Rotsavans
The people of the steppes are known to Caleians as Westborn, but in their language they call themselves the Rotsava, or horse lords. Long ago, they were the mighty Khans who ruled the world from horseback and struck fear and terror in the hearts of all species, but that was long ago, during the lost days of the Second Age. Now, they are simple nomads and traders, often living on the outskirts of Caleian cities or deep in the southern grasslands. They are very isolationist and tight-knit, forming small but cohesive tribal units with each other, and only with each other. As a result, others have mistrusted them and so they are often shunned and easily blamed when something goes wrong.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Rotsava most often speak in Ubari, their native tongue. Each tribe has its own dialect, and some may be so different as to inhibit communication, which further strengthens the Rotsava's isolationist tendency. Many Rotsava understand the Sermo Vulgaris, though few wish to speak it in public or amongst each other.
Culture and cultural heritage
Many Rotsavans are proud of their ancestors, the great Khans who defined the Second Age and their stories of them are among their most popular. Nearly all of the distinct Rotsavan tribes trace their lineage back to one notable warrior khan or another, though none claim the legacy of the great Khagans.
Shared customary codes and values
The Rotsava are a very reserved people who live very close together in small groups of one to two hundred. Among them, honesty is valued above all else, with many proverbs comparing any lie, no matter the context, to rabid dogs or panicked horses. They have strong familial bonds and view outsiders with mistrust. In return, outsiders have taken to distrusting them back, which has led to the Rotsava preferring to live among their own, in villages outside, yet still close enough to the cities so they may buy and sell their goods to travelers.
Common Dress code
The Rotsava often dress in thick, insulated layers of cloth that cover most of their body and part of their head. These simple clothes are fit for both the burning hours of noon and the freezing nights on the steppe. They wear little jewelry and always make an attempt to cover their hands, which they view as too intimate to reveal to strangers.
Art & Architecture
Rotsavan pottery, tapestries and other crafts are full of spiral motifs and intricate patterns resembling the crest of a horse, or the grassy blades of the steppes. Rotsavan houses are simple structures, most often built out of thatch and clay or carved out of rocky hillsides, though these too are often adorned with colorful patterns.
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Languages spoken
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