The Frost Barbarians, or the kingdom of Fruztii, had long been under the yoke of their eastern kinsmen, the Snow Barbarians, but the skilled manipulations of old King Ralff had given his realm much more autonomy than it might otherwise have had. A wily diplomat, he assuaged the fiery temper of Orvung, king of the Snow Barbarians, quite well, gaining power for himself while currying his "master’s" favor.

The Frost Barbarians had been gaining in strength before the Greyhawk Wars, prospering through trade with Ratik and the dwarves of the Griffs. Disputes with Stonehold and the humanoid hordes of the mountains were all too frequent, though they usually managed to repel these without too much loss. At the same time, the Ice Barbarians felt that the Fruztii were becoming too close to the weakling Aerdi of Ratik. At the same time, Iuz had been weaving his fiendish plots to draw the Suel barbarians into alliance with the Hold of Stonefist, led by the maniacal Sevvord Redbeard.

When the Greyhawk Wars broke out, the Fruzzti sent troops south to assist Ratik against the humanoids of Bone March, while also batting against an invasion from Stonefist, now the kingdom of Stonehold, ruled by Rhelt Sevvord Redbeard. Iuz’s plans had been thwarted before the war, sending Sevvord Redbeard into a hateful frenzy against both the demigod and his would-be barbarian allies. Livid at being deceived, Redbeard set out to attack and kill anyone and everyone within reach, invading Tenh, Fruzzti, and the Ice Barbarians.

The Frost Barbarians were able to repel the Fist invasion, but they suffered heavy losses. Djekul was ravaged and looted, and King Ralff was slain on the battlefield by Redbeard himself. Nearly twelve thousand barbarian warriors were killed, and many more scarred. Redbeard retreated to his own realm, though he remained a strong and ready enemy.

Hundgred, Ralff’s son, was crowned king of Fruztii to replace his dead father. Having led the Frost Barbarian forces in Bone March alongside the forces of Ratik, he had developed a passion for the ‘civilized’ trappings of the Aerdi. He returned home with a Ratikkan bride eight years his senior, a famed adventuress who immediately set about working her influence on her new husband.

Hundgred proceeded to transform his realm in a most energetic fashion. He went so far as to fully declare Fruztii fully independent of the king of the Snow Barbarians, and proceed to rule his kingdom as such, not even bothering to offer the ceremonial tribute to his supposed sovereign. He also implemented new social changes in his realm, creating government bureaucracies and specific forms of military rank, innovations borrowed from the Aerdi. As a result of his actions, many of his older jarls no longer favor the young king, and they turn a wary eye on the stronger Snow Barbarians, fearing a deadly reprisal for their king’s insolence. Yet, for the most part, they remain loyal to Hundgred out of respect for his great father.

Society and Culture

All the Suel barbarian nations are considered to be chaotic, and so they are, but the Frost Barbarians are easily the most united of the three peoples. They are more prepared to help each other out, feed each other when someone is starving, and cooperate as a nation than either the Ice or Snow Barbarians. In a similar fashion, the clan-based social structure is very strongly tied together, with considerable power invested in the king.

At the bottom of the social hierarchy are the common men, who are all considered equal to one another in matters of law and justice. They are all organized into families, each family claiming a town as its own. These families and villages are ruled by chiefs, who then pay tribute to the clan as a whole. Each band of families is organized into a clan, having its own particular province led by a jarl. These jarls all then pay tribute to the king, who is the final ruler of the realm.

There are few formalized institutions of government or written documents and charters detailing the social responsibilities of the people; the business of running things is always conducted on an ad hoc basis by the king, jarls or chiefs as needed. Each leader defers to the authority of the man above him, with final power resting in the hands of the king. Relations between the king and his nobles are very good, keeping in tune with the cooperative and cohesive spirit of the Frost Barbarians as a people.

The Frost Barbarians, like their kinsmen, treat women as second-class citizens, though abusing them is frowned upon. Demihumans who win the approval of the barbarians will be treated well, though otherwise the Fruztii have little affection for nonhumans. They take slaves, like other barbarians, but again, cruelty to slaves is not well regarded-a slave and his family are thought to be guests in a man’s household, to be protected by him in exchange for their service. As a result, they generally tend to be better off than they would in the hands of the Snow or Ice Barbarians.

While they are a cohesive, friendly people, life as a Frost Barbarian is not necessarily sweetness and light. A spirit of cooperation exists among the people as a whole, but individual brawls and fights erupt all the time. Those barbarian men who cannot wield a sword with strength are scorned as weaklings, and often picked on by their fellows, even if these fellows would not harm the man’s slaves. Jarls and chiefs are continually challenged to duels by young warriors, who wish to rule in their place. The leaders must accept these battles, or be branded cowards and lose support of the people. Personal feuds and slights can be remembered for years and avenged. All this is standard life for a Suel barbarian-it is just that the Frost Barbarians do not go as far with it as do their kin.

Those visiting the lands of King Hundgred will see a nation in the process of changing. New government buildings are being built, constructed in the barbarian model but with the intent of holding a civilized bureaucracy. Many of the old ways and means of government are being institutionalized by the new king, and this has created much chaos and confusion among his people, who are used to doing things through simple discussion and action, not dealing with mounds of paperwork. As a result, Hundgred is unpopular with his people, who resent the changes they believe he is forcibly imposing on them.

