Aldman

Aldman
Aldmans are regarded as many by the progenitor race from which the Neuman race (Now know as Humans) sprung. Living in the harsh wilderness north of Clador, the Aldmans are split into three Great Tribes: The Durlonds, the Danu and the Weylands as well as a group of raiders to the west.

Aldman Racial Traits
 o   Durlond: Durlonds are known for their propensity to wield tremendous weapons against their giant foes. Durlonds are treated as both medium and large size for determining the size of weapons they can wield. The Durlond racial bonus against Giants, Dragons and Worms is increased by +1 (for a total of +2), and their base land speed is 40ft.
 * +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence ': Aldman are strong and wise, but they lack any formal education.
 * Medium  Size: Aldman are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
 * Normal Speed: Aldman have a base land speed of 30ft.
 * Racial Foe: Aldman gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and AC against Giants, Dragons and Worms.
 * Resist Nature’s Lure: Aldmen gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against the spells and abilities of Fey. If an Aldman would gain this ability (such as through the druid class), the bonus increases to +6.
 * Tribe: On character creation, an Aldman chooses a tribe to which he belongs:

 o   Danu: Danu are stealthy hunters of the forests. They never take penalties to stealth from forest or mountain terrain, and can always take 10 on stealth checks, even when threatened or distracted. Danu gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival and Knowledge (Nature) checks, and these are always class skills for them.

 o   Weyland: The Weylands are master craftsmen. Each Weyland gains a +2 bonus on all craft checks and can add enhancement bonuses to weapons and armour. They use their character level as their caster level when doing so. Weylands cannot add any special enhancements such as flaming or keen unless they gain levels in a spell-casting class.

 o   Raider: The tribeless raiders of Alderlakes are fiercely competitive and never admit defeat. They gain a +1 bonus on CMB and saving throws. Raiders reduce the duration of status effects by 1 round (to a minimum of 1 round). They treat waraxes as martial weapons. Raiders have resist cold 5.
 * Tribal  S ecrets: All Aldman can use scrolls and wands as a druid of half their own character level (Rounded up). They must still meet the requisite ability scores to do so.
 * Languages: Aldman begin play speaking Common and Sylvan

Physical Description
Aldmans rarely stand at less than 6ft tall and weigh 170 to 400lbs on average thanks to their incredibly dense musculature. Raiders and Weylands usually have fair skin and blonde hair, while Durlonds and Danu have tawny skin and brown or wine coloured hair. Occasionally, a child is born with light- or bluish-grey skin. Most, but not all, of these children develop sorcerous powers and often become village doctors and wise-men. Called Firbolg by the Tribes, superstition holds these children to be blessed by the spirits of the north, and the birth of such a child is often cause for celebration.

History
The Men of the West all originated from one ancient tribe whose name has been long since forgotten. They say that this tribe was responsible for the extinction of giants and the downfall of the dragons. Ousting the other great races, they seized dominance of Clador and forever claimed it as a realm of Men. Since then, they had split into the Aldmans of the North and the Neumans of the South, who eventually became the first Humans. The Aldmans still exist today as the three great tribes of the north and the raiders of Alderlakes, while the Neumans have become the five Kingdoms of Godsward and the countries of Malus and Ryedale.

Relations
Aldmans are isolated from many other races, and thus usually maintain a neutral stance towards them. The exception to this are the Raiders of Alderlakes who, as their name suggests, frequently raid the the people of the Fourth Shore and the Krakengard Isles. The Danu are unfailingly kind to those who possess no threat, often helping those who become lost north of the Lightning Ridge.

Aldman Lands
The Great Tribes inhabit the lands north of the Lightning Ridge and south of the Bifrost, dwelling in time-tested cities and villages. The greatest of these cities are the ancient Durlond city of Heim, the crystal Danu city of Danaan and the semi-subterranean Ur'Yutani, home of the Weylands. Raiders make their home in the shattered region north of the fourth shore known as Alderlakes.

Religion
Durlonds and Weylands are atheistic and follow no deities. Danu believe that each person has a patron animal spirit within them who provides them with strength, guidance and inspiration and much of their culture revolves around this. Raiders are more open to the idea of deities and sometimes pray to them for blessings. The most common Raider deities are Sif, Macha and Jacobus.