Északiér (EE-zack-ih-eer)

Life is hard in the Northlands. To the West lies the tiefling nation of Eruuj, powerful, wise, majestic, and most pertinently not overly fond of outsiders. To the East there is Drekken… a desolate expanse of frozen tundra ravaged by the ruthless Barghest slavers. In between, among frosty rivers snaking through dense forests, are scattered groups of people struggling to survive. The woods are dangerous, full of monsters and the ever-hungry Barghest. With the harsh environment and treacherous conditions, you either toughen up or perish. Some groups have taken this to an extreme level, evolving into something… beyond normal.   The people of Északiér have been hunted by the Barghest for many generations, culled for slaves and food relentlessly until their numbers had all but run out. Met with naught but cold stares from their comfortable tiefling neighbors, in desperation they turned to any source they could to fight back. How precisely the next events unfolded have been lost to the mists, but the Északiér emerged from their crucible with strong blood.   Stronger, faster, smarter, hardier, they started to strike back at the Barghest with the fury and sorrow of all those they had lost at their backs. They could see in the dark as well as their foes, and track them in the wood by scent alone, as well as run fleet across the land for twice as long as any normal man without tiring. It was near impossible for them to fall ill, their sturdy constitutions holding up to the most miserable winter conditions. As part of whatever process made them what they are, a strange bond with magic marks them in tattoo-like symbols which appear across their body as they age. You can tell when an Észak has not long left in his natural lifespan whence his entire body is all but covered in the spiraling, strange markings. This is not to say that they are physically predisposed to leading short lives. An Észak can live near two hundred years, if he escapes death. It is also equally true that living out their allotted years is a most rare event. Most Északiér dedicate their lives to fighting the Barghest, usually dying either at the jagged teeth of the beasts, or by the unforgiving grip of chill across the frozen wood.   However, this newfound power has come at a price. The people of Északiér suffer from extremely high rates of infertility, the cost they pay for their hardiness. Crossbreeding is dangerous business, most pregnancies doomed to failure as the frailer mortal races are not able to handle the sturdy frames and elongated gestation of the Északiér. In addition, despite their connection to magic, or perhaps very well because of it, they are vulnerable to magic spells and the workings of mages. Since they themselves do not understand their own nature, they are wary of any higher magics and avoid them at all costs. Most Északiér also do not bother with a lot of education per say, spending all their energy on learning how to survive and fight in the wilderness.   One thing the Északiér feel strongly, nearly as much as their hatred for the Barghest, is a deep resentment of the tiefling nation of Eruuj. Had their powerful neighbors stepped in to offer them aid, they believe, they would not have changed so drastically and become the near-monsters they now are. As Eruuj is a nation of magic casters and seekers of knowledge, the Északiér have grown to mistrust and resent students of magic in general as well The hunted have become the hunters, and they trust no one.   An Észak stands about six to six and a half feet tall, with a stocky, rounded build good for conserving heat and energy during a harsh winter. Their hair is usually long and thick, and stretches down their shoulders and backs to form more of a mane of sorts. Their forearms, legs, and much of the rest of their bodies are covered in a dense layer of short hair interwoven together. Their skin tones typically are a range of pale shades from the northern climes of their home, although some individuals have an almost silvery sheen to their visage as well. Their hair can be a multitude of colors including browns, white, greens, and purples, with long noses and narrow eyes. Intricate, spiraling and weaving tattoo-like markings spread across their entire body as they age, typically being a dull black color with occasional flecks of greens, blues, silvers, or purples. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the spread, and no two Északiér will have the exact same pattern array.