The Freljord

The Freljord is a harsh and unforgiving land. Proud and fiercely independent with a strong raiding culture. While there are many individual tribes within the Freljord, the battle lines are being drawn in a three-way civil war that will determine the future of them all. One tribe unflinchingly honors the traditions that have ensured its survival; another follows the dream of a united future, as foretold by a young idealist; while the third worships the power of an enigmatic sorceress.
The Freljord is a harsh and unforgiving place—where the people are born warriors, who must persevere against all odds. Proud and fiercely independent, the tribes of the Freljord are often considered wild, rugged, and “uncivilized” by their neighbors across Valoran, who do not know the ancient traditions that shaped them. Many thousands of years ago, the alliance between the sisters Avarosa, Serylda, and Lissandra was shattered in a war that unknowingly threatened all of Runeterra, plunging the northern lands into chaos, and near-constant winter. Now, only those truly exceptional mortals who seem immune to the ravages of fire or ice seem destined, or able, to lead.
Despite the best efforts of the Frostguard, myths and legends still endure of the old gods, the enigmatic yetis, and restless spirit walker shamans. The raiders of the Winter’s Claw range further with each passing year, harrying the borders of Demacia to the south, and the frontiers of Noxus to the east. Finally, seeking a more peaceful future, the fractious independent tribes and clans have begun to offer their allegiance to Ashe, young queen of the Avarosans.
Even so, the portents are grim. War is surely returning to the Freljord, and none can hope to escape it.

Culture

Freljordian culture is harsh and unforgiving with many living amongst nomadic tribes in order to better survive the brutal weather and even harsher inhabitants. Across the Freljord are multiple nomadic tribes each with their own unique, yet similar, lifestyles. One thing remains consistent and it is that there is no guarantee of survival in the Freljord. Whether it be through raiding, grazing or trading, the tribes of the Freljord struggle to survive and conflict with each other is inevitable as well as the struggle to unite together.

Architecture

Freljordian architecture is generally minimalistic with permanent settlements being few and far between. Mostly made of wood, Freljordian houses are built with a multitude of materials including animal furs to fend off the cold winter. More importantly, buildings are often refashioned from old or damaged warships. Beyond that, most tribes life in easily broken down structures and tents by design in order to move locations quickly.

Iceborn and Hearthbound

Overwhelming, Freljordian society fundamentally revolves around the natural strength of the Iceborn who were born with an ancient gene passed down thousands of years ago. Iceborn are more resistant to the cold and are given an iron constitution that make them uniquely powerful warriors in the Freljord, and therefore leaders. An Iceborn's strength allows them to also control the element known as True Ice, a material that instantly freezes over anything it touches and never melts. The Iceborn have constructed powerful weapons out of True Ice that give them a powerful advantage.
The Hearthbound are Freljordians who are not Iceborn and instead are just regualr mortals. The name Hearthbound is literal, they are bound to hearths for warmth and confort where as an Iceborn is not. In the hierarchical society of the Freljord, Hearthbound are on the lowest rung with the responsibility of the less glamorous positions within a tribe, such as farming, grazing, leatherworking, etc.

Raiding and Pillaging

Tribes value prosperity through any means but traditionally they value strong leader who can lead them to glory and prove their ability to protect them. Most tribes for most of the Freljord's history have made their living through pillaging both foreign and domestic enemies that has spilled into even the modern Freljord. Currently, a cultural shift has been seen from Warmother Ashe who seeks to unite the Freljord diplomatically.

Religion

Freljordian worship is a double-edged sword with two main forces vying for control of the faith of the people. While very few worship them today, the old spirit gods of the Freljord are still celebrated and there are even whole tribes who still pray to them. Officially, the religion within the Freljord is that of the Cult of the Three Sisters (or the Frostguard). Most tribes follownthe Cult of the Three Sisters, with every tribe even having a Frost Priest among their ranks to ensure tirbes are paying their tribute and respect to the Frostguard.

