Teivos

Several large clans, comprised of tribes that each have several dozen family units, maintain a nomadic lifestyle, roaming across thousands of miles in the northern tundra, the Ice Sea, and parts of the Inner Sea. The clans usually follow herds of game animals such as bison, caribou, or even dolphins and seals. These clans, collectively known as the Teivos, have differing temperaments and differing relationships with other nations, but they all share basically the same culture with the other clans.

Mercantile.

Each Teivos clan is self-sufficient. By hunting game or taking from vegetation, they supply their own food, make their own clothes, and fashion any tools, boats, carriages, and the like that they might need. Many enjoy some form of crafting as a hobby, like whittling or jeweling. These craftspeople will occasionally trade with merchants of other nations when they are near a settled area.

Political.

Each clan maintains itself differently. Some prefer to hold democratic gatherings where each tribe collectively decides what the best course of action is and representatives from the tribes negotiate the clan’s actions based on this input. Others are almost feudal with a clan chieftain who delegates some responsibilities to tribal leaders. While each clan is self-governing, all clans defer to the High Queen, the leader of the Imurtok clan.

Religious.

The clans share a belief in the sacredness of all plant and animal life, along with the changing of the seasons. The clans worship different Archfae conclaves accordingly, and most tribes have specific gods that they feel most connected with. Above all, though, the clans worship the mysterious and elusive Avadri, whom the clans believe created the cosmos and all within it.

Social.

Most clans are reclusive and avoid contact with permanent settlements, aside from occasionally trading with their merchants. The folk of each tribe generally welcome other nomads to their campfires and share what food they have with any who need it.

Clans

Atpar. The smallest of the six major clans, the Atpar are skillful sailors. They are mighty oceanic hunters, capable of taking down a killer whale while only sailing in large canoes. Needless to say, they feel more comfortable at sea than any other clan. Their patron deity is Porov.

Deniput. The hunters of Deniput are the most skilled foresters among all the clans. They spend most of the year north of the Inner Sea and try to undertake their northern pilgrimage during the height of summer, hoping to mitigate the dangers on the Ice Sea. Their patron deity is Wolven.

Imurtok. Imurtok is believed to be the oldest clan. All other clans, if they trace their lineage back far enough, came from Imurtok at some point. The Imurtok clan is also viewed as the leader of all Teivos clans, ruled by a High Queen that oversees the other clan leaders. Their patron deity is Vele.

Kanonar. Kanonar has a reputation of being the most aggressive clan. Kanonar’s young warriors often go out of their way to find and fight monsters, and Kanonar has been known to get into conflicts with other nations. Their patron deity is Sekh.

Nannuret. The largest of the major clans, the Nannuret are unique in that they only complete their pilgrimage once every two years. Seen as wise and deliberative, the Nannuret have the most complicated governmental system. Their patron deity is Woden.

Tipiara. Viewed by the other tribes as the most in touch with the spiritual world, Tipiara has many mystics and oracles among its ranks and often travel in patterns that make little sense to the other clans. Their patron deity is Stoll.

Pilgrimage

Each clan will make a pilgrimage to the holiest site of the Teivos at least once per year unless tremendous circumstances impede them. This holy site is an ancient ruin of a city completely filled with technology far beyond anything the Teivos have ever seen, in their own culture or anyone else’s. The city is nestled in the middle of concentric mountain peaks at the magnetic north pole of Ancerra and descends miles into the earth. The forgotten city - Vadreheim, they call it - somehow wards off the worst elements of winter and miraculously always has enough food and water for Teivos pilgrims.

The Teivos believe that this ancient technological marvel is all that physically remains of the Avadri on the whole planet, and so they treat the site with great reverence and guard its location with fierce secrecy. Often, Teivos pilgrims will take small pieces of technology with them from the great site, gradually learning how to use the technology before returning the next year. It is a sacred custom to return one’s souvenir before taking a new one, so any Teivos tribesperson is likely to only have one piece of Avadri technology on them at any given time.

Quest Ideas

• Something is wrong at Vadreheim. Two Teivos clans have gone missing, and only one Teivos sailor escaped. They implore the heroes to journey to Vadreheim and set things right.
• The Teivos and a non-nomadic nation each claim that the other attacked them. The heroes, being in the region, must negotiate a peace before both sides escalate.
• The Teivos have found that a horrible monster has taken up residence in one of their favorite vales. Perhaps the heroes can defeat the monster in exchange for the honor of being allowed on a journey to Vadreheim.