The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Nations

"Never doubt the courage of the Normidians, for they hunt the legendary Torgat. Of course, they do it in teams of twenty, but still…"
- Doriath Mosk, Lord Mayor of River Gate

Proper Name	The Kingdom of Normidia
Ruler	His Most Lordly Majesty, Master of the Hunt, Terror of the Northern Realm, Crowned Head of Clan Drachens, the Widow King, King Sendel Drachens II, the Sly, Slaughterer of the Dragonclaws
Estimated Population	7,100,000
Demographics	Human 50%, Dwarven 20%, Grum 10%, Elven 8%, Avarian 5%, Ogre 4%, Orc 2%, Saurian 1%
Adjectival/Demonym	Normidian/Normidians
Languages	Northern 75%, Dwarven 25%
Capital City	Tykron (Population: 72,900)
National Colors	Green and black.
Year Founded	598
Currency	Northern
Natural Resources	Lumber, onions, apples, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, cattle, sheep, black mushrooms, wheat, hay, seafood, leather, iron ore, silver
Manufactured Goods and Major Exports	Timber, Normidian Black Mead, apple beer, milk, cheese, leather goods, iron forged goods, wood products, fur, ivory, torgat meat and torgat scales
Wealth	Average
Government Type	Monarchy
Government Stability	Stable
Allies	Arkalia, River Gate
Enemies	Borrell
Technology Level	Middle Ages
Primary Religion	Erylon
Other Religions	Kolo, Kael, The Three Fates, Daramis, Farzak, Semorjon, Barrinor, Sarreth, Glavyris, Imarus, Assytia
Climate	Subpolar/Temperate
Approximate Land Area	1,760,000 square kilometers
Arable Land	13%
Terrain	Heavily forested hills, grasslands

Description

Normidia is a beautiful land of snow capped mountains and lush forests. Tykron is an equally beautiful city with breathtaking wilderness about it. The political geography of Normidia is broken up into clans. Each clan claims a certain area of the country. There are a total of eight clan regions : Akmira, Brookmyre, Drachensmire, Fey Hills, Greyland, Hornwood, Novakyr and Tyria.

Geography

Normidia is hilly in the north where it is bordered by the Dragon Claw Mountains. To the east it is bordered by the Captured Sea. To the south Normidia shares grasslands with Arkalia which it uses for grazing sheep. To the west, Normidian land stretches away to desolate lonely plains where few choose to live. Normidia suffers bitterly cold winters, but is agreeable the rest of the year. Normidia has a variety of fauna and flora, but most notable is the concentration of torgats in the northern hills which are hunted for sport.

Notable Fauna and Flora

Normidia seems a hunter’s paradise. Besides elk, deer, caribou, bear and wolves, one may hunt the Normidian white elk which is found only in this region. The legendary torgat is found here and hunted with gusto despite the extreme danger involved. A number of greater draconi can also be found in Normidia’s forests which are mostly coniferous. Bitterberries are often harvested and used for healing by hunting parties, but few other useful examples of flora are available. Apples are common in the western flat lands. Fishing and whaling are both popular in Normidia.

History

For centuries after the Great War Normidia was little more than a collection of clans bound only by tradition and culture. These clans, while known for tenacious fighting and aggressiveness, managed to overcome internal conflicts and drew together over the years to survive the terrible struggles that mar history's pages. With the unification of the clans, Normidia become a unified whole. Still, they remained somewhat isolated from the rest of the world and outside the mainstream of political affairs. Normidia did, however, keep a watchful eye over the other nations with a well kept network of spies. Normidia was brought to the attention of many nations when a young noblemen, Lord Sendel Drachens, a cousin to the then-ruling King, aided in the early months of the Second Demon War. With the later crowning of King Sendel, Normidia became much more involved with international politics. Overall, Normidia has had a long and stable history. Since the Second Demon War, Normidia has maintained strong ties with Kitar.

Government

Each of the eight clans is led by a male of the true bloodline of that clan. These eight clan leaders take turns ruling as king for an eight year period. The king is supplemented with counsel from the assembled clan leaders. Beneath the king is a feudal hierarchy of princes, clan chieftains, lords, thanes and freemen. This system has proven workable for Normidia for centuries.The current king is Sendel Drachens II of Clan Drachensmire, a former thief who once traveled with an adventuring company known as the Travelers Elite, who helped avert a war in the east some years ago by closing a magical gate and preventing the return of an evil deity.

Having historically formed from clans, the Normidians view their king as a clan chieftain, more out of kinship and tradition than law. 

The King of Normidia wears the Crown of Normidia which contains eight emeralds, one for each of the eight clans.

Legal System

Moderate and fair. Council appointed judges serve in a judicial role. Often, if a known criminal escapes the city guards and flees to other lands in order to escape trial, the military sends a small group of justice keepers in pursuit of the criminal. Their job is to bring back the criminal, no matter how far he runs. When it comes to justice, Normidia does not recognize any limits to its jurisdiction. And because of its extensive spy network, it usually can find even the most careful criminal.