Military Structure

Every nation in the hostile northlands needs a strong army to survive, and the Frost Barbarians are no exception. Uniformly well-disciplined and trained, despite their lack of formal organization, the Frost Barbarians can field a force of medium and light foot wearing chainmail and shield, wielding swords and battleaxes. These brave men are comparable to their civilized counterparts in Furyondy or North Kingdom, and will face man, orc, or giant without fear.

Some companies of archers and light cavalry are based in Djekul, though these are rather poor by Flanaess standards. They are auxiliary forces only, for the terrain of the barbarians (harsh hills and thickly forested highlands) does not encourage their use. Only in those regions of tundra can the cavalry be used most effectively. These are usually clad in leather and carry only a longspear and a pack of javelins.

The Frost Barbarians benefit from being the best-organized army in the region, besides those of Tenh and the Pale. While not quite as strong as the Fists or Snow Barbarians, their superior chains of command give them a good fighting chance against these opponents.

King Hundgred’s attempts to impose a strict military hierarchy are causing no end of problems for his war leaders, who are confused about the new lines of authority. Troops are revolting, grumbling, and uncertain about their position in the new regime. Despite their alliance with the men of Ratik, most of the barbarian warriors do not care for the civilized trappings in their army, and are growing very restless, which could cause problems in case of war with Stonehold or the Snow Barbarians.

Ruler

King Ralff was a typical northerner, having brilliant yellow and gold hair flowing down to his shoulders, and a moustache to match. Despite being of only average height and strength, Ralff projected an aura of power and charisma that few could match, being very eloquent and well-spoken for a barbarian, keeping both kinsmen and foreigners off balance with his keen diplomatic skills and intelligent wit. A very smooth talker, he could convince even the indignant Orvung of the Snow Barbarians to do what he said.

Despite his diplomatic skills, more suited to a southern merchant, few people wanted to anger Ralff or question his honor. In his wilder moods, he picked often very violent fights with anyone he met, noble or common. Falling into a rage, his greatsword usually clove his unlucky enemy in two before they could even strike back. He particularly enjoyed provoking husbands by bedding their wives (by force, if necessary) and siring illegitimate children by these unions. He could also be an incredible glutton-eating a whole roast moose in one sitting, for instance.

When these vicious moods did not strike him, Ralff was as brave and honest a ruler as one could find outside of Furyondy and Veluna. He cared very deeply for his people, and worked feverishly, both in diplomacy and battle, to assure their safety and prosperity. He viewed kingship not as a divine right, but a sacred trust, believing that to let down his people would be to let down his gods. He was not overly altruistic towards the people of other countries, however-he cared nothing about going so far as killing the widows and orphans of another nation if it could benefit his own.

King Hundgred Ralffson is much like his father, only far larger and more muscular. Known for parading about his court in a swaggering manner, Hundgred loves pomp and circumstance, taking every opportunity to make those who stand before know that he is every inch a barbarian king. Always talking in a loud bellow, he is given to five-minute long rants and proclamations, which no one dares interrupt.

Boastful, arrogant, and pompous, the young barbarian particularly loves to challenge important visitors to duels, with any weapon of their choosing. Whether he wins or loses determines his disposition towards his opponent for the rest of the meeting. He always insists on conducting business at the feasting table, and his table manners are so disgusting they put those of an ogre to shame. He will go out of his way to be extra rude if he has been offended, conducting lewd behavior with the serving girls even as his guests are trying to eat.

In spite of all his unpleasant qualities, Hundgred is renowned for his brass and courage. He would not be afraid to tell an angry dragon what he thought of it, any more than he would be to challenge Sevvord Redbeard to single combat. He does not have his father’s tact or wit, but he will always give an honest effort to protect his country, as true love for his nation lies buried under his bloated ego.

Foreign Relations

The Frost Barbarians have the best relations, rather obviously, with the people of Ratik, who they admire greatly. Trade and diplomacy go quite well between the two countries, though indidivudal barbarians are becoming very upset with Ratik, who they blame for Hundgred’s attempts at social "reform". The country’s relations with the Snow and Ice Barbarians vary; all three barbarian nations raid and war with each other freely, but they also ally against Stonehold or the various humanoids and giants of the mountains.

Currently, both of the other barbarian kingdoms are not getting on well with Fruzzti. The Snow Barbarians resent the arrogant boastings of the new Frost king, and the Ice Barbarians have never enjoyed the way the Frost Barbarians deal with Ratik. King Ralff, for his part, made a point to be good friends with both kingdoms.

Apart from the humanoids and giants of the mountains, the Frost Barbarians’ one true enemy is Stonehold. True hatred boils between the Fists and all barbarians, and neither will show the other any sort of mercy if they ever fall into combat. Raids and battles are constant between the two deadly enemies, as they are with any community unlucky enough to be within Stonehold’s deadly reach.

