The Nohri

The Nohri are one of the most commonly found races on Terra and have exited since the first wave. Created, or as offspring by the Great White Wolf, Karres who is one of the Dwyori. The Nohri have their origins in eastern Europe, in the forest of Saiska where it is said Karres brought life to the Nohri and made them in her image. How much of this is true in unknown, but Karres herself said that the Nohri are her children and due to this it is not strange to hear that the Nohri praise her like a goddes.

In appearance the Nohri look like the Ielf though they are usually taller then the Ielf itself , have a wolf like tail and their ears have fur. They do also show some other differences but to this more in the Physical Appearance section.

Unlike other races, the Nohri did never have the problem that woman had fewer rights then the man and they were always given great respect. Overall, Nohri society does not care from what stand you are coming from, what gender you have or what your profession is. Though you can still find Nohri of "noble" birth who demand to be seen as better, but the general way of life is that everyone is equal in the general sense.

## Physical Appearance

While overall looking like the Ielf, the Nohri have obvious differences from them. For one, the Nohri have a wolf like tail and fur covered ears. Both things that make the Nohri rather popular with other races. Besides these two differences, the Nohri also posses a different set of teeth, one more like the ones of canines and it should be noted that they also eat far more meat based food then the Ielf.

The Nohri have an average height of 1.80m for males and 1.71 for females, though this number greatly changes if one would only look at asian Nohri, as these are smaller then the average European ones.

As for skin colour, the Nohri do not come in any special skin colours like other races may do. Even the sub-species of the Nohri only have normal skin colour.

A big difference between the Nohri themself is that the ones known as Karres-Blood may be born with a more exotic kind of hair colour. For example Bordeaux red. These Nohri also have all the same eye colour depending on what kind of Karres-Blood they are

## History

The story of the Nohri begins with the Dwyori Karres, who is said to have created the Nohri in her image. Why exactly she would have done this is unknown and she has yet to give a true answer to this, but from her own words it is to be believed that she truly did create the Nohri. But even if this is seen as a true fact, there is something people are unsure about as there are two versions of what happened. One says that the Nohri came to be from Karres own children, that overtime they had children and their children got children and so on. But people do not believe this could really be the origins of the Nohri as it means they all are related to each other and that they maybe would not have such great numbers today. The other story is that one day Karres gathered all the wolves in the forest of Saiska and gave them the choice to become like her and that those who accepted became the Nohri. Some others even say that it wasn't wolves but Ielden who already worshipped her and this is why the Ielf and the Nohri look so similar. Whatever the real version is, it is known that Karres did have children and that something happened in the forest of Saiska, so the majority of Nohri and other races believe that it was a combination of both stories and that is due to this, that there are the Nohri known as Karresblood.

As for all races that existed during that time, not much is known about what the Nohri did during the first to third wave. All that is known is that already during that time they have worked together with the Ielf but as to what happened might never be known.

As for more recent history, the Nohri have always been working together with the various Ielf tribes and nations and as such, their history is as much as the Nohris , though this is more true if one applies it to certain nations history and not the whole of the Ielf.

One of the more noteworthy things in Nohri history might be when due to christian influences, the Nohri reformed their "pagan" religion and put a more modern approach to their believe. This does not mean they abandoned the old ways or do not tolerate anyone following these but in modern life, or when the idea of how such a thing looks like, the old ways didn't fit into the image of big cities. People do not appreciate sacrifices in their cities or pagan rituals. But while the old ways are more pure in what they try to achieve and more ancient, the new religion for the Nohri still holds to what all the Nohri believe in: Karres is the goddes of all Nohri. They simply chose to take a more Christian approach.

Another big event in their history as a race was the moment they gained equal standing to the Ielf in what is now known as the Teutonic Empire. While never oppressed in the past, the Nohri did receive a different treatment then the Ielf but this was something happening about everywhere in the world.This changed when the Nohri came together in the forest of Saiska. This gathering was followed by protests over the whole world to show how much influence the Nohri have and how much the Ielf are depended on them. Lintz, as it was still known like this back then, were the first to accept their demands after realising that if they were to rebel against them, it would end in a war no one would win from. Since that they, the Nohri were equals and had the right to hold the same positions as the Ielf and with Lintz accepting their demands, soon after others followed their example or at least came to a compromise.

