Arcana

The Uthgardt Tribes (Forgotten Realms stuff)

Taken as a whole, the separate tribes form the Uthgardt people, yet they have individual distinctions that divide them and quash any possibility of unity as a people. This diversity is expressed as cultural variances, devotion to their unique totems, and tribal goals. Each tribe has an ancestor mound where they worship their totems (and other gods) each fall during the Runemeet. Several share mounds with other tribes, while some mounds are lost or abandoned.

Each tribe is ruled by a chieftain, who may also style himself as king. The chieftains are barbarian class fighters, usually of 8th to 13th level.

Chief shamans are the most powerful in their tribe, usually 7th level or better and normally accompany the chieftain. Other shamans of lesser or even equal power exist within each tribe.

The ritual enemy is a foe whom young barbarians must challenge and overcome in order to become adults. It is also the focus of ritual hunts during the annual Runemeet. Orcs are the common ritual foe of all Uthgardt, but each tribe has its own personal enemy. As described previously, the beast power is a magical ability possessed only by tribal shamans.

Black Lion Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Beorunna's Well

Chieftain: Alaric the Strong

Cleric: Patreveni Onehand

Shaman: Bogohardt Blackmane

Ritual Enemy: the tundra barbarians (tribes beyond the Spine of the World).

Beast Power: Lion's Roar. Deafens foes for 1d6 turns if they do not make a saving throw vs. spells. Only Bogohardt can still wield this power.

The black lion is long gone from the north, yet the tribe that bears its name lives on. Chief Alaric.s badge of office is said to be a cape made of black lion skin (those who claim to have seen it recall only a mangy scrap of dirty black fur.

Nestled in the wide valley that separates the North from the glacier beyond is the small village of Beorunna's Well (mostly small huts, long houses and a few tents), which stands a respectful distance from the watery pit that is its name-sake. Here, the complacent Black Lions have forsaken tradition to become farmers and herders. Hunters still roam the wilds, but the tribe no longer depends upon them for survival. Agricultural success lets them trade with others for their needs.

In forsaking their barbarian traditions, they have also cast aside their tribal totem. Most folk of Beorunna's Well worship the Tyr alliance of Tyr, Torm, Ilmater and Helm.

Beorunna's Well is one of the most sacred sites of the Uthgar barbarians. The folk here sense its eldritch nature and fear it more than they revere it. During Runemeet, the Red Tiger tribe performs the required rituals while the Black Lions avoid entering the well.

Blackraven Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Ravenrock

Chieftain: Ostagar Tenfeather

Shaman: Pureheartman

Ritual Enemies: Griffon tribe and foreign merchants and clerics

Beast Power: Shapechange. The wily raven gives his shamans the power to assume the form of any natural animal (not dungeon monsters) native to the North.

Of all the Uthgardt, the Blackraven are the most conservative, holding tightly to the old ways and reacting violently to the new. Pureheartman and his assistant, Wulphgehar, are the only shamans tolerated by the tribe. As far as the caravans who ply the north are concerned, the Blackravens are the worst of the tribes. Blackraven warriors are renowned as bandits, gaining this reputation because they prey on those whom they despise the most. foreigners, especially merchants and missionary clerics. They seek to destroy that which may threaten their way of life. The tribe is aided in their quest by their totem, the gigantic ravens of Ravenrock. The raiders sit astride massive ravens, swooping down out of the sky to rob and terrorize caravans.

The Blackravens have little respect for tribes who dwell in towns (particularly the Thunderbeast and Griffon tribes), since those tribes have adopted foreign ways. In return, they are enemies of those tribes. King Gundar Brontoskin (Thunderbeast chieftain) offers a bounty for the destruction of the Blackravens. eggs.

Because their raiding spoils are tainted with foreign influence (including gold, jewelry, weapons, fabric, etc.), these items are sacrificed to the Blackraven and secreted away in Blackraven shrine, near the Ravenrock ancestor mound. The Blackravens protect their shrine closely and do not welcome foreign intrusion. Woe betide the person who is caught searching for (let alone robbing) the tribe's treasure-laden shrine.

