Topic: Does Shadow world have a culture similar to Norse or Slavic

[Peter R]

I want to have an NPC with a name something like Ivan Rakmanikov so some variant like that and another called Einar Somethingorotherson both of whom come from cold places. Is there anywhere on Shadow World where one would get slavic or scandinavian style names and ideally cold climates?

[Hurin]

The Myri of Tanara (and the Talath in general) always gave me a Nordic vibe. They have the Nordic look (tall, blond, big-boned) and names like Sten (which is Germanic in origin). In the Cloudlords book, it also says they prefer 'cool climes'.

[Peter R]

Cool, that works for me.

[MisterK]

The Myri of Tanara (and the Talath in general) always gave me a Nordic vibe. They have the Nordic look (tall, blond, big-boned) and names like Sten (which is Germanic in origin). In the Cloudlords book, it also says they prefer 'cool climes'.

I thought that Sten was a name from the Merisian Zori (Sten Kirian, from the original Cloudlords of Tanara).

I would not have used the Myri or Talath myself, mostly because of their cultural outlook. They are neither warlike nor raider-oriented, which makes them very different from traditional vikings (plus, they live inland, both in Tanara and Bodlea). I would rather have used the Haidic people - they are northern people too, living in Saralis, Lu'Nak and Wuliris (and Mur Fostisyr if you include the Syrkakar) according to SWMA4 [as well as in mainland Kelestia] and they seem to be more warlike on the average.

You could also try with Lydians if you're looking for tall blond people, but as far as I remember, there are none native to Jaiman or Emer (the closest would be Kelestia again, I think). Being immigrants from Gaalt and settled in the straits of Isra, it would even be possible for them to have a primarily sea-oriented culture.

[Peter R]

I am writing a drop in adventure and wanted it to work just as neatly in an earth like setting as in Shadow Worlf but including no actual SW content. The setting is just abgrim grey coastal town in the middle of a cold winter.

No Viking raiders are required just a stoic acceptance that life is hard in the north and people die.

Scandi/Slavic names would mean that NPCs would work off the page. Germanic works just as well.

This is the first in my series of 1st level adventures.

[Hurin]

Yes, MisterK is correct that Sten was actually one of the Zori Cloudlord leaders, not one of the Myri; I misremembered that. He is also right that the Myri culture doesn't quite fit a Viking-Age Norse culture.

On the other hand, the Myri do look very much like the Norse (and indeed another name for the Myri in Shadow World is 'Northmen'). They have blond hair and blue eyes, are tall and fair, and are said to come from the northern climes. MisterK prompted me to go back and read a bit of the Haestra region in the Master Atlas for Emer, and you can see some Germanic influence in the names of the Myri towns in NW Emer (Haestra), as for example in towns like Carlsdale. Gravesdale, Milldale, and Yorndale are all coastal towns in the NW of the region of Bodlea, in Haestra (NW Emer) in the Emer I book. The wind from the sea is said to be cold and rainy. So I think that might be the best setting for the adventure if you wanted to find the best Norse equivalent: it's not Viking-Age Norse, but you could pretty easily fit it into pre-Viking Age Norse, and the people would look very Nordic at least.

[Majyk]

They don’t look like Norsemen, but everyone is forgetting the (Ice/Sea) Kral of NW Jaiman.

Their whole culture is based on raiding and they terrorize the coasts of the West/Northwest!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHADOW-WORLD-QUELLBOURNE-LAND-OF-THE-SILVER-MIST-VGC-6001-Module-Rolemaster-/192375739145

[B Hanson]

I want to have an NPC with a name something like Ivan Rakmanikov so some variant like that and another called Einar Somethingorotherson both of whom come from cold places. Is there anywhere on Shadow World where one would get slavic or scandinavian style names and ideally cold climates?

Peter, the best place for you is the Mur Fostisyr—the land of the Iron Wind.

https://www.rolemasterblog.com/?s=Iron+wind

Might not be an exact fit culturally but the setting works.

[MisterK]

I am writing a drop in adventure and wanted it to work just as neatly in an earth like setting as in Shadow Worlf but including no actual SW content. The setting is just abgrim grey coastal town in the middle of a cold winter.

No Viking raiders are required just a stoic acceptance that life is hard in the north and people die.

Scandi/Slavic names would mean that NPCs would work off the page. Germanic works just as well.

This is the first in my series of 1st level adventures.

Given your description, I would confirm the above locations (Saralis, Quellbourne - Kelfour's Landing would match the description pretty well, I think - or Wuliris in Jaiman, and similar places in Kelestia, especially in Isra or on either mainland coasts). Haid or Jameri in Jaiman, Haid or Lydians in Kelestia.

Mur Fostisyr would be nice as well, as B. Hanson posted, especially the Syrkakar (possibly the Ky'Taari) - Brya Sug could match the description as well.