Frostbeard
|
The Frostbeard Clan (Common: Frostbeard; Dwarven: Azwyrtrumm), is an Elder Dwarven Clan, founded by the son of Urguan, Kaz'Ulrah. Throughout it's long history, the Frostbeard clan has been the most progressive of all Dwarf clans, being the most likely to stand up to tyranny and lethargism. After the rebellion of Kaz'Ulrah, the Frostbeard clan's name was tarnished by rebel Frostbeards. In recent years, the Frostbeard clan has rebuilt itself, denouncing the Blackfists (a name tokened for the rebels) and has begun spreading their true culture throughout the halls of Urguan.
Etymology
The name Frostbeard comes from the first group of dwarves who came down from the mountains where Old Jornheim was located. Due to living very high up in the mountains, their beards had a lot of frost on them, and as a result the other dwarves named them Frostbeards.
History
Frostbeard origins reach all the way to the ancient land of Aegis, but first known data and lineage is connected to Asulon, with Karl Frostbeard as the clan father at the time.
Prehistory
According to Frostbeard legend, the clan has its origins with the fourth son of Urguan, Kaz’Ulrah. Kaz’Ulrah preferred the more solitary lifestyle of the cold mountains and journeyed there with his followers. From there, he and his descendants would make a home there that would eventually be called Jornheim. Over time, the name Frostbeards became akin to them for whenever they would descend from the mountains, frost and snow would be in their beards from the snowy mountains.
The Frostbeards were a group of Dwarves who lived deep within the mountains of Aegis. They were not very well known nor did they want to be; they admired their culture and traditions and how they lived. Soon, however, a group of travellers came into their village seeking refuge and shelter from the unforgiving snow storm. Generously, the Frostbeards opened their doors and sheltered the cold and hungry travellers, but these travellers were soon to cause a lot of havoc. The travellers thanked them for their generosity and asked if they could purchase a house in the village for their goods that they were selling. The Frostbeards gave them the house without hesitation, but the Dwarves could not have known the travellers' true intentions.
After the travellers settled in Jornheim, the townspeople slowly grew more hostile towards each other. They began to fight over prices of food and minerals, which ultimately led to a rift forming between the inhabitants. Soon, without the knowledge of the Jarl, the town was to become divided into two sides, one being the Domnu’s and one being the Dechtire’s. Both sides were evenly matched and had around the same number of supporters, but what it was they supported was the question that was never asked. Without notice the travellers had corrupted the minds of the innocent civilians of the town of Jornheim, causing a civil war to take place inside its mighty walls. It was to be a massacre that was never forgotten.
The Jarl grew anxiously worried of the actions of his people towards each other; he drew his attention towards his mercenaries, who were to go and restore order within the town and bring all this chaos to a halt. However, the mercenaries misinterpreted the orders of the Jarl and instead caused even more havoc by threatening the civilians with severe consequences for their actions. This only further stirred the tension, as the Jarl was now being targeted by his own people. Meanwhile, the travellers watched as the town grew angrier and angrier with one another, and without notice the travellers slipped away as if they were never there. Finally, a meeting was called in the centre of the town by the Jarl, where they were to negotiate on terms the Jarl did not approve of.
The Domnus wanted to be separated from the Dechtire’s and wanted a wall between the town separating it in half, the Dechtire’s, however, wanted to take a more aggressive approach towards the situation and said they wanted to burn down all the Dechtire’s houses, but then the Jarl shouted at the top of his lungs, "Silence!" Responding, the town quickly comprehended and grew quiet. The Jarl then asked his people ``Why, Why dae ye want tae fite each otherr! Why!" No one had an answer to that as the crowd slowly started mumbling and talking between each other, but suddenly, an arrow was fired from a far flung watch tower hitting the Jarl in the heart. He tumbled down from the platform, then landing in the middle of his people. His blood poured down from the back of his head forming a ruby puddle in the street. The people watched in horror before a loud voice shouted, "The Domnu's did it!" This caused the Domnu’s to take out their swords and stand defensively as the Dechtire's gathered around them shouting "Death!" While others agreed, "Aye death tae tha wee bastardsh!" The voices echoed as a dark shadow stood in the watchtower overseeing all this with a slight grin on his face. With that, a civil war had been started.