Bear Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Stone Stand

Chieftain: Hlutwig Long-throw

Shaman: Tanta Hagara

Ritual Enemy: Civilized farmers

Beast Power: Bear fury. The recipient of this power grows claws, increases in strength and can claw and bear-hug attack like a cave bear.

This tribe is evil, a pawn of Hellgate Keep. The Uthgardt tribes stand united in their enmity towards the infamous Bear tribe. No longer a mere spirit, the blue bear totem has become demonlike due to the tribe.s association with the evil within Hellgate Keep. Likewise, the tribesfolk have degenerated and become brutal and more savage.

GAME INFORMATION: Tanta Hagara is not human; she is an annis, a haglike giantess from Hellgate Keep. She seeks Grandfather Tree, the tribe.s lost ancestor mound. She has a unique way of dealing with the tribe.s captives... she eats them.

Elk Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Flintrock

Chieftain: Zokan Thunderer

Shaman: Berchtwald Bandylegs (Elk totem), Trothgar Grunald (Auril)

Ritual Enemy: .The ancient ones. (any old ruin, tomb, or evidence of ancient civilization qualifies).

Beast Power: Horns of Wisdom. This is the same as the clerical spell commune, except that it causes elk antlers to grow from the skull of the shaman. Each use causes additional horn growth.

The Elk tribe's normal range includes the Evermoors, the plains east of the Dessarin and the Dessarin and lower Surbrin river valleys. Of all the tribes, they are the most arrogant, surly and self-indulging. Considered by many to be little more than bandits, they often raid other tribal settlements for food, women, and sport. They have loose ties with the rulers of Luskan but are unwelcome elsewhere. Chief Zokan Thunderer is regarded by most as a vulgar thug. Under his rule, clerics of the Talos alliance have gained a strong hold on the tribe.

Great Worm Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Great Worm Cavern

Chieftain: Bardawulf Boldheart

Shaman Elrem, called The Wise.

Ritual Enemy: Evil creatures

Beast Power: Breathe fire three times as a red dragon of same hit dice.

The most notable feature of this tribe is its chief shaman, Elrem the Wise. Imagine a gigantic, bat-winged snake with the head of a red dragon and you will have a picture of this tribe.s mythical totem and its elder shaman. Unlike most other tribal shamans, Elrem is not human. He is a great worm, possibly the only great worm in existence (though tribal legend states that he was once human and may be one of Uthgar's sons). Elrem sleeps year round in the depths of Great Worm Cavern, waking once each year at the Runemeet to prophesy of the future, based on his dream travels. Through Elrem's guidance, the tribe has chosen evil creatures (orcs, giants, creatures of Hellgate Keep, etc.) as ritual enemies.

Grey Wolf Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Ravenrock

Chieftain: Alrik Tenstone

Shaman: Clovis Greenteeth

Ritual Enemy: The orcs of Gauntlgrym

Beast Power: Lycanthropy. Regardless of the phase of the moon, the shaman may assume wolf form, or awaken latent lycanthropy in another tribesman.

Though they are not the most numerous or the most powerful, this is the most feared of the Uthgardt tribes.

Long ago, the tribe adopted human refugees from the lost city of Gauntlgrym.

The evil that had possessed the city caused the tribe to be cursed with lycanthropy. Any tribesman who possesses Greywolf blood becomes a wolf under the light of the moon (although those who are adopted by other tribes slowly lose the curse). On moonlit nights, the entire tribe roams the wilderness in search of prey.

During Runemeet, the Blackraven tribe tolerates the Grey Wolves at their shared ancestor mound of Ravenrock. so long as the moon is not full.

Griffon Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Shining White

Chieftain: Kralgar Bonesnapper

Shaman: Adalfus Stormgatherer

Ritual Enemy: The cities of the North

Beast Power: Griffonbeak. The spell target's head becomes a griffon head, capable of biting for 2d8 damage.

Chief Kralgar Bonesnapper is a popular man of great charisma, and even greater ambition. Since assuming leadership, he has pushed his people towards greater accomplishments, making the Griffons foremost among the tribes in power, skill, and learning. His great goal is the conquest and possession of one of the northern cities. To this end, he has declared ritual war on the cities. Unallied clans seeking either plunder or the benefits offered by cities have joined the Griffons, swelling their ranks.

