N0n-Playable Races (NPCs)

Tuaths – Celtic Tribes

The Tribes of Erin

There were many tribes, large and small, in ancient Ireland, but for simplicity we have split them into five great tribes. The provinces of these five where often denoted with the prefix cúige as in ‘Cúige Connacht,’ which literally meant the fifth of Erin belonging to the Connacta. Each of the five tribes have some holding in what is now Dumnonni, but the Connacta appear in game far more than the other four and so this is the one described in detail here.

The Five Great Tribes of Erin

The Ulaid from Ulster (Cú Chulainn was an Ulaid. The Ulster cycle is largely about the wars between
them and the Connachta)
The Laigin from Leinster
The Dairine from Munster
The Connact from Connacht (NPC)
The Erainn (also called Iverni) from Meath

Lesser Tribes

The Dalriadans
The Scotia (described in degenerate folk) (NPC)
The Celtiberians (describe in Tribes of Gaul and Iberia)
And the cruthn (describe in Picti)

Connachta

Connacht has a long history in the legends of Erin. Notably, it is the fifth of Erin that the Fir Bholg kept after the first battle of Moytura. It was also ruled during the times of the Ulster cycle by King Ailill Mac Mata and his Queen Maeve. Events of this time are the substance of ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley.’

Possibly because of its strong connection to the Fir Bholg, Connaught, the capital, has survived in Dumnonni intact. Though the Connachta are largely sons of Mil, many still claim descent from the Fir Bholg that ruled before the line that has Maeve as queen today. In the Dumnonni canon, Maeve is now the ruthless, ever-young queen of the Connachta. Until recently she ruled alongside Ailill, whose
Gamhanrhide stood loyal only to him.

Maeve is notoriously unfaithful with a voracious appetite for young men. Despite this and her henpecking, Ailill remained dotingly in love with her. In the end, she had to kill him after he betrayed her by kidnapping the twin grand children of Balor. Though Ailill wanted to protect the twins, their death was necessary to defeat Balor. During the battle itself, when the resolve to sacrifice them wavered, Maeve made sure it happened.

Like every other tribe, the Connachta were depleted in the war against Balor. They have since been further reduced by the desertion of the Connacht Fir Faphach and the attempt by the Fir Bholg to open the Door to the Moonlit city while it rested under Connaught. The war that pits Maeve and Clan Morna against The White Bear, the Scotti and Queen Brae on the other, sent further Connacht heroes
to their graves with each passing season. Though they are weakened, Queen Maeve and Connachta are not a force to be written off quite yet.

Those that still follow Maeve are fiercely loyal to her, some to the point of adulation. Their love for her means they will do anything she asks of them, without question, and as she is ruthless so are they willing to tread a very fine line between honour and her desires. Generally, they look down on the Gamganrhide for having such a weak king and despise the Connacht Fir Faphach as honourless oathbreakers to be slain on sight.

Maeve has many children including a daughter by Ailill called Fouloula and Septuplet sons by Goll MacMorna. Fouloula is now married to Oswald, King of the Usipeti.

The seven boys are still babes, but as is the way in Dumnonni probably will not be for long.

The elder races.

The Fae are at one extreme in terms of age, because they can be said to have been in Dumnonni all along, and the Sons of Mil are at the other, having just recently stumbled in.

The Elder races are a peculiar middle ground. Just as with some of the mystic places of Ireland, their ‘there’ is now here (see 1.1, Dramatic Geography). For them there is no break between their time in Erin and now, it is just that everything around them has changed, and as in their view it is the way of the world to change, they just accept it. This means that when Fir Bholgs, Tuatha de Dannan or Fomorians talk of ‘the land’ they are referring to Dumnonni and Erin as one and the same. To them ancient feuds about who controls the land are still current, still totally valid. When Donn brought his army out from the Moonlit City he did not stop and go “Wait! This is not the place I went in from,” because for him it was.

As all the elder races are immortal, they tend to have long histories and long memories. This give them sense of superiority over the Sons of Mil who they see as mere children, with fleeting lives, short memories, and no real history.

A short history of the elder races in Erin and Dumnonni.

(For a better understanding of the history of the elder races, read the classic of Irish myth, The Book
of Invasions.)

· Ancient Erin was ruled by the Fomorian, terrible sea demons.

· The Parthalonians drove them into the sea, but then vanished themselves and the Fomorians returned.

· Next the Fir Bholg invaded and once more the Fomorians retreated.

· The Tuatha de Dannan invaded and defeated the Fir Bholg at the first battle of Moytura.

However, during Battle the three great Fir Bholg kings, Donn, Sreng and Conn fought with such ferocity, that the Tuatha called a parley. At this, the shroud Conn, negotiated to keep Connaught for the Fir Bholg. In a fury at what he saw a betrayal Donn took what remained of his army under the hill to the Moonlit City. He vowed to return to claim all that had been taken from his people.

· Because Nuada had lost his hand he could no longer be king so Bres the Beautiful took the throne and ruled badly. When Nuada regained his hand he retook the throne, but Bres called on the support of the Fomorians lead by Balor of the baleful eye, and a new terrible war broke
out.

· At the second battle of Moytora the Fomorians were finally defeated and Balor s taken wounded and taken back to Tory island, where he stayed in a deathly sleep for an age.

· The son’s of Mil (humans) invaded and defeated the Tuatha, who withdrew from their cities, many going under the hollow hills.
Dumnonni history of the elder races

· After many years of decline both the Fir Bholg and Tuatha were the smallest fraction of what they had been. In spite of their ancient enmities an accord had grown between then, due in part to their joint disdain for the sons of Mil.