The Scarlet Brotherhood has made overtures to all the barbarian peoples, and the Frost Barbarians have proven the most eager and receptive. Some have traveled to the Brotherhood’s lands in the far south, and reported with amazement and wonder at the sights they have seen. Some of the jarls and warriors, including the king, talk of joining the Scarlet Brotherhood in its ambitions of conquest, agreeing that the Suel are the rightful rulers of the Flanaess. Others are not so sure-they know that large-scale warfare with the south would eventually ruin them as a people, or at least cost the lives of thousands of their own young men. They also distrust the schemes and smiles of the men in the scarlet robes. These debates have added yet another fracture to modern Frost Barbarian society.

The Ice Barbarians, or the kingdom of Cruski, are the most ancient and storied of the Suel peoples of the north, and perhaps of all the Flanaess, save for the founders of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Long proud and independent, they always held themselves to be higher than their Frost and Snow cousins, believing that their ancient god Vatun had given their king the right to rule over all the peoples of the Suel, and that they have been chosen by their deity to someday forge a grand barbarian empire in his name.

Perpetually raiding and allying with their barbarian cousins, fighting with their enemies in Stonehold, and raiding the Aerdi lands to the south, the Ice Barbarians seemed to have little influence upon the Flanaess as a whole, keeping their own counsel and living life as they always had. But even they were not immune to the sinister plottings of the Scarlet Sign…

The Scarlet Brotherhood had contacted old King Cralstag, making the same promises and offerings they would offer to the other barbarian lords. They made reference to the Suel race’s proud imperial history, its connection with magic and mystery, and the loyal service of Cralstag’s ancestors to the Imperial Crown.

Cralstag spat in the faces of the red-robed emissaries in his court. His ancestors served no one, he proclaimed, especially not an emperor who was covered in the filth of sorcery. He ordered them to begone from his realm immediately and never return, prophesying that if they did not, they would feel the wrath of his sword. The Scarlet Sign prepared to depart, but they murdered Cralstag with poison in his cup, as a warning to anyone else who would defy them.

The king had no sons, so his nephew Lolgoff was crowned as the new king. When the Scarlet Brothers came to speak to him at the king’s funeral, they spoke high praise and honor for the dead man. Lolgoff rewarded their treacherous hypocrisy by killing them with his uncle’s sword, thus fulfilling Cralstag’s prophecy. He then elaborated on Cralstag’s threats by saying that gruesome deaths awaited any of the sniveling wretches of the Scarlet Sign who might foul Cruski with their presence.

The Brotherhood was forced to stay its hand for many years, until they were able to strike during the Greyhawk Wars. Being unable to fight the Ice Barbarians in honest combat, they resorted to trickery and deception. The Hold of Stonefist, later Stonehold, was marshalling an army to attack the western territory of the Ice Barbarians, and King Lolgoff was preparing a force to meet them head-on. However, the Scarlet spies in Cruski convinced the king that the Snow and Frost Barbarians were proceeding to attack him from the south. They also spread false rumors about the actual strength of the Stonehold force, painting it as much weaker than originally thought.

Lolgoff rallied most of his force to the south to face the phony Snow threat. But his kinsmen on the Taival Tundra, the western territory of Cruski, were brutally slaughtered. Totally overmatched by the hordes of Fists, those Ice Barbarians left to defend the Tundra fought bravely, but were horribly killed. By the time Lolgoff realized he had been tricked, and sent his troops back to reinforce the defenders of the Tundra, it was too late-Stonehold and its ruler Sevvord Redbeard were in full control of the area.

Among the many other frightful atrocities he committed in the Wars, Redbeard decided to prove his mastery over the tundra by building a road along its length leading back to Stonehold. Instead of installing conventional milestones, he commited a sickening act. He had all his prisoners of war-men, women and children alike-and all the dead of the battle, including his own, impaled on ten-foot high stakes every mile, acting as grisly guideposts indicating the distance back to his own realm.

This act made Lolgoff livid with fury, and he threatened a horrible revenge on Redbeard and Stonehold for their unforgivable actions. But he had to deal with a greater problem; he had been disgraced by the Brotherhood’s successful deception. His reputation tarnished, he has spent the years since the Wars attempting to redeem his honor, regain control of the Taival Tundra, and remove the Scarlet Brotherhood from his realm. The Brotherhood, for its part, continues to try and take control of the kingdom for itself, as it does with every other realm its agents infiltrate…

Society and Culture

More than the other barbarian states, the Ice Barbarians emphasize the Suel traits of passion, individualism, and strength. The people of Cruski are fractured into many small bands and individual families, who for the most part act independently of one another. The same clan system that exists in the Frost and Snow Barbarians is here as well, though it is much more loose and fluid-individuals can travel between clans very easily, and intermarriage is quite common.

While the other barbarian nations are inclined to have some sense of national fellowship, the Ice Barbarians are notoriously independent, and even more than their kinsmen hold that might makes right. Fights and disputes break out over large matters such as hunting territory and mineral wealth, down to petty matters over women and ale. Whole clans may attempt to take over and enslave others. The reasoning in all this is that everything a man has, even his own life, belongs to him only as long as he can defend it. If he cannot, then he is not deserving of it.

