Varmint

Overview
The Varmint consist of humanoid peoples with varying animalistic features; from just ears & a tail to full on claws & whiskers. They originated from the Jofpu Junaf’nah (Golden Desert), slowly building up their lands; but unfortunately, their settlements usually didn't last very long due to the constant fighting between the separate Varmint tribes. Eventually however, some of the tribes decided to seek out some sort of peace after the Jukk Ikhanu Hafkana (Great Copper Collapse) by seeking out refuge elsewhere, in lands afar.

Currently, the Varmint primarily live within or near the lands of the RoPE & make up the vast majority of the population.

Old History
For as long as the Varmint have existed, they have fought against each other and torn apart their fellow Varmint’s towns. Typically, they separate themselves into tribes based on what type of Varmint they are; cat, wolf, fox, or otherwise. Because of the constant fighting, Varmint settlements & towns typically don’t last for very long, and are usually not very well built due to how quickly they have to be completed to house the large amounts of constantly displaced Varmint peoples. This however was not always true, and has once again begun to change in the modern age.

The Ikhanu Kkonaf
In very ancient history, the Ikhanu Kkonaf (Copper Empire) –led by the infamous Ahastra Uraf’Ikhanu– was able to forcefully unite the Varmint through conquest & military occupation. The Ikhanu Kkonaf lasted for a very long time due to Ahastra’s undeath. His council & cult led the Ikhanu Kkonaf with an iron fist, getting rid of those not loyal to him & his religion. Ahastra even managed to lay claim to Sanu Pafkkar, the ancient holy site for the Nert’hanah; using it as a military fort & a base of operations for his cult’s dark activities. The Ikhanu Kkonaf almost marked the end for the Ner’thanah, as all of their holy texts & practices were made illegal and punishable by death, making it incredibly difficult to pass down traditions; Eventually however, the Ikhanu Kkonaf collapsed due to the Assassination of Ahastra Uraf’Ikhanu. This came as a shock to many, as it was commonly believed he was immortal; it is rumored that he was killed with an ancient Nert’ha artifact, enchanted with a holy ritual. His death not only caused large infighting and uproar within his government, but great panic & fear among the members of his cult; and ultimately, that is what collapsed the Ikhanu Kkonaf.

Modern History
With the recent destruction of his town and the looming knowledge of his people’s history of war, Rohaj Kana’Fura would seek out peace for the Varmint, and he was going to do it through true unification, unlike the Ikhanu Kkonaf before him. Knowing that he would be most likely to succeed with the Varmint Foxfolk due to the similarities between them and the Varmint Catfolk, he went to them first. Rohaj called for a hand-to-hand duel between himself and the leader of the Varmint Foxfolk tribe; if Rohaj won, the Foxfolk would follow him in his hope for peace, but if the leader of the Foxfolk won, The Catfolk tribe would be subject to their rule. In the end, Rohaj Managed to win the hand-to-hand duel, founding a city ruled by both Catfolk  & Foxfolk. Along with this, Rohaj Would found a proper country amidst the war-torn lands & bickering tribes; The Realm of Pointed Ears, naming it after the land. This marked a big change within the RoPE’s lands, as never before had such a large-scale peaceful cooperation project ever been seen.

Traditions
There is a reason for the bickering between the various tribes of Varmint, and it would come from the creatures of the land. The sotifu’nah are small creatures made of magic sand, they have the appearance of the ancestors of the Varmint; foxes, cats, wolves, etc… Their origin is unknown as of yet, but it is believed that they originated from some kind of ancient ritual. These creatures slowly change the terrain around them, making strange structures --typically out of whatever element the ground may be made out of-- rise out of the ground. Though these structures may be weak & small at first, the longer they are allowed to remain in a certain area, the larger the structures become, and the more the terrain is disrupted. Obviously, no farm --or even town-- would want these things near them, but there are many. The Varmint found a workaround to the sotifu’nah, they would simply ride their domesticated horses around with bows & crossbows in hand, scaring the animals away to another area. The issue arises clearly however, if one tribe pushes away the sotifu’nah elsewhere, it is likely that they will disturb a different tribe. This relatively small issue would only grow over the years, growing into a near blood feud between all of the types of Varmint. The first to use the technique of relocating the animals were the Cowfolk, so over the years, any herders of the sotifu’nah became known as “cowboys.” The bickering between the tribes would lessen over the sotifu’nah after the Jukk Ikhanu Hafkana however, due to the larger distance between most of the tribes; although, much animosity still remained between some.

