Poro

The nomadic Poro tribes, live in the outskirts of The Black Forest to the far north and east. They make their living by herding reindeer, and migrating with the reindeer packs. The Poro people are the only humans known to be able to navigate through the The Black Forest. These long journeys are lead by the Poro mystics and trailblazers who lead their people year after year without any maps. The Poro people don't use any written words and they only use vellum for the witchdrums of the Poro shamans.
The most important part of the Poro people is their storytelling. All their history and folklore is condensed in songs and stories that the children practice. Only after learning all the stories and legends of the Poro people, an individual is considered of becoming an adult. What this means in practice can be quite difficult to comprehend for outsiders. The Poro people have no leader, instead they follow the best storytellers, this can sometimes mean that there are several tribes. It takes an extremely charismatic and skilled storyteller to unite the Poro people in one tribe.
The Poro people don't have a solid comprehension of gender, instead in folklore they treat them as seasons. And as all seasons are as important, all individuals are equally important. All roles in the society can be earned equally. The Poro people are incredibly helpful and they don't have the concept of wealth in their society. They do understand the concept of trading, and to the dismay of many they tend be quite difficult to trade with as they value things based on their own taste. The Poro people have an exceptional sense of taste and smell, and they use this to trade food and supplies for things they need.
The Poro people worship old ones they call Ikutirsus the Sleeping Ones. They don't share details of their religion with those who haven't become 'adults' by their standards. The Poro elders claim that their stories and songs are so entertaining that they are the only things keeping the old ones sleeping and bringing end of the world. Their shamans make bone charms from whale bones near the shores of the glacial sea. They often also trade these charms to the fishermen in Dwyrsport during their long journeys.

Summer and Autumn

The Poro people spend the summer and autumn close to the glacial sea to the north. Harvesting and using sea salt to preserve food. During this time, the Poro people hunt Seals and arctic seagulls. Most of the summer and autumn, the Poro people let the reindeer roam freely in the arid tundra when the weather becomes too cold for plants to grow. Most childbirths happen during summer.
When the winds turn and begin to howl from the north, the Poro people begin to migrate inland, herding all their reindeer into several large packs as they embark on a long and perilous journey.

Winter and Spring

The Poro people migrate in the winter, across the The Black Forest. They often arrive the city in Crowald during the dead of winter. During this time, they trade with the locals. Exchanging goods. The most notable ones are preserved reindeer sausages made by the artisans in Crowald, which are a favorite among the Poro people. The Poro people also enjoy the dwarven winter ale made in Crowald. After a few weeks of trading, the Poro people begin their journey back towards the glacial sea, arriving there by the late spring. The Poro people avoid giving birth during this time.
This is the only time when outsiders are able to join the Poro people. Joining them during this stage, means that there is no return until the next winter comes. Only a few brave souls have joined the Poro people during their winter migration. Most commonly people who want to start their lives again join the Poro people, often becoming a part of their tribes.
During the migrations, the Poro people dress some of the reindeer ceremoniously as offers for dire wolves. These are often snatched away by the beasts in the cover of night, while leaving the people unharmed. The Poro people don't seem to mind having their lifestock being snatched away from them by the dire wolves.

The One Church

The one church considers the Poro people as heretics as they don't worship their pantheon. However, due to their peaceful ways, the church has concluded that they are not demon worshipers. Along the years, the church has attempted to send missionaries in an attempt to convert the nomadic Poro people. After each attempt, the church is not quite sure whether they were successful. As the Poro people are illiterate, the church has a difficult time on discerning whether, they are worshiping a minor deity in the pantheon. The Poro people have their own language that the church believes to be a dialect of the old common tongue.
Every few years, a priest joins the Poro people from Crowald in order to unearth the mysteries surrounding the Poro people. However, despite against the church's best interests, the exact nature of the Poro people has eluded the church. Or perhaps the Poro people are just too simple. Either way, the church has created an epic from the tales of the Poro people called 'Pohjola', which describes their view on how the world and Poro people were created.
Despite of the Church's efforts to use divination magic on the contents of the epic of 'Pohjola', they haven't been able to conclude that it is heresy. Because of these factors, the church has decided to simply leave the decision of what to do with the Poro people pending, giving House of Acedia the absolute authority to decide what to do with them. This meant there was no change in the status quo. House of Acedia simply chose to ignore the subject, and everyone was happy.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Neito, Milla, Saana

Masculine names

Poeka, Joni

Unisex names

Mörkö

Family names

Mettä, Juhannus, Vaeltaja

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The exact origins of the Poro language is unknown. Most Poro people also talk enough common tongue to be able to trade.

Shared customary codes and values

The one church has managed to find out that there is one and only one law among the Poro people: "Äeppä oo mäntti" which they have roughly translated, don't be a jerk to others. The Poro people live harmoniously together with the nature and each other.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Those who become married through eyes, stay together until one is dead. The widow often stays behind to take care of their loved ones body, leaving the tribe behind. Often starving to death alongside their loved one.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

The Poro are attracted to eyes, believing that eyes reveal everything about a person. Eye-contact has a special meaning inside their culture.

Gender Ideals

Poro society does not differentiate between the two genders, other than reflecting them through their nomadic journeys. The men represent the journey towards inland and the women represent the return back to the tundras of the glacial sea.

Courtship Ideals

Two Poro people know they are meant for each other when they make a special eye-contact. The outsiders call this experience as "married through eyes". Outsiders who have integrated into the Poro people and talked with others say the experience was unnaturally spiritual and ecstatic.

Relationship Ideals

Romance is encouraged during autumn and discouraged during summer and spring. From winter to summer, the Poro men chew a special herb that lowers fertility.