Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-29-2019, 05:46 AM   #1
Anders
 
Anders's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Default Noršlond Customs

What are some curious Noršlond customs?

During the three shortest nights of the year, the young men of any village dress up as goats and go wassailing. They are rewarded with food and drink (especially drink) and kisses by the young unwed women of the village. They also burn the Yule-Goat. The Yule-Goat is made from straws of the last crops harvested and contains the spirit of the harvest. By burning it and thus releasing it, it is let loose to begin the work of finding the Sun and bringing it back. It is said that if the Yule-Goat is not burned, the village will starve for three consecutive years.

Adventure Seed: Someone has stolen the Yule-Goat, holding it ransom, and it's only three days until the Winter Solstice. Disaster awaits unless the PCs can retrieve the precious item.
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius
Anders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2019, 09:49 AM   #2
Anders
 
Anders's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

On New Years Eve, it is tradition in Nordlond homes to renew oaths of friendship, loyalty and marriage. While it is still possible to do so at other times, the New Year is considered an especially auspicious time to renew the bonds that tie society together. This is also a time of great feasts, when the jarls invite their bondsmen and the freemen that live nearby to celebrate the birth of the new year and the return of the Sun (A Nordlond New Year starts with the Spring Equinox and the return of the Yule-Goat from his quest to find the sun.).
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius

Last edited by Anders; 12-31-2019 at 10:30 AM.
Anders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2019, 10:04 AM   #3
DouglasCole
Doctor of GURPS Ballistics
 
DouglasCole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lakeville, MN
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders View Post
(A Nordlond New Year begins the day after the Yule-Goat is burned and released).
As a note, the New Year is in March, on the spring equinox.

Hall of Judgment, p. 10:

Equinox Festival (March). The equinox festival
marks the beginning of the Noršlond year, and the
long-anticipated (long, long anticipated in Isfjall) end
of winter. It is marked by religious celebrations and
the sacrifice of small amounts of seed grains to mark
the beginning of new things. Any children born in the
winter are recognized and celebrated at the Equinox.
If you come across a child named Byrjun, Jólabarn,
Borgny, or Dagne, they were probably born near the
equinox (likely a result of activities during the Solstice
Festival in midsummer).
__________________
My blog:Gaming Ballistic, LLC
My Store: Gaming Ballistic on Shopify
My Patreon: Gaming Ballistic on Patreon
DouglasCole is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2019, 10:29 AM   #4
Anders
 
Anders's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

Ah. Well, that fits "the return of the Sun" even better. Will rewrite.
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius
Anders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2019, 06:33 PM   #5
Žorkell
Icelandic - Approach With Caution
 
Žorkell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Reykjavķk, Iceland
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

How about a custom about giving knives and weapons? You don't give people knives or weapons as that would cut the bonds of friendship. If you desire someone to have this cool knife/sword/whatever you give it to them along with a coin, in essence paying them to have that implement. Or when the recipient receives the implement he pays the giver for it with a small coin.

Based on an actual Icelandic tradition/superstition.
__________________
Žorkell Sigvaldason

Viking kittens | My photos | More of my photos
Žorkell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2020, 05:21 AM   #6
Anders
 
Anders's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

Swedish as well, although for us its scissors. There are plenty of superstitions in Swedish folklore to draw from...

For instance, dried and powdered woodlice can be used to treat constipation.
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius
Anders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2020, 08:53 AM   #7
DouglasCole
Doctor of GURPS Ballistics
 
DouglasCole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lakeville, MN
Default Re: Noršlond Customs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Žorkell View Post
How about a custom about giving knives and weapons? You don't give people knives or weapons as that would cut the bonds of friendship. If you desire someone to have this cool knife/sword/whatever you give it to them along with a coin, in essence paying them to have that implement. Or when the recipient receives the implement he pays the giver for it with a small coin.

Based on an actual Icelandic tradition/superstition.
That's interesting, and I wasn't aware of it. I have this in December:

Festival of the Bells (December). The winter
solstice festival honors the Lord of Warding for
standing watch through the depths of the winter and
protecting the town and its citizens from harm. At
the moment of solstice, bells and chimes are rung
in every household, building, and steading in the
region. Gifts are exchanged, typically weapons or
replicas of weapons. At the evening meal, every head
of household will spill a drink, and pledge in the name
of the Lord of Warding to be vigilant and stand fast
before evil. The meal is traditionally mutton.
__________________
My blog:Gaming Ballistic, LLC
My Store: Gaming Ballistic on Shopify
My Patreon: Gaming Ballistic on Patreon
DouglasCole is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
customs, noršlond

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.