People of the Sands
They call themselves "The People." Much is unknown about the People of the Sands, and they prefer it that way. They are isolationists, and treat outsiders with suspicion and distrust, though the reasons why seem to lost to history, insofar as the rest of the world is concerned. The People are a collection of tribes the span across two races, the Abysin and the Sh'ezzari (Human). The chiefs of each tribe regularly council with one another, and once a year they gather to discuss matters of import. The People of the Sands are governed by a set of laws called the "Derekh." It is the one unifying element that binds them all together. They believe these laws have been handed down to their ancesters by Shaddai himself. The People are unique in their beliefs, which seem to most others as mysterious as their culture.
The Tribe
The People of the Sands have no surnames. Instead, they use the name of their tribe as a means of identifying themselves. While there may be some minor political rivalry between various tribes, no rivalry has ever progressed to the point of open conflict. Collectively, The People are, by nature, peaceful. While each tribe is capable of being self-sustaining, each tribe contributes to the greater part of the whole in their own special way.
A communal Society
Within each tribe, The People of the Sands are very communal in their paradigm. Ideas such as ownership are, in some cases, not present. Food is shared, so that no family goes hungry. Clothing is shared, so that none is in need. While each family does have a house, those without a roof over their head can ask any family for shelter, and they will be welcomed in and treated like a member of the family. Also because of this, theft-related crimes are rare.
Due entirely to their communal nature, there has never been the need to discuss issues such as gender equality, or sexual preference, because neither has ever been an issue. The People of the Sands have no real concept of concrete gender roles, aside from obvious biological constraints. Leadership positions are appointed to those most qualified, regardless of gender, and all crafts are open to everyone, should they show skill or potential in those areas and desire to pursue it. Likewise, a person's sexual orientation is rarely a topic of conversation outside the pursuit of a romantic interest, as it is simply accepted as a matter of course. Most prefer to focus on the content of a person's character.
History by Rote
The People of the sands remember. In fact, they cannot forget. The keen mind of the Abysin will not allow it. While a history book may be rewritten, destroyed, or lost, from generation to generation, a strict discipline has been taught, of learning history by rote as well. Word for word, with not one comma, period, or question mark put awry.
Derekh
Derekh is primarily a code of laws, though at the same time, it is so much more than that. It forms the cornerstone of their tradition and culture, as it is also defines as the collection of cultural traditions that have been in place for over a thousand years. The People believe that Derekh was given by Shaddai himself. It is, in fact, a point of pride for The People.
Naming
Enunciation notes: Remember to pronounce final ‘e’s (in Moshe, for instance), and that /j/ can sometimes sound like /y/ or /b/ like /v/.
