The Lost

The Renyan Unitary claims domain on the solid land outside the swamp leaving First Loss the dredges. It is made up of Renyan exiles. Most of the population of First Loss live in communal groups that sail on rafts through the swamp. They keep together and keep an eye on each other in order to avoid the dangers of the swamp. These raft communities travel constantly and collect peat, coal, herbs and clay as they travel. Some merchants will travel to Al Renya or other locations to sell these goods and meet back up with the rafts at a fixed date.

Stereotypes

People have mixed views on the Lost. They are the local "exotic" group, with them having strange ways but being nearby many "civilized" lands. Their strange garb adds to this mystique. The Lost are often stereotyped as fairly savage, not to the level of Sugaz but enough that they wouldn't be invited to a ball. They are also thought of as pessimistic bunch.

Status

Status is often decided by the political faction a person follows and whichever is strongest at the time. Apart from that Labourers, scientists such as engineers and fighters are all considered equal status with artists being seen as beneath them. Biographers are a secretive but well respected profession within any faction. Hard work is seen as more important than birth order, coming from the same barge has a similar importance to being a blood relation.
Few are unemployed, only those that cannot physically work.
The two main factions have different views on age. For both the traditionalists and the separatists the elderly represent a time before and the Renyan Unitary, even if that person opposes them. Youth is celebrated by the separatists and the knowledge of elders is held at the front. Both ages will find themsleves on the larger crafts or with their families - often te elderly will be in charge of teaching the young.

Most people have few personal possessions, only a few on some of the larger rafting colonies could be considered rich. Wealth is more determined by how much influence a person has over their raft and in the greater politics of an area. The rich and powerful are those that have larger convoys, they will have more resources available to them and sometimes tax others. They will have warm boats and usually a few engineer crafted tools. The poorer people will often lack the peat to keep lights on and be forced to make more risky food choices. Social mobility is rare as there are family groups that retain control often, the best way to gain influence is starting a new convoy and making it become popular.

The Lost Engineers

When Al Renya exiled it's citizens and forced them into the swamp they met the Engineers that had been working to fix the irrigation and unflood the land. The engineers were already annoyed by a lack of support from the kingdom and joined the exiles, unable to abandon their fellow countrymen.

Naming Traditions

Family names

They don't have last names instead they are named after their boat name of birth hyphen current boat. Those from the trading clans do not have a current boat so they will be their birth boat (if any) and current as "Lost"

Cutter

Break, Courage, Determination, Home, Impunity, Independence, Liberty, Release, Right, Sovereign, Space, Strength and Wind

Dragger

Fortitude
Stability
Bravery
Durance
Grit
Architect
Builder
Reprieve
Hope
Flight
Gull
Nekneb Fish Run
Bennad Cold Water
Raleke Sailor Home
Hearal Green Sailor

Giver

Adakay Beautiful Swim
Larmab Promised Beach
Meskah Swamp Swimmer
Larhea Promised Green
Nahada Wild Beauty
Heanah Green Wilderness
Leyneb Beach Run
Mabkah Coast Flyer
Neklar Fish Promised
Adahea ^{Beautiful Green}
Opportunity
Individuality
Unruled

Other names

First names are similar to Renyan names but different sound profile.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

They speak a divergent dialect of Renyan which becomes slightly more divergent on each raft as they develop slang and do not see each other often.

Culture and cultural heritage

Sports are uncommon in the swamps since there is little room to move. The only real sport that has caught on is darts. For music singing and playing of guitars is common. Painting and weaving are common hobbies, with themes of betrayal and redemption being common.

