Build your own Barbarian

Build Your Own Barbarian

     This is an article I came across on the KenzerCo forums about ideas how to not only customize your barbarian character but also flesh out their culture and tribe.

     Since the vast majority of the world are from tribes and would be considered barbarians, I thought this would be a handy tool to help you, though their is a note or two.

     First is that you'll probably have two things already picked out when you're drawing up your barbarian. First is his Clan, whether he's Free Andal, Arpadian, Ikeni, Stone, or what have you, this will effect a lot about their culture. You should read over their page first and any other page you deem relevant.

     Below this there could be a larger tribe structure. Arpadians have their seven families and there are the major tribes listed in the GoogleShield. Now you can side step this by being from a small tribe, but there cultural influences. Also, at the time of me writing this, none of the major tribes are fleshed out so you might jump on that and write flavor to your favor.


     Now onto the notes on the article:

     Step 4: Political Organization
     Barbarians are chaotic but barbarians do not make up the whole society. Even then, Chaotic society may emphasize individual freedoms but you have to remember that tribes tend to live on the edge. They are constantly in fear of dying out for any number of reasons. For that reason, tribes tend to have the mentality that if you're not interested in helping the group survive, you are out.
     "Leaders are chosen... not by dogmatic succession practices" is completely false as a tribe's main concern is stability and the cost of stability is dogmatic succession practices but these are labeled as tradition.

     Step 8: Barbarian STP Mix
     When you think of the stereotypical barbarian you probably think of a viking. So, the idea that "they will have similar focuses on light armor and shields" is also false because the viking's favorite armor was chain mail, a very heavy armor.
     Also, the idea that barbarians use mobility to win is fine but that's literally every non-empire culture. Vikings (as well as most European cultures) employed the shield wall, a notoriously immobile fighting formations for thousands of years. Iron discipline was needed to hold the shield wall intact.
     It is a mistake to think of barbarians use lighter armor because that's how they fight. They used lighter armor because it was the only thing they could make. On a personal level, your barbarian may prefer to use lighter armor because that's what they're used to and they don't care to get used to a new set, but generally (and I say this because I know of no exceptions but I'm sure there is at least one) that a culture will upgrade to heavy armor as soon as they possibly can, not because they lack the skill or because of their lifeway. If a tribe is not adopting heavy armor it is because they don't have consistent access to the tools to make it or couldn't afford it

     Hand axes shouldn't be used for wood working. That's all I'll say.

     Again, I have no idea why boating is considered a universal skill. It should be botany.

     Step 9: Getting GM Approval

     I'll say this: the player that comes to me with a well thought out tribe with a culture that fits within his clan but at the same time, adds something new to its outlook on the world will find that I will be extremely lenient with what they can get away with. You may find that I'll pass on an imbalanced skill list or that they'll have a major draw back of their class eased. Food for thought.

     If you'd like inspiration, you can check out the Young Kingdoms and the Free Peoples post under the Andals section in the Social Atlas and then further you can read the post on Mertagia, which is all about the different tribes of Free Peoples in one section of the Young Kingdoms.

     On a side note, I know the above picture didn't really fit but I find that pictures in general break up the post visually and that makes it easier to read. Also, I like the banner at the begins of post and I wish I could do it more often.