Tavki-Slof

The **Tavki-Slof** or **Slof** ( Ta-veek Sla-ph) are an ethnic group who inhabit most of modern-day West Nulunia and the western parts of the Nulu Republic. They originated as a nomadic group of skilled hunter and warriors that followed caribou year-round. The Tavki-Slof are a sub group of the Nulunian people. Recent genetic evidence has shown common ancestry between the Tavki-Slof and the Nulu people, but they split off very soon after the arrival of people in the area and their history and culture is disconnected from the other culture groups in the area. The Slof language, like the other Nulu languages, was descended from Proto-Nulunian.

## Lifestyle

The Slof are semi-nomadic peoples of Northern Drua. They have certain herds of caribou they looked after and hunted. Following them on foot and in sleighs through the more liveable months of the year, and during the winter living in grassed-roofed log shelters. There warm clothing made from animal skins and embroidered with patterns and colours kept them warm year round. The Slof were skilled hunters and had to be since their man source of food was large mammals (berries, mushrooms, eggs and birds also made a big part). It's said that they would go miles looking for prey and could sneak up to them in wide open areas. This made the Slof highly prize mercenaries and were even used as royal guards. Tribes can be anywhere from 150-500 people and were often linked closely with a bunch of other tribes called "Orders" (usually had about 10-20 tribes in it). Orders would protect and band with one another during war.

## History

The Tavki-Slof split from the Nulu very soon after they arrived in the area, around 2800 BCE, but their first major settlement was not founded until 154 BCE, with the city of Sloffilla which became the center of a kingdom in the area. Between 212 CE and 576 CE, the new Slof Kingdom conquered the nearby lands and spread their influence. They were known as fierce and ruthless fighter who showed no mercy and took no prisoners. However, in the 6th century, they were conquered by the Nulu, and then a thousand years later by the Nyslof Empire. The Tavki-Slof were oppressed by the empires, and in 1552 rebelled against the Nyslof empire. They fought bravely but in the end they lost, losing a huge chunk of their population. The Slof resistance lead to more discrimination, though in recent years there has been attempt at reconciliation there is still discrimination against the Tavki-Slof.

## Culture

### Religion

The Slof religion is monotheistic. One day, God took a piece of himself, and used it to make land. Out of the land he made humans and all other animals. The first man named every animal and person. Then the people were sent out to live on the land. However, when God created the earth, he accidentally also made evil. One of the evil beings tried to become God himself and persuaded people to follow him. So God created a great beast called Javi-Kanan (Ha-ve Kann) to kill the evil beasts. Javi-Kanan is said to be a large brown panther with claws of a bear and a tail that ends in black feathers. Javi-Kanan was close to destroying all evil, until it was slain and its body created highlands, which the Tavki-Slof people escaped to. Angry, God destroyed the lands, but gave the Tavki-Slof a set of rules to stray away from evil. When you die, your body becomes part of the world and your soul is sent up to become a star. The northern lights are said to be the souls travelling in groups to become a star. It is said that someday, Javi-Kanan will be reborn to finally rid the world of evil.

### Tribal Hierarchy

Tribal Hierarchy is put into 5 categories. Each category is usually in place with with age/knowledge

##### Elders

The elders in the tribe write down, pass on and teach children of the tribe teaching them to read, write, simple maths and stories.

##### Council

They held the tribes internal and external affairs, they chose which herd to hunt, which tribes they should trade with and which they should war with. Councils were made up of both men and women and were to make votes or come up to a consensus. Councils were usually in there late 40s to late 50s.

##### Warriors

People were warriors from late teens to early 40s, they hunted caribou, ptarmigan, bears, cats, buffalo and other game they could find. Warriors also fought the wars for the tribe and were kept a peak physical condition. They had to be able to sprint, jog and walk for miles on rocky terrain. They exercised regularly, competing in competitions based on sex and age.

##### Collectors

From about 13 to 17 people within the tribes jobs were to collect berries, animal eggs and water in canteens. They also carried the tribes items, pulling sleds or carrying packs. They also pulled the weak, sick or dead on these sleighs.

##### Kids

The kids simply just learned and played until they were old enough to contribute.

### Other cultural aspects

The Slof loved life celebrating it every chance they got. They danced, sang and made crude alcohols. A form of Slof dancing named Tazij (Taa-ghee) that consisted of fast high speed movements, jumps and spins were performed by a coupling male and female was common among celebrations. Often at the celebrations tattoos of elaborate patterns made using alcohol and wood ash were used to decorate peoples arms and backs. A celebration could last for hours and everyone would get in on the fun. Often times other tribes would join in and exchange people. The men would often go and join there wife's tribe, but the other way around wasn't unheard of.

The Slof people carried their dead to pre-made pillars they made. No specific tribe had a specific pillar and many tribes would use just the closest one at the moment. These pillars were made if the tops of hills, stones were stacked usually 20 feet or more and had openings in the bottom for ceremonial fires. They wrapped their dead in cloths and furs and buried them. After the passed was laid in their final resting place they lit a small fire at the bottom known as a morning fire, its believed to help the spirit of the dead see the path to the heavens. Due to the cold ground and not many insects these burial sites are well preserved.