The Domnu's hurried to their side of the town where they had stayed and armed themselves in a defensive manner. The Dechtire's did the same; however, they were charging towards the Domnu's with everything they had. Blood stained the streets as the Jarl’s body was hidden within the Tower of the Dead. The sun slowly began to rise as the result of the Domnu's and Dechtire's skirmish was revealed. The stone had turned from grey to red, and only three people were left alive from the bloodshed; however, the handful of survivors soon left the empty, blood-stained town behind.
Asulon
In the lands of Asulon, the Frostbeards plunged to their lowest point in terms of honor and strength, and later on their highest point in honor, strength, and power. Right after the arrival to the sanctuary of Asulon, many of the Frostbeards split apart. Karl Frostbeard, the clan father at the time, did everything in his power to reunite the scattered Frostbeards but to no avail. Soon after, Karl Frostbeard vanished, and not a single Dwarf knew what had become of him. Years later, several Frostbeards banded together and returned to Karik, reuniting under the clan name and with the leadership of Clan Father Liam Frostbeard. This was truly a new era for the Frostbeards, for better and for worse.
Many years had passed by and the Frostbeards, who had ended up taking up residence in Alras, had decided to mend the tensions between the clan and the Dwarven Nation by returning to their roots. The Frostbeards did not return to the Nation empty handed, however, they returned with an entire Kingdom in their grasp and granted ownership of it towards the Nation of Karik. During this time the Frostbeards had created a marriage bond with the Goldhands, living under their wing in the times in which they struggled. It was around this time when Goruk “The Great” Frostbeard, son of Karl “The Orcbane” Frostbeard, had returned to join the remaining Frostbeards and lead them to greater glory. That he did, leading them into many battles and returning the Frostbeards to their former glory in terms of power and strength. It was around this time when the Frostbeards took a plot of land in the Nation of Karik, and upon it they built a stronghold that will be spoken of in old tavern tales for many years to come. The Frostbeards had the money, the power, and the strength to stop living under the Goldhands wing, so they did exactly that and took up their rightful birth name once more, while living under their own traditions and teachings.
Years later, after the three holds had mended under one Kings rule once more, the Frostbeards had risen to take up council positions within the Kingdom and restore the glory of the Dwarves. Chief Goruk the Great had become Lord Marshal of the Dwarves, and Gorum Frostbeard had become the High Ambassador of the Dwarves. Goruk was known as the Dwarf who restored the Legion from the shards it was left in by the previous Lord Marshal, Grimloth Irongut. The Legion was restored to its former glory entirely, leading the Dwarves into a new era of power, wealth, and ever expanding land conquered by the power of the Legion all under the leadership of Goruk. As time passed by, tensions began to rise between Lord Marshal Goruk and King Hiebe Irongut. Goruk and the Frostbeards had tensions with Hiebe and the Ironguts, tensions that had been contained until one day Goruk and Gorum fully attempted to overthrow Hiebe; however, not in a dishonourable way. They wished to go about it while still entirely following the Dwarven constitution by using a re-election of some sort. The Frostbeards had the full backing of the council members, but when it came time to vote the council backed away and betrayed the Frostbeards trust. Afterwards, both Gorum and Goruk Frostbeard stepped down from their military and diplomatic positions before taking a leave from the Dwarves for quite some time.
It is common belief that the Frostbeards are not good merchants, but they are on par with the Goldhands, if not better at some points. In Aegis, Asulon, Anthos and now Athera they have been the richest Dwarven clan. It is the Frostbeard tradition to maintain wealth that has been acquired through hard work and labour.
