Nordengard (WIP)

The Nordenfiir

What are they?
Nordenfiir are shifters. Bear shifters to be more specific. Their base form is that of a human, albeit they are often broader, stouter than typical human stock. They appear as a warrior folk, almost never seen without armor and weapons at their disposal. While every Nordenfiir has the power to take the form of a bear, not every Nordenfiir will gain the ability. A Nordenfiir must undergo a right of passage - either tested or through the natural course of their lifetime - where they must overcome great challenges and pursue a path of self discovery in order to gain the ability to shift, or what they refer to as their Svalen ["soul" in their language]. 

Svalen
Svalen is a term that refers to the word "soul" in Nordenfiiri, as well it is also used to refer to their bear/beast forms, as the two [bear and soul] are nearly synonymous with one another within their culture.

Many Nordenfiir undergo a pilgrimage in their early adulthood and venture out into the wilderness for a year to survive on their own against many challenges and dangers. Some acquire their Svalen during this time, other may not, and some yet never return home. It is unusual for a Nordenfiir to reach their prime and still have yet to gain their Svalen. As it holds great importance in their culture, those who never gain their Svalen usually leave in a form of self-exile.

Every Nordenfiir who has found their Svalen can then be identified by glyph markings that appear on their skin during their first transformation. These glyphs are unique to every Norden' and will appear on their human form similar to tattoos. Once gained they never go away and never change. No matter the age a Nordenfiir gains their Svalen, they must then undergo maturation in their beast form - denoted by the color of their coat and their size. All new Svalens begin with a black coat and their size is typically reflective of their human stature. Svalens age quickly, and the more they take their beast form, the faster they mature. Their coats turn from black to brown and eventually to white, though there have been rare reported instances of a Svalen maintaining a black or brown coat through maturation. The majority of them turn white. Fully-grown Svalen will top out at sizes that would be considered unusually large for a mortal grizzly bear, though again some may remain smaller if they are slight of build in their human form. Males are typically larger than females, though the females boast the greater ferocity.

Once gained it is quite easy for a Nordenfiir to take their Svalen form and being in it is as natural to them as their human forms. Some Nordenfiirs grow to prefer the Svalen body and maintain it for the majority of their lives afterwards. Scars, wounds, and permanent injuries transfer between forms. Impregnation can only occur in their human form and once a female Norden is pregnant she cannot shift again until she has given birth. Normal humans are compatible with Nordenfiirs - a pairing will result in a 50% chance of the magic that makes a Nordenfiir passing down to the offspring - they either are born as a Norden or they are not. There is no in-between. The bearkin parent will be able to tell at the time of birth by scent alone.

Race Distinctions
Nordenfiir are often indistinguishable from normal human stock. Aside from their warrior physique and often strong, earthy scent, if their glyph markings are not present or cannot be readily seen it is easy to mistaken them at a glance. The glyphs are typically the easiest way to tell them apart, but there are a few other things that may yet give them away.

Their scent is typically strong, earthy, sometimes musky for the males; this gives them away to other beastfolk and animals as well. Horses especially are terrified of Nordenfiir, which is just as well since most Norden's are terrible at riding them. The places that require the use of horses in Nordengard are few and far between - only the horses raised and trained specifically by Nordenfiir seem to be immune to this fear of them. Dogs also tend to dislike them.

A Nordenfiir's sense of smell is incredible - they can pick up blood on the air from miles away, can tell what you ate for dinner the previous evening, can track game through the tundra for days, and a Norden can always, always, always sniff our another Norden. They usually dislike strong, sweet scents like perfume and many males find it to be repulsive, preferring the earthy smell of their own kind. A good majority of Nordenfiir suffer from allergies to pollen - flowers aren't very common up in the frozen north.

Their demeanor can be another identifier. While there is always an exception most Nordens tend to be short-tempered, gruff, and prickly to social situations. Among their own kind and especially their own family they can be quite friendly and outgoing, but in a crowd of strange people and races a Norden will more likely choose to keep to themselves, often rebuffing friendly advances from others for the simple sake of wishing to be left alone. Nordenfiirs are prideful, honor-bound, and can be more than a little racist against humans. Much like any bear, they are not likely to seek out trouble on their own but are liable to engage should trouble happen to find them. Common knowledge throughout Ardell: if you suspect a bear - don't go there. If you must, bring a steak rarer than rare.

Leading into their ...healthy appetite. Nordens easily put away twice the amount of food of a hungry human. Their metabolism runs fast, allowing them to maintain a cut figure but requiring a larger supply of sustenance. Nordens aren't into blood-feasting, but many of them do like their meat rare, given the choice. A hungry Norden will eat just about anything and their stomachs are well-equipped to handle even spoiled food. It is not unusual for a Nordenfiir to pick at an old carcass while traveling if it is convenient, and a good cook, even a human, will gain favor from a Norden for a delicious meal. Fish are a favorite for them - they are quite skilled at catching them, bare-handed to boot. Water is prime choice to wash everything down, though Nordens do have a taste for mead. Fresh honey and fruit is a delicacy. 

Their stamina is legendary. Nordenfiirs maintain the wherewithall to march for days on end provided they are properly nourished before or during - however they are equally as capable of sleeping for days uninterrupted to recover. It is bad, bad luck to rouse a sleeping Nordenfiir. They are quite comfortable in colder temperatures and keep warm much more easily than humans can, however Nordenfiir have an extremely difficult time dealing with hot climates. Given this, you will never see a Norden willingly living in the tropics or deserts. If they are there you can bet it is against their own will.


Only Nordenfiir who have gained their Svalen are capable of learning other magic, but their abilities do not stretch far. They may pick up one or two magic skills and hone them to respectable level, but they will never be as powerful in magic as what other races can produce. Elemental-based magic is the most commonly learned form.


Culture