Sprawling across the cold, windswept north of Steinau, the Hinterlands are a realm of ancient pines, jagged fjords, moss-covered ruins, and ghost-haunted hills. Its people are stoic, self-reliant, and steeped in old ways, older than either king or bishop. The terrain shapes the people: hard winters breed hard folk. From the snowy mountains in the northwest to the grassy, windswept bluffs in the south, life here is carved, like their wooden art, from endurance.
Religion: The people of the Hinterlands still cling to the Old Gods. Shrines are built of stone, driftwood, and bone. Offerings are left in tree hollows or cast into fjords. Craftsmanship: Hinterlanders are renowned for their carved longbows, iron-wrought brooches, and ships adorned with beast-heads. Their homes are supported, with intricately carved beams bearing tales of ancestors and beasts.
Warfare: Though not unified under a lord or jarl, Hinterlanders have a warrior tradition. Many become Svardmenn, mercenary bands for hire, known for their discipline and grim efficiency. Some say a Hinterland blade is worth five from the lowlands.
Æthelinga: The only structured town, built on an old trade route. It’s a place of markets, wandering skalds, and smiths forging goods for the southern courts.
The Oath-Stone of Brynfell In the southern highlands lies an ancient stone circle where young warriors still swear blood-oaths before setting off. Legend says it was once a fortress of giants, brought low by the gods. On stormy nights, their laughter still echoes across the hills. The Draugar of Frosthollow In the northwestern valleys, people avoid the ruined steads of Frosthollow. They say the dead there do not rest. They believe that clad in rime and bearing ancient axes, the Draugar walk beneath the moon, jealous of the living's breath. The White Stag of Æthelinga A pale stag with antlers like branches of ash is said to appear in the forests near Aethelinga. It is considered a sign of great fate, or death. The elders claim it guards an ancient grove, where the gods once walked in mortal guise.
Neutrality in the War: The Hinterlanders see the civil war as a feud of soft men in stone halls. They trade with the capital out of pragmatism but reject both king and bishop as outsiders to their way.