Military

Tykron has a strong standing army of some 20,000 infantry, 5,000 archers and 1,000 cavalry. The city guard of Tykron acts as a summoned militia to supplement the army in times of need. Tykron’s powerful navy rules the waters of the Captured Sea and insures safe passage for all vessels. Due to Sendel’s influence, Tykron also has an extensive spy network which monitors activity in Normidia and in foreign lands.

Economy

The hilly terrain and rolling grasslands the dominate much of Normidia limit traditional farming. Although the Normidians raise a few sparse crops and harvest wild grapes and berries, they tend toward animal husbandry raising beef, mutton and dairy products. Great herds of their cattle and sheep are raised on mountain pastures. The Normidians are skilled mariners and fish both sea and river.

The Normidians thrive upon forestry and hunting for they have vast woodlands and abundant game. Landholdings and farms are generally small and held by a single family. Feudal tenancy is limited. 

Overall, Normidia’s economy is strong. Popular exports are lumber, fish, Normidian Black Mead, spiced cheeses and furs.

Culture

Due to its ancestry, physical activities are popular. Sporting events and competition are held monthly. Hunting is extremely popular. Some groups even hunt such dreaded creatures as the torgat and the polar worm. Dagger throwing is a very popular tavern game throughout Normidia.

The national symbol of Normidia is the head and antlers silhouette of a white elk stag. The white elk is the national animal and closely associated with Normidia. A large white elk stag is kept in the city as the national mascot. It is well cared for and loved by the citizenry. It even makes public appearances at important events. Whenever the national mascot dies, a competition is announced to capture a young white elk buck to replace the old one. There is fierce competition between hunters for the prize money and for the bragging rights associated with capturing the national mascot.

Magic

Normidian mages are a strong lot. They have a brutal colder climate and a gregarious hunter/warrior culture to compete with. This has tended to forge a hardier breed of mage than one might expect. Magic is used for utilitarian purposes - both mundane and spectacular. Simple magicks involve heating homes, mending armor, finding prey and other useful feats. More powerful spells involve warfare, spying and trickery. Blackwell's is a well known school of wizardry in this kingdom.

Festivals and Faires

Ciderfest

Apple orchards are common in Normidia, especially in the flat lands of western Normidia. In the apple region of Normidia, a common festival known as Cider Feast, is held. It begins with the prettiest girl in the town or village being placed on a donkey, richly harnessed, and she leads the entire town in a grand procession out to the orchards. There, the revelers drink and dance. The focus of this celebration involves pouring ale and cider on the roots of the apple trees to encourage them to grow.

Cuisine

Apple Beer is a very common drink in Normidia. Normidian apple beer is a thick, soft frothy drink beverage made of apple pulp whipped with ale.

Important People of Normidia

Janoth

Far to the north of Tykron, in the foothills of the great Dragonclaw Mountains, there lives a reclusive human wizard named Janoth. He is known to a powerful worker of magic, some say the greatest wizard alive in Normidia today. He is old, balding and wears purple robes and a heavy iron belt. He dwells in a stark tower wrought of curious black stone. The tower has only one entrance - tall doors of coppery metal adorned with alien glyphs. A single window high above the door is the only other feature on the otherwise blank brick surface. The locals simply call this structure the Tower of Janoth. They say that he created the tower himself generations ago. Janoth prefers to live alone. It seems he lives in the great tower with no one - no guards, no pets, no servants, no friends. Only on rare occasions is he seen outside his tower. The local farmers say that he is annoyed by everyone, cannot tolerate the company of others and so they leave him alone. What mighty works of magic occupy the mage's time, none can say.

Common Names

Male Names

Andrian, Anfrad, Cristof, Darius, Domrik, Elrik, Franz, Feydric, Geryan, Hunrik, Ignar, Jodun, Klautus, Ludipold, Maxilus, Mariko, Oskivar,

Female Names

Amelika, Adgalia, Babrilla, Biantrus, Chelidia, Clarena, Dagmar, Doritha, Elsima, Freydika, Gezina, Hannel, Ingemyr, Jubella, Karolyn, Marteena, Olgara, Rosalyna, Salvinia

Notable Noble Family Names

Burkan, Dorthkar, Gruber, Helgifar, Kohlnar, Martur, Stradius, Wolfgar

Towns

Villages (Population less than 1,000)

Bruisk, Dathkandra, Gustoph, Hissar, Hunting, Joram, Kalen, Karnak, Kessler, Mountainhome, Naujok, Ockstad, Oddhill, Snow Hill, Thorjorn, Trout Lake, Whitestone, Wolf

Travel and Distance

Normidia has a network of excellent paved roads that connects all towns and major cities. Normidia enjoys this system of roads thanks to the reign of King Marfidius Prang the IV, who oversaw the construction of the major roads in the 22nd century, some 500 years ago. Most of the outlying regions have older unpaved dirt roads. Several navigable rivers wind their way through Normidia, allowing rapid downstream travel between several of the major towns. For more information, see the Travel and Distance page.

This website was last updated April 30, 2025. Copyright 1990-2025 David M. Roomes.

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