## Culture

Before we go into the culture of the Nohri it should be noted that while there are special things to the Nohri culture it does not mean that everyone is following them or has to. These things are about the general population of the Nohri and the differences the Nohri have in their culture but in the end, anyone can be raised a different way or never experience these things due to their family not following them.

### Names

In Nohri Culture the Nohri have a specific way of giving names to their children. This being that they give the Nohri a family name, a name only used by the members of the family or someone close to the person (may it be a really good friend or love interest) , a common name that they use around everyone else and functions like a normal given name and a Surname. This could then look like this: Leena " Mary " Kalkaalen. Leena being the family name, Mary the common name and Kalkaalen the surname. It is important to note that there is no real consequence to just use the family name or only the common name, in these days it is merely a formality and usually only the more tradition focused Nohri family's make it a big thing. The whole deal about the different names itself is slowly going to disappear and as such it is not that common any more to have multiple names for a Nohri and the ones that do still have one are usually only trying to keep a tradition but will not enforce it or make you only use the common name, once you learn about the family name but it has to be noted that this is from person to person so don't go around calling someone by their family name without them allowing you too.

More traditional Nohri may also give their children a Nohri name instead of a name from the language and nation they are living in so it is not uncommon to see a Nohri with a name that does not fit into the land they are living in. Though while usually the traditional Nohri are doing this, allot of "modern" Nohri are following this or at least with the family names if they are giving them to their children.

(Nohri names are based on names from what is Finland in the real world, same as their language is Finnish but under a different name)

### Religion

Religion is a big part of Nohri culture as they know who created them and worship their creator as a goddess. It is not that they want to give blind trust and obedience to Karres, the Dwyori who created them, but to pay respects to her as she is seen as allmother of the Nohri. They turn to her for guidance and times of need and bring her offerings to show their appreciation and in return, though it might even that she would do this without the offerings, she keeps the Nohri safe in her own way. Over the century's and rise of Christianity, the Nohri believe has been split into two variations. Nouminuskoo , the traditional believe of the Nohri where Karres is the center of their religion and it is her guidance that the Nohri will follow and Karrelian. Karrelian is a more Christianised version of the traditional believe but with a chosen maiden who represents Karres and communicates with her. This religion borrows allot of Christian symbols and believes , even the one that there is a God though in the case of the Nohri they say that God send Karres and the other Dwyori to guide the people of Terra.

In Nohri culture, it is common that religious positions are held by woman. This comes from Karres being a woman and thus it seemed only logical to the Nohri that they should appoint other woman to tend to the matters of religion. Overseen the rituals and performing then just the same as all the other tasks they have. Though this does not mean that there are no male priests or shamans, it is just more usual to see female ones.

#### Nouminuskoo

The traditional believe of the Nohri is now seen as a more pagan religion that is tolerated in many parts of the world but mostly due to the fact how many Nohri follow it. It has shamanistic elements to it as to where the priestesses are the ones performing rituals, offerings and blessings. Then there are the High Priestesses who organize the bigger rituals and are tasked to stay in contact with Karres or beings said to be of her kind that she send to talk with the Nohri. This religion also performs living sacrifices , though only in that of animals. While there are some more extreme variations of the traditional Nohri believe, the main branch is forbidding any sacrifices that is not an animal.

