Ice Barbarians
Proper Name: Kingdom of (the) Cruski
Ruler: His Most Ferocious Majesty, Lolgoff Bearhear,
the King of Cruski, Fasstal of all the Suelii (CN
male human Bbn15)
Government: Independent feudal monarchy with
hereditary rulership, though with little actual control
over jarls, who act independently of one another;
king controls the area around the capital and farms
within 30-50 miles
Capital: Glot
Major Towns: Glot (pop. 5,100), Jotsplat (pop. 3,200)
Provinces: Seventeen jarldoms (five around Jotsplat),
over thirty minor noble holdings, and Glot
(capital realm)
Resources: Furs, copper, gems (I), rare wood (sablewood,
not exported)
Coinage: Kronar (gp), haf-kronar (ep), linnwurm
(sp), thrall (cp)
Population: 158,800—Human 96% (S), Dwarf 2%
(mountain 65%, hill 35%), Halfling 1% (stout), Other 1%
Languages: Cold Tongue, Common, Dwarven
Alignments: CN*, N
Religions: Kord, Llerg, Norebo, Xerbo, Vatun
Allies: Snow Barbarians (sometimes)
Enemies: Sea Barons, Stonehold, North Kingdom,
Scarlet Brotherhood, Frost/Snow Barbarians (sometimes),
Ratik (sometimes)
Overview: The northern and eastern coastal regions of the Thillonrian peninsula are home to the Ice Barbarians, or Cruski. Their land is the coldest and most severe of the Suel barbarian kingdoms, but the hardship has served to strengthen their independence. Dwelling in seaside towns and mountain steadings, they make hunting, fishing and whaling their major occupations. Shipbuilding is clearly important, and piracy is as well, with seasonal raids southward providing both wealth and the opportunity for battle that the barbarians crave.
Their military consists primarily of war bands of medium and heavy infantry led by local jarls. Shipcaptains lead crews of sea-raiders gathered from the same infantry, who serve as rowers at sea and warriors on land. They are usually armed with sword or axe, wearing chainmail and iron helms, and carrying the round shields favored by all barbarian Suel. Cavalry is not unknown on the western tundra, but few tundra-dwellers are Ice Barbarians, most having Flan ancestry and being related to the Coltens of Stonehold. They do not serve as warriors for the Cruski, instead paying tribute to their Suel overlords to be left alone.
The Cruski themselves are a people of pure Suel
race, speaking the Cold Tongue as their native language.
Though they have always been the least
numerous of the Suel barbarians, their royal lineage
is the oldest. The king of Cruski holds the title "Fasstal of all the Suelii," indicating his preeminence
among the nobles of the Suel race and giving him the
right to pronounce judgment on any of them. Politically,
this has little real importance, for he has no
power to enforce his judgments. However, it is said
by some that the god Vatun granted this authority to
the fasstal of the Suelii; if Vatun awoke, the full
authority of the office would return to the fasstal, and
a new barbarian empire would emerge under his
leadership.