1. The Thousand Tribes
2. Broacien
3. Khalafa Al-Suwaidi
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Dion THE ONE WHO IS CHEAP HACK ® / THE SHIT, A FART.
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1. The Thousand Tribes
2. Broacien
3. Khalafa Al-Suwaidi
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Dion THE ONE WHO IS CHEAP HACK ® / THE SHIT, A FART.
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Seen
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From the cold rose a raven, with a quick mind and a strong body,
he united the tribes and commanded they build a fleet,
so they sailed south and burned the homes of their enemies,
and took their gains to be theirs now,
the golden pyramid was toppled and taken away,
the Raven cries for blood.
Country name; the Thousand Tribes
Capital city; Ketillsborg, the first village in the North
Important location(s); Alfadirsted, home of the Godtree and religious capital
State-religion; the Northern gods, paganism
Ruler; Ketill the Hrafn
Other important figures; Najla Al-Ibn Wahad
Basim Al-Ibn Wahad
Population; Estimated 354.000, of which;
320.000 tribal nomads
2000 living in Ketillsborg
250 living in Fadirsbak
500 living in Alfadirsted
2000 thralls from Ye'inyani Mereti
The justice system in the Northern tribes is the oldest justice system in existence in the known world. It's existence predates even the notions of modern states such as Broacien, the Sawarim state, and so forth. It finds it's roots in a gathering of all the tribes, or at least those that matter. These gatherings are called the althingi, and it occurs every 4 years. On these meetings, diplomacy is conducted as well as a gathering of the wisest seers among the tribes, who have memorized all the ancient laws by heart -- they must do so through oral tradition, because a codified system of writing does not exist outside of the runes, which only a select few can read, and would take too much space if they were used to codify laws.
On an althingi, it is possible for anyone to bring forwards a legal question or concern, or bring forwards a case against another. For example, the head of a family could bring forwards a case where he accuses a neighboring family of stealing cattle. Both sides must prepare their evidence and defenses, and the seers will then consider it.
Although this sounds rather organized, it is not uncommon that during the process fights and brawls may break out. If this happens, then it is considered that the outcome of the battle settles the debt, whether it existed or not. Bloodmoney is paid based on whether anyone died in the brawl or fight, and a final verdict is delivered.
The Thousand Tribes are known for performing particularly brutal punishments, that outmatch even the lashings of the Sawarim sultanate in ferocity. One example is the judgement by cuts. In a judgement by cuts, a case can be brought forward in which there must be, first and foremost, a primary wrongdoer. In many cases this is a head of a family, or otherwise the person who stood to gain the most from a crime. Secondarily, for this type of judgement, at least 1 accomplice is required.
Whoever is the primary wrongdoer and who is their accomplice is determined by the person holding court (either at the althingi, or the konungr, and lastly it is also possible (but rare) for chieftains to speak law themselves).
Once these roles are determined, the accomplice is sentenced to a certain amount of cuts at the hand of a blade. The amount will depend on the severity of the crime, but can also differ per lawspeaker (ex. the althingi is typically more lenient than the king due to differences in personalities). The cuts will have the length of the middle finger of whomever is speaking law.
If the accomplice endures the full amount of cuts without dying, they will 'go free' and their debt will be considered settled. In this (rare) case, the primary wrongdoer is executed, but will have earned 'passage to the afterlife' with the alfadir.
In the case that an accomplice does not survive the cuts, the remainder amount of cuts will be translated to ice-water lashings for the primary wrongdoer. During this process the criminal is publicly brought outside in nothing but some pants, and is dipped into icewater entirely before being pulled up, where he will receive a single lashing. Then he will be dipped in again, pulled out, and the process will repeat.
If the criminal dies during the lashings, it will be considered that his crime was too great (the number of lashings is considered a direct representative of the severity of the crime) or that he was too weak to endure. In both cases he will not earn a place besides the alfadir, and will be doomed to die a nameless death, where people would only remember them for their crime.
Were he to survive the lashings, his debt will be considered 'settled' and he will be executed by placing his/her forehead against a strong, steady object (like a wooden pole) while a speartip will be pushed into the back of their head, instantly ending their life. Because they died at the hand of an implement of war, and because they were strong enough to survive the lashings, he will have earned a place at the alfadirs side (if the alfadir deems him good enough).