· The Fomorians however, were powerful again. Balor woke from his slumber and once more began an invasion.

· During this time the mysterious Tuatha S’gath re-emerged and the threat of the ‘story that must not be told’ split the Fir Bholg. Conn fell into despair.
Balor was finally defeated and killed. The elder races refer to this as the third battle of Moytura.

· The Fir Bholg tried to stop ‘the story that must not be told’ from spreading and war between themselves and the Tuatha began to brew

· The great bronze doors to the Moonlit city were found, as was the horn that would open them.

· Bull blew the Horn and Donn and his army came out from their thousand-year exile. In the ensuing battle Donn killed Conn, but himself lost an eye. This means he can no longer be king and he has also lost his sanity. However, his daughter, Finivar, who was fostered to Conn, has taken up his cause.

· Finivar, armed with the Moonsword, has grabbed leadership of the Fir Bholg, with an iron fist.

Her hatred of the Tuatha is well known and she has declared that she will finish her father’s duty and drive all his enemies into the sea. She has declares a fourth battle of Moytura will be joined.

The Fomorians.

The Fomor are, like the Tuatha, near gods. However, where the Tuatha are exceptionally beautiful, the Fomor are deformed hideous monsters. The great Fomorian are fearful giants. Even the rank and file are huge, and terribly strong. Many are malformed, with missing limbs, twisted bodies and grotesque features. They often have fishlike features, particularly the priests.

Though Merciless and barbaric, the Fomor are not without honour. They will treat respectfully with those who they regard of worthy. However, as they consider most of the son’s of Mil and even much  of what is left of the elder races as little more than cattle and they treat them as such. Just as if culling the herd or hunting wild game, they do not consider it wrong to ignore an entreaty or use guile
to kill.

Fomor love the taste of rotted meat and will leave the bodies of the dead and dying to decay in great feeding piles. These piles are just as likely to have men in them as animals. The smell of decay is also perfume to them some they plaster themselves in offal for war and procreating. Like all folk in Dumnonni they are bound by the Celtic Paradigm and once they have recognised a person as worthy they behave with good honour, though maybe only in the clamour to be the first to slay them in an honour duel.

To make a Fomor recognise your worth, unless you already have made a name for yourself, you will have to work very hard at shouting, boasting and displaying mighty prowess. Even Wyrd users do not necessarily get respect unless they put on a really good show.

The Fomor of The Many-Coloured Land.

Though almost all Fomor are hideously ugly, some few can be beautiful. These are those who are born with the blood of Bres the Beautiful in their veins. These can hide themselves in human, Sidhe or even Tuatha company and make excellent spies. One such Fomorian is Queen Brae of The Many Peoples. After the third battle of Moytura she took control of a large part of the Eastern coast and
declared herself queen of all, of any race, who would follow her. Many of the defeated Fomor took
this bargain and now thrive under her rule.

Tory Island.

Once the Fomorians ruled all of Erin, but where driven back into the sea by the Tuatha. They retained a foot hold on Tory Island, however, where for many generation Balor slept in the Crystal tower of Connand, stained with the blood of the Numedians.

The Bosom of the Sea Hag.

Just as they came from the sea so some have returned there, into the keeping of The Cailleach, the Sea Hag. There they wait with hungry hearts, impatient for a chance rise once more from the deeps to avenge themselves. Have a care near deep water for an unwary step will take you to close to their scaly claws.

The Fir Bholg.

These are mainly an NPC race and should not be considered for a player character without much thought and discussion with the refs.

Fir Bholg literally means people of the bag. These ancient warriors are what is left of the mighty race that once ruled Erin. After the battle of Moytura they were driven underground, either literally to the moonlit city, or to the darker corners of the land. Those that went under the Hill are filled with a great need to vengeance against the Tuatha. But even those who stay in the sunlit world and served Conn of a hundred Battles, harbour resentment at their fall.

Now Donn has returned and Conn is dead, many rally to Finivar’s banner and hunger for what they see as their dues. A rare few keep to their oaths to Conn and still follow his widow Eithne.

In reality the Fir Bholg are three separate nations. As well as the Fir Bholg who are the most plentiful, there are the Fir Galion who are the great champions and arbitrators of the Fir Bholg (Conn was a Fir Galion). Then there are the dark Fir Dolmen who serve Domnu the god of destruction. All three can be found in the host of Finivar, though only the Fir Galion and Fir Bholg served Conn.

Most Fir Bholg regard the Sons of Mill as little more than vermin.

The Fir Bholg have yet to appear in the new cycle.

Fir Bholg Wyrd.

Close as they are to the Sidhe, the Fir Bholg wyrd has much to do with the Mists and the Otherlands.

One such power is the calling of and walking in the mists. By so doing a Fir Bholg may travel from one place to another as if it was one step. They can and do regularly use this power to tactical advantage in battle.

The Fir Dolmen also have a second fearsome form of Wyrd use: – The Curse Eaters. These twisted and mad horrors delight in eating the curses caused by violating the normal sanctions against fighting with wyrd users. They deliberately seek out wyrd users and try to provoke curses.

Fir Bholg battle masks.

All Fir Bholg wear bronze or sliver masks. The Fir dolmen, particularly the curse eaters, wear twisted
and grotesque ones. A Fir Bholg will not remove his mask except in the company of family or totally
trusted friends (think of it as a taboo like our modern views of nudity).
The mask gives the wearer protection as if they were wearing a heavy metal helm. It also protects
them from the madness normally associated with travelling in the mists.

The Tuatha

Literally Tuatha means ‘the people’. What we are really referring to are the Tuatha de Dannan (the People, or children, of the Godess Danu), Tuatha de Domnu (The People of the Godess Domnu) and the Mysterious Tuatha S’gath (The People of the Shadow).

