Atallguarðr

Atallguarðr, formally known as the Holds of Atallur is an isolated island chain in the Northern Seas of Elmarune north of the Talamghal Empire and the Great Steppes to the east. It is home to many cultures, primarily the Attish and the Velak, human cultures who originated from Talamghal and the Great steppes respectively. The island is made up of nine political regions which are each led by a chieftain who all swear fealty to the Great Chief, the leader of Atallguarðr chosen among the nine chieftains of the holds to lead the people.

The islands have been inhabited since the third age; with Hlatlii legends suggesting them first arriving in the second age. During the early days of Atallguarðr, the tribes and holds were isolated from each other as the islands had come under assault from the void when numerous voidgates opened across the nine holds. The lands were united in the Dawn of the fourth Age, when Atallur the Great, united the tribes of Atallguarðr to beat back the Void menace that was rampant in the lands, leading to Atallur's ascension to divinity.

The islands themselves were formed by volcanic activity in the Northern Seas creating the rough mountainous lands of Atallguarðr. The cold winds but arable soil bring a sturdy vegetation to the islands with most agriculture consisting of roots and grasses. Most larger flora consists of connifer trees as well as the mystical Wychpines in the Wychwoods of Atallguarðr

History

Fourth Age

The dawn of the fourth age is inherently linked to Atallguarðr as it was with the unification of the holds by Atallur that lead to his ascension which sparked the new age.
While historically lead by the Great Chief, a chieftain chosen amongs the leaders of the nine regions of Atallguarðr. During the fourth age, the islands fell in a period of turmoil as none of the regions could decide on a successor after the late Great Chief Beorn of Boderun died in mysterious circumstances in 278 4th Age. The sudden death resulted in unstable times as distrust grew among the holds. Some alliances stayed despite the instability, most notable the Velak regions of Borlaki and Voroda, as well as Askil and Rindur. This however added to the instability and distrust as the home region of the late Great Chief was Steipur, a historically neutral region.

The people of Atallguarðr

The islands being isolated from the rest of Elmarune for so long has given rise to several distinct culture groups, with each hold having their own cultural identity, as well as the nomadic tribes of the Druwa and the Hlatlii. The human cultures being dominant in the lands there are two main cultural groups; the velak to the north and the attish in the south, with both of these having their own set of individual culture groups.

The Attish

The dominant human culture of Atallguarðr, the attish are the most numerous of the human cultures. They can be divided in four major groups: Central Attish, West Attish, South Attish and North Attish.  The attish are a proud and hardy people, honour and family ties being valued highly. Communal bonds and the clan is everything to the attish, with small disputes between indiviuals leading to large scale fights between clans. 
Central Attish
The largest group among the attish; its largest population centers consisting of Altur, Boderun, and Falkur. These regions being more protected from the western winds as well as having a larger amount of natural hotsprings makes for a warmer climate both physically and socially among the central attish. Large longhouses and grand mead halls mark the towns and villages, with a strong mercantile culture the central attish are known for their dealmaking and strong brews.
West Attish
Fully at the embrace of the western winds, the people of Valdur are a hardy folk, Valuing honest work and warm drinks over grand gestures and deals. Valdur being particularly rife with voidgates near the wychwoods during the third age has brought a deep distrust of the supernatural among the west attish with many legends and myths giving warning of magicks and its links to the void. While family being an important part of all attish people, the west attish value family ties even more due to their distrust of the unknown, furthering the value of actions and honest deeds.
South Attish
The second largest population group among the attish, known for their maritime traditions due to the calmer waters between Askil and Rindur. Many south attish live large parts of their lives at sea, with most known travellers to distand lands being south attish. Due to the sailors culture, prestige among the south attish is often related to how far one has travelled and stories about their journeys. 
North Attish
Living largely only in Steipur, the north attish are sometimes seen as the frontiermen of the attish. Being at the border of the velak lands the north attish are often more openminded than their southern relatives, often staying neutral in larger political issues. A common saying among the other attish lands is that "It's easier to convince a screaming drake to be quiet, than it is to rally the northmen". 

The Velak

The Chieftains of Atallguarðr

The Holds of Atallguarðr is governed by a commonality of tribes led by clans and chieftains. The union of the tribes is the foundation of Atallguarðr ever since Atallur united the holds. Seperate by tribes and even to some degree cultures, the islands are all linked together under the blessings of Atallur and the Great Chief. At the top of the chain amongst the Attish chiefs is the Great Chief who leads all of Atallguarðr. The Great Chief is elected among the Chieftains of the nine regions who individually rule over their respective region. The two main culture groups differ to some degree on how their leadership is made up.

The Attish tribes

Among the attish, the position of chieftain over a region is primarily hereditary as familial bonds and lineage is important in Attish culture, so thus the first born is usually chosen as the heir to be the next chieftain. If the first born is proven to be unworthy or for any other reason the chieftain might choose another of the chieftains family, or in very rare cases, someone outside the family altogether. This all still happens within the chieftains clan, but outside clans might gain power through alliances and marriages into the head clan.
Under the chieftain is the tribe leaders, who are the heads of the clans in a region. These tribe leaders are made up of the most influential clan heads in the tribe and rule over their own clans as well as provide counsel to the chieftain. The clans themselves are made up of the families and villages in the local area, with the clan being lead by the clan head, who often was the head of the most influential family, but at this stage it is more up to personal charisma and on who will step up to the role; this usually still happens within certain powerful families but is not unheard of that individuals from smaller families in the clan rise to power.
On the lowest seats of powers are village leaders and family heads, which are the most influential, well liked, or simply the most powerful members in a village or town. At this stage the leader's role is less of a ruler and more of an administrator and mediator, solving disputes between families and individuals, as well as organizing large scale projects such as the construction of palisade walls, large agricultural efforts or call to arms from the clan head or above.
While the role and means of the leaders vary as you go up or down the chain of power in the tribes, any position can be challenged by any person of status high enough to take the position, as while lineage and ancestry is important, individual strength and charisma is more important for a leader.
As aforementioned any person with high enough status can challenge any position all the way up to Great Chief, with what determines high enough status depends on what position is challenged, with chieftains being the only ones to challenge the Great Chief, clan heads being able to challenge chieftains and so on. However it has happened that people without high status have challenged chieftains by the basis of their deeds as individuals, such as the Great Chief Angor the Falcon, who took the throne in Falkur after he had slain Bjórn, the chieftain of Steipur in defense of Falkur and later dueled Garún, the previous chieftain of Falkur.

The Velak

The tribes in the Velak lands of Borlaki and Voroda follow the system of chieftains at the top as they are still a part of Atallguarðr. The main difference is that the Velak do not have clans and work in a more feudal manner of chiefs using their influence to have the people under them swear fealty to them in exchange for favor and power. Personal power, be it martial prowess or diplomatic influence, is more important in the Velak lands, thus merchants and especially religious leaders hold more power in the north than in the Attish lands.
Chieftains in the Velak lands also require the approval of the Gherli, the head shaman in a tribe or village that the chieftain intends to rule. This is a remnant of the old ways of Velak where the gherli held even greater power and would themselves form a council and choose a leader in times of need.