This mentality carries over into both the actions of government and the Ice Barbarians’ view of foreigners. The king has no formal institutions to maintain control over his people-he must make his will imposed by non-lethal force, coercion, or willpower. Any of these methods are acceptable, provided the king remains a strong leader in the eyes of his subjects. Otherwise, he clearly is not worthy of the title.

As for the barbarians’ views of other peoples, they hold respect for these peoples if they have no agreed-upon rules to prevent the worst excesses of human nature from damaging society-in other words, if they do not have strong laws and means of enforcing them. The Ice Barbarians view all such cultures, human and nonhuman alike, as being weak and decadent, unable to protect or control themselves. It is a strange irony, then, that the Cruski will show more respect to savage, wicked orcs than they will to the regal, noble dwarves of other regions. The dwarves that live in and near Cruski itself are quite barbaric, as the region has little mineral wealth for them to exploit.

Women, demihumans, and slaves are all viewed with the same lens in Ice Barbarian society-if they can stand up for themselves, then they may prosper as well as any man. If they cannot, then they are condemned to the same servitude as any man who cannot hold his own.

Military Structure

The war bands of Cruski are uniformly fierce, as they must be to survive their battles with orcs, giants, monsters, Fists, other barbarian peoples, and each other. They usually wear chain mail, iron helmets and round shields, acting as heavy and medium infantry. All of these are very dangerous one-on-one opponents, the weakest of which is a match for the battle sergeants of realms like the County of Urnst or Veluna. No archers or cavalry to speak of exist, though this hardly matters, as the harsh, remote regions of Cruski are not accommodating to their tactics anyway.

The army’s main weakness has not to do with training, courage or discipline, but organization. It takes a considerable amount of time and arm-twisting by the king to assemble a full-sized military force for invasion or defense, as the war-bands of each clan prefer to act on their own. Often, that time cannot be spared, and so casualties will be sustained before the barbarians are fully ready to counterattack. The high mortality rate, both in civil and military life, for the Ice Barbarians has caused many clans to practice polygamy and marry their daughters at very young ages, to ensure that many young men are being continually born and raised.

The navy is very good by Flanaess standards, but still no match for the Sea Barons or Lordship of the Isles. The Ice Barbarians raid these realms, and the kingdoms of Aerdy, constantly, but they are never guaranteed of success. The strength of the Sea Barons in particular is deeply resented by the Ice Barbarians, for five out of every six raids they launch to the Barons’ islands will come home in disgrace, their ships a collection of battered wrecks, if they ever come home at all.

Ruler

King Lolgoff Bearhair, the King of the Ice Barbarians and supposed Fasstal of all the Suelli (ruler of all the Suel peoples) is very strange for a barbarian. Tall, regal and austere, his face is at once an expression of calm serenity and piercing intensity. A total albino, his glowing rose eyes and long white hair lend an almost mystical quality to him, even more so given that he does not wear the beard carried by almost every other barbarian in his kingdom. Over eight feet tall, and nearly four hundred pounds of solid muscle, he totally defies what one might expect a human to look like. He carries an air of being descended from mythical figures of yore, an autumn king passing into the fading time of winter.

Lolgoff’s personality and image of himself fits his solemn appearance-he has never been known to smile, laugh or cry. Always acting slowly and decisively, the king of Cruski ensures that all are listening to him and him alone when he speaks, giving an impression of deep wisdom and intelligence that seems almost timeless, despite the fact that he is barely fifty years old. His personality and motivations are inscrutable, his face always set in stone.

The duties of being the king of such a chaotic realm and also the supposed spiritual leader of all his people weigh very heavily on the old king’s shoulders. He truly wants to rebuild his people’s fallen legacy, creating a new barbarian empire that he would like to rule; but he knows this can never be until Vatun is freed. More importantly, he knows it cannot come to pass so long as the Scarlet Brotherhood exerts its choking grip on the Suel race, and so he has pledged to fight the evil organization to his last breath. If these problems were ever resolved, Lolgoff would all too happily lead his kinsmen on a war of conquest against the other peoples of the Flanaess, hoping to creating a legacy that the bards will sing about millennia from now.

Foreign Relations

An avowed enemy of the Scarlet Brotherhood, Cruski is trying to oust the Scarlet spies it knows are within its borders, turning the minds of the people against their king. The Ice Barbarians also hold disdain for any and every civilized nation, from Ratik to the Sea Barons to the Great Kingdom and Northern Aerdy. All of these areas are raided and harassed by the barbarians freely, and so relations between Cruski and these countries are never good. The Hold of Stonefist, now Stonehold, is another stalwart foe-neither Stonehold nor Cruski will rest in their war until one of them is destroyed. Of the nonhumans who live in the region, only certain wild dwarves are the Ice Barbarians’ allies. The other dwarves and the elves of the Sable Forest either ignore or fight with the barbarians. The orcs, goblins and giants are hated enemies of both barbarian and demihuman alike.

As for the Frost and Snow Barbarians, the Ice Barbarians will simultaneously trade and raid with their cousins, joining them on southward voyages of plunder when summer comes. Relations with the other barbarian kingdoms vary between good and bad-the Snow Barbarians are well thought of, while the Frost Barbarians are currently being scorned for the "civilizing" of their kingdom and their close relations with Ratik.

