Iolan
The rough and jovial people hailing from the frigid northern land of Iola, famous for their hospitality, raucous feasts, and raiding
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Kraka
Hallgerða
Asta
Hallgerða
Asta
Masculine names
Refr
Aki
Bjarni
Aki
Bjarni
Family names
Varangling
Svínverjar
Sturmlung
Røra
Svínverjar
Sturmlung
Røra
Other names
Iolan names are divided by personal names, patriarchal names, and finally familial names. For example, the full name of a typical Iolan would sound like, Vigi Njalssen af Norinsmark. Vigi is the personal name, Njalssen marks Vigi as the son of Njal, and af Norinsmark is a family name in this case stating that the family is from Norinsmark.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Iolans speak a language very similar to their Herodi cousins down south as it shares many similar words. For example, the Hasdinan word Hand has a similar Iolan word, "Hönd".
Culture and cultural heritage
Dwelling in the cold and desolate north is a life many would not seek out, all except the Iolans find their life miserable as the sun is an old, distant friend and the cold is relentless. The people of the old North stay put in the land of their ancestors and their way of life is one very old. In those days of old, the peninsula was isolated and alone all except for the traders who braved the turbulent seas to sell furs, rocks and swords and make their living. It was from these few traders that wealth came to the lands and soon consolidation led to development as newer ships in the clinker style allowed safe passage on the open sea and suddenly life could be made on the seas.
Iolans are renowned for their humor, and poetic culture, in multiple sagas such as in a short story called "The Saga um Norðurferðir Varangrs" or the story of the northern travels of Varangr. In the story, the titular character Varangr hears a story from a Jarl who tells Varangr of his recent defeat to a neighbor where the Jarl laments that only one of his men returned to him. This man named Rolf told a long and dull story of his side of the battle which ends with him on his knees before the enemy. When they asked how he wished to die, Rolf simply answered: "Af elli" of old age, which the men loved so much they sent him home without harming him.
Iolans are renowned for their humor, and poetic culture, in multiple sagas such as in a short story called "The Saga um Norðurferðir Varangrs" or the story of the northern travels of Varangr. In the story, the titular character Varangr hears a story from a Jarl who tells Varangr of his recent defeat to a neighbor where the Jarl laments that only one of his men returned to him. This man named Rolf told a long and dull story of his side of the battle which ends with him on his knees before the enemy. When they asked how he wished to die, Rolf simply answered: "Af elli" of old age, which the men loved so much they sent him home without harming him.
Shared customary codes and values
Largely autonomous villages and towns dot the coast of much of the Iolan peninsula, instead of a single form of leadership, Iolans have a variety of leadership styles across the land. In the south where weather is fairer and wealth from trade is more plentiful, a system of semi-hereditary Jarls or Jarlskonas may rule a patch of land between mountain peaks. However, in the north are where one can find the Folksviet where a more democratic form of rule exists that sees the entire village make their voice heard in decisions.
The Iolans believe in a wide pantheon of gods and nature spirits, they take pride in claiming to have only one king, Ranir, the wisest and eldest of the gods who walks among them guiding and influencing them. High above, in the clouds is Rymr, the hammer-wielding defender of humanity from its foes, the giants and their kin. Noba, Queen of the dead sits in the heart of the world and all the vile and wicked shoudl fear her and her realm of torment and cold. While Noba is the queen of the dead, she has no presence in Ró Dalur, the valley of tranquility where those who have lived good and honest lives live in pleasant comfort among family and friends. The honorable and good who fall in battle are given the choice of entering Ró Dalur or serving as "Hersveitr einn", or Armies of One, those in the retinue of the gods who will fight come "Dresirea", the Day of Wrath when supposedly the fire god Timur will break free of his imprisonment, gather his allies and march to Ingavolla for a final clash against the gods and the Hersveitr to decide the fate of the world. Supposedly, the day of wrath will see the final Jotnar king emerge from the spilled blood of humanity and lead their people to clash with Timur and the gods.
The Iolans believe in a wide pantheon of gods and nature spirits, they take pride in claiming to have only one king, Ranir, the wisest and eldest of the gods who walks among them guiding and influencing them. High above, in the clouds is Rymr, the hammer-wielding defender of humanity from its foes, the giants and their kin. Noba, Queen of the dead sits in the heart of the world and all the vile and wicked shoudl fear her and her realm of torment and cold. While Noba is the queen of the dead, she has no presence in Ró Dalur, the valley of tranquility where those who have lived good and honest lives live in pleasant comfort among family and friends. The honorable and good who fall in battle are given the choice of entering Ró Dalur or serving as "Hersveitr einn", or Armies of One, those in the retinue of the gods who will fight come "Dresirea", the Day of Wrath when supposedly the fire god Timur will break free of his imprisonment, gather his allies and march to Ingavolla for a final clash against the gods and the Hersveitr to decide the fate of the world. Supposedly, the day of wrath will see the final Jotnar king emerge from the spilled blood of humanity and lead their people to clash with Timur and the gods.
