A hunter is standing still in a stand of mountain laurel by a tumbling stream. He has been waiting for over an hour for a white-tailed deer to stop and drink from the stream.
The hunter is wearing a shirt made from an indigo-dyed wool trade blanket, breechcloth, leggings, and buckskin moccasins. His hair is cut short except for a single, jet-black tuft that sticks up from the top of his head. A hawk's feather, dyed bright red, is tucked into the cord that holds the tuft of hair in a topknot.
At his side is a Tulle hunting musket that he received in exchange for a dozen beaver pelts from the French fathers at Trois Rivières. The musket is worn but well-maintained. Like many trade goods, it has made life in the Northeastern Woodlands more convenient. However, this convenience comes at the expense of independence and tradition.
As he continues his watch, he sees a buck emerge from the laurel on the opposite side of the stream. As the deer lowers its antlered head to drink the clear, cold water, the hunter takes a quiet breath and holds it. He slowly raises the musket to his shoulder and aims down the barrel. He exhales as he gently pulls the trigger.
The Indians have inhabited this land since its for as long as can be remembered. They have evolved into numerous and diverse nations that now reside in the Northeastern Woodlands. These nations are circle societies with a sacred and fundamental belief in the interconnectedness of all creation. While there is some limited warfare between nations, their primary means of interaction has been through trade and diplomacy.
However, much is changing with the arrival of the Europeans. Rivalries for the favor of the French, English, and Dutch have led to an increase in armed conflicts. Famine and disease are on the rise. It is peculiar that a people whom the Indians generally perceive as weak and incapable have so greatly disrupted the balance of things. Perhaps it is their greed and lack of respect for the circle.
The Haudenosaunee and Wendat believe that the known world was created on the back of the Great Turtle to provide a home for Aetaentsic after she fell from her home in the sky. Therefore, they refer to the world as Turtle Island. In Forts & Frontiers, Turtle Island is located in the heart of the Great Lakes.
This basic edition of Forts & Frontiers provides details on three Indian nations—the Haudenosaunee, Omamiwinini, and Wendat. Upcoming adventure modules and supplements will introduce more nationalities.
However, GMs and players are not restricted to these rules or future expansions. There is a vast amount of historical information on other Indian nations that can be easily accessed. Utilize the format below as a guide to portray these nations in your games.
"One arrow can be easily broken. But when five arrows are bound together, they become strong. As the five arrows are strongly bound together with our ways and customs and this shall symbolize that the five nations are united; we are of One Mind." — Dekanawidah, peacemaker to the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca
In their language, Haudenosaunee means "People of the Longhouse”. They are known as the Iroquois by the French and the Five Nations by the English. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy consists of five nations: the Cayuga ("People at the Landing"), Oneida ("People of the Standing Stone"), Onondaga (“People on the Mountain”), Mohawk (“People of the Flint”), and Seneca ("People of the Great Hill").
The Haudenosaunee territory lies across numerous Indian trade routes and is centrally situated between the French and English territories. This strategic location gives them significant influence over both European and Indian nations.
The English, following the Dutch example, readily trade muskets for beaver pelts and other furs, making the Haudenosaunee a formidable adversary.
Haudenosauneega
The ancestral homeland of the Haudenosaunee, known as Haudenosauneega, is situated south of Lake Ontario between the Mohawk and Genesee rivers. Settlements within Haudenosauneega include Ganneious (Oneida), Onondaga (Onondaga), Ganondagan (Seneca), Goiogouen (Cayuga), and Tionondogen (Mohawk).
The Haudenosaunee have begun settling further westward to extend their hunting territories, dominate the fur trade with Europeans, and engage in "mourning wars" against the Omamiwinini, Wendat, and other nations.