Playable Races

Fianna – Celtic Warbands

The Fianna (Playable)

It says something about the self-assurance of the this particular Fianna group, that they call themselves THE Fianna, though they are (arguably) the most famous of all Fianna: that of Finn MacCoul. In Irish legend they have many adventures with Finn as their leader, often on the outside of society.

For a while The Fianna were led by Goll Macmorna, who slew Finn’s father to rise to the position, but when Finn came of age, Gol stood down. Later Gol betrayed him further.

When Finn died, many of his Fianna collected in a magical cave to sleep until his return. However, when they awoke, not only had he not yet come, but they also found themselves in Dumnonni.

Taking to their old ways they quickly carved out a niche for themselves amongst the Free Races, and had soon set up a base of power in the great fort, Almu of The White Walls. Cealan, the current king of The Fianna holds his seat at the fort.

Over the years they have mellowed a little, now making up a number of families and separate war bands. They are still fiercely proud and often militant. They pride themselves especially on their appearance, wearing fine clothes with much jewellery and often spending hours polishing their armour until it gleams.

Though anyone has a right to try and join the Fianna, they have a number of very harsh tests to be taken. Once you have joined you are expected to follow very high standards of conduct or suffer the wrath of your brothers and sisters.

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The Red Branch (Playable)

The Red Branch were the warrior elite of the kings of Ulster. As such they were mainly Ulaid, though anyone could join who was loyal, brave and ‘feat strong’ enough. Since their arrival in Dumnonni the Red Branch have formed again, this time to defeat the Fomorians once and for all. As before they were bodyguards to kings, so they are close to the High Kings of Dumnonni.

Cascorach himself was once of the Red Branch.

The Red Branch are wild, boastful and boisterous. They have a tight bond between them, based as much on friendship and laughter, as upon honour. They love to celebrate almost as much as they love battle. They also enjoy a good game of shinty and are wont to play ‘through’ gatherings of more serious folk.

They normally spurn armour in a fight, relying instead on speed, woading and skill to win the day. Many Red Branch know the skill of battle woading.

Though they are sometimes called The Wild Boys, children they are not, and their foes tremble at their name.

The Red Branch, leaderless for some time, have gained a new leader in the form of Scata.

The White Bear (Playable)

The White Bear is one of the oldest surviving Celtic clans of the Free Races. They have been indigenous to the lands of Dumnonni since before people can remember and have not (for the most part) travelled through the mists.

An honourable clan, they were originally called together by the Great White Bear Spirit: an older and stronger spirit than either the angry Black Bear, or the nomadic Crimson Bear. Each of the three Great Bear Spirits possesses one defining attribute, be it the ferocity of the Black Bear, or maternal love of the Crimson Bear, or the strength of the White Bear.

It is written and prophesied that, one day, all three clans will be united as one. On this day, all three attributes will be unified into one single bear clan, making them indomitable! Until then, only loose alliances and friendships can exist between them, and their many differences continue to keep the three clans apart.

Traditionally the bodyguard or honour guard of the Ard Ri, The White Bear has ever been at the centre of most issues of the Free Races. Though a predominantly Celtic
clan, they are known to offer `shelter of the wing` to honourable groups that are in need, be they fledgling Norse clans, or Sidhe seeking refuge for whatever reason.

The White Bear lands are in the valleys of the White Mountains, that lie North East of Culhaven. Though the chieftain, Klaw, has done much to increase the prosperity of the clan and its lands, even re-forging the once lost `Bear Blade,` he normally resides in Culhaven, leaving the clan matriarch, Rubela, a very powerful shaman, to rule the White Bear lands.

The oldest, most bitter enemies of the White Bear have always been, the very powerful Queen Maeve and her Connacht warriors. As they are geographically neighbours, border disputes and cross-border raids between the two peoples are very common. This has recently developed into full scale conflict.

The White Bear possess one of the Great Maps of Dumnonni and, as such, have a big tactical advantage. However, such a treasure skirts the disapproval of the Fae and other folk who regard maps as sacrilege.

The Blackshields (Ref Consent Only)

In the mists of time the Blackshields were once called the Desi and learned the arts of raiding and warfare in the lands of Demesia in Eire. For reasons best left untold, they were banished by the High King and cursed to wander nameless for seven generations. They travelled East to the land of the princes and were named, by those they met, for the tarred black shields they all carried.