Haesteinn and his sons have stolen from a nearby farmstead without earning the plunder in combat. The farmer he stole from brings the case to the King, who determines Haesteinn to be the primary wrongdoer, and his 3 sons accomplices.
He orders a hundred cuts for each of the sons. The first son dies after 54 cuts, and so the executor marks down the remainder -- 46 cuts. The second son dies after 45 cuts, and so the remainder is once again marked down -- 55 cuts. The last son survives all hundred cuts, and his debt is settled -- he is allowed to go free and no extra cuts are marked down.
Together, the two sons that died 'left behind' 101 cuts, so Haesteinn will have to endure 101 ice-water lashings. He survives the process, so the debt is settled and he is put to death at the hand of a swift blow to the back of the head with a speartip. He can still enter the afterlife at the side of the alfadir, because he was strong enough to survive.
He orders a hundred cuts for each of the sons. The first son dies after 54 cuts, and so the executor marks down the remainder -- 46 cuts. The second son dies after 45 cuts, and so the remainder is once again marked down -- 55 cuts. The last son survives all hundred cuts, and his debt is settled -- he is allowed to go free and no extra cuts are marked down.
Together, the two sons that died 'left behind' 101 cuts, so Haesteinn will have to endure 101 ice-water lashings. He survives the process, so the debt is settled and he is put to death at the hand of a swift blow to the back of the head with a speartip. He can still enter the afterlife at the side of the alfadir, because he was strong enough to survive.
Hospitality plays a central role in the Northern tribes, as life here is particularly harsh. As a guest, you are expected to abide by any and all rules and laws of the location you are visiting -- this used to be a task that was quite impossible, but with the unification of tribes, and the standardization of local customs into a more cohesive 'Northern' custom, knowing the laws and expectations has become easier. You are expected to come bearing gifts, if you are visiting a friend or family member, although not offering gifts but instead offering blótaheita (sacrifice-promises) is permissible. Offering blótaheita when visiting strangers is customary, as bringing gifts can be seen as treacherous due to the potential of negative seiðr (magic) being performed on them. Offering gifts to strangers is not only seen as a potential bad omen, but is also seen as a grave insult -- hospitality is meant to be given and received out of the kindness of a persons heart, and should not be bought.
When offering someone the hospitality of your house or tent, it is customary to offer food and drinks. A typical, if not required food, is a standard salt and bread. The salt is to work up thirst, and the bread is meant to fill. These are the basis of any act of hospitality, and if the situation permits (i.e. you are wealthy) it can be built upon. Offering a place next to the fire is a good way to start expanding upon it, as well as offering a sleeping place. A next step could be the offering of (simple) stew. The more luxurious these expansions on the base (salt and bread) are, the more prestige a host would gain.
A customary drink would be to offer mead, although this is not always possible - mead is expensive. If mead is present in the homestead, it is expected to offer it, but if it is not present it is permissible to offer water (made from boiled snow) instead.
The most important footnote to take away is that hospitality is measured at the hand of your capacity. If you have nothing but the clothing on your back, but you arrange for bread, salt and mead, you will be considered a great hospitable host, and you will certainly win renown with others when the word is spread.
If you are very wealthy, but only offer bread, salt and water, despite having mead in a casket in your home, people will think you are an inhospitable host, which will reflect very negatively on you.
A failure to perform at a basic level of hospitality can even be considered such a great insult that a feud may be started, and it is possible that murder flowing forth from this could be declared justified by the althingi.
For literal centuries the Northern tribals have lived in small communities consisting of several family units, trekking from place to place to satisfy their base needs. Besides the five islands, each of which holds a shrine to one of the many gods and goddesses of the Northern faith and have a nearby settlement where the pious and wise lived, there were only four other permanent settlements, the rest being only temporary shelters.
These four permanent settlements were small homesteads on the southern reaches of the Northern lands, where the land often gave enough time to plant a few crops before the winter came and made the land inhospitable.
Beyond these few people that managed to carve out a home of their own in the desolate, white winter wasteland were the tribals, who used rudimentary tools made with stone or, sometimes, iron from Broacien. They trekked around following the migrations of the animals they hunted. Life was harsh, unforgiving, and this life created a harsh and unforgiving people, who stood tall at an average of 6'2", and were said by the Broacieniens to be capable of commanding animals, perform witchcraft, and tear open rocks with their hands.
