Race: Goliaths, Orcs
Government: Tribal Confederation
Theme: Nomadic survival, sky-mastery, strength proven through endurance
The Skyrend Clans trace their origins to the earliest mortal settlements of Andorea’s high peaks, long before borders or empires reached the mountains. Goliath tribes and orc clans alike learned that survival above the clouds demanded cooperation, adaptability, and relentless strength. Over time, rivalry gave way to confederation as shared threats—avalanches, sky-beasts, and encroaching lowland powers—forced unity.
The Skyrend believe that the sky cannot be owned, only respected. Land claims mean little to them compared to seasonal routes, ancestral aerie-sites, and the freedom to move with the winds. Strength is valued, but arrogance is punished by the mountains themselves. The Clans represent freedom through resilience, living proof that civilization need not mean permanence.
The Skyrend Confederation is loose by design, favoring tradition and personal authority over rigid law.
Key elements of governance:
The Stormcaller Chieftain
A leader chosen during rare Grand Moots
Must demonstrate mastery over wind beasts and command clan respect
Authority lasts only as long as strength and wisdom endure
The Grand Moot
Seasonal gathering of clan elders and war leaders
Resolves inter-clan disputes, migration rights, and war decisions
Decisions are binding only if honored by strength and consensus
Clan Chiefs
Rule individual clans
Control migration paths, herds, and warrior bands
Autonomous in most matters
Leadership is fluid; a fallen chief is replaced without ceremony. Stability comes from tradition, not permanence.
The Skyrend have no standing army. All able members are warriors when needed.
Elite warriors mounted on gryphons and wind beasts
Used for scouting, rapid strikes, and mountain warfare
Feared for their mobility and sudden assaults
Ground-based fighters trained in high-altitude combat
Specialists in ambush, rockfall tactics, and pass denial
Form the bulk of Skyrend warbands
Shamans and elemental adepts
Influence weather, winds, and beast behavior
Serve both spiritual and tactical roles
Internal enforcement of clan law
Disputes settled through ritual combat or oath-binding
Outsiders rarely understand their authority
Allied with:
Frostvein Hold – Seasonal migration agreements and mutual survival pacts
At War with:
Valecrown Kingdom – Border raids driven by territorial encroachment and restricted migration
The Skyrend Clans do not seek conquest. When they raid, it is because the sky’s paths have been blocked.