These pale-skinned hunter-gatherers eke their nomadic existence out in the far northern reaches of their world, a frigid land of tundra, coniferous taiga, and encroaching glaciers. The darker-skinned civilizations of the south may stereotype them as impoverished, uncouth savages, but they are famous for their strength and ferocious courage.

In case you haven't already figured it out, I have a soft spot for the idea of European "barbarians" still subsisting as hunter-gatherers in an otherwise "civilized" world. To me it represents a reversal of the old stereotype of European (or "Western") nations outclassing the rest of the world in science, technology, and culture. Instead of ruling their world as the dominant superpower, these foragers would be perceived as geopolitically marginal relative to the larger empires of darker-skinned people. However, they still might find work as mercenaries if they ventured south (and were willing to put up with racist contempt for their "barbarian" background).