The Tuatha Straddle the boundary between the gods and men. Indeed many of the gods are Tuatha ancestors, Lugh and the Dagda to mention just two. Even those that have stayed under the sunlit sky rather that retreating to the Hollow Hills standout for their beauty, prowess and honour. They personify the Celtic paradigm and adhere to it totally and naturally.

The Tuatha have yet to appear in the new cycle.

The Tuatha S’gath

Their name means “the people (or children) of the shadow”. The origin of these people is shrouded in legend and mystery. Few of them have ever been seen in Dumnonni. Little is publicly known, save that they are something to do with the sea god Manannan Mac Lir, an ancient curse, and ‘the story
that should not be told’.

They wear a rainbow eye stripe.

The Tuatha De Domnu

The Tuatha De Domnu.

Tuatha who have fallen into despair, revel in the destruction of war or are consumed by hate, often choose to follow the dark goddess Domnu. Though they, like all Tuatha are bound by an honour code, their desires drive them to unspeakable horrors. They live for Domnu’s terrible laughter as they
plunder, corrupt and destroy. Following their goddess’s wishes they serve Cethlinn the Fomorian queen, who is more calculating than was Balor, but no less bloody or ruthless.

Serving the same goddess as the Fir Dolmen does not in any way make them allies, indeed if anything their hate for each other is greater than any other.

They signify that they have “taken the dark” by a black woad stripe in place of the red or Blue of their
heritage.

The Sidhe and the Otherlands

Dumnonni is a land of mysteries and none is more dense and contradictory than the ways of Sidhe or Fae. They are everywhere, large and small, powerful and weak. Some might argue that the gods themselves are the greatest of the Sidhe, and indeed there are folk like the Queens of Summer and
Winter who are gods of a sort.
At the other end of the scale, most halls have wee folk that live in the thatch and feed on brave words. And there are dragons and other more terrible monsters.

As Dumnonni is a wyrd place and therefore everything is somewhat fae, the creatures and folk we are referring to are those that live in the Otherlands, or are ‘part’ of Dumnonni rather than arriving from the mundane world. In many senses, including their own thinking, the elder races should be included in this categorisation, but we have excluded them as they stand closer in our understanding than other Sidhe, and more resemble typical Celtic (albeit ancient) tribes.

The fact that the Fae are a mystery in key to their role in the game. We do not want them to be understood and often deliberately portray them in contradictory ways. Some times they will appear foolish folk that badly mimic the mundane, other times they will be astute manipulators. Sometimes quite human and humane, at others alien, callous and cruel.

The following is therefore what the majority of people believe about the Sidhe, but is not necessarily
true.

It is said that the Fae made the land of Dumnonni itself from the dreams of mortal men, and that the greatest of them weaves all things into a tapestry on the Loom of Fate. They choose to limit their own powers, in order to make the land relatively stable. If they were to break this ‘Compact’ and give their magic free reign it is so powerful it could unmake the world.

They are fallen gods. They are the very nature of things, Samhlach to the Picts (see Northern Tribes), and are given thought and action only to better drive their purpose. Others say they are only the dreams of the gods, or even great men, a shallow reflection of what is real. They are our beliefs and fears, dreams and nightmares
made flesh, but the extent to which their reality is shaped by our own fear, awe or disdain, is far from certain.

The Sidhe are ever-changing and free, they can not abide for things to become fixed and regard such things as ‘stolen’ from them. Maps, written stories and even Iron are anathema to them and they quickly take anger if used against them. The use of such things in the Otherlands is quite literally destructive, causing far greater wounds and even unmaking things there.

The Sidhe are bound by complex rules and obligations called by some ‘The Dance’. Promises and bargains are bartered for, as mortal men might with gold.
It is said that they can not break a promise and that they are driven by their nature to act. This unknowable web of vows and servitude is most definitely not safe for the unwary. In the most part they seems to have Celtic values appropriate to the Celtic Paradigm, although their ideas of honour and oath are more complex and tricksy than either those of the human Celtic tribes or of the Elder Races. That said there are also Fae creatures and Otherlands of Norse, Saxon and Pictish, roots.

Different tribes of Fae may follow quite different customs from each other, and many or most of these may well seem strange, dangerous, or just downright mad, to humans

The Winter and Summer Thrones

The Sidhe are tied in many ways to the workings of the world. One such ‘responsibility’ is the dominion of the Summer and Winter Monarchs. These roles bind the monarchs to strict duties as well as giving them godlike power.

Their stewardship of the seasons is both ritually and actually apparent. While the Summer King was captive summer could not happen and without winter’s grip to keep
things safe Dumnonni was almost washed away. Recently, Morganna, the Winter Queen has died and winter must wait for her to be reborn from an apple seed, eaten by the mother to be.

The Otherlands

The Otherlands are magical places that are connected to Dumnonni and each other. They are “other islands” in the mists where a particular nature holds sway. The afterlives of the dead fall into this category as do actual islands such as Tory Island, the Isle of Glass or Hi Brazil. It included places of one nature like the Fonn Isean (bird spirit land) and Oillteil Cladhaich (The deep Burrows). And it includes really wyrd places like Ma Míchlú (the land of Mirrors) where you can see reflections of the
past and future and Tir Sanhien (The land of tomorrow) quite literally that. Otherlands can also be found in ancient barrows and hidden secret places. Some of them may be very strange, it has been said that the magic bag belonging to the famed Fae Ice-Pine-Knife-Bone contains a complete
Otherland, although its exterior resembles nothing so much as a dirty sack.

