Kingdoms of the Drakkar
Ruler: Several dozen petty kings, jarls and
chiefs.
Government: Autocracy
Capital: None
The Drakkar Peninsula is as rugged, windswept and desolate a coastline as any you are likely to find in Erehwon. In winter fierce gales howl in across the Northern ocean to batter the western coast line and make travel by sea nigh impossible. The peninsula is named after the race of fierce human warriors that call its rocky, fiord filled coast home.
Nobody knows where the Drakkar originated from for they bear no resemblance to the other human ethnic groups of Erehwon but it is speculated that perhaps they migrated from a homeland far to the west and were blown to the desolate coast by one of the many fierce storms that sweep out of the Northern Ocean. However, according to their own legends they come from a land called Jotunheim, the land of the giants, and that they were led to the peninsula by Erik Redhand, a famous Drakkar hero. The truth of this legend has never been substantiated but the tall, blonde haired, blue eyed Drakkar are unlike any of the other humans of Erehwon.
The Drakkar were first "discovered" by the western kingdoms some 300 winters ago when they howled out of the seas to loot, burn and plunder the defenceless coastal towns and villages of the Druth and Skeltish kingdoms. Many cities and towns were sacked by the raiders who would attack and then disappear back into the trackless ocean in their longships before any sort of resistance could be organised. Before long almost every land trembled before the unchecked might of the Drakkar and several kings began offering them bribes not to attack. Sometimes these offerings worked but more often than not they attacked anyway for battle seems to be little more than a sport to these hardy warriors.
The Skeltish kings, like the Druth kings seemed powerless to stop the Drakkar raids. It wasn't until Uther the Second, king of Gwyneth, united the warring Skeltish kingdoms and was proclaimed the first High King of Sharmra was a check made to the Drakkar. Uther organised a series of coastal watch towers and beckons and soon the whole coast was organised to repel the invaders. He defeated a large Drakkar war host at the battle of Dunheath and slew their king, Rolfgar One-eye, in single combat. After that defeat the raids eased up for a time, at least in the kingdom of Sharmra, and the Skelts attention turned to another enemy, the Druthni tribes.
Over the centuries the Drakkar have earned a much deserved reputation for being fearless warriors and skilled sailors. They seem to live for adventure and war and each year most longships return to their bleak homeland full of booty.
The various kingdoms of the peninsula are thought to be home to somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 Drakkar, but none can be sure of the exact number as few travel to their rugged homeland. They worship their own gods and hold a god called Wodin above all others.
Each Drakkar settlement is an armed camp for the Drakkar are a people bred to war. All youth both male and female are trained in the arts of war almost before they can walk, for when the men are away during the summer months then the woman must defended the hold against the various monsters, humanoids and giants that inhabit the rocky mountains of the peninsula. It is also not uncommon for unmarried woman to accompany the men on their raids and they too have attained almost legendary status for their battle prowess. I n fact some of the most successful Drakkar war bands follow female chieftains.