Vættir

Spirit folk who embody ancient laws.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: TheFolk

• Alignment: Shebvic

• Energy: Shavev Mashkalran

• Lifespan: 1,000 years

• Diet: Offerings

• Habitat: Cold, temperate places

Origins

Vættir formed when the first mortal laws were formed.

Description

Vættir appear to be broad-shouldered anthropomorphic figures who stand about 4’ tall. They are similar to gnomes and dvergars, but they are broader and have animalistic features in their faces. Most have goat-, cat-, fish-, deer-, lizard-, or dolphin-like features in their faces.

Procreation

Vættir reproduce sexually with one another. They can reproduce with other spirit folk of similar size and form (dvergars, gnomes, some fairies, etc.), and the offspring follows the species of the birthing parent. They cannot reproduce with spirit folk who are not size- and shape-compatible with them, even artificially, nor outside spirit folk species, without supernatural intervention.

Powers

Empowered by ancient laws (though not Divine ones), vættir are bound to rules that give them powers and have great consequences if broken.

Individually, they have the ability to vanish twice daily, calm or panic animals twice weekly, shatter or mend objects twice monthly, exert extra strength (+9 for 30 seconds) twice yearly, and bind a mortal to the laws of the vættir twice in their lifetimes.

Rules

The rules that dictate the powers of a vættir:

• A vættir cannot be washed in warm liquid. This will cause their magic to be weakened or taken away for up to seven weeks.

• A vættir may not use or suffer the likeness of a dragon on any structure, vehicle, or statue within their community, lest their strength be lost until the likeness is removed.

• A vættir must remain in their domains (earth, mountain, forest, sea, lake, or house) and shall not move to a new location without performing the proper rituals of protection, lest they lose all of their powers, which derive from the laws of the domain.

• A vættir must exchange gifts with visitors and neighbors at certain times of the year, lest they lose their connection to their domains, causing terrible things to happen as the protections fade.

Protections

A vættir dwells in a domain - an earthen area such as a mound or hill, a great mountain, a forest, the sea, a lake, or a home belonging to another kind of mortal - and may place protections upon it, usually for prosperity and health. There is a limit to their protections, of course, but they are generally able to provide adequate protection to be worth the offerings they require.

If they fail to live by their rules, the protections will weaken, and bad things will begin to happen within a week: livestock will sicken, crops will wilt, children will go missing, fields will fallow, adults will grow ill, objects may vanish. If they follow the rules meticulously, the opposite tends to be true: livestock remain healthy, crops and fields yield good harvest, children remain safe, objects are found easily, and adults remain hale.

Offerings

Vættir must exchange gifts eight times per year:

• The first day of the year

• On the two equinoxes

• On the two solstices

• On Samhain

• On the first day of harvest

• On their birthday

The vættir are offered porridge with butter, apples and pears (preferably sliced into eight pieces), mulled wine, cider, warm bread, a fresh slaughtered pig, and so on are examples of offerings, but any offering of food or drink made politely will be accepted, so long as it is not poisonous to the vættir. Respect and politeness in offerings is of the utmost in importance. In exchange for these offerings, the vættir provides a song that promises protections, except on their birthdays, when they would instead perform chores around the house or do minor services for those making the offerings.

Weaknesses

Violating their own laws will weaken, sicken, and eventually kill a vættir. The only way one may survive violating their own laws is to find another power to replace it, usually some binding energy or other form of law - viridian aether (natural law), imperium (autocratic law), lhair (justice), fate (rigid narrative), or The Law (Divine law) being the usual energies to do so (this last being extremely rare). There are no cultures or groups of vættir who use these other energies for power, but rare individuals.

Nations

The nations of the vættir are as follows:

• Landvættir, who dwell in earthen mounds and fields and have lizard-like faces

• Fjallvættir, who dwell in the mountains and have goat-like faces

• Sjóvættir, who dwell in the seas and have dolphin-like faces

• Skogvættir, who dwell in forests and have deer-like faces

• Vatnavættir, who dwell in lakes, rivers, and ponds and have fish-like faces

• Húsvættir, who dwell in the homes of other mortals and have cat-like faces

Culture

Vættir are bound to their own rules, which they are taught from a young age. They do not have to follow the rules until they understand them or until they reach the age of seven, whichever comes first. They dwell in small hollows under the ground or in shallow caves under the water, often under trees or houses or large rocks.

Each vættir family is headed by the parents, who share duties around the home and the domain. All vættir are expected to learn domestic skills, fighting, hunting, gardening, and more, for they never know which tasks the rules may require of them.

A vættir child is considered an adult by the age of 21, at which time they are tested by their family on the rules. If they do not pass the test, they are punished with a birch stick to the head and given a week to correct. They do this every week until they pass or run away. If they run away, they violate their own rules and die within a year and a day unless they find some supernatural means to survive.

As an adult, a vættir is expected to find their own domain and start a new family elsewhere, though in places where there are not many other vættir, they may remain with their original family for a long time. Their adulthood is spent taking on tasks and seeking someone to build a new family with. If they must find a new domain and not take one over, they must also make friends with the local mortals and share with them the laws, which the vættir learns from the domain itself after staying there for a fortnight.

Vættir make friends by making offerings, usually of food, and doing small tasks around the land, water, or house.

