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.