Roleplay
Game
The North Lands lie in the north of Mereldia, founded by pilgriming gods with their folks at the end of the war. It is shared with the native gryphons and other creatures that call it home. While having the most mass of any Mereldian coutnry, the North Lands are mostly barren land with only the south beign heavily inhabited. The capital Nordberg is, as the biggest city of Mereldia, an economical metropol and especially famous for its splendid Magic Academies.
North Lands
In the far north of Mereldia, where the weather grows harsh and the people even harsher, lie the North Lands. Most of it is uninhabited with the exception of many villages (most not noted on the map) and a few cities stewn about in the south. The mountain highlands are not a peaceful place to live and the people who made them their home have to fight for survival. Morals are as bitter as the people and crimes are severely punished. Even a simple thing as stealing a loaf of bread can get you your ear nailed to a pillory or a limb chopped off. Witches are hunted and executed, even those that are just suspected yet not proven to be some, so beware of anything that could make people think that you're practicing dark magic.
Dangers of the North
Tread with caution in these lands, for the dangers are not few. Ancient beasts roam the forests and highlands, eager to trick wanderers and cause mischief wherever they can. Faeries, as they are called, are not to be taken lightly and under no circumstances should be insulted. Do not tell them your name, for your name gives them power over you. Also do not fall for their tricks. Be smart if you speak to them and talk your way out of whatever pact they are trying to talk you into. As harmless as most of them seem, you should never underestimate a faerie, even the forthcoming and gentle ones, for they all have a wicked side and morals that cannot be melded with those of mortals and should henceforth never be confused as such.
Apart from the fae, there are also not so ancient, but still dangerous beings one should not cross paths with. Raptors, frighteningly intelligent witless monsters that are unnatural beings - the result of witches' work of times even before the gods - are one of those dangers. The north is home to the two biggest races of this creature, which are mostly found up in the mountains and on the snow-covered plains. Let the gods have mercy on your poor soul shall you ever cross paths with such a beast.
The raptors are not the only abominations of nature one should be wary of. Monsters of all kinds, witless as well as sometimes even sentient, can be found where magic is strong. Some are even friendly, like the very rarely seen Novein, a dragon-like creature the size of a cat which very few is known about. Tales are told of mages taming the beasts and making them their familiar, the most recent being the rumour of the Black Phoenix of Nordberg - a grand mage of the current time - owning such a beast. Though while some few might be tamable, it is not advised to get close to any wild beast that are not of natural origin for most will try to kill you. Do not let them succeed by being a careless fool.
Kelpie
Life in the Cities
Novein
it's the size of a cat
While a life in a village in the North Lands is usually a quiet but deadly affair, life in the cities is much different. They are always bustling with activity and instead of feral predators one will have to look out for criminals or people who could have a grudge against you (since those are often quick to accuse you of witchcraft).
To keep order, there is a loose social system which is less strict than in other countries but still should not be ignored.
Gods
Royalty
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High Society
Middle Class
Low Society
Offscourings
Six Guardians
Royal Families
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Nobility | Guards / Soldiers | Academics
Mages | Middle Class Workers
The Poor | Criminals
Slaves | Witches
Gods
The six guardians of Nordberg are regarded as gods and are prayed to by those that read and believe in "The Keeper Scrolls". They are seen as saviors by those and therefore are holy. The six gods would be:
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Aylinn | cervine - light
Nexus | avian - darkness
Vesta | reptilian - fire
Jafar | canine - water
Isolde | feline - air
Damek | equine - earth
Royal Families
In the North Lands, there are several Royal Families, each commanding over their own city, with the exception of Nordberg, which is ruled by six royal families at once, each for their own district of the city respectively.
High Society
People of noble heritage or just those that are wealthy enough to be able to afford a very luxorious life style, are regarded as High Society. Also those that are empolyed at the palace as guards and soldiers count to that class.
Middle Class
Vendors, bakers, blacksmiths. All of them and more belong to the middle class. Sometimes it even is just a thin line between it and the High Society or even the Low Society respectively. The Middle Class also makes up most of the population of the North Lands.
Low Society
Those without occupation, who are too poor and who often call the slums their home, are of the low society. Once born in poverty it is hard to get out of it, so it is not uncommon that some resort to stealing. But not only thieves, but also other kinds of criminals are regarded lowly. Murderers especially.
Offscourings
There is just one class worse than the low society, which are the offscourings. They have no own place to belong and are looked down upon. Usually these are those that practice the dark arts. Witches and Witchers are widely feared and hunted. They are said to be in bound with the Unseelie and find joy in sadistic rituals and eating children. Though most of these things are not true at all, the prejudices still are very strong. Most witches that are found are burned on the stake.
Your Character
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Your character can live in Nordberg (the biggest city in the North Lands) or somewhere in the areas outside of it. If they live outside of Nordberg or another city, please keep in mind that there are several settlements, villages, etc. in the North Lands that are not marked on the map which you can let your character live in but that this is a huge disadvantage when it comes to roleplaying. A lot of settlements are hard to get to due to the mountains (don't underestimate mountains).
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People are very prejudiced when it comes to witches, but not in the sense of heales or people who practise similar occupations, because in the North Lands, people are used to magic. It is dark magic one has to look out for! So when someone is caught performing strange rituals, talking to animals, or just generally giving the impression to be in bound with the Unseelie, they will probably be suspected as a witch.
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Your character does not have to celebrate all of the festivals, but the majority of the population celebrates the religious ones!
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Your character will know the North Lands' lore and be wary of anyone who looks suspicious, fearing that it could be a monster or a fae. The locals know a lot about fae and will know how to treat the otherworldy creatures with respect and avoid them.
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Everything in the North Lands, as well as in Mereldia in general, is in a medieval setting of the 12th-13th century, time-wise and technology-wise. Therefore, please keep to that time period and don't include too modern things.
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They will own clothing since everyone in the cities walks around fully clothed (except gryphons and owls because it hinders their flight). No one is seen without at least cloak on the streets of a city because that would be seen as uncivilized and extremely rude.
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When it comes to Nordberg, your character doesn't have to live in the district where its kind lives, but they can just settle everywhere in Nordberg (for non-gryphon characters it is recommendable to not settle into Sraderham though, because gryphons are often racist towards people of other species.
Extra Lore and Resources
With this, you have read all the most important stuff there is to know about the North Lands and the life there. If you want to know more than just these basics, like why gryphons are racist, what the festivals are, what the history of this land is and why exactly mosnters and fae are so widely feared, then please consult the glossary.
Below you can find some links to glossary entries about the North Lands and the general Mereldian life. Reading them is not mandatory, but they might help you if you struggle with coming up with something more detailed for your character's life.
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Clothing Ethics | Which clothes are worn where and by who?
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Witness and Sentient | The difference between "people" and "animals".
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The Mereldian Calendar Year | A collection of all the festivals celebrated in Mereldia each year.
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The Keeper Scrolls | A collection of the holy texts of the North Lands
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Songs of Sraderham | A collection of the holy song books of Sraderham
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The North Landish Timeline | A list of noteworthy historical events that happened in Eriwon since it was founded.
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Geography | A collection of maps of Mereldia, its countries and its cities.