The Nordguard

As the first permanent establishments took hold in the northern territories, a civilian outfit known as the Nordguard came into being. Their humble start was with only a single team in 1860, lead by the intrepid explorer Albert Kerstof. Their lives were dedicated to keeping trails open to travelers, opening new routes, and running the mail between outposts. Over the last 40 years, the Nordguard has flourished, growing into an elite Search and Recovery organization. In the ever changing and hard northern climate, their job is ceaseless and difficult. Their strength of character is exemplified in their company motto:

“Always Running, Never Tiring,
So That Others May Live.”

 

PI

Pi is the lead dog of her team, considered by many to be the finest the Nordguard has to offer. Her brash ambition and single-minded nature earned her recognition early on in the organization. It was not long after she came north to join the Nordgaurd that she was offered her own team to lead. Over a period of a few years, she earned her reputation of being the best. Her skills, and in large part, her good luck, has kept her unscathed so far.

Her nickname, “Pi” comes from the mathematical symbol, π.

She originally hails from the south in the wide-open and mild farming country of the Midwest. Her father was a reputed lawman of the west, and when he retired, he taught her to shoot. Pi left behind her old life to find the last unconquered frontier of the North, and forge her own way through it.

   

 

LONDON

London is the point dog and second in command of Pi’s team. He’s several years older than Pi, and actually helped to train her when she came north to join the Nordguard.

He is sturdy, prudent and loyal. As a guide, then later a teacher, he’s been with the Nordguard for more than a decade. He is considered to be one of the best point-dogs the Nordguard has to offer. However, possibly due to his occasionally overly cautious nature, and lack of initiative, he has never been offered to lead his own team.

London was born and grew up in the northern wilderness on a homestead, built by his father. After his parents died, he decided the northern wilds were too harsh a land for his younger sisters to grow up in. He abandoned the homestead and moved himself and his sisters to Fort Dauntless. Later, he joined the Nordguard after his sisters were both wed.

   

 

NICKEL

Nickel, or Nick for short, is the team’s scout. He’s the youngest and newest addition to the team, having joined only two years ago. His wit, tenacity and love of adventure have taken him far.

Nickel is the son of one of the wealthiest men in Freeport, as his grandfather founded the first cannery on the east coast. He grew up in a stuffy life that was neatly arranged for him, attended the finest private schools, hobnobbed with the high society, and loathed most of it. When sent to live with his grandfather in Freeport while he attended college, he ran away north. Life, he reasoned, is too short to spend in lecture halls.

He wear’s a liberty nickel around his neck.

   

 

GERI

Geri is the twin brother of Freki, and like her, serves as a Wheel Dog on Pi’s team. His job is one of brute strength, either being positioned in the rear of the gangline to add raw power to pulling the sled, or pushing from behind and using his weight on the runners to steer.

He is quick to anger, and a little simple. Food is paramount to his happiness, suggesting periods in his life when he’s gone without. However, he’s loyal to Pi and his sister, and would die to protect either.

Geri and Freki come from Thule, the harsh land to the northeast of the Northern Territory. Thule is considered wholly untamed and wild, it’s population of native dogs little better than the flesh-eating Maguruq strays.

Neither Geri nor Freki speak of their childhood, or how and why they left Thule. They drifted for a long time in the Northern Territories, until coming to Frontier. Pi, in her first year as a lead dog, was the only one willing to put them on a team. They’ve been with her since.

 

FREKI

Freki is the twin sister of Geri. She is another Wheel Dog on Pi’s team, a strong dog to provide power and speed to the sled.

She is sly, quiet and quick, in counterpoint to her brutish brother. Freki, while loyal to the team and to Pi, remains aloof. She considers Pi an equal, rather than a superior. Both her and her brother are more at home in the snowy wastes than they could ever been in a town.

Geri and Freki come from Thule, the harsh land to the northeast of the Northern Territory. Thule is considered wholly untamed and wild, it’s population of native dogs little better than the flesh-eating Maguruq strays.

Neither Geri nor Freki speak of their childhood, or how and why they left Thule. They drifted for a long time in the Northern Territories, until coming to Frontier. Pi, in her first year as a lead dog, was the only one willing to put them on a team. They’ve been with her since.

   

 

FROM THE CORPS

The majority of expansion northward has been funded, at least in part, by the governing powers of the United Territories. As such, most towns and trading villages have begun life as a military outpost. The military Corps are the acting authority in the northern reaches. Admirals and generals handle the administrative needs in place of mayors or governors, usually with an ear to the south and their mind on their own intensives. The Corps and the Nordguard have grown intertwined over the last few decades. Many ex-military join the Nordguard, and many others use the Nordguard to train for the Corps. It is not uncommon for mixed teams of the two to work together if need requires it.

McKAY

Lt. James McKay is a fresh recruit who just completed his training as a field medic. He’s smart with steady hands, but as green as they come. Though young, he’s an upright, if naïve man, with a good heart and a desire to help.

Until his assignment to Pi’s team, he had never been into the Northern Territories. He was the only son in a family of six, raised by his widowed mother, and taught to respect women. Doing what Pi says comes naturally to him. He joined the Corps when he turned eighteen, in order to be one less mouth to feed for his mother. James sends every penny he earns and doesn’t need south back to his family.

A teetotaler, he refuses to drink, having lived with an abusive and drunkard father, who eventually died from alcohol poisoning when James was a young pup.

 

 

OLEG

Oleg Kutakov is a Russian boar, now an ex-patriot to Russia and a ranking member of the Corps. Due to his inclusion on Pi’s mission north in response to the distress call from Tartok, the team must take a sled. He is not very forthcoming on the Corps’ interest in the mine, nor his own personal concern.

He’s arrogant, maudlin at times, a drinker, and focused on one thing: getting to Tartok.

Oleg is a man with many regrets.