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Jagrling, Clan of the Hunt
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One of the central Forest Clans, Jagrling literally means "Child of the Hunter".
Jagrling are a medium sized clan, slightly larger than the Ulthferen, and concentrate
on eking their living from the land.
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APPEARANCE & DRESS
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Jagrling Skald (Hoher Skalding)
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The Jagrling are typically between 6 and 67, weighing in between 180 to 230 lbs,
favoring a lean, raw-boned and wiry physique. They live most of their lives beneath
cover of the trees, so they are usually very pale. Their hair is usually a reddish
brown more bright than that of the Herodi, and their eyes are usually grey to blue.
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The Jagrling wear their tartans as a mantle or half mantle, typically over treated
dark brown and black leathers, and favor semi-precious stones and leatherwork over
metal work. Virtually all Jagrling are trained in the bow, and would feel naked
without one near to hand. Jagrling typically eschew tattoos, but some use simple
lamp-black for camouflaged face paint when doing serious skulking.
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GENERAL CHARACTER
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The stereotype that all Jagrlings are born with bows in their hands and hunting
cloaks on their backs is based on the fact that almost all Jagrlings are deadly
accurate with a bow, even the Thralls, and extremely proficient at finding game
to employ their archery upon. A young Jagrling learns to hunt as soon as they are
large enough to not be a liability to a hunting party. Though they are hunters they
kill only what they can eat and use as much of their kill as possible.
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In general Jagrling tend to be quiet, unassuming, patient, and never impetuous.
They are also seen as being particularly honor bound and stiff with propriety. Like
any stereotype this is an imperfect assessment of the Jagrling, but it's true often
enough to persist as the prevailing view of them by outsiders.
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Most Jagrling are content to live simple lives as hunter gatherers, but some seek
greater aims and a few depart their ancestral home to wander the world in
search of adventure. Many such Jagrling never return home, but a few come back eventually
and often take positions of leadership and authority within the Clan; the Jagrling
call these people weitwanden (wait-WOHN-den) which roughly translates as
"far wanderer".
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FOREIGN RELATIONS
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The Jagrling have practically no direct relations with outlanders other than peripheral
contact with merchants traveling to and from Fallenheim via the Vandolor River.
In fact in the modern time of peace there are many Jagrling that have never met
someone that is not from the Vold.
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TRADE
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With the exception of the Vandolor River trade the Jagrling trade almost exclusively
via the Pargori. Jagrling import a wide variety of luxury items that they cannot
make themselves. They export fine leather goods including armor, bows, arrows, and
various other wood products including beautifully carved furniture.
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ORIGINS & ORGANIZATION
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The Jagrling traditionally have had very close ties to the natural world, and try
to keep their lands free of corrupting influences, an important task due to the
fair number of Ungheuer that still reside in the deep forest of the Voldwald.
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Unsurprisingly the Jagrling have a strong Druidic tradition; the current Grand Druid
of the Vold was born amongst the Jagrling in fact and he often can be found in their
lands since the greatest stone circle in the Machtig lands, the Ubermanege, stands
in a clearing not far from Jagrhof. There is also a strong though small tradition
of Zauberers among the Jagrling centered around Stromweg.
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PROFESSIONS
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Most Jagrling, around 60%, are Thegns. The remainder are composed of Thralls (22%),
Druids (10%), Skalds (5%), Non-Thegn Fertigkeiten (3%), Zauberers (<.5%).
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THEGNS
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Most Jagrling Thegns use the following Packages or some variation of them:
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Archer: approximately 40% of all Jagrling Thegns
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Scout: approximately 25% of all Jagrling Thegns
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Barbarian Warrior: approximately 25% of all Jagrling Thegns
- Approximately 10% of Jagrling Thegns have a fighting style or discipline unique
to their families or circumstances.
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ZAUBERER
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The Jagrling have but few Zauberer. They currently have six Obermancers but three
are students of Daervor Arlivsen, an aging master of Aeromancy that lives in Stromweg.
