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Just had a very cool idea that I think will work
Sczarni

Right, about the Spheres of Power, a spoiler to check if I'd gotten in correctly:

Spheres of Power:

This is an example with the powers I think I'd like to pick, the way I imagine Matheld (Name not set in stone) to work.

As a witch, she selects two talents at level 1 for free. As the cold winds of the north speak with her, she gets the Weather Sphere and the Control Weather power. As a witch, her domain is Portents, as the winds speak what was and what will be, and she selects the Divination sphere to be unlocked, and as a 1st level witch, gets the Sense Talent.

At level 2, she gains another talent, and selects the Divine talent. As a witch, she would also gain 2 spells, and she selects one of them to be Mage Armor, as the winds protect her, and Nature's Paths, as the winds guide her. (It's almost as if it's a theme.)

At level 3, she gains 2 talents, one from the Divination tree, and the other from being a witch. She selects the Sniper's Eye enhancement talent, and the Wind Lord Weather Talent go along with it. For spells, she takes Aggressive Thundercloud and Steal Breath

At level 4, she gains 1 talent once more, and selects the Wind Lord talent for the control of the wind. As none of the spells seem thematic, she picks the extra spell points, or if she can pick a talent, she'll select the Focused Weather talent instead.

That was a bit long, but I had to write it to see if I understood how selecting talents and spheres work.

As for the character, I have a backstory in the works, short story being her being the umpteenth child of a hunter, sent away as a wise woman's apprentice.

I believe you're missing a talent at first level. The Witch gets the two free sphere powers from getting the casting class feature, plus one talent per-level, plus talents at odd levels from her Patron. That means she starts with four (which is fairly normal for High Casters).

Excited by the possibility of this game. Just got out of work, have an idea for a tracker/scout type that has dabbled in forgotten knowledge found in runes (perhaps taught by these wandering wise women?). Built as either a non-casting ranger or Slayer gestalted with a hedgewizard (animal tradition, maybe life and protection or enhancement spheres). Given this it is a Norse setting, I would go weapon and board, which can be a tough build but works well thematically. I will have something posted in the morning.

Gyrfalcon here, presenting Áki WotansÞræll (pronounced "Wotan's thrall").

Background, personality, appearance, and crunch are in profile. I like the idea that he's under a geas to serve Eydis now (as part of having been claimed by Wotan).

It's very late at night for me, and I suspect both my crunch and my backstory will need a bit of polish, but I wanted to offer it for feedback now.

In the meantime, I know that W. Finesse is free in your game. Does that carry over as well to:

Polearm Dancer (combat) wrote:

Your motions with your spear are agile and graceful.

Prerequisites: Perform (dance) 1 rank, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls with spears and polearms. Special: This feat counts as Weapon Finesse for purposes of meeting prerequisites and requirements.

Also, Focused Devote gives a +1 trait bonus to damage rolls with that deity’s favored weapon. For Odin, is that a specific kind of spear (e.g. Longspear)? Or spears in general?

Thanks!

Polearm Dancer does what it says it does. It's not one of the basic combat options available to players.

Wotan's favored weapon is the Spear (as in the specific weapon).

Working further into my concept, given that several 3pp options are available, if the 3.5 feat Agile Shield Fighter would be an option?

I'd prefer to stick with feats specifically made for Pathfinder since there can be some odd interactions with normal material.

I can, however, suggest a feat written for this campaign:

Northlander Spear Fighting (Combat)

You have trained in the standard fighting style of the Northlanders, a heavy spear in one hand and a shield in the other. This allows you to use a spear in one hand.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (spear)

Benefit: You may use a longspear one-handed, provided you are also wielding a shield in the other hand. When you do so, you gain a +1 bonus to your shield bonus to AC.

Thanks Rednal, a couple more Qs:

1.
I think Piercing Thunder would make all kinds of sense for Aki. There's a canned Martial Tradition for it...but of course it doesn't exactly fit a Norse world.

What do you think of reflavoring it, where the oath would be fealty to Wotan, the Common Tasks would be whatever his raven asks him to do? I think the only mechanically thing that seems odd is +2 to Knowledge and Perception rolls vs outsiders with the chaotic or evil subtypes. The simple fix would be for you to pick a more thematic group to have those skills apply to...or to leave them the same, or just drop them. I think the main thing really for me is access to the maneuvers...and a flavor that matches Aki having been enthralled by Wotan.

2.
I like the Northlander Spear Fighting feat! One clarification. The requirements include W.Focus (spear) but the benefit applies to a greatspear. Am I reading it right that those effect two different weapons? Is that as intended?

1) I'm generally okay with reflavoring things to fit the setting, in part because the flavor of the area is so specific and it's a bit of a shame to lock out so many options. I think we can leave the skill bonus as-is, probably as a reference to the most vile entities that may occasionally be seen in the North.

