Kenttäinen

The Kenttäinen are a grouping of Talvinen peoples who live in the northernmost reaches of Telgren, with almost of the entirety of their population being in the Volthic Circle. Due to temperatures often being below freezing, they have a very distinct style of life, mostly revolving around reindeer herding, fishing, gathering, trapping, and hunting. They are very in tune with the land and are considered to be a model for how to survive in the far north without needing external support. Although they are far less connected to the trade routes of Telgren than most other people, they do perform a brisk trade in furs and pelts, which can fetch a very high price in lands to their south. Although most of this trade is with other Talvinen communities who are sedentary, the Kenttäinen also have some trade with the Voðeren, mostly via naval routes. They often recieve metals in exchange for such trade, which fluctuates in volume each year depending on the economic fortunes of the Kenttäinen and how much surplus they have.
The Kenttäinen, although possessing very similar culture throughout their range, can be divided into four separate groups- the Länsia, Tensa, Mytsän, and Yläm. Although minor differences exist, these are largely economic and sustinence-based distinctions rather than truly separate culture. Various tribes of Kenttäinen can and do move between the different groups occasionally. Of these groups, the Länsia are both the most populous and wealthy. Dwelling largely along the western coast of the Kenttäinen lands, they benefit from productive fishing lands and a more southern presence than most Kenttäinen, leaving them able to support a larger population on hunting and gathering. Consequentially, they rely less on herding, only keeping a limited number of reindeer and letting the rest roam free. They also benefit from their proximity to the eastern Voðeren, who are a lucrative trading partner and who allow the Länsia to obtain advanced weapons and goods. However, they also suffer from occasional Voðeren raids- although such raids are not very lurative for the Voðeren due to their lakc of coinage or even unworked precious metals as well as their migratory lifestyle, occasionally a particularly well-off tribe will be targeted out of convenience. The Länsia also live just north of the cursed forest, and consequentially must deal with the corrupted spirits of those woods, which can be a major issue in some years.
Inland from the Länsia, the Yläm are probably the most unique Kenttäinen subgroup. Due to the rough terrain and harsh weather of the mountains they live in, the Yläm have a very low population and also keep few reindeer. The Yläm, however, benefit from their isolated position, which means they are not disturbed or attacked by outsiders except in extreme cases. Much of their land is completely impassible unless a person knows the exact right path, and they are almost never worth raiding or attempting to conquer. Although poor in resources, they are a tightly bonded group and rarely mingle with outsiders, content in their existence. During the summers, Yläm may travel from the mountains to hunt while their reindeer graze, which does occasionally lead to conflict with lowlanders.
As the northern mountains drop off the the east, the Mytsän become the dominant population. Although often frozen, their woods are able to provide soldi grazing lands, as well as abundant timber and a bevy of small game during summers. The Mytsän and their reindeer herds wander far and wide, well into the southern reaches in winter, where they cross paths with the Iähmi. There, they engage in trading and occasionally assist in harvests if they arrive early enough in autumn. This is a positive exchange for both sides, as it allows the Mytsän to graze in more lush lands during winter, and Iähmi gain access to goods they may be short of at the time. Indeed, it's not unheard of for population exchanges to occur during these times, with Mytsän sometimes taking over abandoned farms if the conditions are right and the occasionall Iähmi abandoning sedentarism if their farm is falling upon hard times. Of course, realtionships may also develop, so there is that population exchange as well.
The final group of Kenttäinen, the Tensa, live to the north of the other three groups, well into the tundra. During the summer months, they often fish the adundant northern seas while allowing their reindeer to graze in the northern pastures. During the winter, they migrate south, where they rely upon their reindeer. As the first to adopt reindeer herding and the most reliant upon it due to the near-total lack of hunting opportunities during winter, they are often seen as the quintessential Kenttäinen. Although they aren't as highly populous as the Mytsän or the Länsia, the Tensa outnumber the Yläm by a large margin.
Although primarily economic groupings, the four Kenttäinen subgroups, known as the Suuliaini, are also vaguely political, as each has a council of elders that may meet to resolve disputes between various tribes within the Suuliaini. Beyond this, elders from two different Suuliaini may occasionally meet to deal with issues caused by the encroachment of one of the groups upon the other's traditonal lands or to resolve a dispute between feuding tribes belonging to different Suuliaini. These Suuliaini may also organized to deal with outside invasions, but this is rarely utilized due to the general unattractiveness of invading their lands. Such councils of war are unwieldy and it is hard to organize the various tribes into a cohesive fighting force, but it is far more effective than letting individual tribes attempt to fight off invaders one by one.