Thillonrian Peninsula
Thrusting into the storm-lashed northern seas like a clenched fist, the Thillonrian Peninsula is a rugged land of icy fjords, jagged peaks, and cold iron resolve. Bordered to the west by the Land of Black Ice, and to the south by the Solnor Ocean, this frozen region is the ancestral home of the Suloise-descended barbarian nations—the Fruztii (Frost Barbarians), Cruskii (Ice Barbarians), and Schnai (Snow Barbarians).
Collectively known as the Northmen, these fierce peoples are bound by tradition, kinship, and reverence for the raw, elemental power of their homeland.
Myths and Mysteries
- Vatun’s Return: The tribes long await the return of Vatun, the god of the north, imprisoned or sleeping beneath the ice. It is said he will unite all the Thillonrian peoples when the final war comes.
- Frozen Vaults of pre-Cataclysmic Suel mages lie buried in the mountains—some say they hold secrets the barbarians dare not unleash.
- The Auroral Beasts—monsters born of sky-fire—are hunted for glory and feared for their curse-bearing blood.
The Thillonrian Peninsula is more than a source of raiders and berserkers. It is a crucible of survival, a land that breeds hardiness, valor, and myth. Those who emerge from it bear tales of wonder and woe, of gods glimpsed on mountaintops and battles fought under eternal night.
The North remembers—and it never yields.
Geography
- Harsh Terrain: Towering cliffs, glacier-fed rivers, coniferous forests, and frostbitten moors define the land. Coastal fjords shelter villages from constant blizzards and crashing surf, while the interior is dominated by rugged highlands and black rock plateaus dusted with permafrost.
- Long Winters: The winters are long and brutal, with months of darkness, while summers are short, cool, and filled with frantic activity—raiding, trading, and celebration.
- Natural Resources: Fish-rich seas, hardy reindeer herds, and iron-laden mountains provide the essentials for survival—but only to those strong and clever enough to seize them.
Fauna & Flora
The Three Barbarian Nations
Fruztii (Frost Barbarians)
- Fierce, warlike, and proud, the Fruztii are the most martial of the three. Their longships strike south in seasonal raids against Stonefist, the Pale, and the North Province.
- Their chiefdoms value glory in battle and poetic storytelling.
- Capital: Kristrand, a great hall-city of timber and stone set along a jagged bay.
Cruskii (Ice Barbarians)
- Isolated and more conservative, the Ice Barbarians maintain ancient Suloise rites and are deeply superstitious.
- Their lands are the coldest and most treacherous, bordered by glacial cliffs and sea ice.
- The Cruskii worship ancestral spirits and winter gods with rites older than any scripture.
- Capital: Jotsplat, a settlement carved into sea-blasted cliffs and heated by volcanic vents.
Schnai (Snow Barbarians)
- The most politically influential, the Schnai maintain a network of alliances and seasonal diplomacy with southern nations like Ratik and even the Duchy of Tenh.
- Their High Jarls host the annual Council of Skalds, where tribal leaders exchange stories, grievances, and declarations of war or peace.
- Capital: Soull, built around a great central longhouse adorned with relics of ancient battles and oracles.
Culture & Society
- Clan Loyalty is absolute. Each tribe is led by a jarl, with larger confederations recognizing high jarls. Bloodlines, ancestral oaths, and personal honor are paramount.
- Religion centers on the Suloise pantheon, especially gods of winter, war, sea, and storm—such as Llerg, Vatun, and Norebo.
- Skalds (war-poets) preserve history in verse and song, recounting great deeds to inspire new generations.
- Coming-of-Age Rituals involve trials of endurance, often in the wilderness or through solo raids.
Tourism
Relations with Other Lands
- The Northmen raid, trade, and defy. Their longships are both feared and respected along the coasts of Ratik, Stonehold, and the Sea Barons.
- Despite fierce independence, all three barbarian nations unite in times of great threat, as they did during wars against Iuz and the Great Kingdom.
- Ratik, in particular, shares a wary friendship with the Schnai, forged through mutual hatred of the North Province.
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