Having few other skills they hired themselves out as warriors to whoever would pay them. With hard-won wealth and force of arms, they carved out their own lands in the valleys. Over countless generations they fought the other tribes of the Cymry and Prydain, the Romans, the Saxons, the Norse and often each other. When a boatload of Blackshields arrived through the mists in Dumnonni, they swore to serve the High King, Cascorach, in return for lands.

The Blackshields proved to be strong in battle, as well as keen singers of songs and tellers of tales around the campfires. They know their lives may well be short, so they revel in life and in every opportunity to be seen and heard. With their emotions close to the surface they can be cheerful rogues one minute and full of dark moods and violent displays, the next. When not fighting with their weapons, they battle with their word hoards, and many take a delight in wordplay. With tongues as
sharp as knives they have earned numerous enemies who would gladly kill them. But, whilst no few Blackshields have died a hero’s death in battle, a Blackshield’s most deadly foe remains another Blackshield and more have died at the hands of a kinsman than by any other means. Surprisingly, despite their brash and uncaring demeanour, the virtues of those still living are many and they have risen high in the councils of the free people. They are often chosen as war leaders or champions and
their counsel is sought in matters of honour. Since the Battle of Moy Tura, when Balor was slain, they have moved to new lands and founded a new kingdom around Duntarrion, in the shadow of the great mountain Bryn Mawr. But their numbers have dwindled s and, perhaps, those that remain are indeed the last of the Blackshields.

If they are, they will not go quietly. ​

The Forsaken (Playable / Difficult)

A very different war band: one made up of common criminals and people who have broken taboos or offended the Druids. A Druid has the right to condemn any person to a time among the forsaken. This can be for a moon, a year and a day, or, for the worst crimes, until redeemed. The Forsaken often band around a Druid, or Lave, who takes them upon esoteric quests of his devising.

Often those who control the Forsaken are themselves being punished by the Druids, or mad. A member of the forsaken must obey any Druid without question. However, because they are the instruments of the Druid they are not responsible for their actions: the Druid is.

The Forsaken do occasionally travel alone or in small groups, but they are always in the service and acting for the Druids.

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 (described in Picti)

The Gamhanrhide (Playable)

The loyal war band of Ailill are, like their king, foolhardy and honourable. Since the death of Ailill they have refused to take a new king. Their anger at Maeve is their main drive, but they are hampered because Ailill’s last order to them was not to take vengeance for his death or act directly against her.
They have chosen to understand this as allowing them to join a cause which happens to be against Maeve. For this reason they are constantly looking to ‘help’ those that are Maeve’s enemies. The latest such cause is in support of the White Bear.

Because of the opposition to Maeve, the Gamhanrhide are the only members of the Connachta that make good player characters. A few of the Gamhanrhide have also taken to following Ailill’s daughter Fouloula.

The Dalriada (Playable)

“Manannan smiles upon us. We sail!”
Celtic sea rovers, the Dalriada are hardy warriors on land and sea, with an eye for the main chance. These Irish speaking Scots raiders consider themselves to be unsurpassed in their boat-handling, and claim to be the only folk ever to have sailed beyond Tir Bo Thuin in the Western Seas. Blessed by Manannan Mac Lir they are bitter enemies of the Scottii and any who worship the Cailleach, or Sea Hag.

The favoured weapons of the Dalriada are round shields (often small targes, being easy to carry and wield on a raid), short spears/javelins, bows (very practical in naval warfare), and the ubiquitous dirk, or long knife. These knives are the mark of a free Dalriadan, and a mark of honour, being used in the ceremonial coming of age hunt, while an oath sworn on the sacred steel of its blade is binding above all else. A true Dalriadan honour duel will be fought ‘sgian air sgian’, dirk on dirk, though that normally includes a targe in the off hand.

Dòmhnall Ruadh MacAonghais, Red Donald, has been the most keen of the Dalriada to side with Culhaven, making a deal with Aedh The Honourable to send a fleet to aid the Free Races at the Battle of Holmsfjörd. Now, with Clann Loairn looking weaker than ever, An Aonghas has his eye on becoming the new Rìgh Innse Ceòthach, and hopes that with the right Àrd Rìgh in Culhaven, he’d have a mighty ally to support his claim.

