Wintermark

“The storms can never break us.”

Introduction

Three peoples call Wintermark their home: the mystic Kallavesi, whose spiritual insight brings wisdom to the nation; the bold Steinr, whose courage and indomitable spirit defends the nation; and the resourceful Suaq, artful hunters whose cunning helps the nation get the better of her enemies. The three retain their culture and heritage but live and fight together, defeating any danger the frozen wastes might throw at them.

In Wintermark you are judged on every deed. It is a land of ancient mysteries and obscure riddles. It is a land where men and women stand steadfast against the cold and know that sometimes there is no-one to rely on but yourself. This is a nation where a warrior faces down an enemy chieftain, knowing she’ll be outflanked in the process, but knowing that her courage will turn the tide of the battle.

In Wintermark there's a firm belief that if only the other nations followed their example, the Empire would rule the world.

Five Things about Wintermark

Scions sired by a storm. Wintermark is a harsh land. Mastering it has made us strong.
A hero’s tale ends with a good death. We glory in battle; we stand tall and do not skulk from danger.
Cold cannot compromise. We do not compromise even with ourselves. Not even age or injury turn us from our undertaking.
A hero has a name. We judge others as we judge ourselves – as individuals.
Three tears entwined. The three people of the Wintermark are indivisible, they live together and fight as one.

What the Winterfolk are not

Vikings. There are no longships, raiders or horned helmets here. Although the Steinr have a similar look, they are closer to Saxons.
Heavy uniform shieldwalls. Each Winterfolk warrior is an individual hero and tends to fight as such, disdaining the regimented ranks of the Highguard chapters.
Linguistically redundant. The only word they have for snow is "snow".

The People

The Winterfolk were once three entirely separate peoples: the Kallavesi, the Steinr and the Suaq. Over time their blood has mingled, but they preserve the traditions that made each of individual culture strong. Which tradition you follow is not an accident of birth but a choice that each child makes. Just as one might be born a peasant and rise to become a Thane, so someone can be born to Steinr family and leave to follow the path of a Kallavesi mystic or journey with the Suaq as a scout. All three are respected, as all are crucial to the survival of the nation. Although each territory of Wintermark might lean towards a particular culture – a consequence of landscape and history – many communities now contain members of all three peoples. Children gravitate towards whichever culture calls most strongly to them as they grow of age.

The Steinr came from the south originally, forced northward into an increasingly hostile land. A warlike people by necessity, they nonetheless love to create unique things of beauty and purpose. Many Steinr are warriors or smiths, but whatever their calling they are bold, uncomplicated, and outspoken; and as the loudest voices in the Nation are often seen as its political core by outsiders.

The Suaq ancestral homeland is in the extreme north on shifting floes and walls of unmelting ice. They are consummate survivors who waste nothing and take nothing for granted. Most are hunters, scouts or guides, but shrewd pragmatism is the trait they bring to whatever path they choose. The traditional Suaq garb is a tight fur coat emblazoned with drawings and symbols of powerful creatures they have slain or enemies they have overcome. In warmer climes the coat is exchanged for tightly wrapped robes.

The Kallavesi are mystics whose homeland lies in and around a great cold marsh. They are the spiritual backbone of the nation, acting as seers and guardians of the dead. Many Kallavesi are shamans, magicians or priests, but the Kallavesi honour wisdom in all forms. Kallavesi hunters and warriors use their understanding of their Skein and the interpretation of omens to guide them in ways that often seem peculiar to less spiritual people. This mysticism is the essential trait of the Kallavesi, and they understand that there is more to the world than the obvious structures that are visible to everyone.

The term Winterfolk is mostly used by outsiders, when making a point about unity, and when dealing with outsiders. When the three peoples unified, the term was coined as a way to refer to the Nation as a whole. The peoples of the north are individualistic and hold on fiercely to their old traditions – consequently most people continue to refer to themselves as Suaq, Kallavesi or Steinr.

The Winterfolk, and especially the Steinr, are expert craftsmen who take immense pride in the act of creation. They treat complex runic sigil-work as a necessary part of everything they make. They are perfectionists, who value quality over mass production, but their pieces are greatly prized and copied all over the Empire. While the stereotypical Winterfolk crafter is often thought of as a weapon or armour smith, they are also known for the expertise in civil and military engineering; their construction of great fortresses and other defensive structures; their delicately engraved jewellery and their practical alchemy.

Many Winterfolk have adopted the old Kallavesi belief in the Skein. Each person has a skein, a path down which that individual travels. Your passage along your path, your skein, is a single continuous journey even as you are born and reborn. It is wrong to say that things are predestined, like any path there are turnings that you can take. But some paths are much more auspicious than others. Divination through magic and studying omens allows the skilled shaman to discern the most favourable turns to make.

What binds the three cultures together into a strong Nation is the idea of commitment to one’s choices. If you hunt the monsters of the icy wastes, let none escape you. If you design a fortress or a suit of armour, make it impregnable. If you go to war, be prepared to die for your cause. Everything you do is your choice and yours alone, and that is why you must stand by it, whatever the outcome may be.

