Maelstrom Campaign - Major Nations: Merisusi

According to the most ancient tales, the Merisusi people were once separate nations that were united after a series of great battles between the two peoples. Today both mokosh and avian can be found throughout the Merisusi lands. Their heritage is still reflected in their peculiar twin monarchy. The Merisusi are ruled by the Sea Wolf King, Heyhund, and the Cormorant Queen, Giersuse.

Both crowns are hereditary and their rule lasts only as long as both endure. When either of the monarchs dies, Heyhund's eldest male heir will ceremonially wed Giersuse's eldest daughter and they will ascend the throne. Polygamy is the norm for wealthy Merisusi of both genders and is essential to ensure the continuation of the royal lines. The avian nobility each swear undying loyalty to the Cormorant Queen and their mokosh counterparts swear to serve the Sea Wolf King.

First Meeting
Although the Merisusi have a fearsome reputation, their land is one of the most welcoming to strangers of any in the Known World. To the Merisusi the tradition of Gestfrihet, the granting of hospitality to those who ask, is a mark of nobility and honour. As a result they will offer food and shelter to any who request it, so long as they depart by morning light. This is well, for much of the Merisusi lands are bitter cold for much of the year and few honest men go abroad in a Merisusi winter storm.

The Merisusi judge a person by their worth as warrior, craftsman or bard. They have little time for traders, the craft of the merchant is considered unfitting for a person of sound mind and body. However, smiths, jewellers, shipwrights and other craftsmen who produce significant work gain great esteem amongst the Merisusi, no matter what their lineage. Those who claim words as their art or can recite the great epics of Merisusi history are treated better still. Merisusi women fight as eagerly as their male counterparts, with the mokosh favouring heavy bladed axes whilst avians prefer the bow.

All of the major Merisusi settlements are ports situated on the edge of their mountainous lands. Each port, even if it is little more than a village on the waterfront, is the seat of a Merisusi noble family and will always include a feasting hall. Feasting is at the heart of Merisusi life and every noble maintains a great hall purely for that purpose. The Merisusi regard it as the highest compliment to be invited to a noble’s feast.

Fashion
There is little discernible difference in dress between avian and mokosh Merisusi. Woollen tunics and leggings, practical boots and warm cloaks are common. These are often decorated with stitching in elegant knot work designs. A mailed shirt or hauberk is considered the sign of a warrior. The long bladed knife, once the preserve of the avian people is now favoured by all and is carried in preference to the axe or the bow when not facing battle. Merisusi nobles wear much the same garments as the members of their war band, though some wear mail of double thickness. Only the helm is considered a fitting garment to decorate, whether hardened leather or beaten metal they are often ornate and sometimes even gilded.

Religion
As a people, the Merisusi are devout and reverential towards all the Gods and their earthly followers. Most Merisusi regard their lifestyle as a reflection of the God’s wishes for them and they eagerly seek the opportunity to prove themselves in life and thus earn the right to join the Gods afterwards. Despite this there are few priests amongst their number; the Merisusi see little worth in great ornamented churches or cathedrals. Even in the largest cities few Merisusi require anything more ornamental than a shrine.

The Smith is one of the favoured faiths amongst the Merisusi, but the Huntress also has many devotees here. The Weaver, whom the Merisusi call the Midwife, is also popular. The Merchant does have some followers but He is referred to as the Fisherman, possibly due to the widespread contempt for merchants. The Teacher is poorly regarded in Merisusi and it is unwise to extol the tenets of that faith too publicly here.

Trade
The Merisusi are amongst the best shipwrights of the Known World and even the proa, their smallest common ship, is capable of travelling the most dangerous waters in virtually any weather. The larger r aptors are arguably the most dangerous sea going vessel produced anywhere. Both require a fabulous price from the merchant looking to acquire an ocean going vessel, in part because of their inherent worth and in part because of the Merisusi contempt for dealing with merchants and middle men.

Despite their strong warrior tradition, the Merisusi do not trade much for weapons. Very few mokosh warriors use anything other than the axe, either paired with a shield or a second axe, or else so large that it must be wielded in both hands. Tritoni war bows do sell well in Merisusi ports as do well made mail vests and hauberks. The Merisusi raiding tradition means that they often acquire jewellery, weapons and armour and these can often be bought cheaply. Both men and women are excellent weavers and they produce very strong nets which they use to catch great shoals of fish which are then salted and sold.

And so it began......

Dawn breaks, war looms, the evil Lord is gathering his armies to wage a campaign of destruction upon the free peoples of the world. It is up to I, Sir Maximilan Pegasus to stop him, with my trusted band of adventurers we must gather the enchanted sword of Tek, the Shield of Way-Lem and the amulet of Subsidence and together we shall slay this abomination! “TIME FREEZE” And bam, the fantasy world fades away, the enchanted sword of Tek in my hand is a rubber sword smothered in coloured ribbons with a laminated card cable tied to the hilt, I look down and I’m wearing plastic armour and unflattering heropants, and the magical world of my imagination washes away to reveal a field in Wigan, but you know what? It’s larp and I’m a larper, it’s what I do.
I started larping when I was 17, I’d never role-played before, I’d never played D&D or Warhammer, never played WoW or any form of online game, I’d never even read Lord of the Rings, I feel somewhat privileged that I hadn’t done any of those things, I think it gave me an untainted attitude towards what larp could be, I had no preconceptions about saving the maiden fair, slaying the dragon or smiting the liche, to me it was just a new thing to try.
It was cold, really cold, 10am on a September morning, the rain was battering down and I’d been given a faux fur tunic, a mouldy old sword and been pointed towards a man and told, “You’re monstering, there’s the ref he’ll tell you what to do.” I obeyed, I played wave after wave of zombies, orcs and various line monsters and to be honest, was cold, bored and hungry. That is, until lunchtime, the teams switched sides, I got into the kit I’d scrounged up, as with most first timers, a black trenchcoat. I took the mouldy old sword, stood with my fellow adventurers and it hit me, I’m a god damn hero!
Pow, there it was, a new larper was born.