Travelling to and in the Otherlands is equally as dangerous as travelling in the mists, with the added dangers of the denizens that live there and that time plays tricks on the traveller in some disturbing and often fatal ways. To get there without a guide is impossible excepting in the case of a ‘lucky’ jump through a fae gate. Such a jump could just as easily be unlucky, and being lost or stranded in the Otherlands is to be really, truly lost.

Fae gates between different Otherlands are many and varied, and probably, no two are alike. Some of them may change their appearance and form.
The Fae gate at Culhaven is a particularly elaborate one in that it has three gates. Although you only fully arrive, in the Otherlands entering the last gate the small areas between the gates are somewhere between places. If a person tries to cross into this area by any way apart from through the gates they are flung deep into the Otherlands.

The Northern Tribes

The people who inhabit the far northern highlands and the islands of the northern sea are wilder and more savage than even the Celtic tribes. This is the place where we have let our imagination fill in the gaps left by the lack of historical evidence. We have envisioned them as a primitive tribal society which venerates its ancestors and the spirits of the world (Samhlachs and Ysbryds). We have, for flavour, thrown in some Native American culture, both in the shamanism and the look. Also drumming, chanting, sweat lodges, whooping, counting ku, scalping, near-naked and painted bodies, though there is still a strong Iron Age motif. Though obviously an anachronism, Scottish accents work well for them, as does a smattering of Gaelic.

Though most people consider them all Pictii, in reality they are much more varied than this. The real Pictii call themselves the Cruthn and are split into many different tribes, each defined by their totem spirit, from which they are normally named. As well as these there are also even wilder, stranger and more barbaric folk. These include the Smetri, the Attacotti, the Fen Picts, and the Matu.

They believe they are descended from Cruthine, a great king who arrived in the far North of Caledonia from Scythia with a boatload of warriors. He ruled over his newly conquered land for a hundred years, before distributing the land amongst his 7 sons.
“Seven Sons – seed of Cruthine – then held a seventh of Alban’s earth; Cait, Ce, Cirig – warriors all – Fib, Fidach, Fotla, Fortrenn.”

Since Cruthine and his men had no women on their boat they were in need of wives. They were enemies of the Britons in the south, so no wooing was to be done there; however, the Irish provided wives on the proviso that if ever there was a feud over who was to succeed as a king then the Picts should always choose from the female line of aristocracy, something they have always done ever since, both in the old world and in the Fey realm.

It is said by their bards that the Picts had first arrived in the Dumnonni realm in a large fleet of leather currach boats. The tales tell that they were crossing a lake to attend a great feast, in celebration of the defeat of of their foe Coel Hen: a mighty British king. All the different tribes had filled those boats and all were lost in a sudden mist – some say, caused by the Smertai in league with the Caillach.

In battle, the Picts tend to employ hit-and-run tactics, often using short axes, javelins, bows and staff slings, but their mightier warriors can form a shield wall using their distinctive H shaped shields and with the long spears they often carry. Due to their way of fighting and the scarcity of good metal minerals on their land; they tend to wear leather, rather than metal, armour.

Samhlachs and Ysbryds. (Pronounced: sau-la and is-brid).

The Cruthn see the world teeming with spirits: spirits of all things, animals, the dead, trees, stones, rivers, winds, and the weather, even the moon, sun and stars. They also regard the Sidhe as Spirits.

The Pictish shamans, called Fiosaiche (Fisichu), can wield the wyrd by summoning spirits and demanding of them, negotiating with them, or petitioning them, depending on the spirit’s power and the power and disposition of the individual Fiosaiche,. There are both individual spirits, like the spirit
of a particular oak tree, and also universal spirits, like the Dog Samhlach, the spirit of all dogs and the definition of a dog’s nature.

Samhlachs are the totem spirits of a tribe and are universal spirits. Ysbryds are all other spirits, big or small, though to call a spirit Samhlach is to do it great honour.
Each Samhlach has an associated glyph which can be imbued with its power. This is why the Pictii often paint themselves with these glyphs and other woad patterns to give themselves protection. This woad painting is another of the skills of a Fiosaiche and is how the Pictii get their name (Pictii =
Picture). (See the section on written language.)

All the Cruthn, because of their very personal connection to the Spirit World, are superstitious. This makes them very wary and respectful of wyrd and wyrd weavers. As well as fearing them, they can sometimes be convinced to follow particularly powerful and guileful wyrd-men. Thus some Pictii follow
darker gods, like Crom Cruach and are driven to rampage by mad Drune Lords.

The Pictii and the Norse have a troubled relationship. They share the same space, but have little or no understanding of each other. The Norse are the worst at lumping all the Cruthn as one, mad host. In the war with Balor, much of the Pictii nation sided with the Fomor. Hrafn fought a terrible war to keep
them from joining Balor at Culhaven in any numbers. And even now there is a permanent state of vigilance. However, not all the Cruthn wish harm to the people of the South and some are actively allied to the Free Races.

Tribal Geas

They may never eat the flesh of their Samhlach, save only in ritual. Each tribe has other tribal geasa which all follow. For example, the Dodhran (Otter folk) cannot pass an opportunity to have fun and the Swooping Hawk may not take more than they need.

Pictish Tribes (Cruthne)

There are a great many Cruthn tribes and only a sample can be covered here.

The first three are tribes that could be played as characters: the outward-going Bristling Boar, the wild and vicious Running Dogs, and the strange and god-touched Matu.

Also given are four, very much NPC tribes: the hostile Bloody Stag, the cannibalistic swarm of the Attacotti, the shape-changing Selkie, and the enigmatic Fen Picts.