2) It probably should have been Weapon Focus (Longspear), yes... XD Treat it as such.

If this is still open to involvement, what would you think of an Avowed with the Body subpact of the Self pact//Mageknight (Sun Warrior) who mistakenly (?) feels divinely inspired? I'm not 100% set upon Sun Warrior, but I really enjoy it, thematically.

I would be using a mixture of Aether Channel and Aether Lance, combined with the Aether Drive feat, along with utility clauses, maybe a Modulation or two, and plenty of investment on the mageknight side for the Glory talent.

Edit: I know you mentioned that it would be easiest to justify magic on a non Northlander, but that doesn't mean impossible!

As a general rule, I don't accept playtest material (for the very reason that it is being playtested - so balance tends to be pretty wonky - and PbP games can't react as swiftly to changes as tabletop games can). This is why Spheres of Might is also barred until it's released - although I am willing to consider letting people retrain their characters once the final version of a product is out.

Aww, darn. Certainly reasonable, however. While not quite as appealing to me without Avowed, I may still carry on with the thematics, maybe even Sun Warrior.
Shadow Lodge

I can't think of anything good that is both apropriate to the setting and not something you considered munchkin

Have fun

So far trying to work out my dual-wielding Axeman Viking has not born much fruit but then I got distracted by something else I found :) so I will probably try and create a character based around that, assuming I can make the fluff aspect work with you.
What I found that is interesting is the Ghost Sovereign archetype of the Soul Weaver class. The basic idea is that he is a wandering Bard/Godi(?) who goes around guiding the departed spirits to Valhalla and ridding towns of unwanted ghosts and undead problems (or simply rumors of problems, as most often is the case).
Instead of a Necromancer who profanes the dead and is abhorred by the general populace, this character would be seen as a mixture of a natural guide for the undead, guiding them down the natural order towards the Valhalla, and therefore welcomed, or at least tolerated by society, (even if they view him as an unnatural outsider, and I'm sure there are enough unyealdingly ignorant people out there that would make my life hard), and part-Skald/part-historian. He is also a keeper of legends and lore, particularly of peoples stories after they have passed on to Valhalla, and often recites the great stories of past heroes to inspire the men.
I believe that he should be able to fit in this setting as a Skald with an exceptional focus on guiding warriors onwards to Valhala and preserving the undead, even if they only welcome him as an unsettling stranger to be wary of.

2 quick RP examples of what I might expect;
1: "Fear not my fellow Warriors! Tho our foe is many, know this! Those that fall today fall in glorious battle, and know this! I will personally lead those that fall today into Valhalla so fear not, for today we will be victorious in life and in death. Men, today we FIGHT!"
2: "Valhalla wishes us to succeed! Here, let me show you what I have been able to see all along! Help has come!" summons a ghost, "Fear not! See that they are on our side! See how even your ancestors have come to protect you! Take heart men!"

:p

Crunch-wise;
The Ghost Sovereign can summon a handful of incorpreal spirits to aid him in battle as the spirits themselves rise up to defend the herald. The main problem with these is that they take a standard action and will only stick around for about 4 rounds before dissapearing, and I can only summon about 5 per day, so not many :p
He can also Channel Energy, but that is VERY magical.
As for Spheres, he will probably have a few extra options to summon Valhalla warriors with the Undead Creature form. One of them/one of the above will probably have the Magical Companion form granting him a minor ability to cast spheres, so I get 1 trumpeting ghost with a Rally Talent :)
He will have the Divination Sphere with the Advanced Talent that grants him the Spirit Sense ability, enabling him to see ghosts for 4 hours at a time :)
Maybe a few Mind Talents, because I can use them on undead? Maybe. If I do they will only something like fear.
And War Talents, as my main sctick in combat will be buffing allies rather then directly fighting myself. Bardic Performance included.

Then maybe Squardon feats, granting allies my actions with Battlefield Tactics, or the Channel Feats like Channel Resolve to exchange Channel Energy for extra attacks for my allies (and Selective Channel :/).
I will also take the Spirit Beacon Feat for that one, dramatic "The skies are alight with the Spirits" moment ^_^

I will also probably combine this with a Dirge Bard but I have not figured that much out yet. I also probably cant take everything I posted above but that should be a good idea of it :)

The Big Question:
Is the fluff above workable?

The setting has actual Valkyries that come to collect the spirits of worthy warriors and literally escort their souls to Valhalla. Most non-evil people in the region believe this is the appropriate, natural way of things - and anyone who stepped in would be disrupting the job that the gods (as members of their extended family) are responsible for. How does your character feel about - and address - this in their daily life?
Sczarni

Hmmm.

