Nordheimer

Summary
The Nordheimir (singular: Nordheimer) comprise two closely related races, the yellow-haired Æsir and red-haired Vanir. All are blue or green-eyed and pale-skinned, with tall and powerful physiques. The Nordheimir in general are welcoming to peaceful strangers, though they constantly raid foreign lands and can be vicious when abroad on one of their forays. Though the Nordheimir women do not usually ﬁght alongside the men in war,they are charged with the responsibility of managing and defending their longhouses while the warriors are away. Many a female Nordheimer has won renown by beating off a horde of raiders with a broadsword or battle-axe to protect her home and children.

Culture
Descendants of the pre-Cataclysmic Nation of Thule (possibly with some Atlantean Blood), the Nordheimir have a Nordic culture of tribes ruled by a king who lives in a great hall about which the tribal village is built. The Nordheimir are farmers and hunters and are quick to feud among themselves and their neighbours. The Æsir are friendly with the Cimmerians but hate the Vanir and the Hyperboreans. The Vanir hate the Æsir, the Cimmerians and the Hyperboreans.

Names
Nordheimir names tend to be Scandinavian and Germanic. It is likely that many of the Norse gods share names with the Nordheimir.

Male
Bragi, Gorm,Hialmar, Niord, Wulfhere, Balder Forseti, Frey, Grimnir, Loki, Magni,

Female
Erda, Eyra, Freya,Nanna,Nerthus, Nott, Ran, Saga, Sif, Sigyn.

Religion
Nordheimir worship Ymir, the Frost Giant, as their chief god. Atali, the Frost-Giant’s daughter, ‘who lures men from stricken ﬁelds into the wastelands to be slain by her brothers, who lay men’s red hearts smoking on Ymir’s board’ might also have worshippers, although Ymir and his family are probably worshipped for appeasement rather than out of love. There are probably also local tribal gods, perhaps deiﬁed ancestral heroes of the tribes. The Norheimer believe in Valhalla, a place to which they will go if they die bravely in battle. The races of Æsir and Vanir will themselves be remembered as gods after the fall of the Hyborian Age.

‘What manner of men are these northern folk?’ asked Prospero.‘Tall and fair and blue-eyed. Their god is Ymir, the frost-giant, and each tribe has its own king. They are wayward and fierce. They fight all day and drink ale and roar their wild songs all night.’

~The Phoenix on the Sword