Bloody Stag

One of the most barbaric of the Cruthne and possibly the most common, the Bloody Stag are driven by the desire to be lords of all. The Stag live with a simple credo in their hearts:
“What you can take is yours by right. Not to take it is weakness.”
Stag leaders fight for their places and can be overthrown by stronger men at any time. They keep many slaves, whom they despise for weakness and so treat very badly. Raiding for slaves to replace those that have died under these harsh masters is therefore commonplace. They are most often at war with the other Cruthne, though occasionally they have joined with them against the peoples of the soft South.

The Stag do not serve any others, yet they see nothing wrong with forming alliances with other powerful forces. Such alliances are merely a convenience until their allies can be conquered. They have in the past allied themselves with other Cruthne, Fomorians, Drune Lords, and even corrupt Norse.

They respect strength, but do not fear it. In fact, they fear nothing save the curses of the wyrd which will rob them of their own strength. Their Fiosaiche are happy to use this fear to command their people. They also, demonstrate their power by being able to shield Stag warriors from the effects of wyrd, thus making them brave enough to attack even the wyrd weavers of their enemies.

Seeking power, they follow dark gods, amongst whom Crom Cruach is prominent.

Attacotti

The Attacotti hail from the farthest northern reaches and the Wild Isles. They seem to have no fear for personal safety, braving the wild open sea in the smallest of coracles, or plunging themselves recklessly into battle. They live for destruction and dominance. They are known cannibals and participate in terrible and bloody rituals where whole tribes of people are torn to pieces to appease their dark gods.

They are not without guile, however, and their leaders are probably powerful Fiosaiche or even Drune Lords, but they are seldom seen. They have a single-minded drive to achieve whatever purpose their leaders set them to. At present, they are determined to destroy the Norse who also have a foothold in the Northern Isles.

The Selkie

“Deep in the waters and dry upon the land”

The Seal Folk are shape-shifters; quite literally skin changers. In their true home, which is the deep sea, they are seals: sleek, furred, sharp-toothed predators. But at times they can simply slough off their skins as they leave the water, becoming as men, to walk two-legged on the land. Being out of their natural element, though, is not comfortable for them; they suffer in the heat, light and dryness of the land-world. Their skin flakes and splits and some experience difficulty breathing the arid air. This discomfort increases the longer they are dry, and the further they are from water, or their true skin. Another grave concern to Selkies on dry land, is keeping their seal-skin safely hidden. If a Selkie was to lose this skin, or if it was taken from them, they would be unable to shapeshift back to their true seal form, and so would never be able to return to their home and people beneath the waves. Occasionally, a Selkie will aid or befriend a dry-land dweller, though the stories tell that romance between Selkie and human always end in tragedy. It is also said that no man who has visited the Selkies’ world has ever returned. They are amongst the folk blessed by the god, Manannan Mac Lir . In recent years there have been good relations between the Ard-Ri and some Selkies, after he aided them in bringing about an end to the trapping of Selkies by Norsemen using wyrd-crafted hooks. Despite the Ard-Ri’s intervention the Selkies are still mistrustful of the Norse. They are also enemies of the Scottii who continue to hunt
seals, but friends to the Dalriada who do not.

The Norse

Some of the latest arrivals in Dumnonni are the Norse. Though there have been Norse here for somegenerations, the majority are newly come through the mists.

Notes on Dumnonni’s Interpretation of the Norse. We borrow the mythological perspective of many of the Irish tales, but our English view of the Norse is coloured primarily by the real history of the Vikings. This is in our psyche, because we have been brought up on tales of barbaric warriors destroying monasteries. There are, of course, the tales ofthe Norse gods, that have a style which could easily sit with their Irish counterpart. However, itseems that generally our Norse are more ‘pragmatic’ and down to earth than our Celts. Any culture that celebrates burning your enemy’s hall in the night and has a special name for people whoslaughter everything that comes out of a door, has to be a bit on the gritty side, but the Norse havean honour code which they all strive to adhere to, or at least to have a reputation of adhering to.There is a Norse saying “If no one saw it, it did not happen.”Like all people in Dumnonni, the Norse are bound by the rules of the Celtic paradigm, which can oftenget those new through the mists into trouble. What is interesting is that those who have been here along time, are led by the paradigm not to take on Celtic morals, but to adhere to their own higherideals. Dumnonni it seems, forces men to become heroes.

Norse Values

Much like the Celts, the Norse value honour, hospitality, generosity and loyalty. A sense of humour, Strength (being accused of weakness or animal attributes is a dread insult), tenacity and luck are seen as important attributes and will gain a person respect and followers.

The Norse are very fatalistic, they believe in omens and prophecy. A simple thing like a broken buckle or a raven flying overhead might make a person abandon a course of action. They are very superstitious, which suits them well in Dumnonni, where it is likely that the Alfar do actually live in an ominous copse, and the gods really do play fickle games with men.

A Brief History of the Norse at Dumnonni

· For many generations there have been The Norse in the northern fjords of Dumnonni, but when the threat of the Fomorians grew too great, the Norse King, Beorn, joined with the other free races and supported Athea’s coronation as the first Ard Ri.

· Beorn later betrayed the free races and joined Balor. He was eventually slain at the Battle of Three Shrines.

· Beorn’s son, Olaf, and his nephew, Hrafn, fought for the kingship and Hrafn won. He and his Jarls set about taming the North until he is one of two great kings: the other being Sigurd the Bad, a despot.

· Hrafn ruled well for many years, until he took a new wife, Sifa. After this time he gradually slumped into a torpid state doing practically nothing. Rumours started that he was under an enchantment.

· Sigurd the Bad was eventually defeated and replaced by Magnus the Good. Still Hrafn did nothing.

