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Nakam Lore (Non-Playable)

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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
The Nakam Race has now become Extinct.
All contact from Kavdek has ceased, as if the entire island and outside population of Nakam has ... vanished. No new Nakam will be arriving or appearing, and no new Nakam characters may be created.

The only exception to this is two existing Nakam having a biological child.


Navigation:
{Questions and Answers} - Ask questions to clarify the Lore!
{Lore} - All the official lore can be found here (ORGANIZED)
{The Art} - Ever wondered what the Nakam look like?
{Applications} - How to play a Nakat + list of Active Nakam
{Lexicon} - Verba, the language of the Nakam


~Nakam Lore So Far~

Physiology:
-What we are
-We’re NOT cats
-Why we can’t have half-kitty babbies
-What do Nakam look like?
-Fur Facts
-Nakam Life Cycles
-Known Birth Defects
-The Importance of Whiskers
-More on Nakam’s Hearing bits
-Catnip
-Nakam and Potions and Booze
-Feral Nakam
-Just how unvicilized are the Native Nakam?
-Deserts: No
-Medical Knowledge
-More Medical Goodness
-Ailments and Diseases of Kavdek

Culture:
-Why we hate magic with a flaming passion
-Magic BAD
-Nakam Spirit Blessed
-Nakam Religion
-Nakam Relationships
-The Language of the Nakam
-Fun Fact: What do you call your young?
-Race Opinions
-Relationship between Verbali and Kavdek
-Verbali and Native Hierarchy
-Nakam Social Life
-Clothing
-Footwear, or lack thereof
-Nakam Jewlery
-Verbali Theatre
-Formal Attire and General Partying Conduct
-Nakam Burials
-And what if a Nakat Satob dies?
-Nakam Celebrations
-Diet and Lifestyle
-Nakam Music
-Common Professions
-Working Ages
-Nakam Warriors
-Verbali Weaponry
-Sooleran Nakam
-Nakam Tattoos
-Nakam Art
-Pet Clarification
-Equality towards Living Beings and Carnivores
-Transportation
-Nakam Writing
-Sports and Games

Locale:
-Ruins
-Kavdek Wild Life and Domestication
-More Wildlife
-Nakam Trade and Tourism



-To Be Clarified!
Credit to Valcust.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
PHYSIOLOGY

~What we are~
Now, the only problem with that is that the Nakam aren't simply another race, but another Species entirely.
Elves, dwarves, halflings; all possible due to the fact that they bare some resemblence to a human, which leads my drastically realistic and sci-fi based mind to believe that they're somehow related as a species..
The Nakam, however, are simply bipedal felines who've developed rational thought, a conscious, emotion, and opposable thumbs (We've all seen the hilarious milk commercial, please don't post it ._.)
On that note...

~We're NOT cats..~
"Hey, monkey! why don't you bring your ape butt over here and hand me some ale?"
… People don't normally talk like that.
And even if they did, being called a monkey or an ape is generally an insult, as the person is comparing you to your lesser-evolved genetic companions.
This is the same for the Nakam.
To call a Nakam cat is to compare them to something that spends sixteen hours a day sleeping and the rest licking itself clean.
Meanwhile you have a six foot tall feline PERSON sitting here, completely cleaned with SOAP, and who only got three hours of sleep last night due to his paperwork that needed to be done.
It's an insult to be called a cat as a Nakam, somewhat of a racial slur, actually, though a fairly common one, and I’d love to see it used more IC. Know, however, that any Nakat would immediately take grevious offense to this.

Note: Nakam cannot ‘meow’ or ‘purr’. They can intentionally attempt to replicate the noise, but it wouldn’t sound any better then your average humans’ attempts.

~Why we can't have half-kitty babbies~
Because we are effectively entirely different from just about most of the other races in altera (of course there will be some exceptions) Bearing a halfling Nakam child will be impossible..
I only bring this up because it seems some Humans wish to bear Nakam children.
Now, when they faced me in RP, I'd a lot of things on my mind, and it didn't hit me until litterally just about half an hour ago "Wait..That's impossible!"
So, just to clarify: Something + Nakam = no baby.
Nakam + Nakam = somewhat chance of baby, and stuff.

The question's been brought up multiple times: "Do Nakam have children, or litters?"
Due to their physiology, Nakam share the limits of birthing numbers that humans do.
"litters" are never heard of, and most Nakam only give birth to a single child at a time, though twins and triplets are a rare occurrence.

~What do Nakam look like?~
There's also been the odd question plaguing my mind "what do we look like?"
Well, of course there's the infamous elder scrolls "Khajiit" look, but I feel if the Nakam come from Ocelots, they would not have that "mountain lion" look as the Khajiit do..
Actually, look to your pet mittens/scruffy/snarf/smeagol, your cat.
We're kind of a big version of that..
Of course, with subtle changes. I actually LOVED the way Jasperington represented my own character, and therefore the species.
You can find that picture, and many others detailing various Nakat, in our Art Thread!
As you can see, my muzzle is small, my ears are large, my shoulders are not very prominent, my legs are bipedal digitigrade, and that bird clearly wants my soul. (that last part's not important)
I also love that my character's a bit a-sexual, which I'd imagined for all Nakam would be the norm.
Of course, females would probably have a bit wider hips, but I wouldn't see them having large breasts.
In short- We pretty much look like all those amazing pictures. Cats- genderless and covered in fur.
Our height varies anywhere from 5' to about a maximum of 6'2", though a 6'2" Nakam is considered a giant amongst his/her peers.
Nakam eyes are said to be very similar to those of any feline, with feline irises, though they retain a spark of intelligence.
Natural eye colors of Nakam can range from browns, to blues, to greens, and even some slight oranges and the occasional yellow.
This does not, however, take away from the Nakam's "fire eyes" or "ghost eyes" Nakam are said to have in most Teshvadiik superstitions.
This is most likely a dramatized way of looking at the seemingly unnatural way a Nakam's eyes can "glow" in low-light situations.

~Nakam Life Cycles~
The average Nakam is expected to live around 60-70 years of age, with the oldest living Nakam (Without the aid of magic) is recorded to've been 87.
Nakam years are much like a humans, ranging from toddlership to wrinkly-eww-ness.
Though, here's the average Nakam's life in a few seconds:
0-3 Dekdaki (the beginning age)
3-13 Dakichal (The age of innocence)
13-20 Dakibek (The age of idiocy)
20-45 Dajakal (The age of responsibility)
45-death Dakeva (The age of wisdom)

~Fur Facts~
The Nakam's pelt isn't much different from what you'd expect- hair. That brings into question the properties and abilities of such a covering.
Of course, when completely drenched, there's no way to tell exactly how long it'd take for the person in question to be soak-free. Fur length, thickness, consistency all effect such a process, as well as clothing and weather.
A shorter-furred Nakam wearing not but a pair of shorts on the sunniest of days is sure to be completely dry within an hour, if not sooner.
A longer-furred Nakam wearing the finest of robes and wears of all of Altera rushing to get indoors after a flash rainstorm may take a while longer to dry completely.
With all taken into consideration, though, most wouldn't expect to remain drenched for more than a few (horridly and hauntingly unpleasant) hours.
As for aging, the short answer to whether or not color occurs is "yes.", The long answer would be that pigment within hairs gradually wears away with age, and is most often first evident at the extremities.
Let's take, for example, a dark furred black Nakam.
With age, their fingers, tail, rear abdomen, ears, hands, feet, lower legs, muzzle, may become a lighter hue of brown.
With even more age, the brown may advance farther up the Nakam's body, leaving behind small twinges of white and grey hairs, and even lighter browns.
As said before, pigments will mostly gradually wear away, rather than transfer straight from their previous color to grays and whites.

~Known Birth Defects and Other Physical Handicaps~
While most Nakam are born quite normally, there will always be the possibility of physical anomalies and such, as with any species. In many ways, what you'd expect to see in birth defects doesn't vary very much from humans, though there are a few implications of different defects to take into consideration; such as dwarfism. As you may or may not know, there are two different forms of dwarfism, proportionate, and disproportionate. The former describes a person who's entire body is smaller in size than average, while the latter usually describes a person who retains an average sized mid-section and head, while their limbs are smaller than average. While proportionate dwarf Nakam could be indistinguishable from children (besides apparent wrinkles, fur discoloration due to age, apparent weight difference, or seemingly unnatural walking), disproportionate dwarves also have an added physical defect, otherwise known as "Bub Face" or "Grump Face". "Bub Face" describes a case where their lower jaw becomes substantially smaller, leaving their face to resemble that of Lil' Bub.

Lilbub.jpeg lil bub 2.jpeg
As seen above, this shortened jaw causes tongues to hang out often, this would lead to many difficulties in communication and verbal speech.
The other symptom, "Grump Face", as you could imagine, would cause a Nakat to resemble good ol' Tard, due to their upper jaw shortening, and their lower jaw judding out into an underbite.

grump.jpeg
"Grump Face" can also occur should a Nakam's muzzle be compressed within the womb, causing a shortened and flattened muzzle. This will often lead to respiratory hardships.
However, the social attitude towards the physically impaired is not nearly as stigmated as within human society, as physical beauty rarely accounts towards any sort of judgement. So long as a person's ability in their work is sustained, they retain their social relations with each other just as well as any "normal" Nakat.
It should also be noted that while these birth defects do not occur on a wide level, they are not unknown to the doctors of Verbali and many of the more long-lived Native villages.

