Clan Volstag
“It was the time of Baba Yaga…”Uncle Korin had begun to recite the ancient tale. This distant relation of my father was one of the few Volstags that survived the Witch’s Hunt that had come a generation before. Korin’s father had lost his chain before its gift could be passed to Korin, but despite this, Korin was as brave as any Volstag and would see the family’s service done even if he was no longer responsible for it. Today was one of those opportunities, and Korin was to be the narrator of the family’s lore to the clan’s youth.
“The Great Volstag, found himself lost in the dark below…”I had heard this story from my father before, but the chance to be with people outside of my family was rare and so I gladly listened and watched. The tree above Yr, my twin, and my adopted brother Hyglak Morbear proved to be excellent for seeing everyone. The “book worm”, as Yr called him, Storii Vorncloud was sprawled in front of us. He was our age, but an indentured servant father had procured to help Yr along in his studies.
“In darkness, he crossed the children of Torag, and together they fought…”My eldest sister, Freya, sat nestled in the arms of her betrothed lover, Arne Bjornrik. Arne was the first person outside my family that ever talked with me, and as such has earned my devotion. They had chosen a small stone bench here in the shrine to Erastil that hid in the forest behind Volstag Hold. For his part, Arne was a good warrior, but little else, and had captured her heart when they played as children. Father was of a mind to throw the boy out and end the young lovers’ flirtations, but mother had stopped him. One day, he had found them planning to run into the fey woods and “live as the elves do.” Enraged he broke in on them and would have beaten the boy senseless, but Freya leapt to defend him and the two fought him as one. Realizing his little girl would not just let the boy go, father fell into a burst of deep laughter and accepted him. Since then he has stood unflinching at father’s side in battle, and despite his youth has earned his axe, and father’s blessing.
“Their lord Roht, was mortally wounded, but would not let his people fall…”Armyr, is the eldest, the brightest, and quite possibly the most different of all the Volstag youth. Mother had found early on that he took well to the teaching of Erastil and then even more so to the natural magic of the world. She called a Druidic colleague, the same that came to Yr and me at our birth, that began his instruction in the hidden ways. Father, a forge master, and Armyr, the naturalist, have never agreed on much, but for each one’s part, there is a deep respect and deeper love. He stood now amongst the other children of the clan, sons, and daughters of Bellize, they formed a flock at the center of the shrine, and he watched over them, their shepherd.
“Great Volstag agreed to the dark bargain, him and his line would trade rightful rest…”Ursa, the youngest, sat upon father’s knee at the center of the shrine. She was every bit his daughter, she loved the forge since she could walk and father is said to make weapons of legend when his daughter strikes the hot iron first. The people call it Ury steel, and it has made father rich.
“From father to Son, the Chains are passed, Blood by Blood the Chains are linked, honor those who pass them…”At the center of the shrine, they stand out, both regal and common at the same time. My mother, Sif, was a warrior-priestess of Erastil, and this was her shrine. She was a hunter, an archer without peer, sister to the Black Raven commander Ulf Torstein of Trollheim. She wore simple leathers, and never was without her redwood bow. Even now, as she sat next to her husband, surrounded by friends and family it sat by her side. Father, Yvan “the Ram”, was a massive man, a Servant of Torag, and forge master. The Dwarves of Bellize believed him to have been born of the forge as they and rarely was he clean of its grime. His beard was thick, but charred at its ends, and upon his head, he wore a ram-horned helm.
“We are Men, we are Dwarf, We are Volstag, and..”The crowd waited for it, eager to help him finish. Korin looked around the gathered kin, shaking his hands and gaining the approval of the crowd to roar out the last line as one.
“We are family.”
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Freya, Ursa, Sif
Masculine names
Yvan, Korin, Yr, Yric, Amyr, Storii, Hyglak, Arne, Roht
Family names
Volstag, Morbear, Vorncloud, Bjornrik
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Common, Dwarf, Giant, Abyssal
Art & Architecture
Weapons forged by Clan Volstag are considered very high quality and possibly even carry minor enchantments. The former clan Jarl, Yvan Volstag was dwarf trained and acknowledged Anvil Priest. His Daughter, Ursa Volstag, is said to have a magic touch surpassing even her father. Weapons blessed by her hammer are known as Ury-forged and are prized throughout the lands.
Coming of Age Rites
Historical figures
Volstag the Great-Father
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