Taerwyn

The people of the Great Sand Sea

The Taerwyn are a group of nomads loosely organized into tribes. They roam The Great Sand Sea southeast of The Northern Peninsula. They are a mostly insular people, although at times they may trade with roaming caravans that stray close to their lands. Accustomed to living in the harsh, dry land of windswept dunes; the Taerwyn are a hearty people. They know their lands, though, and know the locations of remote and hidden oasis. Many say they are born in the saddle, and there are none in all of Erimos who can match them for their skill on horseback.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

The tribe is considered more important than any individual, and putting oneself in danger for the protection of the tribe is considered the ultimate act of heroism. Conversely, doing anything to harm or threaten one's own tribe is the gravest crime. In this sense, the sharing of the tribe's limited resources is considered the most important custom of the Taerwyn.

Average technological level

Taerwyn favor the bow for both hunting and fighting, and every member of their society learns to use a bow almost as soon as they learn to ride a horse. In most cases, this is before they are ten years of age. Crude bronze knives are also commonplace, and some Taerwyn warriors may even carry swords won in combat or traded for from the outside world. They usually ride bareback, shunning the saddles of more 'civilized' cultures.

Common Etiquette rules

When two different groups of Taerwyn meet in the desert, the first thing they will do is exchange resources -- starting with water. The sharing of supplies for the good of the whole is a core ideal of the nomadic people, and this exchange establishes a relationship of common purpose and support between the two groups.

Common Dress code

The Taerwyn people often wear loose fitting robes, or pantaloons with a loose shirt. They are not concerned with fashion, and consider clothing necessary for comfort and survival only. In their harsh homeland, proper attire can mean the difference between life and death. Colors are limited to natural hues, often tan or brown colors that also aid in hiding among the dunes when trouble is near. Their clothing is often woven from the hair of the Orgok which roam the Cressian badlands close to the edge of The Great Sand Sea.

Art & Architecture

As a nomadic people, the Taewrwyn have no architecture to speak of. They commonly use canvas tents for shelter which can be easily rolled and tied to the saddle. They do practice many forms of artwork, all of which are able to be carried with them. Carvings on bows, blades, and other weapons are very common. The Taerwyn also bear tattoos that reflect the individual's family history and personal accomplishments.

Common Taboos

The worst crime among the people of the Great Sand Sea is theft, especially of food or water. Taking resources away from one's kin to hoard for oneself is almost considered worse than murder - for at least in the case of murder there are more resources to be shared among less people - although killing without justification or for greed are just as bad.

Common Myths and Legends

The Taerwyn believe in reincarnation, but also believe that between lives the spirits of all creatures journey to the 'Spirit Sands', an endless desert devoid of suffering where they might see lost family members, or even their ancestors, once again. The time in the Spirit Sands is fleeting, though, and the only way to earn a permanent place among the honored dead is to perform some sort of heroic, selfless act for the betterment of the tribe.

A Taerwyn warrior

Encompassed species

Human

Brego felt young again; soaring across the sands on horseback with a bow in his hand. His people were the Taerwyn, nomads surviving in the Great Sand Sea to the East by always staying on the move. Some said the Taerwyn were born in the saddle, and despite the long years spent away from his people Brego showed skill handling the stallion no other on the northern peninsula could match.
From Blood of the Desert, by B.K. Bass kyanitepublishing.com