The North Kingdoms
The North Kingdoms is a term used to collectively describe the three culturally related but politically independent realms of the Cruski, Fruzti, and Schnai peoples, who inhabit the rugged and subarctic Thillonrian Peninsula in the far northeast of the Flanaess. These kingdoms share a common heritage rooted in the Suloise race, shaped by centuries of isolation, seafaring, and survival in a land of towering mountains, glacial fjords, and dense evergreen forests.
Though fiercely independent, the three North Kingdoms are united by their ancestral customs, language, and warrior traditions. They are often collectively viewed—especially by outsiders—as the “Northern Barbarians”, but within their own cultures they consider themselves noble descendants of a proud seafaring legacy.
Culture
Despite their political divisions, the Cruski, Fruzti, and Schnai share several key characteristics:
- Maritime Culture: All three kingdoms maintain strong traditions of seafaring, raiding, and fishing. Their longships are swift and seaworthy, ideal for navigating the icy waters and narrow fjords of their homeland.
- Clannish Societies: Each kingdom is composed of powerful noble clans or jarldoms, with long-standing rivalries and alliances. Loyalty to clan and bloodline often outweighs loyalty to the crown.
- Oral Tradition and Valor: The peoples of the North Kingdoms preserve their history through sagas, songs, and heroic tales. Courage in battle, personal honor, and loyalty are central virtues.
- Pagan Spirituality: Though some exposure to southern religions exists, the dominant beliefs are ancestral and animistic, honoring spirits of the land, sea, and sky. Shamans and seers play important roles in their communities.
- Isolation and Pride: The harsh geography of the Thillonrian Peninsula has kept these peoples relatively isolated, fostering a strong sense of identity and mistrust of foreign influence or domination.
Public Agenda
The North Kingdoms, though often disunited, are a formidable presence in northeastern geopolitics. When unified—however briefly—they can project significant maritime power, threatening trade routes and coastal settlements. At other times, they are prone to infighting and rivalry, their energy turned inward in cycles of clan wars and succession disputes.
Their lands are rich in natural beauty and resources—timber, furs, fish, and precious minerals—but harsh and sparsely populated. The North Kingdoms' greatest strength lies in their people, forged by cold winds, dangerous waters, and a shared legacy of survival and defiance.
To the wider Flanaess, the North Kingdoms represent both a romanticized image of heroic freedom and a genuine threat, especially when their warships appear on the horizon or their warriors cross southern borders. Yet for all their differences, the Cruski, Fruzti, and Schnai remain proud heirs of a common flame—one that burns brightly in the cold.
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