Far from the truth -- but it is easy to see where this stereotype came from. The Northerners prefered solitude and no monarch has been so bold as to invade them, because the armies would die of cold rather than swords, and the way to the tip of the peninsula was long. It was decided that it would be easier to cut them off, and in the following period of time a souther part of the Northern reaches was annexed by Broacien and a castle was built in the mountainpass that allowed passage from north to south, dubbed Northwatch.
The decrease in hunting grounds meant that a period of warfare between the tribes erupted, and many died during this time.
It would be easy to say that many magnificent things happened after that period of time, but the North was never a place known for it's innovations and they stagnated - the only form of progress was cultural, as skalds made their appearances and began a culture of poetry and story telling, and runestones were raised to honour the dead, living, and the gods.
The North stagnated and continued their decrepit existence until the arrival of the Hrafn, a man named Ketill, who would 'unify' the tribes and build a fleet of large, shallow ships that could fare up-river and raid the lands of those with more wealth than themselves. For this he gathered the tribes and made them contribute men, with the help of his spymaster and alleged concubine Najla al-Ibn Wahad, a former Sultana of the Sawarim Sultanate. Ketill was a former Servant in Broacien, marked with a red tattoo on his forehead, and held knowledge of the modern day practices in the rest of the world which he could use to aid the Northerners.
The Sultanate were the very lands they would sail through in the coming year.
Ketill's name soon became widespread and he was considered a chosen one of the gods, as he entered a fervent rage when he entered battle where he became an unstoppable force - berserkir - and with the help of his exotic concubine, who whispered in his ears and gave him advice, he would come to be the first Konungr -- king of the Northerners. The fleet he constructed sailed south through the free lands of the people beyond the mountains, where they established many forts and river outposts over the year to come, before venturing south to fulfill what Ketill had predicted in his visions years before that.
They sailed to the Ye'inyani Mereti, people with a charcoal skin and features that had never before been seen in Broacien. It was said they were so rich, their houses were made of gold, and their lands were so vast, they held more than any known kingdom. Their cities hugged the rivers, and made good use of the water, for their other lands were infertile, and because of this passage from Ye'inyani Mereti to the (new) Caliphate was particularly hard, as there was miles upon miles of no man's land between the two states of pure desert, that were impossible to cross.
However, the Northern fleet managed, utilizing the rivers the Ye'inyani Mereti had used for their growth against them. After bargaining passage with the Caliph that had ousted Najla's family in a coup, they passed through to the rivers of the Ye'inyani Mereti, and raided their capital.
Here they found a pyramid with a top of gold, which spread the sunlight around the city at noon, as the people of the Mereti worshipped the sun. Ketill toppled the top of the pyramid and melted the gold, and used parts of that gold to pay off the Caliph.
Now, the Northerners have ushered in a new era of supremacy -- they may be few, but they have a fleet unrivalled, and frequently raid all the countries around them.
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Country name; Broacien
Capital city; Riverhall
Important location(s); Northpass
Stags' Rest
State-religion; Monarchism
Ruler; Harold Carley, the Young Stag
Other important figures; Gregar II, the Black Stag, Prince Pretender to the Crown and Faith
Princess Catelyn Carley, Riding Laugh, Princess Pretender to the Crown and Faith
Princess Anne Carley, Cradleborn, Princess Pretender to the Crown and Faith
Princess Csarina Carley, Princes' Fault, Princess Pretender to the Crown and Faith
Dowager-queen Matilde of Rosborough
Population; 899.749, latest census of the Faith
Ever since the exile of the expedition for the banner of St. Friedrich, Broacien has faced a stagnant decline. Gregar I, first of his name, the Stag King, died in battle against the Khalyfate during a renewed period of conflict between Broacien and the Sawarim. He left behind a fractured kingdom, with his throne falling into the hands of Harold Carley, one of his two sons. Remaining estates that were previously in the hands of Gregar I were shared among the remainder of his children, as per the laws of gavelkind inheritance, and so the previously centralized power of Gregar I was diminished, and the war against the Khalyfate ended prematurely with the loss of the Red Sands keep. The keep was promptly renamed by the new Khalyf under the new name "Ghaliatan Ramal Al-Hamra."
