The Varmandi are a small clan, and herd cattle and sheep in Stael’s Hills and the Thunder Hills, areas claimed by other clans, and this often puts them into conflict with their neighbors. They are sometimes known as the “Badger clan.”
Location
The Varmandi are located between Tarkalor Keep and Apple Lane, along the border between the Colymar Tribe and the Malani Tribe.
Population
The Varmandi are small clan numbering some 450 people. Of these, 225 are free adults, and 75 are semi-free herders or tenant farmers. They have about 20 households. Twenty people are singled out in the clan to be of special significance, according to their social rank. They are:
- 1. Korol Serpent-Tongue, the chieftain
- 2. Hindala, Chief’s wife and Earth Woman
- 3-5. Orlanth Thunderous god-talkers
- 6-8. Ernalda Wise Women
- 9-15. Thanes.
- 16-20. Heads of prominent families.
SETTLEMENTS
Their main settlement is the small walled village of Oakton, which has about 70 adult residents. There are four households within the village, including the household of the clan chieftain. The clan’s other 230 adults are divided into 16 households. Six live on farms clustered around Tarkalor Keep, and four are relatively near Apple Lane. The other six households live in steads near the border with the Malani Tribe.
MAGIC
The Varmandi support a minor temple to Orlanth Adventurous and shrines to Ernalda and Voriof. The clan‘s guardian spirit resides in the Oak of Vengeance, a sacred oak in the center of Oakton, and is the source of the clan’s terrifying war cry and their ability to heal themselves in combat. The clan chief serves as the clan’s chief priest. The clan is served by several spirits (including a badger spirit that is the source of the clan’s taboo against harming that animal) and Air elementals. The clan chieftain possesses the Lerith Sword, an ancient magical weapon, and the clan also has several minor magical artifacts. The clan is strong with war and combat magic but is quite weak with fertility and earth magic.
MILITARY
The Varmandi are a war clan, and their Orlanth Adventurous temple serves as a warrior society. The clan has fifteen full-time warriors (in addition to the thanes) who support themselves through war and raiding. The clan can muster about 120 people as the clan militia, including many slingers and skirmishers.
LORE
The Varmandi have several storytellers that keep the oral lore of the clan back to when it settled in the area around 1325. Herders and hunters know paths and ambush places throughout the local hills.
WEALTH
The Varmandi are a poor clan, and suffered terribly during the Lunar Occupation. The clan has comparatively little arable land—only about 60 hides worth. Most of the clan’s wealth is in the form of their livestock. Some of the animals are needed for plowing and daily support, but the Varmandi keep about 400 cattle and 1200 sheep in the hills. Of these, some 100 cattle belong to the tribal Orlanth temple (whose high priest is the tribal king) and are sacred to the local Orlanth cult. The livestock graze primarily in the Gejay Hills, which often puts them in conflict with the neighboring Malani tribe, specifically the Orleving clan.
LEGAL/POLITICAL
The Varmandi are notorious troublemakers and have few allies even among the Colymar Tribe. They have turbulent and violent history, even by Sartarite standards. They have a long-standing feud with the Orleving Clan of the Malani Tribe who drove them out of the Ormathane Vale centuries ago. The Varmandi are notorious for having started several tribal wars with their feuds. King Tarkalor built a tower and hunting lodge in Varmandi lands to keep peace between the Colymar and Malani tribes.
COUNSEL/ADVICE
The Varmandi are not particularly regarded for their wise counsel or advice on matters of peace; however, they are shrewd and skilled raiders and bushwhackers.
SOCIAL
The Varmandi hold the typical local Orlanthi seasonal festivals. During their Orlanth Adventurous festival, their warriors perform a group dance at the Oak of Vengeance with sword fighting and accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.
ECONOMY
The Varmandi are a small clan and their surplus is only 100W. The Varmandi are a War Clan and bring in another 100W a year through raiding, looting, and mercenary activities. This gives them the ability to support additional thanes and warriors purely through raiding. They need to take in 10W per thane and 4W per warrior so supported through raiding, usually through cattle raids, or by support from the tribal king or by selling their services as mercenaries. The Varmandi have a warrior society with 7 thanes and 15 warriors that is supported purely through this means. This makes them very unpopular with their neighbors. However, this allows them to maintain a minor temple to Orlanth Adventurous, and shrines to Ernalda and Voriof. Out of this they pay:
- 40W for their chief and chief priestess.
- 70W for seven thanes or priests. They have 7 thanes.
- 60W for 15 warriors.
- 30W for six god-talkers (worth the equivalent of 4 priests).
Will the the Sartar box will have this for all clans on Sartar? There are some 100+ clans in Sartar. I’ll only include three or four as examples.
One thing that quickly comes out of this for me – boy, the Varmandi would suck to have as neighbours.