Even so, Griffons. Nest, the primary tribal encampment, rivals some of the smaller northern cities. Without realizing it, Kralgar may accomplish his goal within his lifetime as Griffon's Nest slowly changes from camp to city. While the tribe wages incessant warfare against the cities, they welcome contact with outsiders, considering all as potential allies in their quest.

Red Tiger Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Beorunna's Well

Chieftain: Adalwulf Longfang

Shaman: Garinen the Maker

Ritual Enemy: Blue Bear tribe

Beast Power: Shapechange to tiger, as the 7th level druid ability.

Like their totem beast (which is also called the snow cat, since its fur changes color in winter), this tribe is wild and solitary. They hunt in very small family groups and roam widely, primarily in the Cold Wood. They are wary of all strangers and would sooner avoid contact with things or folk which they do not know. The tribe has few shamans and no shrines other than Beorunna's Well. The men of the Red Tiger tribe are strictly hunters, leaving gathering and trading to the women, elderly and children. The Red Tigers believe that the true test of a hunter is the ability to bring down prey unaided. Often, their only weapons are tiger claws, short wooden handles embedded with three sharp stone daggers. The hunter holds these so the daggers project between the fingers like claws. The Red Tigers are loyal to King Gundar Brontoskin of the Thunderbeasts, who won their respect during a Runemeet Runehunt by bringing back a leucrotta, slain with only a pair of tiger claws.

Thunderbeast Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Morgur.s Mound

Chieftain: King Gundar Brontoskin

Shaman: Kierkrad Seventoes

Druid: Wisteria Borsdotter (Silvanus)

Cleric: Sigurd Gandolfsson (Tyr)

Ritual Enemy: Wolves

Beast Power: Cause skin to temporarily become tough and gnarly like dinosaur hide (AC 5). As the recipient of the spell walks, the ground shakes.

The Town of Grunwald on the edge of the High Forest is home to this most civilized of the tribes. Although, he wields no official power over the other tribes, King Gundar has the charisma and respect necessary to call the tribes together into a horde.

The tribe takes its name from the apatosaurus (brontosaurus), which in ancient times roamed here. Tribal shamans claim that thunderbeasts still dwell in the High Forest. The clan's hearth at Morgur.s Mound is surmounted by an apatosaurus skeleton. It said that in time of great need, the tribal shamans can animate the skeleton to fight in the tribe's defense.

In addition to the Beast Cult shamans, the Thunderbeast tribe in Grunwald has grown civilized enough to tolerate priests of other religions, primarily the druids of Silvanus, and the clerics of the Tyr alliance.

Tree Ghost Tribe

Ancestor Mound: Grandfather Tree

Chieftain: Gunther Longtooth

Shaman: Chungred Ghostheart

Ritual Enemy: Evil undead creatures

Beast Power: Druid magic. The shaman may perform any one druid spell up to 4th level (may be different each time).

The Tree Ghosts are wanderers who search for Grandfather Tree, their lost and abandoned ancestor mound. At Runemeet, they worship at whichever ancestor mound is most convenient before resuming their wandering again.

Unlike the other Uthgardt tribes, the Tree Ghosts totem is not a beast. The Tree Ghost is a woodland spirit, similar in some respects to an elemental, but drawing life, energy and intelligence from the forest and giving back its energy to the forest as a caretaker and guardian. Supposedly, each forest has a Tree Ghost whose power depends on the size of that forest. The elves disclaim the existence of such beings, but the Tree Ghost tribe stands firm in its belief in their tribal totem and are able to draw on the spirit.s power.

The Tree Ghosts are cordial to foreigners, but will not ask for outsiders. help in their holy quest for their ancestor mound. Although as a rule the barbarians hold the civilized folk of the north in disdain, the Tree Ghost warriors owe allegiance to High Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon and would die to a man for her.

The aarakocra, the bird men are the extremely secretive descendants of one of the ancient creator races. Were it not for an occasional sighting made of manlike forms flying above the High Forest, mankind would be totally unaware of their presence here. They dwell in six small villages on the upper slopes of the central mountains.