The Iron Sworn

The Children of The North

The Iron Pact was forged between The Boldorn and the King of Swords. The terms of the pact bound the King of Swords and his tribe to travel into the lands of the nightmare on the behalf of the Boldorn, acting as mercenaries in their war against the dark. In exchange for their assistance in the war, the Boldorn taught what would later become known as the Iron Sworn the methods of working metal.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Choose two non-rhyming elements to form a name. These selections are typical, not exhaustive.
First Common: Aelf, Aethel, Beald, Beorht, Cwen, Deor, Ead, Eald, God, Gunn, Hild, Leof, Mild, Os, Sae, Sige, Thur, Wig, Wine, Wulf
First: Ac, Aelf, Aenes, Aethel, Aew, Ard, Arm, Baerh, Barda, Bay, Beald, Bel, Beo, Beorht, Beorn, Beran, Bitan, Blac, Blaec, Blaed, Bland, Bote, Bregu, Brun, Burg, Cadda, Caed, Cen, Ceol, Cuic, Cuth, Cwen, Cyne, Daeg, Daegel, Daegga, Deal, Deor, Dern, Dude, Dun, Ead, Eald, Ealh, Ean, Ear, Ecg, Eofor, Frea, Frith, Gar, Geat, Gisel, Glaed, God, Gold, Graeg, Grim, Gunn, Guth, Halig, Hard, Hari, Heah, Heana, Heard, Heathu, Helm, Heort, Here, Herle, Hild, Hlot, Hoga, Holen, Hrof, Hroth, Hun, Hwit, In, Isen, Kettil, Lang, Leod, Leof, Mael, Maer, Maht, Mild, Mund, North, Noth, Oe, Ondes, Ord, Orme, Os, Raegen, Rand, Read, Ric, Rim, Ruh, Run, Sa, Sae, Secg, Sele, Sig, Sige, Snel, Stan, Strang, Sunu, Swet, Swith, Theod, Thur, Tila, Tort, Treuwe, Trum, Tun, Wacer, Waer, Wald, Walt, Weald, Weard, Wict, Wig, Wil, Wine, Wulf, Wusc
Second Common: beald, beorht, burg, flaed, frith, gifu, gyth, here, hild, leofu, maer, or, raed, ric, sige, thryth, waru, weald, wig, wulf
Second: aeldra, aesc, arm, beald, beorht, beorn, bert, bote, brand, burg, cromb, cyne, deal, deor, dreda, ecg, eofer, flaed, frea, frith, fugol, gar, geat, gifu, gild, glaed, god, gold, grim, gyr, gyth, haele, hard, heah, heard, helm, here, hild, hun, in, kettil, lac, leod, leofu, mael, maer, maht, mon, noth, nyd, or, raed, rand, ric, rim, run, sele, sig, sige, snel, son, stan, sterre, strang, sunu, swith,

Masculine names

Choose two non-rhyming elements to form a name. These selections are typical, not exhaustive.
First Common: Aelf, Aethel, Beald, Beorht, Cuth, Cyne, Deor, Ead, Eald, Gar, God, Here, Leof, Os, Sae, Sige, Thur, Wig, Wine, Wulf
First: Ac, Aelf, Aenes, Aethel, Aew, Ard, Arm, Baerh, Barda, Bay, Beald, Bel, Beo, Beorht, Beorn, Beran, Bitan, Blac, Blaec, Blaed, Bland, Bote, Bregu, Brun, Burg, Cadda, Caed, Cen, Ceol, Cuic, Cuth, Cyne, Daeg, Daegel, Daegga, Deal, Deor, Dern, Dude, Dun, Ead, Eald, Ealh, Ean, Ear, Ecg, Eofor, Frea, Frith, Gar, Geat, Gisel, Glaed, God, Gold, Graeg, Grim, Guth, Halig, Hard, Hari, Heah, Heana, Heard, Heathu, Helm, Heort, Here, Herle, Hlot, Hoga, Holen, Hrof, Hroth, Hun, Hwit, In, Isen, Kettil, Lang, Leod, Leof, Mael, Maer, Maht, Mund, North, Noth, Oe, Ondes, Ord, Orme, Os, Rand, Raegen, Read, Ric, Rim, Ruh, Run, Sa, Sae, Scroc, Secg, Sel, Sig, Sige, Snel, Stan, Strang, Sunu, Swet, Swith, Theod, Thur, Tila, Tort, Treuwe, Trum, Wacer, Waer, Wald, Walt, Weald, Weard, Wict, Wig, Wil, Wine, Wulf, Wusc
Second Common: beald, beorht, frith, gar, geat, hard, heard, here, maer, mund, noth, raed, ric, sige, stan, weald, weard, wig, wine, wulf
Second: aeldra, aesc, arm, beald, beorht, beorn, bert, bote, brand, cromb, cyne, deal, deor, dreda, ecg, eofer, frea, frith, fugol, gar, gard, geat, gild, glaed, god, gold, grim, gyr, haele, hard, heah, heard, helm, here, hun, in, kettil, lac, leod, leof, mael, maer, maht, mann, mon, mund, noth, nyd, raed, rand, ric, rim, run, sele, sig, sige, snel, son, stan, sterre, strang, sunu, swith, thorne, uald, wacer, waer, wald, walh, walt, weald, weard, weorth, wict, wig, wil, wine, wini, wise, wold, wulf, wyn

