[hider=Broken Hammer Clan] [center][img]http://orig05.deviantart.net/52b5/f/2014/265/7/7/viking_castle_by_reza_afshar_art-d805xpy.jpg[/img] [color=RoyalBlue][h1][b]The Broken Hammer Clan[/b][/h1][/color] The Broken Hammer The Jotunn[/center] [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Leader[/b][/h3][/color] Jarl Geirlaug Åsmundottir, The Klyppr - 'Cutter' [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Government[/b][/h3][/color] Jarldom ruled by the strongest and wisest of the clan, settled through combat and feats of intelligence. [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Non-Human Species Descriptions:[/b][/h3][/color] [b]Bloodaxe Clan of Giants[/b] The Broken Hammer are allied with the Bloodaxe Clan of Giants who reside in the mountains to the North of the White Wood. The Bloodaxe are not found in great numbers but they're brutally strong and hunt in the White Wood where they clashed for generations with the Broken Hammer until, roughly a hundred years ago, peace was made in the interest of preserving lives on both sides. The Bloodaxe Capital is series of large stone structures carved from spires and ridges of red rock in a remote mountain valley. They have no other settlements and rarely number more than several hundred in total. They take great pride in their ability to wield two handed weapons, and engage in great feats of strength that involve the throwing of large boulders, trees and captured enemies. The mountains they inhabit are home to dozens of savage creatures, giant mammoths, fast and stealthy tigers, shaggy worgs, and numerous troll tribes and species that are forever engaged in battle with the Bloodaxe and Broken Hammer Clans. [Hider=A Giant of the BloodAxe Tribe][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/97/16/63/971663cce1a9752075d1a1d96207b9d6.jpg[/img][/Hider] [b]Stonehorn[/b] The Stonehorn are a massive four legged beast found in the harsher Northern climates. Their heavy fur pelts are greatly prized by Giant and Human alike for the warmth and durability they provide. The Stonehorn gets its name from its skull and the two massive horns that are a part of it, growing outward for a width of up to eight feet. The skull and horns are as hard as stone and impossible to pierce with any edged weapon. Heavy paws, wicked teeth, sharp claws, and a charge strong enough to shatter trees make the Stonehorn one of the most dangerous creatures in the North. [b]Hammertusk[/b] A Hammertusk is a hulking four-legged beast that strides across the tundra of the North in small family groups of no more than five or six. It is a primordial creature that has survived since a bygone era through sheer stubbornness. It's tusks are highly prized for their toughness and the carvings that can be made from them. Few, however, have hunted a Hammertusk and lived to tell the tale. [center][img]http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammerfb/images/5/56/Mammoths42-6ef887ff34.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140805174914[/img][/center] [b]The Great Mammoth[/b] You had heard of the Mammoth no doubt, wholly with great tusks and a shambling gait. Well, the Great Mammoth is their cousin, a huge creature that serves as the Broken Hammer's primary mount. Moving in large herds and immensely strong, they can be found all across the North and are a prized animal for furs, and eating. [b]Dawnstarr Worg[/b] Named for the Mountains they call home, the Dawnstarr Worg is a distant cousin to the common Wolf of the south. Domesticated for a thousand years by the Broken Hammer, they range at large in the wild in packs of five to twenty individuals and are more than capable of killing man and mammoth. [b]Gorger[/b] Creatures and nightmare and legend, the Gorgers are a creature with a mindless instinct to hunt and kill whatever they can. Living deep in the caves and mountain caverns of the North, they are stealthy and cunning as any man. Thankfully few in number, they are easily capable of combating multiple enemies and eating the corpses of their foes. [b]Ogres[/b] There are a number of Ogre Tribes that live in the region, most of them isolated in mountain valleys or hard to reach areas of the coastline. They hunt beast and human alike for food and are forever raiding Broken Hammer settlements. [b]Trolls[/b] A general term used to refer to any bipedal creature that feeds on human flesh, is covered in fur, and can understand human speech. It is believed that the first Trolls were men gone mad in the Tundra from snow blindness and starvation since they are usually found in the darker places of the North. It is unknown if Trolls give birth to live young, or hatch from eggs, since no one is sure if