Shared customary codes and values

Theft is rare in these small communities as everything is very open and personal possessions are rare. On the larger barge clusters it is more common. To deal with this larger barges will have a few Coup's to protect the ship and also enforce order. For repeated crimes, people are exiled from the barge onto the shore leading to the Renyan Unitary.
Morality and law often resides on the leader of a barge convoy, though many will listen to those under them. If an individual barge captain disagrees they are free to leave the convoy and go on their own or join another. This sadly leads to some barges being ruled by the whims of a single voice.
When traveling The Lost are often noticed for their distrust of water. They will avoid drinking it or bathing in it if possible (lending to their uncivilized stereotyping). They are also known for their love of bright colours and tattoos.

Common Etiquette rules

There are few differences between the genders, everyone is expected to work and political power is open to either gender. Usually a family will become in charge of a barge and this can lead to each having roles, sometimes tasks can be gendered from this. Racism is common towards Gypts and also Renyans, although only on the anti-Renyan barges and faction members. Other cultures aren't known about very much and are treated as very exotic - which can lead to misunderstandings and awkwardness but rarely outright hostility.

Common Dress code

The idea of watertight boots survived in the swamps, they are a necessity along side water tight gloves. Greens, browns and blacks are often used for practical purposes but while people aren't raiding they will wear a bright head piece to help be spotted if lost. Lizard skin, cow or pig leather and linen are the materials commonly used to make clothing. Most natives of First Loss will also carry a big walking stick, this is used to check ground, as a weapon and it is often decorated - a sign of a loved person is a decorated walking stick.
The Lost will often dye their hair or parts of their body with safe plants in the area. Sometimes they will use these to form tattoos. The dye can sometimes have effects on there bodies or minds.

Art & Architecture

The boats are made out of the local wood and coated in a mixture involving their sap. This leaves them waterproof and black in the night but with a orange glow in the light. The barges are about XXXXX long and XXX wide normally, enough for a family or two each and will travel in convoys to help with any danger. Peat is kept burning in a front and back brazier on each boat, though Cutter craft will sometimes forgo this or keep them doused unless needed. Slats can be pulled out on the side of the crafts to be extended for anyone that falls out, to repair the ship or as a bridge in unsteady terrain.
Art – Visual Visual art is a large part of the culture. The fact many ingredients for dyes can be found helps this, the large amount of time the people are stuck in a single location and the beauty/danger of everyday life around them. The will often do paintings on stripped pieces of wood (which they will sometimes gift or trade) or decorate the top part of their navigation poles with it.
Art – Performance With the lack of stable land and space, the only form of Performance is oral history and storytelling. People are especially interested in recording their lives and sharing details as there is always the rare chance a biographer will revive them.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Food is mainly through hunted animals, including fish, flavoured with herbs. Some areas will be set up with tubers, lettuce and watercress that can survive the harsh climate and regularly rotated through to farm. Gin and whiskey are the alcohol choices for the area.

Superstitions

The Lost have little need for tracking days. They mainly wait for signs from the swamp the the rainy season will start, there is little communal time or space for large festivals. Each barge or convoy may start making their own traditions though. Fortune telling and augury are common forms of telling the future. Luck is also commonly believed in with many small rituals happening to ward off bad luck.

Funerary and Memorial customs

For mourning stark blacks are worn, the bodies are preserved and taken to the shore villagers. Funerals involve collecting stories on people and writing them down, a practice inspired by Biographers but they only rarely intervene.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

Unlike in Al Renya, there are few differences in status between the two genders. The Lost do keep to some of the old ideals though, specifically around repressing homosexual relationships and a general disregard to non-binary genders.

Courtship Ideals

Youth will often spend time on other rafts for a few months at a time, learning different skills, exploring different places and meeting new people. This is often where people will find partners.

Relationship Ideals

Marriage will often happen after the young people have spent time on a few different rafts. Depending on the needs of the family it can be arranged or personal preference. A normal family will have around three children.

Major organizations

Political groups can be split across two axis's; Your type of barge or your feelings on the Renyan Unitary.

Parent ethnicities

• Renyan

Encompassed species

• Alkken
• Ammaken
• Renken

Related Organizations

• First Loss

Related Locations

• The Drowned Land