Stigr, the god of fire

Nordmen believe that death, war, and evil are the default state of the universe. That all things, even humans, are evil on their own. But they also believe, that with enough will, we can push back against the corruption, and shine some of the good light into cold, evil world.

Many think this is a pessimistic view of things, but they see themselves as hopeful. Sure, they are fighting a losing battle – the corruption will prevail. But they fight nonetheless. They try to be good.

Stigr is said to be the first human to push back against the cold. He brought warmth, fire, and goodness to this world. He showed the rest, that there is another way. The way of good. And that it is worth fighting for.

Aspect of fleeting light

Nordmen believe that much like fire needs to be maintained, so does the morality of man. Being a good person requires a constant effort.

Those who chose this aspect understand that path piety is a marathon not a sprint. And many of them may not have great deeds under their belt, they help in the little ways they can.

Candle that shines dimly also lasts longer — Nordmenian proverb

Aspect of summer / Aspect of day

Legend has it, that seeing how cold the world can become, Stigr decided to warm up the world himself.

Stigr reminds us, that even though there may be dark and cold times, if we press on, if we overcome it, there is warmth on the other side. The true strength of will is to maintain resolve especially during darker times. To not lose the spirit and to go back if you lost your way.

Equally, one must not rely on the good times alone. It is important to remain vigilant even when things look right.

Aspect of burnt wisdom

This is rather interesting aspect. Unlike other religions, there is no institution or anything that could control or maintain the teaching of Nordmen. It should be then no surprise, that much of the legends and folklore got lost or misinterpreted… and thus we have two interpretations of burnt aspect.

In this one, Stigr warns, that even with best of intentions, one might harm others. And from then on, he made it so the fire burns, to remind everyone to be careful, even when they mean well. It is easy to think you are doing the right thing, but it is your responsibility to make sure it is that way. Unintentional harm, if less of an offense than intentional, is still an offence which you should answer for….  

Aspect of burnt hand

Sometimes, kind words are not enough. Sometimes things need a little help. Sometimes, you need to choose a lesser evil. This branch of the burnt aspect believes that this is fine to do, though you should steer away from it if possible. As fire can illuminate, warm up, or cook, it can also harm and destroy…. All tools for a greater good.

In short, ends justify the means, and if you are willing to risk going for it, you may. But be aware, should your lesser evil turn out to be greater, you are the one to answer for it.

Domains & Symbol

Symbol is some form of fire, usually charred stick

Borun the God of water

Borun is the opposite of Stigr. Borun is the cold that pushes against the light. He is the force of instincts and nature. He represents the constant chaos we all should strive to stop.

Borun, once Stigr started spreading his widom, started pointing out made up flaws in his reason. He used trickery and shortsightedness to gather a crowd, rally the wild-life – all of that to assault the Fire of Man. Eventually, Audr stepped in and exiled Borun way from the settlements. He died in the cold, snowy lands by claws and fangs of beasts he once rallied against the city. But before he died, he swore vengeance on Stigr, on men, on warmth… and thus he haunts mankind to this day.

Borun’s deal! — Nordmen proverb, meaning necessary evil

Interestingly, Borun is also responsible for a couple of necessary evils, such as hunting or remembering the dead… people here know that survival is sometimes at odds with being good. There is a stigma against practicing such rituals, but there is understanding.

Aspect of darkness

Darkness is a force for trickery. It conceals evil, allowing it to slip in unnoticed. It hides away the good deeds. It tricks you. Deceives you. Shadows whisper of conspiracy!

As Borun plotted in the dark, those who do so too are often considered dishonest. At the end of the day, an honest man has nothing to hide, does he? However, sometimes it is better to forget, to move on. Apart from trickery, darkness allows for oblivion. Simply forgetting… or being forgotten… is what one needs.  

Aspect of beast

Wildlife in Nordmenia is harsh. It should come as no surprise then, that Nordmen see the wild as cruel and evil, praying on the weak and sick. It is the warning to the rest – this is what happens when you abandon shelter of fire, law and all that is good.