The Varmint have a convention for giving orphaned children their surnames specific to their land; they take the color of the child’s eyes first, and then put it in front of an object important to the child; if the child is not old enough to pick an object, their caretaker will choose one. First names are picked regularly. English examples: John Red’Rock, Tim Yellow’Sword, James Orange’Lake; Kkriteren examples: Joruk Jofa’Inu, Rohaj Kakku’Unikka, Ahastra Kana’Ipin. If a child is not orphaned, they simply take on a combination of both of their parents' surnames.

Religions
The Nert’hanah –or more commonly called, the listeners– are followers of the most common religion within the RoPE, they believe that sound is the most important thing one can have, that out of the 5 senses, it is by far the most useful in all situations. The Nert’hanah believe that every single object has a specific sound, and that if you believe & attune yourself to the religion enough, you would be able to control the world around you; much like the sotifu’nah are able to. Bells are believed to be holy due to the powerful yet almost peaceful sounds they can produce; in addition, Bright cyan/teal is considered to be a sacred color to the Nert’hanah because they believe it is the color of a bell’s sound. It is unknown where this belief originated, but it is believed to be an ancient tale. The Nert’hanah believe that once a person dies, their life becomes a beautiful sound that travels through the earth, sparking new life within others.

The Seru’nah –or as they’re called in the more common tongue, the Eternals– are those that worship the beliefs of Ahastra Uraf’Ikhanu. He believed that death was not merely the begining of a new existence, but an extension of one’s current one; “Living is much like a chunk of copper, it starts off sparkling & reflective, but slowly rusts… Once fully rusted, a piece of copper is born anew! Once shiny & orange, now a beautiful glimmering teal, ready for new uses & new purposes; but for all intents & purposes, the wonderful metal remains as just copper, nothing more, nothing less.” This infamous quote led to the naming of the Copper Empire (Ikhanu Kkonaf) and many other projects that Ahastra was involved with. It also describes his beliefs on death, and helps explain many supernatural events related to Ahastra, including his very own undeath & a supposed curse on all those who chose to follow him, stating that “All those who follow me do so for eternity, pledging their very souls to my cause! Even if I were to die, it would not be the end, for my eternal army shall forever be at my side…”

Clothing
Traditional cowboy clothing’s design reflects the practical needs, the demanding nature of sotifu’nah herding, and the harsh, dry environment of the Jofpu Junaf’nah. A typical cowboy usually wears a cowboy hat, a hat with a wide brim –short enough to use a lasso with ease however–  that provides shade from the intense sun (protecting the face & neck). Another typical piece of clothing for a cowboy were the Cowboy boots; typically made of leather, often with decorative stitching, and featured a tall shaft to protect the lower leg. The boots shielded the legs from rough brush, cactus spines, and other hazards encountered during riding or roping which is why they were designed with sturdy & durable materials to withstand wear and tear. Cowboy boots also had a high, angled heel that helped keep the foot secure within the saddle of a cowboy’s horse and prevented it from slipping through. The pointed toe of the boots also allowed for easier mounting of their saddled horses. Vests were also popular among cowboys as a sort of extra layer of warmth during colder weather, especially to those who moved into colder climates after the Great Copper Collapse & residents of Sanu Pafkkar. They were typically made of wool or leather and provided insulation without restricting arm movement. Vests also had multiple pockets for storing small tools or other personal items. Ponchos were also often used during particularly bad weather conditions due to the protection they provided from the Elements; the loose & flowy design of the poncho provided their body ample coverage from rain, wind, and depending on the climate, snow. This allowed cowboys to stay relatively dry and protected during their outdoor work.

On top of their clothing, cowboys always made sure to have a very special item with them, a lasso. The lasso. The lasso –usually just a rope with a special knot & a handle– primarily served to catch and restrain livestock, more specifically, the sotifu’nah; they do this by throwing the loop of the lasso over the head, horns, ears, or neck of a targeted animal (depending on the type of sotifu’nah). The loop is then quickly tightened, securing the small elemental critters & restricting their movement.

Most cowboy clothing is commonly worn by regular citizens due to a mix of both their admiration for their work & the practical nature of the clothing.