Anthos
Many years had passed, and Goruk the Great had vanished in similar fashion to the disappearance of Karl the Orcbane. Liam Frostbeard, former Clan Father, returned to the Frostbeards for a brief amount of time before getting back to his hunt. Upon arrival to the new lands, the Frostbeards had once again taken positions of authority within the Dwarven Kingdom. This time, however, they had no quarrels with the reigning King. Gorum Frostbeard had become one of five Lords of the Dwarves, directly under King Omithiel, and Moruk Frostbeard had become the Grand Merchant. It was also around this time that King Omithiel proposed to Moiruh Frostbeard, making her the future queen of the Kingdom of Urguan.
The Kingdom of Urguan began to prosper under the rule of King Omithiel, and the Frostbeards began to prosper as well. They had kept to their tradition of remaining and maintaining the title of the richest clan, but the same could not be said in terms of power and strength. The Frostbeards were leaderless, lost, and near the brink of a second collapse when an unexpected arrival happened during this crisis. It was the second coming of great Clan Lord Karl “The Orcbane Frostbeard. A new era was to unfold in the lands of Anthos as it did in the lands of Asulon, an era where there would be no rise and fall for the Frostbeards, there would only be ascension.
Thales
The Frostbeard Clan continued in their seeming collapse into Thales, with few members being seen and none attempting to rebuild the Clan. Karl ‘The Orcbane’ had vanished once more, leaving those remaining Frostbeards leaderless and unaware of what to do next. From the remote mountains came a dwarf by the name of Rhewen Icebeard, an individual who spent their early life as a woodsmen deep in the solitude of the forests. After returning to the Dwarven masses, a member of the Ireheart clan questioned who the individual could be, and of what lineage he could be from. Witnessing the Dwed’s black hair, blue eyes, and the name Icebeard, he soon realized that Rhewen was in fact of Frostbeard lineage, and that his father was none other than the vanished Karl ‘The Orcbane’.
Realizing who his father was and what must be done, Rhewen set out to erase the bloody past of the Frostbeard Clan and document what it meant to truly be a Frostbeard. Under his supervision the Clan grew, its traditions being set in stone and adopted by those under him after being lost for centuries in the generations prior. Through his children, the Frostbeard Clan allied the Grandaxe, Ireheart, and Starbreaker Clans, ensuring that the Frostbeards Rhewen had established would be remembered for generations to come.
Athera
When Fimlin was king in the world of Athera, Verthaik Frostbeard journeyed to the kingdom, the sole living known member of the clan. He took over as Clan Father as there was no other and immediately began finding and connecting members into the lineage. The clan began to grow again as members flocked to Verthaik’s leadership and soon became one of the largest. Soon, Verthaik became recognized as a capable leader and warrior and after many failures of Grand Marshals, Grand King Vorstag made Verthaik the new Grand Marshal. Fresh out of beardling hood, he was the youngest Grand Marshal in the history of the kingdom and he would go on to prove his youth did not mean incompetence. He had received a Legion that did not exist and recreated it from the ground up. Even though the Grand Kingdom was in tatters and its population small, Verthaik created a competent and organized military that could actually function.
At this time Verthaik began to enter the politics of the kingdom, as he sought to bring Frostbeard back to its glory and remove the corruption of the kingdom. He quickly became Arbiter after a few moves and made himself a big player in the council and worked to bring his clan into membership. However, as Verthaik was too busy with the war against the humans, the cave dwarf coalition made a power move and removed Verthaik as arbiter. As Verthaik finally moved his attention back into his politics, he quickly was able to obtain a seat on the council for the Frostbeards. He made an alliance among the mountain dwarves and a clear division was made as Verthaik had gained control.
It was not long after, though, that Verthaik had enough of the petty politics of the kingdom and took his clan and left the kingdom in self exile.