Restraint

Nordmen believe, that the thing that distinguishes us from the animals and monsters is that we have the capacity to act against our instincts. To suppress our primal urges. A lot of evil has come from not doing that – greed, lust, envy… the list goes on. It is a constant struggle, but it should be done. Many Nordmen, therefore, lead more ascetic life, or at least see value in doing so.

Hunting

While hunting and fishing is seen as minor evil, it is well understood that doing that it needs to be done. Hunters and fishermen are looked upon as martyrs – taking the arrow for their fellows and walking the line between the good and evil so that others do not have to.

Although this is not true now in larger settlements, these people also had the difficult job of distributing the food among the rest. This tradition is long gone from modern and large settlements, but you can still see that in older villages.

Survival

Sometimes… things are desperate. And when things are dire, one’s will to survive will kick in. In such times, morality takes a backseat. Instinct to survive is too powerful and can break even the strongest of wills.

Nordmen understand this and many will pray to Borun to save them in such dire circumstances. While this is inherently an evil act, it one that is met with understanding and compassion. In the end, you will help no one if you die alone in the cold dark…

Aspect of ice

Did you know that phrases like cold heart come from Nordmenia? Well, now you do. And this association of cold with being … well cold and heartless is all this aspect is about. This is the core of evil. While other things other than cold are also bad, this coldness is always at the root of it. Greed is just a consequence of the lack of empathy for others – a coldness in your heart. A mindless rage hint at your brain growing cold towards reason… for all of that, there is underlying coldness. Nordmen call it vile ice (or simply ice).

Indifference

Not everyone is playing nice. Not always can you afford to feel for everyone else. Sometimes you barely endure your own pains, let alone pain of others. Or sometimes, for sake of fairness and justice, you just need to be indifferent.

Indifference armours your heart in ice. A cold bulwark that protects your mind and soul from the outside force – be it good or evil. It is a tricky line to walk.

It is not uncommon for healer’s or judges to pray to Borun, to blind them with indifference. Nordmen understand that sometimes, the good is at odds with the just. And sacrifices need to be made.

Aspect of the dead

Death is common in these lands. This aspect of Borun serves to remind that death may come at any moment. Any death you witness may be your own.

Also, it tells a story of Borun’s rise to power. His oath of vengeance on mankind and all sapient beings – he has the power over death and life. One can, if deemed worthy in eyes of Borun, bring a loved one from the dead. Or vice versa – send an adversary to their grave. Mastery over life and death is, however, deeply evil matter and no moral person should dabble into such evil arts. Finally, one is to respect the dead if they wish not to incur wrath of Borun. Dead should not be disturbed, and bones should be put to rest… unless, of course, when Borun wishes otherwise

Domains & Symbol

Ice, though often replaced with glass in shape of a teardrop.

Audr God of Mankind

Audr was the first disciple of Stigr. He was one of the first who mastered the arts of fire making. But he did not just absorb Stigr’s knowledge – he expanded on it. He noticed that together they have better chance of scraping by… and so he gathers Stigr’s followers and built the first city – legends have it that it is the capital of Nordmenia: Lervik.

Regardless, Audr slowly diverged in his teachings from Stigr. While Stigr focused on what is good and how an individual should behave, Audr was more interested in one’s relationship to others. Some call him the father of society.

Aspect of Unity

Bears and wolves — Nordmenian proverb

Many might find it strange that wolves can take on bears or even larger beasts... For a single bear, wolf is nothing but an evening’s meal. But wolves form packs. They hunt together. Bears do not. There is strength in unity – but that is not to be confused with strength in numbers. A tight pack of 5 wolves can take down dozens of bears. – Audr’s scriptures on Strength of many.

Two is more than one, after all.

