Nordgelert

Nordgelert faleighs are an ethnicity and also a geographic region, sort of. Nordies live in regions close to the northern pole of Shade (more or less defined by the latitude at which Terrimoire's tree cover ends, though not all that circle is inhabited).

(Basically Arctic regions, for terrans or bear enthusiasts. We're talking extreme cold.)

Appearance

Nordgelert faleighs tend to the taller end of the faleigh height range. They are thickset, with thick dark hair including copious facial hair in males (and hearty doses of body hair). Their voices are loud in comparison to southerners', and their speech and behaviour is best described as robust. They dress warmly, of course. All of this makes them seem massive in mixed company.

Their skin is pale as an adaptation to their cold environment (slightly deeper capillaries). They can't blush very darkly, but then Nordies don't seem to get embarrassed very often. Their skin and breath is cold. They complain loudly and become very ill in hot climates; they can't get rid of much excess heat except with technological or magical means. [1]

They put on and lose fat very easily, and can gain, carry and lose excess weight with less damage to the metabolism than is normal - in this they are something like a hibernating bear.

(Notes to self. Definitely not hypomelanism, no unusual skin texture, definitely not pku, heritable w some variation, not sex linked, they do something very interesting with cholesterol, what did I decide about tanning? - think decided lost ability to tan sometime thru major migration from far west)

Cultural characteristics

Nordgelert faleighs are often intelligent and given to studying as much as partying, though they are not always socially adept or even interested in the outside world. They are stereotyped as eager and overbearing.

They don't tend to go on beach holidays.

Nordies are not native to the 'Nordgelert' regions, which they share peacefully with the native Borean faleighs. The various languages known as 'Nordgelert' are all either Borean languages or creolised versions of them.

Nordie characters

Suitov Iceheart shows considerable atavism, fifteen generations distant (though with several Nordies in his family tree since). His father was not nearly as pale-skinned, cold-tolerant or heat-intolerant as he is. Iceheart shows the typical hair characteristics, although he shaves, and has the fat deposit adaptation too, if he remembered to eat enough for it to be an issue.