Purdue Fantasy Club

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====== Frøsland ======

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Frøsland, an island far, far to the north on Jaern, even intersecting part of the northern polar cap. The land is largely desolate, with less than two percent of it being suitable for agrarian needs during the end of spring and the summer months. (The moderate rainy season in Jaern times). Temperatures can range from the high 60’s during the peak of the summer months, to well below 0 in the winter months. Due to the natural currents of the oceans surrounding the island, the weather experiences a rubber banding effect, where it experiences extreme swings on a day to day basis. A typical day will see temperatures go from mid 50’s mid afternoon, to low 10’s at night. The extreme swings in temperature also result in frequent snowstorms, also creating feedback loops that keep the temperatures low.
	
Due to its extreme geography on the planet, Frøsland is known to have one of the longest winters on the planet, but also making up for it by having one of the longest summers. From approximately Napen 15th until Gorn 20th (8th and 1st month of the year respectively) the entire island is mostly dark. The sun cannot quite crest the horizon during this time, leaving ice and snow to build up, and most cities go into a hibernation state. Only lit by the faint red rays of sun past the horizon, and fires prepared before the winter. However, from approximately Jorn 14th to Led 19th (months 4 and 6 respectively), the sun never sets, being permanently in the sky. This is what sets off the growing season, where all the cities stop infighting and almost everyone is put to work growing food. Nomads and Osirisites work together during this time of the year to produce multiple crop yields, without completely depleting the land. 

==== The People of Frøsland ====

The people of Frøsland are mostly human, and are durable people. Most of the resources used in the day to day lives comes from the oceans, or the specific fields that are tilled and maintained by priests of Osiris. Fish are an abundant resource, as are alcoholic drinks (due to keeping longer). The general population of Frøsland is mostly made up of 75% humans, with elves making about 10%, dwarves 5%, orcs 5%, and other exotic races making up the last few percent. Lizards are virtually non-existent within Frøsland due to the harsh weather conditions and lack of access to suitable water during the winter seasons.

==== The Long Dark ====
 
After the events of Frøsland during 2554, a massive issue with the gender ratio of the island has come to the forefront. Many men died in the zombie raids of the cities, leaving a ratio of 1 man to ~3.75 women across the island. Many women have stepped forward to take up arms as protectors of the cities, and as leaders. This is not the first time the island has experienced an issue with this, as in the raiding era of 2518 to 2550 much of the male population died or was enslaved by the strong of the land. Flekkrøya seemed immune to this problem, having focused inwards and defensive, instead of raiding their enemies for revenge. The zombie invasion just exacerbated this problem, further dwindling the male population. 

==== 2556 ====
Much of the population of Frøsland has rebounded due to external help. People from other planes began moving to the island and fixed the population problem, at the cost of damaging its culture significantly. Adventurers have had a clear impact and adjusted the everyday life of many of its citizens. There is currently a undercurrent movement of people towards 'the old ways', but due to the interference of a devil, it has lost a substantial portion of its movement. 

===== The Gods of Frøsland =====

The gods of Jaern are all present and known on Frøsland, however full priests are typically rarer than one may expect from areas like Lojem or The Rhine. However due to this, priests are typically given special standing within the society of Frøsland and access to travel that may be impossible for others. Typically, priests are immune from the raiding parties, looting parties, or other riff raff that may attack and pillage one's town. Their homes may not be touched, and are typically marked with special shrines outside the doors as ways of identification. As the counterpoint to this, priests are typically not allowed to participate or defend in raids, except for extreme circumstances. Typically this is only used when the code of war is broken or a priest's honor is specifically tainted.
Outside of this, priests are encouraged to travel the land to seek out children who show promise as being priests as well. During this travel time, they interact with various jarl’s of other cities, building relations to use while appointed to the council of their own city. In some ways they act as diplomats, in a culture where aristocracy is largely looked down on. 
Each priesthood serves a different purpose, some more than others. They are outlined below.
==== Osiris: ====

Priests of Osiris are considered the most valuable, due to their abilities to produce food and resources of the land. Lumber is scarce, but desperately needed for fire and buildings. Most towns will have shrines to Osiris, and specifically the city of Frøysland holds a special celebration at the end of the summer, dedicated to the demigoddess Summer, of Osiris. Some of the older towns even have a full blown temple dedicated to the deity, and maintain it in hopes of bringing them bounty year on year. 
These temples typically consist of a long building with glass panes for the roof, to let in sunlight. Far longer than they are wide, with places to grow crops year round.
Priests of Osiris are typically given a spot on the council of each jarl, due to their influence and power within the region. They will be asked for their opinion of various things under their expertise, but otherwise are just given the position of head farmer and gatherer.
Additionally, after the events of The Long Dark in 2554, Osiris herself has taken a special liking to the island. She is often present by herself, a demigod, or one of her avatars.
==== Neptune: ====

