Sudarn (Soo-darn)
Sudarn is the region of the world located near the southern ice caps, originally individual tribes settled the cold lands but after the discovery of The Mother, the knowledge sharing and openness from the tribes to not hide the gifts united the tribes to form the Nation of the Frozen Forests.
THE PEOPLE OF SUDARN
PERSONALITY
The people of Sudarn are percieved to be as cold as the ice they live on. The language they speak, although lyrical doesn’t require much facial movement so the face is hard to read while a sudarner speaks. Greeting a sudarner is usually on the subject of weather, when the livelihood of the people depends on it, the topic of conversation begins with it. Despite appearances to outsiders, the people are very warm to close ones. An outsider must get inside the circles to really see the true nature of the sudarners.HUMOUR
The dark humour of the sudarners are well known throughout the world. No topic is barred except Glathir, joking about the goddess is seen as uncouth. Many a fight has started between a sudarner and a foreigner when dealing with humour about the death of loved ones. When life is harsh, many will find the light in the hardest topics.RESPECT
The oldest female in a family is generally always referred to as “moor” or mother. The head of the family, they are always respected, especially if they come from the older families. The grandmother will pass the family history and traditions down to their daughters and thus the reason why tradition and history in sudarn is still preserved to a scholarly level. The gods are respected heavily in Sudarn, most familys will have a rune or statue dedicated to Glathir in their home. Areas in the villages in towns will have statues dedicated to gods that the locals wish to have their blessing. For example, most fields will have a krothus totem.ELDERS
Each village in Sudarn has an elder or council of elders if the village is large enough. Generally, they are someone who has been in the village for many years and knows the traditions & customs to pass down. When an elder passes away or gives up their title, the towns people generally vote for their leader, generally with a suggestion from the previous elder. Elders tend to be at least in their 50th year, although exception has been known in tragic or extraordinary cases. Their duties include overseeing resources and tasks in the village, and trade to other villages. Elders communicate with couriers to inform of news. They perform most of the duties in the local elderhus where residents of the village can request meetings to discuss events. Some villages prefer an elder per type of work/resource, some hold traditions in matriarchal structures, and some prefer familial elders. Each village is unique in the choosing of their elder but since before the kilns, the villages have lived in harmony, despite the large distances and harsh weather. The barbarians prove a common nuisance and threat. Many years after The Mother was discovered, the elders formed a coalition to govern the region of Sudarn, called the Nation of the Frozen Forests. This was necessary to deal with the new travel and interest in the region from other lands. Each village cooperates and helps each other when needed in order to make Sudarn Thrive.TRADITIONS
FIRST FALL
The celebration of First Fall marks the first snow of the coldest months. Althought the southern areas are freezing, snow happens seasonally as the wind and rain start in the coldest months. Once the snow has subsided, celebration begins. The day of the first snow is marked with the preparation of special soups and sweet treats. A community will build a center fire in the main area of the village or town and sing songs to welcome the coldest months where family and friends make the harsh snow a bit more bearable. Tributes are given to the community members who have passed and will not see this First Fall. Weavers will bring their wøllen coats and socks for the community as the ahlg are brought in to the warmer barns. Most families keep their coats and clothes for a few years but the weavers are always prepared, the newest items are always the warmest and no one should feel the sharp sting of ice. The sweet treats include chilled pulp of the gryberries, sweetened bread, and hugru-tree sapsticks. Delicacies of the southern region made with the freshest of ingredients from the forests. There is usually some meats on sticks that are cooked in the large fire at the celebration. The aroma that engulfs the village teeters between savoury and sweet. The hunters will go out and forage the next clear day and try to add meat to the reserves for the village. Since the snow brings deep cold, meat can be frozen for longer lasting supplies. As the snohund hibernate, it is a little easier to find animals. As families retire for the night, it is customary to bring a stick alight with the First Fall Flame to the home to warm the house at the start of the coldest season. Parents will generally sing a song to their children teaching them the story of First Fall.Snow falls down, as glathir comes, Embracing us with gentle song, Icy touch, but warmest heart, Sky and ground, no more apart Come inside and fan the flame Of First Fall Snow, at this point tame, With this rune, a wish to seal, Jarthi’s warmth, cold home will heal
ARCHITECTURE
BUILDING MATERIALS
The south is littered with trees and so the wood from these is used extensively in building for the nation of the frozen forests. The red wood that lies under the pale bark provides a beautiful contrast against the white landscape the towns are situated in. The presence of light and dark natural rock in the mountains and earth allows the natives to build hard surfaces also. The earth itself is used to build the encapsulating walls for insulating the homes of the natives. Buildings of the elders use black sand from the coast to cover their buildings.HOUSES
Houses are built to maximise the sun intake during the day. They face north with windows to absorb the heat, and the dark rock is used to act as heat absorbers to keep the house warm at night. Earth is piled around the sides and back of the house to further insulate. The top of the houses have a light covering of earth and feature wooden constructions based on the family namesake.GLASS
The beaches along the coast of the Tathi Sea have the most beautiful black sand. Unfortunately this cannot be melted to make glass so it's is used for decorative covering of some buildings. Glass is manufactured from sand from the Silac Desert which is imported through traders. The invention of glass made life more pleasant in the frozen south.FAUNA
Animals in the frozen lands of sudarn are made to survive the cold and blend in from predators. Below are some examples of the wildlife found.
Type
Region
Comments