Post #3014749

@Lavaearth@poa.st @Nothing@poa.st For many years they remained isolated in their land, exploring as many islands as they could and settle whatever part that could support a small village. This saw many explorers venture to the rought cold seas, told in the saga of the “Wanderers of the dark” where brave souls ventured to any island they could find, many not coming back from their travels. It's also in this time when the first ships ventured across the Sea of Fangs, arriving to the shores of Pinalo, where they begun to share stories of their terribly ruined land and the catastrophes that happened on it. Others arrived to the northern coast that was once joined to the Tusk, lands more gentle than the frigid islands they inhabited. And so, the northern chieftains sent settlers to this place where the land was abound with life. This brought many hope to the people of the Tusk, who believed the entire world was ruined like theirs. It was also at this time where the Tuskans begun to notice the differences between them and the people they found in the north. Mainly their wispy hair and extremely pale skin. For many years the Tuskans established a good relationship with the Pinalans, making trade flourish while the northern settlements in the continent grew, enriching their countrymen as they slowly expanded north. Thus, trade begun to flourish and scouting expeditions were mounted to far off coasts. The saga of the “Venturing dragons” relates how many of their iconic ships departed into the Sea of Diamods, eventually finding the Sunless Islands and the pirate realms where they were recieved with great suspicion; the faraway coasts of Graad, where they were turned away and some say they ventured further north yet those ships were lost. The Tuskans were filled with hope seeing how they were slowly fostering relationships with many, yet when they begun to ask about the ancient dragons people glanced strangely while others wondered what they were talking about. None that they asked gave them any sort of positive answer after so many centuries and the few that answered truthfully told the dragons were no more. This news was something that tarnished the hope the Tuskans held, particularly to those members of the Dragon Cult that despaired knowing that their masters were dead. But others faced these news with boldness and thought it was their duty to search to the very edges of the world for their old masters so they once more can reign over them and bring back the greatness of old times. Because of this, the priests begun to rouse the population and spread the message that they should look for the dragons in order to bring their rulers back. With this, a vast expeditionary fleet was prepared called “The brave thousand” (note: the veracity if the people that took place in this were truly 1000 is highly questionable) whose sole purpose was to sail as far as they could, exploring every place they arrive to in order to find their ancient kings. Once the fleet departed, from the highest jarl to the lowliest peasant, many expected news to come back from their brethren. Little by little some vessels returned with no results in their search and soon enough, none returned at all. As days and eventually months passed, hope begun to wane among the Tuskans, but something else would completely shatter it. It was during the early months of summer when the northern settlementes were attacked by the Druzhin. The then Boyar of the Druzhin, Nicolas the Truthful, managed to consolidate his power after the war against his northern kisnmen from Kirgorod and their Corvinian allies. With this, he marched south to take the coast from the Tuskans who were conquered in a swift campaign. This quick onslaught is told in the saga of the “Night of Woe” where the Druzhin moved in and advanced with little opposition. Many managed to escape to the Tusk but it is unknown what happened to those that fell to the clutches of the Druzhin. Thus begun a period of great change and challenges for the Tuskans as the Boreans begun their advance from the north and many believed they would move in to conquer the Tusk. And while even in spring things wouldn't be easy with snow trolls prowling the icy waters, they moved south once they prepared a fleet. The northern clans saw defeat as the looming fate that awaited them while the southern clans only prepared to defend their holdings. And i would also suspect, if they are truly humans, that they would hold to attack their comrades to take their land in a moment of weakness. But no such thing happened and instead a man rose among the Tuskans to unite them against the Druzhin. The old tales speak of Olaf Ice Eyes, a man described as carrying the strength and cold of winter within himself, rising to the challenge of uniting the clans. The lengthy epic bearing his name tells of his valiant deeds and hardships in this task that he ultimately succeeded, rallying the clans of the south and the north against the Boreans and effectively routing their enemy. With this, the Tusk was united once more, something that filled its inhabitants with hope, albeit momentarily. Thanks to this union they managed to stem the tide against the Borean ships and eventually their first landings, holding until the first autumn days where the seas were the roughest, forcing the invaders to choose between leaving with their lives while they could or hold until winter, where they would definetly lose. And obviously, they left. Since then and for a long time, the Tusk has remained a horrifically bleak place where its inhabitants manage to eke out a living despite its squalid conditions, managing far better than others would. Conflict rages every now and then between petty lords or the ocassional Borean raid, but not to the level it was in old times since the Boreans control the cities in the mainland and their sailors don't have the experience the Tuskans have in the treacherous waters, thus relenting any sort of large scale aggression. Yet despite all this there is a certain degree of prosperity that is short lived. Most of their ancient artifacts, works of art and metallurgy, masonry and important cultural heritages were lost during the cataclismic event that tore their land apart. Either the disaster took them or the survivors tore them down in order to salvage what they could. Destroying palaces and fortresses to repair their homes and smelting once great weapons into all manner of utensils. Thus, many of the ancient history of the Tusk is only preserved on meagre heirlooms and vast epics, thus intensifying the strength of their myths. While the sailors from the Tusk are not very welcomed in Pinalo nor Borea, it is widely known how they have dealings with daring merchants from the Pirate Realms or the more venturous, desperate or insane sailors of Graad and even Ergew. Stories tell that trade is somewhat difficult in the Tusk since the people see far more value in sturdy weapons, tools and animals than in gold and silver. Thus, barter is the only option the pirate merchants have when they make landfall in these ice laden shores, exchanging goats, pelts, prisioners, weapons and exotic goods in exchange for lumber, iron, gems, jewelry, wool, oil and in the most harsh or desperate winters, some people will sell themselves or a child in slavery so they have one less mouth to feed. Their most valued exports are the iron they gather from the open veins buffetted by cold winds, the “Svartre” lumber harvested in their forests and the thick wool gathered from their enormous and hairy aurochs. But life is dangerous even beyond the long winters and scarcity that reigns here. All manners of horrific beasts lurk in the forests and the waters of the region, with roving bands of snow trolls moving from island to island and oftently attacking homesteads and smaller villages that are ill protected. The strange ettin make their home in the larger islands and their attacks on large settlements and even cities are frequent unless appeased or erradicated. There are stories where these foul beings were killed and they tell about how armies march to combat only for a few men to return. (Note: I looked the origins of these beings and the stories were varied from humans that abused magic that became bloated and horrific to creatures born of mud soiled with the grudges and rage of countless victims. I asked Aldera about this and her explanation made more sense. I will write about this later). They also speak of Ireltz prowling the dark woods and even stranger beings like enormous shadowy wolves they call Fenarm; the Andar Howlers, told to be gigantic bears whose roars make the land tremble and whose pelts are capable of resisting any blade that strikes it; and the Lolaiorn, gigantic white eagles that nest in the most desolate peaks and are said to prey on the cattle of the Tuskans, each one capable of snatching an auroch like it was a twig and sometimes prey on the most unfortunate or foolish. Even worse, it is said the dragon sages warn from time to time too about the Skalgge, shadowy beings brimming with rage that is said to be the lingering spirits of ancient dragons clamoring for vengance that rise from the ground. The story of the sailor Leod McCormag tells about how one of the dragon sages, an old priest, told him to not abandon the settlement during the first days of spring in fear of the Skalgge. There are some other strange beings that are said to stalk the icy lands of the Tusk, but just rumors and legends, like that of the White Shadows or the Maids in the Mist.