Steppe Nomads

People have been living on the steppe long before the dawn of civilization. Those who dwell here traditionally lead a pastoral, nomadic lifestyle. Animal husbandry dominates the culture, with nomads raising goats, sheep, cattle, and horses to provide meat, dairy products, transportation and wool. There are rumors of nomads domesticating some of the more dangerous beasts of the steppe as well, such as dire wolves and drakes.

The people of the steppe are diverse with races and traditions, but their foreign language and culture have other peoples commonly lump them into one group. There are legitimate commonalities, and these nomadic tribes can be characterized by their loyalty to familial clans, high regard for the warrior class, and reverence to the God of the four winds. Orcs make up the greatest population of these tribes, but they will not refrain from incorporating humans, dwarves and their hybrid offspring into their ranks. Once initiated into the group, these nomads do not see a distinction between one race and another.

Most populous races
Common archetypes
Faiths practiced
Cultural touchstones

Dragonforging

Social Structure

The steppe people are not a cohesive group, but instead and estimated twelve tribes scattered across the plains. Likewise and not surprisingly, each tribes does not have a central leader but rather a council of people that make decisions regarding the group. Usually, each council consists of two chiefs, the peace chief and a war chief, and several other leaders representing the interests of the group. The peace chief is likely an elder tribe member who is seen as very wise and has much experience. The war chief usually is elected in times of war, and admired by other fighters as a brave and fearsome warrior. The council is in charge of all decision, from things such as where the group will hunt to whether or not they should declare war at any given time.

Nomadic families follow a seasonal routine, moving the herds to new grazing land based on the time of year. Historically, each clan had various chosen grazing grounds that were used exclusively by the same clan year after year. Daily responsibilities are divided evenly among family member sand no one person's work is considered more important than another's.

Due to the low birth rate from life on horseback, many nomad take to adopting members into their group, whether by free will or by force. It's not unheard of for a warband to bring adolescent children into the group, and while many of these captives are treated poorly, most are eventually adopted into clans to become full members of the tribe.

Trade



Over the past century, those who live in proximity to the steppe people have done so in relative peace. As a result, the borderlands between the nomads and settled people have begun to merge and caravansaries have sprung up along frequented routes. The nomads export spices, dyes, wool, textiles, medicinal and recreational herbs, meat, and livestock. There is even a market for illegal goods, such as slaves and illicit substances. Most famous among these black market goods is godsblood: a fermented milk mixture blackened with crushed fungus that gives one the ability to "speak to the gods".

Conflict

While relatively uncommon, there is a history of conflict between the pastoral people of the steppe and their agricultural neighbors. Small war bands of desperate clans will raid villages on the perimeter of the plains for goods, supplies, and bodies to fill their ranks. Unfortunately, the nobles of the injured party often retaliate against completely different clans of nomads, due to their ignorance of the different clans, and not knowing that the war band that had attacked their fiefdom is long gone. As a result of these transgressions on either side, there is a great deal of suspicion between the wandering folk and their settled neighbors.

Due to their loose (at best) affiliation, the steppe people are more likely to fight amongst each other as they are outsiders, and for the same reasons: resources. Many familial clans have long-lived feuds surrounding grazing rights and past insults. It is common practice among warring steppe people to kidnap the important members of their rivals, and ransom them back for land, goods, and people. Despite skirmishes on the borders, the steppe people have never posed a significant threat to settled societies, thanks in large part to their constant in-fighting. Though rumors have begun to sweep across the plains of a power rising in the east, uniting the clans under a single red banner of war.