WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK 0057 0057
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Chapter 3: RACES & REALMS
Nordor
Beyond the equatorial forests are the cold northlands
dominated by the reclusive Nordor, whose migrations
took them farthest from their lands of origin. Few of the
south travel to their lands, but some of this tribe venture to the warmer realms and have a part to play in the
unfolding story of Khitus. The Nordor are an optimistic
culture who believe their best days still lie ahead despite their homelands’ cold desolation and the current
havoc wrought across the southlands.
Nordor are sturdy human stock with greyish skin
and usually black hair, though the rare “redhairs” are
considered to be especially tough and virile. The tribe
tends toward wide faces with thin lips and noses, with
eyes tending toward the darkest shades, some even fully
black-eyed.
The Nordor wear a variety of furs and leathers fitted
with iron pieces that have decorative or personal meaning—the amount of fur and covering depend on the
immediate climate and season. A Nord’s standard gear
seems warlike and they etch their armor and broadswords with runic tales of important kills and other
stories. Nordor often travel with dogs that pull sleds or
small wagons, and most households keep loyal mastiffs
at hand. They even sometimes tame urshevan for use as
battle-ready mounts or draft animals.
Nordor show little variation in weaponry, preferring
broadswords and short bows to satisfy their needs. They
know of other weapons but discourage their use as being unsuitable for the hardy Nordor; mockery from a
Nord should be expected if he sees someone “too timid or
weak to wield proper weapons.” They tend to keep to their
stone dwellings, often in cities and underground, especially during the winter months when travel is hazardous.
In the field, Nords erect sturdy tents called telts to ward
off weather which tests the hardy even in good seasons.
History
For their own part, most Nordor believe that The Great
Glacier spawned all life on Khitus, slowly scraping its
way along the roof of the world and then retreating to
leave fertile lands and the tough Nordor race behind.
Their origins are steeped in such legends, but it is a
matter of accepted and recorded history that the Great
King Mushtapartha existed. Nearly 1,000 years ago, he
was the last to unite the Nordor peoples under a single
banner to face a mysterious threat of icemen and wildermen marauding on their frontiers. For many, these
now-mythical times were their greatest achievements
as a tribe and people. For a few others, the now and the
near-future hold a chance to return to that greatness.
Ranks & Types
The cultural structure of Nordor settlements and civilization revolves around strength and perceptions of
the same. Thus, the bulk of Nordran culture prefers and
admires physical strength and martial prowess and rewards the same.
• Prinsi and Tarjolia: Regional barons known as
Prinsi and their subordinate Tarjolia rule inherited
lands and subject tenants to rents that they either
use or abuse in their general service; corruption
and selfishness are common among them.
• Kunigas: Nordor chieftains are Kunigas, powerful
military or political leaders who rule over a settlement or group as long as they hold the collective’s
confidence; any major problems or failures tend to
make them vulnerable to coups.
• Kantajas: The tarjolias’ local military commanders,
recruit talented fighters and assemble them into
two distinct elite platoons for the defense of a whole
prinsi region and for use in specific campaigns.
• Plakinto: The “fearless” plakinto are lightarmored formation-breakers whose strategies
entail rushing into battle, becoming surrounded by enemies, and dealing death with blades
in either hand if not both at once. Plakinto
dominate bardic tales among the Nordor for
their deadly abilities, noble sacrifices, and their
oft-early deaths.
• Soturi: Despite Nordran biases against their
weapons, soturi are axe-wielding warriors of renown and prowess who serve their armies well
into old age as trainers, constables, and kantaja.
• Lumyuko: These “Ice Men” can be men or women,
despite the translated name. These much-lauded
warriors earn prestige by battling in the freezing
cold and defeating savages and wolfkin. Lumyuko
gather loyal henchmen who follow their commands
and further spread their legends.
Even if a Nord is not physically powerful, she promotes
her strength through applicable skills or trades. Anyone
who admits to weakness must not be a Nord. Other nonmilitary groups or ranks of note include the following:
• Sato are agricultural workers (a distinct minority)
with an aversion to offensive combat; they hire
mercenaries and witches to protect their fields and
pastures from raiders.
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