Uvar

Formed from migrating groups of men from the north-east of Thendarr, the Uvaren are now the proud lords of the glacial archipelago Uvarthak, which was named after themselves, in Skaden, their language.

History
Several millenia ago, in the lands of northern Oseros, now called the kingdoms of Welscond and Valschent, came a long period of remarkable drought, extinguishing the life of the once fertile lands. This crippled the then less advanced men, who had heavily relied on growing to feed their families - wildlife having slowly grown scarce due to the increasing numbers of the mortal dwellers.

The increasing warfare between the early groups did not serve to aid the deteriorating situation. As the months, and later years passed, the men would battle one another more and more, especially for the lands which seemed less affected by the cursed drought. Soon, many traveled even further northward, some even to the colder mountains, to escape the warfare. However, war would soon follow to there, and no clear victor seemed to be emerging soon.

Migration
Some of the early groups, which had for some time known of the islands, were prompted to flee the continent entire, in search of a new home indeed there - Uvarthak. Over the course of many months, dozens of tribes and clans sailed northward, and soon thousands of people had accumulated around the shores of Uvarthak's islands. The early settlers had gotten along, already sharing common cultures and traditions, as well as a common wish to survive.

The Discovery of Skorn
Though many of the smaller, southward isles had been claimed, the largest isle, today known as Skorn, had yet to be discovered. When it was, word reached the other seafarers quickly, that an island as large as the world had been found amidst the many little ones. At first, all the migrants aided one another and, together, they battled the new, harsh climate, together they built entire villages, and together they charted hunting and fishing grounds.

Not long did it take until the Uvar stumbled upon others of their kind. Natives of lesser architecture and warfare had raised many villages in the island of Skorn, primarily at the shores, known as the . Originally, the  welcomed the Uvar to their lands, shared growing methods with them, angling methods, and home-building ways. The natives even showed the Uvaren their 'pets' - dragons with Uvarthak origins, which were barely the size of two carts, but quick and ruthless in combat. This companionship did not last, as tension soon spawned. The Uvaren, caring little and not yet familiar with the traditions of the , became invasive on their territory. The Uvaren had begun to even raise villages near, and even upon sacred burial grounds of the natives. As well, they cut sacred forests and took their game. This was not tolerated by the natives.

The Quiet Feast
They saw eye to eye on few things when they met - and on even fewer as they learned more about each other. One day the Uvar sent a speaker of their own to the chiefdom hall of the natives - imploring them that the unrest between the two peoples must end now before it is too late. The natives, having heard of the battles and turmoil that prompted the Uvaren to flee their homes in Thendarr, turned wise and agreed that something must be done.

The natives and the Uvaren spoke for days and finally agreed that a feast of unseen grandeur should be hosted, with as many attendants as possible. It was planned to happen after three full moons rise and fall, as the folk needed time to gather all the food and drink that would be needed for the event, which was planned to last for not a night alone, but days. The Uvaren, in good faith, promised the natives they would handle all angling and hunting needed for the event to come true, and all crafting of the hundreds of tables and chairs that would come to use in the feast.

Weeks would the Uvaren spend in sweat and deep breaths until everything was perfected. And the time had come. All who had called Skorn a home were informed of the event, and indeed, many came. Some came in good faith, that the feast would bring the two peoples together. Others simply came for the food and drink. Bonfires were lit, dances were danced, drums were slammed, cooked meat had crisped, and kegs were as fountains. It was all that was needed. The first day, all ate, all drank, all danced, and all sang. Rather than people leaving, more were coming, having heard of the success of the event thus far.

The second day was spent the same. And the time had come for the third dawn to shine upon Skorn. Come evening, the Uvar ate, but seemed less inclined to drink. Nonetheless, they shared stories and jokes alike with the natives, and listened to theirs as well, in return. It had been long since darkness engulfed the world, and only the moon was left to brighten the black sky. The natives had grown tired from the three days feast - some of them having slept not an hour throughout it. Some just then began to shut their eyes on the table, others used the soil as bedding, and others were too drunk to even move.

The Uvaren, throughout the long stream of tables began to gesture each other. They rose from their chars, stopped their dancing, put down their food, and began to kick on the ground underneath them. Not long after, they bent over, and seemingly began to dig with haste. Mere minutes after, more and more of them kept rising back up, and not empty handed. They all and each had a sword or mace in hand. The rest is clear.