Rather than order the Servants to ride forth and retake the keep, Harold Carley focused his efforts on his brothers and sisters, attempting to politically outmaneuver them in order to regain control of estates that should rightfully be his. In the eyes of the Servants, this weakened his position. Fortunately for Harold, he held the title of king, and according to the Broacien Monarchist faith, this made him God. While the Servants could not openly oust Harold from power, their growing support for Gregar II was noticed by all in the court, even the most inattentive.
The rise of the Raven King to the North, who had united the tribes and sent them forth to the far south to plunder and pillage, also did not go unnoticed. The many requests by Princess-Pretender Catelyn, wife to the lord of Northpass, to send Servants and soldiers to defend the border went unanswered. The establishment of a marauder stronghold in the islands to the north of Broacien only furthered to cause problems, and yet again these problems went unanswered in favor of internal political struggles.
It seemed that there was no end to the problems of Broacien. Following the loss of Redsand keep, the establishment of a new kingdom on their northern border, and the presence of northern marauders on their very shores, it was also apparent that the wife to King Harold would not produce heirs.
After being provoked countless times prior by Harold, Gregar II took this opportunity to seize power over the Servants, citing incompetence on the part of king Harold and proclaiming himself the true king, and as the true king, also true God. With the Servants on his side, and a large amount of soldiers from his private estates, he needed only solicit help from his allies, Princes-Pretender Catelyn and Princess-Pretender Anne, in order to secure victory.
Broacien seems on the brink of war with all its' neighbors, and civil war is looming.
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ماهم که رخش روشنی خور بگرفت
گرد خط او چشمه کوثر بگرفـت
دلها همه در چاه زنخدان انداخت
وآنگـه سر چاه را به عنبر بگرفت
Country name; Khalafa Al-Suwaidi
Capital city; Jannat Al-Mughlaq
Important location(s); Ghaliatan Ramal Al-Hamra
Gargh Al-Madina
State-religion; Sawarim
Ruler; Kalyf Ahmad Al-Suwaidi
Other important figures; Osman Al-Suwaidi (deceased)
Najla Al-Ibn Wahad
Basim Al-Ibn Wahad
Sultan Kamil Al-Ibn Wahad (deceased)
Population; 1.7 million
Khalyf Ahmad al-Suwaidi was the mastermind behind the succesful coup that ousted the Al-Ibn Wahad family from power, resulting in the death of sultan Kamil Al-Ibn Wahad and his sons, daughters, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters. His entire family line was put to the sword, bar two; Najla Al-Ibn Wahad, spymaster by profession, and her brother Basim Al-Ibn Wahad, a young but wise boy with wisdom beyond his years. They were led out of the palace during the coup by none other than Ketill, the Raven King, who had been captured and enslaved by the Sultanate, put under the direct command of Najla after years of political tussling over who would get to be the owner of this daab, this bear of a man.
Following their escape, the Khalyf declared Khalyfate, and established rule based on the principle of religion -- as a bid to establish his religious supremacy over the decadent Al-Ibn Wahad family, he renewed the war against Broacien to drive back the infidel from the castle that had been taken from them ages ago. He did so succesfully, and his war saw the death of Gregar I, the King Stag of Broacien. This victory came at the hand of the Haris Alkhalyfa, a new mercenary retinue that swore loyalty to the Khalyf and only the Khalyf, as long as their wages were paid. This mercenary retinue was made up entirely of Northern Tribesmen who had made the long voyage south through Broacien or by sea to serve in the Haris Alkhalyfa. Armed with typical northern weaponry and using tactics that the Broacienien soldiers were not used to, they played a pivotal role in the capture of Redsand keep.
Victory, however, could not be more bitter sweet. This war had emptied the coffers of the Khalyfate significantly, which prompted the Khalyf to begin levying heavier taxes on the citizenry, especially those who partook in the many different sects of the Sawarimic faith.
This came to a head at the town of Al-Mawrur, where the Ahl al-Hariq (lit.: People of the Torch) sect had made its home. The area had become plagued by bandits, preying upon Al-Mawrur and its people, and the Khalyf had failed to protect them but still wished to levy taxes, which prompted an open act of rebellion against the Khalyf.
In the skirmish for Al-Mawruw, the Khalyf had sent an army of which 2/3rd was Haris Alkhalyfa, and the remainder made up of low ranking Sawarim soldiers. However, just before the battle was to commence, a messenger from the Haris Alkhalyfa arrived and instructed the leading guardsman of the Haris Alkhalyfa that their wages would not be paid following several months of late or non-payment. Alerted to this, the Haris Alkhalyfa commander on the scene alerted his men that the Haris Alkhalyfa would be disbanding on the spot, and the Northern mercenaries scattered, waiting to see what would happen.