~The Importance of Whiskers~
While it's been mentioned before in-game, I have yet to describe what part whiskers actually play in a Nakat's life. A Nakat's whiskers aren't vital for much of anything, though they do assist in spacial awareness and heighten a Nakat's sense of balance. The specialized hairs retain their sensitivity to movement and removement as they have in prior years, normally extend somewhere around four to seven inches away from their faces, are VERY sensitive to pain, but only if plucked away from the root. Otherwise they are just as sensitive as any hair, in that they're not.
However: whiskers tend to be one of the very few asthetically pleasing point of interest for Nakam, so removal of such will bring a Nakat's self-image and self-worth down a bit, until new whiskers should grow out, which could take months to even years to grow out fully again.
Native Nakam see whiskers as being the mind's connection to memories, so to take their whiskers is to undo their social persona and their past, essentially creating a new spiritual person. Many natives will pluck out their whiskers should they seek anonymity or a new identity, though such an act often occurs because they are some form of pariah, leaving missing whiskers to also carry a connotation of being untrustworthy or "bad" amongst Nakam.

~More on Nakam's Hearing bits~
Due to their swiveling, high set, large ears, Nakam are able to determine the source of a sound EXTREMELY well. This predator sensory set up allows for an extreme focus on sounds, though an overall perception on sounds in a large area are left to be picked out individually. Let me put it this way: in an pitch-black, silent room, most humans could only make out the squeaks of mice and vaguely tell where they'd come from, Nakam hear the rodent's footsteps with clarity and could easily point out where it's tiny feet reside on hearing alone. However, humans can hear that there is a group of people about a hundred yards away having a conversation, whereas Nakam will have to twitch and spin their ears until they find the direction the conversation is coming from to have any sort of reliable clarity. Think of our hearing as eyes, we can see a great deal of things with some vague amount of clarity, though we must chose and focus on certain things to look at if we want an extremely detailed sight.
This being said, just as with all living things, long-term exposure to loud sounds will degrade their hearing over time.
Unless they're working with explosives on a daily basis, I doubt you'd come across a Nakat with extremely poor hearing
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
~Catnip.~
First off- Catnip does not have the same effect for everyone. While the broadened definition of the herb can be said as "slightly mind-altering", the standard is that it's effects last, at longest, half an hour.
As for the high, it will in most cases severely impair a Nakat's judgement, though their exact attitudes during their endeavor varies according to their personalities and subconscious mind.
Some may become overwhelmed with a sense of companionship and love, forcing them to be hug-machines.
Others may become stoic, and choose to simply sit by the fire, with a handy snack nearby.
While others still may become frantic and slightly feral, leading them to be hostile, yet retaining their ability of slurred speech.
While this plant does not grow in their native land of Kavdek, Verbali citizens are known to buy and use the herb in recreational use through incense and tea.
Slightly spiked ale is also a favorite amongst the pubs and bars in the city as well, leading to a slight increase in the amount of skirmishes that appear within the city walls, though nothing drastic.

~Nakam and Potions and Booze~
Alcohol.

Now, there are two conflicting points that I'd like to make..
1)The Nakam have infamously fast metabolisms, which means it's not going to take much to get them singing sea-shanties while emptying the contents of their stomach off the front porch at the same time. But they're also known to recover from long nights relatively quickly.
2)Another fact is that Kavdek native Nakam do have their own form of Alcohol, made from what is believed to be fermented tree vines, and said alcoholic beverage does tend to be a bit fierce. As in the Nakam's "ale" can be comparable to plain grain alcohol. Nothing a human would want to drink for fun...

It's believed, since most Kavdek natives tend not to drink often, that such alcoholic beverage has not had the time to go through the trial and error of creation.
Basically, they found a way to make a drink that makes them feel funny, and they figured "Eh, might taste terrible, but why broke what's not fixin? Wait.."
Though most consumption of said Nakam "ale" is mostly in small amounts, perhaps even fractions of ounces at a time..

Just don't go to a Nakat merchant asking for ale.
You're probably not going to remember why your name is so terribly slandered all over town the next morning, and why everyone keeps mentioning "that thing you did with the pineapple".

There's also been the question of potions. Just as with any medication (Keep Science in mind) they could have the same basic effect for a different species as with a human, though the side-effects could be drastically different..
So far, ones that've made sense to me are-
Instant Health potion- Heals user but also makes Nakam very uppity, may have a use as an anti-depressant in Verbali.
Regenerative potion- I'm basing this off the very realistic effect as most pain medications: that it somehow acts as a localized time-based medicine and somehow backlogs the user's body.
Now, for humans, this isn't such a huge ordeal.
Oh, your skin's reappearing on your arm. that's fine.
This is where the Nakam's mental hindrance comes at a downfall..
While under the effects of Regen, Most Nakam suffer a temporary bout of cloud-mindedness.
Now, this sounds bad, but in truth, a drugged Nakat is just another animal.
Don't bother it, and it'll go about it's day, killing and eating every stray pig or cow in it's path until it somehow pops back into having a conscience.
The concern of how LONG the Nakam in question will remain in such a state is somewhat debatable, as it mostly depends on the individual's ability to cope with such a mental shift.
Though a regen-induced “feral spree” isn't known to last more than a few in-game days.
Splash Regens may be very useful to others in battle, as a Feral Nakam is more likely to run away than to stay to fight.
However, if by the off chance that you do get a fighter, you've just thrown a glass bottle at what would be the equivalent to a six-foot tall mister fluffles.

Remember that one time mister fluffles "almost scratched your eye out"?
Remember when he tore your pillow to shreds then peed all over it?
Remember when he left that dead mouse at your bedside as a sign of his friendship?
.......Mhmm..

~Feral Nakam~
And that does bring up the concern of feral Nakam..

I do agree that playing one well does require a certain amount of discipline, as the temptation to stray into OP territory is a bit overwhelming..
Though, if a player is to stick to lore, just remember how a wild animal thinks:
“Oh, person?
Person bad, person kill animals like me.”

OPTIONS:
1)Scare person, make person run away
If that fails-
2)Person bad, run away.
And if that fails
3) Person not leave me alone, person hurt, I hurt person.
… And unless you're some feral mother protecting her feral child (No idea how that'd come about.) you're not going to immediately remove missus' explorer's face from her pretty skull as soon as you look at her.
In fact, even when you are feral, you're not able to do that.
You've got claws about a half inch in length if you're lucky. You're not going to do much with just those.
Teeth are a viable option, though, and if a human bite can break bone...
Well, as was said waaaay back in the proposal, becoming a feral requires a GREAT deal of mental trauma to activate.
Nothing short of watching their own father being battered to death with his own dismembered arm will make a Nakam turn feral.

So, fiance breakup?
Not traumatic enough.
Village being pillaged? (my new hit single, apparently)
Nope.
Near death, being chased by bandits?
… Perhaps, maybe if you had arachnophobia and spiders decided to join in on the fun.

Though remember: “person bad, run away from person.”

And even if you do manage to get away from your bandit pursuers, you've just lost yourself in a wild forest without the knowledge to punch trees for lumber.
As a Feral Nakam, you must live as a mob does, for about a minecraft day or two.
No shelter, no digging (perhaps digging leaves would be fine >.>), and no fishing.

~Just how uncivilized are the Native Nakam?~
While the native Nakam do tend to live in homes constructed of natural materials, they are not by any means unpleasant. Many offer food and shelter to weary travelers, and are known to be helpful guides amongst the frozen jungle. While some roving bands of bandit Nakam hunt explorers for both game and supplies, there is no known tribe of bandits.

Most native villages can span a few acres in any direction, and are comprised of a multi-level structure of bridges and suspended homes hung with care hundreds of feet above the jungle floor. Each home or building in each village has a source of fire, as well as a traditional "communal flame" which often burns in the middle of a suspended courtyard.

Tribal warriors most often come from the same families as the tribe's hunters, though some of the larger tribes do have separate families. Warriors often use simple bows and spears as weaponry, and wear heavily padded suits of leather. Though do not let their simplicity overshadow their strength, as most warriors are known to fight until the last breath to defend their tribes. Quite literally, actually. There are accounts of warriors striking down their enemies while missing limbs, before giving in to blood loss only moments later.
Keep in mind that some do go feral-mid battle, and often turn to animalistic instincts of biting the neck to bring down their enemies.

~Deserts: No.~
As of late, another question's been buzzing around in my head: "What should a Nakam feel like in different climates?"

Well, we already know that the Nakam come from a very cold climate, something only reachable within a tundra here in the land of Altera.
But, if a Nakam is to find their self in, say, a desert, they're not likely to be enjoying it much.
Imagine having a padded sweater that's attached to your skin, that you can never take off.
Now imagine wearing that sweater into an area which is most likely ninety degrees in the shade.
Needless to say, the Nakam usually stay away from dry and hot places in favor of cooler climates.
However, some Nakam are known to travel to Desert areas, so long as their home is cooled by some source of ice or snow, and if there is a supply readily available.

Heatstroke and death are two very real possibilities in the desert, even for a furless human. There is no exception to this rule with the Nakam, if anything, the likely hood of either death or heatstroke is elevated.
Humidity is also a worry, such as in jungle-like areas, though it's not nearly as horrid environment for Nakam as deserts are.
Bottom line: Snow good, Deserts bad. Very bad.

~Medical Knowledge~
"Alright, so you guys have no magic, so how do you save your worst wounded?"

Well, it all depends on the wound.

As speculated, without the aid of healing magic, Nakam have become extremely knowledgeable in the ways of medical care- whether that be trauma, paternity care, or otherwise, years of trial and error have left even the natives with a somewhat advanced knowledge for care of the wounded or sick.
For one, they understand that cleanliness is healthy. Which leads to any medical tools being cleaned before use, as well as the banishment of cross contamination by using tools that have just been used on another patient.
When coupled with bone setting and splinting, natural medicines derived from the jungle plants able to coagulate even the heaviest of bleeding wounds, and proper trauma care, many Nakam have been brought back from the edge of death through no magical assistance.
Because of this, it isn't uncommon to see amputee Nakam, heavily scarred Nakam, blind, bruised, battered, balding, just those who have clearly been through heavy punishment and pain.
This is most commonly seen in the Guard district of Verbali, even those who are no longer able to continue their duties are never thrown from their provided cotts and homes in the guard houses.
This does bring me to prosthetics- while most natives who've lost limbs are left to lean on staffs or canes, a section of the Verbali guard has developed an artificial leg and foot from a slightly bent branch of a tree able to bend the slightest bit and support the wearer's weight, with an added nailed pad at the bottom for stability, the entirety of the structure attaches to the wearer's limb by a simple cloth wrap coupled with a carved wooden cup to fit the stub, using simple wrappings to hold it to the wearer.
Arms have been a bit more complex to figure out, no such full arm prosthetic has been developed. However, hand prosthetics are more often considered toolboxes rather than limbs.
By using a simple "twist and switch" lock system on the wrist of the prosthetic limb, the wearer may switch out the hand for many differently positioned tools.
Perhaps a cup oriented vertically or a cupped hand oriented horizontally forward, or a saw, had the wearer gone into carpentry, an entire array of hands have been created by many different inventors within Verbali.