The Snow Barbarians, or kingdom of Schnai, are the strongest and most powerful of the Suel barbarians in the northeastern Flanaess, having suffered very little from the tragedies of the Greyhawk Wars. While Stonehold ravaged all its other neighbors, the Schnai were able to emerge relatively unscathed, though they had to contend with several scattered warbands, which they defeated easily. The Snow Barbarians did suffer one tragic loss, however-old King Orvung was slain by frost giants who had allied with the Fists invading Schnai. This suited the gray-bearded king fine, for he had no wish to die of sickness in bed, though he was mourned by all his people. His eldest son Ingemar took control of the Schnai troops and routed the invaders, and in 584 CY he was officially crowned as the new king.

Ingemar is in a very interesting political situation. Of the three barbarian kingdoms, his is easily the strongest. King Lolgoff of the Ice Barbarians has been disgraced, and King Hundgred of the Frost Barbarians is already making bold proclamations of his kingdom’s independence from the Snow Barbarians. Orvung, the savage brute that he was, would happily have gone to war to deal with both of his weakened neighbors, but Ingemar prefers not to be so hasty. Both of his fellow barbarian kings suffer from restless populations, and he knows that the Scarlet Brotherhood is present throughout all the barbarian kingdoms. He believes that all these factions and factors can be manipulated to his advantage, and that he can outmaneuver them all. Of course, should he have to go to war, his powerful armies, who saw little action during the Wars, will be happy to do so…

Society and Culture

The Snow Barbarians, in a way, represent the middle ground between the Ice and Frost Barbarians. Neither as organized and cooperative as the Fruztii, nor as independent and individualistic as the Cruski, the Schnai are a rough, unforgiving people in a rough, unforgiving land. They discourage open conflict among themselves, but battles over everything from the rights to own slave women to simple matters of honor take place regularly among the barbarians. What passes for law in individual jarldoms and the kingdom as a whole are a mix of written agreements adhered to by blood oath, and whatever whims the jarls dictate over their own provinces. The jarls wield a great deal of authority, more than their counterparts in either kingdom, and use it to lord over their people as a whole. Slaves and weaker members of society are treated brutally-men wield the power of life and death over their wives, children and slaves, and act accordingly. There is no chance even for a slave or woman to improve their lot in life, as there is among the Ice Barbarians.

Allegiances constantly shift, duels and small-scale conflicts erupt, and clan intrigues occur regularly, making for a very fluid society. However, there remain a constant set of conventions related to a person’s role in society, which has its own expectations of everyone from the king down to the poorest halfling slave. The king is expected to respect the authority of his jarls in their areas of authority; jarls must avoid going too far in their conflicts and contests with each other; common men are required to set aside grudges when required; women and slaves are required to obey their masters, under penalty of death. Law enforcement is related to these conventions; men who steal, for instance, have a hand cut off, while men who commit murder (as opposed to killing a man in an acceptable duel) are themselves killed in public.

The king wields great but limited powers in his realm-he may declare war, treat with other nations, and pass laws as he sees fit, but he needs to have the approval of most of his jarls to carry out the most far-reaching actions. The provincial jarls are all very powerful in Schnai society, and can block the king’s action or even force him to act the way they want, if enough of them come to agree on a certain course of action for their monarch. Being an effective king of the Snow Babarians means being able to either manipulate the jarls and win their approval, or simply being so fierce and powerful that they dare not oppose you.

The jarls meet annually at the Assembly of Knudje, in the town of the same name. The king is not allowed to attend these meetings, and any spies he sends are brutally and mercilessly killed if they are caught. Here, the jarls discuss their course of action in their dealings with the king, settle various judicial disputes, and coordinate military action against humanoids or their neighbors. They also select delegates to speak to the king, to have him resolve disputes that the jarls themselves cannot agree on, and to discuss their desires for the nation and seek out compromise with the king. Whichever faction is more powerful usually carries the day-Orvung, for his part, was so fierce and dangerous that few of his jarls dared risk his wrath by openly opposing him.

The king also wields some tools to work his influence among his jarls. His own strength and charisma, and the amount of fear his jarls feel for him, are his greatest assets. He may censure the most troublesome jarls, and grant his favors to others, which leads to the positions of these nobles being weakened. He may refuse the services of his own private armies to those jarls who displease him, when the barbarians must take the field. And, he has a company of the fiercest berserkers in the country among his household, who he may dispatch as "emissaries" to harass jarls who have not responded to his less harsh ways of persuasion.

Military Structure

The best of the Frost Barbarians’ organization and the Ice Barbarians’ fierceness blend together in the excellent armies of the Snow Barbarians. Wielding sword and axe in battle, they carry round shields and wear chain mail coats. All of these barbarians combine into formidable units of light and medium infantry to match any of their neighbors. Berserkers are also common, and they are used as shock troops, to absorb the main attacks of their enemies, and can be counted on to take down many foes before they die.

Archers exist exclusively among the king’s own soldiers, which may not be commanded by the jarls under any circumstance. They are good, but cannot hope to compare to the men of places like Highfolk or Geoff. His cavalry, wielding long, scything axes, are also of rare quality in the far north, but they are few in number and have little field experience, except as the king’s own guard in the field.