The Old Gods of the Freljord

Long ago when Runeterra was still being created, the land was baren and unrefined. The old gods began spilling from the Spirit Realm and onto Runeterra due the borders between realms being fickle and thin. This is back when the Spirit Realm,,Celestial Realm, the Void and the Physical Plane all merged and clashed together. The old gods found their places in Runeterra with a select few finding perch in the Freljord. The thunder bear known as Volibear created the ravines, the rivers and the mountains of the Freljord. Ornn, the lava ram, created the first snow and Anivia, the ice phoenix, created the cold winter. The realms were in constant conflict which only lead to the eventual fall of the old gods' influence in the Freljord.

Cult of the Three Sisters

Lissandra, Serylda and Avarosa were three Freljordian sisters who sought to unite the Freljord against the old gods of the Freljord. Knowing they couldn't fight them by themselves, Lissandra made a secret deal with ancient Void beings known as the Watchers, giving Lissandra, her sisters and their followers inhanced strength. This is where Iceborn were born. As the story goes, the three sister fought off the Celestial Realm, the Void and the spirit gods with each sister suffering a debilitating injury.
For the next thousands of years, the Cult of the Three Sisters would be officially in control of the Freljord with varying degrees of influence with Lissandra being the only surviving sister up until modern times. Lissandra harbors a dark secret and works to ensure that her sisters nor the old gods are every brought up in the Freljord again, leading a domestic campaign of religious oppression for most of Freljord's history.

Government

Tribes of the Freljord are structured as a matriarchy, most likely due to the iconic Lissandra gifting the Freljord with the power of the Iceborn. Warmothers are all Iceborn woman who lead their tribes to glory and safety. While Warmother is a defaultly inherited title, any female Iceborn may challenge a Warmother for the title especially if they have the backing of the tribe. The title of Warmother is a powerful one but it is also one with significant burdens. The failures of a tribe falls on the Warmother is at the forefront of punishment if they are honorable.

Avarosan Democracy

Warmother Ashe has shown to be a much more fair and compassionate leader that shows her strength in forgiveness and forwardness. Ashe's rule is cooperative and diplomatic, she stresses herself as a leader only as an icon.

Winter's Claw's Authority

The Winter’s Claw lives through the old ways of assimilateding tribes through conquest, valuing the strong and culling the weak from their numbers. Warmother Sejuani is the defacto leader and crushes those she deems unworthy.

Frostguard Theocracy

Lissandra has long had administrative control over the many tribes of the Freljord with her Frost Priests acting as her envoys to ensure her authority is followed and respected. Lissandra also impoys her inquisitors to snuff out old worship and recently, to snuff out two upstart Warmothers who would threaten her control.

Geography

The Freljord is a harsh tundra filled with jagged mountains, ravines and grasslands with nearly frozen over rivers, lakes and fjords. The Freljord is a huge northern expanse with a constant winter environment. 

Mountains

History

War of the Three Sisters

The Freljordians are an ever divided people. Tribes fighting for dominance for what little resources they can find. As a result, Freljordians deeply value battle, battle kins and battle scars, which are known as a sign of strength, courage and battle experience. A person can only have a fulfilling death with the eyes open. Throughout the nations history, the only known instance of its people uniting was at the time of the "Three Sisters" known as Avarosa, Serylda, and Lissandra. During that time, the three sisters and their closest human allies received immortality from the Watcher and became known as Iceborn (the word's meaning changed over time, as some of the original Iceborn didn't fit in the current meaning of the word, even though most, including the Three Sisters, did). With the Watchers defeated, most of Freljord's history was rewritten, the truth kept secret by the Frostguard and their nearly immortal ruler. However, some truths lingered on for millennia as legends and tales, pass down by storytellers and bards. While the nation is comprised of numerous tribes, the largest among these are the Avarosan, the Winter's Claw, and the Frostguard. The tribes are ruled by the three respective Matriarchs: Ashe , the Frost Archer; Sejuani, Fury of the North; and Lissandra, the Ice Witch.