Following are a list of common/standard names among the People of the Sands, though it should be noted that players are not constrained to follow this.
Typical Male Names
Common: Aaron, Avraham, Binjamin, Chaim, David, Eliyahu, Meir, Menachem, Michael, Mordechai, Moshe, Shimon, Shlomo,
Shmuel, Tzvi, Yaakov, Yehudi, Yisrael, Yitzhak, Yosef
Standard: Aaron, Abiah, Abraham, Adiel, Adonia, Adoniyahu, Adrial, Aharon, Amiel, Amnon, Amos, Amoz, Ariel, Arnon, Assaf, Avi, Avinoam, Avishai, Avital, Avner, Avraham, Avram, Azaria, Azriel, Barach, Ben, Benjamin, Binjamin, Binyamin, Boaz, Chaim, Chanan, Chaniel, Chanoch, Dan, Daniel, Dar, David, Dishon, Dothan, Eban, Efraim, Efron, Ehud, Elazar, Eli, Eliaz, Elihu, Elika, Eliyahu, Elkan, Enosh, Ephraim, Ephron, Esai, Ethan, Evron, Ezra, Gavriel, Gidon, Giladi, Gur, Guy, Hadar, Haim, Hanan, Haniel, Hanoch, Herschel, Hevel, Hiram, Hod, Ikabod, Ira, Isaac, Itzik, Jacob, Japheth, Jarah, Jareb, Javen, Jeriel, Joachim, Kaleb, Kalev, Kemuel, Kenan, Kolya, Laban, Lael, Leo, Levi, Malachai, Malcham, Malki, Mattaniah, Meir, Menachem, Menashya, Mered, Meshulam, Micah, Micha, Michael, Mikel, Mordechai, Moshe, Moshel, Nadav, Naim, Namir, Natan, Nechemiah, Nethaniel, Nimrod, Nissim, Noach, Oded, Omar, Omri, Oren, Peretz, Pinchas, Racham, Rafael, Rephaia, Resheph, Reuel, Reuben, Reuven, Rishon, Ron, Ruben, Salomon, Saul, Seth, Shalmai, Shalom, Shaul, Shemaria, Shemuel, Shiloh, Shimon, Shlomo, Shmuel, Telem, Temen, Tom, Tovi, Tzalmon, Tzuriel, Tzvi, Uriel, Uzi, Uzziel, Yaakov, Yakov, Yamin, Yaphet, Yarden, Yared, Yaron, Yehiel, Yehoshua, Yehuda, Yehudi, Yeriel, Yishmael, Yisrael, Yitzchak, Yitzhak, Yochanan, Yonah, Yosef, Zadkiel, Zadok, Zakur, Ze’ev, Zebulon, Zechariah, Zelman, Zohar, Zuriel, Zvi
Typical Female Names
Common: Aleeza, Chanah, Chava, Devorah, Haya, Ilana, Leah, Malka, Miryam, Rachel, Rina, Rivka, Ruth, Sarah, Shoshana, Shulamit, Tovah, Tzipora, Yehudit, Zahava
Standard: Abigail, Abishag, Adah, Adiella, Adina, Adira, Akiva, Aleeza, Alitza, Amalyah, Amielle, Anaelle, Ariela, Arielle, Asenath,
Atara, Avigayil, Aviva, Ayala, Azriela, Bariel, Basia, Batsheva, Batya, Belah, Bethel, Bethia, Bethula, Betula, Bilha, Bracha, Carmela, Carmiel, Cephirah, Cephorah, Chanah, Channah, Chava, Chenya, Cipira, Clara, Dafna, Dalya, Daniela, Davita, Debora, Deborah, Deenah, Delila, Devorah, Dina, Dinah, Dora, Dvora, Edna, Elanit, Eliana, Elisha, Elisheba, Elisheva, Elkie, Esther, Ezrela, Frieda, Gali, Ganit, Gavriela, Gavrilla, Geela, Gilah, Gurit, Hadassah, Hagia, Hana, Hannah, Hava, Haviva, Haya, Helene, Hephzibah, Huldah, Ida, Ilana, Ilanit, Irit, Ismaela, Izevel, Jaella, Jethra, Jezebela, Joela, Jora, Josefa, Judith, Karmiya, Ketura, Keziah, Leah, Levana, Levia, Liebe, Lily, Lydia, Mahalia, Malka, Mara, Margalit, Mariah, Marni, Martha, Mazal, Merav, Michal, Mina, Miri, Miriam, Miryam, Naomi, Nava, Nechama, Netaniella, Nitza, Nitzana, Nizana, Ofra, Ophrah, Ora, Paula, Penina, Rachel, Rahel, Raizel, Ranice, Raphia, Razel, Razilee, Rebecca, Rebekah, Rechel, Rina, Rivka, Ruelle, Rut, Ruth, Sabra, Sara, Sarah, Sariel, Shamirah, Sharai, Sharon, Shifra, Shiloh, Shimona, Shira, Shirley, Shoshana, Shulamit, Sonia, Sophie, Sylvia, Tamar, Tikva, Tirzah, Tovah, Tzipora, Tziporah, Uriella, Varda, Victoria, Yael, Yaffa, Yehudit, Yemina, Yoela, Yosefa, Zahava, Zillah, Zipporah, Ziva, Zorah, Zylpha
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