw the frozen ground, adding to the already plentiful Skovvan marshes. The plains continue towards the eastern border, where there is relief from the cold due to the volcanic terrain. The tundra is shot through with hot springs, bubbling hot pools and the occasional geyser. At the eastern border, the seemingly endless flatlands are interrupted by a sharp rise in the terrain. An arc of Volcanoes mark the division between Skovva and the wastes which stretch away into the East, desolate, ash covered lands where very few dare to go.

The plains are the harshest of all the regions of Skovva; wind speeds can reach up to 60 mph, whilst temperatures can drop to -50°C. They lacks the rivers of the north, or the sea of the south, and are not close to civilization in the form of Ásaterra as the west is; however it still is populated, almost a microcosm unto itself. The few villages that exist out here on the exposed plains survive by raiding as much as by gleaning what they can from the plains. They themselves are continually raided by the Nomads Beyond, silent, nameless tribes who strike as if from nowhere and take what they want by force, before vanishing back into the shadows of the volcanic arc. To the very east, in the so-called Outlands, it becomes harder and harder to tell apart those who might claim to be Skovvan from these violent raiders, both in aspect and in culture. Fire and blood is all some of these villagers know, and so it becomes them out there, on the plains. Of the few Outlanders who have found their way to west Skovva, all have been human, and wildly different from their more civilised cousins, often stockier and with strange markings on their faces that greatly differ from the markings the Skovvan people have.

### The South

   The distinguishing feature of the south is its proximity to the sea. The first sight of a traveller upon coming to the mouth of many of the rivers of Skovva is a settlement encrusting the coast, not unlike the tiny swamp-villages up-stream, but obviously larger, with near-polar conditions in places. The inhabitants of these towns rely on fishing to sustain themselves, and so daily life here is centred around supporting this endeavour. Those who do not fish maintain the home or head inland to the great expanses of tundra, wherein are myriad creatures which have long since adapted to living in the cold. The coastal folk hunt these for furs and bones to process into trading goods for the northern merchants, often as luxury clothing and art sought by the people of Treth, in addition to the fruits of the sea, in exchange for whatever they might need to survive. Whilst it has the most dangerous climate of any place in Skovva, it can be said that the hazards of the south are predictable - none who dwell there are foolish enough to underestimate the numbing cold or icy waters - and so it is the most densely populated region of Skovva. Traditions of the necessary skills to survive are handed down eagerly and freely amongst the coastal folk.

## Culture & Society

Skovva is a harsh and aggressive land that wants to claim you with every step you take, but those that live in Skovva live almost in harmony with the tumultuous land. Those hardy enough to live in Skovva are resourceful and diligent, following rituals and daily schedules that ensure the best for themselves and those around them. Their culture is steeped in deep-rooted belief in their Mythics, the hard working effort for a better tomorrow, and knowledge that together is the only way forwards. It might be thought that Skovva is just a patchwork country of towns and villages all doing their own thing; it might be true that they are separate, but under the harsh weather of Skovva, they are always together. More so than Ásaterra, no one race could be considered the dominant race of this land. Humans and dwarves, elves and trolls - all of these rub shoulders in the riverside villages, swamps, and coastal towns of Skovva. In spite of this, elves are less common inhabitants of the southernmost reaches, with many breeds of elf simply lacking the constitution, if not the wit, to stomach the perpetual numbing cold and murky days, and the few patches of greenery are little reminder of home. Warmer, kinder climes appeal more to their soul. A Skovvan is a useful and unpredictable asset to a party. They know their home terrain like no other, be it tundra, swamp, or coarse plain, and can survive there indefinitely where others would quickly falter and die. They are realists by nature, not easily tricked or intimidated by the reality of any situation - yet often this innate cynicism is tempered with both empathy and social appetite. One cannot survive alone in the south for long, whereas those who work together find both survival and comfort. Skovvans are also generally very open-minded. Intolerance of perceived differences with others are a luxury that few can spare when it comes to the daily grind - and, even if such opinions are held, they will certainly not be levied openly.

At the same time, to earn respect in the eyes of many Skovvans, one has to be useful. There is no room for mistakes in many of the situations that they face on a day-to-day basis. They also are often cold and develop trust slowly towards strangers; even with a glowing recommendation from a close friend, earning a Skovvan's full trust is not an exact process for an outsider. Moreover, they can be ruthless and deceitful, even within their own communities, harbouring their true feelings for the sake of working together, and being willing to adopt measures considered less than wholesome by other peoples in order to succeed and survive.

There are many different cultural practices passed down through the generations. A few are:

* As a Skovvan grows up, they get tattoos either on their arms or on their face - however NEVER across the eyes (if your eyes were injured in the tattooing process, it is believed to bring bad luck, so they just stay away from the eyes entirely). These tattoos are typically at ages 12, 16, 18, 21 (or the Species equivalent).
* You are not considered an Adult Skovvan until the age of 18. You then must undertake a Lestush rite of eating a hair from a village Elder - only then are you an adult in the eyes of Skovvan.
* Never hunt with magic. While you might be permitted to boost your own dexterity, or eye sight, you must never use magic against another animal during a hunt. This is because Foulk wants their children to play on equal footing.

