The Peoples of Forodwaith
No single race or culture dominates the Northern Wastes. The harsh environment hinders concentrations of population, blocking the extension of social bonds and stunting futile efforts at establishing political dominion. As a result many of the tensions and conflicts that plague other societies in the north-western regions of Middle earth simple do not exist in the far north. On the other hand, their universally shared struggle against the elements unites the Free People of Forochel more readily than in the south.
The Ystavat Talven
Regardless of their actual number the Ystavat Talven (Lo: Friends of Winter) are certainly the most wide spread people (or family of people) inhabiting the Northern Wastes. Three subgroups or “Tribes” are numbered among them: the Lumimiehet, the Jaamichet and the Merimetsasajit. The Lumimiehet are the original bearers of the name Lossoth but strangers to Forodwaith regularly use that label to designate all three groups.
The Lumimiehet
The nomadic hunting culture defines the image of all men of Forodwaith in the legends and folklore of the Southerners. During the Third Age the Lumimiehet wander all the lands of Forodwaith and the Elves and the Dunedain render “Lumimiehet” into the Sindarin tongue as “Lossoth”.
Appearance
Most Lumimiehet are fair skinned and hair, though occasionally a reddish-gold shade appears among some children. Eye colour is generally blue or grey, with green being a rare exception. They are not a massive people, lacking the length of bone seen in southern regions. However, a typical Lumimiehet maintains a certain amount of fat to help insulate against the cold; this probably developed from subsisting on a mostly meat diet. Still they are relatively lean, simply because so many calories are burned with all the hard work.
The Lumimiehet generally wear rough cloth or softened hide trimmed with animal fur from their hunting. The clothing is functional in the extreme; it is designed to keep them from freezing, not to accentuate the figure. But they nonetheless enjoy decorating their clothing with simple embroidery or using certain berry dyes to brightly colour garments though not those used for hunting. Jewellery is often bone, carved with circular designs; brooches, bracelets and rings are popular gifts, often handed down from generation to generation.
Society and Culture of the Lumimiehet
The Lumimiehet organise themselves by family and clan. While clan membership is initially a matter of birth, a Lumimiehet adult is free to change his or her clan through a rite called Vaatimus (Lo: claiming). Both family and clan identify themselves by distinctive totemic animals, which are considered taboo to kill for members of that particular clan (although such prohibitions do not extend to other clans). Because of this, totemic animals are never drawn from among herd animals’ species that comprise the basic staple of life. Rather the Lumimiehet tend to favour other predators (such as Wolf or Bear).
The average Lumimiehet is shy and aloof with strangers. “Strangers” however, include Lumimiehet from other villages, and not just people of different races. If the strangers prove themselves well-mannered and unthreatening (i.e. sheathing weapons, slinging shields and removing helms) before entering a village, this reserve begins to crack. Once the social ice is broken, the Lumimiehet are a generous and good-natured people, fearless in defense and persevering in the face of hardship. The cold of the North has taught them to seize each opportunity as it arises, for it may not be therefore long, and may never come again. The average life expectancy of a Lumimiehet is 50-60 years for males and 75-90 for females.
The Lumimiehet have a wealth of ingenious myths, entertaining stories and heroic legends. Most of these have to do with themselves and their culture and way of life. However, many are travellers’ tales they have gleaned over the years from various cultures. A good story teller is highly prized in a Lumimiehet village; often visitors to a village (especially those from other races or cultures) are called upon to tell a tale. An entire village of aloof and stand-offish Lumimiehet can be won over by the dramatic telling of a heroic tale.
Religion and World View
The spiritual life of the Lumimiehet centres on the Viisas (Lo: Wise one) and the Henkinimittaja (Lo: Spirit-namer). Together these two figures protect the well-being of their people and maintain relations with the spirit world. The Viisas preside over all rituals involving life and death, while Henkinimittaja read and interpret omens; both constantly work to maintain balance in Ympyra, the order of nature. While respected (or feared), neither the Wise One nor the Spirit-namer possess any formal authority in the eyes of the Lumimiehet. Henkinimittaja are always women, and males only rarely become Viisas.