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 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 de Dannan. (Ref Consent Only)

Some might think these would be the easiest of the elder races to play, however playing one as a character should be approached with great caution. Getting it wrong, by breaking the Celtic Paradigm or just not pulling off the ageless cool, and nobility, breaks game atmosphere and can be punished in game quite hard.

The Tuatha Warrior caste. (Ref Consent Only)

These are what most people mean when they refer simply to “Tuatha”. They are the most numerous of all the Tuatha. They are the mighty warriors and champions of the people that invaded Erin in their sky ships, after their four great cities, Failias, Findias, Goirias and Murias, sank below the waves. They were there when Sreng cut off Nuada’s hand and suffered under the poor rule of Bres The Beautiful.

They have fought the Fomorians for years unnumbered. Always great and terrible in a fight, and skilled in mighty feats, the mere presence of one such as Cynrain Battle Winner has been known to turn the tide of battle by reputation alone.

These Tuatha are easily recognised by the Blue stripe they wear across their eyes.

The Artisan caste – Called Craft Tuatha.

These Tuatha are marvellous in their craftsmanship and wyrd use. The three gods of craftsmanship, Goibnu, Creihne and Luchta stand among their number. The four great Treasures of the Tuatha De Dannan are; The Stone of Tara, The Spear of Lugh, The sword of Nuada and the Caldron of the Dagda.

Though the works of those that walk still under the sky are no match for these lost treasures they are still to be marvelled at. These Tuatha have long memories and complex, like their craft, are their schemes. They morn still the loss of the glory that was their sunken cities and yearn for the splendour of those days. Many are driven mad by the loss, but others work towards a return to the old ways and the grandeur of the past.

Of all the Tuatha these are likely to dress the most resplendently, though some wear simple work clothes.

They are easily recognised by the Red stripe they wear across the eyes.

Those called Wild Tuatha. (Ref Consent Only)

These are Tuatha from either of the Castes who have chosen to live in closer harmony to nature.

They live in small families, or travel singly as hunter-gatherers in the wilder places of Dumnonni. They of all the Tuatha are closest in their relationship to the Sidhe and often travel the Otherlands, a fact that means they are treated with suspicion by some. They should not be underestimated, however, due to their humble appearance. Many had had great and famous lives even before they “took the Green”.

They, like all Tuatha, are bound by old oaths and Geasa and though they are slow to anger once roused they are as terrible as any of their kind.

They wear a Green stripe in place of the red or blue one of their lineage.

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.

Changeling. (Playable)

In the past we have allowed people to play a number of Fae character types and those who are still playing them can obviously continue. However, in order to keep the mystery of the fae really mysterious, we have decided to return to the original Dumnonni premise that players could only be
changelings.

For reasons, not explained here the Fae have a habit of stealing children from other peoples, before they have been given a name and replacing them with Fae creatures. This practice means that there are folk of Fae blood, whom have been brought up in the mundane. Such folk make good player
characters, in that they are strange and magical, but have no knowledge of Fae secrets. Such characters may eventually learn some of the mystery (see Paul’s story of one such ‘teaching experience’). Such a character would obviously have a mundane background giving them in a sense,
dual parentage.

Tribes of Albion

There are many peoples in Dumnonni that are the remnants of the tribes that used to populate what is now England. Most of these arrived here from the period of the Roman invasions of Briton and have been here for many generations. Indeed the Dumnonni themselves come from the west-country at this time. Occasionally people still arrive, freshly through the mists, from one of these tribes.

These new arrivals may have come during the Roman period, but could also have come from a later time.

The following descriptions are of the four most prominent tribes that live here, but these should be seen as examples; this is not an exclusive list.
Dumnonni (described below)
Briganti (described below)
Iceni (described below)
Catuvellauni (described below)

The Dumnonni (Playable)

Although the lands controlled by the Dumnonni have given their name to the whole Land, the area they occupy is, in fact, quite a small area around Culhaven.
The name Dumnonni is a latinisation of the Gaelic Domhnain, meaning land or people of the land, which is nice.

Originally the Dumnonni were one of the local tribes of the West Country. However, they were possibly the first of the peoples to populate the mythical land beyond the mists, have been here for untold generations.