## Devotion and the Mythics

It was believed that the other countries surrounding Ásaterra also worshipped their Gods, but recently it turns out this is not quite the case. Skovvans are devoted to their Mythics (the term they use in place of the word God from Ásaterra), so devoted that it is their entire way of life. From waking up in the morning, to eating, to hunting, to newborns and death: everything is steeped in Worship and the Mythics.

In Ásaterra, you might worship one or a few of the Gods. You might contact them, and certain individuals would barter with the Gods for power, knowledge, or items. In Skovva, you would never think to do such things. You worship all the Mythics unconditionally (though you can still be angry at them), and would never ask for such things - they help you live in the most dangerous and aggressive land known to mortals, why would you also ask for a magical hat of power?

While their “pantheon” is not fully known, below is what certain individuals have learnt from Skovvans:

## Language

Skovvan language might seem like many languages being spoken, but really it is the same language, but with different words used depending on the region you are living. These are represented by modern ***Germanic*** languages descended from **Old Norse**, such as **Icelandic**, **Norwegian**, **Danish** and **Swedish**.

It is important to know that “**Skovva**” is the *Ásaterran* word for that country. Like how the English word for the country across the sea is France, but France is not their own name for themselves. Those in Skovva call the land “**Sko**”, as they believe that invoking the full name of *Skovva* will bring her wrath on you. Those living in the land are not “**Skovvans**”, they are “**Skos**”. Their word for “**Ásaterra**” is “**Terra**”, and those from the land are “**Terrans**”.

A lot of items and herbs also have different names, often based in their devotion to their Mythics. Some of these are as follows:

Flin-Dish Warts - Moon Caps

Marsh Straws - Widowsilk Reeds

Hoongsh Children - Zitteck Bugs

Kick-Flower - Dustflower (This is also not an illegal substance in Skovva)

Hasterooms - Screw Caps (This is also not an illegal substance in Skovva)

Nitphil’s Blessing - Awake

Lily of the Valley - Asleep

## History of Skovva

It was commonly believed by the rest of the western hemisphere of the world that the Skovvan history was not politically relevant to keep records off, as well as accurate facts being scarce. This, however, is far from the truth. Skovvans have a powerfully recorded history of their people, but just not passed on in common western practices. Skovvans do not have libraries or great history books, they pass their information on in stories and tales, often as anecdotal cautionary tales. While there is no commonly spread origin of Skovva, there are many different tales that talk about the Mythics of the land either creating a path for mortals to live, or mortals living hard off the land. There are as many tales about their origins as there are lessons to be taught from them. Skovvans don’t really care about the actual history and origin, they care about their today and their tomorrow more than other civilisations.

    A few radical scholars, however, go so far as to argue that the Nomads Beyond were the first to settle Skovva, perhaps even an aboriginal race, but were driven out by northern colonists. They are mostly ignored.

Whatever the case, the only truly famous war worthy of the name involving Skovva was waged by Ulaidh upon the country's western marches, around the river Dileann. The typical court histories of Ulaidh weave grandiose tales which place emphasis on high ideals and great men, or blaming the Skovvans for the war. It is more likely that the monarchs wanted to bolster their treasuries, given the sudden rise of the upstart nation of Ásaterra and its clash with old Monmouth. Whatever the cause of the war, Ulaidh probed gradually deeper into Skovva, eventually disturbing the territory the more powerful petty lords over the years - these warlords, little better than inflated village elders and bandit chiefs, eventually took common cause and joined their strength to fight the aggressors as the Marchers Defiant.

After some years, the war had escalated to the point where the King of Ulaidh himself entered battle, but, in 20 BA, he was slain in battle with this conglomerate. This indirectly lead to Ásaterra claiming all of Ulaidh as its own. The Marchers Defiant quickly dispersed, returning back to its constituent parts, for the prolonged conflict with Ulaidh was damaging trade with Treth, and no individual amongst them had the influence or resources to actually attempt to unite the region under their control.

## Skovva Today

In recent years, a nominal Duchy of Skovva has been said to exist, and does so on paper for the first time in centuries. However, the supposed Duke merely holds the pretence of ruling his country, which is a mess of townships and united villages. The reality is that many individual settlements continue to be their own entities. It is doubtful that the Duke has any more influence over his purported domains than he does over his supper menu. Relations between his tiny court and the actual nations of the world are a mockery of true diplomacy, with his presence at any gathering of notable leaders considered token at best.It was believed that the Duchy of Skovva only had a small hold over those townships and united villages, but this is not the case. The husband and husband pair of Dukes Olaf and Eric Bjornsted managed to unite a lot of Skovva under their rule. That is not to say that they rule with an iron-fist, but rather with care and want for a better tomorrow for their fellow Skovvans. It seems propaganda bled into surrounding countries that the Dukes were bad at their jobs and that Skovvans couldn’t work well together. While not all villages and towns in Skovva are under the banner, it seems to be a working effort on their end to get it done.

    Raids on the east of Skovva by the Nomads Beyond have intensified somewhat over the last century, noticeable even by its citizens who usually are absorbed in merely surviving. The motives behind the increase of attacks are now being considered. What if, instead of merely seeking supplies, the raiders seek refuge from something harrowing them? The speculation is such that crude alliances have been struck by the more competent elders of these townships, but no concerted effort has been made thus far to strike out into the Beyond. The resources and motivation for such an expedition cannot be spared at this time.