Stonereach		Skallagrim
Society	Religion	Names	Clans	Major NPC's

The natives of Skallagrim have lived on the edges of the Grey Forest for countless years, dating back to the time their ancestors were driven across the Earthspur mountains by orc tribes hundreds of years ago.

Appearance

Barbarians, Fighters, Rangers and the like. (Generally Speaking)
Skallagrim natives are often darkly leatherskinned, tall, and bulky, though there is a strain among them of paler, more delicate natives who are often talented in the medicinal or shamanistic arts. Most of the natives carry dark brown to black hair, and their eye colors range wildly from simple colors like brown or black to more exotic colors like yellow.

Physical Features

Shamans, Clerics and the like. (Generally Speaking)
Typically tall individuals with broad shoulders, brawny to lanky. Generally they have narrow faces, with gaunt facial structures. Their hair ranges from whitish blond - brown, though never reaches black. Eye generally stay blue though they can be green to brown. Their skin stays a pale color, which is leathery from harsh winters.Most Skallagrim men and woman wear their hair short, and men prefer to keep their beards long and scars showing. Shamanists, medicine men and other “non-fighting” members of the village, however, often wear their hair very long and woven with beads, feathers, and other small objects, and keep their faces bear and bodies covered with various hides and furs.

Skallagrim society is complex, though based on a simple lifestyle. Villagers keep to their roles throughout life, whether it be medicine, hunting, shamanism, cooking, or other simple tasks. Those natives whose lives venture beyond game hunting and gathering are often split between powerful barbarian fighters and mage types, such as shamans and druids. Knowledge of “true”, scholarly magic is unheard of, and little respect is given to those in the village who do not either perform necessary tasks or follow the much-respected path of the barbarian fighter. Skallagrim is ruled completely by its Chief, who tends to be the most powerful fighter in the village. Currently it is ruled by Chief Graerwulf, an exceptionally strong and large man who has recently become chief. There is a council in the village, however, formed by the head of each family--Graerwulf, Haegens, Dreskk’l, Laefl’lin, and Aen’itl. While officially only the Chief may make decisions, and his word is law, petty village politics and feuds between the families influence the chief. Skallagrim men and women take up the challenges of daily life equally, and the women live almost as freely as the men--with the exception that they cannot lead houses or the village. There is a possibility of this changing in Chief Graerwulf’s daughter, Aegleif Graersdottir, who is well known as the village’s most powerful fighter--equaling only her father.

History

Possibly taking roots from immigrants of Vaasa, Narfell, and Damara. After the legendary empire of Narfell fell, many under it's rule dispersed into other parts of Faerun centuries ago. Fjorn Skallagrim, the last leader, is the sixth to successful hold his leadership. The first and original founder, Skallagrim, became a legend when he rallied men together and raided Lyrabar, stealing valuables and returning the mountains. He then founded the village(outpost) with his resources from raiding.

The natives of Skallagrim both fear and worship the spirits they know well reside all around them, and they also fear and worship the Grey Forest itself. Instead of priests, medicine men and shamanist women act as vehicles of worship to the forest. Villagers also worship Naemhe, a sea and ice goddess, their name for Umberlee and Auril combined. In addition, they pay respect to gods of the forest, though they have no particular name for them. Since the settlement of Stonereach, however, they have come to refer to Naemhe as Umberlee or Auril on occasion, depending on the occasion, and have recognzied that the gods are shared. Skallagrim natives perform a ritual sacrifice every year during Winter Solstice, a practice they keep secret from Stonereach--during this sacrifice, a villager chosen by a particularily dark spirit of the forest speaking through an old village shamaness is gutted over a waterfall in the forest. Most of the villagers hate this practice, but fully believe that doing it to appease the dark spirit is the only thing keeping it from killing them.

Skallagrim natives tend to follow naming conventions similar to both Native American Indians, Norse, or Germanic peoples. Unmarried or still “lowly” young natives are often given their father’s last or first name, as their last name--with the addition of “son” or “dottir”. For example, Chief Graerwulf’s daughter is called Aegleif Graersdottir. The medicine man is named Havin Haegensson. Names sometimes change over a lifetime, and people are often renamed for accomplishments or personality traits.
Skallgrim Names:
Earthspur Mountains - Jaegekkloen
Obsidian Shore - Naemheine
Grey Forest - Iokkretek
Shaman - Waeme
Barbarian/Fighter - Graer’kkael
Medicine Man - Jhapekk
Language: Skallgrim natives speak an evolution of Common unique to their village. Being completely isolated from anyone who would speak Common, their language originated from before they migrated

Haegens: Head of the family is named Igmar Haegens, most of the Haegens are shamans and their longhouse contains the main alters to Naemhe and the gods of the forest.

Laefl'lin:The head of the family is named Konal Laefl'lin, the Laefl'lin's are a mix of really any form of warrior, hunter or shaman, they are the diverse family.

Aneit'l: The head of the family is named Svein Aneit'l, the Aneit'l family is mainly hunters (rangers) and are the food gatherers and scouts of the village.

Dreskk'l: The head of the Dreskk'l family is Chava Dreskk'l (who is very ill), the Dreskk'l family is made up of hunters and barbarians, the hunters from this family are not used as scouts but as actual hunters gathering food.

Graerwulf: The head of the Graerwulf family is Hafthor Graerwulf (the Chief!), the Graerwulf family is made up of barbarians, his daughter is one of the best fighters in the tribe. (This clan is not a choice for players, Sorry!)

These NPC's are not only known by all of the village, but even well known in Stonereach.

Chief Graerwulf
The recently made Chief of Skallagrim, he is a wise man who is protective of his people but often too soft-hearted when his daughter is concerned, or short sighted when angry.

Aegleif Graersdottir
Daughter of Chief Graerwulf, she is a powerful warrior and spirit shaman in her own right but often underestimated for being a woman. She is surprisingly tall and wise for her age. As is custom she has been betrothed to the most powerful warrior under her father in the village, Tameikk Tanarsson.

Tameikk Tanarsson
Betrothed of Aegleif Graersdottir, he is not exactly known for his intelligence or good looks. He is known as a powerful warrior with a strength to match Chief Graerwulf's, and for his terrifying rages and unusual love for Aegleif, who does not return it.

Torideil Tanarsson
Tameikk's younger brother, he was born with a club foot and thus deemed a weakling and useless. He was set to doing "women's work", where he befriended Aegleif and he became the next medicine man. Respected even by most of the people of Stonereach, he regularily makes the difficult trek to the town to heal those in need.