Family names

The Iron Sworn have no family names. Their personal names are usually formed from a pair of stock vocabulary elements; meanings are mostly ignored.

Other names

Single-element names (old words, bynames, and diminutives) exist, but are seen to be seen as lowly. A few elements are exclusively male or female, or otherwise restricted—for instance, aethel (noble), cyne (royal, king), and cwen (queen) are only used by those of high lineage. Some elements are always first (such as aethel), some last; most could be either.
Acca, Aeaba, Aeffa, Aeldra, Aelfa, Aelle, Aette, Anna, Bass, Beda, Bica, Binni, Blacey, Blithe, Bliths, Blostm, Bondi, Botta, Brand, Brant, Budda, Bugge, Bynni, Cada, Cana, Cearl, Cille, Clac, Cola, Cutha, Cyppe, Denu, Dodda, Eabae, Eafa, Eni, Fearn, Freca, Gal, Geol, Goda, Grim, Hacca, Haele, Haki, Hasta, Hedde, Hengist, Horsa, Hrafn, Hring, Hugi, Ine, Lilla, Moll, Mul, Octa, Offa, Ogga, Orm, Peada, Penda, Praen, Pymma, Reod, Saba, Sebbi, Snel, Sped, Swan, Swein, Thearle, Tofi, Toki, Tole, Tripp, Tubbi, Tukka, Tunni, Wace, Wada, Waed, Warer, Wini, Witta, Wuffa, Yffi
* If you want more single-element names, use the elements from the two-element list, either alone or with a diminutive ending: ‘-el’, ‘-ela’, or ‘-la’. Note that ‘-a’ is a masculine ending:

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

• Cleanliness and protection from evil is a key part of Iron Sworn culture. A trait highlighted by the following cultural traditions.
• They believe that a person should carry at least some amount of iron, preferably a blade, at all times to ward away dark forces.
• They burn smoke weed in stone saunas to both cleanse the soul of corruption and to soothe aches and pains.
• They often chew Crow's Spice (nutmeg) to "Flavor their tongues for the crows" and to both freshen their breath and soothe tooth pain.
• Homosexual extramaritally affairs are commonplace for both genders and are tolerated by spouses
• Heterosexual extramaritally affairs are often punishable by the death of both parties involved

Average technological level

Early Medieval, Late Dark Ages

Common Dress code

The go-to pieces of clothing worn daily by all social classes is the tunic and trousers. The tunic is a roughly-rectangular shirt that pulls over the head, with a hemline falling to the mid-thigh or knees (or to the ankles for a woman, making the tunic a form of dress) and long sleeves. The trousers are pants cinched at the waist with a drawstring or belt.
Another form of clothing that is ever-present across classes and cultures is the cloak, a usually-rectangular piece of heavy wool worn over the shoulders.
Due to the cold and wet weather, socks, gloves, hats and hoods and leg-windings of wool are also common.
While the types of clothing and materials used to make them are similar across all cultures and social classes, one can usually distinguish between social classes by the fineness and decoration of the clothing. The finer the weave of cloth, the more expensive it will be, and likewise the more decorated the clothing, the higher the cost. It is also common to wear clothing in layers, with the layers underneath being longer, both to prevent chafing and to show off the multiple layers. A good way to determine wealth and status is to look at colors: while even a poor peasant would have access to some form of dye, from locally-sourced plants and the like, the more expensive dyes will make clothing brighter and the color more steadfast
A slave might wear only a wool tunic of rough weave, while a wealthier peasant might wear a better-made tunic over a linen undertunic. A warrior-noble might wear clothing made of fine, brightly-dyed wool lined with furs or even silk.
There isn't much differentiation between "day-to-day" clothing and clothing worn to festivals and ceremonies, although a person would certainly try to wear their best (and cleanest) clothing.