I've been trying to write a backstory for a while, and I feel my knowledge of both that particular setting and Nordic sagas a bit lacking.

I saw a couple of great backstories here, too, so I'm going to bow out. Good luck to you all, thanks for showing me the Spheres system (That's a lot simpler, you were right!), and I will occasionally be poking my head in the game to read it. :)

Thanks!

Ok, I have an idea for a thrall. I would love the chance to play a doctor, specifically a Jewish doctor sold by the caliphate and later given to one of the players. Alchemist one side and, if you would allow it, the true professional rogue from drop dead studios on the other going skill expert.

My main problem with that concept is that Judaism does not exist in this setting. It's very viking-like, but we're not on Earth.

You'd also have to explain how you got your reagents in the North, since alchemy is essentially unknown there. It's certainly not impossible, but the less prominent something is in the setting, the better and more sensible your explanation for it needs to be. ^^ Think of it as a test of creativity.

If its not too late, i would like to see about making a character. Also are SOP classes allowed? i was thinking of making a soaring blade armorist//maybe rouge and telekineticaly pick locks and disable traps or something like that.

It's not too late yet, since I'm still waiting on a few applications from people who have expressed interest.

And... it's not so much that SOP classes are "allowed" as they are "mandatory" if you want to be a caster (well, Spheres' classes or the archetypes for Paizo's classes, anyway). Do note the tone and style of the setting, though. Magic is genuinely rare, Level 5 is pretty high for most NPCs, and characters should be written (and behave) accordingly.

Yeah, I saw the veringian flavor and saw there was a caliphate and made the assumption that it was using real world equivalents... my mistake. As to the alchemist, spheres has an archetype foe that. Also, were you ok with the skill focus rogue archetype I wanted to pair it with? Last also, what are the southern religions?

You're gonna have to be more specific on "southern". XD This is a pretty good start, though. Plus Yidhra, goddess of paradoxes, but she's probably not appropriate tone-wise for this game. (Lloegyr, the world of this campaign setting, is quite large... and not every section has been detailed. The caliphate, for example, seems to mostly be references right now. I can find/make more info on any deity that interests you, though.)

True Professional Rogue should be fine. As for the Alchemist... Archaic Alchemist somewhat fits better, but suggests having an alchemy lab and making alchemy skill checks to cast, so you'd still want to be explaining those ingredients somehow. XD

I'd just like to add that it's worth having a way to cover for anything that might normally be "witchcraft." The Northlanders are generally distrustful and suspicious of magic, especially magic they don't understand. Our full-caster, Eydis, has quite a bit of magic, but it's due to being both trained as a healer woman and blessed by Odin. Eindrid similarly throws around some unusual stuff, but it's all in the forms of "Battle Chants," which he sings or invokes or whatever.

Some of the ideas mentioned above might be a bit tricky to explain to the characters around you without being intensely distrusted or even persecuted, such as a Soaring Blade's telekinesis and summoned weapons (vs, say, a throwing-focused class whose magic is more subtle), the Alchemy stuff (as Rednal mentioned, explanation is going to matter there), a Sun Warrior who shoots giant laser beams out of their sword(vs one whose light magic perhaps manifests in less dramatic ways), etc.

The GM will obviously have more thought-out opinions about all this stuff. I'd just suggest at the end of the day making sure your character feels like they'd be at home with vikings, either as a local or a foreigner who has been able to find acceptance.

Looks very interesting. I might just apply for this.

I should probably also remind everyone that if your character is male and from the Northlands, one of your classes must be a fully martial option. (This is because that's the kind of training people in the region are given. Women also receive such training, but usually not to the same extent, so it's not a requirement for them.)

The easiest way to get magic accepted in the North is to be either an Oracle or a character flavored like an Oracle (and since we already have our full caster slot filled, 'flavored like' is rather more likely to be accepted than actually being one, though you could probably talk me into just dropping down to being a mid-caster if you really wanted to have that class). Unlike basically all other divine casters - up to, and including, the five or so Paladins existing across the entirety of the North - this is something the people there actually know about and understand. There's a long history of people selected by the gods and told to bring a message or accomplish some goal.

Cunning Women - a new Sorcerer archetype that gives healing spells - is also fairly accepted, as are the wandering wise women (who tend to be weather/druidic/shapeshifter/healer types with enough history - and rare active shows - to be accepted in society).

The next easiest is to be a foreigner - likely a thrall, or perhaps a freed slave - who got their power back in their homeland and basically just imported it. It helps if you're not reliant on rare components, of course, 'cuz those aren't sold in the area. Those who don't show off or abuse their magic tend to be at least tolerated, especially in the (relatively) cosmopolitan area you're currently in. The locals are more supportive of healing and positive effects in general, and more hostile towards summoning, debuffs, mind-control, and basically anything else that causes negative effects. They also tend to be more comfortable if you're obviously serving someone else, because you become that person's responsibility.

