Rjkar clan

Kingdom: Stjordvik / Blood Skull Barony

Winter Province: Angarr

Summer Province: Lofkirdik

Chief: Kjalnaar (MRj; F11; Br, major, 20; CG)
The Rjakar summer in the hills of northern Stjordvik and migrate to the hazardous forests of Blood Skull Barony for the winter. Harsh conditions in the cold season help keep the Rjkar safe from raiders, for the orogs generally hole up during winter, but the tribe's winter camp is dangerous nonetheless. Many fearsome creatures, driven from other Rjurik lands, dwell in the Barony's forests?winter wolves, trolls, fhoimoriens, and others?some of which roam abroad, even in snow and ice.
Chief Kjalnaar is near-legendary hunter and tracker who often enjoys departing his tribe's winter quarters to hunt down marauding monsters. His single-handed defeat of a powerful fhoimorien lives in stories told by Rjkar as well as many other tribes in the Rjurik region.
Proud and independent, the Rjakar shun the company of outsiders and totally reject the authority of both the Scarlet Baron and the king of Stjordvik.
They (grudgingly) reward those who aid them, but are far too proud to ask for assistance, even in the most dire of need. It is far better, Kjalnaar claims, to die bravely and join Erik than to live as cowards and beggars. Unfortunately for Rjkar, such attitudes may well lead to their destruction, for the Blood Skull orogs are aware of their presence and are determined to wipe them out.
The law and their officials tend to ignore them, except in serious, capital cases. (Even in those rare cases, the jarls are usually content to let tribal justice take its course under the eyes of an observer.)
The authorities of Stjordvik have made this concession to the Rjkar tribe a tradition since Kjalnaar's father Oakkard was credited with saving the realm 30 years ago. Hjolvaar was about to be overrun by a dusk attack of a combined force of orogs, goblins, gnolls, and minotaurs. The defenders were outnumbered two to one. As Oakkard and his tribe crested the last hill before setting up a summer camp, a rider, one of the Highland Scouts riding for reinforcements from Lofkirdik, stopped him. The scout warned the nomads away, telling them of the attack. Instead, Oakkard drew his sword and rode down to the fray, his warriors trailing him at a heavy pace. Few of them wore armor at the moment and none of the rest could spare the time to put it on, including Oakkard.
Hacking and slashing their way through the Blood Skull troops in a savage rage, they turned the tide. The monsters soon decided they had had enough and ran. The enemies' losses were piled high and uncounted, but of their 50 warriors, the Rjkar lost six.
The skalds could not describe the feelings of awe and gratitude that Olvi of Hjolvaar and Hadrim of Lofkirdik expressed. They lavished gifts of food, beer, clothing, gold, and imported wines on Oakkard and his people. They also granted the Rjkar, in perpetuity, the right to use their lands as tribe's own and to act as a sovereign people while on those lands. The only thing withheld was the right to try capital offenses, except as given leave.