Bejuk, The people of the Steppes
The sights (and scents) of Bejuk Caravans are not easily ignored. Horned and antlered humanoids with bestial eyes and ears ride atop fantastic animals, each decorated with trinkets, dyes, and other adornments that celebrate bejuk aesthetics. Once a caravan stops at a city to trade goods and information, young bejuks feed and clean the mounts while the adults handle transactions until they all quietly pack up and move on. They do not own land, nor do they wish to do so: their caravan holds all their needs and treasures.
Basic Information
Anatomy
They are a humanoid species differeing from humans in ways that could be compared to rams. They have long drooping ears, noses that end in a snout, large horns or antlers, hair that often resembles wool in texture and the legs of rams, sheeps or some form of bovine creature. Some take on more animal characteristics than others, from the amount of fur adorning them to the shape of their skulls.
Ecology and Habitats
Migration is a necessity for the bejuk. They seek to collect all beautiful things that the world and its races have to offer. This goes for their beasts of burden as well, which they often treat better than themselves. It is common to see a bejuk's mount eating a more colorful meal than its rider. And while bejuks can't digest meat, they are happy to hunt and provide it for their carnivorous and omnivorous friends. This is made all the more impressive after seeing that bejuk caravans hold some of the largest beasts in the known world. If necessary, bejuks will subsist on bark and grasses in order to feed them.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
The nomadic bejuks take great care in naming their children. Many variables matter: the locations of celestial bodies at the time of birth, the first animal to approach the newborn, where the umbilical cord was cut, etc. It is exceedingly rare for a bejuk to be named on their parents' whim alone. Because family structures are loose and monogamy is rare, bejuk surnames match the name of the community they hail from. A two-letter "bridge" connects their given name to this surname and expresses how long an individual has been apart from their community. Therefore, an example of a full bejuk name would be Itala sa Zerutz.
Lifespan
Bejuk mature in their early teens and live a bit over a century, typically between 125 and 135 years.
Average Height
Bejuk heights vary greatly between 5 and 7 feet tall, and shorter ones are known to have larger horns, on average.
Geographic Distribution
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