Marshhelm League

Marshhelm League

The people of the Salt-Touched Foothills are industrious and honorable. They work hard and party harder. They value strength and tenacity in combat over other traits and prefer to face their problems head-on instead of skirting around in the shadows. Legal disputes can be unforgiving and punishment can be harsh, but the values of the land dictate an honorable living and most people see no problem with this severity. The five strongholds of the area are a testament to these values. Crushfeather, Dragon’s Maw, Fogburrow, Marshfoot, and Snowrend all share common cultural touchpoints, but are each made unique by the environments where they sit. The region is ruled by a council of Jarls known as The Marshhelm League, with each Jarl ruling over their own stronghold. A typical political meeting may seem to be nothing more than a feast filled with drunken laughs or brawls, but this is how things are done here. That perception of chaos makes it difficult for outsiders to the political landscape to make inroads with these people. This region is known for its bountiful, yet unforgiving sea. The strong boats crafted to navigate the treacherous waters of the region are a mark of pride for most Salt-Touched people. The three most prevalent species of people in the area are Drakkari, Kynn, and Tidewalkers.

Culture

Typically, the people of this region are too worried about local issues to worry much about the larger world. They generally welcome outsiders who prove useful but treat charlatans and beggars harshly. Politics outside of the region are a bit alien to the people of the Salt-Touched Foothills, and they usually don’t involve themselves on a larger stage with outside powers. This region is known for its raiding parties that prey on coastal areas in other regions. The Jarls of the land dismiss them as groups of brigands acting independently from the Marshhelm League.

Appearance

Clothing varies from stronghold to stronghold. The people of the mountainous stronghold, Snowrend, prefer heavy fabrics made from wool and supplement it with fur pelts to stave off the cold during hard winters. The more mild temperatures of the foothill stronghold, Crushfeather, allow for lighter clothing made of linen from the hearty flax plants in the foothills. You’ll still find similar linen clothing in fewer layers in the marshes of Marshfoot; the boggy area rarely gets cold enough to require warm weather clothing. Dragon’s Maw, the current seat of the High Jarl and the most coastal stronghold, is home to many people sporting seal and shark leather clothing to supplement the more traditional linen and wool. Fogburrow is a melting pot of fashion; its role during the war drew people together from all over the region, and they brought their clothing with them. Colors vary, but dark blues, reds, and browns are common.

Territories

Superstitions & Taboos

• Barefoot is Best Many people believe that bad things happen to ships when sailors aboard them wear boots or shoes. It is very common to find entire crews of sailors, regardless of type of ship, that go barefoot or use cloth wrappings to cover their feet once they reach the deck of a seagoing vessel.
• Fara’Thruk Fara’Thruk is a type of honor duel commonly reserved to Jarl duels or particularly important challenges of honor. The belief in this specific type of ritual is rumored to have existed pre-Sundering. With the cycle of life and death broken in the world, some people are capable of returning back from the dead. If you were to die during a Fara’Thruk, it is expected that you tell whatever being awaits you in The Crossroads that you do not wish to return to life. Coming back to life after Fara’Thruk is seen as one of the most heinous of acts and an affront to everyone in the Salt-Touched region.
• Never Back Down Combat is taken seriously in Marshhelm, and fights are treated with an almost sacred reverence. Many Salties feel compelled to see any challenge accepted or combat initiated to completion. Retreat, in this case, is not an option.
• Salt Save Your Corpse Before combat with a particularly challenging foe, many Salties offer their respect with the saying, “May you find glory in the Storm, or may the salt save your corpse.” Over time, this saying evolved into a shorter battlecry: “Salt save your corpse”. If Marshhelm is on the field of battle, you are almost certain to hear it just before combat begins.
• Witness the Vintage Some believe that if you don’t ask The Meadow to witness the opening of the cask, the ale in the cask will evaporate, go bad quickly, or not be able to get anyone drunk. Some taverns take this taboo more seriously, and cask openings involve a small ceremony where an elder leads a song in honor of The Meadow.