Northlanders

The terms Northlander, Northfolk, and Northmen are interchangeable. They refer to one of several tall, fair­ haired, seagoing peoples that ply the cold northern waters and dwell on the islands of the west, including Tuern, Gundarlun, Ruathym, the Purple Rocks, and the Korinn Archipelago. Northfolk ancestors built small villages along the Sword Coast that have since become cities, including fabled Illusk (now Luskan), Eigersstor (now Neverwinter), and Nimoar's Hold (now Waterdeep). These early Northlanders farmed the rocky coastlines, fished coastal waters, and hunted seals and whales on the open sea. A few tribes of Northlanders braved and explored the ore-infested interior of the Savage Frontier, and these became the ancestors of the Uthgardt barbar­ians and the present-day denizens of Icewind Dale.

Although Northlanders are often referred to as bar­barians, not all of them fit this description. Along the Sword Coast, some tribes have become fairly civilized, primarily due to the growth of the coastal cities and the increasing influence of outsiders. These people farm, fish, and mine their rugged lands, then shrewdly trade their goods with foreign buyers. Many once-feared tribes have become merchants whose bartering skills are equal to or better than the warlike talents of their ancestors, such that many a Northlander merchant earns more booty than their raiding neighbors.