Despite the Haris Alkhalyfa disbanding and disappearing, the Sawarim soldiers went on with the attack regardless, and were faced with a militia made up of men who had somehow lit their swords on fire. The battle was swift, and the battle was won by the Sawarim, who put all those who resisted to the blade and desecrated the temple and their holy fire, making sure the followers of the Ahl al-Hariq would instead convert to true Sawarimic faith.
The leading priestess, Tehmina, was taken away by an ex-Haris Alkhalyfa commander, Saegrimmr, who promised to take her to the former Sultana, Najla Al-Ibn Wahad in the North. With the choice being between remaining and leaving, Tehmina opted to leave Al-Mawrur, and traveled with Saegrimmr to the North to garner support for her people.
And support was given to her. The Raven King mustered an army that could rival any southern army in size, and sailed his massive fleet South to the Khalyfate, seeking to topple the Khalyfate and instead put his youngest son on the throne -- a result of his political marriage with Najla Al-Ibn Wahad, and thus a rightful heir to the throne of the Al-Ibn Wahad sultanate.
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Omnia si perdas, famam servare memento
The Servants are the elite, religious fighting force of Broacien, made up of men who have sacrificed themselves and their lives to the King and nobody else but the King. Because the King of Broacien takes upon himself a religious function as God himself, the Servants are the most pious among pious, and have trained their entire life for the chance to serve among them. Servants are recognizable among others due to the fact that they are marked with a set of red circles on their forehead, which is also indicative of rank.
One circle is simply a Servant, a holy knight in service to the King. Two circles indicates an officer of rank, most likely of noble blood but not necessarily. Three circles are reserved for the Grandmaster of the Servant Order, his left and right hand men, and any Servants that are ordained by the King himself. As such, the importance of the three-circled Servants can differ from king to king. During the reign of Gregar I, the Stag King, only the most renowned and capable knights were ordained, and so the three circles were a rank to be respected and feared. During the reign of Harold, this has diminished, as he has ordained (incapable) noblemen into the rank of three-circled Servants for political and financial reasons as well.
His brother, Gregar II, has also begun ordaining three-circled Servants, although his three-circled Servants are marked with red ochre instead of pure red. This is done in order to differentiate them from the Servants that are still loyal to his brother, however few they may be.
These markings are permanent, and therefore can be a great boon but also a great detriment to any Servant. For example, traveling through Broacien, a Servant that is marked is bound to get offers of free bed and breakfast at inns. Traveling through Sawarim territory, a Servant mark is a quick way to be shot at by their expert desert dune-scouts.
Entry into the Servants is a high bar to reach, but they will take anyone who can prove that he is, first and foremost, a staunch Monarchist believer who truly wishes to serve the king, and secondarily, is fit to hold a sword and shows promise in using it. For many religious peasants, entering the Servant Order is a way to both serve God and King, and to ensure a better life for themselves. Servant vows of abstinence, however, are taken most serious, and prevent Servants from passing on the benefits of their Servanthood to the rest of their family.
Otherwise, noblemen that are staunch religious believers enter the Servant Order to ensure prestige for the family, as in Broacien there is no greater sacrifice than becoming a Servant. The closer one is to being an heir, the more prestige a family can claim -- those who are first-in-line to inherit a title who become Servants give up their inheritance in order to serve God and King, and as such, their family can claim a great amount of prestige from this sacrifice.
A notable bearer of the Servant mark is Ketill the Hrafn, the Raven King who later disavowed the Monarchist faith and returned to his pagan religion.
Ducit Amor Patriae
The Robed Swords are called such because they wear their swords not in a sheath, but in a roll of expensive velvet. This tradition has come forth from a tradition set by the first Robed Sword, Inquisitor Dumand from Arlon, who converted to the Monarchist faith and vowed to convert or execute all heathens within the borders of Broacien. Under his command, the Robed Sword order was found with the express purpose of investigating claims of heresy.
Nobody is immune to the investigations of the Robed Swords, not even the King themselves, so great are their investigative powers in a legal and practical sense. Much like the Servants, Robed Swords are marked with a large cross on their forehead in black pigment. The Robed Swords take every aspect of Servanthood, and multiply it -- they must be incorruptible forces of the wrath of the Monarch, and therefore must be able to resist all earthly impulses.
