"There are three easy roads to Borrell. Unfortunately,
no one knows where they are."
- Nathan Malle, Rukemian Freetrader.
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| Proper Name | Borrell |
| Ruler | His Ever Ferocious Majesty, Lord of the North Lands, Lord Krodose of the Snow Drifter Clan, Relentless Horror of the Crimson Snow |
| Population | 1,015,000 |
| Population Density | 2 people per square kilometer (4 people per square mile) |
| Demographics | Borrellian 87%, Human 5%, Ogre 3%, Orc 2%, Dwarven 1%, Elven 1%, Grum 1% |
| Languages | Borrellish 50%, Northern 50% |
| Capital City | Ice Gate (Population: 12,200) |
| National Colors | None |
| Year Founded | 134 |
| Currency | Trade and barter |
| Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods | Lumber, wood and bone carvings, medicinal herbs, furs, leather, meat, whale blubber, oil, fish, walrus ivory, seal meat, copper, moose |
| Wealth | Poor |
| Government Type | Provincial |
| Government Stability | Unstable - frequent clan skirmishes |
| Allies | None |
| Enemies | Rukemia, Carrikos, Vorrik, Normidia, Arkalia |
| Technology Level | Dark Ages |
| Primary Religion | Bren'Tarr |
| Other Religions | Borrellian Pantheon |
| Climate | Sub Polar |
| Total Land Area | 657,000 square kilometers (253,670 square miles) |
| Arable Land | 5% |
| Terrain | Mountains, forested hills |
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Borrell is an isolated wasteland, far removed from the civilized world. It is a harsh land, with very few traces of outside culture. It's capitol, Ice Gate, is the Borrellian link to the South. It is the only place where Borrellians and southerners mix freely. It is more of a trading post than a capitol. A sparse collection of inns, taverns and shops.
Borrell is almost entirely arctic. It is bordered on all sides by the sea. Inland, it is a mix of snow-capped mountains, frozen hills and icy plains. The roughest lands lie to the west where the mountains reach through the clouds. The mountains give way gradually to hills in the east which eventually meet the Sea of Storms. To the north, Borrell is an icy wasteland with flat, featureless plains stretching away to the horizon. In winter, when the seas freeze over, these ice fields go on forever.
Icy Borrell boasts a plethora of arctic creatures– herds of elk and caribou, packs of wolves, moose, northern mule deer, polar bears, seals and six variety of penguins can all be found here. Some of the more unique creatures include the mighty behemoth (a massive herd grazer), the iressi (a strange creature that skates on icy fields in the extreme north), the Polar Drake, also known as the northern draconis, the Polar Worm (enormous worms that drill through solid glaciers), the Snow Drifter (a six-legged polar horse that is domesticated and widely used by the borrellians) and the Vuriken (a polar wolf which has also been domesticated).
Several of the clans are avid whalers and obtain blubber, oil, leather and other useful commodities from the great beasts.
Pine trees, scrub bushes and all manner of mosses and lichens grow in southern Borrell but only the hardiest plants grow in the northern wastes. One of the most important plants to Borrell is fire moss.
Human pilgrimage was lead north by Brentar during the Age of Chaos. This group maintained cultural isolation through the Age of Rebirth. They adapted to the environment and evolved into the Borrellians. Ice Gate was founded and formed when the Borrellians where encountered four centuries after their flight from the southern realms. Ice Gate was set up when a pact was formed between the then-chieftain of the Snowdrifter Clan and a Kitaran ambassador.
Borrell is provincial monarchy ruled by eight territorial clans. Each clan is led by a warrior of the true bloodline, in essence, a king. Each clan takes its name from its totem animal. The clans are, in order of strength : Snow Dragon, Snowdrifter, Winter Wolf, Polar Bear, Polar Worm, Ice Devil, Kraken and Polar Drake. Each clan claims a large territory in the Borrellian peninsula. The amount of territory is roughly equivalent to that clan’s size and strength. The average clan is about 24,000 strong.
Ice Gate is operated primarily by the Snowdrifter clan, but no single clan rules Borrell. The Snowdrifter Clan controls the city of Borrell and the valley in which it resides. Ice Gate is run by the chieftain’s eldest son, a warrior named Krodose, in an autocratic role. Control of Ice Gate is passed down through the Snowdrifter chieftain's bloodline and in this way, it greatly resembles a monarchy.
Legal systems vary from clan to clan. Ice Gate tends to lead by example. Due to the autocractic nature of the government, rules are subject to change. There is a set legal system which is fairly lenient, but all crimes are judged by the Ice Gate ruler. His decision is final and is usually quite arbitrary.
No single military force exists. Clans defend their own territories fiercely. A standing force of fifty Borrellian warriors (snowdrifter clan) maintain peace in Ice Gate. Each of these warriors has a snowdrifter and often patrols from horseback in and out of the city. This city is walled and the gates are monitored.
A strong trade in lumber, oils, herbs and northern flora/fauna exists. Limited supplies of metal weapons and armour are available. This is also true for food, magic and magical materials.
The borrellians are an aggressive race and they routinely raid other lands for wealth and valuable resources. They typically will raid Kitar, Duthelm, Arcanum and Rukemia to the east. To the west, they raid as far as the Captured Sea, striking at Normidia and Vorrik fishing villages. Such raids are limited to the southern months as the northern seas, especially the Crystal Deep, are ice-locked during the winter. Icebergs and severe storms in the northern seas make sea travel very difficult during the winter.
In Ice Gate, there is a cultural blend of Borrellian traditions and southern customs. Borrell is almost entirely Borrellian. Ice Gate is the only true city. The rest of the Borrellian civilization lives in tiny villages in the northern wastes, too numerous to count. Borrellians inhabit large circular huts with central fire pits. Chieftains dwell in great halls. Often, tribes will migrate between summer and winter homes depending on the season. Borrellian life is filled with hunting and fishing, drinking and feasting and endless competition - for the best food, the best horses, the best women.
When entering another man's home, it is tradition to bring a gift of firewood. An arm full is courteous. Any more than that is an insult as it implies that the host can not keep his family warm.
Hatraddi, the borrellian shamans, are the only sorcerers in northern Borrell. They are greatly feared and respected among the Borrellian people. Hatraddi magic is passed down from master to apprentice. Hence, there are no magic schools in Borrell.
The Great Race of Mount Brutar
Once each year on, the borrellian clans come together at the foot of Mount Brutar, which is in the heart of Borrell. The great chieftain, Rulesh, who rules over the Snow Dragon clan, holds a great competition which involves a race up the south face of Mount Brutar to retrieve a flag placed there. Hundreds of borrellians, individually and in teams, compete. The only rule is that magic is forbidden. Beyond that, anything is allowed. Traps, deception and outright combat are allowed. Further complicating the sport is the fact that at the top of Mount Brutar lives the giant known as Udek the Ugly. Udek does not take kindly to intruders on HIS mountain and delights in hunting borrellians. It is widely known that chieftain Rulesh chose this mountain because Udek makes the race that much more dangerous. Every year, borrellians die in this competition. Some are claimed by Udek. Others by winter storms. The victor who returns with the flag is rewarded a great prize. The prize is different each year, but it's always enough to attract a large number of competitors.
This page last updated Wednesday, December 24, 2008. Copyright 1990-2009 David M. Roomes.
