Nulia

The ancient days of the world are a time of chaos and instability. However, it was also a time of incredible happenings in the world. During the Age of Giants, some mortals would take to worshipping the giants as gods, and one such tribe was the Nulaka. They originated from the Rustil Lands, in the Hand of Perun, and it is said that great Ice Giants wandered the land. As tribes of mortals began to drive back giants across the world, these ice giants would create massive bridges of ice and would ask the Nulakans to follow. Follow they did, along with a small cohort of dwarves who would join the Nulaka. They would immigrate to the wild and chaotic land of the North Pole, in the shadow of the great World Spear, where they would live under the helpful guides of the Giants. However, many other tribes also either immigrated or lived previously on the Poles, and many were what would eventually become the Hell Tribes. They would raid the Nulaka constantly, and in one terrifying night, they would kill all the Ice Giants that helped the Nulaka Tribe and were just barely repelled by the tribe. A Dark age of terror was soon to follow.
Only, that is not what happened. As they sent their small funereal boats out to honor the giants who had helped them, an incredible display of color and light would arc across the sky, this arcane phenomena known as an Aurora. In this aurora, gods and goddesses would whisper to the Nulaka, claiming to be the spirits of the giants. The Nulaka would adopt this pantheon as their protector gods, and these gods would give them power to resist the barbaric Hell Tribes that sought to raid them. They would rename themselves to the Nulia, and would manage to survive the onslaught of barbarian tribes.
Recently they have, though nomadic, open the only safe port in the North Pole (keep in mind port here is less a sprawling city dock and more a single dock with one or two buildings) as means to get rare trade goods form foreign merchants. Those that know of them know them as some of the fiercest demon hunters in the world.

Naming Traditions

Unisex names

Nulian names are entirely unisex, and most if not all have a specific meaning to them. Some examples are

• Pukak (Snow Crust)
• Sesi (Snow)
• Tingiyok (Flying)
• Ukluk (Brown Bear Skin)
• Atka (Guardian Spirit)
• Aglakti (Song Maker)

Family names

While the Nulia do not have family names, it is common for names to be passed down through generations, so a child may be given their grandmothers name for example.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The Nulian tongue is known as Tuska

Culture and cultural heritage

The gods of the Nulia are a pantheon of god spirits that help protect the Nulia and give them strength and other such positive traits to live in the Poles. They are as follows:

• Seka: Goddess of Sea Animals and the Sea
• Alaba: Goddess of Fertility, medicine, and Domestic Life
• Aminga: Wolf God of the Hunt and Hunters
• Noalako: Mighty Bear god, who not only represents bears but also strength
• Ankagula: God of the Dead, who resides at the very bottom of the seas to care for the dead in his realm
• Malkaba and Selabta: Mother Sun and Brother moon respectively. They chase each other across the sky everyday to bring in a new day
• Silka: God of the Air, and is known for his temper

The Nulia religion is also known for being animistic, with Shamans making sure to care for the spirits that wander the land. However they also look out for demons, who they find terrifying and are to be slain whenever found, for the Hell Tribes have shown what terror demonic corruption can bring to one's soul.
Community and family are important to the Nulia. They must be strong together to be able to survive against the tribes that seek to hurt them. Being alone or separated from ones community is considered bad luck, and so if one is to be separated from their community they must bring small tokens to remember them by, so as to keep luck on their side. They also are known for being master survivalists, for there are many terrifying beasts and strange hostile spirits that roam the land, and one must be careful to either avoid or fight them off. They also are known for being very welcoming, which has led to them adopting the Tukara (or Walrus-Folk) into their ranks, and are known for domesticating wolves and polar bears to help them.

Average technological level

One curious thing of note is that a lot of their weapons art actually made of ice and the bones of great beasts. The ice is made as hard as steel using ice magic from the local Ice Shamans, and it is said these weapons are incredibly potent in slaying demons.

Common Dress code

Due to their location, their traditional style of clothing is built around keeping as warm as possible, for the frozen poles can reach horrifically low temperatures. Thick clothing with furs is quite common amongst the Nulia.

Art & Architecture

Their architecture and art is built around being mobile, as they are a nomadic people. Much of their buildings consist of warm tents, and much of their art is carved onto stones or made in magical small ice sculptures.

Foods & Cuisine

Due to their location, the Nulia cannot reasonably grow crops as few crops can grow in the shadow of the World Spears. Though there is grassland near the World Spears, the Nulian's do not dare go there from fear of all the demonic activity there. Most of their diet consist of the few roots and herbs that can be scavenged in the Poles, and animals such as bears, seal, whales, birds, artic foxes, and muskoxen.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Typically, the Nulia will make a boat designed to eventually sink after a short time. They will place the body in it and send it out to see, singing songs of mourning as it goes out before being swallowed up by the sea.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

The Nulia are an eggalitarian people

Relationship Ideals

Traditionally, the Nulian people are rather more liberal when it comes to relationships, in that examples of polygamy, open marriages, and monogamy. Essentially, the Nulian's do not care too deeply for relationship ideals, so long as everyone is happy with the relationship they are in.

Major organizations

The Nulian Tribes are a catch all term for the many tribes that dot the North and South poles of the world, and migrate around the world.

Related Locations

• The World Spear