Where Servanthood is marred by a vow of abstinence, they are still allowed to maintain contact with family after becoming a Servant, and if they had fathered children before becoming a Servant, this is tolerated. Marriages are not absolved, but simply declared to be in a permanent state of limbo.
For Robed Servants, this is not true -- in stead, they must break contact with all family. Those who have children prior to enlisting with the Robed Swords must find a way to 'get rid' of the children, and the same goes for partners. Often times, the ways in which this is done are not investigated, so long as it is done.
They may not drink, they may not be merry with friends, they may not laugh. The application of Monarchist faith is the most strict and puritan amongst the Robed Swords, and it is impossible to find more pious and zealous men elsewhere throughout the kingdom or, indeed, the known world.
Unlike the Servants, too, they are not tolerated or celebrated. Due to their role in investigating heresy, they are feared by everyone, and it is uncommon for them to receive shelter even if they pay. For this reason, these puritans prefer to travel unnoticed, and often masquerade themselves as lepers with masks to prevent being noticed while searching for heresiarchs. Seeing a Robed Sword is rare, and if you do see them, know that bad news is afoot, and you had best make yourself scarce.
Ber er hver að baki nema sér bróður eigi.
The Haris Alkhalyfa, or more commonly known in the Khalyfate as 'the Djinn,' are a mercenary order of elite Northern troops that served Khalyf Ahmad during his short reign as his personal retinue of guards. They served nobody but the Khalyf, and only followed orders that came from him directly, or from those he had appointed to give orders.
The Haris Alkhalyfa was in its entirety an almost-completely Northern force, although the officers were all Sawarim. This did nothing to maintain control over the Northern mercenaries, as the majority of the Northern warriors maintained their own unofficial Northern officers to make the giving of orders in their native tongue easier. An unofficial and uneasy cooperation between the Northern and the Sawarim officers was formed to mediate the tensions that existed therein.
The Haris Alkhalyfa was a dual sided blade. On the one hand, their large stature, larger weapons and their unusual features (blue eyes, beards) made them feared both for how they looked and how they fought. While this made them a useful tool in suppressing the masses and fighting enemies, it also meant that there was talk among some of the religious leaders as well as the nobility that the Khalyf had sold the empire over to Northern barbarians for a few axes.
The Djinn themselves, however, were both loved and hated by the locals. The Djinn proved themselves to be curious about the Sawarim ways and there were a large amount of converts among them (however, how serious they were about converting was another question entirely) both to the Sawarimic faith as well as the sects, such as the Ahl al-Hariq. At the same time, they were viewed with distrust because a great many of them did not speak the local language, and despite an official ban from the Khalyf on practicing their faith, many of them ignored this and continued to wear symbolry of the Northern gods.
Their axes were, evidently, worth more than their zeal.
Lidet er om den mans vrede, som ingen vurder.
While not a warrior order on the organized level of the Servants or the Haris Alkhalyfa, the Berserkirs are a loosely organized group of warrior-shamans that possess an uncanny ability to enter a battletrance that allows them to feel no pain, utilize a greater level of strength, and forge on through the battlefield while suffering wounds that would kill others. This comes at the cost of a lessened state of awareness, in which they cannot discern friend from foe.
The way in which to enter such a trance is different for every berserkir - some drink a concoction made of hallucinogenics, or eat mushrooms with a similar effect, others are sick with rabies (and, typically, do not live long for this reason), and others yet can enter it naturally without any outside stimuli.
The berserkirs lack in number, however, because for a lot of people it is simply not possible to enter such a trance. Whether there is a physical barrier or something else is unknown, but the ability to enter a battletrance (bersirk) is considered a gift of the gods and marks a particularly brave, valiant and capable man (or, rare cases, woman).
Just like the Servants, one notable example of a berserkir is Ketill the Hrafn, Konungr of the Thousand Tribes.
Man må hyle med de ulve man er i blandt.
The Blódverr af Hrafn (lit.: Blooded Men of the Raven) is a group of sworn men (þegn's) of Ketill the Raven that form his inner circle. They swear an oath to the Raven, both the Alfadir and Ketill himself, and bind it with a ritual that includes bloodletting, hence they are blooded men. This order of warriors is respected in the entire Northern region, as they are renowned for their skill in combat and the ferocity with which they protect the tribes.
