Badgers

Bonuses : First bonus - block (5), Second bonus - parry (3).

Language - Meline Capital - Hausthorp

Democratic government

Badgers are solid, stocky, powerful, and short.

In general, Badgers have steady, stolid personalities and tend to be reserved, quiet, and reliable. They are not quick to anger, but beware if you manage to anger one.

Badgers inhabit the cold, windy lands and islands on the west coast of Mainland. Their land is a coastal strip from the border with the weasels in the south to the Northern Ocean. The land is lightly mountainous and hilly in the south, flat in the middle, and ruggedly mountainous in the north. Their islands have similar climates and rugged topography.

Climate-wise, the Badger lands are mostly temperate and boreal forests with windy, windswept coasts. The mountains to the north have forest and tundra. The lands in the middle and south are suitable for agriculture and the waters surrounding all their lands are rich with seafoods.

They get along with all the other nations but prefer to keep to themselves and stay in their homeland. Because of this, Badgers tend to be poorly-versed in the languages of other nations, including Ashstonian. They get along with but are suspicious of the Weasels, who still raid their coastal settlements now and then.

Apart from the few Badger cities and towns, most Badgers live in extended family groups on small farmsteads in rural environs. Some families live alone, some have clustered together with other families to form small villages. Mountain Badgers sing haunting, echoing, harmonic songs from mountains around each mountain village.

Their border with the bears is set at the Growling river, but that lies so far from their respective homelands that the border is not really needed. Given the remoteness and ruggedness of their lands, they have little to fear from invaders wanting to steal it from them, but there are rumours of raiding parties attacking the Badgers from the north by an unknown people. They maintain no forts but do guard their border with the weasels and are fierce defenders of their homeland.

Badgers tend to be left alone by everyone other than the Weasels who alternately trade with and raid them. The badgers mistrust the weasels, but will cautiously engage with them. Their settlements are far-flung and rare in the north and more densely clustered in the south. While known for their seafaring in the past, they these days they stick to their own waters. Inland Badgers often wander with their herds annually.

Badgers prefer names that imply mental or physical sturdiness.

Badgers are good at mining, fishing, sailing, sea resource exploitation, growing a lot of a few vegetables, herding, hunting, digging, masonry, woodworking, and engineering.

Badger lands are known for their high-quality stone, gems, seafood, meats, produce, ice, ivory, white falcons, precious metals, and timber.

Badgers tunnel, work stone and metals, and mine. They tend to get attached to their homes wherever that may be.