Common Etiquette rules
Fervent believers in "guest right" or upholding the honor of a guest in ones own home and preventing their harm. Iolans are a notoriously joyous bunch who crowd around their great halls in the long winter months sharing stories, composing songs, and partying a good harvest's alcohol away.
Common Dress code
Dressing in long, bright tunics during the summer, Iolans revert back to their warm, insulated furs and padded coats in the frigid winters.
Art & Architecture
Iolan smiting combined with their near divine wood working produces an architecture style very unique in regards to those further south. Buildings are quickly built and elaborately decorated with runic designs intended to give the builders name, ward off evil spirits or wish the building a long and sturdy life.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Folksviet- a form of governance found in the more isolated pockets of the Iolan word, particularly on the islands of Ukiah and Hvítrjördland
Hvispereð- the practice of naming a child after presenting the baby to the father who sits on a small "throne" called a Fatirniðr. Knésetja- Literally meaning "knee-setting", was the formal act of presenting a baby to a foster father or mother by sitting the child on the knee of the foster parent. This was also sometimes a humiliating method by which one ruler would show seniority over another, by presenting a child to the lesser ruler, as the foster parent was according to custom of lower standing than the real parent.
Hvispereð- the practice of naming a child after presenting the baby to the father who sits on a small "throne" called a Fatirniðr. Knésetja- Literally meaning "knee-setting", was the formal act of presenting a baby to a foster father or mother by sitting the child on the knee of the foster parent. This was also sometimes a humiliating method by which one ruler would show seniority over another, by presenting a child to the lesser ruler, as the foster parent was according to custom of lower standing than the real parent.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
A Hvispereð where after nine days, a newborn was named by the father who ceremoniously placed the baby on his lap. Most children were named after deceased family members or one of the numerous gods, giants or natural spirits the Iolans believe in.
Coming of Age Rites
The Brudlaup is a marriage that occurs as the first act of adulthood as two families are brought together in matrimony to seal an agreement that was likely made when the bride and groom were much younger. A Brundlaup is a raucous affair beginning with the conclusion of the dowry or "Heimanfylgja". After the conclusion of the Heimanfylgja, wedding presents are exchanged with more often than not the groom's family receiving hefty payment as it was common for Iolan brides to be betrothed to more powerful families. After the presents are given, a weeklong feast began called the "Blinðdaga" where the entirety of both families, friends, neighbors, and everyone else crowded into a drinking hall and feasted for days on end.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Ship burials, prominent figures are buried in constructed ship hulls alongside their precious items and other items of personal significance. The average Iolan however typically is buried with some of their chosen belongings and the location of their burial site is typically marked with a simple rock carving with blessings adorned on it.
Common Taboos
Iolans are people with deep connections to honor and noble behavior, the breaking of sworn oaths is a serious offense up north and can typically lead to an informally imposed fine or even more serious, calls for a Holmgang. Holmgang's are very rare as they're only declared for serious offenses or crimes committed. In stories, Holmgangs are a notable conclusion to sagas of familial revenge where the antagonist is finally slain and the protagonist's familial honor is restored.
Common Myths and Legends
Skaggir of the Noon- A famous skald who is said to have become entangled with a demon before entrapping it by surrendering his shadow, thus he lived on without it and became known as Skaggir of the Noon.
Auriandal and Kaldvarr- The story of the twin brothers and their famous feud. Their squabbling was so great, that the gods themselves cast the brothers into the night sky as stars, Auriandal became the morning star and Kaldvarr the evening star. While now immortal, the brothers continue their fight, each chasing the other through the sky but never being able to cast the other.
Hagen- Most famous Iolan hero before Varangr. Known for his slaying of the giant Klóaður and for his enormous strength and prowess.
Varangr Faedassen- most famous Iolan hero, son of the god Rymr and the giantess Faeda. Varangr's quest to receive penance for the murder of his son culminated in his sailing across the Daudhlera aboard a boat made from the bark of the world tree. Varangr is also said to have married Ranvig in some sagas and had his twin sons by her named Knáttan and Olaf.
Auriandal and Kaldvarr- The story of the twin brothers and their famous feud. Their squabbling was so great, that the gods themselves cast the brothers into the night sky as stars, Auriandal became the morning star and Kaldvarr the evening star. While now immortal, the brothers continue their fight, each chasing the other through the sky but never being able to cast the other.
Hagen- Most famous Iolan hero before Varangr. Known for his slaying of the giant Klóaður and for his enormous strength and prowess.
Varangr Faedassen- most famous Iolan hero, son of the god Rymr and the giantess Faeda. Varangr's quest to receive penance for the murder of his son culminated in his sailing across the Daudhlera aboard a boat made from the bark of the world tree. Varangr is also said to have married Ranvig in some sagas and had his twin sons by her named Knáttan and Olaf.
Historical figures
Hrista "The Shaker"- a famous explorer and navigator of the icy shores of Drauheim, led her men on a great expedition into the western sea and founded settlements in far off Hvítrjördland.
