Junn Harr (juhn-har)
The Junn Harr are a Human people that live a semi-nomadic life herding horses, cattle, sheep and goats across the vast Junn Steppe. Moving from mountain or highland pastures in the fall and summer to high prairies and alluvial plains in the winter, they have traditional settlement areas they return to annually, but rarely (if ever) build permanent structure. When a Junn clan moves to its next pastural region, all they leave behind are the foundations of their round leather dwellings and their hearths.
The Junn Harr are renowned as hunters and trackers. They are some of the finest archers in the world, able to bring down large animals in full gate from the saddle, at full gallop. Their leatherwork is also admired world-wide, as they have a traditional (almost secret) means of making auroch, bison or bear hides into a light but durable product that makes some of the best cavalry armor anywhere. They are (typically) a very generous people, holding the duty of a host as sacred and honoring a guest to their fires as one of their own.
They are also fierce fighters, and as they share their homeland with many dangerous and aggressive creatures, they are very capable of defending themselves and their herds from Orcs, Trolls, Ogres and Giants just as they do from wyverns, bears, dragons or lions.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Feminine names typically end in a soft vowel, as in Olga, or Zuga.
Masculine names
Masculine names end in a consonant or a hard vowel, as in Kresnik, Belko or Radovoy.
Family names
Family affiliations are denoted by patronymic rather than familial names. Some extended familial associations can be found in tribe or clan names, but the practice is rare. Patronymic names ending in -nov mean "son of" and those ending in -nev mean "descended of".
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The language of the Junn Harr is known in the east as Junnharic and it is unrelated to Caldarian, Arian or Colian/Fangorian. Only words borrowed or adopted by the Junn Harr will sound familiar, and the meaning might be completely different.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Junn are a semi-nomadic herding society, and all wealth and prosperity is measured in horses, cattle, sheep and goats. There are few permanent communities in the steppe, and family groups/tribes will move from summer grazing regions to winter grazing regions with each passing season.
Common Etiquette rules
Courtesy is considered the wealth of the Junn Harr. Discourtesy is likely to indicate real animosity and could even indicate the possibility of violence. If a Junn Harr is speaking discourteously, they are doing so intentionally and with intent.
Common Dress code
The Junn Harr favor bright, vibrant colors in their clothing and their leatherwork is among the finest in the world. Intricately tooled and ornately decorated leather armor is the hallmark of a wealthy and successful warrior.
Art & Architecture
Junn Harr homes are circular, straight-walled tents with tall peaked toofs supported by poles called araks. Construction materials vary, but leather is the preferred arak component and it is richly decorated and very colorful. The finer araks have "windows" made of treated bladder membranes that allow a surprising amount of light into an otherwise very dark dwelling. Each arak can be broken down to fit into a single wagon, with another wagon typically dedicated to furniture, belongings and equipment. Wagons are drawn by camels, ponies or oxen and horses are almost exclusively ridden.
Foods & Cuisine
Traditional food is cooked over a small open fire. Roast meats, stewed vegetables, savory soups and hot, sweet teas are the norm for a Junn Harr meal.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Hospitality is a sacred duty to the Junn Harr. A stranger or guest to a Junn's arak is treated as an honored member of the tribe, unless the host is ill-treated or insulted. Junn Harr do not suffer insult lightly, and a Junn's honor is as treasured as their family and herds.
Funerary and Memorial customs
The Junn Harr feast at the death of a loved one, then cremate (or otherwise excarnate) the body and bury the remains in bags of leather under cairns of stones at holy places located along their annual routes. Harsh winters will sometimes lead to dozens of funerals at these holy sites when the spring migrations commence.
Common Taboos
To be rude or discourteous is to offer the meanest of insults.
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Languages spoken
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