Aneirnians

The Northern Nomads

In the far northeastern corner of the known world, on frozen tundras and frigid taiga forests, there live the Aneira. They are the final nomads of Veskar, as all others have long since given up this lifestyle, but for them, it serves them perfectly.
They herd their reindeer, and they ride their wargs across their lands, hunting caribou.

They have also been known to leave their homeland for a time, to travel in search of knowledge, as intellect and wisdom are treasured above all among these people, and especially the young might choose to increase their own knowledge, and return as wise individuals, ready to pass this wisdom to the next generation.
They have a strong oral tradition, in which all their stories and knowledge are shared with each other. The Aneira are famous for their collective memory. Their elders can recite generations of wisdom in the form of stories and songs, including genealogies, religious rites, and ancestral laws.

Homeland

Ever have they traveled the world, but their homeland has now been reduced to only the northernmost regions of the world, the Yenoans ever encroaching on their territories, the Aneira completely helpless to stop them, as their numbers are too few to quell the massive Yenoan horde.

They once had a vast migratory range, from the tundra, where they spent thee summer, to the lush forest of what is now southern Yeno, where they spent the winter. Now, they have been restricted to the tundra, and it has been so for a long time. This has forced them to adapt to lifetimes spent in the cold.

Despite this contraction, the Aneira remain fiercely loyal to the land itself. Every grove, frozen lake, and hillock carries a name and a memory. Wherever the group travels, the elders can tell a story of something beautiful that happened there, enforcingng this tradition of love and respect for the homeland, and this displacement has only intensified their attachment to the soil beneath their feet.

Society and Values

Aneira society is organized into clans, each loosely governed by the elders of the family, or families, that make up the clan. These elders are often the eldest of their family, but leadership is consensual, and decisions are made in discussion with the whole family. Elders who overstep their bounds are made to retire and replaced with another. They hold many family meetings, which are open gatherings where every adult has a voice.

Intellect and wisdom are treasured above all among these people, and especially the young might choose to leave, to increase their own knowledge, and return as wise individuals, ready to pass this wisdom to the next generation.
This journey is called the "Long Listening," and it is considered a rite of passage. Some return after years abroad; others never do, leaving behind poems, trinkets, or stories passed along from trading caravans.

Livelihood

They herd their reindeer, and they ride their wargs across their lands, hunting caribou.

Reindeer are the lifeblood of Aneira survival. They provide meat, milk, hides, bone tools, and even sinew thread. Herding them is more than work—it is tradition, and duty, passed from parent to child.

Wargs are not merely beasts of burden but bonded companions. Aneira believe Wargs choose their rider, not the other way around, and such bonds are celebrated with feasts and songs. Bonding with your first Warg pup is considered an important step towards adulthood. Taming a warg is no small feat. They need to be trained and cared for since birth, or they will become feral. Wargs are often hesitant to let people ride them who they are not bonded to, and they will attack anyone who attacks their masters. This is why a Warg is considered more than a pet, they are allies, friends, companions formed through effort and shared time and experiences.

In summer months, they follow herds inland. In winter, they retreat to dense forests or coastal caves. Their tents are made of stretched hide and insulated with woven mats, and each camp is centered around a central fire, which must never go out unless the clan is on the move.

They have a strong oral tradition, in which all their stories and knowledge are shared with each other.