Castles of Ice
Torn Tundra
Finland has long been a country at odds with its neighbors who, through ages of imperialism, sought to conquer it. Russia from the east, Swedes from the west, Prussians from the south. For the fae, Finland has endured similarly. Since the Shattering, Finland’s freeholds fell under the protective watch of the commoner fae, especially the Trolls. Calling themselves huskarls, they gathered their forces and protected the lands against renascent Fomorians and Nightmare beasts. Dalarna lay to the west, the Empire of the Firebird to the east, and the Galacian Confederation to the south. The huskarls fell in more with the Galacians (which included neighboring Estonia) more than any other: a mighty alliance of commoners.
Then the Second Resurgence came in 1999. With it, a new wave of Sidhe lords arrived, and they all demanded their old holds back. Lands they abandoned during the Shattering. House Aesin especially loomed over Finland. They sent emissaries to courteously, coldly, and arrogantly demand the Trolls relinquish the freeholds. The emissaries were rebuffed. So began a new war between noble and commoner. It came to a head outside of Oulu in the famous Battle of Bothnian Bay. The commoners anticipated the arrival of the Sidhe upon their ancient elven longboats. Nockers launched siege weapons from the shore and Satyrs launched volleys of arrows. All weapons bounced off the boats’ sails as if made from the hardest metal. Then the most wondrous and terrible thing happened. The great duke raised his hand as his fleet passed the Hailuoto Island. All the swans there took wing and swept down upon the commoner defenders. The birds shattered the defense and left the fae with real bruises and injuries (and more than one forever traumatized by birds). Elegant as they were, even the swans obeyed the Aesin lords, as if proving their divine right to rule. The huskarls submitted and called for a reune. The Aesin bargained well, leaving the largest freehold in Oulu to the Trolls while taking the second largest. Peace was made in what became known as the Swan Accords.
That peace became threatened when a Varich lord traveled down from Sámpi with claims of a vision from a Gallain oracle far to the north. The Varich presented her claims to the huskarl of the third largest freehold. By honor, the Troll agreed to a duel. The Varich won, and so claimed the holding. The commoners were aghast and threatened rebellion. Another reune gathered the remaining huskarls and nobles and once more peace was established. The Varich agreed to leave her ambitions at the limit of her vision. For a decade since, Oulu and indeed most of Finland has undergone a similar transformation, bringing the country into the folds of the Dalarna while keeping much of its Galacian character.
Gallain
If the Sámi people have any kiths culturally unique to their heritage, such fae do not wander down from Sápmi. Merfolk dwell in the Baltic Sea, including the Bothnian Bay. They maintain cordial relations with Selkies that dwell on Haiuloto Island among the swans, who in turn act as go-betweens with the Kithain for the Mer.
Laws
The Kithain here largely uphold the Escheat. As part of the Swan Accords, the Unseelie lords agreed to continue observing the Escheat from a Seelie perspective. That doesn’t mean they don’t break or bend the rules when they think no one’s looking, or at least someone that can’t or won’t do anything about it.
The Dreaming
The Near Dreaming in Oulu and North Ostrobothnia in general reflects a starker, wilder version of the earthly world. The wind is colder and even less forgiving. The snow never melts, hiding countless chimera both fair and foul. The sky seems endless yet forever blanketed in clouds, which almost always drop snow on the land as if building up to suffocate the world. Perhaps the Long Winter would involve literal death! To make matters worse, numerous dragons have returned to the area, once driven out or slain by the Trolls. They are drawn by the clashes between noble and commoner. Meanwhile, what holdings are born here seem naturally forged from the material that best describes the land. Fortresses, manors, and castles all seem birthed from frigid stone and even ice itself.
Special Events
Special events are annual (or more frequent) holidays or special ritual days that the main group or groups observe as a whole community. Attendance and participation are often expected of all members, and sometimes required.
Midsummer
The fae in Oulu observe most of the traditional Kithain holidays. But the favorite is Midsummer, when a virtual polar day takes place. The festivities involve competitions of sport and combat as well as feasting. Herb-fed magic rituals are often conducted both as part of the celebrations and privately. Every household celebrates Midsummer independently. The Swan Accords hardly mean the fae get along and party together.
“The people aren’t nearly as cold as the climate. Treat them well and Glamour is never scarce. Abuse them and face my axe.”
-- Onni Niskala, huskarl of Snowhill Fort