The fact that these men are þegns (thanes) of the Konungr means they already enjoy a particularly trusted position at his court, being part of the hird and privy to certain aspects of rulership that others would have no voice in. The addition of being blooded heightens their importance and influence, at the cost of being bound to the king no matter what. While such a vow is easily broken in other cultures, doing so among the Northern tribes would make even your allies shun you.
The Blóðverr also fulfill a function as executioners, and are put in charge of performing execution orders that the Raven king gives out, should the need arise.
Blóðverr come from all manner of lives, and there is even a Blóðverr from the Ye'inyani Mereti that was previously a thrall. While this means that membership of the blooded men is not limited to a specific type of people, it does not mean all who wish to be a part of the blooded men will be a member. In order to be a blooded man, one would need to earn the favor and trust of Ketill the Raven, a feat that is not as easy as one might think.
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The monarchist faith is that of Broacien, which establishes the king of Broacien as god on earth, in essence turning man into god. It's teachings are codified into a book known, among locals, as the Book. Sometimes, it is also referred to as the Book of the Monarch, although this usage is less frequent among the peasantry and becomes increasingly popular the further up the social ranking you move. Within this book the creation mythos find their place, explaining through lengthy stories that the very first Monarch was also King, and it was proclaimed that he had created earth, and that he shall rule it.
Every king that sits on the throne of Broacien has, in one way or another, traced lineage back to this first monarch, however dubious that link may be.
Besides the creation mythos', the book also codified certain rules on life, but as the rules can be altered by the king at will due to their godhood, the rules change from time to time. Aspects that have remained the same, however, are the focus on justice, piety, and generosity. Among those rules that are less frequently mentioned and not as clearly codified are the rulings that rape within marriage is allowed, and rape outside of marriage is allowed if performed on an unwed woman, as well as an explicit passage that codifies that slavery is allowed, but deemed cruel.
The additions to the Book under Gregar I have seen an increased focus on bravery, strength and loyalty for men, whereas for women it was considered a 'duty to the Monarch' to bear as many children, preferably boys, as possible. It has been whispered that this addition was in part due to the Kings need for more soldiers in the future, although monarchist priests are quick to dismiss this.
Internally the Monarchist faith is strictly hierarchical, with a clear division on who is in charge of who. At the top is very clearly the Monarch, both king and god. Below him is the Grand Bishop of Riverhall, who presides over the entire faith in matters that do not interest the king. As such, the powers of the Grand Bishop may vary -- under kings who had no interest in ruling religiously, their powers were omnipotent, under kings that were religious powerhouses, their powers were abysmal.
Under the Grand Bishop are the prince-priests, noblemen that have relinquished their private holdings in favor of taking the robes of Monarchism, and are given (part of) a keep to rule over in religious affairs. Prominent positions are close to the border with the Khalyfate, where they are allowed to engage with Sawarimic heathens on their own volition without needing explicit approval.
Hierarchically speaking, the Robed Swords are beneath the prince-priests, although the powers of the Robed Swords far exceed even those of the Grand Bishop, and the prince-priests as well. Prince-priests can give the robed swords orders in a general sense, unless they are being investigated. For the most part, the Robed Swords are shunned and left alone for fear of attracting unwanted attention from them.
Below the Robed Swords are the other priests, who perform general duties such as tending to their flock, and speaking at masses. Their powers vary from priest to priest, and are largely dependent on the size of their flock. On a grand, national scale, most priests are entirely irrelevant, however.
Sawarim roughly translates to 'Swords,' although the Desert Lords proclaim that there is no one sword but the Sword of God (Sawarim), and the Sword of God is equal to the all the swords held by the faithful ummah of the Sawarim. So, the word Sawarim instead could be translated as 'the Sword of God, which is the swords of all believers.' Lacking a proper translation, the Broacieniens have instead reneged to simply refer to it as 'Sawarimic faith' or 'Sawarim.'
The Sawarim believe in a higher power who they, confusingly, also refer to as 'the Sawarim,' who rules the heavens with his bride. He rides a black horse, she a white horse, resembling death and purity. Death rites are an important, if not the most important, facet of Sawarimic faith. Extensive rituals upon the death of even the most lowly of peasants are common place, and the death of royal family members are often performed with an extensive portrayal of dramatic expositions of large gatherings of people moving from one place to the burial site, often times competing to see who can behave in the most dramatic and convincingly sad way. The body is washed and purified extensively, multiple times over the course of several days, before burial.
