Ettnir Strongholds
The ettnir live in the the mountains and foothills of the Himlenbjerge Mountains that stretche across the northern length of Heimval. Strongholds are territories controlled by mated co-chieftains. Most strongholds have histories that are thousands of years old, with deep connections with the land spirits of the area. The co-chieftains' authority is absolute within a stronghold, though they very rarely exercise it. The need for a leader to actually verbalise a command is seen as a sign of weakness to the ettnir, since a chieftain is expected to lead by example and be one to which subordinates pay close attention.
The borders of strongholds are marked along paths by large menhirs with glyphs of warning and protection carved by shamans of Kad. An ettnir seeking to pass over the boundary into another clan's stronghold sits in front of the nearest menhir and taps it with the stone clan amulet that every ettnir is given upon reaching adulthood. The sound then resonates in the mind of the stronghold's shamans, who gains sight through the menhir and can observe the traveler. When permission is granted, the menhir rings like a deep bell and the traveler knows he is permitted to cross the border.
Menhirs such as these can be found throughout the upper half of Heimval, but most are remnants of strongholds destroyed by the Jolnir driving them out of their former lands centuries earlier. The Jolnir stay away from these stones as much as possible, believing them to have a wight-bane cast upon them and the lands around them full of angry vultir. At harvest times, gifts of fruit are made at these menhir and sacrifices laid down to appease the spirits.
Though the ettnir have fought the Jolnir for millennia and though there is no love lost between them, there is a certain respect between the ettnir and the Jolnir, especially between the Vandir and the ettnir strongholds of north central Heimval. They will trade with them at certain times and have been given their own clan tokens in order to peacefully ask permission to cross a stronghold's territory.
Recently, prospectors have begun to turn up in the borders of the strongholds of northeastern Heimval. Many have met a quick demise, but a few have come bearing gifts and speaking a few words of the northeastern ettnir tongue learned from the Ostir. The chieftains crave metal, particularly steel and iron above all else, and many have allowed those bringing proper gifts to mine within their territories after also making proper sacrifices to Kad in payment for his gifts.
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