Nis, The

Location: Far North. Alignment: Neutral Evil. Knowledge Geography Far North. (DC 10) The Nis are a matriarchal tribal group of humans ruled by female witches and defended by beastial male warriors. They are known to eat their enemies and treat all those they encounter as hostile. They are used as cautionary tales to scare children throughout the north, as they said to kidnap young ones for the soup pots.
The Nis are a visually striking people. They are generally tall and thin with less body and facial hair than many other Northern Tribes. Skin color is likewise darker than the norm with almost dusty undertones. Hair is long and straight and either dark brown or red. Both men and women grow their hair very long and then create large dreadlocks by combining their braided hair with sacred mud, bones, and other ingredients. The Nis' extreme brand of druidism inparts great significance to earth and most tribes people keep their bodies smeared in brown, yellow, and gray mud. They "wash" with a dusty mix of gravel and herbs and spices, creating a distinct Nisian odor. Nisian clothing is simple and is mostly leathers and furs. Jewelry, including piercings are very common, and include precious metals, feathers and bones. For a people with limited metal working knowledge, their weapons are very well made. Tattooing is another significant part of their culture and represent a person's rank in the tribal structure and past deeds. Tattoos involve geometric designs in red, white, and black only. Facial and hand tattoos are the most common. These tattoos are enchanted by the band's spiritual leaders and contain druidic evocation and illusionary magics. Each involves a lengthy ritual and specific ingredients. Lastly, the Nis, both male and female, have developed a process by which they harden their fingernails into talon like claws. They dye their claws colors based upon band and rank.
Nissian Tattoos and their meanings:

• Black Mask: This slim band of black goes from ear to ear, across the bridge of the nose and around each eye. It indicates the bearer is a warrior who has seen non-ceremonial battle and survived. A white slash is added to the bridge of the nose to indicate each additional battle. If that area is completed, the slashes are added to the side of the side of the eye. The black mask tattoo enhances the bearer's night vision, giving them an extra 10 feet of sight in shadowy conditions.
• White Mask: Nis might augment their black mask with an inner, thinner band of white. This is done when a beloved band member, whether Warrior who has seen battle and has lost a beloved band member in battle. This is not done in a situation when the member is reincarnated, but to indicate when a Nis soul is lost forever. This tattoo provides a +1 morale bonus to fear saves.
• Red Mask: The red mask is added to the black and white to indicate when the wearer has entered into a blood vendetta to avenge the fallen band member. It's a thin red line stretches across the top of the white band and usually includes the entire eye lids. This tattoo provides a +1 morale bonus to attacks, skill checks, and ability checks against the subject of the vendetta. When the target of the vendetta is killed, the red of the tattoo flows down the face from the eyes likely bloody tears.
• Fanged Mouth: A great honor is bestowed on a Nis tribes' person when they receive this tattoo. Black lines extend the individuals mouth outwards and bright white ink add a series of long, intimidating teeth to the mouth. The enchantment of the tattoo is such that when the individual smiles or rages, the mouth appears to grow and it and the teeth look natural. This tattoo gives a +2 bonus to intimidate checks and any rage effects last 1 additional round. This tattoo is given to a Nis who has defeated a great enemy (in ceremonial or non-ceremonial combat).
• Curved Horns: When a Nis slays a great beast or monster alone, they may be rewarded with the curved horn tattoo. These black horns are added to the top corners of the person's forehead. They are often stylized with unique designs depending upon what creature was killed. This tattoo provides a +1 to damage roles against the type of creature killed to gain the tattoo (animal, magical beast, etc).
• White Nose: This tattoo is used to honor an incredible feat of tracking, hunting, or scouting. A Nis who sneaks into an enemy camp and kills their leader might be given this tattoo. The individuals nose is tattooed to a snowy white color. Sometimes stylized whiskers are added. The tattoo gives a +1 unnamed bonus to survival, spot, listen, hide, and move silent checks in an above ground natural environment.
• Forearm Vines: This highest ranked druidess in a band is given forearm tattoos of entwined vines. When casting a spell, these vines move around the arm angrily. Each time the druidess defeats another druid in ceremonial battle, a thorn is added to the vines. This tattoo provides a +1 unnamed bonus to spellcraft checks and spell penetration checks. Each thorn tattoo possessed gives a +1 to total damage for any spell that deals damage, upto +5.
• Black Cheek Slash: A black cheek slash is given to a band's huntmaster, two slashes to the highest huntmaster in a tribe and three slashes to the acknowledged greatest huntmaster of the entire Nis.
• White Cheek Slash: Band's spiritual leader, almost always a female druidess or spirit shaman, receives a single white slash on one cheek. Two slashes indicated they are the highest ranked spiritualist in the tribe. Three slashes is reserved for the greatest in all the Nis.
• Red Cheek Slash: A band's warleader receives one red slash. A tribes warleader receives two the most powerful warleader in all the Nis receives three.
• Raptor Claw Hands: A hero who has defeated a great enemy without weapons or spells (using wildshape or natural attacks) will have their hands tattooed to resemble the claws of a great predatory bird.
• Black X Eye: When a warrior of a band defeats another in ceremonial combat, they receive a black x centered on one of their eyes (intersecting a mask or other tattoo).
• Red X Eye: A warrior who defeats a non-Nis in ceremonial combat to the death who is victorious receives a red x across one eye.
• White X Eye: Only rarely given, when a Nis acts as a champion for the entire people and defeats another in ceremonial combat, he or she receives the white x. It is said this has only been done three times.

