The Icey Wastes and Jagvar Hills

Location   The area referred to covers a vast area occupied by a large number of small tribes of the same ethnic group. It covers the Jagvar Hills and a wide swathe of plains land down to the coast between An Eliaheer  and Milmar . The Kingdom of Jakta  nominally annexed a large portion of the coastal lands a few years ago, although whether their control is effective is a matter of debate. The River Remvar and the Sherrem Forest mark the area’s approximate eastern boundary.     History   The Jagvar barbarians are a collection of primitive tribes who previously occupied a much larger area of land before the Great Invasions. They were pushed into the area they now occupy by the invasions, and avoided extermination only by their numbers and determined stubborn guerrilla style resistance. Over the last few centuries, they have suffered greatly from slave raiding, especially by Milmar , but have kept their numbers up by their habits of rapid breeding.     Terrain   There are two different types of terrain in the area covered. The northern part is the Jagvar Hills, a harsh rugged place composed of hills, rocks, bogs and streams, very difficult terrain for any invading army or unwelcome interloper. The southern part is more hospitable, but still very wild, with rolling grassland interspersed with small copses of trees and shrubs.     Climate   The Jagvar Hills have a harsh climate of year round strong northerly winds. These bring blizzards in winter, and torrential rain in spring and autumn. The summers are milder, but still fresh and windy. The southern plains, despite being called the Icey Wastes, are more pleasant, with warm balmy summers and fresh spring showers. The predominant winds in the spring and summer are from the south, but in autumn they shift to blow from the north, bringing storms and heavy rain, and frequent snow in winter.     Ecology   The whole area abounds with wildlife, including sizeable quantities of big game. The flora is predominantly composed of hardy grasses, with reeds and rushes in the boggy areas. The southern plain has a lush covering of grass in summer. There are also considerable numbers of monsters, especially in the hilly areas. Most of these are isolated savage creatures such as griffins and the like, but there are also a few isolated tribes of orcs, gnolls and goblins in the hills. In winter, large packs of wargs can frequently be found roaming the area.     Economy   The Icey Wastes and Jagvar Hills have no real economy to speak of. The Jagvar tribes have a nomadic hunter-gatherer culture, and although they trade amongst themselves, produce little that any other nation considers of real interest.   The only things exported are occasional furs and monster parts. These they barter for metal items, although these are mostly such things as needles and mirrors, because none of their civilised neighbours has any desire to arm them with modern weapons on any significant scale.   The only other aspect in which the area has any economic significance is strictly one way; Milmar garners most of the salves she takes from the tribes in the southern plains, although her raiding parties rarely venture into the Jagvar Hills proper.     Social Structure   The social structure of the Jagvar tribes revolves around the individual tribe.   Each tribe is an extended family group usually of 40-100 members, travelling together as a nomadic group. Each has a headman and a shaman.   The former is usually a post assumed by the most successful hunter and warrior when the previous incumbent is too old or weak to hold the post. This usually happens at a tribal moot, with vast amounts of challenges and bluster, traditionally ending in a ritualised battle between the two most likely challengers. The loser, if not slain (a rare occurrence) traditionally joins the shamanic class as an apprentice.   When the shaman dies, omens are taken to determine which of his apprentices succeeds him. The apprentice shamans still act as warriors and partake in hunting, so they are still productive members of society.   The women of the tribe are held as wives in common, with marriage of young girls always being exogamous to prevent inbreeding. When boys have undergone their rites of adulthood, usually by hunting and killing a dangerous animal (or humanoid or Milmarian) alone, they are accepted as men of the tribe. This gives them access to any of the communal wives except for close blood relatives (normally taken to be mother, grandmothers, aunts and sisters). This form of union is believed to strengthen the tribe, ensure no man is left without a mate, and maximises breeding opportunities.     Political Structure   The tribes, despite their primitive level of technology, have a rich culture, a strong ethnic identity, and a rudimentary political structure. They meet at a variety of sites throughout the area, usually marked by henges or cairns. The two most important of these are Moothenge in the Jagvar Hills and Folkmeet in the plains.   Major meetings take place at various points throughout the year, usually solstices and equinoxes, but it is normal for a few tribes to be gathered at the main henges at any particular time to trade, exchange news and arrange marriages. In times of crisis, groups of tribes meet and choose a war chief to deal with the problem. The tribes have a taboo against internecine conflict, although individual quarrels between members do happen, usually settled at moots by ritualised combat.     Religion   The Jagvar tribes worship a variety of natural spirits and forces, led by the tribal shamans. Their lands are dotted with small cairns and standing stones, each erected in memory of an event, geomantically important place, or a particular animal connected with the place. The shamans primarily use sympathetic magic, herbal and weather lore, as well as taking omens from almost every conceivable source. To the shamans, the whole landscape is a sacred place, and there are rumours that they can bring the land itself to life to hinder and destroy unwelcome invaders.     Foreign Policy   The Jagvar tribes have no coherent foreign policy, but are generally hostile to the point of xenophobia to outsiders. This applies especially in the case of the southern tribes which have a long history of being raided by the Milmarians. Very few indeed are the Jagvarians who have willing contact with outsiders, although they exist in a permanent state of war with the orcs and other monsters in their lands.   When Jakta annexed the coastal lands, a programme was instituted of trying to domesticate and civilise the tribes living in them. Most merely moved out, but a few tribes were forcibly settled into villages and guarded by Jaktan troops in the hope that they’d see the benefits of civilisation. With the high level of escapees and failure of most of the villages to achieve any kind of agricultural output, the experiment was widely regarded as a complete failure. However, it did give some of the barbarians a taste of civilised luxuries, and an appreciation of the advantages of iron tools and steel weapons.     Armed Forces   The Jagvar tribes have no organised armed forces, but all adult males are able to fight effectively. Thus, some 25-35% of the population can fight. In emergencies, many of the women and older children will also take up arms. Those boys near to taking their rites of adulthood often act as fanatical scouts and highly effective skirmishers.   With their primitive culture, most of the weapons available are made of bone, wood and flint. The main weapons are spears, slings, clubs, bows, darts and throwing stones. Many of the tribesmen bear hide and wood shields. The few rare metal items gained by trade and capture are usually used by headmen, and are passed down as great treasures and symbols of authority. The horse has not been mastered by the tribes in any form, being considered as no more than another form of food animal.   Despite their primitive arms, the Jagvar tribes do have some advantages. Every tribe has a shaman and two or three apprentices, the latter with some minor magical training, the former sometimes of considerable power, able to use the powers of nature and weather, control animals and summon elementals. This means that 5-10% of their manpower has some form of magical ability.   The other main advantage the tribes have is their intimate knowledge (and control) of the landscape, enabling them to appear and disappear at will, to launch terrifyingly effective ambushes and move without being observed.   The Jagvar barbarians fight by guerrilla warfare. They do not fight open battles, but raid and skirmish, specialising in surprise attacks, traps and ambushes. Usually, each tribe fights as a separate raiding party, but two or three may gather to fight in a co-ordinated fashion. They have occasionally been known to gather large numbers of warriors, however. The great war bands can number hundreds or even thousands, and show considerable cohesion and tactical ability. They are usually led by an influential war chief, aided by a team of very powerful shamans.     Important People   Ugvar Shalskul; the “Great War Chief in the Jagvar Hills”. Has held together a sizeable group of tribes for the last ten years fighting incursions by the Narheimers.   Sagush Taruban; Chief Shaman to Ugvar.