The Fjarnings are an ancient human civilization, directly descending from the legendary Hjaldings, who are also the ancestors of the Thorwalians. However, unlike them, the Fjarnings hold true to the undiluted ideals of their ancestors. They believe in strength alone, having nothing but disdain for weakness, diplomacy or the comforts of the south. Their lands are the harshest parts of the north, where few humans can actually survive. As such, the Fjarnings are experts for living in the wilds and surviving the cold, as well as the other dangers the north has to offer. Those who can’t adapt to that die an early death.
Fjarnings are aggressive and their worldview, in which the strongest is always right, reflects the way they interact with their neighbours. Firun is their only god, in his purest, most unforgiving form. They hate the Thorwalians for adapting to the southern world, for accepting different gods and for living in the comfort of cities. Indeed, where the Thorwalians are feared raiders and fighters, they pale compared to the sheer ferocity of the Fjarnings. Often taller than most other humans, they are wild barbarians and highly feared for their stoic, unforgiving brutality. They have disdain for the Nivesians and utter disgust for the unnatural Night Elves. However, aside from the Thorwalians, whom they don’t share a direct border with, Fjarnings are mostly neutral towards other cultures. They occasionally trade with Nivesians and Norbardians, despite looking down on them and only rarely do their tribes actually attack strong settlements. The only people they have actual, honest respect for are the Gjalskers, whom they consider to be strong warriors, a feeling that is mutual.
Surprisingly, the Fjarnings have a peaceful tribal society among each other. Knowing of their small numbers, war between different tribes is highly looked down upon. Instead, fights are settled by competitions, where champions prove their worth in a set of physical trials. If a Fjarning does what no other Fjarning has done before, such as climbing a high mountain in a record time, or killing a giant bear, Fjarnings of other tribes often compete to do even better. If a Fjarning outdoes a previous record, his tribe can claim a reasonable reward from the tribe of the previous champion. This can range from material goods to certain tribe members and usually, these claims are accepted without complaint. Only in rare cases do they call upon respected champions from other tribes to decide on the matter.