The Schnai are fortunate to have the best navy of all the barbarians, and they are always the leaders when raiding season begins and the longships sail south. They gain rich plunder from the Solnor Coast, Lordship of the Isles, and Sea Barons, far more than their cousins, but things are taking a turn for the worse among the sailing Suel barbarians. The resistance of the Sea Barons has become much stronger in recent years, and the last two campaigning seasons have proven catastrophic to those barbarians who invade the Barons, with most fleets never coming home. Invading the Lendore Isles has also proven foolhardy-those barbarians often return mad, and are slain out of mercy to rescue them from their lunacy.

Ruler

Orvung was, literally, the size of a giant troll. Just over eight feet tall, with blondish-grey hair that flowed down to his chest, fists the size of iron gauntlets, and over a thousand scars from ten times as many battles, Orvung drove many people to fear and panic even when he was calm and in a jolly mood, which was unfortunately rare. His roaring, bellowing voice, brightly glowing blue eyes, and frightening leer of a grin made all around him, even his own fierce bodyguard, fear he would explode into a killing frenzy at any moment.

So fierce and deadly a fighter was Orvung, that it was believed that the only man in all the north-eastern Flanaess who could rival him in combat was Sevvord Redbeard himself. Wielding a magical two-handed battleaxe he won in a titanic wrestling match with a frost giant king, Orvung enjoyed plunging into the middle of a melee and swinging away with wild abandon, and was never happier than when he was in battle.

He was not, however, stupid; he knew the effect his frightful attitude had on people, and he exploited it with everyone around him. He could intimidate his jarls into following his own course of action; he could force his wives and slave girls to engage in sessions lasting literally days; and he could stop even vicious trolls cold with his glare. Never one for subtlety, Orvung exploited his legendary strength and hair-trigger temper to get what he wanted.

And yet, there was another side to him. He could act towards children and young people with incredible calm and almost gentleness; he could show profound affection to those men he recognized as brothers on the field of combat, and was inclined to flog those men whose abuse of their wives and slaves infuriated even him.

A man of strange contradictions and emotions, Orvung could also be exploited by those who knew how to play on his pride and his ego. King Ralff of the Fruztii did this the best. Manipulating his sovereign with praise and admiration, Ralff had managed to subtly convince Orvung to give more and more leeway to the Frost Barbarians, who the Snow Barbarians ostensibly controlled.

King Ingemar Hartensen is the eldest of his father’s many, many children. Much smaller than his brutish father, and also much more restrained and almost friendly, Ingemar is restrained, genial and even friendly to those who visit his court. He is a conciliator, where his father was an intimidator; he is a gentleman where his father was a beast. Many people are caught off guard when dealing with Ingemar, for they cannot expect the savage beast Orvung to have sired such a seemingly friendly and gentle man.

Of course, Ingemar knows this, and exploits it for all its worth. While is genuinely caring and friendly, treating his household in the manner of a Frost Barbarian, he is also a cunning politician who knows how to manipulate peoples’ perceptions of him for best effect. In this respect, he is not unlike his father, though he takes a completely opposite approach; using diplomacy instead of fear to get what he wants. He is altruistic enough in his own way, though he does not hesitate to act for the good of his nation.

He is currently mulling over whether to attack his weakened Fruztii and Cruski neighbors, to slowly assimilate the two nations, or indeed whether to do anything at all. He knows full well that neither the Frost nor Ice Barbarians would tolerate Snow encroachment on their lands, and would set their differences aside to chase the Schnai out of their lands. His jarls are also becoming more assertive and demanding, as he does not cow them into submission the way his father Orvung did.

The Scarlet Brotherhood is also a factor-Ingemar receives them at court, but feels growing alarm over what he perceives as their true agenda, and confesses-only to his closest confidantes-that he has no love or trust for them. What Ingemar will do is questionable. He has resorted to feting and rewaring the most influential jarls in order to gain their loyalty, a practice which he has extended to certain Frost Barbarian jarls. This is viewed as blatant bribery by some, especially the older Frost jarls, but so far it has won Ingemar praise from the jarls, but they demand more and more friom him, while also making greater and greater demands. He must step warily regarding his relations with both Hundgred and Lolgoff, for he cannot afford to openly antagonize either one, weakened as they are. And he must also carefully weigh his words when dealing with the Scarlet Brotherhood, for he knows full well what they did to the Ice Barbarians they can do to the Snow Barbarians. On the other hand, he does not want them to gain any sort of influence over his jarls.

Foreign Relations

Occasionally the ally and the enemy of Cruski and Fruztii, Schnai wields more influence than both of them put together by virtue of its power and wealth. Currently, both of the former nations are retrenching and trying to deal with looming political crises at home, even as the Schnai have problems of their own to deal with, even as they wield the balance of power in the Thillonrian Peninsula.

The Schnai are devoted and hated enemies of the peoples of the south. Every nation along the Solnor Coast, whether the Great Kingdom, Rel Astra, or Northern Aerdy, suffer from endless raids by the Snow Barbarians. The Sea Barons and Lordship of the Isles also have a fierce rivalry with their northern enemies, and the Schnai are the most jealous of all of the incredible vessels and skill of the two southern sea powers.

