Bryttan

Total Population: ~650,000
Hallfolk: ~320,000
Underfolk: ~260,000
Warriors (all orders): ~45,000
Sacred & Lore Orders: ~15,000
36 Hallsteads
420 villages and hamlets
120 vord-outposts
Numerous fen-islands, stead-clusters, and upland farmholds
Kjarnlönd — “Heart-Lands (Core Country): ~320,000
Styrmstrond — “Storm-Coast” (Eastern & Northern Coasts): ~165,000
Mýrbrekka — “Marsh-Slopes” (Fenlands & Reed-Seas): ~105,000
Haughbrún — “Mound-Brow” (Uplands & Barrow-Ridges): ~60,000
Fieldable Host in War: ~18,000–25,000 realistically
(Maximum muster ~40,000–50,000)
Birth Rate: ~35–40 per 1,000 annually
(≈ 22,000–26,000 births/year)
Death Rate: ~28–32 per 1,000 annually
(≈ 18,000–21,000 deaths/year)

“Mark well the name Ómannslendr, the Empty Land, the Land of No-Men. Stand on its edge and feel your blood stiffen— for the soil remembers what living tongues forget.”   “There was a time when the Picts called it holy. Groves stood there, older than any clan-song of ours, and stones carved with their jagged runes watched the ridges. But then the Eridanusians came, marching under banners black as drowned skies.”   “The Picts fought with fury; the Eridanusians fought with sorcery. The ground shook beneath their wrath. They woke things that should have slept.”   “No Bryttlendar lived here then—we had not yet crossed the marshes.” “But when our foremothers came, they found only ruins, whitened bones, and a silence thick enough to choke a hearth-fire.”   “We do not know what broke the land. Blood? Sorcery? The sky tearing itself open in rage? The Picts will not say. The Eridanusians left no truth behind.”   “Look into Ómannslendr from a safe ridge, child of the Hall. You will see the shapes moving in the fog. And you will understand why no clan claims it.”

— Lár-Smiðr Harethorn, Lorekeeper of Fennstadr

  Ómannslendr lies between Bryttan and Pictland, a corrupted region fringed by Bryttan vord-outposts and distant Pictish stone-wards, yet neither side dares enter. No cattle graze there. No clan raises a hall. No tribe marks its borders. Only the bravest or foolish have entered this land. Lár-Smiðr Harethorn is known for venturing into Ómannslendr and gathered many pieces which are fragmented memories of the past and a mad Pictish Hermit living among a ruined grove dedicated to their beastly God of Animals.
Long before the Bryttlendar arrived, long before the clans had even formed, to the Picts Ómannslendr was a sacred land for their deity, the scared hunting grounds filled with sacred groves used in primal vision-quests, hunting grounds dedicated to Gorach-Druan, the Many-Hides, ritual paths where Pictish hunters sought communion with the wild. Gorach-Druan never manifested into the physical world, he would appear as animals who seemed ordinary and test hunters and would sometimes guide the lost. But his true form, the mythic, many-animal god, walks only in the Pictish spirit-realm. When the land fell, it was not Gorach-Druan who died but the place where his presence once touched the mortal world.
The tragedies of Ómannslendr occurred long before Bryttan’s founding. In those times the Eridanusian Empire stood as a dark sorcerous Empire who began driving North towards the Pictlands. Not since the Sahullan Age were there great armies like the Eridanusian Empire. Three great battles were fought here and the Picts stood alone, while the Baltians were still migrating to the South of Hyperborea.
Lár-Smiðr Harethorn's lore fragments mention three battles but only in bits, so the whole picture is hard to make out but the pieces which survived paint a grim image. Lár-Smiðr Harethorn studied these for many days, the three battles which brought ruin were; The Blood-Stag Fen was the first of the three battles in which the Eridanusians pushed deep into the groves, and the Picts ambushed them in the rising waters, yet neither side manage to gain the upper hand.
The Burning of the Hollow Trees was the second when armies collided the Eridanusian sorcerers ignited sacred groves while Pictish Shamans worked to invoked Gorach-Druan but were overwhelmed.
And the third, The Last Stand of the Black Standard, the most brutal of them all. The brutality shown that day, awoke something beneath the earth, ancient, forgotten. What caused the ruin of the Eridanusian army was the nameless Outer Patron from Ages past which was reawakened from the bloodshed that day.
All things in Ómannslendr trace back to the Red Hollow of the First Pact, under Ómannslendr is a Sahullan Age cavern-temple buried deep beneath the region. During the final battle between the Picts and the Eridanusian legions, so much blood soaked into the ground at once that the Hollow stirred for the first time since the Sahullan Age. The ritual the Eridanusians tried to perform was answered by by their sorcery but also the nameless Outer Thing deep below the ground. The ground heaved and liquefied, formations sank, trenches folded inwards, men crushed towards so tightly no one could swing their weapons. After the battle the field laid still for days, nothing moved nor did anything walk upon it, those who did long after the battle, vanished and never returned but soon enough when the soil was loosened by a storm, the revenants begin to emerge. The Hollow prevents complete release, the Picts and Eridanusians became place bound remnants.
The Halgvord have named the Undead of Ómannslendr based on how they act.
They are:
Though this area of land is unoccupied by Picts or Bryttlendar, both consider it part of their territory but neither will ever fight upon the cursed land as it would only feed the corruption that is already there. From time to time the Halgvord venture in, by law they are the only ones allowed there but m any madmen, Fen-Seers, criminals flee there and even some Lorekeepers go there to seek answers but they risk so much for so few answers. They know the land will never be cleansed, all they can do is ensure Bryttan is safe, the deeper they go, the more dangerous the Undead become. Reika-Skard are easy for them to deal with but Kalla-Brotar and others cause problems for them. The Halgvord have built many outposts on its borders, but they know the undead do not venture into Bryttan, they know something stops them, what binds them keeps them where they are found. What they do fear is the giant demonic bats that are unbound and are real threats to the people, no one knows where they came from but they are often seen alone or in twos however far darker things live there.