Priests of Neptune hold a similar position to those of Osiris. They are revered and given a position on the jarls council, and are largely left in charge of the fishing and shipping industries in each coastal town. Fish and ocean resources prove invaluable during the winter, when the land cannot provide.
==== Isis: ====
The priests of Isis prove valuable in a warring society. The priests of Isis are the only ones with dedicated temples within each town, all of which function as the hospital. Priests of Isis are specifically brought on the jarl’s council, not for their healing properties, but due to lack of temper. Isisites being as peaceful as they can be, are asked on how to handle many situations that occur during war, trade, battle, and day to day life.
A side note of Frøsland as well. It completely avoided the great plague of 2524 due to its isolationism and lack of trade.
==== At’ena: ====
Frøsland has its fair share of priests of At’ena, though instead of congregating in temples they have spread themselves across the land. The priests are specifically sought after to become on each jarl’s council as a way to read omens and help steer them towards a good future. While many At’enites insist on a rigid future, many of those with the sight have come to recognize that the visions they are given can be vague or incorrect. Alarm is only raised when a vision is particularly clear. 
Due to the variance and lack of central structure of the priesthood within Frøsland, priests of At’ena take time to travel and seek apprentices who they believe might have the ability to read the future, or have the sight. This is usually caused by those who indeed already have the sight, causing a self fulfilling cycle. There is no initiation process, though the elder At’enite may test the initiate as she sees fit. There are absolutely no qualifications to who may join the priesthood of At’ena on Frøsland, only that the elder At’enite must see potential in the new recruit for her ability to read omens or have The Sight. Due to how the At’enites choose out their own, it could and has been argued that At’ena herself is choosing the newer members of the priesthood to join, and sending her priests to find them.
For those joining the priesthood, most are typically female, and traditionally, only females are sought out. However, as of late, there has been a report of males having The Sight. It is exceedingly rare, and as of yet unconfirmed, but the current At’enites of Frøsland are looking into the situation.
Last note about At’ena on Frøsland. There is an abnormally high number of those with the sight. It averages about two a city, with a priestess holding a position on the council, and an apprentice she is teaching. They frequently travel, and are granted safe passage through each city they might visit.
==== T’or ====
Torites are used as peacekeepers within each city, and are never used as part of combat outside the city walls against other cities forces. In some ways, they are granted immunity from the warrior culture that prevails on Frøsland. The tradeoff for this however, is lack of central structure and planning. Each city only has a handful of torites, who mostly just act as lawkeeper and act against corruption on behalf of the jarls. A torite is always on the council of the jarl, and functions largely independent of them, though they are often consulted. 
Torites of Frøsland understand the culture of the land, and approve of the laws that the tribes fight by, even if barbaric. They act almost as referees during large scale battles, refusing to fight on either side, except where they see law or agreed upon rules of engagement have been violated.
Lastly, there was an actual intervention on behalf of T’or himself about two decades ago, on the issue of slavery on Frøsland. While trying to respect the culture of the land, T’or had grown ill will towards the issue of slavery on Frøsland, and gathered the leadership of the cities, by proxy of his priests. During the meeting of 6/29/2554, come to be known as ‘The Day of Rights’, T’or negotiated and instated laws that protected the slaves of the land. Giving them rights, protections, and avenues of recompense for mistreatment. The jarls agreed, as it gave protections to their own people who had been captured in the past, and it was so. (see culture for more details)
==== Rudri: ====
Rudri has long given up trying to get a foothold within Frøsland, due to the sheer brutality of the region. Even if they ended up being able to sneak their priests into the region, they have usually been caught so fast within the communities that they had no time to convert. These hirudo would typically be given fates worse than death. Rudri eventually gave up due to lack of return on investment, also seeing many of the other gods hadn’t bothered with the region.
==== Ra: ====
Ra would fluctuate in followers. During the summer months, he would gain far more followers, who would lose interest and move back to Neptune in the winter. Ra initially was annoyed by this, but grew to have an understanding of the situation these people went through, and forgives them each year. (Jorn 14th holiday)
==== Tarus: ====
Tarus has yet to get a foothold on Frøsland. There are no temples or priests of his on the island.
==== Anubis: ====
Anubis held a stronger position within the history of Frøsland, but has waned in influence within the more recent decades and events. Specifically, one of the most recent cultural changes that removed anubian influence was that of ‘The Eternal Winter’. This was when under the instruction of a demigod, bodies specifically killed in battle were left to rot and return to nature, or freeze and be buried in the snow. This left anubians with only taking care of those who pass from disease or age within a city’s limits, which has been rare in recent memory.
==== Orus: ====
Orusians tend to play a small part within the island of Frøsland. They simply seem to exist, neither seeking out additional followers, or really having anyone care much about them. 
=== Other gods ===
Almar, Vormaxia, Zepherin, Mishra, and any other gods are unheard of on Frøsland and hold no priests or temples. They are treated with contempt as false gods brought from the outsiders. Attempts to construct temples or public shrines to these gods is treated as heresy, and the land on which they are constructed is cleansed.