· The Jarls of the north had always been fickle men, but now a new lethargy began spreading like a disease amongst them. Halls once full of song and warriors trained and ready for war, became dark, cold places; full of drunken, sullen men, uninterested in the defence of their
honour or lands.

During this time the very gods of Asgard were tricked by Loki into spending a year and a day as mortals. Many not only became mortals, but lost their memories as well: Odin, Freya and Hel amongst them.

· Despite the various problems King Magnus and Hrafn’s wife, Sifa, secured a great victory against the Picts at the Battle of Loch Bray.

· Later a Fimbulwinter engulfed the North, with chill fogs pouring over the land, like the breath of some great dragon. The nights were haunted by monsters of Norse horror: undead war bands from Niflheim, the half-wolf children of Fenris, the evil dvergar from under the mountains, and even great giants from Jötunheim. The godar all started to go mad; saying the gods had abandoned the Norse, that Bifröst (the Rainbow Bridge) had fallen into the sea, so no heroes could get into Valhalla, and that the sun was being eaten by one of Fenris’ children, heralding Ragnarök.

· At this time the Norse gods arrived at Culhaven in disguise, seeking to get back to Asgard. But with Bifröst fallen there was nowhere for them, or Norse heroes, to go when they died, save Niflheim.

· Hrafn’s wife, Sifa, turned out to have been Hel –who had lost her memories. Her influence, even unknowing, was what had brought Hrafn down. She then sided with Loki who may, or may not, have been siding with Balor.

· Hrafn’s malaise was healed by having his famous weapon, the sword of the Brisings, returned to him. He was reminded of his duties and returned to the North to rally the broken Jarls and fight the various evils that beset the Norse lands.

· While Balor was fighting at Culhaven, Hrafn, Magnus and their Jarls broke the Picts, and protected the free races from attack from the North.

· Odin was rescued and Bifröst restored, though now its foot was in Culhaven. As a result, Lief, the Bard was doomed not to be welcome in either Hel’s hall or Asgard but to stay to guide dead heroes to the rainbow bridge.

· The gods learnt that, like mortal men, they can only return to Asgard through a noble death.

· Magnus’s right hand man, Angatyr the Whisperer, working ‘without Magnus’s knowledge,’ tried to overthrow Hrafn and put his lord on the throne of the king of the North. He sent a great Jotun to slay Hrafn when he visited Culhaven for Beltane. The Jotun slew many of the gods before it was itself slain. Angatyr was uncovered and slain. Unfortunately this was before he could reveal his co-conspirators. Magnus then knelt to Hrafn as high King.

· Hrafn and Magnus mounted a pitiless war on the Picts.

· Many new folk arrived in Dumnonni to replace those killed in the war with Balor. Among these, Norsemen were very plentiful.

· A new cult appeared, led by Freya. All men who saw her fell in love with her. When she and her followers attacked Culhaven, she was slain by a Norse ship-queen called Svanni, newly through the mists. Svanni then gave her beauty to Hel in exchange for allowing Freya to go to Asgard rather than Niflheim.

· Svanni the ship queen defeats the Attacotti and becomes Queen of the Far Isle.

· The bloody Stag Great Spirit, The Stag Samhlach manifests, able to possess men. With this power the Shaman and Drune lords these most vicious of the Cruthn are able to threaten the very existence of the Seal Road. Hrafan take up arms and begins a desperate fight.

· Magnus, uses the chaos to try and advance his own cause. He tried to set the other North factions against each other, Hrfan against Svanni and the Thormadsons against everyone. However, he over played his hand when he tries to engineer the massacre of the Thormadsons. This fails and worse his hand is discovered red to elbow in it. Their revenge is decisive and bloody, killing him and pissing on his corpse.

· Plunged into chaos with one of the two great Jarls suddenly missing, and the Bloody Stag apparently unstoppable, Hrfan and all the folk of the Seal Road are on the brink of disaster

· In recent times the north lands have been over-run with Draugaur – foul undead raised by dark wyrd. This has meant much, if not all the north land has fallen.
The few remaining Norse have banded together under Jarl Othrick Helgafarsson, Of The Valdyr, with their refugees being housed in the Fianna fort of White Wall. 

The Seal Road

This is the name the Norse give the coastal region in the North Eastern part of Dumnonni and the islands North of the mainland. The main port is Holmsfiord. This is also now the seat of the High King of the North. Inland from here are the wild uplands of the Picts. The Isles are less secure than the mainland, being under threat from Attacotti raiders who had ruled here before the influx of the Vikings.
In general, even those who have been born here, are descended in only a few short generations from people on the other side of the mists. Thus as a character it is important to decide culturally where your family came from. Perhaps they were Geats of the same clan as Beowulf, or refugees fleeing

Harold Fine-hair’s unification of the Northway, maybe Rus traders, invaders of King Alfred the Great’s Wessex, or settlers amongst the wild tribes of Ireland? These choices should colour your dress, culture and attitude.

Norse factions

Unlike Celtic peoples, the Norse will swear loyalty to strong leaders rather than follow ancient groupings. Thus any of the following factions could contain Norse folk from all over.

Magnus the Good’s Housecarls

“There is no shame in dark deeds done for loyalty.”
Magnus was the second most powerful lord in the North. His nickname ‘The Good’ referred to his skilful nature, not his morality; and also to the fact that that his predecessor, Sigurd the Bad, was so very much worse. Though none can say for certain that he was not loyal to Hrafn, it is widely held that he would have liked to see himself as King of the North. He was also thought to be an extremely pragmatic man.
His housecarls who come to Culhaven may well be honourable men who simply have a dubious leader, but then they may be men who have a more complex agenda working for their lord.