Aspect of Sharing

All things are instinctively greedy, at least according to Nordmen. It is only by the will of humans (and other sapient beings) to reject such notion. To distinguish themselves from the lowly animals.

And thus, it is humane to share your bread with those who need it more. Allow a stranger to spend a night in your dwelling. Or the other way around – suffer through adversities with a friend, work a shift for a colleague.

Nordmen may seem to outsiders as lone wolves when they are anything but. They understand that one day you give and another you are given.

Aspect of Peace

Arguably, out of all the Laurasian cultures, Nordmen know best that people are fallible. Failure, of any kind, is human. We should not dwell on their failures any more we do on broken leg. Even the most righteous slip. Even the brightest fires will die out. We should not let cold hold dominion for long. We should learn to forgive and learn from our mistakes, rather than punish them.

It is customary to let a wild wolf into the village and feed them, on every winter solstice. This is a remembrance of the time when Audr forgave Borun and let him back into the village after all his crimes. Borun ate his meal thanked Audr and left the village again. That year, the winter was a little less cold…

Domains & Symbol

Miniature of manmade tool, usually hammer.

Brand God of Strength

From times Borun was still in the village, he went out one day. Next day his son, Brand, decided to look for him… alone. Brand was then only a boy, but he showed remarkable strength of both body and spirit. He tracked Borun, fend off the wolves and brought him back. But as he grew older, Brand saw the error of his fathers’ ways. He covered for him for as long as he could… but eventually the truth was revealed, and his father got cast out. That day Brand locked himself in a watchtower. Some say he is looking for his father to this day.

The story of Brand shows how Nordmen see strength – resolve, mastery and loyalty.

Aspect of Resolve

Nordmen do not see will in the same manner other cultures do. For them it is just manifestation of your strength of mind. It is no different from having a strong arm – some are born strong; some need to train. Will can be broken as bones can be.

Therefore, they tend to be a bit more lenient in their punishments and more forgiving for falling for temptation.

The Long Defeat

Some understand that committing yourself to something requires quite some resolve. Particularly when the task is a lost cause. Some even resent the idea that such a thing might be reasonable. Nordmen, however, see virtue in doing good – even though your actions, inevitably, will fade into oblivion. Cold will eventually reign, fire will die out, but that is not a reason to stop trying. True strength shows when all is lost – even hope, yet you fight on. Even the lost cause is worth fighting for!

Long defeat is a Nordmenian phrase, meaning something akin to fighting an endless battle, or trying to win a lost battle.

Aspect of Mastery

Nordmen believe that to have a strong spirit, or rather to manifest it, one needs to be physically strong in some way. Otherwise, bravery is just foolhardiness – resolve is nothing if muscles cannot back it up. Last stand is not much of a stand if it is just slaughter. Brand would be dead long before the story started if he was just brave.

However, this does not need to be strength of muscles per se. It merely requires mastery over your body in some sense. Some find value in withstanding even the heaviest blows. Some in being able to dodge even the raindrop in a heavy rain. Even the more mental strengths are valued – cunning mind can outmaneuver many foes, wildlife and humans alike.

Aspect of Loyalty

Final aspect of strength is loyalty. Nordmen see loyalty in surprisingly many things. For example, did you know that training a skill and specializing is seen as a loyalty to the skill? Maintaining or repairing equipment or items is loyalty to those items. Plans and routines are loyalty to time and reason… It is truly fascinating for outsider – you should talk to a priest of Brand if you find yourself in Nordmenia!

Then there is more traditional sense of loyalty. The way Brand was loyal to his father.

Balance

One must be careful, however. You should choose wisely what you commit your loyalty to. Many have made the mistake of being loyal to evil. This only brings bad outcomes – good people doing evil, mudding the line between good and bad. Look no further than patron of this aspect – Brand was loyal to his father Borun – an evil god, an evil person.

Domains & Symbol

Spear, occasionally replaced with stylized fishing rod

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See also:

Nordmenia - Pinnacle of human stubbornness and resilience.