The other two are Url Varenssen the Blessed, who has weak spellcraft but is blessed
with many elemental gifts, and Silgitte Darricasdotter a still young woman with
a strong grounding in Aeromancy and Hydromancy.
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There are also a few Aeldenaren from families near the Faendradi border, and a few
Runecrafters that specialize in carving Runes upon wood centered primarily in Waldenhalle.
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LAIRD AND HUSCARL
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The Jagrling Laird is traditionally called the Hunter Laird. The Jagrling Laird
maintains a mere ten or so Huscarls, but they are each an unearthly shot with the
bow; they are traditionally known as the Falkenaugen (Hawk-eyes). The current
Laird is Bjorjan Arison.
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CLANHOLD
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The Jagrling Hold encompasses the heart of the Voldwald Forest, the ancient and
deep woodland hugging the hills of the western arc of the Wundvold. Their land is
mostly contiguous save for a portion segmented off by the Vondolfelsig River and
then another by the Vandolor River (wherein the Clan seat is located). Their lands
to the west end where the mountains begin, and their lands to the south end where
the plains begin.
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The Voldwald is a deep, dark, powerful woodland that is still home to many Ungheuer.
It can be a dangerous place, and Jagrling must keep their wits about them to survive
in many parts of it.
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Throughout the Clan Hold the Jagrling tend to live in small communities often numbering
fewer than a hundred save where mutual survival forces them to congregate into larger
steadings. As a people they try to live at peace with their land, maintaining the
natural balance of the forest and disturbing as little as possible in the making
of their homes. This also serves a purpose as natural camouflage as well; many Jagrling
settlements are difficult to find by non woods folk.
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The western heart of the Jagrling lands are particularly wild and dangerous; but
danger can be found any where in the dark and forbidding expanses of the Voldwald.
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CLAN SEAT
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The Jagrling ancestral home is Jagrhof, a low rotunda built into a large rocky hill,
making an odd but very defensible fortress. In the Jagrling tradition this settlement
is smaller and humbler than it's status as the Clan Seat would suggest; fewer than
five hundred people live there full time, though this number swells with Volksraading
and special occasions.
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OTHER SETTLEMENTS OF NOTE
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Stromweg (STROM-WEHG), the richest steading in the Clan Hold, this steading
sees much trade along the Vandolor River from river craft on their way to Fallenheim
or on the way back. The Jagrling here tend to be more friendly and settled than
the more insular deep forest clans, though they still keep their bows handy in true
Jagrling fashion.
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Jagrling from the western steadings typically consider "Strommen" (STROH-MEN,
literally "River Men"), like those from Stromweg and the other river steadings,
to be soft and clumsy in their trail skills. Stromweg is also the center of
a small community of Obermancers. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Hinterende {HIN-TER-END), a remote settlement in the northernmost corner
of the Clan Hold, along the Vandolor River. Primarily a river trade steading, where
many hides and pelts are sold, primarily going up river. Like most Jagrling steadings
it is composed of a single longhall and multiple wood cots. Because of its remoteness,
its actually easier to get in and out of Hinterende via river craft. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Grunenfeder (GREW-nin-FED-er), a deep forest steading, with a longhall built
directly into the side of a rocky hill and numerous out buildings. Home to several
extended families of hunters and wood crofters who make a steady living off of both
mountain and forest beasts. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Baumoberseite (BOMB-oh-ber-SEAT), another river hold, made notable by the
numerous watch "towers" built into the tops of tall trees along the banks.
Home to several families of skinners and curers. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Waldhaupt (WALLED-hopped), the deepest of the deep forest holds, home to
many Jagrling, making it one of the largest concentrations of this spread out Clan.
Multiple longhouses in a walled steading built on top of a lone hill among a deep
and ancient pocket of the Voldwald Forest. This region is still home to many Ungheuer,
so the people gather together for safety. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Hausfurjager (HOSS-fer-YAH-ger), another deep forest hold, this steading
consists of a single large and walled longhall with three watchtowers arranged around
it. Home to several dozen families of hunters and wood folk, this community has
long had troubles with Ungheuer and are a more combative lot than most Jagrling,
though the warrior-folk are loathe to leave the steading unprotected and thus are
seldom seen. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Drayender (DRAY-end-ur), a forest hold, this steading consists of
three medium sized longhalls around a central collection of semi-permanent tents.
