Nords: Shaman

Lore:

The position and role of Shaman once commanded a great deal of respect in Nord society. Before the coming of the Einherjar, they were the only force capable of blunting the worst excesses of the Fimbulwinter and the Jötnar. Their rune castings and mist weavings could, and did, save countless villages from extinction. During the war with the Jötnar, Shamen were often found at the right hand of the Einherjar, granting their wisdom and guiding them through the many difficult decisions that had to be taken.

Given the pivotal role they played in the survival of the Nord people, one would expect their station to be rather more… exalted than it currently stands. Reduced to living on the edge of what villages will take them, Shamen have fallen on hard times. This decline can be directly traced to the rise of the Valkyrie Cult as a force within Nord society.

The title of Jarl is perhaps the most misleading. Much like the word ‘Lord’ used in the southern lands, there can be a great gulf between two different individuals addressed by the same title. The same holds true in Nord society, where a Jarl remains a recognized leader of men, but the number and quality of the troops at his disposal can vary wildly. In the southern coast of Mannheim, where the weather is a little sweeter than in the true north and the sea provides its bounty through both raiding and fishing, a Jarl might rule over no more than one prosperous town or village, but still manage to support a standing fighting force of over a hundred hard bitten raiders and huskarls, doubling or tripling that during times of need. On the other hand, in the deep north where only small communities of few people can be sustained, a Jarl’s available manpower shrinks tremendously, often resulting in situations where a single Jarl and his hand-picked chosen men range over a large area, hunting and tracking outlaws and predators.