Vos
The Vos are a barbaric race from the cold mountains and forests of north-eastern Cerilia. They are tall, thick-boned people with flat features, light eyes, and a sallow hue. Male warriors are fond of shaving their heads and wearing long, drooping moustaches.
The Vos live in the harshest part of Cerilia, surrounded by inhuman creatures. The other human races of Cerilia are inclined to view the Vos as evil barbarians, savages, and marauders, but this isn't an entirely accurate assessment.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Chessa, Danica, Fiala, Galina, Jana, Kalina, Kara, Kira, Krista, Lena, Lenora, Lida, Mara, Marya, Marisha, Nadia, Natasha, Neva, Olga, Pavla, Petra, Pola, Raisa, Sonya, Tamara, Tanya.
Masculine names
Anatoli, Barak, Baran, Basil, Boris, Dimas, Dmitri, Drago, Fyodr, Garan, Gregor, Karel, Kasimir, Igor, Ilya, Ivan, Josef, Leonid, Markov, Mikhail, Mischa, Nikoli, Orel, Pavel, Pavlov, Pyotr, Rodel, Sergei, Stefan, Victor, Vladimir, Yuri.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
There is no written version to the Vos language and only those that speak another language are literate.
Shared customary codes and values
The Vos have a rigid code of face and honor that demands blood for even unintentional insults.
Taken individually, the Vos are actually decent people. Though they don't believe in mercy, they understand compassion. While they're savage in battle, they have a firm code of honour. And while they hunt their enemies ruthlessly, their friends are their most treasured possessions.
The code of courage and violent tendencies of Vos warriors and rulers have made north-eastern Cerilia a battlefield for the settling of their differences and feuds. The Vos hold "weaker" cultures in contempt and view the other peoples of Cerilia as potential slaves or enemies, but they absolutely hate each other. Travelers in Vosgaard should go to great lengths to avoid associating themselves with any particular chieftain or baronet ? it's dangerous to take sides, even by placing oneself under a chieftain's protection.
Average technological level
In a historical context, the Vos are most similar to the ancient Mongols or Huns. Vos technology is the least advanced of the human cultures and can be viewed as roughly equivalent to the technologies of the Dark Age cultures.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Vos are by far the most brutal and misunderstood of the humans. They live in the area of Cerilia known to geographers as Vosgaard, but to its neighbors as the Land of Darkness, the Brutal Lands, or the Lands of Midnight Sun. It's populated heavily by humanoids and monsters.
Common Myths and Legends
Though they once worshiped the god of the moon and magic, they've found little solace in his teachings. Small wonder, then, that they turned to gods more suited to their land, gods of cold and rage.
The Vos rulers are priests of the Ice Lady and the Terror God. They earn the Vos their reputation, for they are the ones constantly warring on each other and those surrounding them. Those who are not priests rarely have power in Vosgaard, for one of the few threats the Vos leaders unite against is a leader whose visions don't come from the gods.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Almost all Vos men are warriors and hunters any other profession is considered unmanly. Vos women are greatly limited in their freedom by custom, although a few women have succeeded as warriors or Tsarevas.
Major organizations
Their leaders are war-chieftains known as Tsarevos, advised by the priests of the grim Vos gods.
The Vos have their cities and kingdoms, and there are heroes of noble bearing among them. It's important to remember that by their own standards Vos warriors are acting with honor when they raid and pillage the lands of the Brecht or the Basarji. And while no one will ever accuse a Vos of subterfuge or subtlety, it's also true that a person always knows where he stands with a Vos warrior.
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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