===== Leadership of Frøsland =====

The government of Frøsland is loose and uncoordinated, only coming together once to face a great threat. Each city instead, is left to rule itself under the leadership of a Jarl. Jarls come and go based on tradition set in each city, which can vary. Typically, priests of T’or are used to make a Jarl’s appointment official, or remove a corrupt Jarl from office. This is done infrequently however. Most Jarls have a support structure consisting of a representative Isisite, Osirisite, Neptunian, T’orite, and A’tenite. The Atenites are asked for their guidance infrequently, and can scare most of the commoners when they speak, due to fear of a bleak future. (Due to cultural circumstances, At’enites will work with male jarls, often just designating small spaces as their holy space, instead of large temples)

===== Nomads of Frøsland =====

Nomads function as much of a spiritual hub within the cities of Frøsland, though what many see is far removed from the nomadic cultures of the rest of Jaern. Due to the isolationism, extreme weather, and rough living conditions, the nomads of Frøsland have learned to work with both the common people, and the priests of the Jaernian gods. The normal animosity between nomads and the average jaernian priests, is restrained on Frøsland. There are outliers on both sides, for priests and for the older nomads, but they are largely ignored, and know that their survival does rely on the others. It's also a great assistance that full casting priests of the gods are rare, as are nomads capable of communing with their guardian spirit.

===== Culture of Frøsland =====
**This section is being saved for posterity of what used to be, and is wrong of 'what is' now. Much of this was destroyed between the years of 2553 and 2557** Anything within the double ellipses can be somewhat ignored in present day)
([The culture of Frøsland is heavily rooted in warrior culture. Those with physical strength and battle prowess are the strongest, and it is reflected in day to day life. Mages and those of intellect serve their purpose, which is usually just serving the warriors.

Tribalism is common between the cities, and as one amasses people and wealth, its not uncommon for another city to hear of its good fortune and lay siege to it. Alas however, this does create a cycle of wealth just moving from city to city, and never truly working in a way to prosper the people.

Battles on the battlefield are common, as are basic skirmishes between each city. Full blown wars however, are rare. The battles are mostly seen as proxy battles, to limit the damage done to the other cities' possessions (after all, why risk destroying your future property).

Slavery is problematically common, with about ⅓ of any given population of a city being made up of slaves. The slave population is mostly made up of criminals, prisoners of war, and descendants of imported slaves. T’or had an intervention in the past, on behalf of the slaves of Frøsland, and set ground rules. Since then, these laws have been set in stone, sometimes literally, and there have been less issues overall.

Slaves are now limited in the amount of time they are allowed to be forced to work, and must be given appropriate rest breaks depending on the labor being provided.
Slaves must be provided with adequate levels of possessions, food & water, housing, and clothing to survive winters in Frøsland
You may not kill, injure, or maim a slave, lest you become one yourself.
Crimes committed by slaves are brought to the local Jarl and T’orite to be dealt with, instead of the master.
Lastly, a child of a slave is a free person, and will be treated as a full citizen of the town/city they are born in.)]

=== Modern Day ===

The actual culture of Frøsland has been twisted and warped by adventurers, and is a shell of its former self. Trade with off plane entities has introduced higher advanced technology and wealth. Raiding is unheard of now. Slavery was entirely abolished after The Long Dark of 2554, and many of those who continued the cycle are dead. There is currently a large cultural divide between the older generation, and the young generation who adapted to this new world.

=== Map: ===

Only changes to the map is that the city of Raudberg was wiped off the map and replaced with a iron age city called Selasund.

===== Locations on Frøsland =====

[[settings:jaern:frosland:froysland|Frøysland]]