Culture and Customs

The land of Wintermark is harsh but this serves to make the Winterfolk strong – it is the cold forge on which each of them is tempered. They face life unbowed by the ferocity of Winter and refuse to acknowledge their own mortality. All three peoples share the idea of the good death – a death that is not sought but comes while fighting the enemies of the Nation or the Empire.

Winterfolk refuse to compromise as they grow older preferring to push themselves to seek new challenges to overcome. Hunting savage trolls, breaking enemy lines and fighting single combat with enemy champions are all common practices for older Winterfolk. A few choose to walk north into the Heart of Ice, the great ice-storm Sydanjaa, and are never seen again. Legend says that they battle forever against the creatures deep in the storm

Those who are maimed or crippled by birth or bad luck are expected to strive to overcome any infirmity. They seek ways to compensate for any physical weakness, pushing themselves harder than their able-bodied companions or learning new skills that allow them to continue to strive regardless of any perceived disability. In legend, many Wintermark heroes are maimed or crippled by the loss of a hand or eye before they can reach their good death.

Those who die a good death are interred in the Kallavesa marshes, their bones lying in the dark waters alongside those of the first king of Wintermark and the great heroes who have come since. As a hero's life fed the nation when they were alive, their body feeds the marsh in death. It is believed that this custom helps to ensure a good next life for the greatest of the Winterfolk. “To sleep in Kallavesa” is a powerful metaphor for the rewards of glory and heroism, and to speak of “those who sleep in Kallavesa” is to invoke the very heart of what it means to live in Wintermark.

Scars are important to the Winterfolk. Tradition suggests that a warrior who passes through a battle without being blooded cannot have found a worthy enemy to fight, and is pitied as a consequence. As a sign of respect, some Thanes will cut a young warrior who has fought well in his first battle but not been blooded. Others will mark a young warrior before their first battle as a way to encourage them to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Some bands re-open old wounds before a battle begins so that those who face them can mark their courage. All such cuts are little more than a nick, but done with a sharp knife so that they bleed profusely.

In spring the warriors and hunters of many halls across the nation travel together to the Suaq territories, where the Suaq lead them to the edge of the floes to hunt seals and whales in communal meat gathering before racing back inland as the ground breaks and melts in their wake. The hunters must contend with the dangers of the hunt and the floes as well as the threat from orcs and others that also seek to hunt in the same climes.

Any traveller visiting a Hall in Wintermark may claim one drink, one plate of hot food and a bed by a hearth for one night, without any payment or even thanks. This generosity is mandated for one occasion only; beyond this a Hall owes a traveller nothing and may turn him or her out into the night. However, a guest who works for their sustenance and shelter is entitled to hospitality for another night, and it is customarily unacceptable to refuse a traveller who offers to work. Wintermark folktales are filled with stories of unwanted guests who overstay their welcome which usually end when a cunning Suaq tricks them into taking unmerited food or drink, or into failing to complete their assigned work.

Crafting is second nature to the Winterfolk. Stone, metal and wood are carved with runes, but they are rarely painted, coloured or enamelled, as crafters prefer to show the beauty in the underlying colours of the materials. By contrast fabric and leather are often decorated with carefully painted or embroidered images that complement their colour and texture.

This nation is also known for its poetry, intended to be recited or sung rather than read. While epic tales of heroic deeds or historical poems are popular in formal situations, there is also a tradition of short and entertaining poems, often improvised, in informal situations such as a tavern. Riddles are also a traditional pastime. Cold winter nights are both long and tedious, and it is all too easy to fall asleep on duty or lapse into a numbed state of depression. Thinking up and answering clever riddles helps keep the mind limber.

The Winterfolk are not uneducated, but books and scrolls are treasured among them simply because paper and parchment fare poorly in the damp climate. In Wintermark, history exists primarily in oral form, or on rune-carved slabs of stone, sheets of metal, or artefacts of bone. The Winterfolk celebrate and remember the past, but they are never bound by it. This attitude to the past is the foundation of the Wintermark legal system where each transgression is judged on its own merits, rather than on the basis of past precedent. This practical attitude to legality went on to form the basis of the Imperial codes of law.

History

For hundreds of years the peoples of the extreme north, the Suaq and Kallavesi, were isolated from the rest of humanity by a troll kingdom that held sway over the mountain passes of Hahnmark. The trolls preyed on the humans and forced them further and further into the cold, bringing them to the desperate brink of extinction.

Tradition says that the Steinr, pushed from their southern homeland by an expanding population and by orc aggression, found themselves caught up in a long and increasingly desperate war for survival with the trolls. A small band of heroes made a desperate trek through the mountains to seek out the Suaq and the Kallavesi, enlisting the aid of the hunters and the mystics in a bold campaign. While the Steinr and Suaq harried their subhuman foes from north and south, the Kallavesi performed a great ritual that collapsed the glaciers of the mountains onto the troll armies, sealing them forever in a frozen underworld.