Nouminuskoo also performs wild rituals and other events that are not seen as civilised these days and thus get a bad name. Yet the ones following this believe are confident that keeping these traditions are necessary and that if Karres were against them, she would have told them or shown her dislike

#### Karrelian / The Church of the Wolf

Karrelian, or as it is also known as "The Church of the Wolf" , is the Christianised religion that came from the more traditional Nouminuskoo. At the head of this church is the Vicar, a title also used by other religions, and above the Vicar stays only Karres and God itself. This part of the Nohri believe came to live when Christianity grew in size and old religions were seen with critical eyes. In the always growing cities the Nohri had then problems performing their traditions and other Nohris were even lead astray to follow this new religion. Under these Nohri were those that would found this new religion. They realised that their old traditions were no longer appreciated but didn't want to forget them. At the same time, they believed in what they had been told about God. It was the arrival of a white haired Nohri girl that started this idea of the Church of the Wolf. White hair was always a sign of Karres herself so this girl had caused for allot of confusion. From what is being said, she told the Nohri of how God created the Dwyori to guide the races of Terra and that Karres is the guide of the Nohri. With this new arrival, the church quickly took form: a on Christianity based system of believe but with old traditions of the Nouminuskoo. It was this church that gave the Nohri something to believe in without having to give up all their traditions and due to this, many started to follow this church.

Ever since the white haired girl appeared, it had become the custom that a white haired Nohri will become the head of the church, the Vicar. Believed to be send by Karres herself and being a rare kind of Karresblood. She is the one talking with Karres and God and is the one who tells their will to her followers. Though while a white haired Nohri is preferred as Vicar, finding a new one when the old has died is harder then expected and as such, not always is there a white haired Nohri as Vicar. Due to this some wonder if Karres even accepts this "normal" girl as her speaker, but the Dwyori does not seem to care either way. She had been talking with all the Nohri who approach her and get her interest so at least to her, maybe this whole thing about the church is just a phase.

Karrelian and Nouminuskoo are living peacefully together so far, though many believe that at some point the divide will be to great and Karrelian will try to take over all the important roles in Nohri traditions and important rituals.

### Society

Nohri usually live the same way as other races, or rather, as the general populace of the nation the live in, live. They had been living with others for so long, an were part of the things that created these cultures that it would only be natural for them to share the same thing. Yet something is rather different in Nohri society: the role of the woman. The woman in society in general had never much to say, and only recently did this change but when looking at the Nohri, woman always had the same rights as men and it is something they would never let others take away from them. While others deemed women to be the weaker sex and claimed they have to stay home and take care for the children and the family, Nohri never shared this view. Of course, they still are taking care of the family and the children, but they always had the ability to take roles of importance or even be a warrior/soldier. Due to how many Nohri are living in each nation of Terra, allot of them had to rethink their approach on gender equality or make a special case for Nohri and it is due to this that even many country's allow female soldiers these days. Though it should be mentioned that they do not have to become soldiers or go through basic training, for them it is only on their own free will.

It is also noteworthy that in Nohri society, there is no real upper and lower class. To the Nohri everyone, or at least this is how it should be, is equal to each other. As such, someone living in poverty is not worth less then a rich Nohri as the Nohri value that everyone is doing something to benefit their kind then each individual wealth. Though this mindset is often lost and where before was no real class difference does now exist one. Where before only the religions Nohri had a special place, and the ones leading clans or other kind of Nohri civilisations, there now may exist a clear divide between them. Yet the ones still believing in the Nohri ideals will still follow these old ways and not judge by wealth or family standing but by contribution, something everyone can do by simply not trying to harm the Nohri and do something someone benefits from. This does not mean that beggars and the like are always seen in a bad way, as they may not be at fault for their situation though even in a society like the Nohri, a beggar is still not the most popular sight and has its prejudices.

## Special Characteristics

Among the special characteristics of the Nohri are that they posses , but this doesn't mean truly everyone does, a very good intuition and agility. Compared to other races on Terra, the Nohri are known to be more agile then the rest and share a sense of danger and general high intuition. This doesn't mean they intuitively know how to repair something. It is more, as already mentioned, about sensing danger or general high instincts. It is often seen Nohri just doing things out of instinct when in stressful situation but these actions being far more helpful then other races have shown to do in the same situation.

It is also said that the Nohri can hear better due being related to wolves, though it is not even known for sure if they truly are related to wolves or not. Still, some Nohri show a greater spectrum of hearing then others but it is not something that has been found the majority to posses.