Elderlanders

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The Elderlanders, known collectively as 'Vastermein' in their own tongue, are considered to be barbarians by the people of Singarth. As such, they are very rarely referred to as 'Elderlanders' anymore; in fa ct, the Saegar have all but written them out of history, and so the name is hardly known. There are clans of Vastermein all over the world, though the majority of them have scattered and become hermits that are locally feared, and often referred to as 'Giants' by those who know no better.

Physically, the Vastermein look almost exactly the same as humans; with the exception of their height. For a male, the smallest recorded height is seven feet and one inch, whilst for females, it is six feet and three inches. They are born with markings that appear much like Celtic patterns; these markings supposedly mimic the intended life pattern of an individual. It is considered a great shame to take a path different to one's Intention.

The Elderlanders believe in a Goddess they call 'Maurr', who they believe lives in the bones of everything alive and can stir a creature to do as she wishes. This is a pre-cursor to the Cinn belief in the Mother, and a great many of the same principles apply. They don't believe in her 'Messengers', however, refusing the notion of Melusine and Carradine. They are, for the most part, capable of magic - though few Vastermein have mastered the art. When they do, they excel greatly at it.

The Origins of the Elderlanders
As suggested by the name given to them by early Singan scholars, the Elderlanders existed long before man or Cinn did. They are the predecessors of every nation in the world, though no longer have any known home. They inhabit unclaimed stretches of land, islands, forests or caves. A few scattered clans have been known to wander mountain ranges. The majority of human sightings seem to have been of solitary Vastermein, mostly demented vagabonds whose minds have become near-feral over the years. These Vastermein are typically elderly and infirm, abandoned by their clans or cast out for failing to adhere to their Intention.

The Elderlanders were systematically hunted and driven out by both the Cinn and humans well before the Saegar arrived in Singarth. The fear that their aggressive nature could destabilise the security of their home drove the then-united forces together to rid the land of the Vastermein, and they were subsequently pushed north and kept out of Singarth by a colossal wall that would eventually become Mormount. 'Barbarian' attacks on Mormount are well-documented, though these are very rarely genuine Vastermein attacks, but the product of human and Cinn slavery, breeding and crossbreeding.

The Elderlanders' primary weakness is in their inability to breed quickly. Female Vastermein only ovulate once a year, and their fertility rate is comparatively low. Because of this, it has become common practice for Vastermein males to mate with human females, thus producing halfblood offspring who are almost always used as battlefield fodder. A typical Vastermein lifespan is around seven hundred years, though an individual would be considered elderly at five hundred years.

The Oberharct
The Oberharct are the Clan Chiefs of the Vastermein. They perform as Dukes would in 'civilised' society. All report to the Hark, the 'Grand Clan Chief' whose decisions unite the Clans and guide their culture. Whilst almost all Vastermein Clans differ in their trivialities, cultural appearance and specialties, they are all required to follow the laws and wishes of the Hark.

The Oberharct is essentially the Alpha of the pack, and the only man or woman in a Clan considered worthy enough to heed the call of the Hark and speak to them without being spoken to first. A child with the Intention of being an Oberharct will be born with facial markings, though they will not rise above the cheekbones, whilst a child with the Intention of becoming the next Hark will have their entire face marked.

Oberharcts are expected to be the first on the battlefield, and the last off it. This applies to every one of them, whether their specialty is medicine or axes. They are also expected to follow every rule to the letter, and if they do not, may be punished by their Onderharct.

The Onderharct
The Onderharcts serve the purpose of advising and moderating the Oberharct. They are almost always the opposing gender, in order to balance out the views and representations of both sides. They perform the duties of the Beta, mostly ensuring the spiritual and emotional welbeing of the Clan. In most cases, Clans appreciate the presence of the Onderharct more than they do the Oberharct, because their influence is typically more direct as a 'voice of the people'.

The Condringen
The Condringen are the general populace of the Vastermein. Their markings are normally based around their arms, shoulders, backs and thighs, though not necessarily all. They are bound by the laws of the Elderlanders to follow their Intention, and those who do not will be abandoned by their Clans and killed on sight should they be encountered again. Their family would also be shamed, leading to the remaining members having their reproductive organs removed.

Children and family are core parts of Vastermein life. They do not recognise marriage, but 'mates'. Once a Vastermein has selected their mate, they must be bonded for life. The union cannot be broken regardless of how unhappy a mating pair may be - this tends to encourage a slow selection process and long stretches of 'wooing' before the pair decide to consummate their agreement and make their home. Both male and female members of the Condringen can be called to war, depending on which of the pair is more capable. If one fights, however, the other will remain home to protect the hearth.