The Lumimiehet have a lifestyle that is beautiful in its simplicity. Seasons come and go, each bringing tasks to be done and hardships to overcome. Survival and its demands are of paramount importance, taking precedence over all other facets of life. The Lumimiehet lives in the present, constantly working, because without this labour, there may be no future. For this reason, many Lumimiehet seem stern and sober. In reality, they savour the joys of life, but their harsh lives in the frozen wastes temper their emotional expression at an early age. Death also is a part of life. A Lumimiehet may mourn a lost loved one, but in his heart he realizes it is part of Ympyra. Life is renewed and sustained by the birth of children; it can just as easily be taken away by an ice storm or the claws of an animal. The Lumimiehet care deeply for one another, yet they accept death and loss stoically, as a matter of emotional practicality.
Warfare
Large scale warfare is unknown to the Lumimiehet. Villages sometime quarrel, and individual families do have blood feuds, but these are often resolved. Consequently Lumimiehet “Warfare” is something of a misnomer – their stratagems are simple but effective, being based primarily on hunting techniques.
The Lumimiehet learns the ways of the hunt in small groups of two to four, with basic weapon: spears, arrows and so on. Since the main targets are animals for food and materials, the Lumimiehet have become adept at quickly attacking and bringing down an animal while doing the least harm to its hide and bones. Most animals are killed with a swift spear thrust the cervical vertebrae, which leaves the best potions of meat and largest sections of hide intact. Usually, one hunter spies the animal, driving it towards others in the hunting party. These activities are not without risk, especially from sharp horns and hooves.
The Jaamiehet
The Jaamiehet (Lo: Icemen) share in the seafaring tradition of their berg-dwelling kinsmen the Merimetsastajat, and during spring and summer are often seen hunting in the waters of the Bay of Forochel. They are often mistaken for the Merimetsastajat or Lumimiehet.
Appearance
In appearance the Jaamiehet are much like the Lumimiehet; as the two groups regularly intermarry this is not surprising. The Jaamiehet are even fairer than their cousins; red hair and green eyes are almost never seen, and usually a matter of curiosity. Long hair is normal for men and women; men wear beards usually braided. In general Jaamiehet are a bit shorter and stouter in build than the Lumimiehet.
The Jaamiehet make most of their clothes from carefully cured sealskins, these garments are snug and insulting. They have little in the way of dyes, but often use sinew stiching in a variety of patterns to lend distinction to their garments. Ornaments and jewelry tend to be of bone rather than metal; whalebone in particular is flexible and easy to work with. Women often wear bone hairpins carves into shapes of animals, while men wear elaborate necklaces of carved bone and teeth.
Society and Culture
The ancestral hunting grounds of the Jaamiehet are less abundant in elk and reindeer than those of their Lumimiehet cousins, they rely more on fish, seals and whales for sustenance. The dangerous seas make for a short lifespan (45-55years for males, 60-75 for females). Even more than their Lumimiehet neighbours, the Jaamiehet are stern and not given to spontaneous romps or wasting time with pleasure. They look no further to the future than to the coming of winter. Spring is not necessarily a time of pleasure and celebration, but only a brief respite until hard times return in the winter. This attitude especially affects ideas of kinship. For instance, as children often die in infancy, the Jaamiehet ease mothers lose by treating all children as though they were their own offspring. Of course, a child’s birth mother and farther are acknowledged, but all people in the kinship group take part in the rearing and care of children.
Religion and World View
While they partake in all manner of spiritual traditions common to all Ystavat Talven, the Jaamiehet are distinguished by their taboos against killing certain animals, a custom all the more peculiar in light of the notably less abundant hunting grounds they choose to wander. Among the creatures sacred to them are the White Hart, the Snow Leopard and the Eagle. The first two they regard as messengers of the spirit world, while Eagles they believe to be watchful spirits of their departed ancestors. The myths and legends of the Jaamiehet are abound with tales of such beasts bringing aid to them in times of desperate need.
The Jaamiehet are more reserved than the Lumimiehet when it comes to encountering outsiders. In some of the isolated villages, visitors might only come once in a generation. The fathers and mothers bring their children forth to view strangers so they might remember in later years what other folk look like.
Warcraft
As with the Lumimiehet, internecine warfare is a rare occurance among the Jaamiehet. To the hunting lore of the former the Jaamiehet add a remarkable facility with boats (rivalled only by the Merimetsastajat). Usually, they ply their skills against the whales which are so vital to their livelihood. A group of Jaamiehet uses several small boats to strike the great beasts from multiple angles. This is a risk business, for falling into the icy waters almost assures death from drowning or freezing.