Eventually, Vulkin returned to the kingdom and attempted to lead the clan back in a failed attempt and left. When Rhewen returned Verthaik had been gone for some time, and Rhewen resumed his place as Clan Father. In the golden days of Athera, the Frostbeard clan grew yet larger and stronger, growing to be the second most numerous clan, next to the Grandaxes. In this time Rhewen reformed the Frostbeards into a separate legion of soldiers loyal to the crown called the Rune Guard. They were tasked with seeking out Dwarven Relics and defending the will of the Brathmordakin and were in league with Lori Oathcast and his clan. It was also during this time that Rhewen forged his great battle axe, wrought of Carbarum, with the handle of a black, smoking ghoul’s bone. Upon the shaft were laid many runes of ice and strength and it was mighty in his hands. In time the Grand Kingdom of Urguan became at war with the Iron Uzg, and the Kingdom saw the bloodiest war with the orcs since the elder days. Through the war, Rhewen was poisoned by an orc maid, and laid to rest for some time. That is until the battle of Kal’Ekknar, where he stormed down the mountainside in aid of his dwarven brethren, and led the right flank of his clan along with Verthaik and Kerwyr and won the day for the Grand Kingdom. Thus ending the war and the Frostbeard’s history in that land.
Vailor
Arriving on the realm of Vailor, the Frostbeard Clan was of the largest it had ever been, rivaled only by the clan under Karl’s reign. Rhewen Frostbeard continued to hold the seat as Clan Father, and quickly established himself within Urguan and the legion. This time of peace and prosperity for the clan, however, did not last. Not long after settling the new realm, an election for Grand King occurred between Skippy Irongut, and Rhewen’s grandson Verthaik ‘The Kinslayer’. Knowing that Verthaik could never properly lead the Dwarven people and was severely unfit for the position, Rhewen supported Skippy, who was victorious in being elected Grand King. With this loss, Verthaik destroyed all Rhewen had built - taking any who would follow him and ceeding from the Grand Kingdom, forming their own ‘Mountain Monarchy’ to establish Verthaik as King. Unwilling to join his Grandson yet also unwilling to fight him, Rhewen vanished from Dwarven lands, leaving on a Grand Hunt to escape the bloody reality. Verthaik’s rebellion was quick lived, being destroyed easily by the Grand Kingdom’s legion. Once over, Rhewen returned to rebuild the scattered Clan, hoping to restore the honor that Verthaik had removed from their name.
Rising quickly through the Legion, Rhewen soon became the Grand Marshal, leading the Legion to defeat the Uruks and personally kill their Rex. With the Frostbeard Clan also beginning to regain its footing and respect within Urguan, other members such as Rhewen’s son Azkel Frostbeard began inserting themselves into high-ranking Dwarven positions - with Azkel becoming High Remembrancer following the resignation of Kirrekith Grandaxe. Upon the death of Midgor Ireheart, Grand King at the beginning of the 18 Year’s War, an election between Rhewen, Zahrer Irongrinder, and Duren Hammerfist occurred, with all three garnering large amounts of support from the Dwarven populace. Understanding that a Grand King was desperately needed to fight back against the Orenian threat, Zahrer and Duren dropped out of the race, establishing Rhewen as Grand King. The first Frostbeard to ever hold said title, Rhewen used his past experience as Grand Marshal to fight back against the Empire at their doorstep. Constructing a wall surrounding the capital valley of Matiev and the strategic fort of Rhewengrad, the new Grand King began digging the Dwarves in for the defensive battle that would soon occur. While losing the battle of Rhewengrad, the Dwarven Legion defeated the Orenians at Kal’Ordholm and Khaz’Nogak, utilizing tools such as Alchemist's Fire and multiple siege weapons. At the battle of Kal’Ordholm, the combined trebuchet teams of Azkel Frostbeard and Tharggus Grandaxe single handedly stopped the Orenian’s attempted siege, knocking all of their siege towers and trebuchets out of commission. Through the multiple losses suffered by Oren, Rhewen set his sights past the lands of Urguan, looking to recruit the help of Vandoria to destroy the remaining Orenian forces outside their borders. Subjugating Vandoria under the Grand Kingdom, Rhewen established the Empire of Vandurguan, only the second Dwarven Empire to ever exist. Knowing that they could not beat the Dwarves defensively, Orenian forces retreated from Vandurguan, later signing a peace treaty ending the conflict once and for all. Successfully defending Urguan from human invasion, Rhewen dissolved the Empire, returning Vandoria’s independence in their far-away desert.