After the war a victory celebration was held in Hahnmark. A traditional Steinr grand moot – a Witan – was called, where three representatives of each culture spoke on the nature of their achievement and of what must be done next to survive. It is said that amidst the speeches the leaders of the Suaq, the Kallavesi and the Steinr each shed a single tear for the trolls, and that these three tears froze in an instant, becoming clear gems. These gems were collected by the most cunning of the Suaq hunters and set in a newly-forged crown which the wisest of the Kallavesi mystics used to crown Godric of the Steinr King of the Three Tears, ruler of a new nation, Wintermark.

While the first few decades of the new nation were tumultuous, by the time the of the First Empress the Northern peoples had learnt the strength that comes from standing together. King Alof Bearneck was known to be a confidant and friend to the empress. When the empress spoke of her vision of one people united in defence of humanity, he was amongst her first and most enthusiastic supporters. The common opinion among Winterfolk is that they are the model for Empire and the bedrock on which it was built, and it is certainly true that both the Senate and the Imperial legal system are based on the traditions of the Winterfolk.

Emperors and empresses have come from Wintermark many times over the history of the Empire, especially when the enemies of humanity gather in great strength. They have traditionally been both wise warrior-generals and bold lawmakers and arbitrators, and the people of Wintermark have been instrumental time and again in helping the Empire to weather the storm and turn back the barbarian hordes.

Political Leadership

Wintermark remains sparsely populated and the only real city is the former capital at Kalpaheim in Hahnmark. The majority of Winterfolk live in one of the many small settlements, called Halls, that dot the land. Each Hall is led by a Thane, and although Imperial justice is now dispensed by trained magistrates, the Thane continues to settle disputes that lie outside the law and to provide civic and military leadership.

The forerunner of the Senate was the Witan, a grand moot held at Kalpaheim. Here the representatives of each Hall met to discuss the business of the nation with the King under a process laid down by King Godric and his advisors when Wintermark was formed. The monarchy was disbanded when Wintermark joined the Empire, but the tradition of the Witan has endured. Today it is as much a festive gathering as a ruling council, and an opportunity for the three peoples to meet and remind themselves of their unity. At the Witan many Winterfolk who involve themselves in national and Imperial business gather to eat, drink and plan for the year ahead. It is also a time for finding husbands and wives, for seeking out mentors or apprentices, resolving internal conflicts and generally keeping the Nation of Wintermark functioning as a strong, healthy whole.

Each territory is traditionally a strong seat of each culture, and the senators for each territory are therefore chosen by those that adhere to that culture. Territories have been lost, so currently the Steinr select the senator for Hahnmark, the Suaq select the senator for Tsirku and the Kallavesi the senator for Kallavesa.

An old tradition of selection was laid down by the Witan when Wintermark joined the Empire. For a territory, each candidate who wishes to be considered sets out a jar bearing their name. Any inhabitant who wishes to express support may drop a single coin into one or more of the jars over the next hour. The face value of the coins is irrelevant, but by tradition, wealthy or earnest supporters will try to outdo each other by placing a more valuable coin. At the end of the hour, the jar containing the most coins bears the name of the new Senator. The money is taken by the civil service and distributed amongst the poorest Winterfolk present.

Although the senators are chosen by one people, in theory it is possible for any Winterfolk to stand as a candidate for any territory. In practice it is rare for the Steinr not to choose one of their own, and likewise for the Suaq and the Kallavesi.

Economic Interests

The Imperial road network provides convenient travel for both merchants and armies. Trade with other Imperial Nations brings many exotic goods into Wintermark, but one of the greatest benefits of the road network is the import of cheap food from lands where farming is easier. Winterfolk import staple goods and concentrate on producing and exporting the goods that are their specialities. The most common exports are fine Wintermark weapons and armour, but anything produced by a Wintermark smith commands a good price anywhere in the Empire, especially if it is marked with a well-known maker's runes.

Particularly good relations exist between Wintermark and their southern neighbours in the Marches. Each has come to the other’s assistance on numerous occasions, and the grain, barley and salted meat that flows north in exchange for beautifully crafted and enchanted goods ensures that the Wintermark has never suffered a great famine of the kind that was common before the Empire.

Merchants are important in Wintermark, but they are often regarded with caution. A merchant who uses trade to enrich himself at the expense of his Thane and Hall will be given short shrift, but a merchant who uses wisdom and cunning to bring wealth and prosperity to his Hall and the warriors it supports will be held up as an example to all.

Those who use their skills to enrich themselves are often called Scrabblers. Scrabbler is Wintermark slang for a looter on a battlefield, a dangerous occupation that can carry a heavy risk. Before the Empire, Scrabblers who were caught looting on a battlefield were summarily executed, as Thanes expected to divide the loot from the field between their warband. Since the adoption of Imperial Law, a looter can only be convicted if they are stealing from the body of an Imperial citizen, not from an enemy, and the tradition of pooling loot from a field is now rarely used except when Wintermark warriors are taking the field alone. But the epithet remains a powerful Wintermark insult, applied to greedy merchants and camp followers. Ultimately anyone who makes profit from battle without taking the field themselves risks being called a Scrabbler and will be despised.