Ever since the Coltens Feodality was conquered by Vlek Col Vlekzed in the late 400s CY and turned into the Hold of Stonefist (now Stonehold), the Snow Barbarians have always been that nation’s enemy. The brutality and evil of the Fists and their rhelt, Sevvord Redbeard, appalled even the fierce old Orvung, and his people as a whole. The two countries clash on and off, though things never remain calm for long. Every spring, the Snow Barbarians expect another invasion from their savage neighbors, which they anticipate with relish, savoring the chance to slay some more of what they consider the vilest human people in the Flanaess.

The Hold of Stonefist was among the most reviled and hated nations in the Flanaess, its evil reputation confirmed time and again in the vicious raids it carried out upon all its neighbors-Tenh, the Bandit Kingdoms, the Rovers of the Barrens, and the Suel barbarian kingdoms. The savagery of these attacks, the sadism of the people towards each other, and the appalling conditions of the Hold’s slaves further contributed to the disgust that even the hardened Aerdi and Bandits held for the Stoneholders.

The Hold’s reputation as a nation of cold-blooded killers remained intact during the Greyhawk Wars, when it invaded Tenh, Cruski, Fruztii, and the Barrens all at once. Briefly duped into these attacks by Iuz, the charm the Old One had cast over the Master of the Hold, Sevvord Redbeard, was broken just as the attacks had begun. He then proceeded to kill the servants of Iuz within his own realm as mercilessly as he sacked and burned his neighbors.

Redbeard’s campaigns had mixed results. Tenh was ravaged and looted, but the brave Tenhas finally claimed victory against the Holders, driving them away. The Frost Barbarians had suffered badly, and only drove the Stoneholders away after incredible bloodshed. The Rovers of the Barrens suffered greatly, but they also managed to plunder Vlekstaad for horses, food and citizens, resulting in a political black eye for the Master of the Hold. The Ice Barbarians suffered the worst-they lost control of the Taival Tundra, and every man, woman and child who were killed or taken prisoner that day were impaled and used as grisly milestones on a road that would be constructed back to Kelten in the Hold proper.

While conquest was not entirely successful, the Stoneholders had obtained rich plunder in both money and slaves, and greatly enjoyed the carnage they caused. Despite all this, there was a looming political crisis at home. Vlek Col Vlekzed, the founder of the Hold, had built his nation upon the ruins of an older one, the Coltens Feodality. The Coltens people who remained were in servitude, but they had their own battalions in the Hold’s armies. Unlike the brutal Rite of Battle Fitness that was used to determine political standing among the Stoneholders, the people of the Coltens used free elections to determine who their leaders would be.

The Rite of Battle Fitness had grown increasingly unpopular even among Stoneholders, for it had caused the death of so many promising leaders that its participants dwindled in number so seriously that it was feared the line of Vlekzed -who were the only ones allowed to participate in the Rite-would die out completely. In truth, this was as Sevvord Redbeard wanted it-he had arranged the deaths of many of his most dangerous rivals through manipulation of the Rite.

Stoneholders became bitterly divided-some wanted to extend the traditions of the Coltens to their own system of choosing leaders, while others disdained the pathetic Coltens folk and insisted upon retaining the Rite, for it distinguished them from the feeble weaklings whose land they had taken.

This conflict threatened to spiral dangerously out of control, but Sevvord Redbeard managed to defeat the issue with a simple but brilliant compromise, that ultimately benefited himself the most. He proposed that he would take the title of rhelt, or king, and his position would become hereditary, as would those of the atamans and the tribal nomad chiefs. He would allow warriors to elect their band leaders instead of being chosen by the Rite of Battle Fitness, and the Rite itself was made to be more physically survivable while remaining dangerous and challenging. Participation in the Rite was extended to all, and those who survived it were rewarded by being able to serve in the rhelt’s private army, where the wealth, plunder and prestige were the very best. Finally, the Hold of Stonefist was given a new name: The Kingdom of Stonehold.

With a newly re-energized political machine, a population rich with booty, and the cunning of a demon, Redbeard had made his nation into perhaps the most powerful in all the northeastern Flanaess, except perhaps for the Snow Barbarians. It bodes ill for his neighbors, as the Fists are eager, ready and willing to march once again…

Society and Culture

Stonehold, at any time, is one of the vilest and most despicable nations in the Flanaess, little better than the societies of the most depraved giants or orcs. Men will murder each other in death-duels to prove a point; women and demihumans, except for dwarfs who are as vile as their human neighbors, are treated as slaves; slaves themselves are subject to the most horrible treatment; the people openly treat with every kind of humanoid monster, from goblins to formorians; the forces of the rhelt or lesser leaders enforce the law in an arbitary manner; and the law itself is whatever the rhelt and his lesser leaders decide that day.

The base of society is a chaotic morass where only the strong survive. Those who prosper are almost exclusively human and male (half-elves and half-orcs are ceremonially killed), and everyone else must somehow attempt to survive, as they have little to no protection from the brutes that would mistreat them. Slaves must do whatever their masters tell them, or they will be subject to slow death. The Stoneholders take particular pleasure in making their human property perform the most degrading tasks known to man.