Most often, a wearer will carry all these different hands in a side-bag.

~More Medical Goodness~
So, I've mentioned in the past that the Nakam are a bit advanced in the ways of medicine, having so much time to accumulate the knowledge through good ol' trial and error.

However, let's delve a bit deeper into the issue~
Chronic conditions such as heart murmurs or other slight deformities have been made readily diagnosable thanks to one of the more prominent natural tools of the Nakam; their ears.
While they're nowhere near sensitive enough to hear heartbeats across the room, many Nakam doctors have been trained to diagnose heart and gastric conditions by sound alone.
Of course, no every day Nakat would be able to press his head against the chest of a pained man and make sense of the garbled noises- one must be trained to seek out key pointers from rhythm, sound, and intensity.

This also comes in handy for maternity purposes, as a developing child's heartbeat can also be heard through the mother's abdomen.
While sound diagnoses are no where near 100% accurate, they give the doctor in question a very reliable jumping off point for treatment.
Medication has also come far from the outside world- when coupled with the trade of far lands, many Nakam doctors have been able to order remedies and plants from nearly across the entire world. Of course, the more difficult to obtain, the more expensive the medication.

However, secretism surrounding some Nakam made medication has left some merchants believing that they're selling grass clippings to foreigners for an easy fortune, unaware of the plants true purpose.
Surgery is nowhere near the science known of the modern world, however, amputations and otherwise healing surgeries (such as major stitching of open wounds, cleaning of infections) have been made much more reliable within Verbali than the outside world.
Better yet, due to the conditions surrounding most Nakam deaths, bodies have been donated by loved ones to doctors for study, under such conditions that they be cremated once observations and experiments have been concluded. Remember- the Nakam do not believe in holding onto physical representations of their loved ones, only their memories. So a body is only important for it's ritualistic purposes (cremation, spreading of ashes, etc.)

These observations and experiments with cadavers have lead to leaps in understanding of both Nakam and (thanks to weary travelers) humanoid bodies.
"Wait, weary travelers? What do you mean?!"
Relax, there's no known conspiracy to kill unknowing visitors for scientific purposes.
However, Kavdek is a dangerous place. And you took a knowledgable risk coming here.

Say our guards come across a disarmed (litterally) human corpse semi-buried under a snow drift after a brief run in with a saberdog. Why should it be our responsibility to haul your idiotic frozen butt across the sea? You know what? We're goin' to use you. For science. We appreciate the donation, and thank you for choosing Kavdek as your place of death.

~Ailments and Diseases of Kavdek~
Just as with any foreign land, Kavdek's terrain provides for unique ways in which a person can be physically and mentally miserable. Yaaaaay~!

"Invisible icicles"- Actually a case of cold-climate fleas. What with the Nakam's gratuitous amounts of fur, "invisible icicles" can remain an issue for quite some time. Luckily, any sort of extreme warm weather is known to kill off any sort of native flea species. Unfortunately, all places warm enough to "heal" this ailment are overseas.

"Greenfoot"- A type of cold-weather mold that first appears as spores in snow, awaiting a warm body to melt said ice and allow it to stick to their fur and/or skin.
This allows the mold a certain level of reproductive stability, allowing it to spread spores in snow wherever the host should travel.
Adverse effects to the host, besides having the affected area overcome with what appears to be dark green fur, includes rashes of the skin underneath infected area, and said rash does have a strong possibility of becoming infected and all that goodness.

"icerot"- mostly known to overtake extremities, this infection works in tandom with the extreme cold to rot away areas with slowed blood flow in cold climates. While not life-threatening (as the infection cannot overtake an area that has warm, healthy blood flowing through it.) it does result in many ears, fingers, and other extremedies being damaged. Icerot of the ears has been described as appearing: "as if the flesh were to become paper, ripped and torn, the remaining grain being jagged and crude, though no blood is seen."
However, due to the nakam's fur coat, icerot usually only results in the tips of ears being eaten away. Any and all other extremities are usually covered in a healthy layer of fur.

"Desert soul" - a bacteria found in stagnant water sources within caves about Kavdek. Thought to've come about from the teshvadiik invasion, should any infected stagnant water reach a mucus membrane, the Nakam in question will be overcome with a heavy cough, debilitating weakness, and an extreme fever, though symptoms usually take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to arise.
It's name came about when the eyes of those infected were seen as dry, and the body remaining hot for hours after death, even if it were to be set on snow.
While this disease is non infectious from person to person, an infected water source can mean the end to an entire village.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
Culture

~Why we hate magic with a flaming passion~
"Well, what if I want to be a Nakam that can use magic...?"

*LE SIGH*

Well, first off, I must say that the Nakam can use magic, and are, in fact, very good at it.
This is mostly due to the fact that their bloodline has refused to use any sort of magic for GENERATIONS. And I'm not talking about one or two, I mean a really long time, possibly since the first Nakam stood upright.
The effects of magic on a Nakat wouldn’t vary too much from its fellows, but a Nakat has more of a chance to be free of any previous misconceptions and learn using magic as it’s most naturally intended to be learnt.
Good thing they hate magic with a vengeance!
And the hate's something I can't really accurately describe. I suppose that "spiritual energy" I mentioned a few sentences ago has some sort of honorable significance to their culture, they see that energy as the very being of their ancestors, and to use it to fuel some frivolous spells or commands seems dishonorable.
I mean, really. How would you like it if someone stole your soul just for some party tricks?

"B-but, if I am a Nakam mage..Will other fuzzy faced people still like me because I look like them?"
*death stare.jpg*
No.

Let me put it this way: your grandmother is watching you and your younger brother for the day.
While she's reading you a nice story about some devious mouse with a cookie addiction, your brother decides to slit her throat open.
Sure he's your brother, and he might even be a little stupid, but come on. There's no way you can't hate the guy after that.
The Nakam see magic users as doing the same thing to their ancestors.
And that's not even describing it well, slitting your grandmother's throat is a graspable concept; now imagine what using her very soul to make a card float in the air seems like.
In short- Try not to use magic around any Nakam.
If they're the kind to take offense to that type of thing easily, you may just get a fancy new gaping hole in the middle of your stomach.

Michcats Note: If I catch anymore current Nakam trying to use magic I will hunt them down. Magic = No. The occasional exception needs to be directly approved by me.

~MAGIC BAD. MAGIC BAD.~
Magic is never outwardly brought about as hated. People just don't go walking down the street grumbling things about warlocks and such.
But, since I'm assuming you at least need a bit of training before you can execute even the smallest of magical abilities, many Nakam simply go about their lives believing that magic is a simple fairytale.
Otherwise, since it is engrained that magic is essentially against the natural order of things, they will look on magic with a very ominous and hateful viewpoint. Many who see that they can use magic often suffer self-esteem issues.
magic is not, and can not ever be seen as a good thing to these people by default.
EVER.
it is EXTREMELY difficult to convince them otherwise, and you may just get your face scratched off if you push the issue too far.
Those who are "talented" in magic, in that it's simply something that happens at random and they cannot control, will often go to great lengths to hide their secret. Though, if the problem becomes too overpowering, many are known to traverse the island's frozen forests, alone, seeking enlightenment and redemption for their curse.
Many end up in the southern peak, as the stories of the ominous village within the unnatural cave speak of knowledge handed down directly from the Naklefam.

~Nakam Spirit Blessed~
An elemental Nakam spirit blessed is never recorded to've ever existed. This is thought to be because of the Nakam's general hate of anything Magic, and most often a body's inability to handle such a spirit.
However, Nakam Spirit Blessed do exist, and are not hated in the least by their peers.
Nakam are in tune with their belief system, that the spirits of their ancestors influence all happenings in the world, both the good and evil.
A Nakam spirit blessed is not able to levitate items, create fire/water, or anything similar to that.
Rather, with the ability to be within the spirit's realm and their own simultaneously, spirit blessed Nakam have the ability to look into the fates of the world and all happenings.
Though the rarity of such a Nakam is massive, where only around a hundred have been known to exist within the extent of all Nakam history. (That is to say it is not an obtainable perk).
These "Fate blessed" are no more than Nakam holymen, essentially, advising tribal leaders and Verbali council members on their actions and such.

Unfortunately, with changes to the lore, Spirit Blessed no longer applies.

~Nakam "Religion"~
Nakam beliefs do not surround all knowing beings or creators or anything of the like.
As far as they're concerned, the world's always been here.
The closest thing they have to "gods" would be the Naklefam, the first four, which are four Nakam who are credited with beginning the entirety of the species.

Sxoki, the first Nakam farmer.

Bekku, the first craftsman.

Sajek, the first warrior.

Zerin, the first mother.

(All these names are fairly common amongst the Nakam.)
These ancestors of the Nakam hold some importance amongst other ancestors, but are never seen as all-powerful.
The Nakam believe that as they die, their soul is taken as a part of the very life force which makes up all of nature. Both the good and evil make up the power which influences all happenings in the world. The Nakam do often "pray" to their ancestors for things, whether it be wealth, strength, or love. Though "pray" often insinuates worship, which is incorrect to their beliefs. The Nakam do not worship their ancestors, but see them as the family members who they've never met, yet always known.

