Navarr people
The Navarri have been here for a long time, like the Suaq and Kallavesi in Wintermark, the Ushka who once lived in what is now Varushka, and even the Urizen in their mountains. It is not clear how old their culture actually is, but their lost cities predate the arrival of the Highborn by several centuries.
While the Navarri are, in general, a cheerful and welcoming folk, the practicality that they employ in the defence of the Empire can offend the sensibilities of those who regard themselves as more civilised. The Navarri are not an overly hostile people – at least not to their fellow citizens of the Empire – but, at times, take a stance which others see as unreasonable or downright unfriendly.
The Navarr are commited to the containment of a threat that lies at the heart of their territories, and is occasionally encountered elsewhere. Areas of malevolent growth called Vallorn occupy the ancient Navarri cities, teeming with hungry life and hordes of monstrous insect creatures. When the unwary stray into a Vallorn’s realm of influence they court a horrible death and - potentially - risk rousing it and the creatures that inhabit it.
Part of the duty of the Navarri who dwell in the Steadings is to see that the Vallorn are not disturbed, so they keep a careful watch to ensure that no-one stumbles into such areas, not even barbarian invaders. Interfering with the Vallorn without the approval of the Senate is a serious crime, and the Navarr keep watch for such interlopers, handing them over to magistrates for judgement. Several Steadings are built in and around the ruins of Teruni'el, whether that is an old garrison, the remains of a town, or a still-flourishing sacred shrine, preserved library or reclaimed mine. The population of a Steading supports itself by hunting, and with whatever limited agriculture they can arrange in the forests.
Steadings vary in size and composition. A feware shaped as natural parts of the forest, especially if they are important to the vates, but most are constructed of wood - of which there is a clear abundance in the Navarr heartlands. Some are build among the trees, some on hilly clearings, a few are even constructed on great platforms on the waters of freshwater lakes. In almost every case. the design is adapted to make the most of the terrain, and with an eye towards the purpose of the settlement. For example, a small Steading built around a shrine is a different affair to a prosperous Steading with a ring of cleared farmland surrounding it.
Counterpart to the Steadings are the Stridings. These are travelling groups that largelly follow the established routes of the Trods around the Empire. Walking the Trods is neccessary to maintain the magic that keeps the Vallorn quiescent. The Trods pass through all nations of the Empire, so now many travellers prefer to use the Navarri Trods as trade routes and roads, and villages and resting places have grown up over the years near those routes. The Trods themselves are infused with moderately subtle magic that grants vitality to the traveller - after spending a day walking a Trod, a traveller is much less tired than he might expect. The magic also tends to keep the area around the Trod relatively wild - manmade structures tend to fall into ruin. This means that while the routes pass near villages and resting places, they are built a short distance from the Trods themselves.
Stridings vary significantly in size and make-up. In a normal Striding, most participants are on foot, usually with a few narrow wagons pulled by oxen or similar beasts to carry essential supplies. Many Navarri are comfortable walking for days on end, and the power of the Trods supports them and enhances the endurance of newcomers. Some Stridings eschew wagons altogether, making it a rule to own nothing more than they can carry with them at all times. Others take the opposite approach, using larger covered wagons which can serve as living quarters, especially if they are transporting tools such as books or smithing materials over great distances.
The Stridings support themselves by a threefold method: they carry staples with them; they contain hunters who range to either side of the trod staying alert not only for food but also potential dangers; and they trade with the people they encounter enroute, For some Imperial citizens the Navarri are the only regular contact they have with the Empire. Navarri Stridings are usually welcome everywhere, as they bring messages and news of events elsewhere in the Empire. Civil servants and magistrates travel with the Navarri to reach isolated communities and sometimes the Navarri bring individuals seeking a home with precisely the skills a community needs to survive and prosper. In addition the Navarri have become skilled at adapting to fill the roles required of them in the different Nations they travel through, for instance performing Fayres in Dawn or working as pedlars in the Marches.
As well as the dark forests that Navarri now think of as home, the wild places between towns, burghs, fortresses and temples are hardly safe and the Navarri are practical about these dangers. They travel in well-armed groups and set regular watches. As they travel they remain alert for danger, and it is often Navarri who bring word of potential threats to their cousins in the other nations.
The population of the Navarr is fluid; while some spend their whole lives in a Steading or Striding, the expectation is that the Navarri will flow back and forth between the two largely at will.
Names
Once an adult, the Navarri adopts the name of their Steading or Striding as their second name. Names, therefore, are not static and change with the choices of the individual. On occasion a Navarri may be given an honorific name to exemplify some great deed of magic, politics, trade or war. These individuals are collectively known as the Thornborn.
A child's name is given to a Navarri at birth by the parents, an adult's name is given during the Binding of Thorns. Their actions that night earn them their given name, by agreement between the elders – there’s usually a significant reason for it.
Each Striding or Steading has a name that ends in 'el. For example, Riodan'el, or Teyrn'el. And each Navarri's full name -- the name they will give to others -- is their earned name followed by the name of their group.
Sample names
- Rhiannon of Teyrn’el
- Alva of Riodan’el.
'Navarri names are "fantasy" names, drawing on the sound of Celtic, Welsh and perhaps a touch of Tolkien elvish.