Rahigi

Inhabitants of a Dying Land

My expectations for these sand-dwelling guides weren’t high to begin with, but now they’re offering us insects and tree sap? Men like us should be greeted with a wonderful feast with meat, cheese, wine, and fresh produce. Good thing we brought some of our own rations with us. Dried meats are a thousand times better than anything available here and I’m sure even the natives would agree with that. Perhaps we should pay them with proper food the next time we feel mad enough to travel through here again.
— Valīris Kagilopo, merchant from Alminthas

The Rahigi are a people native to the arid wastes of the Rahigina. Their people are nomadic, always moving between the last remaining spots of greenery that remain in the once lush land. Renowned for their mastery of the flat and unremarkable desert, the Rahigi are highly valued as guides. Without their assistance, passage through their homeland is impossible.

Culture

Divided between a plethora of various tribes, the Rahigi are often at odds with one another. Their tribes move between known safe areas, but occasionally they run into other tribes who seek to take shelter in the same spot. These types of encounters usually end in conflict. Disputes can be settled through all-out warfare, or through a duel between two champions from both tribes. The duels are the more common approach unless the situation is desperate for one of the tribes and they are unwilling to leave the fate of the entire group up to one member.

Orange Pumpkin by Jessica Lewis

Safe Havens

Over the years the Rahigina has transformed slowly into an inhospitable wasteland, but traces of its more habitable past still linger. Areas where some resemblance of greenery has survived and where the last of the sapblood trees endure. The waters of these green havens attract all nearby life. Rahigi tribes travel between these spots, hunting the animals, gathering the bugs and water, and then moving on to a different location. These supplies are vital for their survival, which is why the spots are often contested by multiple tribes. Staying in a location for too long will scare away the larger prey and it increases the risk that other tribes might attack to secure the location for themselves.