~Nakam relationships~
So, many people are wondering how Nakam can possibly feel emotions of the gushy and cheesy type towards each other.
Honestly, Nakam emotions aren't too far off from a humans. Though their views of what constitutes a fitting spouse may be a little different.
As I said back in the proposal, the Nakam tend to have a gender neutral stance on just about anything. And though they can acknowledge beauty, it's no basis for a mate on it's own. Flauntering your bits around in hopes of getting a reaction won't get you too far with a Nakam.
Instead, the Nakam tend to look for some base of the person's actions, whether or not interacting with them for long periods of time is beneficial for them.
It is, also, socially enforced to be attracted to others whom share the same trade as they do. Generally this is a good way to keep hunting families hunting, scavenger families scavenging, etc.
Though most Nakam do have more than one suitor from time to time and do engage in courtship, they generally don't pair with anyone unless they assume it's a long term ordeal.
Taking into consideration that Nakam are people, of course, and there will always be the bad apple.
Nakam generally mate for life to a singular other Nakam, this prevents inbreeding of Nakam with similar genetics, but also makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Wait, I mean it makes sense. Yeah. Let's leave it at that.

*Note~ I should probably add that most Nakam are not attracted to "hairless", that being anything other than a straight Nakat.

It's about as straight forward as a human not liking a fuzzball, just in reverse.
In fact, someone could probably get ridiculed for liking a hairless whilst being a Nakam.
The question arises as to Nakam sexuality, whether or not lesbians or gays exist within the Nakam community.
The truth is, Nakam don't really understand these terms. Their relationships are based on companionship and love, to obscure things with gender tend to get things a bit messy mentally.
Though there's always the base instinct to reproduce so that mostly leads to male/female couples.
Though Nakam simply see themselves as loving another Nakam, not a gender.

It is also important to note that "marriage" does not exist in Nakam culture.
If two Nakam are to declare another their mate (Satob in Verba, the language of the Nakam), then it is so, and remains so for as long as the two shall remain together. This is the equivalent to “Marriage”.

Such a bond would seem loosely knit by human standards, though Nakam are known to be extremely loyal to their Satob, and the rate of Nakam "divorce" is well below 2%.
Declaring another this is no whimsical announcement, such a commitment is fully understood and respected by the entire culture.

~The Language of the Nakam~
I've also been thinking of how exactly Nakam would fare in learning new languages.

Needless to say, most Nakam grow up speaking Verba, called such by the first traders to Verbali. The Nakam, never having a name for their own language besides "Talking" adopted the name Verba with pleasure.
Ever since trading has become the central means of income for Verbali, however, most (if not all) Verbali citizens are well versed in Common and Verba. Common, however, is known to the Nakam natives as "Tra'de" (Trah-Deh), simply because of a misunderstanding wherein the Verbali council had declared Common Tongue as the "trade" language.
Some Verbali traders may also know a bit of other languages as to trade with a wider array of ships, however, Common tongue (the Alteran equivalent to English) has been taken as previously stated, a world wide trade language.
Native Nakam, growing up knowing only Verba, may find it a bit difficult to learn Tra'de, but not impossible.
the Average Nakam is capable of knowing two languages, and being somewhat rusty in one.
However, if a Nakam is to dedicate large amounts of time to study, some scholars have beeen.

So, as it should be clear by now, the Nakam are not necessarily born common tongue
speakers. And though a great portion of Verbali traders may be able to speak common tongue nearly perfectly, others will have a heavy accent.
Verba, while spoken with sharp, low lived sounds, is also generally spoken in low tones.
Nakam may roll their R's when speaking, however, glottal stops are rare amongst the accented. This is mostly due to the Nakam's language consisting of sharp, precise sounds, so contractions are even semi-rare.
As for a sound, I'd imagine something similar to either native or southern american accents.

Many words within the Nakam language have dual, yet similar meanings in their culture.
Such as Vera, which can mean direct flame or general warmth.
Though the most influential of these dual-purpose words would be "Satob"- meaning home, the place of belonging, or mate, as in loved one.
This simple wording should further express the Nakam's mind set of being faithful to one lover, and the importance of such a relationship.known to know around four languages.

Speaking Verba is utilized in-game with <____> or <Verba:____> .

~Fun Fact: What do you call your young?~
Upon further investigation into the subject, I've found that, by definition, "Baby" entails a Human child typically within or before the infant stages. "Kitten" is used to describe a juvenile domesticated cat, so even that's out of the way. However, "Cub" is used to describe the young of large mammalian predators. So, that's it. Little Nakam are called Cubs. The Verba equivalent would be ‘K’ub’, or ‘Child’.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
~Race opinions~
"So, what was that about you guys hating Dwarves?"

… It's not that the Nakam dislike Dwarves, really. Just short, moderately hairy, chubby people that bare a resemblance to the other people who rip Nakam skins from their flesh to use as sport coats.
"Well, what about anyone else? would there be any other racial connections between the Nakam and anyone else?"
Well, I'm glad you asked, brain!
I'd already stated that Verbali is a bit of a port town, taking pride in the gratuitous amount of trade coming through from far off lands. I wouldn't think the Verbali Nakam to feel anything towards other people, besides "Oh... People."
Natives, however, might react as drastically as anyone else would when confronted by a six-foot tall cat.
Some tribes have no knowledge of Verbali, Some trade with the guardsmen, while others pop into the town every now and then to trade for themselves.
There's no clear-cut "Native or Not" structure.
But, the more interaction one has with people of all creeds, the more said person will be used to them- for Verbali is a grand trade-city, and does deal with all sorts of peoples from all across Altera.
Nakam have no presumptions about any particular race, as their mindset of equality evens the playing field in their mind for all races.
More likely, a Nakam's opinion of races would be made up of previous encounters with said race. Whether they've been on good terms with any particular race depends on the Nakam in question.
What's more is that Nakam are notoriously deep people, that is that they rarely judge a person immediately by appearance.
So a Nakam is likely to approach a human with the same enthusiasm they would an Earthspawn, and visa versa.

~Relationship between Verbali and Kavdek~
I've been mentioning the differences between the two an awful lot, but just how "advanced" is Verbali, and just how "uncivilized" are the natives?

I'd like to think of the entirety of Nakam civilization similar to that of the Aztec empire, with Verbali being similar to Tenochtitlan. Even when some native Nakam don't consider themselves of any importance to the city, the city sees them as a viable resource of just about anything.
Verbali is known to have open walls to tribes considered to be allies, though such tribes are also taxed as if they were within the city's limits.
Verbali does oppose any threat to the city with extreme measures, yet their guard is known to be a bit of a mercenary group, and often times has smaller squadrons of guards posted amongst native villages who've purchased their services through goods.
That's not to say that Kavdek is at peace, in fact, it's often a source of a great deal of turmoil.
The Teshvadiik camps on the eastern-most side of Kavdek have pushed many tribes inland, and are responsible for more than half of non-domestic Verbali guard work.
In Nakam history, the most destructive Teshvadiik attack was the Razing of Kase’d, where a tribal village was burned to the ground by Teshvadiik Mages.
There are also the tribes of native Nakam which don't take kindly to being bothered by the city, or by other tribes.
Tribal feuds are somewhat common, and can sometimes escalate into violent interactions, though most such feuds are caused by a lack of resources.

~Verbali & Native Hierarchy~
As I've stated before, the Nakam have an overwhelming sense of equality throughout their outlooks on others. That's not to say that there aren’t those who're richer and poorer than others, depending on their trade, though that doesn't seem like anything truly important to them.

However, a city cannot operate without some form of government, as there is simply too much occurring to be let run in anarchy.
So, Verbali in itself is set up in a multitude of districts, each with a singular focus on sustaining life within the city. (Though it's not uncommon to find a ship contractor in the housing district, or a few houses in the trading district, etc.)
Each district has a "mayor" or a few "mayors", depending on the importance of the district in question.
Twice a week, each mayor in town gathers in the town hall to discuss matters of importance and such. The group in whole is referred to as "the council"
However, a growing rumor within Verbali is that the council is continuously payed off to pass multiple laws and measures that would seem to be in favor of a mysterious secret society, often referred to as "The Order".
While the existence of "The Order" can be neither confirmed nor denied, the rumors tell of Nakam who're sworn to remain silent for the remainder of their days, as to not reveal any secrets of the underworld they may hold.

But, those're just rumors.
...Hopefully.

Similarly, most Native villages are run by councils in themselves (Though there will always be the militant ruler who somehow gathers control of their tribe).
That is, that each family with the village will have an elder (or an elder couple) who will take part in a council of elders within the tribe to discuss matters of importance.
Again, elders are held in a particular sense of respect, as they're seen as a basin of knowledge and experience.

~Nakam Social Life~
Now, as I've stated on multiple occasions, Nakam tend to have a thought process of equality, that is to say that they have no "god", no "ruler", and generally no sense that anyone is any better or worse than they are themselves. Of course, the town drunk is not to be held in the highest regards, but he's still a person, as is any King or Queen of any lands Nakam should visit. In fact, some instances are known to've occurred when Nakam were nearly beheaded for attempting to shake the King's hand, rather than bow.

As for each other, unlike their hermit-like ocelot counterparts, Nakam tend to be awfully social creatures, often having their own little "clique" of friends amongst their tribe or city.
It's not uncommon to see Nakam travel in packs, drinking together, singing together, generally socializing.
Though a Satob(Mate) still holds importance above friends, most often a Nakam's Satob has been their friend for many years beforehand.
Just as with selecting a mate, Nakam generally do not distinguish gender amongst friends. Males and females get along equally as well as with same gender social groups.
However, Nakam are also capable of hatred and gossip, which can also lead to the shunning of or general dislike of other Nakam.
Many who find each other in far off lands are known to flock together, if only to bring about some sense of belonging in an unfamiliar land.