(DC 15) The Nis is the term for a tribal culture in the Far North. They are actually a number of different tribes, each of which is broken down into Bands made of several extended families. They are well known, feared and hated throughout the area. The Nis are extremely violent and brutal to outsiders. They would have long ago annihilated themselves in intertribal warfare if not for an elaborate tradition of nonlethal contests and ceremonial combat that the groups undertake to create a “pecking order” to determine territory and settle disputes. Most bands have traditional migration patterns that take them along routes into lands their ancestors trod centuries ago. There are semi-permanent camps along the way. Sometimes there are log longhouses or palisade-surrounded villages, other times they are simply campsites in valleys. There natural migrations bring them into contact with other bands of their tribes and other tribes. Either way, ceremonial contests, combats, and rituals ensue. Marriages are arranged (by force sometimes) and children are traded and goods exchanged.
Ceremonial Contests/Combats These contests happen nearly every time two groups meet. They are honor bound to live by the results and would die before doing otherwise. The exact way the Nis determine what the contest will be or who enters is unclear to outsiders. The Nis themselves have memorized and internalized not only what should take place, who should participate but also a cultural memory of who defeated who in what contest and why, that many can recite from memory going back hundreds of years. Outsiders are not usually able to observe these contests but those who have, have noted a large number of different forms. Some are combat related, some skill based, and some involve different forms of magic. They are never to the death (although maiming seems ok). Some of the more interesting forms of contest reported have included a race between two women to braid rib bones into ropes of human hair they cut from the scalps of prisoners, another noted a screaming contest between two men which ended when the first bloody froth was visible. One of the most detailed accounts had two you warriors who first nailed their own feat to stumps, facing each other and fifty feet apart, who were given a array of javelins and other thrown weapons, the first drop of blood that touched the snow around them indicated the winner. The winner of the contest gains territorial rights, hunting ground, passage, tribute, treasure, prestige or other valuables.
Attitude to Outsiders (DC 12)To non-Nis, the reception is much less friendly. They start with a violent reception that seeks to kill or capture all present, regardless of race or nationality. Captives are either sold into slavery or eaten. When faced with stiff resistance, the Nis, as a group will withdrawal, to return again with more numbers. Only those who show themselves stronger then the Nis as a tribe, through blooding their noses, are open to any form of parley. If you can reach an agreement with the Nis, they are known to be honorable and keep whatever bargain they agree to. Usually.
Social Order (DC 15) The Nis have a very particular social structure, rigidly divided by gender. The men are the workers, hunters and warriors. They consider themselves beasts and take on totems of predatory animals. The male Nis are impulsive and violent, prone to rages. They are also skilled craftsmen and devoted fathers. A few are druids or shamans but they tend to be subservient to the females with similar gifts. On the other side are the females of the Nis, who have some of the strongest bloodlines of fey sorcery found in the north. Scholars theorize that there is a lot of non-human blood in the veins of the Nis, they suspect infernal, abyssal, and definitely fey. Outside of the male druids, all mystical abilities lie with the females. Males born with sorcerous or other talent are either killed and eaten or “become female” with a bit of crude surgery. Tribal leadership appears to split between powerful female elders and the strongest and fiercest males. It's unclear how disputes within a tribe are handled but it appears final authority lies with the females (witches).
(DC 15) The Nis also have the tradition of cannibalism. They do not eat their enemies for sustenance but rather out of the belief that they take in part of their enemies’ strength. Particularly fierce enemies are shared with the tribe, to bolster the strength of the entire tribe. This is considered a great honor and the tribe will make gestures and tributes to the memory of such a defeated foe.
(DC 15) The Nis appear on the surface to be very primitive and warlike. This is in part due to their cultural connection with nature and predatory animals. They wear many animal furs and fetishes of claws and teeth. Both males and females file their teeth to sharp points. They are accomplished woodsmen and hunters as well as raiders. It’s unclear if the metal weapons and bits of armor they possess come solely from raiding or if they are also trading with other peoples. It does not appear that they are themselves working metal.
(DC 12) It’s unknown how many different Nis tribes there are, those most often encountered include the Volsung, the Farkarl, the Scylfar, and the Vanvarg.
(DC 12) Names of the Nis follow the northern tribal pattern, a given first and then a tribal name. However the Nis also have a very specific series of titles unique to their tribes. The strongest male of the tribe attached the prefix “Braknak-“ and the second is the “Nak-”. The Strongest female is the “Brilnar-“ and the second is the “Nar-“. For example the primary female druid might be, “Brilnar-Hanarla of the Vanvarg”.
(DC 15) The Nis also despise gods, whom they feel are “pretenders” and that only weak mortals need the help of mewing deities. Truly strong peoples are part of nature, and nature demands strength and ability to survive. If you are not strong enough to survive on you own, then you deserve death.
Scholars and travelers often get caught up with the fierceness of the Nis and colorful nature of their culture and appearance. The truth is that the Nis are this way, in part, because they live in extremely dangerous lands. They must protect themselves against humanoid tribes, huge predatory monsters and all the dangers of the wilderness.

