Alfarian

..Those nobles of nordic and alfar blood are called Alfarians (or Alfarins). They are tall, standing as tall as 7.5 feet, and no shorter than 6.5 feet. They are a fair people and often have very pale grey or white eyes and strong facial structures. They are clever, agile, noble, educated and yet still barbaric. While they do prefer bloodier sports, they also become knights and lancers. They are skilled in politics, high speech, poetic tales, music, equestrianship and solo combat. The group of Alfarian nobles, Jot Thanes and Frem Lairds, is called the Barbarian Court.

If you like to play any of these types of characters, the Alfarian bloodline will suit you: The Northern Houses of Game of Thrones, High Elves, German and Scandinavia nobility of the 1100-1300s, Rohan Nobility, Lannisters, Targaryen or Melniboné.

Physical Appearance]

• Alfarians have the lightest skin tone, the lightest hair color and the lightest eye color.
• Alfarians are "human normal".
• Alfarians are of standard Height and a Slender-Average Body Type.

Names

Viking First Names or Anglo-Saxon First names and mid to late period medieval Scandinavian last names. Alfarians do not follow the tradition of each person being named after their father but have family house names. Ys, Js and As are particularly favored.

No-Nos

No delicate fairy faces. However, pointed ears are available as part of the Alfarian throwback traits.

Other Kingdoms

Like most Valgarins, the Alfarian moral and ethical line divides between those of Valgard and Yrsa and those not of Valgard. Honor, law, respect, kinship, these things are reserved for their own people, not those of other kingdoms with different values and different gods. And while the Alfarin may have some martial respect for the Euresu, be fascinated by Zephrin sciences and have no beef with the Smallfolk, it does not change that the other races are not Valgarin.

Superstitions

Pending

Slavery

Alfarians keep slaves, the best slaves. Only the very best slaves are considered worthy of life. Expectations of slave behavior are therefore the highest in the known world. The slaves of the Alfarians may earn their freedom if they prove worthy. Excellent slaves may be freed and taken as a second wife, never as a first. Alfarian's believe that sending a slave to their death for failure is giving the slave a chance to be reborn again. A common Alfarian saying is, "You should best be cut from this life, for you have no more use to me than a rock."

Homosexuality

Alfarians are more accepting of homosexual relationships than other Valgarins, but please read the section on homosexuality in Valgard Family, Marriage, Divorce.

Alfarian Fashion

:... Alfarians prefer a style of clothing that creates an elongated look. Their clothing is chosen both for functionality and showmanship. The overall combination of their items is intended to emphasize their tall and lean frames. Men prefer long, form-fitting embroidered tunics below the knee, belted at the hips with cloaks that drape. Tunics may be as long as ankle length, but they are never closed up in the front or back like a robe would be. (Male fashion styles are a blend of LotR Rohan and LotR Elves). Women utilize wide varieties of the styles from Earth's middle ages, 1100-1300, with long tunic shaped gowns, cotehardies, sideless surcoats, long braids, and sometimes veils. They prefer high-quality clothing with tasteful designs and decorations. There is a large market for Zuben fabrics and trim, especially trim shot with metals. They are likely to use fur and knot-work, as well as gold and silver jewelry that display their wealth. Any fur they wear will be of the finest tanning and of the rarest creatures. Men prefer hard leather boots rather than soft leather or wrapped leggings. The women like hand tools slippers and delicate sandals when the weather is good.

250px

Alfarian's are generally wealthy and proud of their clothing. They will respond aggressively, even physically, to any insult -- direct or implied. Even when in work clothes, for yes these Nobles do work, they will wear well made, well fitting clothing, with only slightly more subdued accouterments.

Cleavage, Bare Arms, and Stomachs

Do not show their stomachs or cleavage, but may have bare arms in the summer.

Women in Pants

Very rare, under long tunics that cover to the thighs, and only when absolutely necessary.

Color choices

A single deep solid color with gold or silver trim.

Hair Style

Most women wear their hair long and in elegant braids. The wimple and the fillet have recently gone out of fashion in favor of hair worn down or braided with a simple circlet. Styles can change at any time. The men typically wear their hair long as well, often in a pony tail. It is not uncommon to see them follow the Jot (Viking) fashion of shaving their hair at the back, leaving a lock in front. See Alfarian Physical (A quick note on hair styles to our Torvaldsland role-players: most of the braided updos worn for role-play in Torvaldsland are actually Grecian and better suited for the Euresu. Alfarian women, as a rule, do not wear their hair up unless it was additionally covered in long veils to create the elongated style of the 1100s).

Hem Length

Women dresses are long, often with trains, most men’s tunics are long as well.

Opinion On Other Styles

Alfarians consider Dyrling fashion to be laughable, having never forgotten the period when Dyrling women wore wigs with caged birds in them.

Tomboyish girls may be teased by their mothers for looking like a Jot girl. Boys that are constantly dirty and getting scrapes are teased and called "Frem boy".

However, there is little insult ever given on how adult Jot or Frem dress. The Alfarians take their role as the nobles of Valgard seriously, and are conscious of being one of the three powerful martial races. They do not make enemies of their countrymen over such foolish things as fashion.