The most prestigious role for Winterfolk merchants is to act as a Mediator, negotiating weregilds. A fair weregild is considered one that matches the severity of the crime and satisfies the victim but is accepted by the perpetrator. The Winterfolk tradition of weregilds has passed into Imperial law and they are officially set by magistrates who took over the responsibility from the Thanes. However Wintermark magistrates habitually employ a Mediator to negotiate with both parties to find the right weregild. Such negotiations must often be done in haste, so that all can see that justice has been done. Identifying the right weregild and convincing both parties to settle for it is considered an exceptional skill and talented Mediators are in high demand and well regarded. By tradition they are expected to be paid in equal amounts by both parties.

Professional storytellers and performers, called Scops, are common in Wintermark and unlike merchants they are not expected to work for the benefit of their Thane's Hall. Scops are often travellers, moving from Hall to Hall performing and looking for new material. Many are poets using rhyming structures common throughout the Empire or else using the traditional Wintermark alliterative verse, but some Steinr scops master an instrument instead. The Suaq sagamen and sagawomen prefer to give formal recitations of epic tales, having learned by rote the sagas of their people and the Winterfolk. In contrast the Kallavesi shamans prefer to work with a small audience, telling symbolic stories with complex imagery that are adapted to reflect their audience's situation; the best are designed to help their listeners make auspicious decisions and may be richly rewarded if they prove fortuitous.

Military Concerns

Civilian is just another word for coward in Wintermark – everyone is expected to be able to defend themselves. In Wintermark, a warrior might spend time hunting the monsters of the wastes. He might wield weapons and armour inscribed with runes of arcane power. He will certainly die a hero, charging into impossible odds, or walking into the Heart of Ice in Sydanjaa.

The generals of Wintermark have a responsibility for their people and are expected to call a retreat if it becomes appropriate. A futile death is not necessarily a good death and once the order is given, warriors may withdraw without shame or ridicule. Winterfolk never rout – when they retreat it is a matter of tactics.

The Steinr generally prefer close melee to archery or skirmishing, most often fighting with a one-handed weapon and shield and wearing layers of steel chain and thick leather. Their generals are often larger-than-life figures who lead from the front and seek out the counsel of the warbands they will lead before planning their strategies – but who brook no disagreement once the plan is decided upon.

While many Steinr are warriors, not all Wintermark warriors are Steinr. The Suaq employ their hunting equally well in the forest and the battlefield, with their archers giving close support to their warriors while their spearmen engage the enemy in vicious melee. Suaq generals pick their battles carefully looking to make best use of the terrain and any situational advantage they can create for their army.

Kallavesi warriors tend to favour the axe, either a shorter axe in either hand or a long handled axe near as tall as a man. They are alert for omens, reading the flow of the battle around them and anticipating threats and opportunities. Kallavesi generals work closely with the shamans to pick the most auspicious locations and strategies for a battle.

At the heart of most Wintermark forces is one or more Bannermen. The Bannermen are an old Steinr tradition. They are warriors, men or women, whose role is to inspire and enthuse the rest of the warband. The traditional responsibility of the Bannermen is to carry a warband's banner, a difficult and dangerous job that makes it impossible to carry a shield. Bannermen find many ways to motivate their colleagues. Steinr Bannermen often carry instruments of war, drums, horns and the like to perform music on the battlefield to lift spirits. Kallavesi Bannermen prefer to annoint their fellows with scented oils and use ancient tales to remind all of the heroes of the past. Some Suaq Bannermen prefer to lead their fellows in song while others learn the chirurgeons art. Most Bannermen are skilled warriors, but whatever their art, their purpose is to rouse the courage and fighting spirit of the band, support them on the battlefield. An experienced Thane knows to pick wisely for a few good Bannermen can turn the course of a battle with their skills.

Especially important are the Grimnir, the doctors and healers of Wintermark. They combine study of herbs and traditional healing methods with practical experience that is invaluable to the militaristic Wintermark society. While they have an important role to play on the battlefield, they have a wider role to see to the health of everyone in their Hall – and a few Grimnir make a good living travelling from Hall to Hall offering medical aid.

While Winterfolk warriors are highly valued, those who keep those warriors alive and healthy are valued even higher. By ancient tradition the Grimnir are forbidden from the front lines of any conflict; they are expected to hang back and keep themselves out of harms way – after all, a dead doctor heals no warriors. Some Grimnir push this tradition to the limit, staying just behind the front line, but most take their responsibility seriously and carry out their work a safe distance away from the fighting.

As a result, the Grimnir are denied the good death, working to the last to save the lives of their allies rather than concerning themselves with personal glory. Wintermark warriors acknowledge this sacrifice, treating the Grimnir with a respect that borders on reverence. The Grimnir can be all that stands between them and a lingering, painful, inglorious death from infection. It is normal for a Grimnir to be accompanied by a few warriors, often those whose life he or she has saved. Unlike the Grimnir, these warriors do not hang back, they are expected to fight their way through to the wounded and bring them to be tended by the Grimnir.