The Dumnonni are a proud people who regard freedom from oppression as their inalienable right. While Athea sat as first Ard Ri she outlawed all forms of slavery and it is a common Dumnonni saying that; ‘it is better to die free than live in chains.’

During the war with Balor the peoples of Dumnonni may have suffered more than any other. 9 out of every 10 warriors died during the battle of Bickly, where King Eorgen held off Balor’s advancing army long enough for Culhaven to be relieved. Much of the land was turned to ash and mud. During the final battle of the war, Eorgen disappeared into the mist with orders from Cascorach to bring help.

Recent history has had their hatred of oppression tested with the overlordship of Clan Morna (see elsewhere). However, Athea is now back and has vowed she will make her kingdom whole again.

With the massive death toll amongst the warrior class, any player characters will be lucky survivors, or possible lower-born folk who have taken arms to protect their land.

Dumnonni Warriors are distinctive for the blue, cross-hatching woad on their faces and their red cloaks.

Dumnonni locals

Living as they do in the lands about Culhaven, these people are more likely than any other to be involved in play.

There are two local villages: Lower Harlow Water and Bickleigh, which have a healthy rivalry. At present both villages follow a single headman, Maga mab Matach, who speaks for all common folk who can get from their homes to Culhaven and back in a day.

The villagers provide all the workers for Culhaven and often expect the attention of the high folk to mitigate their local issues. Though it is tempting to ignore them as beneath you, remember who prepares your food and maintains your walls.

It is unwise to upset them or as they whisper amongst themselves, ‘The blue faced man will come and get you.’

Queen Meg currently rules the Dumnonni people.

The Iceni (Playable)

This is the Tribe of Boudica and it suffered greatly under the Romans. After her final defeat, Boudica called her druids to her and they led her and her people into the mists. However, when they arrived in Dumnonni, the Iceni were appalled to find Boudica was not among them. Many generations later they
still believe she will come to their aid in a time of greatest need. For this reason they have no king or queen and their leaders are considered only stewards.

During the war with Balor their lands were devastated and those that are left are a remnant of a remnant. They are hard warriors that have seen their homes and families stolen from them, and now have little left but honour and the desire for vengeance.

The Catuvellauni (Playable)

They are a powerful tribe that resisted the Romans under their king Caratacus. When their lands were overrun, Caratacus and his warriors fled: fighting on among the Welsh tribes of the Ordovices and the Silures. These two tribes still have close allegiances with the Catuvellauni. Eventually, after being overwhelmed at the battle
of Caer Caradoc, all three tribes were driven into the Severn and washed away. But, these were not drowned, instead washed up in Dumnonni.
Caratacus himself escaped either fate, but when he fled to the lands of the Briganti, their queen, Cartimandua, handed him over to the Romans. This betrayal still causes animosity between these two tribes.

For many generations the Catuvellauni have controlled a large area of the plains bordering with the Iceni. Like their neighbours, their lands have been ravaged by the war, and once again, the Catuvellauni have been forced to retreat, fight and retreat again. These warriors are the masters of guerilla warfare learnt under Caratacus and honed by generations fighting the Fomor.

The Briganti (Playable)

“Muther Knows Best.”

These northern Celts have a hardy no-nonsense attitude to the world, still apparent in their distant descendants in Yorkshire and Lancashire today. They are also matriarchal, each family having a headwoman.

Though there are some male Briganti leaders, woe betide any who forgets their place and ignores the ‘advice’ of their womenfolk. As a sign of this, the men do not wear trews, only the women do.

Unlike many of the Tribes of Albion, the Briganti remained strong under the Romans, possibly as a result of female practicality rather than male stubbornness. This should not suggest that they are in anyway a pushover, or that they lack honour. It is said that, rather than accept dishonour, it was common for them to walk out into the North Sea. It is also believed that some of these (possibly the most stubborn and brave), instead of being drowned, have found themselves washed up in
Dumnonni.

The Queen is still called Cartimandua, like their most famous queen under the Romans, but it is not known whether she is the actual Cartimandua, a descendant or if it is just a title. From time to time the queen disappears for many years and returns with her youth ‘regenerated.’ The last time she was away a King tried to rule and his murder by the more traditional Briganti almost plunged them into civil war.