The Bostrick
The Bostrick are half-breeds, either the product of a Vastermein and a human, or a Vastermein and a Cinn. They are considered useful, though only for manual labour and filling out the ranks. The weak have their reproductive organs removed and are put into service under full-blood Vastermein. They will never earn their freedom, though many do rise to fame or wealth if they excel in a particular talent for their masters.

The Bos
The Bos are full-blood human or Cinn captives-turned-slaves. Some of them have never known anything else, having been born into the life, though others have been captured on their travels or stolen from villages. They are never sent to war because they are seen as unworthy to spill their blood for the Elderlanders, and for the most part, are used for pleasure, breeding, menial tasks and hard labour. They are referred to as 'it' (as are all full-blood Cinn or humans, captive or free) and do not have names. The Vastermein treat their hounds better than they do their Bos.

Clan Helmine
Clan Helmine is the current ruling Clan, owing to the Hark being their Oberharct. Dietricha (Dye-trik-ah) is depicted to the right, and has been the ruling Hark for around a hundred years. Thus far, no child has been born in any Clan with the Intention of replacing her.

The Clan hails from Naud, the land of Froya 's people. They have fought frequently with the humans there, and Dietricha has proven herself nothing if not zealous to be rid of them. The Helmine Vastermein do not tend to inhabit the places they destroy - they simply raze, capture and move on. The Clan is not the largest of them, though it boasts healthy numbers and an above average reproduction rate. Its members are typically pale skinned, hardy and brunette, ranging from between seven feet to fourteen feet tall.

Dietricha has no children of her own and has not yet chosen a mate. The attacks on Naud's land and people ceased dramatically five years ago, and Clan Helmine's location is currently unknown. The Clan's specialties are in battle and spiritualism, adhering to the typical Vastermein notions of a Goddess who lives in bones. As a result of both Naud's climate and their spiritualism, the Helmine Clan often wear furs, leathers, bone trinkets and decorated armour.

Clan Axkennen
Clan Axkennen is the largest known Clan of the Vastermein. They originated on the Fell Isles and moved to the mainland early in their cultural life. They are very tall and broad even by Vastermein standards, some reaching seventeen feet, and tend towards various skin shades. Their hair is almost exclusively brown or red.

The Clan's Oberharct, Galbatrix, is a young Vastermein who has held his authority for a mere five years. He is not as warlike as his overbearing appearance seems - in fact, he is something of a closet gentle giant. Despite this, he is capable of great force, and will use it should he feel his people are threatened. This Clan are not heavily spiritual. They believe in the Goddess who resides in bones, but don't feel that carrying around dead animals is at all representative of any faith.

The Axkennen Vastermein are known to inhabit the stretch of forest between Mormount and the borders of Scytra. This area is extensive and it appears that Galbatrix moves his people around to avoid close detection. He is responsible for the 'barbarian attacks' on Mormount, though he almost always sends Bostrick to do so, owing to their size not quite being so conspicuous. Axkennen are probably the most avid slave-keepers and interbreeders of all of the Clans, and they seem to treat their slaves mildly better than their kindred do. Their specialties are battle and building, which they have recently put to use in building the very first Vastermein fortress, deep within the forests.

Clan Sterne-Uhr
Clan Stern-Uhr was formerly the ruling Clan, before Dietricha's Intended Time came to pass. The Oberharct is the former Hark, a deeply spiritual man who was responsible for the development of the Vastermein alphabet. His name is Waldemar, and he has led the Clan for nigh on four hundred years. He is approaching his elder lifetime, and a child has been born to Clan Sterne-Uhr with the Intention of replacing him.

Clan Sterne-Uhr are enthusiastic astrologers who are considered 'more civilised' than their kindred. They do not move around, instead living in houses and having a formal town structure that incorporates such things as trade, blacksmithing and clothmaking. They have recently uprooted from their long-term town on a high peninsula on the Fell Isles, though they originate from much further north than Scytra. Clan Sterne-Uhr began to help Clan Axkennen build the fortress within the forest, adding to it a stable town for the use of both Clans. It is possible that in the future, the next Oberharct of Clan Sterne-Uhr will be the Onderharct of Clan Axkennen, thus merging the two together.

The Vastermein of this Clan are the shortest known, generally standing between seven to eight and a half feet tall. Their talents are mostly intellectual, ranging from writing to astrology and diplomacy. They have a wide range of hair and skin colours with no real exception in their combinations.