The Nordlanders

Race, Clockwork Canon

The Nordlanders

It is obvious that I tailored the Nordlander as a conglomeration of the Nordic races in real life into one ethnic group. There are subgroups that should represent the various races, like the Goths, Vandals, Gauls, and Vikings, but I believe it better to leave those to people with the expertise concerning those peoples. I hope that no one is offended by this, yet I have used the Nordlander here as a personification of impregnable fortitude, a people bred for war and the harsh environment of the frozen Undenary Edges.

Shared Physical Attributes: The Nordlander seems carved of hard stone with a gaze as cold as ice; he is a giant among other men, standing at seven feet at the least. His look is at a constant frown, as his brow is his most pronounced feature along with the chiseled squareness of his jaw and the bleached gilding of his hair. It is a custom among his menfolk to wear their hair long and braided, while beards are prized possessions. His arms are thick, his chest rivals that of barrels, and his shoulders are broad and strong. His war cry is deep and harrowing. Their women may seem fairer, but they are all of the same stock.

Shared Inherent Psychologies: They are a strong and hardy people. They prefer the cold and could best it with equal resolve to live and survive. They are simple folk of simple minds, yet simple should not be mistaken for stupid. They merely see the world for what it truly is and choose to tell it as it truly is. They find no love for trite, unnecessary things, as beauty to them is indistinguishable from purpose or function. They prefer the direct, yet sharp approach to any problem; they do not like to dally or walk in circles; they are rarely distracted from any endeavor. They may seem boorish or uncouth, but behind the frankness is an insight into the nature of things, especially things which are so close to their hearts, the lands and peaks of hard stone and merciless ice. Theirs is a love for the clean, the simple, and the organized. They love spicy wurst. Most are born with a sense of wanderlust.

Shared Predilections in Talent: They are born with large hands and fingers, yet are dextrous and accomplished craftsmen and artisans. They hold a deep love and propensity for bardic traditions; Skalds, they call these storytellers. Their storytelling is often in the form of epics and hold deep insights onto the life of a Nordlander and the challenges he faces every single day. They are gentle, yet stern people at their hearth; but in war they are terrible. They prefer to take slaves and lose themselves in the heat of battle. Their blood easily boils, as it should in cold climes. They hold an affinity for hunting, woodworking, stonework, industry, metalwork, exploring, and a close association for hounds, frostwolves, and icebears. The educated of them have discovered a talent meant for the design of clockwork, which first manifested itself when the Nordlanders became premier watchmakers and toymakers.