The war with Balor ravaged much of the lands of the Briganti, forcing them to flee to their northern hill forts. Here, they protect many refugees from the other plains tribes who have nowhere else to go.

Tribes of Gaul and Iberia

There are many Celtic tribes that have trickled into Dumnonni from mainland Europe. Here are just two examples: the Arveni, because they have had a largish presence on the southern shores of Dumnonni for many generations, and the Celtiberians, as they are literally the Son’s of Mil.

 The Arveni (Playable)

“The only thing which outshines our brilliance is our modesty.”
The Arveni, the Biting Fox of Guallica, held out against Rome longer than any other Gaulish tribe. After the tragic battle of Alesia and the fall of Vercingetorix, the Arveni refused to surrender, choosing instead to travel through the mists to the lands of Dumnonni, where they maintain the battle against the Eagle Empire to this day. Fiercely proud, the Arveni are afraid of nothing (apart from the sky falling on their heads, a subject sure to be met with scorn if it is mentioned). They are seldom shy in
telling people of their prowess, be it in brewing, hunting, smithing or any other craft in which they excel. The Arveni are without king, and labour under a dishonour after one of their number slew a Druid. The young king, Patera, was sacrificed as a result, and now the Arveni suffer a geas to obey the demands of the Druids in all things until their debt is repaid. Though it should be noted that few of them trust the words of the Druids, preferring to trust their spirits to the guidance of Vix the fox.

The Celtiberians (Playable)

The Celtiberians are ancient cousins of the Gauls, from the land of Iberia. They are instantly distinguishable from other Celts by the unusual disc-shaped cuirass of their chieftains, curved falcata swords, and their dislike of trews. The Celtiberians are split into many tribes, such as the Arevaci, the Belli, and the Lusones. Like the Gauls, they chiefly worship The God of the Sun, Belanos, his wife Belisama, Candamius, the God of Mountains, and the many faces of Toutatis, the Gods of the Tribe, who speak though their Priests and Priestesses. Similar in temperament to the Gauls, the Celtiberians are, however, more inclined to show their emotions. They also share a hate of Rome. Many centuries ago a number of Celtiberian tribes united under the rule of the Arevaci tribe and their High King known as Mil. These Celtiberians called themselves Milesians. Following the murder of their Great Uncle, Ith, at the hands of the Tuatha De Dannan, it was Mil’s sons, led by Eber Finn, Érimón and Amergin Glúingel, who invaded Erin (and named the land so). Most of the tribes who have come through the mists from Erin since are descended from them, hence the term that many of the tribes of Erin use to describe themselves: “Sons of Mil.”

Surprisingly few of these ‘real’ Milesians have found their way to Dumnonni, though at least one of Mil’s actual sons has been to Culhaven. The few that have arrived are tasked with finding out what real events lie behind the legends of their invasion of Erin.

Tribes from the Low Countries

These are the tribes from the parallel system ‘Tir Nan Beo’ that runs in the Netherlands using the same rules and set in part of the Dumnonni world. Although there are obviously difficulties for British players to join one of these tribes, with discussion with the British and Dutch event organisers it may be possible.

Tir nan Beo – a cursed land

Tir nan Beo is a cursed part of the Black Marsh in the West of Dumnonni. Some say the curse is from the Fae, others that the Black Shields drew the curse down when they drove out the former Pictish population, or that the Picts themselves were cursed for crimes against the gods.

Recently these lands have been gifted to the Oswald, chieftain of the Usipeti, in return for his aid in the defeat of Balor. For the first time the normally nomadic Usipeti have a homeland and king. His first act as ruler was to invite other tribes s to settle and attempt to repopulate this land.

Oswald is married to Maeve’s Daughter Fouloula..

The Usipeti (Ref Consent Only)

A wandering people who came from the lands around the mighty river Rhine at the time of the Roman Empire. As travelling folk, it was inevitable that some of them would eventually stumble through the mists.

They are tradesmen, nomads, diplomats, and musicians, renowned for their hospitality. Where you find the Usipeti you find good food, stories, music, and the opportunity to trade around their sacred hearth fires.

The Frisii (Ref Consent Only)

This Teutonic tribe has long fought with their Saxon neighbours and the Roman Empire. Some took to the seas and settled in Britain. Those that have come through the mists have done so only recently.