The Grimnir tradition began with the Suaq. In the past, the healers of a Suaq tribe did not accompany the hunters into the wilderness but instead maintained the camp and prepared to heal those who were injured by wild beasts. The Steinr added their own traditions wherein the chirurgeon responsible for tending the wounded was also entrusted with the task of maintaining the Hall or home – good health is founded on a strong hearth. Consequently, for every Thane who fancies herself a warrior there is a Thane who is a sworn Grimnir, seeing to the health of everyone who lives in his Hall.

Religious Beliefs

Birds are sacred to the Winterfolk, who believe that they bring a child’s soul at the moment of his birth and carry it away at the moment of death. A bird’s wisdom is contained in the feathers that allow it to fly and birds discard a feather when they are done with an idea or thought. Kallavesi mystics often collect feathers and wear them for a lunar month, to absorb the discarded thoughts. Some wealthy Winterfolk keep birds of prey, to ensure that the heaviest and most powerful souls are brought to their children when they are born. Birds favour souls of their own nature, so a bird of prey usually carries the soul of a warrior or great hunter, while an owl or a raven usually brings the soul of a wise mystic or a cunning scout to be reborn.

The priests of Wintermark provide spiritual and moral guidance through the tales of the greatest heroes of the past. Called Stormcrows, they wear the traditional Kallavesi feathers and a black or grey tattered and layered robe. The Stormcrows learn old verse which recounts the feats of the paragons and other heroes although they rarely repeat more than a stanza when preaching. Communal worship is important to the Winterfolk; a Stormcrow provides the moral centre of every Hall, pushing them to perform the deeds their souls long to achieve, and to live up to the legacy of the heroes who have gone before. Their duties are often very serious, but many also strive to be the heart of the community, providing cheer through the dark winter nights and reminding their fellows of the joys of being alive. A Stormcrow might find himself preaching the need to laugh in the face of death, conducting grand and glorious death rites, or testing his congregation with riddles. Whatever form worship takes, it usually ends with music, laughter and feasting.

Inevitably the Stormcrows favour those tales that sing to the Wintermark spirit. Pride and Courage are prized above all things followed closely by Wisdom. Tales of ambition or prosperity are usually reserved for those Thanes who seem to be exhibiting an unseemly tendency towards caution or miserliness. In battle, however, at least one Stormcrow will try to remain by the side of whoever has command at all times. In this way they seek to remind them that it is a warrior’s place to show Courage, but a Thane’s place to show Wisdom.

In Wintermark it is considered a cowardly, childish thing to gossip about the inadequacies or misdeeds of another. Instead the Stormcrows serve as a sort of confessor; anyone can go to them and share a story of a misdeed or failing they have witnessed, and then depart secure in the knowledge that the Stormcrow will deal with it. The priest seeks out the truth of the matter and deals with the situation as openly or discreetly as he sees fit. When a Stormcrow says “the birds told me” they mean that someone has confided in the Stormcrow, but the priest will not reveal the source. Likewise a person who feels guilty can seek out a Stormcrow and confide whatever it is that is prompting the guilty feelings. A Stormcrow can lay a penance, and witness the completion of that penance, effectively absolving the person of their shame.

Stormcrows also serve as witnesses to what their people say and do. In Wintermark it is important to carry through on any deed that you have claimed you will do – they have no patience for empty boasting. This embodies the Virtue of Courage as well as the idea that it is important not to go back on your Skein. Stormcrows fight alongside Winterfolk who have made boasts or claims for their achievements in a coming battle or who have otherwise set themselves a particularly dangerous task. In this the Stormcrow serves two important roles. Firstly they can carry back the tale of a good death or vouch for the honesty of accomplishment if a person survives the battle. More importantly a Stormcrow knows that by acting as a Watcher they can bolster the courage of the person they are watching, helping them to stay true in the face of their fear.

In Wintermark, battle is seen as an opportunity for individuals to exonerate themselves for any failings or wrong-doings they have committed. Wintermark heroes who are convicted of serious crimes, or who feel great guilt over a personal failing, become Skeinless. The Skeinless fight alongside a warband rather than as part of it and seek out the most dangerous fights in the hope of redeeming themselves. Those who do so and survive may eventually rejoin their warband if their sentence is complete, and their crime or failing is never mentioned again. Those who have not have been able to redeem themselves through acts of bravery and valour continue to fight as a Skeinless until they prove themselves or die.

It is common for several Skeinless to fight together in battle to improve the chances of all and some groups of Skeinless take an oath to continue to fight together as a warband until all have proven themselves. If worthy, such bands often attract a Stormcrow, who fights with the band even though he or she is not Skeinless. The Stormcrow provide spiritual guidance as well as witnessing their efforts to redeem themselves.

