Barbarous Perakhuoshi

The wilderness of the Perakhuosh has been overrun by monstrous races like goblins, orcs, trolls, ogres and minotaurs since the beginning of the Seventh Age. The Taorminite empire was extremely effective at defeating the hordes of barbarians and/or monstrous races and driving them back across the Anander river.   The human barbarians of the southern regions have taken their cultural cues from the Acranthiote elves, becoming merciless and stealthy killers specialising in the spear and bow. Those who lived along the middle section of the Anader River emulated some of the characteristics of the Carradine dwarves or the Taorminites, becoming fearless and heavily armoured warriors who lived in defensive strongholds in the mountains. The vast majority, however, are most heavily inspired by the minotaur and orcish tribes, taking up their savage traditions of slavery, rule by warlords and constant internal and external warfare. Most Perakhuoshi have more than a little orcish blood in their ancestry, and it is common to find tribes with a large minority of half-orcs among them.   The Perakhuoshi are viewed as the archetypal unsophisticated and dangerous savages, short-tempered, simple-minded and easily impressed by the effects of technology. They are perceived as towering and mighty warriors, who will always fight for money or honour, and give little regard to the established niceties and customs of the other civilised races.   Real world analogues - 

• Pre-Christian Germanic and Scandinavian cultures (north)
• Pre-Christian Armenian/Caucasian cultures (south)