A period of peace and prosperity followed, with Azkel Frostbeard establishing the bustling port city of Kal’Novlar on the cliffs overlooking the docks. A trade hub home to individuals of all races, the small town continued to grow, eventually rivaling the activity seen in the capital itself. Not long after the war concluded, Rhewen ‘Papa Bear’ resigned from his reign, having accomplished all he set out to do. Tired of the politics and mayhem which occured whilst he led the Dwarves, Rhewen once again vanished from Urguan, leaving the vibrant Frostbeard Clan in a time of static peace, with little occurring in terms of infighting or problems with the Grand Kingdom. Azkel Frostbeard continued leading both the Remembrancer Guild and Kal’Novlar, as well as later becoming a running mate for Ziko Irongut’s attempt at Grand King. Leaving the shores of Vailor, the Frostbeard Clan was one who had accomplished more than they ever had in their past history, accomplishments they wore with pride.
Axios
The Realm of Axios was one plagued by tragedy for the Frostbeard Clan and the Dwarven people as a whole. With growing tensions rising in the clan after the execution of Grand King Algoda Frostbeard at the hands of The Holy Orenian Empire, conflict broke out between multiple sub-sects of the clan. Upon the return of Verthaik ‘Frostbeard’ II, son of the denounced Frostbeard Kerwyr, the once honorable clan lost any and all honor it had previously. Through Verthaik II’s leadership, the ‘Frostbeard’ Clan (now tokened Blackfist by true Frostbeards) allied with the Kingdom of Norland, the War’Uzg of Krugmar, the Kingdom of Santegia, and the Chiefdom of the Warhawkes to carry out a rebellion against the Grand Kingdom of Urguan - a war that lead to the largest amount of Kinslaying seen in Dwarven history. The successful coalition destroyed Urguan, establishing the Kingdom of Kaz'Ulrah in its wake - a complete sign of disrespect to the original Frostbeard Kaz’Ulrah and his father, Urguan. The newly founded Kingdom of Kaz'Ulrah, with its primary founder Garrond Frostbeard would be later known to be a Kingdom to be feared among the peers of the descendant realm. With all the clans but Irongrinder joining it, a long years of prosperity seemed to have fallen upon the dwarves living in that Kingdom.
Atlas
Upon settling a new realm, the Blackfist Kingdom of Kaz'Ulrah continued to slander the Frostbeard name, having many nations install a ‘Kill on Sight’ order for any associated with the group. Despite their continued hold as the primary Dwarven Kingdom, Kaz’Ulrah were not the only group of Dwed to return on the new shores. Rising from the ashes of the Grand Kingdom were the Republic of Holm, a hold founded by the Irongut Clan, the Kingdom of Ord, founded by the Hammerfist Clan, and the Kingdom of Agnarum, a large community of Dwed founded by members of multiple clans.
Within the Republic of Holm, Azkel Frostbeard, son of Rhewen Frostbeard, established himself and the Frostbeard Clan to combat the heinous Blackfists who continued to slander their name. With Azkel himself being a renown scholar and High Remembrancer of the Remembrancer Guild since Vailor, he took to paper and quill to slander the Blackfists across every corner of the realm. Through his rigorous distribution of information, many nations across Atlas began lifting their Kill on Sight orders, targetting only those of the Kingdom of Kaz'Ulrah after realizing the differences they had from true Frostbeards. Azkel’s work did not stop at solely bringing back Frostbeard tradition. The scholar returned the fallen Remembrancer’s Guild to the halls of Holm, where through diplomatic work he managed to establish a multi-national forum to combat the rising threat of the September Prince. His work, however, did not go unnoticed by the Blackfist Clan. In an attempt to silence the resilience against their false narrative, the Kingdom put a twenty-thousand mina bounty on Azkel’s head, leaving him to spend most of his days within Holm’s halls, unable to leave without risking his life.
