Night People

Night People wander the countryside in family groups of up to several dozen people in black wagons covered with brightly colored flags and painted images. They camp in empty fields, trade with the villagers and host mad revels to the wild beat of their drums and the screeching of their fiddles.

The Night People are known for their strange powers and widely mistrusted and feared. It is considered bad luck to kill a Night Person, as its said they are protected by Naveh the god of assassins, and the murderer is almost always found dead within a short time.

They are great gamblers, dancers, tellers of tales, soothsayers and many say spies and thieves.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Antanasia, Korinna, Adriana, Jenisa, Dana, Dominique, Mara, Yumitrita, Anamaria

Masculine names

Vladimir, Ovidiu, Costica, Radu, Ilex, Amilian, Grigora, Flavius, Mihaita

Family names

Most members of a wagon train belong to the same clan or family and have the same family name.

Some of the families include the Grozai, Mironi, Petranu, Covaci, Codreanu, Niculaie, Amanar, Pirvi, Nicolescu, Ristescu, Rechita, Matei, Raducioiu, Cuza, Nechita

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The Night People call themselves the Dromja, meaning he Blessed People in their native Elbythian tongue.

They are bilingual, speaking Hârnic as easily as their own language which they do not teach it to outsiders.

Culture and cultural heritage

The Night People worship Halea, who they call Sira, and Naveh, who they call Navi, as the twin gods of life and death.

In day-to-day matters, the Night People are seemingly carefree and freedom loving adopting a philosophy that Life is meant to be lived. Sira rewards those who live well and do not harm others.

Navi teaches the Night People stealth, subterfuge and the skills of murder. When the Night People are threatened, it is Navi who helps them commanding a range of illusions, curses and evil spirits to cause misfortune on their enemies.

Shared customary codes and values

Night People travel in small family and clan groups of about 20 to 30 adults and children. On rare occasions, several clan groups may travel together for protection.

Average technological level

Wagons

Wagons, or kurdos as the Night People call them, are the preferred means of travel. These are horse or oxen drawn and always painted black but decorated with colorful flags and ribbons. Each is decorated with brightly painted carvings featuring animals and intricate geometric designs.

Vardyr, the Gypsy Horse

The breed most associated with the Night People is the Vardyr, a powerful heavy draft horse, with a long, flowing mane and tail.

River Folk

Some of the western families of Night People of Hârn have adapted to a river based lifestyle, traveling up and down the Thard River in small flotillas of family-run black painted vessels.

Common Dress code

They dress in bright and colorful clothing almost always decorated with elaborate patterns. Men wear vests and loose-fitting trousers and shirts while women favor vests as well, along with embroidered shirts and multicolored, often multi-layered, skirts. Both men and women wear headbands and scarves.

Wealth is often worn, with coins made into jewelry, sewn into articles of clothing, and even braided into the hair of both men and women.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Night People, particularly the women, are often associated with “occult” abilities. Many have access psionics, Illusion, divination and enchantment magics. Spells are traditional and passed down from mother to daughter. Their seers are particularly skilled commonly mastering tarot cards, casting runes or bones, crystal gazing, and palm reading.

Common Taboos

They will not wear plain white, as it is the color of death.

A man’s word is his bond. The Night People do not make vows lightly, and when they do, they treat them as sacred. To break a promise or bargain is to invite misfortune.

Common Myths and Legends

The common belief that the Night People come from the eastern Venarian Sea region fleeing war or persecution.

Other myths say the Night People were cursed by the gods to wander, ever without a homeland.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Most Night People have dark hair and the tendency towards darker complexions. Eye coloration can be any color and sometimes quite striking.

Gender Ideals

Their society is matriarchal, with the elder females making most of the important decisions although line of descent and inheritance is traced through the males.

Women traditionally are the keepers of lore and customs. An older woman in the role of “seer” will almost always lead a band. The exotic dancing and singing practiced by the younger women lends a further mystique to the Night People’s unique musical style.

Men typically practice a large array of crafts and trades often hiring them themselves out as tinkers.

Major organizations

The night people have contacts with the Church Naveh and often act as sources of information, spies, messengers and couriers between temples.