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2. Ísflöguryn

race

Children of the ice, raiders of the tundra: the ísflöguryn are a people native to the northernmost reaches of the Eretejva Tundra. They survive on glaciers and in permafrost that even the hardiest of other races find uninhabitable. A primarily seafaring people, ísflöguryn sustain themselves through fishing, animal husbandry and raiding settlements of other races (or sometimes their own). They also will engage in occasional trade where it benefits them, exporting scrimshaw, hides, fish and occasionally weapons forged from a special enchanted steel known as Eldifryst in return for luxury items, salt, and foodstuffs that can't be found in the far north.

All ísflöguryn are extremely adapted to frigid conditions. While they may bundle up in extremely cold arctic weather, they find freezing temperatures comfortable. Conversely, even temperate heat can be very unpleasant or harmful, while exposure to tropical heat for even a few hours is deadly. Similarly, they are extremely resilient to ice magic while being vulnerable to fire.

Their relationship with their nearest neighbors, the Nordenfiir, tends towards uneasy coexistence. While a few clans have made attempts to raid smaller, more northerly Nordenfiir settlements, most ísflöguryn find such expeditions a waste of time and resources. As a general rule, the hermaður caste respects the fierceness and battle prowess of their southern neighbors, while the nornfædd consider them a nuisance or, depending on the needs of their clan, potential trading partners.

Though in essence the same race, there are two distinct morphological forms to the ísflöguryn that remain mostly separate due to a cultural barrier between the elite ruling caste and the commoner caste:

The nornfædd are slender and graceful, with pointed ears, skin tones ranging from bluish-silver to pale grey and thick, wild hair usually white with blue tones and appearing to be constantly covered in snow or forming ice crystals. Though they may be mistaken for snow elves in form, most nornfædd are smaller, standing from about 4'5" to 5 feet tall. All ísflöguryn have some shade of blue eyes, with small pupils and slightly blue sclera.

All nornfædd have a talent for magic (except fire). They can manifest and shape ice, creating weapons that cut like glass, or beautiful works of art. The most powerful female nornfædd casters are arnaku, who play a pivotal role in sustaining the clan through manifesting and maintaining a special magical frostfire used in cooking, smithing and light. The magic behind creating this fire is a closely-guarded secret to all ísflöguryn, who believe it is a gift given to them by their creator goddess Skadaeni.

As a caste, nornfædd play the roles of warlords, priests, and mages. They are born to rule, and they carry a cold, aloof and practical attitude that matches the frigid nature of their homeland. Aside from large-scale raids, nornfædd are rarely seen beyond their icy fortresses.

The hermaður are the most commonly encountered form of ísflögur. Many consider them to be more goblinoid and feral in appearance, stockier and shorter than the nornfædd. Skin colors are similar to their counterparts, but hair color ranges more widely, some even having black or dark grey hair and males sometimes having facial hair. Most hermaður stand between 3 to 4 feet tall.

The hermaður caste is comprised of laborers, crafters and warriors. They make up for their lack of innate magical ability by their robustness, fearlessness in battle and an expert hand in forming ice and snow into structures. The hermaður are passionate, loving life and fighting in equal measure - often in excess.

Nornfædd live slightly longer than humans, averaging 120 - 150 years and reproducing more slowly than humans. Conversely, hermaður tend to live only an average of 40-80 years (mostly due to their reckless lifestyle), and have many children. Though both morphs can interbreed with each other, is it rare for a child to result from such unions and most such offspring join the hermaður class unless the child possesses exceptional magical ability. Such children are called hálfuryn.

Almost all hermaður are trained in combat and expected to perform a military role. Even the humblest fisherman knows from a young age how to wield an axe or spear against an opponent. Veteran fighters are highly respected in hermaður society and often lead raiding parties overland or over sea. Some nornfædd (almost always males) are trained in military strategy and martial combat.

The ísflögur society is matriarchal, as all ísflöguryn believe that they were created by their goddess, the frost giant Skadaeni. As such, the highest echelons of leadership among their race are reserved for female nornfædd of outstanding magical abilities, who are thought to be gifted by the goddess.

While male nornfædd are expected to defer to their female counterparts within a clan, many of them claim significant political power, magical ability, and independence; especially those who have mastered the art of political intrigue for the gain of their own clans. Unlike some other matriarchal societies (like the drow,) it is very rare for male nornfædd to be mistreated by the women.

hermaður culture is more egalitarian simply because all men and women are expected to contribute equally to work, child-rearing and warfare.

ísflöguryn clans are comprised of a majority of hermaður living in an outer settlement surrounding an inner stronghold of nornfædd. Usually at least one arnaku will rule the clan, often in partnership with her consort. Regardless of the size of the clan, a female ruler is referred to as the Queen. Male nornfædd can also rule clans independently, but are still referred to as Thanes. A clan that has no nornfædd to rule it loses its identity as a clan and soon becomes scavenged by rivals.

Warfare between clans was historically common practice, though some measure of peace is currently being maintained by a coven of very powerful arnaku who rule the majority of the larger clan settlements. The agreement between these arnaku has so far not been challenged, but peace among the ísflöguryn is ever fleeting.

Although the ísflöguryn worship (or at least acknowledge) Skadaeni as the main creator deity, they have a fairly broad pantheon ranging from major mythological figures to minor household spirits.