Krogs

The Krogs were led by a Council of Elders, each with a title based on a section of the superstore where they lived. The council established and enforced tribal laws, and resolved disputes among members of the tribe. One member, entitled Master of the Labyrinth, is elected to be the final decision maker in the event of a tie vote, as well as serve as the head of the tribe in intertribal relations with outsiders, and was also in charge of supervising the overall defense of the tribe and territory. The council titles were:  

Elder of Kitchen Decor

Elder of Bedroom Furnishings

Elder of Living Room Furnishings and Electronics

Elder of Outdoor and Garden

Elder of Cafeteria

Elder of Sofas and Armchairs

Elder of Home Accessories

  The Elder of Cafeteria was also the one who was in charge of managing food supply and the large-scale cooking technology contained in the store cafeteria’s kitchens.

As a culture, the Krogs were known for their generosity and acceptance of newcomers and visitors. Often, those exiled from other tribes in the Wilds would later find citizenship and community among the Krogs. All who visited peacefully were welcomed at their feasts.   A strong culinary tradition came to be what the Krogs were most known for. The cafeteria’s advanced kitchen technology preserved the recipes of traditional Swedish cuisine of the old world and allowed the Krogs to thrive without threat of famine. Fruits and vegetables were cultivated in rooftop gardens and in the Gardening section, while tamed livestock was kept in a defensible area just outside the building.   The naming tradition of the Krog Tribe consisted of assigning a given name and a surname chosen from one of the various Ikea furniture and products in the store.   The stuffed animals in the section near the end of the exhibition labyrinth were adopted as the semi-official mascots of the tribe, with the Blåhaj being among the most popular. This adoption of the shark plush toy in particular led to positive relations with the Sharks tribe.

The Krogs’ greatest asset was the Ikea ruins they made their home in. They lived a life of comfort and luxury within the secure, well-furnished, and labyrinthine interior. Defensible positions were established at regular intervals at the entrances and along the exhibition hall’s path, and were accessible by a series of catwalks and shelters built near the ceiling, though they were rarely attacked by raiders.   Commonly traded goods from the Krogs were food and simple, stylish, some-assembly-required home goods and furniture.   In the modern day, the ancestral home of the Krogs has been converted into a cultural museum, with many of the old structures and fortifications intact. The cafeteria still serves Swedish cuisine for visitors.

As the world struggled with the rise of magic and the changes it brought, humanity sought shelter wherever they could. Before the fall, the company of Ikea was known for its enormous showroom stores, the twisting paths that wind through the building, and the Swedish food served in the stores’ cafeterias. These large buildings, packed with furniture, food services, and all the comforts of home conveniently made them viable and easily defended shelters for the survivors of humanity. Refugees of all kinds took shelter in the Ikea superstore, weathering assaults from Horrors and storms of magic. The years marched onward, and the survivors turned into settlers. Ikea became their home, their protector, and the place where they would raise new generations of people. Over time, a unique culture formed and The Krogs tribe came to be.   With the new world came new problems, and the Krogs made do with subsistence agriculture and by sequestering themselves in their beloved Ikea. The first time survivors from outside the walls visited, the Krogs rejoiced and welcomed them with open arms. When the Coa discovered the Ark and began to unite the various tribes of the region in hopes of starting society anew, the Krogs were hesitant at first. Trade negotiations, friendly relations, and an acceptance of their culture were successful in breaking the Krogs out from their shells. They were ready to emerge from the Ikea and help build Olympia into the grandest city in this new and strange world. While the Krogs as a tribal culture no longer exists, their history is preserved in the very Ikea they lived in for so long. It stands to this day in what is now the Barrens of Octant Demeter and has been repurposed as a Krog-specific historical museum and cultural site.