As you've probably already gathered, Nakam do have last names.

Sajek Alkam
Keivja Salukt
Kaziim Akul

However, Marriage does not exist within their culture, and last names are not shared as such.
Instead, Mated couples (Referred to as “Satob”) keep their respective family names, and the gender of their offspring determines which family name the child will take.
Many Nakam have only two names, though a Nakam with three names is not out of the ordinary (Their given birth name, and both family names)
Nakam names can be either historically based, such as Sajek or Sxoki, or meaning based, Such as Vera (meaning fire, warmth) or Keivja (Meaning knowledge, wisdom).

~Clothing~
"Wait..You've got fur, why do you need pants and stuff?"

Well, the reality of the situation is that fur does not mean that certain body bits don't exist.
And in a civilized society, exposed bits is a reason for jail time..
Not to mention that the Nakam come from a place that's REALLY cold, so much so that even a heafty coat of fur isn't going to keep them comfortable.
Alive, maybe, but not comfortable.
Whilst Verbali Nakam wear clothing out of style, Native Nakam are also greatly covered.
Some have simple wears made of leather, perhaps a skirt or dress, and others have more complex suits made of wolf skins.
Though it's more likely that the better dressed a native is, the more their job demands they be away from the tribe for some amount of time.
A hunter may be stacked under wolf skins, while a crafter might only wear a simple leather skirt and spend a lot of time around his fire.
Though, truely the most significant of all Nakam wear is the Verbali Guard outfit.
Some call them "the ghosts of the drift", due to the white coloring of their full-body suits (save the eyes, which are covered in a black, opaque cloth).
Because such suits are so well blended into the snow, the "ghosts" are able to stealthily drift around wherever they may be attacking or defending.
Their mask is comprised of a two-stage cover; the undermask covering the muzzle and head of the Nakam, leaving the eyes and ears completely exposed, and the hooded, overmask, which cover the ears in a warm ball of fuzz and cover the eyes in the aforementioned opaque black cloth.
Normally, wearing gloves for such warriors would be a bit of an issue, though as the Verbali people are a bit advanced, they've developed a smooth-edged crossbow design, as to cut down on snagging and such.
Because they've attained crossbows, attacks on Teshvadiik camps and some Nakam native tribes often go about without a hitch.

Most of our headgear has holes cut in to accommodate ears, though we do often come across this issue when purchasing headwear from hairless..
And heavier headwear (iron, gold, diamond helms) are known to greatly impair our hearing.

~Footwear (or lack thereof)~
Looking at the many Nakam who now inhabit the Northern Kingdoms, one would be hard pressed to find any of them wearing any type of shoe/boot/flipflop/foot wear in general.

While this does not mean that the Nakam never wear footwear, it does mean that they only do so in extreme conditions.
Compare it to this- Most chose to be barefoot when taking a trip to the beach.
Whether this is to do with the high tempretures or softer footing is up to the individual- the same is for the Nakam.
Even at a young age, Nakam footpads are toughened to withstand even a small nail jabbed at them.
Their own native lands are extremely cold, as stated numerous times before, and while they themselves wear boots of leather and pelts while on the island floor, when abroad, many prefer to be barefoot because of the higher temperatures.

"Well, if it's because of the heat, then why don't you see many shirtless Nakam around?"
Again, this comes to respect.
While it may not be in their own culture to remain modestly clothed at all times of the day, Nakam are observant enough to realize that there's not much bare chest-ness to go around, and observe such a custom with respect.
Simply put- barefoot just makes sense.

~Nakam Jewlery ~
I'd mentioned before that Verbali uses necklaces as a way to identify who is and who is not allowed to traverse the island.
That is to say that often enough, jewlery is a point of showing social status, as a sort of "presentable wallet".
Along with their average currency of coins, many Verbali share in the native culture as far as trade goes, often using beads and decorations of multiple precious metals as trading currency.
Which means, that instead of giving a pile of coins to a person as payment for a meal, one may offer a string necklace with four gold beads and a lapis pendant.
This does not mean that a simple wooden bead would be fit for trade, as the precious metals of the beads are a deciding factor in the value of the necklace or singular bead in question.
However, piercings are seen as fit for only the most noble of warriors, self-inflicted wounds being generally seen as unnecessary, many who do have bits of gold or jewlery hanging from their ears are as such due to a missed arrow or spear.
Rings are not seen as precious, however, as they impede the fingers and interfere with daily activities. Rings are mostly seen as dirty things, as they gather grime from a hand's daily activities over years.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
~Verbali Theatre~
Notice the title of this little paragraph here isn't "Nakam theatre", that's because, while Native Kavdek Nakam do indulge in ceremonies and dances, I wouldn't exactly call them "plays" or anything that you'd see in what you might think of as a theatre.
While some Native ceremonies are still carried out within the walls of Verbali, these are most often done by small groups of natives, simply performing on the street for handouts, or simply because they like what they do~
However, for the two actual playhouses/theaters within Verbali, such displays of story telling are often made with more traditional, eastern Altera-like story telling, in that actors and actresses will actually use speech, costuming, and exagerated movement to carry out a story, rather than a drum beat and traditional clothing/dancing.
Verbali plays are seen as a cultural and important center point for many of the citizens within the city, as not all plays are based off of fictional events. In fact, nearly a quarter of the plays staged at either of the two playhouses are often representations of real-world politics and current events, a preverbal "newsroom" for all the citizens and tourists to enjoy.
Unfortunately, this has also lead to some long-staying tourists to discover all too late that their homelands have been taken by war and famine through third hand accounts..
As for other, more fantastical plays, most are taken as easternised takes on traditional Nakam lore, the most famous of these stories being "The Banishment", detailing the banishment of the Naklefam from their homeland to Kavdek.
Unfortunately, many natives don't approve of these chauvinistic shows of their culture for profit. While it is no grounds for the actors to be called "heretics" against the elders, they are mistrusted, and seen as greedy.
Other plays have taken stories from other lands and adapted them for the stage.
It's worth a mention that, while the majority of actors in such plays remain Nakam, such troupes show no aversion to allowing actors of other races on the stage, especially those who may more accurately portray characters of the same race (though the stout, grumpy, bearded dwarf is always seen as the most fun part to play, following closely behind that is the posh, uppity, over entitled elf~)
Many playwrights have come from across the seas simply to make use of the Nakam and their unique bodily forms.
Unfortunately, plays from non-Nakam writers are rarely given much interest by serious troupes, as there is a stigma that has been proven true in the past that most write scenes which require excessive and unnecessary nudity purely for the sake of curiosity.
Though the actors of Verbali aren't unknown to perform nude should the right script call for it, they refuse to allow their stories be made into freak shows for the bumbling masses of curious tourists.

~Formal Attire and General Partying Conduct~
I've mentioned before that Nakam do have annual celebrations, though it seems I've failed to describe the finer details as to how these celebrations are carried out.
To begin, let's take a look at Nakam formal attire; Native villagers are known to take their best furs and apply stains to them, as to create spectacular patterns. These formal suits will not be used for every day recreation or work, as they are seen as outfits for special occasions. Often, these outfits will be made with additive flare, be it snow oxen horns, or amta'iluin feathers, to add to the visual impact of such an outfit.
Verbali formal attire, while still influenced by their native heritage, has been overcome by the unique mixture of multiple cultures found within the port city.
"Formal attire" may be sold as luxurious dwarven armor sets, fantastic elven robes, or even the intricate weavings of human dresses. However, to appeal to the Nakam, many of these outfits have been stained with patterns similar to their native cerimonial outfits.
Though it's important to note one color that seems to be of tabboo to many Verbali citizens: Red.
It should be noted that Kavdek is nearly void of any sort of natural source of the color, besides blood, and the ever so rare redstone deposit found deep within mines. As such, red has become the rarest of stains amongst the Nakam, often coming in from other lands at highly inflated prices. Red clothing and stains can set one apart as having lots of money, or, as many rumors have it, as a part of the Verbali slave trade. While Verbali in and of itself has no such slave trade, many slavers who come to the island use red flags and clothing to distinguish their trade and purpose from others.
Now- for conduct, like dancing~!
Native Nakam dancing has been said to be very fluid-like, usually involving more than a single person. The larger celebrations make use of damp kindling to cause the communal flame of a village to produce large amounts of smoke, leading tribal dancers to create patterns within the smoke using large cloth/leather "wings", while simultaneously keeping to the beat of the music, and the meaning to the song.
Again, Verbali has become a melting pot of many different cultures come together. As such, different forms of dance have come about from multiple different sources, often leading to what many see as heavily deformed versions of their own native dances.

~Nakam Burials~
Any and all life inevitably comes to an end.
As stated before, Nakam believe that all spirits from this realm of existence go off into the afterlife, controlling both the kind and cruel happenings of their world.
However, the physical remains are handled in a different respect.
To bury a Nakam is seen as sacrilege, it prolongs their journey to be accepted back into nature, and is seen as a form of torture to the soul.
Most Nakam remains are cremated, and their ashes spread amongst their home village, or a particular place the fallen Nakam may have favored.
Though grief is seen in Nakam burials, death is not taken as a purely negative happening.
Instead, it is a movement from one existence to another, and is met with bittersweet emotions of joy and sorrow.
Most often a Nakam who has lost their mate will not seek out another, as they believe their spirits to be bonded.
Should the proper wares to cremate a body not be readily available, leaving a body exposed to the elements is seen as the next best choice, as it is still absorbed by nature.

The worst insult a Nakat could receive is being told by a knowing person to be “Forever laid in stone”.

