Legends of Belariath

Barbarian Tribes & Clans

Tribes and clans are created by players as a way to add depth and variety to the basic races. They vary in completeness but will probably include details about each tribe's particular customs, history and beliefs. While all such groups spring from the original race and share a lot of characteristics with their parent group, isolation can also create many differences over the years. Tribes and Clans can be used as a basis for your character background and style of play but remember they cannot justify ignoring the rules of conduct within the game.

The Clan of the Great Earth Bear

Nearly seven hundred years ago, a small group of nomadic barbarians happened into the colder regions of the north through their wandering searches for food, shelter, and other such life-giving sources. During their travels, they were forced to pass through a narrow gap of foothills which subsequently became blocked off and impassable, trapping the group from any means of backtracking, and forcing them to move on. They found themselves isolated into a mountainous area with small copses of large trees, but with little game and protection from the snowy elements that were raging around them. Huddling together for mutual warmth and safety, the older and higher ranked members of the barbarians took up a small meeting amongst themselves to decide what they should do in order to escape this ‘trap’ of Nature’s doing.

Ice Bear Barbarian Clan

All Clans of the far North had a tradition. It was stemmed from the first tribe, and was only once ever violated. Each time a tribe grew too large, it would split its population, half going with one new clan, half remaining with the old. The new clan would take on the totem of the new leader as its clan, and so the clan as a whole would only want the strongest leader to guide them, and give their clan notoriety. The stronger the clan’s totem, the stronger the clan itself, that was the way of things. When a region could no longer easily support its population that is when they split. They did not seek to rape the lands; they sought to live in them, among them, as part of them. Some clans lived on the bergs themselves, others chose to live on the solid shore, and some chose to simply migrate as they survived, living as something akin to traders. Clan Snow Wolf, for example, was a small and tight knit clan, preferring to roam far and wide, rather then be trapped to a single location, and they made a good living by using sleds to carry supplies and trade between the other clans, swearing alliance only to themselves, and profiting from all. They were the northern most tribes, the proud, the rugged; few could dare tolerate the conditions they chose to flourish in. Any time a thin blood came to visit them, and saw the relatively sparse clothing they chose to wear, compared to there own bulbous overcoats, they balked. In temperatures barely above freezing they simply walked around as if it were much to hot, often times taunting each other to try and jump in the ocean, seeing if enough alcohol and bluster could convince them to dive head first into the deathly chilled sea.

The Moragan Hammer Barbarian Clan

The Moragan Hammer Clan are (if half their tales are anything more than drunken ravings) descended from the Gods of Ice, and they have been around for centuries. However, constant battle keeps their numbers at a relatively stable position, not to mention that they are in the practice of ritually killing weak babies. The old die in battle or as elders, respected for their deeds. If they begin to feel the pain of aging too long, the Chieftain or Moragan is honor-bound to end their lives gracefully, in battle, to save them the dishonor of dying like a child, in pain and a burden to others. Other clans, depending on who you talk to, think of them as some thing to aspire to, while others curse them for their heartless ways. Other races consider them titans, even the women warriors, forces of nature. They tend to be expensive as mercenaries.

The Red Fist Barbarian Clan

The population of this clan is estimated around the size of about 1500 people, however this is broken up into several small villages throughout the Northland. The Red Fist Clan is commonly found around the two massive mountains that they named after the great Father Red Fist and the Great Mother. Majority of the clan can be found in the valley between these two mountain peaks. It is thought to be one of the purest places about the world and that is where the influence of the good son Orvin lies. At the foot of these mountains is thick, untamed forests. To the Red Fist, this land is under the influence of Masten, the dark son. The untamed and chaotic mess of the forest is certainly a mark of Masten. Members of the Red Fist are extremely wary when they leave the mountain valley because Masten is thought to reign over the rest of the world infecting people with his corrupt ways. It is common for the Red Fist to bathe themselves in rain because it is thought that the Great Mother is washing away the corruption of her son, Masten.

The Wolves' Blood Barbarian Clan

The Wolves' Blood Clan inhabits a chain of mountains which lines the coast toward the north of Belariath's 3rd continent.The clan is quite numerous numbering in the thousands, outsiders estimating the population to be between 7000 and 10,000. A census so to speak has never been conducted. The Wolves' Blood Clan has inhabited the valleys of the Anstrok range for many generations at this point. How they came to be there is a matter of some importance to them culturally and shall be discussed with regards to mythology.