Aside from those concepts, you'll generally have to be pretty creative in explaining it. XD As Eindrid says, though, it helps to be someone who'd be at home with Vikings, because that's pretty much this game in a nutshell.
Sczarni

Njord is one of my favorite Norse gods. Hel isn't one of the nice gods, so we default to Njord. Also, I'm interested in playing a mage-knight from the spheres selection. Since a mage-knight has a full BAB, but also has talents, does that make it full martial class or not? If I play a mage-knight and it's not a full martial, then I would need...I suppose there's a warpriest running around!

I answer my own questions; so self-sufficient! So I'm thinking of a hunter of the sea, out travelling the world for the oddities and the desire of the sea. Probably Mage-knight/Hunter, as the spheres of power places Hunter as a mid-caster, and I think that's a perfect place to slide in.

And obviously I'm not a knight in the English sense, even though my class says mage-knight.

The Mageknight occupies the same local niche as the Magus, which it greatly resembles - that is, pretty much unknown locally because magic in general is so rare, but possible for an outlander to have learned.

(A Martial character is one who generally does not have magical abilities, particularly casting. The "one martial class" only matters for Northlanders, though, and people from further don't have to worry about it.)
Sczarni

I see. The lady is the warpriest, that makes sense then. I would love to know more about the northern seal hunters, as I'm sure that area is the most interesting to me. Are they a part of the normal Northlanders and thus would have the one martial class, are they shapeshifting werewolves on a small island, or do they run around naked with clubs and seal hats, yelling out strange things as they charge people?

I'm leaning into a character that has abilities from the Nature sphere, as they seem to be subtle, but also interesting.

@Crayfish:

Current Players, Do Not Read:
The Ulnat are a hunter-gatherer tribe from even further north, and they're going to be plot-relevant in the nearish future. Think 'Eskimos' and you're pretty close. If you want to be one of them, I'd have to modify the entry a bit. They're not part of the Northlands proper, and definitely have their own culture. ...They are, however, similarly low-magic.

@Crayfish: The Norsk (I think that's what Northlanders are called) tend to do some seal-hunting. But there's also the Ulnat, which are a loose culture of various tribes, which I assume vary somewhat in culture; their relationship with the Northlands seems to be like the Icelanders and the Inuit (that is, sometimes trading partners or guides, but often enemies). (Eindrid is half-Ulnat, but not very into his heritage)

That said, we're currently about to sail very far North, so an Ulnat scout/guide/hunter who's come to work in the Northlands would certainly not be out of place thematically. I'd let Rednal answer your questions, but it's worth noting that any animal companion you take should be able to fit in a longboat for long sea journeys (that is, it probably shouldn't be too big).

I need to review SoP for fitting mechanics, but I was thinking my character is from a far off other northern culture, eskimos or russians maybe, and came here to track down the family heirloom shield that was stolen (taken during a raid perhaps, or just sold to someone up here after southerners stole it). She learned from her mother, a wise woman, and her father, a blacksmith and trapper. The sword she carries and the shield are a pair and decorated the same.

Edit: Ninja'd

Ulnat sounds interesting and could easily be where I'm from as well.
Sczarni

Hmm, I think I would like to be one of those. But my character would have been away from his tribe for a very long time, becoming "lost at sea". Told his wife that the sea called to him in a dream and he had to leave, and a lot has probably happened to his tribe since.

But whatever happened cannot compare to the freedom of the sea, the fierce waves, the heart drenching storms! I changed my classes around as there was some note about not overlapping your capabilities.

You can tell the others all about my...feats. And how I ate my animal companion, after she ate my other animal friends. I'll go with a very subtle Thaumaturge and Fighter. Going to make a salt-bearded wild man that may have gained the favor of Njord. Nobody will ever know that he is a magic man.

yeah, I think I will go the way of Lion Cleric. I have so many ideas running around in my head that I can not pin anything solid down.

(Note that casting in general can be seen by others. Subtle is hard. XD This is a rules interaction thing more than anything else, since some powers and effects require this to be the case.)
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Hey there! I'd like to express my interest in joining.

The idea for my character is a servant of the Jarl, either as a thrall or a houscarl-in-training. Mechanically speaking, she'd be a lawful neutral Fighter(pugilist)/Rogue. Part of me wants to step up to the challenge and use the Rake archetype for rogue, to try and pull off some good Intimidate rolls despite the culture :P

She loves the rush of a good fight, as she learned from her rough-and-tumble childhood, but the shield and spear style most of her father and brothers practice just doesn't compare to getting up close and personal with her opponents.
If she's a houscarl-to-be, I'd imagine that at least one member of her family is already a houscarl and she'd be interested in joining as well. She detests working the fields and wants to get as much away from that lifestyle as she can, and this seems like the most immediately available and reasonably attainable method to do so.
If she's a thrall, then she was captured during a battle with the Jarl and her family. She resolutely accepts this dishonor, since it was her fault for getting caught in the first place. Now she seeks to respectfully exit the Jarl's service, and return to defending her family's honor.