Come morning, what were once chairs and tables, goblets and plates, respectively colored in wood, and filled with food and drink, were now painted in dark red, and filled with it. Come morning, no drums were slammed on, no songs were sung, and no dances were danced. The few natives who escaped with success warned their villages, who in turn, sailed from Uvarthak to unknown lands. Some ran, but others stayed. And those who did tried to fight, but were now far too crippled. One by one they fell, and the people began virtually extinct, those who survived assimilating to the early Uvar's culture. Since then, those three days would be celebrated as a holiday throughout almost all Uvar clans to this day.

Culture
The Uvaren differ greatly from their mainland cousins in terms of culture and traditions. For a brief explanation, they are simpler and more practical, yet hold a certain spirit of nobility. To the mainland men of Oseros, however, the Uvaren are heathen barbarians set on destruction of the world for their false gods. As such, it is up to the Triune to free the Uvar people from the grasp of demonic seduction.

Contrary to belief of the outside world, art is prevalent in the Uvaren culture. This is exemplified in their glorifcation of ancient battles and heroes. The Uvaren are also remarked for their song and saga writing, and some of Oseros' most popular bard tales are unknowingly of Uvar origin. Music is indeed prominent, a trait carried over from their time in the mainland in times of old, and an Uvar celebration cannot be complete without lyres and booming drums.

Clothing in the Uvar tribes plays almost no aesthetic roles. Some elders and aristocrates choose a garb more fitting for their role, but the commonfolk primarily wear layers of fur and leather to shield themselves from the elements. Ceremonial clothing exists, but is usually a variation of their normal attire.

The Uvaren are characterized for their frequent raids on the mainland, especially against the nearby kingdoms of Valschent and Welscond. These raids halt during the winter when the  freezes over, but when spring comes, the frequent attacks continue. To the mainland these are acts of terror, but to the Uvar this is tradition, serving as a rite of passage for young warriors, and also a neccessity. Uvarthak is sparse and resources are few, and this way successful pillaging through the spring and summer will allow them to survive the harsh winters.

The Uvaren are a very crude and rough people who stay true to their age-old traditions. Therefore, not much has changed in the way they live in a long time.

The transition from the warm mainland plains of and woodlands of Thendarr to the cold and rocky islands of Uvarthak prompted a change in the way of life of the Uvaren. They would start to skin animals for fur, rather than only leather, in order to combat the weather, and even wore more numerous layers of clothing on cold days. Numerous bonfires would be lit in their villages, both to provide light, and warmth for anybody passing by.

Due to the nature of their new home, they were honed as the centuries passed to eventually become masterful sailors, anglers, and fighters. Their most famous ship type is the longboat, specifically designed as paragons of speed and mobility. Such were used in ship battles and raids against the kingdoms of Welscond and Valschent.

The Uvar mainly favor three weapons - the sword, spear, and mace. With the spear they utilize numerous close quarters techniques, which involve slashing, stabbing, and even impaling the enemy. Another popular technique is chucking the spear directly into a charging enemy (a method they use if the foe lacks heavy armor).

The sword has been on the pedestal of war in Uvar culture as long as they have existed. In this time, they have had the time to perfect its handle, blade, and even develope numerous subtypes, characterized by sharpness, length, and shape. The Uvar sword is widely considered the best in the known world, rivaling those of the ozbar, who mainly focus on axe and blunt weaponry instead.

Religion
The Uvar Religion, known as Gjalhron Stet in Skaden, or the Old Way, is a set of old beliefs that have existed before they had ever migrated to the cold northern isles. Unlike the Triune, the Old Way is not centralized and much less restrictive. It is even practiced differently, some times vastly different, from clan to clan. In contrast to the Triune, it has emphasized it's promotion of freedom and carving one's own destiny.

Nations
While there are no nations to speak of in Uvarthak, the Warchief Council is an alliance of many of the Uvaren clans. It harbors dozens of clans, some more prominent in its hierarchy than others.

Several tribes exist outside the Warchief Council, but they are usually not hostile towards the Warchief Council, as it was the threat of destruction by the Triune that had brought them together in the first place.