It is traditional for a warrior who dies in battle to be interred in the charnel-lakes of Kallavesa. Wealthy Thanes usually pay for a beautifully crafted wooden boat for their body which is then sunk beneath the waters. Paupers make do with a reed raft. Kallavesi mystics are skilled at preserving bodies for the long journey to Kallavesa. In the past there has been conflict between the funereal mystics and the priests of the Necropolis in Highguard. The Highborn have strong traditions regarding the funerals of heroes and especially Emperors, and have several times tried to claim the remains of Winterfolk who they believe would be better honoured by being interred in their marble crypts than lying in the swamp alongside their ancestors.

Magical Traditions

The most common Winterfolk magicians are the Kallavesi shamans, but there are skilled practitioners among all the peoples of the Wintermark.

The majority of Steinr magics are performed at the forge, where skilled Runesmiths work magical metals to make powerful weapons. All crafting is magical to some degree, but the Steinr make their ancient runic magic an integral part of all craftsmanship. Whether or not the runes are visibly etched into the finished item, you can be certain the proper symbols were painstakingly inscribed during every stage of the construction. Runes represent primal powers and are used not just in metal and stonework but everywhere from a set of clothes, to a banner, to a loaf of bread.

Steinr runesmiths who learn battle magic can make formidable combatants with skills comparable to the war witches of Dawn. The original runesmiths developed their strength working the anvil, but as they gained a reputation for daring in battle, more Steinr magicians began to emulate the runesmiths. They prize strength and vigour, and are as comfortable in the thick of melee as any warrior. Most use a heavy oak staff usually shod with iron and carved with runes, an effective weapon as well as an implement for magic. They are custodians of a long legacy of mastery of the rituals of the Summer Realm. When training by sparring with each other, they may put aside their staves in favour of wrestling or pugilism.

The Suaq are more pragmatic using magic as a tool to achieve whatever is needed, either wielding it as a weapon in battle or weaving rituals to enhance the effectiveness of their hunters and trappers. Notable Suaq mages are called Icewalkers, a title granted to those who are thought to show wits and cleverness as well as skill with magic. Icewalkers use powerful magic of the Day Realm to perform divinatory and scrying rituals to help find their quarry but they are best known for their clever negotiations with Eternals. Icewalkers strive to embody the best values of the Suaq people, erudite, pragmatic and shrewd. Most Wintermark legends feature an Icewalker at some point, either as the hero or as one of the hero's allies.

The Kallavesi mystical approach to life leads many of their heroes to become skilled magicians, of which most are Shamans. The Shamans study the Skeins, the idea that there are fated paths down which individuals travel. At critical points in life there are choices to be made, moments when your skein can shift, for better or worse, as a result of your decision. Divination allows a shaman to determine the most auspicious choices to make, while magic can help create more forks in the path to allow choices to be made. Shamans use a bewildering array of divination methods. The flight of birds is favoured when it is available, as is oneiromancy, the study of dreams, but droplets of hot wax in water and even runes from a bag can all be used by skilled shamans.

A common time for an individual or group to create an important fork in their Skein is when they encounter the influence of the magical realms. Beginners use drugs, refined from the strange flowers that grow in the Kalleveset marshes. These induce blinding hallucinogenic states that allows the Shaman to enter a realm in order to shift their skein, but experienced practitioners regard this as a crutch. Magic is a more effective tool and the Kallavesi have perfected several rituals associated with the Night Realm that allow the recipients to walk the hidden pathways between the worlds on shared vision quests.

Most Kallavesi shamans join groups called Circles that work together to produce powerful rituals. These circles often include Stormcrows and other learned Kallavesi who lack magical aptitude. The Kallavesi regard wisdom and insight as a more important constituent of a ritual than magical ability. A rare few mystics outlive their circle or eschew them altogether and practice magic alone. These hermits often live on remote islands in the marshes. In stories, such individuals are often associated with tales of great power and unnatural longevity.

In Tsirku, the most northern point of the Empire, lies Sydanjaa, the never-ending ice-storm, sometimes called the Heart of Ice. This vast blizzard is a great mystery, blowing night and day across the tundra without respite. Beasts frequently emerge from Sydanjaa that possess magical powers and their bodies often provide magical components. The most important are the great ice golems known as Artok. These creatures emerge from the storm to tread fixed paths before they head back into the ice. They can be tamed for a time by carving them with runes, and are then used for transport and heavy labour. Unfortunately they are difficult to take south, as they need the cold to function for long.

Hearth Magic and the Egregore

Sulkavaris, Knower of Names is the egregore of Wintermark, a tall figure that usually appears as a man or woman dressed in the traditional garb of the Winterfolk priests including a long cloak with a mantle of black feathers. More rarely, Sulkavaris appears as a Icewalker or dressed for battle like a Steinr Grimnir. Sulkavaris particularly enjoys being told riddles or shown other examples of Wintermark art and children are encouraged to create a riddle of their own to test him.

In midwinter, Sulkavaris gives blessings to the virtuous but is sometimes accompanied by a malevolent figure known as the Krampus. The Krampus is a strange being that dispenses curses, but only upon those who ask for them. Individuals who feel the need to atone for something, perhaps an infidelity or a moment of cowardice in battle, will approach the Krampus and whisper their crime in his ear. The Krampus curses them, but the curse lasts only until the next winter and those who survive the curse are absolved of any wrongdoing. An image of the Krampus is often worn as a symbol by the Skeinless, although it has no particular affection for them.

