By the time that the Havoc Wars had begun in full, most of the northern tribes had either united under Havoc or were wiped out by those who did. Some just hoped to be spared, others sought revenge against the Empire, some hoped that Havoc might offer them better lives. The warriors of these tribes crushed the northern Dwarves before turning south. The followers of Havoc, or Havoc Warriors, drove deep into the Empire, pillaging as they went. 

When the Havoc Gods were sealed away, the Daemons and their mortal followers were soon routed, and the surviving Havoc Warriors fled north. Still weakened by war, the Empire and its allies were not able to fully occupy the Northlands. Instead, they built a series of forts along its border in order to defend their lands. Though scattered and weakened, the Havoc Warriors remained, fighting amongst themselves for what little food and wealth they could scavenge, as well as anyone foolish enough to venture into their land without military protection. 

The opening of the Great Rift was greeted with celebration in the Northlands as the Havoc Warriors regained their magic and their gods. Now, the tribes are looking south with new energy, plundering their weakened neighbours, and waiting for the chance to strike into the heart of Tyria once more. 

How will you bring glory to your god?

History

The Old North

Human tribes were slow to settle the Northlands. Their numbers were always few, and they relied more on hunting than farming.

The Empire

Gradually, an Empire formed in the south and began expanding. Some tribes were conquered, but many others joined willingly as allies, seeking to benefit from peace, trade, and infrastructure. This was true in the Northlands as well; many tribes willingly submitted to the Empire as vassals.

Frontier

The Northern tribes were seen as a frontier territory by the Human Empire. Some roads were built and a few soldiers were sent North, but in the end, little changed for Northerners as the soldiers were too few to really prevent raids and few traders bothered to come north. Instead, outcasts and criminals would often flee North in order to hide from the law, making the North more dangerous than it had been.

Havoc’s Arrival

When Havoc arrived, they sewed a great deal of corruption and confusion throughout Tyria. The Empire recalled many of their troops to defend the heartland and prevent rebellion. The Northlands were abandoned and left to deal with any Daemons on their own.

New Allegiance

Many of these tribes joined Havoc. Some just hoped to be spared, others sought revenge against the Empire, some even believed that Havoc might offer them better lives.

Havoc Wars

During the Havoc Wars, the Northern Human tribes united under Havoc or were wiped out by those who did. The warriors of these tribes crushed the Northern Dwarves, but turned south when they met fierce resistance from Halflings and Norn. The followers of Havoc, or Havoc Warriors, drove deep into the Empire, pillaging as they went.

The Scouring

When the Havoc Gods were captured, the Daemons routed and their mortal followers were soundly defeated. The survivors fled north, but the Great Alliance hunted them and destroyed many tribes. Still, weakened by war, the Empire and its allies were not able to fully occupy the Northlands. Instead, they built a series of forts to defend their border.

The Long Wait

The remaining Havoc Warriors and their tribes survived in the North but they were mostly scattered and weak. They fought amongst themselves for what little food and wealth they could scavenge, as well as anyone foolish enough to venture into their land without an army behind them.  

The Rift

The opening of the Rift was greeted with celebration as the Havoc Warriors regained their magic and their Gods. Now, the tribes are looking south with new energy, plundering their weakened neighbours and waiting for the chance to strike into the heart of Tyria once more.

Society

The Havoc Warriors do not have a centralised government, but are organised into tribes built around familial ties. A tribe pledges their loyalty to the head of the ruling family, an earned position which can be challenged by other pretenders. Because of this system, typically only competent leaders rise to the position of Havoc Lords. Yet, organising large alliances between tribes is often difficult as these rely heavily on personal relationships between Havoc Lords. Tribes rarely remain united for long except unless a Havoc God demands their service. The Havoc Warrior’s relationship with their gods is based on pacts: the Lord obtains power and resources from the god, and in exchange, pledges to serve the God that grants them. The process of establishing a deal is a complex mix of negotiation and ceremonies. A Havoc Lord must strike a balance between securing the most advantageous deal and maintaining the tribe’s freedom.

Hidden Arts

Given the harsh and warlike confines they hail from, Havoc Warriors are often perceived as bloodthirsty brutes by the southern people, but this is far from the truth. For centuries, their high-born children were sent into the Empire as hostages and received an education there; many tribes also served as auxiliaries for the Empire. While they do not have the bountiful resources of the Empire or the advanced sciences of the Duchies of Vinci, they are literate and have many skilled craftsmen, smiths, carpenters and so on. They also have a very rich oral culture. Each tribe has a saga recounting its history over centuries that his elders can recite by heart. They value intelligence and hold contests of eloquence or mathematics along with games of strength and skill.

They are aware of how they are perceived by the people of the south and have built their image around this, adding spikes to their shoulders and other intimidating features. Most tribes people are indeed capable warriors, but their culture values completeness; a lot of them fight when they need to but enjoy other things, like playing music, raising horses or drawing maps.

Pact Makers

Among the Havoc Warriors, pacts are often transmitted from one leader to the next; some tribes have been joined with the same daemon and God for generations, with their deal being discussed and altered at each passing of the crown. Over the years, this relationship becomes more culturally entrenched and sometimes akin to sincere worship and loyalty. On the other hand, there are tribes that frequently switch gods and continue seeing them more as business partners than deities. A pact may bind someone for an entire lifetime or end after a single raid.

Greener Pastures

The resentment that the Havoc Warriors hold for the Empire is not pure hate; it has a tinge of envy and self-loathing. Many tribes want nothing more than to claim a fertile, sunny valley and live a life of refined luxury in the southern territories. Many a Havoc Lord would love to crown themselves the new emperor. Even between tribes, some deride others as being too uncivilised, or on the other hand denounce the more sophisticated as having lost their way.

The northern territories have always been harsh: life is possible there, but thriving is not. The northerners have always needed to raid the south for resources, or to go down there to trade and work when possible. Now that the Empire is weakened and Havoc is on the offensive, many tribes are hoping to acquire a permanent place in a more forgiving land. Some castles have fallen, some border territories have been seized. In the Empire, many believe that the Havoc tribes are too disunited to be an existential threat, albeit the most pessimistic point out that death from a thousand cuts is still death.

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