they have male and female distinction, at least none the Broken Hammer have noticed. [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Location:[/b][/h3][/color] The Broken Hammer inhabit the Northlands, in a region that borders on the frozen tundra, in the aptly named White Wood that stretches from the jagged Ocean of Tears to the savage Dawnstar Mountains. On the map of the region commonly used by Southerners, the Broken Hammer could be best described as inhabiting the peninsula to the East of the Bay of Storms. [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Faith:[/b][/h3][/color] The Broken Hammer worship two main gods who are similar to those found in the Southlands, though they got by different names in the North. With conflict being such a major part of Broken Hammer life, it is not surprising that the Broken Hammer worship gods who reflect their harsh reality. There are numerous smaller deities, a few of which are note worthy. [u][b]Major Deities[/b][/u] [b]Yngvild[/b] The Goddess of Life and Rejuvenation, worshipped during the warmer spring and summer months. To Yngvild they ask for the blessing of life, birth, and enough food to survive the coming winters. Yngvild usually serves as the patron God for those who remain safe at home, farmers, mothers and children. Yngvild is often portrayed as a beautiful woman with long blonde hair, blues eyes, and a heroic smile. [b]Folkmar[/b] The God of Death and Battle. Folkmar is portrayed as a hulking Broken Hammer warrior, part human, part skeleton. It is not surprising that there is a deity to reflect that harsh reality of the North where many children do not survive their youth, and every day brings new dangers and enemies. Warriors and those who are nearing the end of their life will turn to Folkmar for favour and guidance. [u][b]Minor Deities[/b][/u] [b]Asfrid[/b] Goddess of Brewers and Cooks. Portrayed as a large woman with a jolly smile, Asfrid is a popular figure amongst taverns and inns throughout the North. [b]Ulfheid [/b] Goddess of the hunt. Popular among any and all who hunt the tundra, deep forest, or the oceans for food. [b]Starri[/b] God of Tradesmen. The work of tradesmen and women within the Broken Hammer is held in high regard. Masons, Carpenters, Blacksmiths, etc. All of these skilled persons are required for the Broken Hammer to survive their hostile homeland. "Strong shelters and strong weapons make for a strong people" - As the old saying goes. [center][img]https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/08/pathfinder1.gif[/img][/center] [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Clan Description[/b][/h3][/color] The Broken Hammer are a powerful Clan located in the North of the Broken Lands along the Ocean of Tears. This harsh and cliff strewn region has seen it's fair share of warfare as the Clan wages a never ending war with Pale-Men and the fantastic beasts that live among them. Broken Hammer longships slide from small rocky harbours to wage a savage war of hit and run raids on virtually anyone they can reach. The Broken Hammer itself gets it's name from an Ancient Ones ship that lies in their principal harbour. The massive hulk, battered by never ceasing seas, bears a great broken hammer on the prow, a hammer that has long since lost its upper half and now lies embedded in the sand on the beach below The Jarls Hall is built into the old ones ship, a great hall of huge timber beams and fine stone work has been added to expand the hull. The Broken Hammer are noticeably larger than their Southern neighbours, probably as a result of inbreeding with the Giants, Ogres, and even Trolls in the region. Some can reach twice the size of an ordinary human though they are certainly much smaller than the Bloodaxe Giant Tribe. Their skin holds a blueish colour to it, as an evolution to help them survive the ice and snow, or a product of something in their diet, no one is really sure. They wage war with brutal ferocity like all those in the Broken Lands, the strongest among them wielding vicious jagged headed hammers. [hider=Broken Hammer Warrior][img]http://moziru.com/images/drawn-warrior-giant-7.jpg[/img][/hider] Within the Broken Hammer itself is a sub-group that chills even the stoutest of hearts. These men and women look Jotunn enough to first appearance but spend some time with them in the wild and you will see they are anything but. These are the Shanka, or skin changers as the common saying goes. They occur in nature when a Jotunn is forced, through choice, or necessity, to consume the flesh of a kinsman. Some say it is the Horned God who haunts the mountains and seeks new minions to tame but the Jotunn are a stubborn and terrifying race. Where