Editing Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/realms/thebarbariankingdoms

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[[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms|'''<< Back to Realms''']]

A collection of small chiefdoms and kingdoms of the [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/races#Vulkuls|'''Vulkul''']] people, spread thinly across the large island to the north, a quasi-Viking culture. They are raiders, continually threatening countries on the northern and eastern coast of the mainland.

Generally speaking, the northern humans break into two groups - the larger clans, which tend to live in the more southern reaches of the lands near the land bridge to Veniri and Athervon (which is still the frozen north to most of the civilized kingdoms), and smaller and less civilized tribes that live spread across the farther northern reaches, including the far eastern and western regions that are separated from the main landmass by the bays and seas.  Things tend to get more barbaric and less civilized as you move north and east or west from the land bridge, but there are some exceptions to that, particularly along the coasts.

Right now, the southern-most area of the land bridge east of the Grey Mountains and Thornwood, bordered by Veniri on the south, has been proclaimed as the Northern Protectorate by the Kingdom of Athervon.  This is based on a recent "alliance" between the King of Athervon and the leaders of the largest clans in that area.  The tribes swear fealty to the king and provide a levy of troops and tribute in the form of timber and other resources that are fairly common in their lands.  In return they receive shipments of finished metal goods, weapons, and armor.  This works out well for both sides, as the clans generally use these goods to harass Veniri, Athervon's most common rival in trade and war.   But the traffic between Athervon and the Northern Protectorate must either go through the rugged terrain of Thornwood and the Grey Mountains, or it must try to hide itself as it passes through Veniri, making the exchange between the Clans and Athervon difficult to say the least.  Veniri hopes that with sufficient pressure, they can break the alliance.

== The Northern Protectorate ==
Most of these clans speak a common tongue of the north (Woegir), a word which is also generally used to refer to the particular subrace of Vulkuls that most of them sprang from.  The exception is the Ice-Axe Clan, which traces a different lineage and speaks a different tongue, Anajaarae, that is more common in the far northern reaches of the Frozen Wastes.

=== Fox Clan ===
Allied with Athervon; most recent clan to do so; smallest of great clans, but still far larger than any of the scattered tribes further north in the Frozen Wastes.

=== Crossed-Axe Clan ===
Currently debating joining alliance within clan; only slightly larger than Fox Clan

=== Great Bear Clan ===
Farther north, as yet not approached by Athervon about alliance; 2nd largest of great clans

=== Snow-Lion Clan ===
Allied with Athervon; largest of the great clans

=== Ice-Axe Clan ===
Farthest north and third-largest of great clans; rejected alliance with Athervon.  Speak Anajaarae and generally considered brutal savages by the standards of the other great clans.  Strong warriors individually but untrained in strategy and tactics, tend to rely on brute-force.  Favor axes as the name suggests.

== The Frozen Wastes ==
Generally speak Anajaarae, at least in the central regions; further west and east, Anajaarae falters, and tribal dialects and/or foreign tongues tend to appear in its place.

=== Ice-Eye Tribe ===
Live north and west of the Grey Mountains.  Relatively peaceful people who raise goats and hunt in the mountains and fish in the rivers during the warmer months.  Skilled mountaineers, they are deadly fighters in the peaks and passes of the northern grey mountains.  Speak Anajaarae and their tribal dialect.  So named for the ice-blue eyes of all in the clan – different hair colors are common, but all members of the tribe have blue eyes.