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the Clans of the Lanji

The Lanji are a people of strong bonds and family, and part of that is bound up in the clans. Every Lanji beyonds to a clan, either by blood or by allegiance. Lesser families align themselves with the greater clans, who together form the leadership of the Nation as a whole. The clans are ruled by their females, a position called the Chuyah, which is frequently given to women shortly after their 30th year and continues until they step down and pass it on to another women.

Most Chuyah are NOT old gray-haired elders, though a Chuyah has to listen to her mother, grandmothers, aunts, and such if she expects to accomplish anything at all. Indeed, attaining the position almost always requires the approval of such luminaries.

Clans and Jarls
The position of Jarl, the leader of a given settlement, typically comes from within the bloodline of the clan itself. While it's not rare for a powerful member of one of the aligned families in a clan to take the position over a settlement, it more often happens that one of the clans sons ends up claiming the position. The duties of a jarl are mostly resigned to war, with his wife assuming power over the village as a whole and the various families that dwell within it.

The Jarl of Jarls, or the Jarltan, is the ultimate authority in the Nation. The "power" of a clan is based largely on it's closeness to the Jarltan, and how many times it has been the House of Kings in the recent times. This results in Clans being divided into a few rough groups, based on their connection to the leader of the Jarltan -- the clans in Northgale are the most powerful, while the nomadic clans of the Caribou-herding tribes are the weakest overall. The Jarltan is an unusual position, which existed prior to the Elder Lunars' discovery of the people. It is based on heredity, to a certain extent. The strongest and greatest son (including, possibly, adopted sons) of the current Jarltan is trained to take up the position upon the death of his father; in these recent days this training is performed by the Lunar Elders of the Lanji, and those found especially wanting are exiled into the Glacier much like criminals (not all children of the Jarl are so punished; only those who initially seemed promising enough to warrant training, but proved less suitable. This tradition was established after a brutal civil war in RY 311, when a Jarltan was nearly deposed by his brother, who had been found wanting).

Once the Jarltan-to-be turns 15, his training is complete and he departs from Northgale for the next 10 years of his life. This is called his Voyage of Manhood, and the exact contents of it vary with each individual individual. Without fail, however, they are always heroic journeys filled with battles and struggles from which legends hail. Many villages and towns have stories of a heroic wanderer who turned out to be, much later, the Jarltan of the Lanji Nation -- for tradition is that the travelling hero does not reveal his true identity. Once the Jarltan turns 25, he returns once again to Northgale to pick a wife and become ready for his responcibilities whenever they should call to him.

This son is traditionally held as without Clan, until he should pick a wife. This is always done prior to him ascending to Jarltan; it is, in fact, impossible for an unmarried man to hold the position. This is because the wife of the Jarltan holds such a large portion of power over the Lanji Nation and it's clans that having a Jarltan without having a Jarltan-shi is held as daft. Who would rule, if not the Jarl of Jarls' wife? The Jarltan-to-be is held to have total authority in picking a wife, and may choose from any woman of the Lanji for his mate. Traditionally, however, he picks one of other noble clanwomen of Northgale -- giving them power, and giving the Jarltan a powerful sponsor.

The Clan that the Jarltan marries into is known among the Lanji as the House of Kings for the duration of his reign.

Clans of the Tundra

These are the nomadic clans, the powerful families among the nomadic nation. They number the largest, for each particular tribe that travels over the Tundra is typically led by one (or rarely, two) powerful families. While quite numerous, these clans are not very powerful and have only been named the House of Kings three times over the history of the people.

Notable Clans of the Tundra
Clan Tenebrael is one of the older and more honorable clans of the Caribou herders, and they range the furthest. Many Lanji are unaware of them entirely, thinking them Icewalkers instead (which they might as well be, in many ways). However, they hold prayers to Raventalon and visit the lands of the Lanji Mountains on no few occasions, and the Elder Lunars watch over them in their wanderings as best as they are able. Thus in most ways that matter, they are Lanji.

The clan is currently away from the mountains, in the fertile rangeland of the East, where their songlines lead them. Those that follow the clans migration worry that their wanderings will bring them into contact with the Bull of the North, and wonder where the clan's ultimate loyality lay...

Clans of the Mountain

These are the clans that live amidst the Lanji Nation itself, and their size and power varies. Some rule a small village, and are little more powerful than the nomadic clans. Others rule over a fairly large expanse, including multiple villages and settlements, and some of these clans surpass the power of the greatest clans in every way save one -- while the Jarltan sometimes marries into these clans, it is still quite rare. Even so, many of these clans are not to be taken for granted...

