Plainsmen

Plainsmen
The Four Nations of the Plainsmen all agreed to a treaty with the Statesmen in the year 1138. Goblin and orc skirmishes as well as growing conflict with the plains communities of Woolshire prompted this. The basics are Tower Rock will no longer progress or migrate west on the plains. Any from the Plainsmen nations who wish to integrate into Statesmen society (mostly Te’taho) if they wish to do so may. The four Plainsmen Nations pledge warriors and scouts during times of goblin and orc wars. The nations are as follows; Oconochee Nation –Plains horse masters (dyeing nation) nomadic people, Dakotapai Nation – River and plains dwelling, masters of fishing and the short bow, Skissagee Nation– Very war like, masters of the tomahawk, battle club and long bow, Te’taho Nation – masters of small scale agriculture, art and stealth. Halflings have interacted with this tribe the most with great success. True hunters and letting little go to waste this culture is nomadic and follows the heard of buffalo on the open plains. Food is simple and rarely over processed. Simple flour is used to make a kind of bread fried in the drippings of the buffalo fat, it is a popular item at meal time. Antelope, dear and birds such as pheasant, dove, giant ground endry, spotted groulet, and quail are also popular. Smoked meats and preserved fish are common during the winter months. They are very fond of fruits such as oranges, limes and moonglow, fairy fruit among others often trading very valuable items for it. The four nations all entered a Treaty with the Statesmen.
Language (Spoken and written)
The four tribes share a common language as well as maintaining individual dialects. Full of many soft syllables this is a rolling language. Simple and direct the syntax is so basic that the common trade language translations sound a little off. The plainsmen do not have a true written language but have adopted a form of phonetic symbols based from the Atlantean alphabet.
Literature (Fiction, Non-fiction, educational, historical)
Written works are so rare for the Plainsmen that this is a negligible category although it does exist. The easiest form of tome to find are always new works written in common by those who have integrated into Statesmen society. When this happens they follow the same description as the Statesmen.
Music
Drums, bells and singing dominate the musical styles of the Plainsmen. Simple whistles or even a crude flute are used but it is rare. Heavy deep drum sounds are often used and when dancing the bells ring out to the same beats. Some tribes have huge drums the size of a small wagon for ceremony, ritual and celebration.
Arts (visual, paint, sculpt, carving etc…)
Painting is normally crude paints and dies on leather or hide. Some tribes adopt a form of tattoo or face/body painting for function such as hunting or combat but also as artistic expression during ritual and celebration. Sand painting is often a non-permeant form of art. Bead work on clothing is also popular especially with outsiders of the tribe. Silver jewelry with semi-precious stones is also popular as well as copper jewelry. Most Plainsmen view the short bow as a work of art and they are often ornate and decorated yet very functional.
Architecture
Most are nomadic or semi nomadic so most architecture is limited. A traditional yurt (is a portable, round tent covered with skins or pelts and used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Ferrum. The structure comprises an angled assembly or latticework of pieces of wood or for walls, a door frame, ribs (poles, rafters), and a wheel (crown, compression ring) possibly steam-bent. The roof structure is often self-supporting, but large yurts may have interior posts supporting the crown. The top of the wall of self-supporting yurts is prevented from spreading by means of a tension band which opposes the force of the roof ribs. A tipi s a cone-shaped tent, traditionally made of animal skins upon wooden poles. A tipi is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure. Once or twice a year a longhouse is constructed by several tribal nations meetings. A wood framed structure with a tall roof and a single room. The roof is often thatched and the walls are often a combination of adobe brick to about knee height with a waddle and daub top. The structures are always torn down after use and new grass is planted in the area from that used to make the building.
Gardens (Agriculture)
Small random semi tended herb garden is placed in a safer location near a camp location. Herbs for cooking as well as medicine and sometimes tobacco for smoking enjoyment are the norm. Most are nomadic or semi nomadic so most agriculture is limited. Smaller plots of tubers such as yams, potatoes or carrots are popular. Corn or maize is also a common crop often grown with beans and ettin squash. Grains, are often a tended semi wild fields with natural barriers to keep stampede damage to a minimum.
Clothing (materials, fashion, colors)
Functional and season based clothing is dominated by leather, hide and furs. Some tribes do hand weaving on crude looms often with very colorful results. Trade often brings in clothing from other cultures but is almost always altered for function.
Cuisine
Food is often simple and fresh. Preserved items for winter are the items that carry the most flavor such as jerky, dried fruits and vegetables and flatbreads. Proteins consist of deer, buffalo and small game such as birds, rabbits and squirrels as well as fresh water fish or all sorts. A small handmade mud or clay oven is often used to make flatbread, or a roasted vegetable dish but most items are cooked over the open fire. A few rare tribes do manufacture a type of alcohol from gathered fruits and the like. It is often dark in color and very strong.
Pets and animals
The horse is among the most prized animal one can have as a plainsmen. However sheep, goats and dogs top out other common animals. The odd pet does come into play as the plainsmen are often in and around nature all the time so a bear, falcon, owl or weasel is just as possible as a hunting cat, finch or mouse. Very few keep animals for beasts of burden but the horse and ox are the most common followed by the mule.
Religion
The nomadic Plainsmen follow a faith similar to The Path known as the Animal Gods. Almost all barbarians follow some form of this, believing animals represent every aspect of faith in spirit form.
Festivals
Far too many festivals to name and even more if you include variants from tribe to tribe, however a few basic celebrations exist. All solstices and equinoxes are observed often with at a minimum some form of bonfire, dance and feast. Marriage ceremonies are also a big event for the tribes as well as a healthy birth.
Economy (exports, production items etc…)
A simple economy based on trade and barter this society is very self-sufficient and needs little from the outside world. However they do trade for iron, steel and items they do not produce such as ale or wine. Clothing is also a common “import” however horses, short bows, arrows and jewelry as well as furs and pelts are “exported” mostly with the Statesmen.
Military
While no standing military exists all tribes have brave warriors ready for hunting or combat at all times. Masters of the horse and short bow they make excellent mounted archers and nearly unparalleled as scouts and stealth.