Rumours of the dark doings his crew of svartimen (shadow men) aboard the Red Ship have never managed to stick to Magnus (though he seemed unconcerned when its captain, Angatyr the Whisperer, was killed; perhaps he had overstepped his lord’s orders, (or failed to carry them out successfully?).

Then all Magnus’s schemes came to naught, with his bloody murder by the Thormadsons. Some of his vessels have sworn to Hrfan, some to Magnus’s 10 year old son, or rather his mother and Magnus’s widow, but many more have not chooses who to follow, some even fleeing the Seal Road altogether.

The new captain and crew of the Red Ship are once more active, though under whose orders it is
unclear.

Saxons and other Teutonic Tribes

The Saxon peoples encountered in the realms of Dumnonia are not the sophisticated Viking-fighters of Alfred the Great but the savage barbarians of earlier centuries that overran the remains of Roman Britain and Gaul as the legions departed. Generally, their organisation is barely above the tribal and their forces are composed of the retinue of ‘companions’ that follow a leader out of personal loyalty – 7 individuals are considered enough to form a warband and 36 are an army. Nor is their technology
particularly advanced – only the wealthiest leaders have chainmail and swords, most wear leather and fight with spears, axes and scramaseaxe, their famed, heavy-bladed knives.

Their gods superficially resemble those of the Norse but differ somewhat in their organisation – many tribes favour the worship of one god or goddess and rank him or her above all others. Some examples (with Norse equivalent) – Woden, Wotan, Grim (Odin), Thunor, Donar (Thor), Nerthus (Frigg), Tiwaz (Tyr), Eostre (Idun), Ingwe (Frey), Frige (Freya), Weyland (Volund) and some without Viking counterparts e.g.: the god Saxneot and the goddess Hretha, both devoted to war and victory.

Priests, who are often very animalistic in their appearance and behaviour, conduct worship – blood sacrifices are the norm, sometimes of humans. Many of the priests can write in a form of runes known as the futhorc. Some groups also produce fearsome, bestial warriors – bear-shirts and wolfskin -wearers – whose ferocity is such that they can be unpopular amongst their own people.

Saxons can be found all over Dumnonni in small war bands, ships crews, or farming settlements. However, their main area concentrations can be found in two area.
The Saxon Shore: This long wide area of the eastern coast is made up of a number of Saxons kingdoms. Of the two this is the older, more heavily populated.
The Saxon Wolds: Some groups of Saxons made the deliberate move away form the Saxon shore and set up home in the wolds. Generally the Wolds are closer to a later Saxon period that the Saxon shore.

As noted above, ‘Saxon’ refers to many relatively small groups, who may think of themselves as Angles, Jutes, Frisians or some other sort of Teutonic tribe. Many of these are loosely allied to the Ard Ri of Culhaven but struggle amongst themselves to claim the position of overlord known as Bretwalda. However, some Saxon tribes ally themselves with the forces of Balor, or simply raid aggressively out of self-interest. It is difficult to generalise regarding such a disparate people, varying
as they do from nomadic savages to settled and ordered farmers. Here are some examples:

North Gyrwas (Playable)

A relatively numerous group who fight, when they must, as light skirmishers lacking sophisticated weapons and armour. They hold the goddesses Eostre and Hretha sacred.

 Althelhelm ‘The Dead’

These Saxons are unusual in having a revenant king. Though much of his court are also shades and corpses, Althelhelm has many living followers.

Noble-born among the constantly infighting lords of the west, Athelhelm rose to prominence and for some time became Bretwalda by force of arms. He was ever interested in more than worldly power but was defeated and killed by the warriors of Culhaven.

Some years after his death he returned from the lands of the dead, seemingly by his own will. Though he now acts with honour towards those who were previously his foes, he also appears to be amassing power and influence and those that knew him warn that his thirst for conquest may not have been slaked when he dwelt in Cythraul.

His deathly hall is a sad and drear place of weeping and sham revelry; although hospitable to the letter of the rule, a night there is likely to lead to madness or death.

The Sortzart

These are the folk of the Black Bear; most of their warriors are berserkers. Their leader, Tomhodett, is an Ill-Fated King for his every victory is either snatched from his grasp or turned to naught, and his every gain a burden. However, he is also well known for his quickness to laugh and generosity of spirit; the Bards seem undecided as to whether this is tragedy or farce.

He carries the cursed sword of Wayland which, when drawn gives him and his force great ferocity and strength but also causes him and his own great woe. When he draws his sword the rage of the Black Bear becomes like a contagion that affects all of his people, not just the warriors. With no enemy to fight the Sortzart often turn on their own. At present it is thought that Tomhodett keeps his sword sheathed and is an ally to the people of Culhaven, but who can tell what great need might force him to draw it once
more?

Degenerate folk

The Scotia (Degenerate Celts)

“So you want us to steal the Horn of Pluto. Now that we can do!” Finig – Scotia chief

The Scotia, once an honourable Celtic tribe and descendants of the great Queen Scotia of Milieus, have been tainted by the foulness of blood wyrd. So deep did they fall, that they soon forgot their great ancestry and became vagabonds and thieves. Interbred, dishevelled and with no understanding of honour, the Scotia are brigands that steal what they want and murder carelessly. They are often the pawns of the people who seek to destroy the free races. The worst of them are lead by bloodsoaked hagmothers and are ‘birthed’ full grown as fierce warriors ready to kill at their ‘Mother’s’ command.