• Balthegn, the Hearth-Father and oath-witness

• Haugkuna, the Barrow-Mother and caretaker of the dead

• Sæmodr, the Sea-Mother, unpredictable and tide-bound

• Hrædfaðr, the Quick-Father of wind, daring, and sudden fate

The Lárhord (Lorekeepers) maintain what passes for “scripture” in Bryttan, these are carved tablets, rune slabs, and the songs woven from memory that have been passed down. Their writings do not serve as theological mandate but serve as their cultural memory, recorded rites, taboos, histories, and prohibitions against sorcery.
Nearly all Bryttlendar follow clan-aligned sects to the Four Old Powers who are woven into daily life, these sects are:

• Baltræfnar uphold hearth-fire rites, oaths, and domestic harmony.

• Haugkvordar tend the barrows and ensure the dead rest undisturbed.

• Sæfylgjur oversee sea-offerings, tide rituals, and storm-watch rites.

• Hrædsóknar honour wind-signs, hunt-omens, and trials of speed and daring.

A thane who ignores their warnings may be seen as reckless, but the sects do not rule rather they advise the Clan-Thanes on social matters within the Hallsteads.
Certain groups walk a thin line between mysticism and taboo but remain tolerated due to necessity, antiquity, or cultural role. Such groups include:

• Fennsŷer, the Fen-Seers, who guide the drowned dead and interpret marsh-omens.

• Drífsteinsmenn, the Drift-Stone Keepers who read storm-signs in river-worn stones.

• Haugfarar, the Barrow-Walkers who seek ancestral whispers through dream-journeys.

These traditions hold limited authority and neither fully trusted nor openly condemned.
Some beliefs are forbidden by the Halgvord (Doom-Wardens) and proscribed by the Hæðþing for crossing into seið, blood-rites, or social destruction, these vile groups are:

• Beinmuldrar, Bone-Whisperers who claim bones speak last truths.

• Hreggbundnir, Storm-Taken who court madness on storm-cliffs.

• Dýprkallr, Deep-Callers who whisper to the abyss beneath Sæmodr’s realm.

• Fennskrengd, Fen-Twisted poison-dreamers who bargain with mire spirits.

• Kaldhollr, the Cold-Hearths who extinguish hearth-fires and reject all clan oaths.