Azkel and the Frostbeard Clan were able to leave Holm’s walls later whilst on the realm of Atlas, as through a coalition of the Dwarven nations, the Blackfist Clan and their false Kingdom collapsed, leading to a united Dwarven Kingdom being established once more. During the battle, Rhewen ‘Papa Bear’ Frostbeard returned from his cave within the mountains to personally disown all of Kerwyr and Verthaik II’s line, establishing his son Azkel as the true inheritor of the Frostbeard Clan and its traditions. Despite the recognition as true Frostbeards over the Blackfist rebels, the Clan were still given a hesitant look by the Dwarven populace, with many expecting the remaining members to rebel once more. Despite the skepticism, the Frostbeard Clan reestablished itself into the Dwarven populace, where it was at peace knowing its name could begin to be restored.
Arcas
With the Blackfist threat banished from the lands of the restored Kingdom of Urguan, the Frostbeard Clan managed to integrate itself back into society. Despite them being welcomed back with open arms, the clan stayed idle for the majority of the realm, with only a few stragglers such as Azkel Frostbeard truly making any appearance within the Kingdom. Only a few years prior to the migration to Almaris did Azkel and his grandson Ulfric Frostbeard truly decide to restore the clan to its former glory. With the help of the recently returned Rhewen Frostbeard, the three began documenting the Clan’s culture and spreading awareness of what it meant to be a true Frostbeard.
Almaris
Now on the realm of Almaris, the Frostbeard Clan quickly integrated itself back into society. With many members returning after hearing of the clan’s revitalization, Clan Father Azkel Frostbeard united the members once again with the help of his father Rhewen and grandson Ulfric. After only two stone weeks on the realm, the clan managed to restore its seat on the Council of the Grand Kingdom, and was once again recognized as a true Elder Clan of Urguan.
Appearance
|
Throughout Axios, the Frostbeards are easily recognizable by their blue eyes and black hair. They often don bear hide, slung over their shoulders, with some opting to pull the head of the bear over their head. They are known to be four foot five, with some rising to the giant height of five feet! The colors of the Frostbeards are blue and gray, and a Frostbeard is usually seen wearing clothes with colors of their clan. A Frostbeards uniform can sometimes also be recognized by their bear pelts that they wear as cloaks, which serve as a proud proof to everyone that they have done their clan trial, granting them the family title of the Frostbeards.
Culture
Common life
Frostbeards on the first look, may seem like unfriendly and harsh in their acts, they are quite contrary (for their friends, at least). Loyalty and honor mean everything to them, and they shall fight with great spirit and virtue just to prove it. Frostbeards usually tend to have honesty in their conversations, and tend to act harshly if it seems that the situation is unjust or ungrateful to any and all of their standards. Much like all dwarves, they like any company and heavy drinking with their fellow clansmen and friends is a standard norm for them.
Religion
After the removal of Wyrvun from the Brathmordakin, Frostbeards do not have a specific God worshipped, with many choosing to worship the God that best suits their lifestyle.
Traditions
Trials
No matter if a dwarf is connected with the Frostbeards in honor or Bloodline, they must pass their trials, which consist of a single task. A Frostbeard recruit is to venture off into the woods, and bring a bear pelt from a bear they hunted themselves. Depending on the clan father, the weapon restrictions may change. Some clan fathers demand that the bear must be killed with an ancestry weapon, which is usually a finely crafted stone axe or warhammer. On the other hand, a clan father may task the recruit to kill the bear with the bear with their bear bare hands. After their completed tasks, newly proven Frostbeards usually wear the pelt as a cloak to show their worth to Frostbeards and dwed alike.