The men and women of the Frisii have very different roles; their armoured warriors fight in a hard and straightforward manner, the women do not fight and appear to be restricted to menial and domestic roles. They like things they can touch, for as long as they can touch it, they can understand it. The Frisii do not meddle with things they cannot understand, for it is bound to lead to trickery and from there onwards to misery. As a whole they can make bitter enemies or great friends. Their
judgement on you depends on your honour as much as your actions.

The Nervii (Ref Consent Only)

Another tribe that fought the Romans, often with success; they claim they almost defeated Caesar himself. They can appear arrogant, boastful and overconfident in their prowess. They too, came through the mists but recently.

They respect fame and seek reputation avariciously. Their leaders are those older warriors and veterans that the bards speak of well and often. They are a practical people who prefer utility, rather then sticking to worthless rules and old customs. They have little passion for ostentatious jewellery or art, except for well-made weapons and armour.

The Menapi (Ref Consent Only)

Although these people came through the mists earlier than the others, they remained largely hidden until recently: learning the wyrd of the land and listening closely to the voices of nature. Of all the folk of Dumnonni, they are perhaps the nearest to an understanding of the Sidhe, whom they respect
and venerate.

They boast great wistmen and regularly take part in ‘The Dance,’ knowing what the Fae can do (or maybe even what they cannot do) when offered proper gifts, alliance, petitions, or promises.

They are ruled by women and use little in the way of metal for arms or armour. Their strangeness sometimes frustrates other folk, but their honour is well thought of, as they strive as much as any to follow a noble path.

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).

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.

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.

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.

Bristling Boar (Playable)

The Bristling Boar are the largest Pictish clan (except for their bitter enemies the Bloody Stag) and undoubtedly the most sophisticated in terms of organisation, equipment and clothing, favouring the distinctive extra long tunic which reaches the calf. They are willing to venture out from their borders and form alliances with other peoples beyond of their Pictish tribes. They realise that, if bonds are not forged, inward-looking clans will gain no respect or help from other Free Races. To that end, Picts from the Boar regularly travel to Culhaven to learn of other lands and pledge their spears to the
service of the Ard-Ri.

They have given brave service to various Ard-Ri’s over the years and are probably the most trusted of the Pictish clans. The Bristling Boar are known to have a particular distrust of the Dalriadan and Scotti (despite marriage links in the old world). The Bristling Boar chiefs sent war-bands to aid Cascorach in
his war against Balor. Though not directly at the Great Battle of Balor’s keep, they fought bravely at the Okement river, ten miles upstream, holding-off many of Scotti mercenaries, who were attempting to use the river to get to Balor’s aid. Due to the great number of broken Scotti currach boats clogging
the river, the Picts called this fight “the Battle of the Hides.”

Running Dog (Playable)

“We must go back for him.”
The Running Dog are a rough federation of the Pictii who have a dog as their Samhlach. They run as small family groups, preferring to travel widely, rather than settling in one place. It is not uncommon, however, for a family of Running Dog to settle with another of the Cruthne, becoming loyal to this “Great Family.” This means that there can be families of Dogs with both the peaceful and the warlike clans.

Loyalty is a Dog’s greatest honour. When Dogs come of age they can choose their loyalty. Should they not choose loyalty to the family or clan their parents are loyal to, they will leave and travel, either alone or in small groups, seeking a worthy master.

Dogs do not consider themselves as individuals, rather part of a greater whole. This can cause misunderstanding in regard to honour duels, as all dogs would expect to join such a fight with their brother and expect hat the opponent’s ‘family’ would do the same.

All Dogs have the Geas that they cannot leave a wounded fellow behind.

The Matu (Bears) (Ref Consent Only)

The Matu are the descendants of the children of the Dagda and the Morigan. Of the three children, Bronach (Joy) and Gliondar (Sorrow) were birds, but Math was a bear. In her loneliness, Math sought the comfort of Great Bear Samhlach and their offspring were the Matu.

Gliondar also had a child, Patha Dunn, who is the hag-mother of the Morigu folk. The three daughters of the each had a great gift. Bornach could see the past, Gliondar could see the future and Math lived only in the present. Thus the Matu say:
“The past may have been joy, but the future belongs to sorrow. Let us make the most of now.”