I definitely like the rogue angle for this character, I just haven't quite found an interesting way to add that flavor in. The Rake archetype replaces trapfinding and trapsense, which are for sure the most 'out of character' class abilities I'd worry about. Sneak attack fits just fine I think, but the huge amount of skill points are a little harder to make fit.
Potentially she had done a lot of wandering and a little adventuring on her own, and picked up those skills on her own along the way, but I'm not certain how well that would fit the culture. I could see it being considered disrespectful to her family.
Sczarni

Just for the sake of creating the character (and now that I've seen the required campaign traits), what would Njord's favored weapon be?
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

This campaign looks incredibly amazing, and trying to come up with a character that fits.

Couple of quick questions:

1) I haven't read the actual posts from the campaign yet, just the backstory/initial thread, but where would the new character come in? Would they need to be connected to Olaf Henrikson, or would the current adventurers be meeting up with said character outside of that? If it's outside of the jarl, I'll just look at the recent posts to try to figure out the backstory.

2) There's a lot about thralls and raiding in the campaign info, but how is raiding and trading slaves looked upon from a morality perspective? My initial idea (based on the campaign needs, since it seems to be a sort of skill monkey-ship person) is pointing to some sort of corsair, but being a raider or slave trader is usually a pretty evil act. Because they don't seem to treat thralls poorly, and raiding seems to be just a way of life, it doesn't necessarily seem like being a raider and being neutral/good is incongruous, but wanted to make sure.

It's possible that once I read the paizo PDF that the second question may be cleared up, but figured I would post interest first!

@Crayfish: He likes the harpoon, though classes that make a big deal of favored weapons generally aren't a thing in the North. XD

@invisliz: If it helps, there's also a Huscarl archetype for the Fighter (a fairly defensive one, all things considered). Most Northlanders are expected to know how to fight, and most of them go out adventuring at least once (basically to prove they can). Northlander thralls are rare, but it does happen occasionally, usually as a result of a raid.

@rhesus: Your new character would be coming in as a sailor on a ship about to head to the north. ...And, uh, take revenge for the recent death of Jarl Olaf. *Coughs* Which the current players just found out about. Both raiding and slave-taking are accepted in the culture - and indeed, form a non-insignificant part of it - although it probably helps that thralls in general are treated well, and may even have places of responsibility and honor. A lot of the morality is dependent on perspective, of course, but to put it simply... neither raiding nor slave-taking are likely to impact your alignment unless you do something above and beyond that deserves it.
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

@GM Rednal: Could you point me to that archetype? It might be interesting to read, whether or not I'd be interested in playing it.

I'd say then that my character spent maybe a little bit longer than she should have adventuring, staying away from home long after she had said to expect her return.
Or possibly she was captured circumstantially, being in the wrong place at the wrong time while a raid was going down? Dunno.

Huscarl (Fighter Archetype):

Jarls keep many skilled men and women in their households, from the lowliest of stable boys to the elite warriors that are the huscarls. A huscarl has sworn to serve, to obey his jarl, and to protect his jarl with his life. More than just bodyguards, huscarls are the most trusted men and women in a jarl’s household, the only ones that a jarl can turn to when in dire straits. Because of this, all huscarls must be honorable and just, as well as dutiful and obedient, and thus of lawful alignment.

The primary task of a huscarl is to protect his jarl. This is more than simply standing by during feasts or in battle; huscarls are expected to be proactive in their defense of the jarl and his family. Because of this, huscarls are not permitted to marry, and one that brings a child into the world and acknowledges it loses much honor and often his position. In return for this sacrifice and service, huscarls are the first to receive rings from their jarl, are fed, armored, and armed at the jarl’s expense, and can expect to live a comfortable life. A huscarl who has grown too old to serve is often allowed to leave his oath and is set up with some form of support for the remainder of his days. Even retired, there are many tales of aged huscarls coming forth for one last fight, to stop some hidden plot, or simply to die beside their jarl in glorious combat.

Feats marked with an asterisk (*) are presented later.

Center of the Wall (Ex): At 1st level, a huscarl may make full use of the Shield Wall**, Shielded Caster**, Shieldwall Breaker*, Swine’s Head*, and Swap Places** teamwork feats even if his ally does not have these feats. He gains one of those feats as a bonus feat provided he meets the prerequisites for it in addition to his regular fighter bonus feats.