These groups face exile or death, depending on the depth of their offences. To the Bryttlendar, sorcery is a rot that corrupts the land, the mind and the Hallsteads. The Holgvord hunt these groups down especially the Dýprkallr with a violent hatred.
The Wandering Light has made his presence known in Bryttan, though the Bryttlendar hold tightly onto the Old Four Powers, Solinar has taken root in Bryttan however it is faint. His worship arrived with migrants, merchants and early Baltian migration clans so long ago. To the Bryttlendar, Solinar is no kin to Balthegn, Haugkuna, Sæmodr, or Hrædfaðr. He is a wayfaring spirit, a light that is borne by those who travel than a power who is tied to the land around them. He is never invoked in the hearth-fire nor the rites of the barrows. The Lárhord tolerate Solinar's presence in Bryttan, however they are cautious of his worship, they have even allowed for small shrines to be set up along the places where trade with foreigners is largely found however they ensure these shrines do not overstep their boundaries and into everyday Bryttlendar life. They insist that Solinar's fire is a barrowed fire from Balthegn's hearth. To them, he is an outer guest, a wandering light best suited for those who cross borders.
Solinor is honoured chiefly by:

• long-distance traders

• far-roaming hunters

• messengers of the Herðleiðr

• sailors who travel beyond Bryttan’s waters

• clans with strong ties to other Baltian realms

But he remains secondary, a god of the road rather than a god of the home. The Lorekeepers warn that while Solinor brings guidance, he carries no duty to Bryttan’s soil. They see him as a passing tourch in the dark, they do not forbid his worship nor is it embraced.

Bryttanian Lagr (Law) is a living framework of oaths, customs, judgements and sacred obligations that is binding from clan to clan. Law is not just written word, it is expectation to be followed. The Law is seen as a shared burden that is carried by all throughout the Hallsteads and other settlements. The Lagr deals with matters of blood and property, inheritance and feud, work and obligation, trade and craft, crime and punishment. Its roots lie in clan tradition, but its voice is found in the assemblies. It is meant to be lived and not merely spoken, those who ignore the law weaken the honour of the clan, stir feuds and bring risk of trouble coming to their kin. Justice is stern and direct, it is expected that everyone is held accountable for their actions before the clan and the Thing.
The Hæðþing is the greatest of the assemblies of Bryttan as it concerns the every Bryttlendar and due to this the clans send their strongest voices to the High-Thing. and the only body in the land who can create or change the Hæðlagr (High-Law). The Hæðþing do not often meet however when it is called, the matters must affect all clans such as in:
Carved with the exact wording of new High-Law and raised in the Eiðvangr (Field of Oaths), oaths are also displayed here. If an oath is broken or a law overturned, its stone is shattered there.

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  The Lorekeepers are the oldest keepers of Lagr, ancestral customs, clan rites, sacred prohibitions, and ancient precedents. They also record down every Lagr and Oath in their books to preserve the history of Bryttan.

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  The Lagr is preserved through three different ways and they are the Rúnstéinar, Lárhord and Hólblædr.
The Dómsþing is Bryttan’s highest judicial authority. It forms when the Hæðþing appoints a circle of impartial chieftains, Lorekeepers, and respected hall-elders to interpret law and judge cases too severe or complex for the Feldþing (Field-Thing) to resolve.
Most disputes, property disagreements, theft, small feuds, labour or boundary issues are settled at the Feldþing. Only matters beyond its scope travel upward to the Dómsþing.
The Framstjórnar ensures that the Lagr is carried out across Bryttan. The Heaðrífa (High Reeve) and the Rífhringr (Reeve-Circle) direct these forces.

