FREES FREE MEN The men of Torvaldsland are typically blond-haired, blue-eyed, tall and muscular men. Their hair is often long and may even be braided. Many are seven to eight feet tall, taller than the average Goreans of the cities and elsewhere. Most are raised on isolated farms close to the sea. Much of their early education is done through harsh games where they learn the essential skills of manhood. They learn to run, jump, swim, hunt, and wield the sword, axe and spear. They are also taught important rune signs, tallying, counting, addition, subtraction, and weighing. They become inured to the cold weather. They eventually become used to the labors of ship rowing and the ways of war. Most men are also very handy with their hands. But, it is not dignified for a warrior to be expert with letters. Such a task is considered to be beneath them. They are proud of their illiteracy or semi-literacy. Torvaldsland does not have Home Stones or a Caste system. Nearly all the men are warriors, hunters and seamen. They are generalists which is essential to the survival of their people. They live by hunting, fishing, trade and raiding. Though they speak Gorean in Torvaldsland, some of their dialects can be quite difficult to understand. The men commonly wear shaggy jackets, trousers of skin and wool tunics. More important or wealthier men may wear cloaks of scarlet or purple. FREE WOMEN The free women of Torvaldsland do not veil themselves. They wear wool kirtles but theirs are not split at all. Free women have much power in the north, probably more than the women of the south. A ring of keys or scissors on a belt signify an important mistress of a great house. All free women commonly carry a knife. |