Structure

Each Nis belongs to a band who are an extended family unit, each band numbers from thirty to one hundred individuals including children. Marriages are usually arranged by the families with the male joining the women's band. The first daughter and first son of a family remain with the band. Other children are traded to other bands, either for other children or for goods or alliances. Each band has several positions of honor. There is the spiritual leader, almost always a female sorcerer or druid called the "Brilnar" who is attended by several other shamans, druids, or sorcerers. There is the warleader, usually a male with the title "Braknak" who is counseled by a small group of warriors. A huntermaster, of either gender, called the "Halat" is a very important figure. These three leaders look to a small council of elders for wisdom and guidance.
Each Band belongs to a larger tribe. It is unknown how many tribes there are, it is thought that each tribe has from 10 to 20 bands, totally 300 to 2000 members. Tribes meet on some holidays and holy days, gathering to compete, trade, and socialize. The tribal leadership is made up of the three leaders of each band. These leaders are organized into some sort of hierarchy unknown to outsiders.
Finally, each tribe belongs to the Nis. As far as anyone knows, the tribes have not acted all together. Those who have encountered even a small number of these people shutter at the thought of what thousands of them could do.

Public Agenda

The Nis are not an outward looking people. They seek to continue their ways of life and seek little contact with others. They do value the fine metal items they trade for with others, but only on their own terms. Survival of the bands is the most important aspect of day to day activities.