~And what if a Nakats’ Satob dies?~
Seeing as how Nakam tend to be unparalleled in terms of faithfulness in a relationship, this has transferred onto their culture as well.
Biologically, while a Nakam usually does only have a single mate at a time, if said mate is known to be unreachable for an extended amount of time, and I mean several years, if not decades, such as in death, Nakam may be compelled to find another love.
However, their culture does demonize the notion of having more than a single mate during one's lifetime, causing many to go through life alone if they've lost their mate.
The occasional Nakat may break said taboo, and while most tribes and Verbali have no official "laws" concerning this, said re-mated Nakam may be seen as "impure" to the general public, or anyone who knows of their previous mate. While they are not considered pariah amongst the general populous, they may be seen as deserving pity, rather than hate.

That brings up the entire notion of polygamy, which culturally is extensively looked down upon.
Though, very rarely, the occasional Nakam may break through their own instincts and have multiple mates, this is not the natural status of Nakam, and whomever should do this would be made a heretic amongst nearly all other Nakam, if they were not chased from the town with pitchforks beforehand.

~Nakam Celebrations~
So, this is a BIG concept, and thus there is much room for expansion.
But, I should begin by saying that, since most Nakam are tribal based, they've no singular calendar, not leaving much room for annual celebrations..
However, Verbali, being the ever so wonderful hub of civilization that it is, does have a few city-wide celebrations.
I've no idea what the passage of time is like in Altera, whether they use the same months as we do..
So ima just use the seasons as a general basis of when these events take place.
The first day of summer is generally wildly celebrated with a lot of parties, mostly because this means that the ice surrounding the docs is nearly thin enough to sail ships through! And that means money! Yaaaay money~!
This is known as "Veradek", the Beginning of Warmth.

Along with the first chill of winter, being the signal that most interaction with the outside world is coming to an end. This holiday is more of a "harvest everything and bunker down inside your house before you let the five feet of snow in" kind of holiday, wherein all the town's folk assist the local farmers in harvest, anyone capable of basic math helps the local bank keep tab on people's Coin, and where the basic warm feeling of a community coming together comes from.
This holiday is generally known as "Vibneshde", the Beginning of Chill.
Verbali Nakam might celebrate this away from home, even if it's just helping a friend with some errands on an exceptionally cold day.

The last celebration of the year is the biggest of all! Mid summer, the Verbali celebrate the amazing moment when a simple tribe began construction on the grand city, moving themselves into civilization!
A preverbal 4th of july for Verbali, it's celebrated by gifts to loved ones, often ones of the "cutting edge" that're imported. It's mid-summer, which means such gifts are not in short supply, due to the massive amount of trade going on.
Some adults drink, whilst the Verbali council ensures that festivities don't end up burning the town to the ground.
Thisn's known as "Sagevde" the Day of Construction.

~Diet & Lifestyle~
This is just a look into the general Nakam ways of life, which generally doesn't differ that greatly from a human's.
They do use shelter, even the most native Nakam are capable of basic stonework. Bathing is just like any other person's routine, some Verbali even use the finest soaps from across Altera.
Though Nakam do have a knack for being a bit "Lazy", that is, their average sleeping cycle lasts around ten to eleven hours.
As well as being a bit more naturally nocturnal, the Nakam are not by any means "morning people".
Now, diet, on the other hand, is a bit different than an average human's..
Grains, such as wheat, tend to upset the Nakam's digestive system, often leading to terrible stomach aches and diarrhea (though they're still known to eat cakes and cookies in moderation, and during celebrations).
Fruits, vegetables, and meats make up for most of a Nakam's diet.
Many have called a Nakam's table manners nearly non-existant, as they're known to carnivorously devour entire steaks within minuets.
Though, contrary to what one might believe, Fish is a bit of a rarity for Nakam.
This is due to the fact that most of their waterways are frozen over, and the abundance of wolf and goat meat tends to lead the Nakam to not pursue fish as a main source of sustenance.
And when fish IS available, it is treated as a delicacy, having it's place as a celebratory meal amongst cakes and cookies.

~Nakam Music~
Music is essential in a culture. No matter how primitive or advanced, every known culture in reality has been known to create music in some form.
The Nakam are no different, yet, as theirs has recently become a culture of mixed influences (Thanks to the Verbali port), their style of music has changed.
Traditionally, Native Kavdek Nakam would utilise drums made of any materials available, of all different sizes and tones.
Some metallic in nature, others created from stretched skin over a wooden base.
In recent years, some native tribes have taken to using string instruments as well, though the general consensus of any sort of wind instrument (flutes, pipes, etc) is distasteful.
This comes from the root Nakam belief in music, that it is an outer representation of one's inner self beyond words; and as such, it should not be stained by any sort of production of the mouth.
This means that most if not all Nakam music is free of singing.
However, this also leads to a sound from Nakam musicians many say is passionate beyond critique.
Another trait Nakam music shares is it's need to tell a story, to have structure.
Some music might have a bit of narration behind it, as a means of which to convey emotion within a story.
Most traditional Nakam folklore is passed down as music, though since hairless traffic has increased within Verbali, many of such stories have been adapted to the stage for entertainment purposes.

~Common Professions~
As one can speculate, professions vary greatly depending on Verbali or Native Nakam.

In Verbali, one can expect to see traders, butchers, housing, guards, mayors, councilmen, along with the underground slavers and thieves.
Native Nakam professions, however, are moreso focused on survival than profit.
Native villages would often have hunters, perhaps farmers (Though farming in trees would be difficult), gardeners, Elders (elders may still be working in another profession), and craftsmen.

Though know that currency is no object to the native population, as most are more concerned with food and water, and trade for such items.

~Working Ages~
As stated before, many Nakam are born into their line of work, and mate along as such.

The general age at which Nakam gain jobs differs depending on the choice of the parents, however, the social average age for beginning a menial or low-grade job is around eight.
This is meant as simple sweeping, table cleaning, etc.
Not terribly dangerous or demanding work, however, warriors are seen as leniently grown in Verbali, and harshly such in native villages.
Many begin at the age of ten in Verbali, studying battle tactics and strategies, as well as survival techniques. Though at the age of thirteen (or three years after initial studying), the physical conditioning begins, continuing their studies with added agility and strength training with their regiment's leader.
This continues until the age of sixteen (after three years physical conditioning, six study.)
Around this time, a warrior is required to make a field run with their peers, as to establish a hierarchy within the group and create bonds between future mates.

Many such groups are sent into situations which require the removal of hostile forces.
These groups of peers will continue to serve with each other as a single unit until each die out, or are retired at Dajakal.
Native Nakam warriors operate in a much simpler, yet much more brutal way.
Many begin study at early ages, possibly as early as five or six, by listening and observing their parents (or instructors, if the child did not come from a warrior family).
Throughout their life, they are chosen to assist with the most difficult of physical tasks around the village, along with their continuous study through their elders.

At sixteen, eight are sent to the jungle floor in a group, and told to spend two moons there.
The warriors in training must walk in opposite ways for one whole day, and spend the next walking back.
Whether or not they return shall dictate who makes the cut and who does not.

~Nakam Warriors~
Now, I know I've mentioned them in earlier updates, but I feel as if I need to go deeper into what they're like. Most Nakam are not above fighting, but will not generally jump to conflicts unless it's for a good reason. In fact, most Nakam would rather talk behind the backs of their enemies then punch them squarely in the face.

However, warriors in both Verbali and tribes are very well disciplined, never taking their jobs lightly. They understand that they are the defense for their culture, their civilization, and even their very species.
Tribal Nakam must undergo a rigorous training, part of which involves being shunned to the frozen jungle floor for days at a time. If the warrior to be is killed or turns feral, he is no longer considered of importance to the tribe's warriors.
That's not to mention their heavily padded leather-based armor, which has been designed in recent years to combat the wild slashing of Teshvadiik blades.
While some Nakam warriors are armed with Bows, most prefer spears and atlatls, and are known to attack from within massive brush of the trees above, as to not be seen.
Tribal warriors are also known to carry battle axes made of wood and sectioned wolf-teeth, making for easy repairs.
Verbali guards are just as disciplined, but in a very different way.
Such a large force currently employs around 4,000 Nakam of the total 16,100 or so grown citizens of Verbali.
They are endlessly trained in a controlled environment to live off the land, and to construct nature-made bows and arrows if need be.
However, a great deal of their training goes towards learning and mentally engraving militant tactics of attack and defense. Most of these tactics involve either snowstorms or light snow drifts in which to hide and surprise the enemy. They are able to use their crossbows as a large upper-hand, giving them better accuracy than any of the Native's weapons.

Verbali guards also carry small blades, about seven inches in length, for CQC encounters.
Their suits also come at an advantage, giving them a superstitious look of "ghosts" amongst the snow.
Even some Teshvadiik have fallen victim to the thought that Verbali guards are actually fallen Nakam seeking revenge.
Though, one interesting fact between both the Verbali Guard and Tribal Warriors is that having a Satob is generally a pre-requisite.
This is thought to be because most Nakam mate within their profession already, but, not only are teams of two small and easily concealable, but them being mates also means they are more likely to fight extensively to protect each other.

Do not expect to encounter a Nakam warrior couple and survive.
Chances are, you won't see them at all.

~Verbali Weaponry~
As previously stated, the Verbali guards have at their disposal weaponry that rivals that of any military.

The crown jewel of such a military would be the Verbali modular crossbow, which consists of the stock, grip/trigger mechanism, and bow.
While stocks and grips are used for personalisation and fit of the guard in question, there are three subtypes of bow sections, each of which has their own advantages.
The CQB bow is made for, of course, close quarters, and is built on a small bow with enough torque to fire a small bolt thirty meters or so with enough power to kill.
Then Next, standard bow is slightly larger, but also focused on a streamlined design to ensure that any guard could move about small areas without being inhibited by any wide bow wings. This bow can reach up to an estimated ninety five meters.
Both the CQB and standard bow sections of the modular crossbow use a top mounted pulley system, to easily re-cock the string and prepare another bolt.
This also allows for the mounting of (literal) iron sights.
The third, and final bow section, however, uses the standard "use your brute force to pull the thing back".
This is the long range bow, which can reach out three feet in either direction, and is able to reach two hundred meters with killing force.

