May 22, 2013
Harsh climates make for equally harsh people. The Northern Wastes are notoriously unforgiving, and those that dare settle in its hostile lands must adapt a rough resourcefulness to survive. Yanter are thus resilient, stubborn, and relentless as the harshest of blizzards. All learn self-reliance from a young age, as well as cooperative skills. Their tribes are close-knit and work together for the survival of their clan – but all are also prepared to brave the wastes alone should they become stranded during a hunt or travel. Because their homeland is a cold, icy waste, resources are scarce. Thus, the Yanter highly value resourcefulness – there are few items they can’t find or create a tool or other use for. They see no shame in requiring aid for a complex or dangerous task, but those who cannot perform the simplest of functions are ridiculed and seen as dead weight, with little contribution to the tribe on a whole.
Yanter are primarily hunter-gatherers and are skilled trackers and foragers. Even young children learn early on how to detect dangerous flora from edible plants. If one needs a guide navigating the dangerous northern wastes, there are none better than the Yanter. The semi-nomads find function in just about anything, and value both practicality and art. Their tools are often highly decorative and many balance crafting with practical skill.
Yanter warfare is not territorial in nature, but rather, as most anything else in their lives, acquiring resources. The goal is to take what you can with minimal losses. As such, Yanter favor quick strikes, ambushes and surprise attacks. Whether by land or sea, they charge in with an element of surprise and brute force, bulldozing anything in their path. This style of attack makes those with a mixture of warrior and scouting skills quite common.