Bryttan trade flows through a network shaped not by roads or paved highways, but by waterways, marsh-channels, and tide paths. The land of Bryttan is too sodden, shifting, and treacherous for great roads and the costs would cause too many problems to maintain them. Instead the people of Bryttan have mastered a system of boat routes, reedway trails, and raised causeways that form the arteries of their internal and external commerce. Trade between clans relies heavily on the Boat-Host and the fen-ferrymen, who know the safe channels that link marsh settlements to the next.
  Most goods within Bryttan travel by flat-bottomed boats, marsh skiffs, raised plankways, seasonal sandbars, and fen causeways.
These routes shift with storms and flooding, so clan-run Tide-Watchers (Straumvordar) and Flood-Wardens (Flodvordr) mark which paths are safe each season. Land caravans are rare, slow, and risky, used only for livestock and goods unsuited to boat transport.
Goods commonly moved between clans include, bog-iron tools and weapon-heads, reedwork and fiber goods, smoked fish, eel, and preserved marsh foods, wool and cloth from coastal flocks, leather and hide products, boat components and timber, resin, marsh herbs, and healing mosses. Each clan maintains a Hall Market overseen by the Hall-Steward (Hallstíora), these are normally located in near the middle of each clan settlement, some are larger than others based on the clan's wealth due to trade, where travelling fen-traders (Fennkomr) exchange goods under Thing-approved fair practices.
In order to connect to the foreign markers, Bryttan primarily is connected by coastal trade points to allow for deeper-hulled foreign vessels to anchor. The hubs for important exports and imports sit on the tide edges where the sea and marsh meet, Clan-Thanes who rule these hubs have a larger settlement and move people than those inland due to the trade routes of the sea. They are also expect to provide more during a unified calling of defence of their homeland. The Hall Markets are booming with foreign goods in these hubs, and their mead halls are packed with Bryttlendar and foreigner alike. Foreign merchants seldom venture deep into Bryttan, instead the clans operate outposts that meet them at safe harbours and negotiate trade under the watch of the Shield-Hird and Fen-Guard. While Bryttan lacks stone roads, they possess fen channels dredged and maintained by clans, guide-ring posts carved with runes marking safe water routes, boat-bridges connecting reed islands, Oath-bound ferry points, where ferrymen are sworn to neutrality, seasonal tide-maps kept by the Lorekeepers. These allow for trade to go easier between the clans but also with foreigners, seldom are stone roads. These collectively form the Herðleiðr (War & Trade Ways), the closest Bryttan equivalent to a highway system.
Trade is regulated by the Field-Thing (Feldþing) and overseen by the Oath-Thing (Eiðþing) to prevent disputes and cheating. The High-Thing may declare certain routes or harbours neutral ground during crises. Clans often seal trade agreements by exchanging Ringmark (trade-rings) or raising a small rune-stone to formalise the pact.

Bryttan’s physical infrastructure is defined by durability, function, and clan identity. Rather than sprawling cities, Bryttan maintains fortified clan settlements, stone ringforts, coastal harbours, engineered road networks, and stable water systems. Every structure exists to support the welfare, security, and continuity of the Bryttan people. The stone ringforts of the Skjoldhirð are the greatest defensive structures in Bryttan. Their ringforts are often found strategic high grounds or coastal cliffs, the land around these forts are considered neutral ground as they are not tied to one clan but serve Bryttan as a whole. Their walls are built with thick stone walls, elevated wood walkways, and defensible gates, each fort generally has 4 gates for rabid deployment. The members of a Skjoldhirð live, train and prepare for war in them and are supported by their own armouries, granaries, and cisterns. Every fort has watchtowers which offer a panoramic view of the land around them, their forts can also be used to old emergency Things given it is neutral ground.

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The Hallsteads form the core of Bryttlendar society, functioning as fortified villages where clan governance, daily life, and tradition converge. In the centre stands the Great Hall with other structures built around it, the Hallstead is a community composed of longhouses, family cottages, workshops, barns, gardens, temples and communal heart spaces. Strong timber and stone ensure durability against storms and threats from raiders, foreign armies, to some extent and the likes. Every Hallstead has a modest defensive wall with towers. Here, the clans hold judgment, host visitors, store goods, and shelter their people in times of crisis.

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The Herðleiðr form Bryttan’s essential travel arteries, it is the closest equivalent to a highway system. These roads are carefully maintained, with gravel packing and drainage channels to keep them passable through harsh seasons. Stone bridges carry the main roads over rivers, while lighter timber bridges serve lesser crossings. Patrol shelters and waystones mark safe travel, guiding both civilians and Fen-Guard scouts. Through the Herðleiðr, goods, messages, and warriors move swiftly between clans, ensuring unity, readiness, and coherent response in times of need.

