A people who reside on a distant, isolated island in the cold north.
Geography
Elzimazia is a medium sized island, approximately the size of Britain. It is quite isolated from the rest of the world. The distance from the far north to the far south is 452 km. The distance from the far east to far west is 233 km. Elzimazia is situated approximately 8000 km to the North-North-East of the continent of Gaia. To far for a trade route in this day and age.
Climate
It has a reasonably cold to moderate climate, temperatures varying from –5 (minus five) degrees Celsius in winter to 25 degrees Celsius in high summer – generally not an uncomfortable or uninhabitable place.
Population
Sparse
The Minorian Clan
The Clan
The Minoria clan has a reputation for being rough and aggressive barbarians. In past years the clan used to raid their neighbours on a regular basis, but after the war, they have become more peaceful, trying to live in harmony with their neighbours and trading, instead of raiding has become the means of the day…. This isn’t always easy.
traditions
As a mark of manhood, the male members of the clan tattoo designs on their faces. The ink they use is normally blue, which stings painfully when applied. The new adult members of the tribe see it as a sign of strength to show no pain when the tattoos are applied. As part of their initiation, the boys design their own tattoos, before the tattoo master applies them. The spiral is central to the Minoria clan’s culture and is often used in these tattoos. The mythological Lynx is also often depicted in these tattoos.
Religion
The Minorians worship the war god of Elzimanzie.
Personages
Chief Angus The Brave
Chief Angus is a man of his middle to late years. Today he is wearing his bearskin cloak. You remember the day he killed that bear… One year, during the great annual hunt, when the men of the clan hunt the purple reindeer, Angus took his youngest son (Markus the young) out for his first great hunt. The bear appeared from nowhere. Markus was taken totally by surprise! Angus attacked the bear with his spear and killed it, before any of the other young men could even react. He is respected within his own clan and throughout the lands. Known as a principled man, Chief Angus is known for swift and harsh justice!
As members of his elite guard, you respect and fear him. You know what he is capable of and you know what he perceives as wrongdoing. His blue tattoos have, like many of the older male members of the clan’s, turned blue-grey with age as has his once black hair. However, when you look at the chief, you see that his eyes are as sharp as the first day you met him as a young initiate of the clan.
Chief Angus the brave was a warrior of note in his heyday and even now, in his middle to late years, most of the clan’s young men would prefer not to get into a fight with him.
Granny P
She is the clan mother. Whenever members of the clan come to visit the roundhouse, Granny P is there to greet them. She is always ready with food and drink for the traveller. She is wonderful in the kitchen as a cook and supervisor.
Granny P always knows all the clan news first. She is mother and caretaker to the young children and has seen many generations of Minorian children grow to adulthood.
The Elite Guard
The chief’s men or the chief’s elite guard are the chief’s trusted advisors, his personal bodyguard. They protect the chief whenever this is required and also go on diplomatic missions with the chief and on behalf of the chief. The men and woman of this guard have special skills and experience that are valuable to the chief. They are very dedicated to him and would offer their lives for him.
Places
The Roundhouse
A very large structure built (as the name suggests) circular. From the outside it looks a bit like a spiral tower. Central to the roundhouse is a spiral staircase with doors leading off to the sides. These doors open into bedrooms, activity rooms etc. The chief’s chambers is at the top of the stairs. The chief’s men have rooms next to the chief’s chambers, for protection and company. The ground floor is occupied by the kitchens, sculleries, cold rooms (Granny P’s domain) and conference rooms.
Outside the Roundhouse
Smithy
Stables
Barracks for permanent members of the clan guard – elite guard’s chambers are next to the chief’s chambers in the roundhouse.
This article was originally published on IX June MMV