The trigger mech/grip section all have a single thing in common, the lower forward facing part of the weapon, which is mostly held by the non-dominant hand to stabilize the weapon is curved to a near half-circle, and plated in iron. This allows for a pocket to catch blades within during CQC.


~Sooleran Nakam~
"Well..What if a Nakat were to chose the life of a desert dweller? "
"Do any such large factions exist..?"

WELLP- I'll say that desert-dwelling Nakam factions are often not very long-lived, so most of them have little to no political effect towards any sort of known establishment. However, since Nakam have been seen traversing along with the Sooleran, they have shown that desert life is possible for Nakam. Not easy, nor pretty, but possible.

First of all, a Sooleran Nakat is easily destinguishable from others, as they regularly shave themselves. Some choose to simple shave their necks, heads, upper arms, groins, and thighs, as to release the maximum amount of heat from the body, others, arguibly the more dedicated, have shave themselves completely.
Though due to the absense of sweat glands, their bare skin is still VERY susceptible to burning. You'll see more lobster-red Nakam with the Sooleran than you will baked brown ones.
Recently, a small backpack design has come about common use amongst these Nakam, which sits atop their shoulders, and is usually filled with water and various amounts of filters. These filters are not meant to purify any water put into the device, only to prolong the flow of water from the pack, to the user's skin.
This allows Nakam to survive long-term within harsh conditions, and is often seen used in tandem with loose-fit clothing.
However, this does require that the user in question have a readily available water source nearby, such as a river or oasis.
Those without the device are known to cover themselves extensively in robes, often being seen as walking cloth mounds.

"What'll other Nakam think of these Sooleran Nakam?"
"Oh! hey dude..? Where's your skin..? I mean, It's what I identify with. Most people have skin. And it's how I can tell them apart, rather than everyone being walking mounds of flesh."
...Basically A Nakat's point of view. A shaven Nakam is not very admirable, and may even be seen as a pariah amongst the furred. Since identity often comes from their fur patterns, pale, flesh-toned Nakam are perceived as being difficult to identify separately.

That being said, it is still rare to find Nakam amongst the roving trading communities of misfits, though it is not unheard of.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
~Nakam "Tattoos"~
"So, most every other race is known to occasionally stain their skin permanently with ink, leaving a mark or picture on said skin. Do the Nakam have anything similar?"

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: All Nakam, even Tribals, are known to use natural dyes to stain sections of their fur. While Native Nakam fur staining is usually held back to simple patterns of armbands or dyed ear tips, Verbali Nakam (specifically the financially rich) are known to have elegant patterns of staining gently placed along their fur.
However, this is not completely like a tattoo, as even the toughest dye does grow dull, and eventually fades away.
Because of the usually expensive nature of using the Verbali's Lapis and Gold for such dyes, such "tattoos", called"Stains", are usually reserved for special occasions; such as a twentieth birthday (As entering Dajakal is seen as the day a Nakam is "grown up").
Lapis blue and metallic gold are two of the most popular staining colors due to their shimmering effect in sunlight. However, they are normally monstrously expensive, as previously stated.
Before you go about making a blue and gold Nakam, know that such stains are considered beautiful because of their patterns and elegance. To see a Nakam with a completely blue/red/purple/yellow/gold/green arm or belly is usually a sign that they messed something up, or just fell into a vat of dye.
And, unless a Nakam is a stain artist by trade, any and all stains Nakam have while away from home will fade away; due to the lack of touch-ups.

~Nakam Art~
One could imagine that the cultural differences between Verbali and the general population of Kavdek would result in drastic differences between the two art styles.

For one, most native Kavdek art would be about as primitive as one would expect. Most figures are made of lines and circles. Perhaps there could be a talented artist hidden amongst a village, though most advertisement signs or simple paintings would contain the same primitive figures. However primitive the art form, the paint that most use, is not. Many Nakam use the same inks one would use for fur staining to paint images on surfaces, resulting in shimmering hues of blues and golds, perhaps even reds, browns, deep greens, and multiple other metallic paints.
Verbali, with it's multiple influences in widespread culture, has developed a sense of advanced art.
However, a custom has remained with the Nakam people from their artistic origins, in that the depiction of one's exact face is taboo.
This comes about as a respect for the dead- as they hold no homage to their physical body, only their spirit.
Because of this, many homes are adorned with the fur staining patterns of loved ones or the deceased, rather than faces of the aforementioned.
This does not mean that the depiction of one's body is forbidden- quite the opposite.
Many times, Verbali Artists will ask about for stories of travelers and guards, painting crucially detailed murals of whichever scene they find most interesting in their mind's eye.
The Verbali guard houses remain a favorite hot-spot of artists, as their full-face masks leave a kind of loophole to paint "faces" on figures.
Though, even after the blatant statement of the taboo, it is not uncommon to find a non-Nakam artist within Verbali willing to paint faces.

~"pet" clarification~
I should've worded it more that the word "pet" doesn't exist at all. The idea of owning a living thing and consciously having it below you is unknown to the Nakam. If one is to have a wolf follow them about, they will allow it to do so at it's own leasure, never using a leash or chain to keep the creature close by, allowing it complete freedom, as they would any other friend they should come across.

Just as they see all people in the same light, they treat all living things much the same way. They aknowledge that even the "cultured" and "civilized" of the world are only animals with too much pride.
Any oxen used for transportation are usually treated with respect and cared for well for their efforts, just as any wolf or pack of wolves are paid well for their protection.
Essentially, Nakam (natives, specifically) see no distinction between people and animals, and acknowledge them as one in the same.

~You Keep Mentioning Equality Amongst Living Beings, Yet Nakam Are Also Stated To Be Carnivores; How Does That Work?~
To put simply- respect.

Those close to you are meant to keep, and are not to be used for supplies of any kind.
Of course, Cannibalism is out of the question, yet most Nakam find it as easy to kill another as easy as it is to hunt.
Morality rarely comes into play, at least if the "murder" was committed for a reasonably provoked reason.
(I.E: Threatening a person with their sword)
Just the same- even if a Nakam is host to a family of wolves within their own village, they see no issue in taking others for meat and pelts- as they never knew them.
That's not to say that they take hunting lightly, all respects to the animal they take must be made.
Much of the time, a Nakat hunter will explain to his/her kill that his/her family needs to eat, or that it's simply their job- Whether this explanation takes place aloud or in silent reverence depends upon the Nakat.
And, more often than that, Nakam hunters will always treat their kill with the utmost respect while transporting it.
Wrapping bodies in a warm skin and carefully transporting it home also results in meats of legendary quality.

~Transportation~
Kavdek is a big place, that's not to say that it's not still an island, but it is a rather large one at that.

Because of such, most things can't be expected to permanently travel by foot, can they?
Actually, Verbali has set up multiple bases within the heartland of Kavdek, each of which is based within a pre-existing native village.
The mode of transporting messages from the outposts to their main base (Verbali) could be comparable to a relay-race; that is that one Nakat carries the message to the nearest outpost, then another carries it from that outpost to the next, and so on until the message or package reaches it's destination.
Though, as for personal transportation, many chose to utilize the power of the snow oxen, as their oddly muscular upper bodies allow them to pull hundreds of pounds of weight even in the heaviest of snow storms.
Ships are also used around the perimeter of the island, leading to many outposts and port villages also being stationed on the coastline around Kavdek.
Airships, however rare, have become increasingly popular amongst the rich within Verbali with recent years.
Because days fit for flight are a rare occurrence, there is no known company of airship construction crews within Verbali. However, many trade ships offer "catalogs" of parts that they may transport in, for a "build it yourself airship kit!"
Many ship kits are seen as scandles and rip-offs, as they may be missing parts, or just plain not work.
However, the few honest airship traders have lead to a recent growth of airship traffic around Verbali, and the surrounding area on the island.

~Nakam Writing~
Though most stories and lore of native Kavdek is kept through word of mouth, a native written language does exist, though the letters work a tad bit differently than in written english.

Take, for example, the sounds of mouth that take more than a single letter, IE: Th, ee, oo, and so on, Rather than relying on a combination of letters, such sounds are represented by their own letter in their alphabet.
While most native are illiterate to common tongue written language, most Nakam are able to read in their own language, as it serves as an important bond between villages in organizing travel through the use of signs along established roadways.
Verbali, however, is mostly devoid of this text, save for the city's many libraries, who are actively seeking to save the text from extinction within the civilized world.
As well as Nakam exclusive bars and other such places that would seek to only attract the attention of the specific race.
Now, for the elephant in the room, the name of the Nakam written alphabet is referred to as "Ludkava", which essentially translates to "tangible knowledge"

~Sports & Games~
Just about every civilization in the world has some form of recreation native to the area; as such, the Nakam have more than a few "sports", though there seems to be one that is considered a past-time: Kashgev.

Rules are as such: The objective is to capture the opposing team's marker (usually a pike, or stick left in the ground) and bring it to your own.
The game begins when both team leaders stand back to back within wherever they wish to play the game (usually the forrest ground, or a similarly set place with many cover pieces)(Teams usually consist of somewhere around six to eight players). They walk fifty paces each in directly opposite directions as their respective team follows.
As soon as they reach their fifty paces, the pike is left in the ground, and the game begins.
If you should encounter the opposite team on your way to gather their pike, you may choose to:~ A) Throw a snowball at them, which, if it should meet it's target, forces them to touch their own team's pike before being allowed back into the game. Should the player who was hit with said snowball be carrying the opposing team's spike, he/she must leave it where he/she stands. Or B), run up and tag them. In doing this, you run the risk of being hit by a snowball, or tagged yourself. If a player is tagged, they must join the opposing team's side.