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Bryttan's coastal infrastructure allows them to have a strong maritime capability. Stone docks and piercs allow for the anchor of vessels securely, with slipways and drydocks to allow ship repairs and the overall readiness of the Bátheer. Towers and beacons are built to keep watch for raiding ships or to signal the movement of allied ships but more importantly to warn them of dangerous conditions such as undersea rocks and guide them to safety. The Bryttan breakwaters are not as advance as Potaissan ones however they help keep the storm surges at bay. The Habours and coastal infrastructure are vital for the survivial and connection to the distant markets of the western coastline.

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Bryttan has a strong network of watchtowers and beacons that span across their borders and coasts. The borders of Bryttan also have Fen-Guard posts, often hidden from eyes not use to the nature of Bryttan. Each post and watchtower keeps three messenger birds on hand in case the beacons fail to light. These structures are essential for maintaining security and coordinating defence.

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The water systems of Bryttan are designed for practicality, reliability and ease of maintenance. Commonly found in Hallsteads and forts are stone wells and rain-capture cisterns to provide clean water to the people, while the drainage system is made up of ditches and culverts to prevent seasonal flooding around settlements. Waste is managed through rotating latrine pits, charcoal treatment, and designated waste grounds kept clear of water sources. Communal wash-huts offer heated stone basins for hygiene, especially in winter. Though simple, these systems preserve health and stability for every clan.

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In many of the Hallsteads and around is Bryttan's industry, essential for the production of tools, weaponry, clothing and its maritime power. Many of the smithies forge with bog-iron however those at coastal Hallsteads and some border ones have smiths skilled enough to use higher quality iron and are able to make steel from imported metals and the likes. Boatwright circles maintain hulls, keels, and sailing gear. The tanneries, often found outside Hallstead walls process hides for armour and trade while weavers produce wool products including sailcloth. Stone quarries supply fortifications and hall foundations. These sites combine artisan skill with clan cooperation.

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The sacred architecture in Bryttan reinforces its religious and legal systems. The Oath-circles or other ancestrial sites such as the Field of Oaths that are found in different parts of Bryttan host many of the Things. Shrines to Balthegn, Haugkuna, Sæmodr, and Hrædfaðr occupy prominent locations, maintained by Lorekeepers, every settlement in Bryttan also maintains a place of worship for their deities. The Barrows preserve the ancestors and are the domain of Haugkuna. Ritual courts near Hallsteads host seasonal rites, funerals, reconciliations and the settling of matters regarding sacred law.

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Domestic infrastructure forms the backbone of clan life, housing the vast majority of Bryttan’s people across two social layers: the Hallfolk (freemen) and the Undirfólk (unfree laborers bound to the clan). The Longhouses are built with timber frames and sometimes with extensions on them to host extended Hallfolk families, forming the stable core of the settlement. Less wealthy Hallfolk have smaller freeman cottages size and are often in clusters around the Hallstead, especially near work lanes or the craft workshops. The Undirfólk reside in the Undirgarðr, a dedicated quarter of modest cottages arranged around shared work yards and cookhouses. The Hearth Squares provide a communal place for the settlement throughout the Hallstead, it is a gathering place for storytelling, eating together and shared labour but also the place for rest. Family gardens help supplement the diets and the medicinal stores.

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Bryttan agriculture relies on hardy crops, careful land management, and coordinated use of upland territory. Fields bordered by low stone walls grow barley, oats, onions, and other resilient staples. Pastures support sheep, goats, and sturdy cattle, while fish weirs and nets provide steady protein. Cold-cellars, grain barns, and smokehouses preserve food for winter. Tide-driven or water-driven mills grind grain, supporting every clan’s needs.
Bryttlendar agriculture relies on hardy crops, careful land management, and coordinated use of upland territory. Their fields are bordered by law stone walls or wattle fences in which barley, oats flax, root crops, and other crops fitting for their land grow. Pastures support sheep, goats and sturdy battle while their fish weirs and nets provide a steady supply of fish for them. Orchards can be found too for fruits like apples, Perry pears, rowan berries and the likes. Cold cellars, grain barns and smokehouses preserve the food of Bryttan throughout the year. They also have tide driven or water driven mills to grind grains for bread and other foodstuff.

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