Rock People

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

The Rock people live in the rocky expanses of the Lower Continent, though a few have moved to The City in search of work and wealth. This cold barren continent might seem like a hostile place to live but the Rock people have adapted and now find immense joy in their lives there. Despite being made of solid rock this continent is anything but plain. Many types of rocks and minerals can be found here and the Rock people have used this to their advantage by building their homes and really their lives out of rock. They know which rocks are better for building and which are more suited for cooking in. If you can imagine it, they have probably found a way to make it out of rock. Their greatest assets are [url:Boiling Rock]. Sections of the continent, and not coincidentally the areas inhabited by Rock villages, are composed of Boiling Rock. Some have excavated tunnels into Boiling Rock that serve as houses, many use it for ovens flooring, all use it to purify water

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Rock people are omnivores eating both the animals they hunt and the plants they grow. Due to the lack of metal-free water and soil, they grow food using aeroponics.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The Rock People have a very loose social structure based on age and experience. There is no formal government, though respected members of the community will sometimes confer with other villages on inter-village matters. These are often elders but need not be. The basic building blocks of each village are the families. Villages can have any number of family units and often villages are connected by inter-village marriages. Families are generally very large often with 7-8 children. The parents are the head of the household though children will help with household duties such as farming, cleaning, and food preparation as soon as possible. Children are raised by the village. They are allowed great freedom and almost always travel in large groups. Inevitably these groups separate into general age groups and later in life split between male and female although this is not enforced. Children will often be out of the house for the entire day including meals. Each village is considered a family but also part of a larger family that includes all Rock People. This comes from their belief in a shared heritage as descendants of The Beings. This presents itself in the tradition of preparing extra and sharing whatever you have. Whether that means feeding six extra children from various families, clothing said children after a surprise rain shower, or taking in orphans.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

A small faction has formed since the Sand people came to the Lower Continent. This faction sees the Sand people's greed and fights against it by destroying and disabling machines, vandalizing Sand people's houses, and fighting physically. They are seen by the larger community as lost children and as anti-community. They see themselves as the only ones willing to protect the community. Maybe: they have pushed back against the idea of being "lost" by calling themselves "found"?

Gender Ideals

Because of the focus on the community as a whole and not on different genders, boys and girls are treated equally. Women are often the ones taking care of infants but only because of the physical dependence the babies have on their mothers. After weaning they are in the care of the village. Clothing is generally universal.

Common Dress Code

The Rock people dress in lots of layers due to the low temperatures. A typical outfit consists of underwear, an undershirt and warming pants(similar to silk underwear) an overshirt, baggy insulating pants, socks, house shoes, outside shoes, a shawl or cape, and possibly gloves. House shoes are unique to the Rock people. Due to the cold temperature of the ground direct contact with the ground is often uncomfortable. To remedy this the Rock people wear house shoes. Soft, slipper-like boots often made from a single piece of hide. They can be worn with or without socks and can be worn anytime. They make the transition between outside (with outside shoes) to inside (with house shoes) simple as they can be worn inside the larger outside boots. Also, due to the lack of dirt they do not need to be washed unless visibly soiled, this helps them retain their warmth.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

They are light to medium grey and have spots and splotches in varying shades of grey and grey-brown covering most of their body. Their hair is white, silver/light grey, or salt and pepper. They have short hair, from buzz cut to shoulder length. Length is not influenced by gender. If a person has longer hair is it often just long enough to be put into a ponytail. They often have curly hair- 3a to 4b, which is worn natural, tied back, or twisted.

Geographic Distribution