The Merimetsasajit
The Merimetsasajit (Lo: Sea-hunters) are, in reality a sub group of the Jaamiehet, their distinctive culture deriving from their unique habit of making the great icebergs of Forochel their permanent homes. The Merimetsasajit are born and raised on these bergs; most do not even set foot on solid, unmoving earth until adolescence or beyond, with the result that they are often uncomfortable on the dry and silent land, ill at ease without the steady motion of the sea beneath their feet or the sound of the waves about them.
Appearance
The hardy whalers share much in appearance with the Jaamiehet, albeit a bit shorter and stouter; skin colour is fair, while hair colour ranges from Honey-blond to platinum. Eye colour is most often blue or grey, with rarer shades of green. All their clothing is made from cured sealskin, whale skin or seal fur, including thick caps covering the ears, long coats with slit sides for walking and thick boots with leather ties. Men and women also wear snug fitting breeches and vests for warmth.
The Merimetsasajit love jewellery and adornment, usually brooches, rings, hairpins, bracelets and necklaces carved from bone; their beadwork is especially skilled and ornate. However during hunting all jewellery is removed to prevent unwanted noise. Food is too scarce to risk for the sake of vanity.
Society and Culture
Unlike other Ystavat Talven, the Merimetsasajit derive their livelihoods almost entirely from the sea, fishing, whaling and seal-hunting. If life is difficult on the shores of Forochel, it is even more deadly on the Ice-floes. The Merimetsasajit are constantly alert for danger, for the risk of death is never far away. This has made the Merimetsasajit an exceptionally cautious people, though they are not without good humor among themselves. They are, however quit reserved with outsiders.
The family unit is of great importance to these folk, who trace their lineage through the mother and generally practice monogamy; reciting ones family history is a matter of pride as well as good entertainment. In a sense, the close family structure is a microcosm of Merimetsasajit society overall. Quarrels are resolved simply through feats of strength, contests of story-telling or by asking an elder to adjudicate. Even children do not put their peers at risk through foolish play and dares. Such interdependence creates close bonds.
The Merimetsasajit seldom relax their alert senses, even when in a playful mood. They are ever cautious of a change in the weather or the approach of prey. The outsider might find the Merimetsasajit shy and reserved. They are not quick to give their trust until strangers prove their worth to their people as a whole. Should someone accomplish this they will not only have found a friend but a whole family all so.
Religion and World View
While the whalers of the Lumimiehet and Jaamiehet naturally seek the aid of blessings and omens to aid them in the hunt, only the Merimetsasajit devote an entire cult, the Valaskalan Palvonya (Lo: Cult of the Whale), to the pursuit of the great sea creatures. As whaling is such an essential part of Merimetsasajit culture, the whales and their spirits are of special importance to them. The cult seeks to ensure that there is no supernatural interference with the hunts, and do everything within their power to avoid offending the whale-spirits.
As only cult members are allowed to hunt whales, initiation into the Valaskalan Palvonya is an important and prestigious rite for the Merimetsasajit. The ritual requires an arduous period of instruction, in which the prospective initiate undergoes many metal and physical trials to prove their worth. The whaler must learn all the appropriate rituals and songs and, in the end, must seek a spirit vision. Once initiated, the whaler is given a special amulet to ensure good luck. The amulets are only used during a hunt and are hidden away when not in use. Each member of the Valaskalan Palvonya must devise a personal whaling song, use of which by anyone else is considered a spirit crime. These songs are passed on from father to son, or are specially prepared by a Viisas if no father is available.
While whaling, the cult members must be isolated from the rest of the village and may not sleep with their spouses. Before a whale hunt begins all boats, gear and whalers must be ritually cleansed. Once a whale is killed and brought to the berg, it is given a symbolic drink of water, welcoming it to the dwelling. As the whale is cut up, special rituals are performed to return the spirit to the sea un-angered. No loud or disturbing noises are permitted for fear of offending the spirits of the departing whale. The Merimetsasajit believe that a successful release of the whale’s spirit depends on the respectful treatment of the former body. The actual distribution of the whale is complex and involved process. All those that participated in the hunt enjoy the best portions of the divided meat.
The members of the Valaskalan Palvonya believe they have special influence with Aamumeren Isa, a spirit that wanders the sea in the form of a giant Humpbacked Whale.
Warcraft
The Merimetsasajit are deadly in combat. They learn from childhood the skills of hunting amoung the shifting Icebergs: how to find game and bring it down swiftly with minimal risk. Most hunt with sharp bone or ivory spears or harpoons; their most common prey are whales, walrus and seals. Because of their close-knit society, warfare amongst the Merimetsasajit is unheard of.