Language of the Tribes

As shown in The Shackles of Belief, the current language of at least a small number of regions and tribes of Freljord is different from that of southerner land like Demacia and Noxus, to the point their words make no sense to each other. The Ancient Freljordian language is among the oldest attested human languages on Runeterra; traces of some other pre-Freljordian adstrate languages can still be detected in names like Anivia, Ivern, Lissandra, Ornn, Volibear, & Sejuani.
Ancient Freljordian vocabulary:

• Alein - Alone.
• Belger - Bellows.
• Belyser - **Belixes "illuminates, belights, belies".
• Bi - By.
• Bjergen - Barrow "mountain".
• Blæser - Blazes, "blows".
• Bliver - B(e)lives, "remains > becomes".
• Brei - Broad "wide".
• Bro - Brow "bridge"
• Brennen - Burn.
• Bunnløs - Bottomless.
• Dag - Day.
• De - The.
• Det - That.
• Del(s) - Dell(s).
• Du - Thou "ye ~ you" (nominative).
• Din - Thine~Thy "your(s)" (possessive).
• Ein~En~'N - One~An~A.
• Elkur - Elk
• Fald'n - Fallen.
• Floð - Flood.
• Finner - Find.
• Fjerner - **Far (v.) "distance, withdraw, remove, bar".
• Fjell - Fell "mountain".
• Formend - forming
• Frá - From.
• Fri - Free.
• Frosset - Frozen.
• Gnist - Gnast "spark".
• God - God.
• Guddommelig - **Goddomly "godly, divine".
• Grå - Gray.
• Grøp - Grave "pit(s)".
• Halv - Half.
• Hand - Hand.
• Hans - He-yon's "his".
• Her - Here.
• Hirnvel = Organic things of the natural world.
• Hule - Hollow.
• Hyl - Howls.
• Ik - One-what > "no" (see Jespersen's Cycle on how indefinite particles become negatives).
• Ilð - **Eld "fire".
• Is - Is.
• Jord - Earth.
• Ken - Ken "know".
• Klar - Clear.
• Kløften - Cleft "chasm".
• Kongerik - Kingrike "kingdom".
• Kraft - Craft, in context "force".
• Lang - Long.
• Langer - Longer.
• Malm - Malm "ore".
• Med - Mid "with".
• > Men > Men til - "but".
• Mørk - Murky "dark".
• Naljaäg - Pre-Freldjordian, meaning forgotten
• Nær - Near (adv.)
• Nærmer - Near (v.)
• Og - Eke "and".
• Ornn - (pre-Freljordian theonym, meaning unknown).
• Rök - Reek "Smoke".
• Rund(t) - (a)round in context, "through[out]".
• Sin - **Sine, "its".
• Skal - Shall.
• Skolj = The frailty of.
• Sky - **Shee "sky".
• Skyer - **Sheen "skies".
• Smed - Smith.
• Smedning - Smithening "forging".
• Snekkja - **Snaky "Thin and Projecting"; A word used for a type of ship based on the smallest type of Viking longships used in warfare.
• Som - Some, in context "as, like".
• Spring - Spring (v.) "leap".
• Stål - Steel.
• Står ~ Stend - Stands.
• Stein - Stone (native)
• Stige - Sty "rise".
• Stjern - Star.
• Sún - Soon.
• Songur - Song.
• Syng(e) - Sing. (both verb & noun from one same root sengʷʰ-)
• Svell(e) - Swell.
• Tapt - **Tapped "sacrificed > lost"[4](more here)
• Tæt - Tight (adv.) "close".
• Tim(e) - Time.
• Tón - Tone.
• Tvers - Thwart (adv.) "across".
• Uhindret - Unhindered "unbridled".
• Utands - Outondes "breathes out, exhales".
• Utbryt - **Outbreet "erupt".
• Valhir - "god". ON *Valhyrr? "fire of the slain" Cf. Valhalla "hall of the slain"
• Ved - With "by, at, near".
• Veg - Way "path".
• Verk - Work.
• Vet - Wit "know".
• Vi - We.
• Vind - Wind.
• Vol dusk skaar "last chance to run" Pre-Freljordian
• Vol kau fera "cower before me" Pre-Freljordian
• Vorrijaard Pre-Freljordian
• Vrestrom "Great Storm, hurricane-like"

