Invorri: General Info

Invorri: General Info

Your interpreataion is perfectly valid - to the average Southlander, Northmen, Invorri, and Barbarian are all sononymous.

I expect the distinctions are a bit hazier if one lives up north. The Invorri have always done LOTS of raiding, and I figure they were fond of taking captives to work as thralls. They also have a nasty tendancy to conquer lands near them. Also, the practice of stealing infants to replace dead or lost children seems like a logical practice.

Hence, it is entirely possible that there are Humans not of Invorri blood who live as Northmen and follow their ways, either through long vassalage, adoption, or conquest.

And like the Northmen in our world, different bands of Invorri have managed to attain different degrees of "civilization" based on their proximity to other cultures, the harshness of their home, trade, etc. So most invorri become Barabrians, but not all do - they have their share of Rangers, Scouts, and Priests too.

So, to be as claer as winter slush, not all Northmen are Invorri, not all Barbarians are Invorri either, and Northman can apply to all sorts of people. Heh. If you're looking to build a character or clan, feel free to tug a bit and make the lore fit. Aerynth is a big world - lots of things are possible.

As for Aelfborn, Elves are very beautiful, and I expect Invorri don't deliberately kill or desert such offspring when they occur. So lojng as they prove themselves strong enough to survive and don't get too twitchy, they can be valued members of an Invorri community.

Shades, on the other hand, are seen as something of a bad omen. Again, I'm not sure that they'd be wasted outright, but they sure wouldn't be trusted. Look at Grima Wormtongue - the stunted, vaguely repellent cousin who ends up advising the Lord is a fixture of Norse sagas. Shades would have to work VERY hard to overcome their stigma, and they'd likely never be fully accepted.