Rimster culture

Legend

“Ice flakes, glaciers, windy peaks, and chilling fields have all displayed great heroes.”

Skjald Valgrif

 

Description

Rimster dwellers are hardy, resilient people, adapted to extreme cold and long periods of darkness. Their lives revolve around hunting, fishing, and a strong connection to the environment. Their culture emphasises community, survival, and a deep respect for the natural world around them.

Lifestyle: Most are hunters or fishermen, using their intimate knowledge of the land and sea to sustain their communities. Others may be craftsmen, shamans, or storytellers. Life in these harsh climates necessitates a strong communal bond and a reliance on each member’s skills.

Diet: Rimsters have a diet that is stark and survival-orientated, relying on what little can be found or hunted in cold climates. Their food includes preserved meats, hardy root vegetables, and whatever berries or plants they can gather during the short growing season, and wild game when available. They may also consume fish, seaweed or kelp if they live near coastal areas. Their food is often bland but functional and high in calories to sustain them in cold, harsh environments.

Traditions and Stories: Rimster communities have a rich tradition of storytelling. They pass down epic tales of legendary heroes, spirits of the ice and sea, and the creation of the world. Oral histories and myths are central to their culture, with stories often told around communal fires during the long nights.

Religion: Rimster dwellers practice variations of subdued rituals with some organised cults and shrines. Most have reverence for local or community spirits, although principal worship focusses on the “true gods.”

• Religious system: Nature worship of the deities representing elements or animals.
• God-Mortal Interaction: Belief that spirits inhabit the natural world, including ice and snow and creatures like bears, seals, and whales.
• Rituals: ceremonies to ensure successful hunts, protection from storms, and rites of passage. Honour for those who survived the harsh rimster conditions.
• Impact on Society: A strong sense of community and interdependence. Respect for the natural world is paramount. Religion reinforces the importance of survival skills and knowledge.

Marriage Pattern: Marriages often serve to strengthen alliances within and between tribes. Due to the harsh environment, marriages are practical arrangements with an emphasis on mutual support and survival rather than romantic love.

Skjald Sigurd

 

Craftsmanship: Their craftsmanship, while seemingly crude, holds a rustic appeal. They produce intricate carvings from bone, ivory, and wood, as well as durable tools and clothing suited for the harsh climate. Items are often decorated with symbols and motifs representing their environment and beliefs.

Clothing & Decoration: They wear various types of elaborate or practical wool and linen garb, including cloaks, boots, and fur-lined tunics. In warmer areas, tunics are common, while shirts, pants, and leggings are worn in cooler locales. They also use animal hides and furs for additional warmth and protection against the elements.

Armor: Rimster dwellers use any type of armour available.

Weapons: Their weapons include composite bows, daggers, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, and spears.

Special Items: Items, though rustic, has a unique aesthetic appeal. Items are made from materials that may not endure long, such as bronze, copper, tin, leather, yarn, and wood, but are treasured for their craftsmanship and cultural significance.

Skjald Sejrik

 

Time: Rimster cultures rely on sunshine, auroras, and seasonal ice melt patterns to survive in their harsh environment.

Accomplishment and achievement: Community survival in extreme cold requires mastering ice navigation, sustaining their icy domains, contributing to the collective, and managing resources.

Authority Interaction: Pragmatic, with respect for those who possess critical survival knowledge. Tribal leaders, clan chiefs, and shamans are practical and chosen for their ability to guide their people while respecting the Rim’s old spirits.

Fears & Inabilities: Aside from local superstitions, most fear drowning in tainted waters and becoming draugr (undead).

Mien: Culture strongly shapes demeanour, with limited room for individual expression. Survival often necessitates a strong, community-focused demeanour.

Mannerism: The harsh environment necessitates a practical, aggressive, hard-working, and inquisitive demeanor. Rimster dwellers are often reserved and cautious, but fiercely protective of their community.

Prejudices: Rimster folks are uncomfortable with Mariners and Nobility but welcoming enough to deal with most outsiders. They value practicality and resilience over wealth and status.

Skjald Yell'a'Beard

 

General Resistance: Their constant exposure to harsh climates has resulted in a strong constitution and resistance to cold-related ailments.

Disease Resistance: Moderate. The cold climate and isolation from large populations reduce the spread of diseases, but they have developed resilience against local pathogens.

Poison Resistance: Moderate. Their diet and environment have exposed them to various natural toxins, building some resistance.

Remedies: They possess extensive knowledge of local plants and natural remedies, using herbs and concoctions to treat ailments and injuries.

Skjald El Mary