Runes are a powerful Hearth Magic in Wintermark. The Winterfolk runes include several that can help to enhance the potency of magic when cut or painted into an item or person. The Artok, the great ice golems that walk out of Sydanjaa, can be controlled and trained by carving them with runes, but when the enchantment breaks you must unhitch your sleds lest they be carried back into Sydanjaa.

The Kallavesi make extensive use of masks in their magic, particularly the mask of an animal's face which can enhance the power of a ritual if used wisely. The stronger the material, the greater the effect. Bone is better than wood, metal is better still.

Birds are well-regarded in Wintermark, the Kallavesi in particular regard them as wise and powerful creatures. Every part of a bird contains magic, their feathers help provide wisdom and inspiration while their bones bring strength and good health. Winterfolk often carry the hollow bones of a bird in a pouch. These are stroked with crossed fingers for luck at times of stress or when a wish is made. It is believed that breaking a bone from a powerful bird in the face of an enemy can sometimes conceal you from its sight.

Wintermark is a harsh land, but its perils have served to make the people strong. As they learned to master the land, the Winterfolk learned to draw their strength from it. Individual Winterfolk often carry something of the land with them when they travel south - perhaps a brass bell from a sleigh attached to their clothing, or something as simple as a handful of soil in a bag tied at the waist.

If a Winterfolk wishes a person ill, they may give them or pay them in curse coins, which bring bad luck to the recipient. The more numerous the cursed coins, the worse the luck. Curse coins are normal coins that have been blackened with soot, so they are readily visible to anyone who is paying attention, but one is easily overlooked in a pouch. Once the coin has been accepted, the curse cannot be removed by cleaning the soot off - the coin must be given to another to move the curse to them or else washed clean in the blood of an enemy, otherwise the curse remains. Wintermark folklore contains many stories of Suaq Icewalkers tricking people into accepting cursed coins or planting them on an enemy unawares.

Icons and Images

See Wintermark Look and Feel.

The Three Tears is the national symbol, usually shown on a brilliant red background.

The Winterfolk prefer bright colourful banners that can be seen well from a distance. A banner is a glorious shout or a challenge to the enemies of the Winterfolk, rather than a logistical aid to coordinate troop movements. Anyone on the battlefield that does not have a banner is treated with some suspicion, the implication being that they might wish to leave the battlefield without being seen. No true warrior skulks about.

Birds are important, as are their feathers. Designs of birds are common as personal emblems, and as devices on a Thane's banner. The Kallavesi in particular make extensive use of feathers.

Stringed instruments are traditional in Wintermark, meant to be played while the user sings or recites poetry, but trade with the Empire has made other instruments popular. Perversely only cheap or simple instruments are rune-marked, with traditional runic marks being kept for covers and bags in which the instruments are stored. It is claimed this is because the magic of the runes subtly interferes with the magic of the instrument.

Lineage And Species Attitudes

Changelings are common throughout Wintermark with some halls populated almost entirely by Changelings. Even where Changelings are rare, a spontaneous Changeling birth is regarded as a sign of good luck, and having “sharp ears” is a common compliment for anyone who shows alertness of initiative.

The Winterfolk tend to judge people as individuals so they rarely discriminate against a particular lineage, however they are unforgiving of people's failures. For Winterfolk to say that an individual “cannot help themselves, it’s in their blood”, it's meant as final condemnation not as a mitigating justification.

There are a number of circles in the Kalleveset which are heavily dominated by those with the Naga lineage. Some of these Naga-dominated Halls disdain magic, preferring to focus on the arts of war and take a raptuous joy in battle which can disquiet even the militant Steinr.

In Wintermark most orcs are regarded as worthy opponents, an enemy suitable to give or receive a good death from. They were also quick to accept the Imperial Orcs once they proved their loyalty. Quietly some even comment that the Imperial Orcs have recently proved a more reliable and effective ally than some Nations of the Empire.

Territories

Hahnmark

The central territory of Hahnmark is built among a series of treacherous mountain passes. The city of Kalpaheim stands at the entrance to the frozen underworld, built around an ice cavern, into the walls of which are carvings in the old Steinr runic alphabet. These carvings are thought to constitute the earliest written laws. These ancient strictures were once the basis for judgements at the annual Witan, which in turn is the predecessor of the imperial senate and judiciary. A great carving of King Godric in the side of a mountain looks down upon Kalpaheim, to remind all that the eyes of history are upon them. The great buildings here are constructed from stone, and there is much of the Hall existent within a tunnel complex carved into the mountains themselves, all made possible by the taming of the Artoks. Outside of the capital, the other halls maintain smaller fortresses in a similar style, with networks of watchtowers and beacons designed to provide warning of barbarian incursions.