Home to several dozen families of hunters and wood folk, this community does a lot
of minor trade into Huarthmunn lands. Seat of a very minor and small Reeve-halten.
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Jagdhaupt (YAHGD-hopped), about 100 miles from Jagrhof this settlement is
a pale imitation of the Clan Seat, built just 50 years ago by a Reeve named Grossenschube
made wealthy from river trade who had pretensions of grandeur. He had Jagdhaupt
built and then abandoned the Reeve-halten's traditional seat of Leiserstrom (LIGH-sur-STROM)
for this new dwelling.
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Built directly into the side of a rocky hillock on a high bank over the Vandolor
River, its just like Jagrhof except gaudy and oversized. Everything bigger or bolder,
with a net effect of being very garish. Grossenschube bankrupted himself shortly
thereafter trying to erect an elaborate dock system and was relieved by the Laird
of the day. Grossenschube challenged for Lairdship but was denied the right to challenge
in the first Volksraading. Seat of a Reeve-halten.
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Waldenhalle (WALL-den-HALL), built along the Vondolfelsig River, a split
off from the Vandolor which gives into Lake Pargo adjacent to Fallenheim, but unfortunately
is white water going most of the year.
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However spring runoff makes the river navigable for about six weeks every year,
and during that time wood crofters from in and around Waldenhalle (literally "Wood
Hall") release the logs they have been stockpiling all year long and ride down
the river with them to Fallenheim where they fetch a very pretty penny from shipbuilders.
The proceeds of this one season's work, if used frugally, let the inhabitants live
well for the remainder of the year.
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Waldenhalle is also the home of many great carpenters and carvers, and several Runecrafters
that work in wood. Some of the most beautiful furniture in the Vold comes from this
region.
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The longhall itself is medium sized, but made of so many different woods and bears
so many highly skilled carvings that it is said to be a glory to behold. Seat of
a Reeve-halten.
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CLAN VIEWS
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The Machtig are an individualistic people, but nevertheless there are some generalities
about how the Jagrling think of the other Clans.
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- Raevoring: Their lives are incomprehensible to us. Nothing at home, and hunting
seas with no life upon the surface for months and years at a time; it is no wonder
they are all a little mad.
- Hengsting: Good bowmen, and they to hate the Ulthferen. Worthwhile cousins.
- Wundvolding: The men of stone, we don't understand how they can live in their
cold fortresses, but their craftsmanship is unmatched. They are quiet neighbors
and they buy a lot of our furs, but there is no close connection between us.
- Huarthmunn: They like our wood and game, we like their oats and barley. Ideal
neighbors; we complement one another. We can appreciate the patience and planning
demonstrated by the Huarthmunn, and most of them respect our lifestyle as hunters.
We have a mutual respect and common interest in trade with our favored cousins.
- Faendradi: They were once the same as us. We pity them their fate and try
to remind them of who they once were, and that should they turn away from their
Aelfing masters we will welcome them back. Few of them listen though. Very few indeed.
- Pargori: For many of our steadings the only hint of an outside world they
might ever get is a Pargori trader coming through. They are generally friendly,
entertaining, and bring goods for trade. The Pargori are our main link to the outside
world.
- Herodi: We'd like the Herodi a lot better if they weren't so aggressive.
And if they weren't so close with the Ulthferen. However, they have no patience,
no control, no ability to plan. This makes them dangerously unpredictable.
- Ulthferen: We do not like, do not trust, and do not want to be around the
Ulthferen. We still keep bows strung on a night with a full moon, carry at least
one silver tipped arrow in our quivers, and mount watches to guard against our northern
"cousins". We also keep track of wolf packs in our lands and trail new
ones to make sure they are not shifted Ulthferen. Though we haven't openly
conflicted in twelve centuries. We still remember their betrayal, and mothers still
rear their children with tales about the vicious Ulthferen.
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