BJONK

It takes a special kind of animal to survive in the Vast. Ever since Prince Schwarz marched on the Voeting people and unwittingly summoned unto the world the scourge of the Demon Queen, even the trees found it difficult to live. But the bjonk is a survivor. Already accustomed to a frigid climate, as well as naturally luminous and scentless, this creature is one of the few capable of coexisting alongside its demon neighbors.

Less well-known than their incredible resilience, however, is the fact that these proud beasts once served as war mounts for the Voeting—the people of the Vast. It was once a common rite of passage for young men and women to duel on the craggy cliffs above the crashing waves of the Skaggerak. If one of the would-be warriors knocked his opponent from her bjonk, he would be welcomed into adulthood. The loser (if they survived their fall) would be banished until they were able to find a way to atone for their lack of skill.

Inevitably, the Voeting warrior who reigned victorious in this rite would be bound to their bjonk for life. So strong was this bond that it was common practice for the Voeting to commit suicide if their bjonk fell in combat.