Heskyn

"The Heskyn have some of the most ambitious architecture I have seen! By that I mean... I can't always navigate Oddivarg. From what I have seen, these people are some of the most interesting and unique individuals I have had the pleasure of so far." - Matija Saša Lučić addressing Queen Jovika after his release of Hidden Corners.

Heskyn are best known for the easiest manifestation of their spirit, mistakingly given rise to the idea that they contain the spirit of mist. Governed by the Heskddigthr spirit, the heskyn really have the power of managing attraction of molecules, most commonly manifesting in the changing density of water molecules.
Heskyn are a mysterious tribe, typically remaining in the impenetrable Ice Flats or the little accessed island to the North East named Stunga. Usually, Heskyn will be using their abilities to create extra limbs and hands, a practice that's both very old and holds a great degree of significance to the tribe. However, many have branched beyond it. Some are able to dissolve themselves entirely, passing through walls and floors. More combatant minded have figured out how to inflict this on other people - leading to both hard to cure wounds where skin has been turned to mists of blood or the particularly feared *fog weakness*, a name given to a deadly condition that Heskyn can induce. In practice, this is comparable to decompress sickness, where the heskyn forces air bubbles into the bloodstream. With this and their non-existence in Jorvingr or Yulca, the Heskyn have become one of those things whispered quietly about throughout the land.
While some work on augmenting their own bodies, others have worked on changing the world around them. Some heskyn are able to solidify the surrounding air into spectral hands or keys, others pets or even humanoids. These spectres have no sentience of their own, but serve as a ghostly tool.
The Heskyn territory is split in two - West and East. The east (or Aust as referred to by the Heskyn) is the region on the Iceflats, the northernmost part of Jorvingr. There are 3 well known settlements in the Iceflats - Vellijre, Reyiniiar, and Stadarfell. Vellijre is the largest of these, by proxy of being closet to the Drau Mountain Range and to the other nearest city, Moska. Vellijre is also the most hospitable. Eyjafja, the primary language of the Heskyn is only partially spoken here, and there are residential built on the tundra that emerges in the Spring and Summer that people not of a cold inclination can stay. It is partly rivalled by Reyiniiar, lovingly titled "the gentle city" by the Heskyn. Both Vellijre and Reyiniiar are unique by Heskyn standards, as both are heavily influenced by the seasons. For the sunnier months, both cities give way to thriving tundra. In the colder, both freeze almost entirely over. The heskyn have ways around this, the terrestrial homes are abandoned in favour for the below ground tunnels. These remain a consistent temperature built into the permafrost, and keep the Heskyn safe of the more extreme weather phenomenon above ground.
Stadarfell is a bit more in keeping with the traditions of Stunga. Almost entirely subterranean, it's the thriving port town between Jorvingr and Stunga, and where the influence of the ihan ae largely ends. Here you are far more likely to find Heskyn that are a lot more traditional - down to the tradition of veil wearing.
Across the sea is Stunga, or Stau as the Heskyn call it in Eyjafja. This area is far more isolated, and where the true culture of the Heskyn remains undisturbed. Common is rarely spoken, and almost no homes are built on the surface. So much so that a Heskyn from Stunga is identifiable largely by blindness - most heskyn, remaining below ground for almost all of their life - loose the ability see, feeling instead with sight, touch, and through extensions of their spirit, using the changing pressure to assess their proximity to someone else. In order to avoid damage what little vision they do have, many will wear veils over their eyes when coming to the surface for the first time to avoid total blindness or other complications with their health.
Heskddigthr is an incredibly old spirit, dating back to the Black Seas Storm System along with Ingrithid. For some time, Ingrithid and Heskddigthr were the main two competing forces, giving rise to a few different storms when they clashed. One notable one was the Iron Clouds, where supposedly pieces of the sea where lifted into the air, leaving dome shaped indents in the sea's surface and balls of water suspended in midair dropped the moment something disturbed the surface of the water it came from. Like Ingrithid, it has been slowly pushed back, forcing it into the corner of the Alkgnir.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Across Stunga and North Jorvingr

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

It is worth highlighting "breath sight", the name given those who use their spirit for sight. Breath sight extends far beyond subterranean uses, some have said it helps them detect weather, sense people hiding, and find hidden rooms.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

"My Nýrvor saw my parents competing in a massive village wide... Basically dodgeball match with everyone else who was turning 20 that year. The year before it was a race. My mum, Olafur, survived in the game the longest, just like she threatened to for years. I don't think my dad's pride has every recovered." - Addanc Senolafur on the origins of his surename, having grown up just outside of Reyiniiar.

Heskyn's naming tradition changes from Stunga to Jorvingr. In Jorvingr, they normally would follow a fairly typical First name - sure name structure, surname usually consisting of [Ren](male)/[Ressen](female)/[Sen](other)-[Parent's name]. Which parent is chosen for the name is largely decided through the Nýrvor - a coming of age ceremony that frequently sees parents compete in a game for the title. In Stunga, naming conventions are a lot stranger. The Nýrvor almost entirely defines a person's name, dictating that a person leave the safety of the tunnels to wonder Stunga. Until then, they will be given a Nýrgae - a "fledgingly name". A person will wonder the surface of Stunga for a month - sometimes alone, sometimes with others - and while there they must seek their own name, naming themselves after a notable experience, object, or purpose found in the ice. While the surnames are in keeping with their Jorvingr counterparts, the order of the names are almost noteworthy. In front of a name will usually be the name of a nearby mountain. In the case of Oddivarg, this would be Oddihvítur. An example title would Af Oddihvítur Ragnar Renhelgi. Some people shorten the name of the mountain, or even drop "of" and roll into the name - "Af Oddihvítur Ragnar Renhelgi" could as easily be "Oddiv Ragnar Renhelgi" or even "Ragnariv Renhegli".

Cultural Hints

Heskyn tend to borrow from Nordic naming conventions. Ice flats tend to borrow from Danish, Finnish, and Swedish, while Stunga will borrow from Icelandic, Inuktun, Tunumiit oraasiat, and Kalaallisut.

Lifespan

70 years

Average Height

1.8-2.5m

Average Weight

40-120kg

Geographic Distribution

• Stunga

Stormchaser Fate

Heskyn's stormchaser fate is known as the Faceless. When lost to the spirit, Heskyn will only ever be semi-corporeal, able to walk through walls, buildings, and people. They cannot fully interact with people, although people have described their movements near them as unusually cold. Faceless cannot vocalise, nor does their form allow for finer detail. Some seem to be in permeant pain from this form, but not respond fully to prompts, only seeming confused.

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