Ancestral Song
While most of Frostbeard history has been recorded on stone, some has been passed down through generations as song. These songs, used originally to accompany other traditions such as feasts or burials, are still used to fulfill those same purposes today. Despite their ancestral origins, current Frostbeards continue to add to the clan’s lyrical repertoire, creating new works of art to accompany new traditions or important parts of history.
Bagpipes
Accompanying ancestral songs in the Frostbeard musical repertoire, bagpipes are the typical instrument played by almost every clan member. Originally used to be heard over the constant howling winds of the mountain side, they now frequently accompany ancestral songs, and have had multiple pieces written solely for the instrument. The bag itself on the instrument typically matches the blue and black checkering seen on traditional Frostbeard Kilts, yet tend to be customized with various charms by the instrument’s owner to stand out from the others.
Beard Braiding
The Frostbeard’s beard, similar to most other Dwarven cultures, is a symbol of respect that is often measured based on its length and overall size. With trimming it symbolically meaning to remove respect, clan members turn to braiding their beards in intricate patterns, often including bands of precious metal to hold said braids in place. Through this practice, one’s beard does not have to be subject to a pair of clippers to be properly maintained and handled, rather simply be fashioned within a braided design.
Bearserkers
A title reserved for a select few within the Clan, Bearserkers are considered to be the best warriors amongst the Frostbeards. Third only to the Clan Father and Elders, members with this title hold tremendous respect within the Clan, and typically have also proven themselves as warriors to the legion or other organized combat entities. In times of war, the Bearserkers are expected to lead the Clan’s force into battle, acting as both commander and strategian. While any member could gain said title, it is typically reserved for those who have proven themselves to the Clan over a long period of time.
Feasts
Originating as a celebration for a successful hunt, feasts are a staple within Frostbeard culture. An occasion that happens at least once every two stone weeks, modern feasts occur to celebrate the Clan and its closest friends. These celebrations are accompanied by song and dance, copious amounts of food and drink, and plenty of stories to be shared around a longtable or fire.
Funeral Pyres
The treacherous mountain sides originally called home by the Frostbeard Clan were unforgivable, even in death. The almost constant freezing temperatures rendered the ground beneath their feet solid, making it impossible to farm, set solid foundations, and most importantly, bury their dead. Instead of leaving the frozen bodies of their fallen out in the open, Frostbeards took to using Funeral Pyres to burn the bodies of their dead - a practice which the clan believes allows their souls to escape their frozen carcass. In more recent history, some Frostbeards have chosen to be buried normally, yet others continue to practice this tradition in honor of their ancestors.
Runestones
Not to be confused with the runic magic, Frostbeard Runestones are large stone structures in which their history is inscribed onto. Written in Ancient Dwarven to continue with the tradition set by the original members, each stone is inscribed with the history of a realm, with a new stone being added each time a new realm is settled. The original Frostbeards documented on these stones due to resources such as paper being scarce in their surroundings, yet they still wished to document their history for generations to come.
Standard Bearers
A wartime tradition, the Clan’s standard bearer is an honored dwed who is given the responsibility of bringing the Frostbeard’s flag into battle. The individual who holds this responsibility is one who has proven himself to his fellow clan members, as they are the sole carrier of the flag - something the bearer both takes pride in, and a burden of worry to ensure they dont fail. To decide who is to be given the privilege in battle, the Clan Father and Elders meet and discuss potential candidates. The individual agreed upon by the majority is then therefore the Standard Bearer for the next upcoming battle. This title is not one that is carried for the rest of their lifetime, yet is decided prior to each and every battle.
Laws
- Do not cause harm to a fellow Frostbeard.
- Do not steal from a fellow Frostbeard.
- Do not badmouth a fellow Frostbeard.
- Always back up a fellow Frostbeard.
- Listen to your Elders and the Clan Father.
- The Clan Father’s word is final.
- In the case of the Clan Father becoming Grand King, he must pass on the title of Clan *Father to another Frostbeard.
- Loyalty to the Clan Father is a must.
- Surrendering in battle is NOT a choice.
Notable Figures
|
Notable Members
|