Assets

The Nis do not have a great deal of material wealth, but they do possess a large number of great warriors and spellcasters.

History

Who the Nis were before is unknown. Some southern historians believe they were once a powerful nation that crumbled during the last Dark Age, leaving them as "primitives".

Demography and Population

The Nis are a human tribe. There are some few who possess giant, ogre, and orc blood. There is a strong component of fey blood in their veins.

Military

The Nis have no formal military but many of its members are dangerous opponents.

Technological Level

The Nis operate at a relatively primitive level, but their high use of magic allows for a higher quality of life and life expectancy given their dangerous environment.

Religion

Druidism- The Nis practice a particularly fierce and xenophobic brand of druidism. The Nis are part of nature and all nature must be fierce to live. Hence, the Nis are fierce.
Most Nis religious rituals are to give thanks for the bounties of nature and to ask for the strength to continue to survive.

Foreign Relations

The Nis have no use for outsiders with the exception of a few traders who have proven themselves.

Agriculture & Industry

Individual bands usually contain a few individuals skilled at creating everyday items from stone, bone, wood, and furs. The bands also practice a form of shifting agriculture. As they move along their migratory routes, they make use of and take care of planted fruit tree groves, berry patches, and gardens largely allowed to go wild.

Trade & Transport

A select few outside traders have developed hard won relationships with certain bands that allow them to trade safely. The Nis desire metal weapons and tools and are willing to give a lot in trade. This includes fine wooden items, druidic magics, exotic jewelry, furs, uncut gem stones, exotic animals and captured monsters, and slaves.
The Nis do not regularly make use of transport, but some few have animal mounts or magical transportation.

Education

There are no formal institutions of learning amongst the Nis. Each band educates its young, including children received in trade, in the ways and traditions of the band, tribe, and the Nis as a whole. Children apprentice to worthy adults when they show an aptitude towards a role.

Mythology & Lore

The Nis believe they have always existed. They believe they rose out of the mud and forest floor at behalf of the Sun and the Moon who desired company. They believe that upon death, they rise into the sky and join the Sun and the Moon, but only if they prove themselves worthy. Those who don't are returned to live life again, always striving to be taken in by the holy pair of celestial bodies. When the Nis were young, the Sun and the Moon gifted them the animals of the forest and wildlands. These animals provide them food, materials, and companionship. Those animals who prove themselves worthy to the Sun and Moon will be born again as a Nis child, who may in turn rise to the heavens. The Sun and the Moon created the seasons, as a means of testing the Nis. They also send fierce monsters and enemies against them, giving them a chance to prove their bravery and aptitude.

Cosmological Views

The Nis see three forces in the universe (not necessarily as beings, but possessing some traits) the earth, the moon, and the sun. There is the world that is physical and visible. The Nis, plants, animals and everything else. Then there is the world that can't be seen or felt. The other world is home to spirits- everything has a spirit.

Tenets of Faith

To survive is to show faith, to have faith is to survive. All obstacles are only obstacles to faith and if one has enough faith, he can overcome them.

Ethics

Your Band is family and nothing is more important. Other Nis are to be respected, but they are also your competition. It is each Nis' duty to the heavens to test other Nis and show to all who is the most worthy. Outsiders and challenges are meaningless outside the opportunity to prove oneself. Non-Nis do not matter, although those who prove themselves might almost earn a little respect.
The Nis always keep their word to each other. A Nis will try to keep their word to an outsider, although, ultimately they matter little.
The Nis do not steal, rape, or murder outside of their ceremonial combat/contests. They are a hot blooded people and are prone to violence however. Bands handle their own justice, which can be quite severe.

Demonym

Nisian

Government System

Tribalism

Economic System

Barter system

Currency

The Nis understand and possess some coin, but its really only useful for trading with outsiders. They generally function as a bartering system for goods and services.

Major Exports

Furs, rare herbs, uncut gems, wooden weapons, leather garments and armor, magical items, some art objects.

Major Imports

Weapons and metal tools.

Judicial Body

Tribal leaders judge and punish crimes within the bands or tribes.