Most Alfarian women find Zephrin fashion exotic, even going so far as to buy items for chamber wear. A new bride is often gifted with Zephrin bedclothes by her mother.

However, if an Alfarian finds their way to Zuben, it is the fashion of the Euresu they are most likely to choose unless doing business with Zephrins. Zuben is hot!

(All) Fashion

ValgardMenu

Alfarian Personality

300px

:... The Alfarians as a people are highly skilled leaders, easily learning such skills as oration, mediation, tactics, mathematics, linguistics, management, economics, and deployment. They share a set of personality traits that include focus, confidence, integrity, inspiration, innovation, passion and -very necessary- patience. Unfortunately, these skills and traits are barely appreciated by the bulk of Valgarin people who prize combat, manliness, feasting, and wit. Ask a Jot why the Alfarians rule Valgard and they will not say, “Because they are most skilled at it.”, but instead say, “They are the only ones who will do the job, no one else wants to run the country.”

Consequently, Alfarians live two separate lives, the one they show the public and the one they keep in private. In public, they are tall proud warriors, who make an effort to become skilled in combat, act in all ways that are considered Drengr, sharpen their skills in flyting, and host lavish feasts. In private they prefer their studies and hobbies that include drafting, mechanics, calligraphy, alchemy, and all other medieval activities such as cooking, blacksmithing, and weaving that might be perfected through skill and practice.

This applies to their combat practice. Most Alfarians engage in a strict regiment of physical activity and martial practices. They expect nothing except perfection from themselves.

The Gentry might brag about their Golden Renaissance, and their society of culture and education, but that has always been the way of life for the Alfarians. At this bragging, an Alfararian will only smile wryly, enough to let the rest of Valgard know they think the Gentry to be as soft and foolish as the Jots and Frem. Secretly, they compare their skills to that of the Gentry, arrogantly praising their own people privately.

Outwardly the Alfarians project an aura of calm wisdom, practice lavish forms of hospitality, and follow the expectations of the Havamal diligently. Inwardly, it is only through intense concentration, physical activity and steely control that they keep their innate arrogance and violence quietly locked away. Strangely enough, the rest of Valgard seem to understand this element of Alfarian nature and are careful not to prick their tempers beyond what they can bear. The natural talents of the Alfarians make them a deadly and secretive enemy, able to develop plots within plots, and serve revenge upon a cold platter.

Personality wise, the Alfarians are most similar to the Zephrin.

Drengr The Valgarin Code

ValgardMenu

Alfarian Combat & War

... Alfarian prefer a combination of chain mail, heavy leather and plate -- armor is lightly decorated with fur and rarely has bones, skulls or chains. Alfarian Knights believe that the Berzerker Rage is brought on by the feminine aspect of Yrsa, and the average woman can fight to defend their home, they are called Shield Maidens.

Riddari

Berzerker Rage

While all of the Valgarins fight with what amounts to a berzerker rage, the Alfarians prize themselves on self-control, strict military tactics and mounted combat. However, some battles call for wild and uncontrolled attack. In this case, the Frem will strip naked and fight only in wode, the Jot don their battle masks and the Alfarians drink from the horn of the goddess. Only those of the Motherhouse know what is in the drink that is brought about before a battle, they say it is foul but brings on the madness. Once men tried to make the drink, thinking it nothing but the concoctions of red mushrooms, but many died that day. Only the Volva know the making of it, and only the Alfarian king may call for it. Because of this tradition, women are accounted lucky on the battlefield and are welcomed in the war camps and alongside their men. A few even become knights.

Women & Combat

The Valgarians have more women who are trained in martial skill than any of the other two kingdoms. Alfarian women occasionally become one of the Riddari (knights), and while more than half of them can fight in an armed conflict, the average Alfarian woman does not consider themselves warriors, and will not dress in pants nor carry weapons regularly.

When Alfarian women are called up to battle, they tend to fight in female-only units led by those women who are Knights. Any Alfarian woman who can fight considers themselves a shield-maiden of Valgard. One in six Alfarian women recieve a year or two of rough infantry training; most Alfarian women are not motivated nor interested in the training, but it is available to any noble Alfarian who requests it.

Female Valgarin knights are expected to be Drengr yet will still avoid wearing pants except when absolutely necessary.

Female Warriors

ValgardMenu

Alfarian Religion

..The Alfarians worship the battle maiden aspect of Yrsa and the god Lugh-Tyr. Lugh-Tyr is a god of skill, crafts and the arts as well as overseer of oaths, truth and the law.

300px

The battle-maiden aspect of Yrsa incorporates the ancient worship of Freya and Nemain as the Chooser of the Slain and Frenzied Havoc of War. The Druid Historian, Ailig Dùghlas, writes, Nemain is accounted as being an ancient goddess that predated the Fomorians, a member of the mysterious Nemed race who joined with Alfar goddess Freya to become the aspect Yrsa as the battle maiden that we know today". Yrsa, in her aspect of the maiden, also represents youth, beauty, love, and passion.

Berzerker Rage

In Alfarian society, the berzerker rage is believed to be a feminine trait brought on by the battle maiden.

Valgard Religion

ValgardMenu

ValgardMenu