Until recently they were the servants to Balor, but they changed sides at the battle which saw his death. Some now follow Queen Brae. Some have returned to their rapine ways. But a small number, wanting to better their place in the world, have renounced the blood wyrd on which they had depended, seeking to reclaim their ancestry and bring once again honour to the name Scotia

Smerti (Degenerate Pictii)

“Listen to the Beast within”
The Smerti are more animal than men: brutal, direct and true to the worst attributes of whichever Samhlach they are bounded to – for instance, a Dog is vicious and stubborn, but not loyal and a Crow might revel in carrion and death, but not be wise. Each can have a different type of Samhlach, thus a Dog, a Stag and a Crow might run together. They cling together as a tribe, for no other Pictii will tolerate them. Whether they are from the other tribes originally and thrown out or always Smerti, is a
secret only the Cruthn know.

They are generally quick to anger and in battle channel their Samhlach to become berserk. Some even change shape to become the beasts they are on the inside.
They follow Rosmerta, a blood-thirsty, dark goddess, but are sometimes driven by the words and prophecies of other Fiosaiche.

The Corpse Goose Goblins (Degenerate Ancients)

“Dig now. Dig. Dig!”
These diminutive goblinoids are not all they seem. Easily mistaken in appearance for the Black Fox goblins who ofttimes have aided the Free Races, the Corpse Goose are by contrast dark, mysterious and secretive. They say they are no kin of the Black Fox, claiming they are not goblins at all, but the cursed remnants of a magical and powerful ancient race. They now dwell underground and are masters of the wyrd of rock, earth, death and the dragon lines. Their wyrd weavings are all associated with stones of power, wyrd that can be used to curse the living or bind the dying as mindless servitors, warriors and workers. They have no love of other subterranean races, including the Fae, and are often at war. They fight by cunning: with traps, ambushes, or betrayal, and their many expert archers frequently employ cursed arrows that can bring down the
mightiest of warriors. Their wyrd weavers often draw great power in battle from huge stones carried into the field of combat.
For years they were at war with the Free Races, but a strained truce was brokered by Suill Bas, the High Druid of the Corpse Goose. In the final battle against Balor they even aided the Free Races.

Since then their druid has been a frequent visitor to Culhaven and has offered his people’s aid on several occasions, though it would be hard to find anyone who trusts the Corpse Goose to this day and it is said that the price they ask for their help is one that few would be brave enough to pay.

The Black Fox Goblins

“I am Klaw and so is he.”
These goblins have become infantilised as well as deformed. It is not known who they used to be, though the fact that they are so angry at the suggestion that they might be Fomorians is certainly a clue.

Naive, often scared, anxious to please, easily impressed and quick to anger, the Black Fox goblins are in many ways like young children. They should not be underestimated, however, as even with all that is set against them they strive to be honourable and respected.

They worship their ancestors and, in a very real sense, anyone who impresses them. This ‘hero worship’ is one of their most noteworthy behaviours. Once they have fixated onto a hero they are likely to follow him around to find out how he behaves. They may take the names of their heroes, try and act like them and even claim to be them, so there are a number of Cascorachs, Bulls and Klaws amongst them. This may appear disrespectful or funny, but in many ways it is tragic.

Often overlooked or underestimated, they are able to find things out that would otherwise be secrets.
However, not knowing

The Dvergar – Dwarves (Degenerate Norse)

“For this wonder the price is small, just the song of a cat and the silver lining of a rain cloud.”

It might be unfair to regard the dwarves as degenerate as it is hard to say whether they were ever more than they now are. They are referred to quite often in Norse myths and we can surmise that they have been such long before entering Dumnonni. Short, bearded and twisted with age they most certainly are, but unlike your ‘Tolkien’ Dwarves, they are also cunning, greedy and immoral.

They are master smiths and stone crafters. Tales of them often include the making of truly marvellous items of power, like Thor’s magic hammer and Frigg’s golden hair. And so people are often keen to trade with them for their craft. Yet you should be very wary about any bargain you make, as it is likely to cost far more that you first imagine. For example, they are known to treasure teeth and once offered will take as many as they can from those asleep. They also lust for young women and will take them, either in bargain as slaves or, if they can, catching them unawares.

Their understanding of stone means they have great interest in both the wyrd stones of the Corpse Goose and the stone circles of the Sons of Mil. Some, it is said, love the stones and have given up their avaricious ways to become ‘stone herds’. If someone does harm to their charges, a stone herd will react with terrible fury. For example, because of Lorken’s blood being used to corrupt the stones, many stone herds fought with the Free Races against the Fomorians. However even these should be treated with caution, as those who do not follow this more peaceful life are wont to pretend to do so to engender trust.

They live underground where they keep their slaves and have huge fire-filled workshops. They do not like to come to the surface too often, as the sun hurts them.

Armen Av Wyrden (Degenerate Saxons)

“You have the stink of stolen power on you.”

Their name meaning arm of Fate, these wild, raggedy Saxons, are almost certainly mad or moontorn, as the saying goes. They feel the gods are punishing them for some unknown slight, and work desperately to regain their favour. To this end they hunt down magic of all sorts, which they feel has been stolen from the gods and must be returned to them. Once it is found they will destroy it with great ritual and prejudice – be it a magic item, a sacred place or an overt wyrd user.

Though mad as a box of frogs, they are not without cunning, and are as likely to try theft or murder to get what they seek, as to attempt to take it openly. They are also able to wheedle and cajole in an often convincing display of reason. They will trade for what they want if they need to and will generally follow the rules of hospitality. However, do not forget that they believe they are on a mission from the gods, which may overrule all other considerations
.
Amongst their number are ‘wyrd sniffers’ who can sense wyrd from great distances and will bring the Armen Av Wyrden down upon it like a pack of dogs.