The Einar Tribe

The Einar is a viking tribe found within the Barbaric Archipelago known for their battle prowess and bare bones life and live on the island of Einar. On the island might makes right, with those who are the strongest are those in charge with their socority based on merit rather than birth and honor those who attempt and fail rather than those who don't try.
The Einar are an Æsir tribe with Tyr and Odin as their main deities of worship.
While most tribes make a distinct difference between those who originate from the tribe and others who have settled on the island the Einar make no such distinction, anyone who lands on the island and wishes to become a member of the tribe is given an equal and fair chance against those born there. For a person to be able to claim true membership of the tribe they must serve in the islands armed forces until they reach a certain rank or serve at least six years, this service starts at around the age of ten however there is leeway for this age. For non-natives of the island only one member must serve in this forces normally the children. During this five years of probation those in the forces are isolated from their families and no longer can use their family names to avoid basis and in some extreme examples are given all new names. Contact with family is rare and is normally limited to a reward for outstanding behavior or holidays. After their service is done most recruits are at the age of adulthood, sixteen, and at the next Harvest Festival are pronounced as adults and full members of the Einar tribe. These soldiers are then allowed a choice, to continue in the armed forces of the island or too leave with honors and take up another profession but still ready to take up arms again if needed. Those who hailed from non-Einar families are given a small amount of land and those in their family are also considered full Einar and also must take up arms if called.
Within the Einar armed forces is an elite group of warriors known as the Einherjar, an army of one, who are scouted out from the regular recruits going through the six year mandatory service and those who are deemed worthy enough not matter the age of time spent are recruited into a harsh and grueling special training. Not much else is known of the Einherjar other than the fact thy act as the elite group in service of the elite in Einar society such as the chief and his heirs. Those who join the Einherjar serve until death or until they are injured to the point of being unable to fight. The degree of injury is up to the leader of the group.
While Einar does have farmers, mostly consisting of the families of non-Einar in training or are Einar due to a family member being Einar, they are famous for raiding smaller and weaker tribes in the Archipelago. While most raids suffer less casualties if the raided party surrenders the Einar see this as a cowards act and attack more viciously. While respecting physical strength, the Einar also respect strength of will and of mind seeing those who play tricks or atleast try to fight them off as more honorable and while will still kill, burn and pillage won't do to the same extreme as those who show no strength at all.
The Einar tribe doesn't have allies, only differing respect based on their respect for other tribes often leaving tribes they respect alone in an attempt to foster more enemies with strength for the tribal games and to make raids more fun.
The average Einar don't have alot of personal belongings, a few clothes here, a few hobbies there but not in the same may others do. They live very pragmatic lives using a brutalist approach to everything.
Succession of the Einar throne isn't simply the son of the chief, any man or women can claim the throne they just need to be prepared to fight for it. While the battle for succession doesn't lead to alot of deaths, being far more political and intellectual than many tribes would believe when the final few contestants stand around an empty throne blood does shed. This battle for succession is commonly referred to as the dance of dragons or the great game. The battle doesn't officially start until two days after the chief's funereal which happens two days after the chiefs death but must also start after the first two days of the second month. While there is a chief on the throne is doesn't mean the Great Game is over as challenges and preparations for the next games are always happening behind closed doors.

Type

Geopolitical, Tribe