The Northborn Alliance is the over-arching governing body of the Dvergi, Kalai, M’to and Warbloods, representing their various governments, clans and communities. The Northborn Alliance is a fairly loose alliance, and it is not unknown for factions within the Northborn to be in conflict with one another. When threatened by outside forces, however, these conflicts are quickly forgotten.
When it comes to their participation in the Consensus Council, the various members convene on a yearly basis to elect a new representative, who is given a large amount of leeway in how to handle matters of trade as long as it does not harm any of the member races, and as long as the representative does not tolerate any incursions into their territories by other nations.
The islands of the Northborn Alliance are located about two weeks’ sail north of Tower Island, and are the southernmost part of an area known as the Sea of Winter. The southern most islands of the Northborn Alliance are primarily inhabited by Kalai, while the other three constituent races live farther north, with Dvergi concentrated in the northwest, and M’to and Warblood tribes more common farther east.
The alliance doesn’t have a government in the sense most nations do. Every full moon, the leaders of the various races meet on the island of Tranquility in Kalai lands, where they discuss all matters relevant to other members of the alliance. The members of the alliance have differing forms of government, though they are all more or less tribal.
Dvergi are organized into clans, though unlike those of the Adar they do not have an over-arching council or a High King. Dvergi clans are generally autocratic, with power concentrated in a single ruling family.
Kalai tribes are called families, and each family typically rules over a single town or village. The leaders of these families meet on a regular basis, with each meeting hosted by a different family, and a grander meeting every quarter hosted on Tranquility.
M’to tribes tend to be meritocracies, where leaders are chosen by the adults of each tribe.
Warblood tribes are autocratic, where the leader is generally the strongest warrior. It is common for leaders to be challenged for their position by their underlings, with the victor of a duel taking command of the tribe.
There is much trade between the members of the alliance. Wood is the primary export of the alliance, and while they do produce some of their own food, much of it is important from other nations, such as the Lakhta Hegemony, Chadori Republic and Kingdom of Adar (through the Fian Erigen).
Fishing and whaling are also important activities among the Northborn.
Given their tribal nature, the Northborn do not have a centralized military, and each tribe maintains their own ships and warriors.
None of the Northborn tribes have enough ships to be properly called a navy, though in times of great need they can call together enough ships to give most of their neighboring nations pause.
Dvergi clans each maintain their own soldiers and ships, and their ships are the most modern in comparison to other alliance members, and they are the primary supplier of both martial and naval weaponry for the alliance.
Unlike the other members, the Kalai are not at all warlike, and rely on neighboring M’to tribes for protection from goblins (a service that is a matter of great pride for the M’to).
M’to and Warbloods have more ships than the Dvergi, though they are simpler in design, such as longships.
Northborn culture can vary greatly from tribe to tribe and from species to species, though the alliance has existed for well over three centuries, none of the tribesman alive today can remember it ever being different.
The Kalai stand out as the most reclusive members of the Northborn Alliance. Their culture is characterized by their extended family structures, that function similar to tribes. They focus on land-based living and harmony with nature, and their seafaring experience is limited. Kalai are not warlike, and often serve as envoys for the alliance, and as mediators in tribal conflicts.
When Kalai marry, the couple becomes part of the bride’s family. Same-sex marriages are also common and accepted, though this usually leads to long negotiations to determine which family the couple will enter.
Kalai with magical talent often have a knack for illusionary magic, which is often incorporated into alliance ships. It is not unknown for an alliance fleet to seem to appear out of nowhere due to Kalai illusions.
Dvergi culture today differs much from how they lived historically, a consequence of their forced adaptation to surface life. They have shed their sensitivity to sunlight, yet still avoid spending too much time outside. Tradition and ancestry are important to Dvergi, and those who act against their clans often face exile from Dvergi society altogether.
Dvergi are generally good-natured and optimistic, though tend to have a crude and to some races bewildering sense of humor that often involves morbid jokes or highly improbably sexual acts. A good way to befriend a Dvergi is to get drunk together (they will insist to split cost equally).
Dvergi are expert weaponmakers, and each Dvergi family is likely to have several members in the weaponsmithing business.
M’to life strongly revolves around seafaring and exploration, and it is not uncommon for them to engage in raiding when trading for certain goods fails. M’to place great emphasis on oral history and traditions, with poetry and song playing a special role. M’to are among the best navigators in the alliance. M’to place great emphasis on martial prowess, and many in-tribe disputes are settled by unarmed combat, or sometimes fights to the death when it comes to matters of honor.
M’to tribes tend to spend many evenings together in feasts or communal storytelling to strengthen the bond of their tribe.
Warbloods live to fight, and much of their society revolves around increasing one’s martial skill. Warbloods are ruled by the strongest and most cunning, and many disputes are settled by the sword. Despite this, Warbloods tribes are not anarchistic or chaotic. They have a complex system of honor, and most Warbloods will chose death before dishonor (though very rarely some of them will flee, becoming pariahs in all alliance lands).
Warbloods are very direct in their communication, and have no patience for flowery prose or subtlety. Warbloods are often tattooed, or wear decorative scars, usually to remember some great feat or achievement.