Sportsmanship is generally required amongst the players to carry out a full game, though usually this is no issue with Nakam, as they'd take any victory gained through lies as a dishonorable act.
Though it should be known that while there exists no "professional" kashgev teams, it's simplicity and popularity has made it a widely known favorite of adults and children alike.
Many other sports have found their way to Kavdek as well, through way of Verbali, though you're less likely to find a sport so widely enjoyed in Nakam lands.

Nakam also enjoy games not only of the body, but of the mind and skill as well.
Simid is the widest known game of this category, as it's basis exists within the earliest of Nakam villages.
Simid is, in a way, a war simulator, in which two or more opposing players must expand their own imaginary villages, while attempting to overtake their opponents.
It is played using multicolored pieces of stone, though more valuable sets may use pieces made from actual valuable metals.
"pieces" can refer to any number of shapes and sizes, as there is no regulatory shape or size for the pieces themselves. However, the die used must be six sided, and use only one of each number from 1-6 painted or engraved on each side.

The game consists of 4 painted pieces:
"Colorless": While not a physical piece, the number of "colorless" pieces a player has directly corresponds to the amount of pieces one is allowed to categorize into the following sections for his/her own intentions and objectives.
Blue(roll): Guardsmen, used to combat opposing guardsmen
Yellow(3): Farmers, for every two farmers in a line that are touching, the player gains a single "colorless" Piece.
Green(5): Craftsmen, used to create weapons for the guards, increasing their attacking number by the number of craftsmen.
Black (4): Archers, used just as guardsmen, however they gain no additional strength from craftsmen, yet they can attack the opposing player's pieces without first engaging their guards, but suffer a -1 for their attacking roll.

The game is ultimately simple, each player takes a turn organizing their beginning set of eight colorless pieces into whatever they'd like to begin with.
For every two farmers that are directly next to each other, they are allowed an additional one colorless piece per turn.
However, guardsmen are by far the most important pieces, as they'll essentially serve as a protective barrier. Your pieces must be set up in a series of lines, how ever many lines you want. Some prefer to keep a singular, continuous line as their village, other players prefer many different smaller lines. Each line must be horizontal to your position, giving each a beginning and end.

The object of the game is to eradicate your opponent's village, their line, using your own guardsmen.
Any attacking guardsmen must be placed on the outside of a line, at either the beginning, or the end.
Guardsmen can only attack the beginnings and endings of the opposing player's lines, and, as one may've guessed, combat consists of rolling a die each, and seeing who has the highest roll. Whomever loses the battle, loses their guard.

However, should a player make it through an opposing player's line's guard, and reach another piece (Yellow, green, or black), they must roll a number higher than each pieces HP, which is typically 3 for farmers, 5 for craftsmen, and 4 for archers.
These "Direct attacks" gain no additional points from craftsmen.
Guards continue to attack so long as they are victorious in their fights, however, if they should lose a fight against any piece, that guardsmen must be placed back into the unused piece pool, and is considered deceased.
As stated above, an archer acts as a guardsmen, however, they must be placed at the forward most line, anywhere within said line, and may attack any piece they wish, at a cost of -1 for their direct attack roll.
Each turn, a player gathers their colorless pieces, and creates their village as they see fit. They can chose to either attack their opponent, or reconfigure their lines.

The game ends once a player's lines are completely killed off.

Just as with sports, many additional games have made their way through to Kavdek via Verbali, however, none are as popular as Simid.
 
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Michcat

i'm the wench if you're the cake ;)
Locale

~Ruins~
As with any long populated area, there are remains of villages and civilizations long abandoned.

Many abandoned jungle floor based villages reside in the east, though these mostly serve as Teshvadiik hideouts, their location and abundance would suggest that the earliest of Nakam establishments were largely stone-based, as well as equipped with enough survival supplies to keep their land and citizens safe enough to create stoneworks able to survive hundreds of years.
For obvious reasons, they must've abandoned their heavy stone-based building techniques when moving to higher ground, as it would've been much more difficult to support.
Many abandoned suspended villages remain in the central island, though most of them have no tragic story beyond the villagers seeking homes elsewhere.
The rotting and degrading remains of the first attempted modern civilization can be seen at the north end of the island, in the form of a half-completed castle.
The exact origins of this castle are unknown, though the wide abundance of scaffolding around it's walls coupled with the complete lack of furnishings would suggest that it's inhabitants were cut-short in their project.
One very unique and interesting ruin remains to the south.
A cave resides on the top of the islands tallest mountain, it's twists and turns prevent any snowdrifts from reaching within (And will also turn away the most aware of unwanted visitors.)
The cave's walls remain etched with lines in fantastical patterns, and many of it's walls are structurally smooth and perfectly flat.
Deep within the cave resides a single village- still kicking. Though it's population remains dwindling, their strongest warriors are at constant guard to the back exit of their small town.
They claim to be the protectors of the elders, saying that the final chamber of the cave inhabits those they claim to worship, and will let none short of a fate blessed Nakat pass through their defenses.
Many who pass through the gate, even with the village's permission, are never to return.
Those who do return remain catatonic, in an almost dementia-like stupor, mumbling things of light and knowledge.

~Kavdek Wild Life and Domestication~
Many Nakam do keep "pets", however, the Nakam word for "pet" is the same for "friend", as the Nakam mindset of equality tends to transfer to most living beings, at least those who express some form of intelligence.

A favorite of most Nakam outside of Verbali are the ever available Wolves. While some wolf packs are taken for their meat and pelts, Nakam villages are known to have "treaties" with certain wolf packs. Though these "treaties" are essentially just giving the wolves all of the town's scraps, which leads to the wolves relying on the village as a source of food and assistance, which leads to the wolves protecting the village.
It's not uncommon to see a few dens in the snow below villages, these would be filled with the wolf pack that the above village has a treaty with.

There are a few other animals across the land;
Snow Ox, lumbering grey creatures with entwined horns and tusks that're mostly used as live stock.
Icebacks, a fearsome form of large beetle, about three feet long, which emits a liquid poision from it's flesh, using the frozen liquid as an exo-skeleton. Icebacks are usually treated as a nuisance, though their poison ice is used to tip some native weaponry.
The "Nakla", primitive people, or otherwise known as mountain lions. Though with their thick layering of fat and dark grey fur, most will look on these as bears moreso than felines. along with the Nakam, the Nakla are the apex predators of the land.

And, finially, the Saberdogs.
While these are seen as somewhat dangerous, they are not actually dogs at all.
The saberdog is actually a form of boar, though with little else to compare it to, the natives have compared them to dogs with tusks. Though only in appearance, as most saberdogs are very highly hostile towards bipedal movement.
Along with the snow oxen, saberdogs are also a source of food for the native and Verbali population.

~Moar Wildlife~
Focusing on domestication, there are pleanty of tiny critters some children may be prone to keeping around as pets, others that hunters and farmers may keep about to assist in their tasks.

Alongside wolves, many hunters may take advantage of the Amta'iluin, or tree spirits, a native species of carnivorous bird. These creatures can stand up to three feet tall, their small- hawk like forms sitting atop absurdly long legs. Their pointed beaks resemble a spear's tip, pointed and compact. Amta'iluin live in large groups, most of their lives within the brush of the trees above, using their lanky legs to climb from branch to branch, only diving out of trees when they spot unknowing and vulnerable prey. While these birds weigh little over thirteen pounds, the sheer number of living projectiles decending on a single target has lead to some larger groups targeting even Nakla, and overtaking them.
However, many flocks of Amata'iluin are much to small to achieve such a feat, mostly preying on Icebacks and watervines.
The Watervines in question are a form of reptile, though these are mostly found in small clearings and the coastline of the Kavdek island.

While not overly hostile, the sight of an average Watervine is something to be given awe.
Averaging at thirteen feet long, weighing up to three hundred pounds, these odd scavengers are known to cause distress within villages, despite being mostly harmless.
These large lumbering creatures feast on the ever present supply of frozen carcasses around the island. Unlike other reptiles, Watervines are warm blooded, causing them to leave behind small tunnel ways beneath the snow wherever they travel.
Ever since the Verbali port has opened, a strange, other worldly creature has invaded the island of Kavdek. These small beings created havoc within native villages, spoiling what food they didn't steal with their droppings.

While having no name for these creatures, native villagers began calling them "Tasam Rodem", the Mischief makers. Foreigners may know them as tree squirrels.
Because many Nakam villages are based within the tree canopy, these squirrels have become a nuisance comparable to mice. However, some children have been known to keep these creatures as pets, finding their habits of nut hiding as a fun "hide and seek" game. (and as an added bonus, hunters have discovered that they make for easy to serve meals~!)

~Nakam Trade & Tourism~
Verbali is known as a great trade city to all, mostly due to Kavdek's main export: Chocolate.

Though Nakam chocolate is known to be unlike any found in other lands of Altera, and is said to have a natural cooling effect. Such chocolate is also known to be sweet enough to be used without the addition of sugars.
Though Nakam are not natural miners, the Verbali mining company has discovered that the islands innards are comprised of dirt, stone, gold, gravel, and lapis.
During the first years of the uprising of Verbali, not many would trade with the merchants of the land. Though soon after the Teshvadiik began making subterranean homes, said homes were overtaken, and expanded into full mines. The only issue with the gold and lapis is that it must make a full trip from mid-island to the western coast, a trip that could last several days, if not weeks. Routes are scoped out through the thick jungle brush, and though the Nakam believe their routes to be relatively hidden from any vengeful eyes, each mining group is required to be escorted by a guard couple.
To ensure further safety amongst the entire island, the Verbali council allow only a certain number of travelers across the city's walls every so often, and only with their strict permissions. To openly show permission, a traveler must wear a necklace of gold and lapis through his or her travels, the exact design of which is changed every so often to ensure the owners of expired permission necklaces cannot continue.
Anyone who is not a Nakam found within the Island jungles who is without a necklace is taken to the Verbali prisons and deported to their native lands.

Though, if a hairless is to be found without a proper necklace, and even attempts to run or reach for a blade, Verbali guards are known to attack with extreme hostility.
 
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