Winter’s Claw
"They plead for mercy when they hear our drums, but the wolf owes no consideration to the prey. We do not sow seeds and till earth like the Avarosan. We do not stand watch over shattered ruins like the Frostguard. We do not pity the meek, for courage is the true salvation of the Freljord! We are the war cry of the wind, we are the strength of the mountains. We are the claws of winter!"
-Sejuani
Death stalks the Freljord in a thousand guises—with fangs, blades, numbing frostbite, and bitter starvation. To survive is to fight every death, crush every threat, steal every advantage, and each new dawn brings a choice to the Winter's Claw: do whatever it takes to survive, or die.Culture
Raiders and Reavers
During the months of summer raiding, warriors of the Winter's Claw range far across the northern lands, taking and repurposing whatever they need. As winter approaches, they will ground their ships, establish temporary homesteads, and prepare to wait out the longer, colder nights until the thaw comes around again. Whenever conditions in and around the frozen seas permit it, the most skilled divers are sent beneath the waves in search of prey. They rub seal fat over their skin and clothing for extra warmth, and may take an extra lungful of air down with them in reclaimed swim bladders. Sometimes, the frozen sea routes take longer than usual to open up again. Impatient raiders may sacrifice a ship or two to build harnesses for their beasts of burden, dragging the rest to open water in an attempt to outpace their less enterprising rivals.
In spite of its harsh and unforgiving climate, the Freljord is home to a wide variety of fantastical fauna, particularly suited to life there. The Winter's Claw do not tame or coddle their mounts, but encourage the creatures' wild and aggressive survival instincts even as they take the reins.
The Winter's Claw rarely let anything go to waste. Their weapons might be steel looted from fallen enemies, or nothing more than sharpened wood and knapped flint. Thick fabrics and animal pelts give protection against the cold—adorned with the bones, tusks, and horns of their most prized kills.
The Winter's Claw has historically been ferocious and un-unified. Traditionally, Winter's Claw tribes relocate every winter, rebuilding their villages out of their ships and scavenged materials. Nowadays, it is led by the ferocious Sejuani.
Public Agenda
Sejuani wishes to conquer the Freljord through absolute strength. In her eyes, the Freljord is a place where only the strong deserve to prosper. Warlike and traditionalist, they gather food and supplies from the high plains, forests, and northern waterways during the summer. In winter months, they survive by raiding southwards over the ice-covered seas. As Sejuani raids, her warriors allow the stalwart to live under her banner while they pillage the weaker tribes, leaving them without the means to sustain themselves. Once her work is done, only the mighty will be left in the Freljord.
Known Members
Former Members
- Warmother Sejuani
- Spiritwalker Udyr
- Olaf
- Scarmother Vyrnna
- Unsarred Reaver
- Scarthane Steffen
- Scarmaiden Reaver
- Ember Maiden
- Rimetusk Shama
- Ruthless Raider
- Wolfrider
- Murkwolf Shaman
- Murkwolf Rager
- Mammoth Shaman
- Mammoth Rager
- Bone Scryer
- Tusk Speaker
- Hyara Allseer
Type
Geopolitical, Nomadic tribe
Leader
Leader Title
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
- Warmother Kalkia (Dead)
- Warmother Hejian (Dead)
War
Uneasy Alliance
Hostile
Border skirmishes between Demacia and the Freljord are frequent and most, if not all, raids are orchestrated by the Winter's Claw. Although the Winter's Claw is merely one faction within the Freljord, Demacia only sees the Freljord raiding their borders and the difference matters little to them. Additionally, the Winter's Claw assisted the Demacian fugitive known as Sylas in escaping Demacia and harbored him within the Freljord, souring relations further.
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