THE NORTHERN PAGANS (THE NORTHRON NEUTRAL FAITH)

The Northrons trace their own ancestry to a family of gods, who live in a mighty city in the Spirit World, called Osgath. Their king is Woden, a crafty master of battle and magic. The mightiest of them is Thunor, god of Thunder. Their queen is Frea. The god of war and justice is Tiwaz. Additionally, the rest of the 12 neutral high gods are worshiped.

Much like the Druids, the Northrons teach that souls of the dead spend a period in the Spirit World (although they picture it a bit more bleakly than the druids) and then are reborn on earth. However, they teach that great warriors who die on the battle field are swept up to Woden’s halls by his battle-maidens to feast and fight forever, free of the drudgery of endless re-birth.

Recently, an extreme version of the Northron pagan faith has arisen, called the Berserker Cult, dedicated exclusively to Woden. Members of this cult are exclusively warriors and can work themselves into a battle-madness. The berserker cult seeks glory, victory and death in battle. They also blame the coming of the Lawful faiths for the weakening of the old pagan magic protections that had kept the demons, giants and trolls off of the earth for centuries. Therefore, berserkers take great pleasure in sacking the monasteries and cathedrals of the Lawful Church. This in turn has caused the Lawful Church to denounce Woden as a demon.

Clergy of the Northron faith are part of the Shaman class, and are called Gothi. Members of the Berserker cult must take the Berserkergang proficiency, and can exchange one of their previously selected class proficiencies for it upon initiation.