Today, I wanted to share the map for A Dagger in the Winds and talk a bit about the tribes and clans that we will meet within the series.
Our story in A Dagger in the Winds begins in the forested capital village of the Tribe of Krowik – Dwie Rzeki. Its name, quite literally “Two Rivers” explains much about the village’s location. Nestled between the mighty Krowik and winding Wyzra rivers, Dwie Rzeki holds crucial waterways that protect the Krowikie from their neighbors.
Like much of The Frostmarked Chronicles, the historic inspiration for the Krowikie are the early Slavic tribes. The Krowikie in particular draw from the west Slavic tribes in much of their lands and the south Slavic tribes in the areas around Klist (which doesn’t appear until later in the series). Their economy is reliant on agriculture, and the rest they get from the forests of their lands.
Led by Wacław’s father, High Chief Jacek Lechowicz, the Tribe of Krowik has never controlled this much land in recent history. Years ago, Jacek united the warring tribes to fend off the Kingdom of Solga in the west, but division still occurs. The high chief made promises to the chiefs following him – ones he has failed to keep. Tensions remain high both within the tribe and between the Krowikie and Solgawi. Only the Krowik River stands between them, and war is inevitable.
Allied with the Krowikie is the Tribe of Astiw in the southeast. Tucked between the massive mountain range of Perun’s Crown and the Wyzra River, the Astiwie have defended the Narrow Pass from nomadic clans for many years. King Boz’s mental health has been questioned more than once, though, and when threats mount further east, peace is not his first thought. We see in The Rider in the Night what the king decides when Andrij (the novella’s protagonist) comes bearing a message that will spark everything.
The Astiwie are based loosely on the early Ante tribes in what is now known as Ukraine. Drawing from more medieval and ancient traditions, they are a smaller tribe, but one that could control the fate of the Krowikie should the tribe stumble.
The last duo of major factions we’ll talk about today are the Clan of Simuk and Clan of Zurgow. These nomadic clans are two of dozens roaming the Anshayman Steppe in the east, warring for supremacy of its rolling hills. They are loosely based on similar nomadic clans in the Russian steppe, and the Zurgowie as well draw from Zoroastrian tradition.
For many years, these two clans have despised each other, but something changed. When a pair arrives in the Astiwie capital of Kynnytsia, demanding a presence with King Boz, Andrij knows something is wrong. The clans would never ally. Not unless a bigger force is coming…
Ahead of future books, I’ll speak more about the Kingdom of Solga, the Anvoranie City-States, and the Kingdom of Vastroth. I hope you enjoyed this little insight into the tribes of the story. Creating the politics, economies, and cultures of them was fascinating.