Sandrunners
Sandrunner tribes are found scattered across the deserts of the Grand Wastes and bordering dry lands, nomadic communities that rely on moving with high levels of speed to search for food and water across the scorching dunes. These tribes are almost exclusively made up of either orcs or elves, varying rather equally on whether they are mono-species or integrated. Many of the orcs are descendants directly from Bastov, while the elves are mostly made up of exiles and descendants of former warriors who fought and defeated the serpentfolk during the First Age. The rivalries and intermingling of the two different peoples and cultures have resulted in a rather unique values and way of life, especially when coupled with the harsh environment.
Due to their nomadic ways, Sandrunner tribes are very knowledgeable of the locations of oasis and ancient ruins amongst the sands, including a few fabled elements of the Sinking City. They are very good at figuring direction by reading the sky, both the movements of the sun and stars. During the times where they run, they generally keep going through the days and nights to their next location, but when it can't be reached in reasonable times they will stop and set up tent settlements for a day or two to recuperate.
Raids from Sandrunner tribes are not uncommon along the boarder with the Grand Wastes, with many places knowing their timing and either trying to build defences during that time or prepare to provide enough goods to stop any violence. Sandrunners often have Kordor Lizards with them, one of the few creatures able to keep up with their rapid pace in the hard landscapes.
Due to their interactions, Sandrunner tribes make up the largest demographic of elf-orc children, often referred to as Sangkrov by the Sandrunners.
Naming Traditions
Family names
Many tribemembers either go with their tribe name as their family name, or they may have it paired with their another personal identifier such as a profession. These names are generally elven or orcish, but intermingled tribes often have a name that is an amalgamation of the two languages.
Tuuskirro, Vlarril, Benoitzar, Stalice, Moskrence.
Other names
Personal names are generally taken from elvish or orcish, though with the intermingling they aren't necessarily going to be paired with members of that race. Often they end up being pronounced or written in the form of the opposite language.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Elven and Orcish are spoken quite interchangeably for most tribes, often to the point where the two languages are swapped between within the same sentence. The accent of the people thus shows this change, morphing to a point where those outside would call their elvish harsh or heavy-sounding and nasal, and their orcish soft, overly round and lighter.
Common Dress code
Most clothing is made either from sheets of cloth bound around the torso of an individual or from hides, often leaving good amounts of exposed skin to allow for movement and ventilation, plus to show off tattoos and scarification. Colours are generally sun-stained off-whites to browns, embellished with small elements of colour, such as vibrant gems, patterns or metal decorations. Once the sun is down and the weather colder many of the bound cloth elements are unfurled for better coverage and protection from the elements.
Art & Architecture
Resources are scarce, mostly from found carrion, fragile oasis, or stolen in raids. This leads to a lot of bone-based work, and utilising colour is a show of prowess in gaining such resources. Red and green pigments for tattoos are the most abundant colours, using red flowers in badlands and lush green leaves from oasis.
Coming of Age Rites
Marking Ceremony - The first tattoos are a mark of maturity, made from red and green pigments that the child must mix themselves. This shows they have travelled the lands well enough, and learnt from their elders the multiple skill required in preservation and preparation. This first tattoo commonly takes the form of a ring of each colour done around the arm of their non-dominant hand, applied by themselves, any may include a pattern if they are brave enough, which often is seen as a tribal marker.
Before undertaking this marking they must an announcement to the tribe of their intentions, to which the tribe leader must accept for them to undertake. If they are refused, they may fight the last able-bodied to be Marked, being allowed to undertake if they are successful in their challenge. Upon completion there is a celebration, involving much dancing, which can often involve their first courtship attempts or offers unto them.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Those who pass on, be it from combat or natural causes, are honoured by taking an item of theirs and inscribing it with their name. This is generally done by immediate family and close friends, as well as the tribal leader. The body itself is moved and buried or left in the open somewhere it can sustain life, to allow the cycle within the desert to continue. Many will state which kind of funerary type they want, which will be respected if possible.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Scorched by the sun, Sandrunners are often varying shades of tans and browns to black pigments, so they prefer colours that compliment, often as vibrant spot elements on their wraps and skins. Slender but solid is a desired trait, and the Sandkrov facial structure of sleek form, sharp jaw, and short, thin protruding tusks is held in high regard by many. Scarification and tattoos are admired traits, taking the form of straight lines that end in swirls with a large love of red and green pigmentations, often done in parallel and symmetrical patterns.
Courtship Ideals
When two tribes encounter on their journeys they either end up fighting or partying together. In the case of the latter is it often a time to show off skills of strength and dexterity, often in the form of dancing, which can lead to inter-tribe relationships, in turn can lead to members changing tribe to be with a partner, creating a simple form of alliance between the two in the process. Within a tribe itself, it is again often during celebrations and dancing that members show interest and try to court.
Relationship Ideals
A mix of monogamy and polyamory can be found amongst the tribes; in the case of polyamorous leadership there is normally a notable power couple that are top of their relationship hierarchy, though other members of the relationship are still given the same level of respect by other members.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