Loyal unto Death (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a huscarl’s jarl, his jarl’s family, or other sworn companions are threatened, he gains the Bodyguard** and In Harm’s Way** feats, even if he does not meet the prerequisites, for the duration of the combat.

Delayed Armor Training (Ex): A huscarl does not gain armor training at 3rd level. Instead, at 7th level you gain armor training 1. Every four levels thereafter (11th, and 15th), armor training increases by 1.

Delayed Weapon Training (Ex): A huscarl does not gain weapon training at 5th level. Instead, at 9th level you gain weapon training 1, and this increases every four levels thereafter (12th and 16th). You may only choose the following weapon groups for weapon training: axes, heavy blades, close, and spears.

**See Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide

----

Shieldwall Breaker (Combat)
You are skilled at breaking the shieldwall formations of others.

Prerequisites: Shield Wall*, Base Attack Bonus +5

Benefit: Make a bull rush or charge action against one member of a shieldwall. If you succeed in your attack, that person and the shieldwall members to the immediate left and right of him lose any bonus from the Shield Wall feat until the end of your next turn. However, if part of a shieldwall, you also lose your bonus from that feat until the end of the next turn.

Swine’s Head (Teamwork, Combat)
You are skilled in the rare but deadly Swine’s Head formation, a flying wedge of heavily armed Northlands warriors.

Prerequisites: Shield Wall*, Shieldwall Breaker

Benefit: You may run or charge and still enjoy the benefits of the Shield Wall feat.

Having applied to your original recruitment, I was disappointed to not have been selected, though I am happy to see the depth and longevity your campaign took. No sour grapes about that; if anything, the year+ story you've developed indicates you choose well.

With only one slot, making the cut this time won't be easy either, but I will read the appropriate information you've posted and do my best to provide a quality application tomorrow.
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Thanks for the quick response Rednal! I have another couple of questions as I try to narrow down a concept (down to 2).

1) I finished reading the player's guide, and really liked the Nuklander culture as well, but there wasn't the same level of depth given to them. Are there any other resources about them? I don't want to get too many spoilers about the adventure so I didn't buy the adventure path, but if there are any sort of extended passages that you don't mind sending, I would love to see them.

2) If the Nuklander have mostly been left up to DM fiat, what's their relationship with the outside world? They seem pretty secluded from the Northlanders, but do they have interactions with the other cultures? Or are they more of a semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer culture?

Nuklanders are indeed fairly rare in the area the game actually takes place in - they're close enough to occasionally visit, but they're broadly outside the scope of this adventure, hence the lesser amount of detail.

I'm not sure what's in the player's guide, but I can give you the writeup from the main book:

Nuklanders (Elves):
Beginning at Neiuburg in Estenfird and reaching north to the Endless Glacier that marks the edge of the world lays Nûkland, the land of the Nûk. Invariably, the Northlanders know the Nûk as Nûklanders despite their claims that this name is a mistranslation (a more correct translation would be “People of the Reindeer”). The Nûklanders are a different race than the human Northlanders, a race that foreigners would describe as elven. The average Nûklander is short, slender of build, and dark of skin and hair. They have long faces with small, broad noses, pointed ears, and eyes possessing slightly folded lids. Nûklanders have a second, inner eyelid that is transparent and seems to serve to protect the eye from the sun and cold, but also gives them the look of perpetually staring (Nûklanders rarely blink). Despite their slight build, Nûklanders do not suffer from the great cold of their icy homeland; indeed, they tend not to feel the cold at all due to their innate resistance derived from their inherently magical nature.

While the Northlanders consider the Nûklanders to be natives of the area, they were in their present range when the first Northlanders wandered beyond the Wyrm Fang Mountains; the Nûklanders are in fact rather recent settlers. Nearly three thousand years ago, a new god appeared among the elven peoples of a distant land to the south. This god proclaimed he would lead his followers to a place of eternal sunshine, vast fields, and endless game. Many scoffed at this boast and called this new deity a demon, devil, or scam. A few chose to pay homage to the new god, and soon a cult formed around him. As the cult grew in power, it came into conflict with the more established elven religions. In time, this conflict transformed from simple arguments to repression of the new cult.

The Forgotten One, whose name the Nûklanders and other elves have stricken from all record, encouraged his followers to strike out against those who would oppress them, and the nation was rent in civil strife. The traditional elves won out, and the cult fled north, traveling thousands of miles and slowly working its way to the “promised land.” In the frozen reaches of the North, they entered a land that has endless daylight for half the year, but night for the other half. Vast fields of heather and flowers filled the land, at least when it was not covered by fields of snow and ice. Game was abundant, at least part of the year, but became scarce when the winter winds blew in. In their rage at this betrayal, the less-enthusiastic members of the cult turned on their leaders and in a night of slaughter ended the worship of the Forgotten One.