The Freljordians use "summer" to count years. It is also used to express the age of a person. For example: “The child was two summers, but as small and frail as one on its first spring.”
Over the course of its history, Freljordians have created their own terms and slang:
Battlemaiden - A young woman who serves as a sworn retainer to a senior female warrior. This service generally lasts until the young woman comes of age or otherwise proves herself as worthy, at which time she may be named as Battlesister. Implies niece, daughter or ward type of relationship.
Battlesister - A woman who has a sworn blood oath with a Warmother or another senior female warrior. This title commonly denotes a relationship rather than rank, but implies rank by association, and is typically bestowed on very high-ranking thanes.
Blood oath - The ritual performed by the sharing of blood between two people, thus naming them as part of their kin or family. Examples of blood oaths are Battlesister and Bloodsworn.
Bloodsworn - The sworn “husbands” or "wives" of a Warmother, usually the toughest warriors of the tribe. Their loyalty is to her and her children above all else.
Clawleader - Referring to the member of Winter's Claw commanding a raid. Death Knot - Refers to tying your hair with a wolf gut cord in a particular pattern. Indicating you will complete a task even if it kills you. Symbolic of facing the Wolf Wolf for a task or a person.
Frost Priest - A healer and follower of Lissandra who serves and monitors the tribes on her behalf. Their oath is to and only to, the faith of endless cold and Lissandra. They have the ability to smell whenever someone lies. Black Cloak & Black Clads are common slang terms for Frost Priests.
Heartbound - Human inhabitants of the Freljord. Unable to Survive the same extremes as the Iceborn. They make up the majority of the population. The Term sometimes is used by Iceborn as a slur or insult.
Oath - Ritual specifically mentioned as marriage.
Oathbound - The link of obligation between two people that have a relationship where oaths were sworn. Such a relationship could be, for example, the one between an Oathfather and their Oathchildren.
Oathbreaking - Disrespecting a sacred treaty between two tribes.
Oathfather - Interchangeably describes a father or step-father, roles Freljordians don't typically distinguish between. Any man who has sworn his life to protect a mother and her children is considered an Oathfather.
Retainer - Person responsible for legitimizing and elevating someone's status to their charge. An example would be Sejuani to Ashe if they had made a blood oath in front of The Winter's Claw.
Scarthane - A high-level retainer to a Warmother, commanding a large group of warriors. Scar reflects you've earned your rank in battle, and are trusted to lead warriors without supervision for long periods. Sometimes the leader of a clan within a tribe.
Svaag - A common slur or insult close to "damn".
Vedmah - A Freljordian oracle or witch who divines through magical means.
Vol - Coarse slang used in Freljord, typically in exclamation, to cast disapproval or disgust for something or someone. Can also be used in outbursts of impatience or anger without an object.
Warmblood - A casual term used by Iceborn to describe normal humans. It is synonymous with hearthbound, but has no negative connotations.
Warmother - The military leader of a freljordian tribe or clan, always a woman and usually an Iceborn. She decides its course of action as well as dictates its ideology.

Alternative Name(s)

Vorrijaard

Type

Region

Location under

Valoran

Included Organizations

• Avarosan
• Frostguard
• The Ursine
• Winter’s Claw

Contested By

• Avarosan
• Frostguard
• The Ursine
• Winter’s Claw

Characters in Location

• Anaakca
• Ashe
• Braum
• Lissandra
• Nunu
• Trundle

Over the course of its history, Freljordians have created their own sayings: Don't step on ice that already cracks - Old saying used by Grena's Avarosans meaning not to rely on something that is faulty to begin with.
Run Volund, Run - Expression used to encourage someone running from danger. (To die) with your eyes open - Expression meaning “To die a good death”. It celebrates fighting fearlessly and tenaciously to the very end, especially in the face of certain odds. The ice is not pain, It is surrender - Lissandra's prayer that Frost Priests go by. The strong must try the impossible - Words uttered by Sejuani that were later used by Ashe as one of the foundations for her ideology.