The Matu regard themselves as much bears as men. As they grow older they tend to become more bestial and less concerned with the world. It is said they eventually go into unending hibernation. They live in the Black Marshes and worry little for the greater events of the world. Yet they are fiercely loyal to the people of Patha Dunn, but hate both the Fir Bholg and the Fae, for past harms.

The Matu are known to be masters of woad painting and can weave extraordinary wyrd into the pictures they paint upon each other. For these reasons they might go to war and, when set on such a path, they are single-minded and terrible.

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. 

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.

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.

Hrafn’s Housecarls (Ref Consent Only)

The King of the North, Hrafn, must balance the petty rivalries of his vassals, the constant threat from the Picts and the calls for support from Culhaven. His housecarls (húskalar or huscarls) are therefore his eyes, ears and right hand when they venture South. His Son Egil Hrafnson is his highest and most loyal emissary and is more likely to visit Culhaven than his father, who must be ever vigilant in the North.

Hrafn has loyal housecarls , some born in Dumnonni and some who have come through the mists. What separates them from his lesser vassals is that they have all sworn terrible oaths of loyalty. These men would die for their king without a complaint, as long as they can do it with a sword in their
hand. There would be such men in Culhaven to further Hrafn’s reputation and his many agendas.

Unaligned Norse (Ref Consent Only)

Many Norse groups, both those that are native to Dumnonni and those new through the mists, carefully keep their loyalties open, working with one faction or another, but never swearing to one high lord. Such folk are less trusted than openly loyal housecarls, but are an accepted part of Norse culture and will be negotiated with in good faith by most sensible men.

Some groups are little more than pirates and brigands, but others have great honour and noble purpose. It could be argued that Svanni herself once fell into this category, but her faction is now big enough to wield independent power, even as it deals with both Hrafn and Magnus

The Anvil

It has become custom that Norse characters who fight with the free races of Culhaven are put in what is known in battle as the ‘Anvil’. As they fight in armour and in a solid shield wall this makes tactical sense.

It also makes cultural sense, as the Cynan Moyal said, “The Norse are an immovable Anvil upon which the enemies of Culhaven are smashed.”

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.

Heardingas (Playable)

A settled people who leave their fighting to a small core of heavily armed huscarls. They are currently led by a headwoman Frideswinth and hold Tiwaz and Frige above other deities.

Spaldas (Playable / Difficult)

A small tribe, little more than a warband, who fight as bear-shirts. These warriors work themselves up for battle over days and even weeks of ritual and the consumption of psychoactive substances. The shamanistic pursuit of an animal-like state is more important than any gods to them.

They are not popular neighbours, even amongst other Saxons

The Sea Wolves (Ref Consent Only)

These are the shiploads of Saxon pirates that can be found along the coasts of Dumnonni. They have a bloody reputation for extreme ferocity and lack of compassion. Though rarely any more than a few boats in alliance, when they are brought together for some common purpose they have been a
considerable threat.

Although no longer as numerous or troublesome as they used to be, the Sea Wolves are far from a spent force.

Odda’s Fyrd (Playable)

Originally from Alfred the Great’s Wessex, Ealdorman Odda of Devon, ruled part of what had once been the lands on the Dumnonni through the mists. He and his kin fought the invading Viking armies.

His greatest victory was at the battle of Cynwit, but, as he was a pagan he was given no credit by Alfred. Soon after this battle, he and his fyrd camped high on a moor and awoke to find the world about them had changed.

Living the closest to Culhaven of all the Saxons, they are also unusual in ruling themselves by a ‘Thing’ – an almost democratic council. The ealdorman himself died fighting in defence of Culhaven from the Fomor and this, along with their old ties to the Dumnonni, have fostered friendship and alliance with the free races. However, they continue to have a distrust of the Norse.

The Jutes (Playable)

The Jutes originated from southern Britain soon after the fall of the Roman Empire and arrived through the mists in a time just before the battle of Balor’s keep.

The Jutes are split into four tribes:
Eadsingas – Known to be heavy fighters.
Ralphingas – Beserkers.
Jahnbatas – Primarily foot soilders.
Teingingas – Wyrd weavers.

They are both fierce and politically astute and are carving out a place for themselves with sword and word.
They have allied themselves with the Free Races and their king, Whitgar, can often be found in Culhaven.