Trapped in the frigid north and facing their death, the small group of former cultists found themselves cast out by the elven gods. Seeking some aid in this new and barren land, they called out to the night. Not to be seduced by evil as they had before, the Nûklanders pleaded with those their people once worshipped, the spirits of the land, of the sky, of the water, and of the beasts that dwelled in that frozen waste. These spirits answered their call. To this day, the Nûklanders have adhered strictly to the worship of the spirits of nature, fearing any reference to a single god may again lead them into evil and corruption.

Lifestyle
The Nûklanders are hunters and herders of reindeer, supplementing their diet by gathering wild plants. They are nomadic, traveling as far south as Three Rivers in the winter and heading to the edge of the Endless Glacier in the summer. In addition to providing food and hides, their reindeer are also used as mounts and beasts of burden. Many of the tribes follow a migration route that takes them along the coast, where they prey on seals, walruses, and other sea life that spends its summer on land.

Although famed basket weavers and leatherworkers, the Nûklanders do not work metal, make pottery, or build permanent structures. Their tools are made from bone, wood, and stone, though trade with the Estenfirders and other Northlanders has introduced metal tools and ceramics into the Nûklander culture. Their homes are conical lodges made of hide with wooden supports, and a whole family from the youngest child to the most respected elder shares one dwelling.

Despite this apparent paucity of advanced technology, the Nûklanders are well known for their handicrafts. Clothing and other leather goods are richly decorated with dyed quills (though beads are becoming popular as trade has increased) and intricate embroidery. Jewelry made of bone, shell, feathers, ivory, and amber are commonly seen. A sign of hunting prowess and courage among the Nûklanders is to bring down a mammoth and place its carved tusks as frames around the entrance to one’s tent. These huge pieces of ivory feature detailed carvings that tell the story of the mammoth hunt and are kept only for the life of the hunter. In times past, these tusk displays were burned with the owner’s death, but now the always-pragmatic Nûklanders trade them at Nieuburg or Three Rivers for metal goods, beads, and “exotic” foods such as dairy, bread, and alcohol.

Arcane magic is greatly taboo among the Nûklanders, and the handful of arcane-wielding Nûklanders are met with oppression and violence. Because of this, the arcane arts are almost entirely unknown, and they have no native form of such magic. Divine spellcasting is well-respected, and every tribe has at least one shaman who can call upon the spirits of the land in order to heal their fellows, find game, and defend the tribe. Most of these shamans are either druids or oracles, and clerics per se are entirely absent.

Nûklander society is based around the extended family, and it is not unusual for several generations to share one lodge. They practice polyandry and polygyny, each family choosing for itself how many men and women will make up its complement of spouses. Children are raised communally within the family, with much of the childcare performed by the grandparents. Multiple families form tribes that migrate together and share the tasks of managing the herds (which are held in common). Tribal life also allows the Nûklanders to let some of their people perform specialist roles such as shamans or reindeer-mounted warriors.

Government
It would be easy to say that the Nûklanders lack governments of any kind, and for the most part this is true. The idea that one person can command the obedience of many is foreign to them, as it is largely foreign to the Northlanders as well. There is no Nûklander equivalent of a jarl, much less a køenig. Decisions are made in councils that include all adult members of a tribe, and once a decision is made, it is up to the individual if they are going to follow it or not. Beyond the tribe, there is no higher authority, and no one speaks for the Nûklanders as a whole.

Religion
It is to the spirits of the land that the Nûklanders turn for divine aid and spiritual comfort. To a Nûk, the gods have turned their backs on them, but the simple spirits of the natural world will never forsake them. Animism is very strong in this faith, and every type of animal or plant, as well as natural features and events, have their guardian spirits. These spirits generally keep to their own spheres; a wolf spirit is concerned with wolf things, not bird things. The tribes’ shamans are tasked with interceding with these spirits in order to placate them or request their aid, though every Nûklander knows some simple prayers (these are not spells, just minor forms of worship).

Nûklander Characters
Nûklanders are rarely seen outside of Estenfird, and even then only in the winter months as they feed their livestock along the Ice River. A handful has drifted south seeking adventure or just exploring the world around them, and these usually evoke a fair amount of surprise and excitement among the Northlanders. While they are obviously non-human, enough contact occurs between the two peoples that tales and legends of the Nûklanders are generally positive. No Nûklander thralls exist in the Northlands, as they tend to perform poorly in this role, giving up the will to live when made captives, and they stop eating, slowly dying from hunger and thirst.

