User:Xixi!/Volsung

The Volsung

The Volsung are a group of humans that did not migrate to the Eastern Coninent during the early stages of Humanity, remaining in Northrend, and are racially as close to the original Azotha as one can get in these times. As a result of the closeness to the Vrykul, both through lineage and location, their cultures are quite similar in terms of common themes and traits, however they differ in some quite notable aspects.

Physiology

As a result of hard living and their genetic closeness to their Vrykul forebears, the Volsung are essentially physically stronger and more endurant than their cousins from Stormwind or Lordaeron, and taller than the Harab from Tanaris. Their skin is often pale, and their hair is often of lighter shades, such as red, blonde, etc. Their eyes are often blue. Their height range is aboit the same as the Night Elves, being largest amongst the Human subcultures.

Social Structure

Essentially, the Volsung do not exist as a specific government, but more of a scattered collection of loosely affiliated and nomadic tribes, allowing them to effectively retreat and escape from the Lich King's minions, or whoever else might decide to come looking for them. The tribe is often led by the strongest warrior in the group, called the Thane. The Thane may or may not have advisors under him, depending upon the man in question. The most common advisors are often Wyrdsmen, wise men with the ability to use the Runic magics as their Vrykul forebears did, Skalds, whose stories and great stocks of lore make them adept at advisory positions, or favored warriors. Being a generally misogynistic society, the Volsung leaders and advisors are almost never female, and those that are often find much challenge to their rule.

Generally, social status within the Volsung is determined by a complex combination of honor, courage in battle, and wordfame. Wordfame, out of all of those three ideas, is by far the most important, as it is considered to be a way to cheat death. After all, if one has wordfame, stories will be told of that person's exploits long after they are dead. As a result, a heroic nature is common amongst the Volsung people. The general classes of society are the Thralls, slaves gained through raids, or born to a family of the same class. Thralldom may be broken through a number of means. There are the Freeborn, who are the most common amongst the classes, and represent the common man. Then there are the Jarls, who are the higher classes, usually found in larger tribes that have stayed in one place long enough.

Cultural Themes

Unsurprisingly, the culture of the Volsung greatly revolves around the concept of death in all of its forms, and indeed, regardless of class, if a member dies in what is considered a good way to die, he is honored with the utmost respect.

Another integral part of the Volsung peoples are the Skalds, wandering wisemen that are part priest, part magician, and part warrior. These people are the living, breathing records of the Volsung's history, and the chief source of wordfame as well. They often wander the lands, bringing with them tales of grand might and villainous deeds.

Their artistic design often focuses around runes, unique to them and the Vrykul. Complex interwoven patterns interspersed with runes are the most common, and often infused with Runic magic as well.

Classes

Death Knight

Generally, there have been quite a few attempts to make Volsung Death Knights, but they are considered a dire abomination by the Volsung people, and reject and resist attempts at control so heavily that they are rarely successfully made.

However, the Volsung have their own warriors which harness the power of Runes, although none of the Unholy runes are known, nor used by them. These warriors are called Einherjer, and function effectively the same as the Death Knights, although remaining alive and untouched by the Scourge's corruption.

Warrior

Volsung warriors are effectively the same as regular warriors, although there are far more examples of what would be classified as Fury or Arms warriors rather than Protection warriors.

Rogues

Rogues do not function as a criminal element in the Volsung, but instead scouts and hunters.

Hunters

Functionally the same as regular hunters.

Priests

These priests do not follow the Light, nor the Shadow, but instead draw their power entirely from Rune Magic.

Mages

Mages do not draw power from the Arcane(And do not suffer from the resulting addiction as a result), but from Rune Magic. Fire mages are relatively rare.

Paladins

Effectively non-existent.

Warlocks

Effectively non-existent.

Notes on Fury Warriors

Fury warriors are always Berserkir. Berserkir are the result of a unique reaction of some warriors to Saronite, notably, instead of driving the warrior insane, it throws them into a powerful rage, during which their blows are increased massively.

Religion

The religion of the Volsung revolves around a deep reverence for the Titans, a result of the beliefs of their forebears. The main religious stations mostly revolves around the Skalds, the Wyrdmen, and the Runepriests, who each play a role in the religious proceedings.

The Lich King is the main deity of Death in their belief system, but he represents dishonorable death to the Volsung. Yogg Saron is also given a place, as the deity of rage, as Saronite is often used to place warriors into a berserker fury.

Notes on Gender Inequality

Essentially, the Gender roles of the Volsung are VERY set, and very patriarchal, fitting in with the general hostility of the environment that they live in. There are on occasion women who serve in a male role, however, most are actively discouraged from such a role, resulting in most of the adventurers from the tribes to be male.

Volsung society is polygamist as a result of the large proportion of men that die in battle, and so men are sometimes honored by the number of wives they have. Wives are claimed either through claiming one that is not claimed and paying the bride price to that family, participating in a ritual combat to gain one, or raiding other cultures and stealing wives from them.

One must be careful when playing as a Volsung to ensure that your character's general sexism is not misinterpreted as your own sexism.