Hialtr "Sturmhjǫr"- Hialtr the Stormforged, a prominent warlord who overthrew the tyrannical Hjodssen brothers in the midst of a hurricane to become Jarl of Holvika, and found the Sturmhjǫr dynasty of Holvik Jarls.
Halla Bogansdottir- Fierce Jarlskona of Ukiah and leader of the Siege of Targostivste King Haakon Magni- Haakon was Jarl of Húsavik and later King of Húsavik and Ukiah. He was the strongest and greatest of Iola's rulers during his age. His reign is thought to mark the beginning of the Iolan adventuring age.
Hialtr "Sturmhjǫr"- Hialtr the Stormforged, a prominent warlord who overthrew the tyrannical Hjodssen brothers in the midst of a hurricane to become Jarl of Holvika, and found the Sturmhjǫr dynasty of Holvik Jarls.
Halla Bogansdottir- Fierce Jarlskona of Ukiah and leader of the Siege of Targostivste King Haakon Magni- Haakon was Jarl of Húsavik and later King of Húsavik and Ukiah. He was the strongest and greatest of Iola's rulers during his age. His reign is thought to mark the beginning of the Iolan adventuring age.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
As personal hygiene is a strong point of Iolan culture, well-groomed men and women are seen as superior to those more uncouth. Both sexes seem to favor longer hair with the stereotypically preferred hairstyle of ladies to be well brushed, shiny, and fair hair while the male hairstyle of choice was intricately braided and extravagantly knotted. This is not to say that short hair is seen with disdain but it is seen with a bit of apprehension as short hair is the mandatory hairstyle of field and household thralls.
Gender Ideals
Iolan gender ideals align mainly with those of the wider Herodi based world. Men are seen as being inherently superior and women as more subservient and supportive. However, the Iolans differ in this substantially as they believed in equal punishment for acts like adultery which means a wife could legally divorce or even duel her cheating spouse if she wished. A cultural oddity, women in Iolan society are almost exclusively tasked with the economic wellbeing of the family. This does not mean they were souces of wealth as this was still a male-dominated field but that women were expected to oversee a family's finances as it was seen as womanly to do so.
Courtship Ideals
Iolans have a very interesting idea of relationships and courtship, many marriages are made simply to ally feuding clans or as political arrangements to make alliances between said clans. On the personal level, some practices of courtship are known outside of Iolan circles. For example, women typically present their love by giving simple gifts of shirts, cloaks, or other apparel to their desired choice who oftentimes will respond by offering her flowers and brushing over her head with them.
As the Iolans are very musical people, courtship can also extend to this aspect of their culture as "maiden songs" are sometimes prohibited when about a woman who is unmarried as it is thought to be indecent. Opposing this, love songs about a husband or wife are often very well received.
For married couples of power, public affection is often shown by being seated together during a feast or by sharing the same drinking cup or horn. Closeness is the telltale sign of affection for those within the bonds of marriage and those simply in love.
As the Iolans are very musical people, courtship can also extend to this aspect of their culture as "maiden songs" are sometimes prohibited when about a woman who is unmarried as it is thought to be indecent. Opposing this, love songs about a husband or wife are often very well received.
For married couples of power, public affection is often shown by being seated together during a feast or by sharing the same drinking cup or horn. Closeness is the telltale sign of affection for those within the bonds of marriage and those simply in love.
Relationship Ideals
While Iolan marriage is often a ceremonial affair, this does not inherently mean that it was a relationship built on mutual attraction. Like many cultures around the world, the Iolans often marry for economic or political gain, and as such marriages are not always the happiest. This is confounded by the Iolan acceptance of concubinage as a valid form of producing offspring which has caused immeasurable strain on the primary relations between husband and wife.
This cultural strain on marriage has also led to the reluctant acceptance of relations outside of marriage and even the reluctant acceptance of same sex relationships between men and sometimes between women. Homosexuality in particular is often associated with adolescence and is often expected to be dropped in favor of more traditional relationships. This does not mean that any penalty is imposed on homosexual couples but they are sometimes seen as immature in the minds of more traditionalists for their refusal to "grow out of" their relationship.
This cultural strain on marriage has also led to the reluctant acceptance of relations outside of marriage and even the reluctant acceptance of same sex relationships between men and sometimes between women. Homosexuality in particular is often associated with adolescence and is often expected to be dropped in favor of more traditional relationships. This does not mean that any penalty is imposed on homosexual couples but they are sometimes seen as immature in the minds of more traditionalists for their refusal to "grow out of" their relationship.
Major organizations
Holvika
Sigurík
Húsavík
Rǫðula
Sigurík
Húsavík
Rǫðula
(The Holmgang, the grave ritual of single combat rare among the Iolan people and reserved mainly for settling serious personal disputes)
(The Huskarls, the professional warriors sworn by ritualistic blood oaths to serve in the retinue of Jarls and other chieftains)
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
(The winding fjords of Iola, the source of their excellent naval skill as the rough terrain of Iola makes travel by sea a necessity)
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