Notable Clans of the Mountain
Clan Doidar is the clan that holds dominion over all of the villages along the White Sea, and is the single most powerful entity in the Lanji Nation in terms of wealth and contact with the rest of Creation. Fully half of the time that a Clan of the Mountain has been the House of Kings, it has been Clan Doidar. Mostly, however, the Doidar pay little attention to the goings on in Northgale -- it is a distant place, and usually only seen once in a life when a young man goes on Pilgrimage. In a way, the lands of Clan Doidar are almost a Nation of their own.

The Doidar are the only Lanji Clan to have regular contact with the Haslanti League, and those of Clan Doidar are typically not as prejudiced against the Haslanti than other Lanji.

Clans of Ice and Silver

Finally, there are the clans of Northgale, considered especially blessed by Raventalon and closest to the Jarltan. They are smallest in number, only six clans in number, but are well-known for their wealth and their influence. While some of the stronger Clans of the Mountains can stand against them, to most other Lanji these powerful families are the greatest and strongest blood of all Lanji. Even soo, Clans of Ice and Silver have been known to fall or even been replaced...

Notable Clans of Ice and Silver
Clan Carratok is the current House of Kings, the Clan Carratok is waxing strong under the leadership of it's Chuyah, Ludmi Carratok, the wife of the Jarltan. While well known for it's great ancestor-heroes, rolls of warriors and strong alliance of allied families -- the Clan Carratok is perhaps best known as the Craftsmen of the Lanji. Much of the architecture of the city was designed by them, rough as it is by civilized standards, and they are among the best armourers and weaponsmiths in the Nation.

The next Jarl of Jarls, Ludir, is currently 15 years of age and has just set off on his voyage of manhood. In 10 years time, when he is 25, he will return to the city and pick a wife -- assuming nothing happens to his father, in any case, requiring him to marry and take over the position earlier. Most rumors place Ludir in the South-eastern portions of the nation, travelling with a small clan of Lanji nomads.

Iol Carratok is the current Jarl of Jarls, the Leader of the Lanji people.

Clan Marlti served as the House of Kings until ten years ago, when Barso Marlti passed away of a wasting disease and his son Iol became Jarltan and the honor fell to Clan Carratok. The Marlti's are known for their prowess in battle against the Kuniktik and other foes, and most of their sons go on to be grand warriors of the Lanji. Also known for a bit of Terrestrial blood, the line spawns an Outcaste every 10 years or so. While none of these have ever been named Jarl (ever, as far as anyone knows), they sometimes earn renown in the eyes of the Elder Lunars and become honorary members of the Silver Pack. Those that do not are typically not allowed to live, due to their percieved ties to the Dynasty of the Realm, and are killed out of hand upon the failure of their rite of passage. Even so, the rites of a Marlti Outcaste are considerably easier than those that would be afforded to any other Dragon-Blooded (read: the Lunars don't kill him on sight).

The youngest Outcaste of the family, Jalla, was born 9 years ago and has been training for her rite of passage for the last year. While she is still several years from being ready to approach Balea and demand her test, she shows uncommon promise. While it is traditional for the Elder Lunars to ignore any outcaste born until she approaches them to demand her rite -- the Lunars have noticed that promise as well.

Clan Boros is somewhat bitter, as most of their elders suspected that they would be in the position that Clan Carratok now enjoys... Most saw the way that Iol looked at Matacha, and preparations had even begun on the wedding. The full belly that Ludmi betrayed at the wedding was a slap in the face that the Boros took full on, and no few insults were traded -- some even suggesting that the elder Carratok had pressured Ludmi into seducing Iol and getting with child, or even that it wasn't Iol's child at all. The rivalry only got worse when their own daughter disappeared, mad with depression and grief -- vanishing so completely that even they could not find her. It is a wound over 18 years old, of course, but in it's own way it is still fresh. It continues to get picked at, after all.

The Boros are, as most Lanji clans, warriors and leaders of men. However, they are also known their faith -- the clan boosts more priests and priestesses of Raventalon than any other, and the clan is said to enjoy the gods' especial blessing. The wisdom of the clan is also quite renowned, and they are known for having wise men and shamans of great power. Lastly, the library of the Boros is renowned -- they have one, that can actually be truthfully called a library. The family has collected lore since before the Contagion, and many of it's members are literate.

The current Chuyah of the Boros is Hania Boros, a young unmarried maiden of 18 summers graced with pale white hair and a strong intellect, she is one of the scholars of the clan and renowned for her simple wisdom. The family has been avoiding a marriage, hoping to perhaps marry her to Ludir when he returns from his voyage of manhood. This seems to suit Hania just fine...