National Cultures

The main differences between national cultures is what kinds of spots they live in, the offerings they prefer, and their relationship with local mortals:

• Landvættir: they dwell in burrows and hollows under mounds; they tend goats and prefer offerings that can be shared with their herds (apples are a favorite); they mostly work with farmers and ranchers and try to be good protectors of the livestock and crops. If things go sour, they are quick to be driven off. They have a mischievous streak that sometimes gets them in trouble.

• Fjallvættir: they dwell in mountain caves near small towns or passes; they protect bridges and roads and keep them clean; they engage with travelers and locals alike; they prefer offerings of warm foods. If things go sour, they get blamed for avalanches and missing travelers, but this tends to enhance the locals’ desire to keep good relations. They tend to be very serious folk.

• Sjóvættir: they dwell in caves next to or under the sea; they protect sailors and fishers; they engage with locals from nearby fishing communities; they prefer offerings of fresh fruit and vegetables. If things go sour, they get blamed for shipwrecks, poor fishing seasons, and bad storms. They tend to be equally loved and feared. They tend to be jovial and like a good, bawdy song.

• Skogvættir: they dwell in great hollows within trees; they protect travelers and rangers and others in the forest, as well as the forest itself; they engage with the locals and travelers and also the animals of the wood; they prefer offerings of freshly butchered domestic animals such as pigs, for they will not hunt in their own wood. They tend to be respected greatly by the locals. They tend to be quick-witted and love riddles.

• Vatnavættir: they dwell in caves near or under lakes, rivers, and ponds; they protect travelers on rivers or those who live near lakes and ponds; they are often blamed for local drownings. They are feared and disliked. They prefer offerings of fresh fruits and cold meats. They tend to be a little romantic and love their stories.

• Húsvættir: they dwell under homes, usually in farming communities or small towns; they protect those who dwell in the homes; they do tasks around the house and protect from fires and illness; they usually have very good relations with those in the house and are considered part of the family. They prefer offerings of buttered porridge and warm bread. They are very serious about the rules of the house.

What is always made clear between vættir and those they dwell with or near is that they are not slaves. If ever there is not an equal exchange of gifts and services, they will exact payment or make clear the consequences. Furthermore, consequences are made clear beforehand, and if no agreement can be reached, the vættir will either relocate (after casting appropriate spells) or force the mortals to leave, depending on who has ownership. The laws follow the vættir.

Esoterica

Vættir are beings of shavev mashkalran. They are empowered by ancient laws and know how to wield it. They are also wielders of shebv heya, nommic powers, various forms of poioumenon, aetherial powers appropriate to where they live, hegnh, and ambrosia or spirit energies.

Religion

Vættir believe in Lögmaðr, the lawmaker, a Divine who wrote the ancient laws by which they abide and is responsible for the consequences and powers they have. Every family has a book of ancient laws and dogma that they read from every month at a ritual of faith. Among them are religious figures and an adherence to ancient beliefs, and they are especially focused on teaching the young their faith.

Gender

Their genders are usually similar to those respected by the cultures they are attached to, but among themselves, they recognize upwards of eight genders, each one with special rules about courtship and dowries.

Economy

Vættir exist within many economies, but mostly feudal ones.

Military

Among the vættir they have warriors with the name lag-mathaer who wield hammers empowered by the law. They uphold local laws and fight for the local mortal authorities as well as their own communities.

Language

Their language is based on Old Norse.

Occupations

Common occupations include the following:

• Dómari: a judge.

• Drengr: lag-mathaers who wield heavier weaponry and armor.

• Eirgera: a smith of the vættir.

• Forrað: functionaries in a local government.

• Harfrhirthr: goat-herders.

• Harfrstakahverfr: goat-herder warriors who can take a black goat’s form.

• Hleypa: a mechanic of the vættir.

• Konungr: one whom is made king via ancient laws.

• Laegaedom: a vættir who invokes the laws to restore bodies, a healer.

• Lag-mathaer: warriors who uphold their powerful laws.

• Leikrvita: vættir who study the Puzzle of Laws, an ancient magical puzzle.

• Lǫggøra: a writer of mortal or local laws, usually elected.

• Lǫgsǫgumaðr: a prophet of their god, one who brings new laws.

• Luthrkarl: a brass musician.

• Munkr: a vættir who lives alone and studies the ancient dogma of their god.

• Nysa: a lag-mathaer who investigates violations of the ancient laws.

• Prestr: religious leaders.

• Sendimathr: a lag-mathaer tasked with carrying messages to other vættir communities.

• Starfathr: a vættir who works in a factory in a city.

• Vakaseggr: a lag-mathaer who upholds the laws against the will of the authorities, a vigilante who is more attuned to the law than the ruling class.

• Yseggr: lag-mathaers who empower siege weaponry with ancient laws.

Outside View

They do not always have a good relationship with the mortals who dwell near them, but when they do, they thrive. They are often blamed for bad things happening even when it is outside their control. If mortals are unaware of the rules, they may feel coerced or think the vættir is entirely to blame. This leads to persecution and being driven away.

Those who know the rules often follow them and respect them beyond the normal bounds. For example, many will remove images of dragons from their ships or wagons when passing vættir territory as a show of respect.

Notables

• Førramma, Vættir Manifest, Aeonian, She Who Read the Laws

Estimated Populations

• Landvættir: 200,000

• Fjallvættir: 200,000

• Sjóvættir: 300,000

• Skogvættir: 200,000

• Vatnavættir: 150,000

• Húsvættir: 500,000

• Other: 100,000

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 9
STR 7
AWA 8
WIL 9
PRS 8
STH 9