Art & Architecture

Iron Sworn are known as masters of wood and timber construction. Besides the cities of the north, their architectural style is reflected in The City of Oaks, situated on the southern face of the Rust Mountains. Their buildings are built partly underground to conserve heat and are made with stones, with wood used only for support, and roofs of straw above the wood. These houses are essential to keep in heat in the freezing climate.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

• Common pastimes include lyrical poetry, dice games, spear throwing competitions, foot races, and wrestling.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

• See The Rite of Naming

Funerary and Memorial customs

Most Iron Sworn cities have a Hall of the Dead, where bodies are interred, overseen by a Priestess of the Undying, who ensures that corpses are properly consecrated and cared for. Priestess are trained to prepare and inter the corpses of the dead and to learn the proper burial rituals and prayers, sometimes from birth.
A priestess of The Undying are entrusted with a ceremonial dagger once they've completed their training, given by the head priestess who sanctified the ritual. Ceremonial daggers and other tools are used by Iron Sworn to embalm the bodies. Besides that dagger, each priest holds an amulet of Undying Fire which allows them to appease the restless dead who sometimes arise from their tombs. Cult of the Undying embalmers usually live solitary lives and are seen as little more than outcasts.
Prestigious families may also have their own barrows outside of cities. These tombs are watched by their own relatives, keeping out intruders and tending to their dead. This tradition dates, at least, to the very beginning of King of Swords conquest and continued beyond the fall of the Empire of the First Fire. Highly esteemed Iron Sworn, like honored warriors, jarls, and kings of old had their own barrow, commonly in secluded places, far from populated places.
Some Iron Sworn may choose a Fire Burial, instead of interring themselves. Reasons may differ, but the practice while deemed acceptable by the wider culture remains an uncommon choice. This ritual involves the cremation of the body of the deceased and the consecration of the ashes by a priestess, to secure their souls to depart to the afterlife. This is most typically carried in situations where embalming is not logistically possible.

Common Taboos

• The Iron Sworn does not partake in the flesh of canine due to the belief that to eat a canine is to fate, the consumer to die while being torn to pieces by rabid dogs.

Common Myths and Legends

• The Iron Sown believe a person's fighting prowess is stored in their stomach.

Historical figures

• The King of Swords
• The Nameless Queen
• The Oathkeeper

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Long hair is seen as attractive for both genders and is very common. Flowy and braided hair is ideal, but often impractical. Buns and ponytails are common for the lower classes.
Pale skin is seen as preferable. Dark skin is not considered unattractive but is uncommon.
Blonde or red hair is considered most attractive, partially because of religious connotations of "being like the sun." The majority of people have light brown to black hair, however.
Light-colored eyes, either blue, green, or gold in hue are ideal.
For body type, there is a distinct difference in ideals depending on your age. For teenagers and young adult women, a lean form with subtle curves is preferred. Women in their thirties are expected/preferred to have wide hips, large breasts, and be a little chubby. This has much do with childbirth.
For teenage and young adult men, a similar lean look with good muscle tone is considered ideal, and are usually clean-shaven. For older men, a sturdier form with bigger muscles and a bit of fat is preferred, and beards are more prevalent. Beard length increases with age.
Being tall is desirable for both genders.
Makeup is heavily used, both genders might donning a "smoky eye" and war paint, in addition, women often use blush.

Courtship Ideals

The Iron Sworn have a monogamous marriage tradition, with one man being bound to one woman when they marry. The man's lord must be present in the ceremony to legitimize the marriage, and without his consent, the marriage can't be held. The ceremony is always held in the confines of a purpose-built forge, with the groom and the bride both dressed in armor. As many people as the whole town can watch the ceremony, which consists in the groom and bride approaching each other and making their marriage vow. The vow is to swear fidelity and honor to the partner until their deaths. The ceremony then progresses to the couple consummating the marriage, with the people that followed the whole ceremony being encouraged to watch so as to confirm the consummation. When they are finished, the lord declares the success of the marriage and blesses the couple. A banquet is then held, with food being provided by the lord and served to all comers. If the man dies and leaves a widow, the widow is allowed to marry again. If the woman dies and the man is left alone, he is forbidden to marry again in all cases.

Relationship Ideals

• Women are expected to be aggressive and make prospective suitors fight for their hand in a duel. Often times this is just for show, the woman purposefully losing the duel and therefore allowing the man to 'win' her but other times women have earned a great deal of renown for having killed many prospective suitors in such duels.

Related Myths

• The Iron Pact