Amidst the chilling misty mountains of Ruathym hail the eleven tribes of Uthgar. The Black Lion, Black Raven, Blue Bear, Elk, Gray Wolf, Great Worm, Griffon, Red Tiger, Sky Pony, Tree Ghost and Thunderbeast who were all defeated by Uthgar and in his victory he absorbed the aspects of these beasts. The peoples of Uthgardt are blue-eyed and black haired, they are hardy, savage and tall. The Tribe of the Timmer Varg, however, is a minor one living in the shadow of the older, major clans. For the peoples of the Timmer Varg, believe that Uthgar's spirit animals encompass all beasts of ferocity and fury. This clan lives among the belt of the Ruthaym mountains in forests of tall timber and snow as thick and chilling as the high mountain peeks. Their peoples are blue eyed, like the major clans, but they are of a fine haired lineage of gold and red-brown taking on the aspect of their beast totem, the Timber Wolf.
The Timmer Varg and the Dawn of SteelThe village of the Timmer Varg is encircled with squat hovels of piled stone and thatched roofs, for an Uthgardtian will never willingly cut down a tree. The center of their village is a wide hearth and a sprawled longhouse, their king resides in a structure of both stone and cavern carved out of the face of the mountain itself. Although there are only fifty families every able bodied man, of the ages of twenty to fifty, lends their strength and martial prowess to the warband of the clan. These men actively seek out danger, quell invasions and raid worthy foes for precious resources that are scarce among the frozen wastes. The "High Mountain" only provides iron and steel and the Timmer Varg gladly accept it for there is no steel stronger than that of Uthgartian steel. It is here that the family of the Vanier take root, in a thatched blacksmith where Geir's father forged weapons of incredible quality. In the quaint stone building, among the soot and smoke and flame did Geir as a child learn the art of his father. and as the years went on Geir's physique grew large as he tirelessly hauled ore in buckets from the mine, worked the heavily sighing bellows, and hammered Uthgartian steel into shape so that his father could work his craft for the tribe. When Geir came of age, and could eaisly grasp the axe, his father began to teach him the ways of Uthgar. Although his father held no rank, or command or warbands he was still a fierce warrior for the clan and his weapon was that of Uthgar, a mighty two handed axe. The words of his father, spoken to him on a morning practice when Geir held an axe for his very first time, rings through his memory.
"Lo there young warrior, a man of steel must practice his art as any artisan hones his craft. At dawn we draw steel, at noon we forge blades and at dusk we praise Uthgar with ale and song and blood. This is the way of the Vanier my son, and the way of Uthgar."
The Bone-reader
Years went on and Geir grew into a Herculean statue as did many youths of the Timmer Varg. But as his physique grew do did his arrogance, and although his skill with the axe was powerful he was fool hearty and brash. Late one chilling night the old bone-reader, Frejya, stormed into the village from her hermetic yurt hidden deep within the woods for she had urgent news for the Jarl. Men gathered in the longhouse and the King sat sagely on a throne of furs, the old woman cast a bone thin hand and let loose the faithful bones and read them with great despair. She proclaimed that the years of Uthgar were coming to an end, the halls of stone and hardy men of courage and valor will fall. To the signs he must be aware, that when the gut of heaven has been ripped open doom will fall upon the tribe of the Timmer Varg. She warned the Jarl that he must send a man to the outreaches of the world to seek a witch, and this man must not be any man of his kin. To the Uthgardt a witch is a horrible creature, wilders of powerful black sorcery who would turn a mans soul to ash and corrupt his lineage. No man of the Timmer Varg dared volunteer for such a mission, fearing not only the intentions of the old hag but also the powers of the witch they were to find. The old bone reader gave him one final word that a man must be chosen before the warming mists of spring or fail.
(To be continued...)