Gildenheim in the east is the second largest settlement in Hahnmark, a place of alpine slopes and valleys, pine forests and rising mists. The folk of Gildenheim are particularly noted for their fine rune work and many of the best smiths travel here to study their craft. There are troubles with tribes of yetis that live in the valleys near Gildenheim. They are peaceful in the main and not regarded as enemies. However, every so often one or two are overcome by what they refer to as the White Rage, and go on a berserk rampage which the Winterfolk try to deal with without provoking the rest of the tribe.

Kallavesa

This is the traditional home of the Kallavesi, a land of cold stagnant bogs. It changes through the seasons, but always has a feeling of stillness and tranquillity. In the warmer months it is a boggy marsh cut through with streams and fjords. In the summer the waterways freeze over and the whole land is covered with frost and snow. Houses are constructed entirely from wood, and usually built on stilts in the swamp. The marsh serves as the national graveyard and this is a place of ancient secrets and mysticism.

In Kallavesa the circle replaces the Hall as the community, and here the circle may also include warriors, trappers and other Winterfolk. Kallavesa as a whole is sometimes called the Round Hall, alluding to its structure as a circle of circles.

Sermersuaq

Sermersuaq is the traditional home of the Suaq people. A large part of Sermersuaq is made up of transient floes that recede every Summer, so the migratory groups lead by Suaq guides would travel every winter to Kallavesa, following the paths laid out by great obelisks. This fertile territory is under constant threat from northern barbarians whose hunting parties also seek to exploit the profusion of life here, regularly engaging in skirmishes with the Suaq.

The forests and tundra of this territory are rich with animal life that sustains the Suaq, ranging from great furred beasts to small game and hunting birds. The ice floes themselves are home to seals and penguins, and the waters are full of fish and whales. As one travels further north, the land becomes colder and colder until a traveller comes to the farthest extent of the land claimed by the Suaq and finds the Wastes of Tsirku.

The wastes are permanently covered in snow, and while some say there is solid ground underneath, this has never been proven. The landscape is far from flat, there are ice plateaus pock-marked with crevasses and areas where the ice is rent apart giving way to cold salty lakes. The land is uninhabited – probably uninhabitable – due to the lack of plant or animal life. Far to the north rages the eternal ice-storm Sydanjaa, a roaring blizzard that blows all year round and from whose depths no traveller has ever returned.

The territory takes its name from the ice floes which are named after a legendary figure called Sermerssuaq. Sermerssuaq was said to be so powerful that she could balance a kayak on the tips of three fingers, and kill a seal just by rapping it on the head with her knuckles. According to legend, Sermerssuaq rode out heavily pregnant from Sydanjaa on a mammoth. She gave birth to one thousand children, half of whom drowned themselves and returned as seals to provide food for the others. Some say Sermerssuaq was an Eternal and that all the Suaq share a trace of her bloodline, others argue she is an allegory for the enduring and tenacious spirit of the Winterfolk.

Skarsind (Lost)

Skarsind lies to the west of Hahnmark. Here the mountains give way to wide flat tundra. Half a century ago it fell before a massive orc army that marched out of the west and swept all before them. Their lack of adequate siege weaponry meant that the Winterfolk were able to turn them back when they tried to enter Hahnmark. Fortification of Hahnmark has further increased since then, but most Winterfolk remain convinced that the only way Hahnmark can ever be made secure is to defeat the orcs and drive them into the sea. All true Winterfolk dream of the day that this stain may be washed into the snow.

Children

Children are considered a mixed blessing in Wintermark, for every new child is another mouth to feed. As a result, new parents are usually given gifts of grain or dried fruit or meat to help celebrate a birth.

Older children are expected to work hard to help their parents, but they are not allowed to fight before they are strong enough to hold a warrior’s sword at arms length without shaking. No Thane will permit a child to take the battlefield with them, unless they can pass this test.

Children are encouraged to talk to adults in the Hall, so that they may find a trade or calling that suits them, but never to pester them, lest they distract them from their business.

Once a child is old enough to choose an apprenticeship, they are encouraged to stay close to their tutor where they can work discreetly to help. “Greatness is not found in the mouth” is an old Winterfolk saying. Even before then, children are expected to act and to be treated as small adults.

When playing amongst themselves however, children are encouraged to be boisterous and energetic – children are often given wooden practice swords and will divide themselves into playing at orcs and warriors to fight it out. Some Stormcrows enjoy the company of children and will spend their time teaching them the legends of Wintermark heroes of old to inspire them.

Things every child should know

Stand on your own two feet. Every person in Wintermark can stand up for themselves.
Greatness is not found in the mouth. Listen to what adults are saying, and avoid spreading tales. If you must tell someone, find a Stormcrow and let them know what you have heard.
Never back down when you know you are right. Never let anyone bully you or keep you from your rights. A Wintermark child stands firm and keeps what is theirs.
Be cunning as the Suaq, and wise as the Kallavesi. Learn about riddles and challenge each other with them. Riddles will sharpen your mind like a whetstone sharpens a sword.
Choose your own path. Learn about all three people of the Wintermark so that you can decide which one you wish to become.