Burial occurs either underneath the house in which the family lives (for the poor) to keep the body and memory of the person close by. For royalty, the wealthy, or the noble, burial will more frequently take place in designated burial sites which are often decorated with large temples, adorned with gold and other finery, and sealed with a multitude of large, heavy doors that require several men to open and close.
Besides burial rites, the Sawarim faith also places a large focus on slavery. While slavery is simply 'accepted' in Broacien, it is encouraged in the Khalyfate, this sentiment having only been strengthened since the arrival of the Khalyf. Sawarimic slave drivers are among the most profitable in the entire known world, and can be rivaled only by the horselords of the far east. This focus on slavery is twofold -- first and foremost, because being merciful is an important virtue in the Sawarim faith, and what is more merciful than allowing your captive to live after their surrender or capture? Secondarily, converting infidels is a prime directive of many Sawarim people, and who better to convert than your unwilling captive, who stands to lose everything, and can only gain the one true faith?
Alfadirsbak is the capital of the faith of the Old Gods, where you may find the most wise priests and the most devout warriors. Alfadirsbak itself is a village that exists of little more than 250 people, with around twenty or so holy men, and the remainder being regular villagers and devout, pious warriors. They wear cloaks made of the fur of wolves, whose heads are draped over their own to mimic the beasts and to show off how they have killed the wolves -- mostly because the wolf is among all the predators the most disliked animal in this pantheon of Gods.
Around the year Alfadirsbak is a quiet settlement, but come winter a massive fleet of Northerners sails to Alfadirsbak to partake in the yearly high blóð, where animals are ritually sacrificed and then hung from the giant tree that stands at the top of a large hill. Among these sacrifices are also humans, who are ritually murdered as well. Most of the time, these are prisoners (of war) or thralls that have no say in the matter, although those that are exceptionally dedicated to the alfadir may choose to be dedicated to the Gods voluntarily.
These rituals are all offered a mixture of mushrooms that, often times, turns the world (or their perception of it) into a whirlpool of events which they can no longer cohesively understand. These mushrooms dull the pain, making the ritual sacrifice more human than without. If the ritual were not to be performed, the mixture would kill the sacrifice regardless, ensuring that the alfadir gets what he was promised.
The reasoning behind the dislike of predator animals is that, prior to the unification of the tribes, hunting was among the chief ways of survival for the Northern tribes. Anything that impeded on hunting, such as poaching (punishable by summary execution on the spot) or predator animals stealing prey could cause the death of an entire tribe if it happened at an unfortunate time. Most wars in the North between tribes were fought over hunting grounds.
The wolf is chief among the 'hated' animals because they hunt in packs and were particularly dangerous to the survival of tribes, because an entire pack of wolfs could decimate hunting grounds on their own.
Now that farming is more common, this dislike for the animals is slowly fading, but the wolf remains as a symbol of 'evil' among the Northerners. Other predators, like the mountain lynx or bear, have lost this stigma, because they are both rarely seen and not impactful bar maybe eating a few salmons before disappearing for the winter.
In Alfadirsbak, behind the great oak, there is a giant Northern-style 'church' (goðiholm) that houses the Ten Statues of the most important gods of the pantheon (although there are many, many more gods depending on what part of the North you are in). Here, people come on pilgrimages to offer items to the Gods and to ask for their favour.
Off the beaten track further behind the goðiholm there is an additional eleventh statue, that has an image of the alfadir stabbing a wolf with a spear while holding it down with his foot by the neck. This wolf in specific resembles evil in its totality. Much further from this specific statue, on a track that is rarely traveled, there is an additional statue that looks much older. On the outer edge of the statue, there is a ring of binding runes, colored with red ochra, that are meant to 'seal' the statue. This statue is of the same wolf, though lacking the alfadir stabbing it this time. The priests dare not approach this statue for fear of it, and only do so to re-apply the red ochre and re-seal them. Nobody ever comes here (in broad daylight) but there have been mumblings of offerings being left to this wolf statue, either to support 'evil' or because they wish to gain parts of the power of 'evil,' and wish to present the offerings as a bargain.
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