Nûklanders are most commonly rangers, druids, or oracles. They lack the organized religious views that encourage classes such as clerics, inquisitors, and paladins. A rare few Nûklanders have devoted themselves solely to the combat arts, but these Nûklander fighters are renowned as deadly mounted combatants, riding their fearsome war reindeer into the heart of battle. Rogues are as rare among the Nûklanders as they are among the Northlanders, more so when one considers that the Nûklanders have little of value to steal. Of the arcane classes, these are almost entirely unheard of, save for the occasional sorcerer, and even then such a Nûk must keep his abilities secret lest the tribe banish or kill him.

Nûklander Racial Traits
Nûklanders are in all senses elves as described in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game with the following changes: Nûklanders replace the Elven Magic racial trait with the Silent Hunter racial trait and the Elven Immunities racial trait with the Elemental Resistance (cold) racial trait as described in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Race Guide.

Hey, I know I've already submitted a character but I have an idea for an Ulnat guide as well...

A few more questions:
1. Is the Players Guide available to read for free anywhere?
2. Do you have text about the Ulnat that you could paste in, similar to the Nuk info you posted?
3. You mentioned path of War is ok on a case by case basis. Would Zealot work? I have an idea for a cultist of an Ulnat who worshipped a God/dess of sleep, dreams, and/or the heavens. Would use Sleeping Goddess and other Su disciplines.

1) Not to my knowledge, but it only contains material from the main book anyway, and I can pull things on request from that.

2) No. The Ulnat are from further away than player characters are expected to be, and they don't have a writeup.

3) From what limited information is available, the Ulnat seem a bit more like the Nuklanders faith-wise, and are probably more focused on ancestors and nature worship than greater deities. Also, my allowance from Path of War is mainly for (Ex) disciplines and classes - that is, martial arts rather than supernatural powers. The locals simply haven't had the opportunity to develop exotic fighting styles, but we can explain specific martial arts as remnants of knowledge from their past.
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Thanks for the excerpt. I think I'll probably create some sort of Nuklander druid-esque character (probably based on ranger, shifter, hunter, barbarian). Is there any description of the fauna in the north? Trying to figure out what sort of creatures my character might have interacted with/revere.

I've figured out the usual (wolf, elk, bull) etc. but trying in particular to find out if there are any Jörmungandr/fabled sea serpent types.

One of the stories referenced a linnorm, but from what I gather, they are reviled.

How would an animal companion with a Nuklander be viewed by most Northlanders? It sounds like they are viewed already a bit like circus performers, but how would having a bear, wolf, or Siberian tiger change that? Obviously most establishments wouldn't let it in, but would that stink of witchery to them, or do they already sort of accept Nuklander mysticism like they do the Baerserker shapeshifting? By extension, obviously most Northlanders may distrust or feel uneasy around my character if they see her change into a creature, like they would a Baerserker, but would they accept it in a similar way?

I just noticed someone said this was an AP and mentioned a player's guide. I knew neither. I will need to look it up I guess. Is the AP name also Northland's Saga?

In any case, Sanya (unless I think of a better name), will be a hedgewitch/rogue, with magic being mostly wise-woman and crafting related. She'll have some ice powers but will hardly ever use them. As a trapper, she'll be familiar with traps, she'll also be familiar with useful herbs and plants and be able to brew healing potions and similar. She also learned smithcraft from her father so she can easily maintain arms and other equipment, and possibly craft some stuff to pay her way when needed (I imagine she has likely helped fix lots of plows and horseshoes in her travels).

As the incoming character will be introduced on a ship heading north, I could she has recovered her family's shield and is on the trip back but gets sidetracked to help the party. Doing that, she might have had to go south to get the shield back, and seeing a different perspective on magic there, she might be thinking of exploring possibilities.

There is a Player's Guide, but I believe it's mostly character options, and it all duplicates stuff from the main book (that I've, in large part, already listed here and on the campaign info tab).

@Rhesus: Nuklanders are fairly rare in the North, and they'd definitely be wary of any animal companion that was visibly dangerous... possibly to the point of telling you to get out of town. They know of sea serpents and the like, and mostly try to avoid them unless they have to fight - they don't have wizards at their beck-and-call to stun monsters, after all, and most NPCs are fairly low in levels to begin with. Many scary things are genuinely scary, still.

I'm thinking the campaign trait will be Giant blood, which also is the source of her family's power and the reason behind studying it, under the idea of learning to control it lest it control you. Her ancestor was a great giant slayer, whose sword and shield are the heirlooms of the family.

I figured that her ancestor being a great giant slayer, and thus being affected by their magics and covered in their blood during fights, could be what tainted her family rather than simple crossbreeding, if you think that could be possible.

Of course, this is based on my really fuzzy recollection of jutnar being giants with ice powers. I coukd be getting mythologies mixed up, and of course, this setting also might deviate from that anyway.
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