Above this are the atamans of the towns and the nomadic tribes. These eight clans divide the whole of Stonehold society, and rivalries and battles between then are frequent. Each one can do almost anything he wishes within his own territory, and can only be unseated by a challenger who succeeds at the Rite of Battle Fitness. Now that these positions are hereditary, the abuses of the atamans and chiefs have become even more gross and outrageous.

The Master of the Hold wielded absolute power, being able to do anything to anyone. As could be expected, most Masters wielded this authority freely, and could get away with outrages that would not be tolerated even in a place like Aerdy. This state of affairs has changed little with the master now being a rhelt.

The Rite of Battle Fitness was formerly a way to determine the political leaders of the Hold. Consisting of a variety of tests measuring the skill of participants in such areas as weapon skill, intelligence, and charisma, the Rite had a scoring system that ranked all those who participated. The overall winner was allowed to choose to challenge either the Master of the Hold, any of the atamen, or to simply become a war chief. Those who finished below the winner would be allowed some of these options, or would simply become warband leaders, depending on how well they did, with the higher-scoring competitors obviously getting first choice. However, only the top winner had the authority to challenge the Master of the Hold. The Rite was only open to the descendants of Vlek Col Vlekzed, founder of the Hold, and to no one else. Since the conversion of the Hold into a kingdom, the Rite is open to all warriors, those who serve in it being allowed to serve in the rhelt’s private army, where the plunder and action are greatest. The way of the warrior is deeply ingrained among the Stoneholders, and they take it to a level far beyond what would be expected of their brutish culture.

Isolated from all this are the people of the old Coltens Feodality, the nation conquered by Vlekzed and upon which was built the Hold. They are not allowed even the most basic rights that Stoneholders are given, and are segregated from the rest of society. However, they are somewhat fortunate in that they manage to avoid the worst abuses the Stoneholders inflict on each other. They form their own separate warbands in combat, and are more often used as scouts and rearguards, rather than seeing any heavy action.

Military Structure

Stonehold commands one of the most fearsome fighting forces in all the Flanaess. Its vicious warriors combine the worst aspects of Sueloise passion and Flan battle-lust, and often are little better than human wolverines who fly into a killing frenzy at the sight of the enemy, without any regard for strategy or tactics. They use no finesse whatsoever, but sometimes that is enough to break even the most brilliantly planned diversion or guerilla tactics.

The army is organized into three separate battalions of light cavalry, light infantry, and heavy infantry. They use any type of weapon, but prefer vicious ones such as morning stars, battleaxes, and flails. These battallions are further broken down into bands of 250 fighters all of the same type, and these bands are called "Fists". They are all uniformly dangerous and horrible opponents for anyone, even the brave warriors of Tenh or the mighty warriors of the Cruski.

Those people in the Coltens Feodality are not as well-trained or as fierce as their Stoneholder bretheren. They are generally used as rearguards and scouts, and tend to be disdained by their fellows as a whole. Poorly trained and armed, they tend to be kept in reserve as a last resort in battle, or simply ignored by war leaders.

Ruler

Iuz is a sociopath bent on world domination, and Rhelt Sevvord Redbeard, Master of Stonehold, is a psychopath bent simply on satisfying his own twisted pleasures. A giant of a man to rival Orvung, with a flaming shock of red hair and beard, Redbeard dyes his face and hair with frightening patterns of war-paint in clashing colors, specifically tailored for every encounter to have the greatest effect possible upon those he meets. He will paint his whole body, wearing only a loincloth and boots, or dress in vicious black, spiked plate mail, depending on the mood that strikes him. His face is covered in spikes and studs, which do nothing to diminish his nightmarish appearance.

Redbeard is pure evil. A brilliant, calculating strategist, he can strike the perfect balance of keeping his forces loyal through the rewarding of plunder and slaves, and keeping them afraid of him by flying into random rages and breaking random victims in two. He takes great pleasure in controlling his moods and actions to keep those around him confused and off-balance, and even more so instilling a fear in them that only a dragon could hope to match.

Redbeard is likely the greatest human warrior in the Flanaess. None can match his skill with the sword, the axe, the spear, or any other weapon one can name. He is also an incredible tactician, being able to maximize the savage nature of his soldiers for best effect, and using the warbands of those who would disobey him as cannon fodder, to absorb the worst of an enemy attack.

Any who meet Redbeard must choose their words and actions carefully, for he has no compunctions about killing someone on the spot for insolence, disobedience, failure, or simply because he is in a bad mood. Even his most loyal commanders fear invoking his wrath. When he is drunk, he is totally unapproachable-even giant trolls and ettins have been beaten into submission by him when wine removes what few inhibitions keep him at all restrained.

Foreign Relations

Stonehold has no relations with any neighboring nation. It exists simply to ravage and plunder them, and they all hate it for its vile nature and the murderous raids it sends against them. Engaged in perpetual war with their enemies, the Fists are the only ambassadors Stonehold sends to other countries, and they bring only death.