lesser races might eventually give in and full embrace their monster form, the Jotunn are able to control it, moving between skins once a day. [hider=Skin Changer][img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3b/b1/a6/3bb1a6c1ff7c074b9375a64bde1ea4b7--fantasy-warrior-fantasy-weapons.jpg[/img][/hider] [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Clan History:[/b][/h3][/color] WIP - Need players! [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Regional Geography/Resources/Economy Details:[/b][/h3][/color] The Broken Hammer live in a region known as the White Wood, so called for the dense forest that extends from the tundra to the frost bitten south coast. Bordered to the north by jagged mountains and broken tundra, and the South and West by rocky cliffs with small natural openings that lead to excellent harbours. To their West is the great Bay of Storms, an almost perfectly round Bay with a volcano at its core infamous for the storms that spring up without warning. The region is rich in food, furs, iron, and excellent ship-building trees. Luxury items and slaves are rare however, leading to the Broken Hammer's many raids southward. The Broken Hammer are hardly wealthy but they are comfortable in their region, having learned to live and survive within the limitations placed upon them by nature. That said, they are always happy to improve their lot at the expense of others. [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Important Characters[/b][/h3][/color] Jarl Geirlaug Åsmundottir is the Jarl of the Broken Hammer Clan. She has earned the title through combat and cunning, as one must to be lead a people like hers. Tall, blonde, with a single sharp green eye, she is beautiful by any standards. Her otherwise stunning visage is somewhat marred by left eye being gone, pulped by an enemies sword pommel during a raid by Pale-Men. [center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a8/d2/5b/a8d25b9c03ba0cf1b43ce6cde5e075e9--environment-concept-environment-design.jpg[/img][/center] [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions:[/b][/h3][/color] The Broken Hammer have two principal settlements, their capital of Hammerstone, built around the Ancient Ones ship at the very end of the Howling Fjord, and The Twins, a fortified city of stone and iron located at the heart of the White Wood. The two are connected by the Rauða River. There are numerous smaller settlements located throughout the region, none coming close in size to either of the cities. [hider=The Twins] The Twins. The Ancient Ones fortress, repurposed by the Jotunn, was the furthest north settlement of any note in the Broken Hammer territory. Here the mountain valley grows even wide, so wide that it would take a full day to cross from one side to the other. In the middle, straddling a narrow point of the river, tower two huge stone pillars, joined high above the water by a bridge built in forgotten ages past. The two pillars of solid granite rear hundreds of feet into the air and the Ancient Ones had carve tunnels, galleries, high windows far above the ground, evidence that perhaps they too had fought with the Pale-ones. The lower hundred feet of towers have been carved completely smooth by some skill the Broken Hammer no longer possess, so smooth that no Pale-one can find purchase on the surface to climb upwards. Entry to the fortress is accomplished by way of a pair of wooden elevators worked from within the twin spires of stone. The Twin on the right, the Bloody Twin, so called for a red streak in the granite, has been partially hollowed out in the base with the only entrance facing the water. Visiting vessels can put into the harbour where they can spend the night in safety, their crews in the fire warmed halls above. All loading and unloading of vessels is done on a great stone pier that runs along the riverbank at the foot of the Bloody Twin. During the winter, when the river is frozen, the harbour and pier are left to the Pale-ones. [/hider] [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Relations to Other Factions[/b][/h3][/color] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4570392]The Brazen Sword Clan:[/url] To the West of the Broken Hammer, pushed tight against the mountains, is the Brazen Sword Clan, a nation of tribal hill people who owe their allegiance to the Jarl of the Broken Hammer. [color=RoyalBlue][h3][b]Post Catalogue[/b][/h3][/color] 1. [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4569770]The Jarl arrives in Kingsport[/url] 2. [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4571938]The High Kings Hall[/url] 3. [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4569770]The Twins[/url][/hider]