Traistig (TRI-stig)

Life and civilization have emerged even within the dark and impervious Rustways. Several cultures exist of highly variable species which are collectively called the Traistig.

A Diverse People

The only naturally occurring life in the Rustways are the Igmi. The Traisting is comprised of people from other worlds who have entered through one of Igerbotte's many portals. From earth, there are Giants, Humans, and even some intelligent animals. Otherworlders like Padnamanor and Ipsiji have also found a home among the Traistig.
These people bring with them their traditions and customs and contribute to the collective, reshaping the Traistig culture with each new addition.

The Worship of Igmird

At the core of Traistig cultures is the worship of Igmird, the god of rust. The religion has no formal name nor organization and is more of a loose collection of traditions and beliefs.
Importantly, the rusting curse allows one to see beauty in the Rustways and from this stems the belief that life and all of its facets are beautiful. The eternity and inevitability of the Rustways are important tenants of worship and these concepts manifest in a general contentment and acceptance of fate among the Traistig. Those who find fault with the lives of themselves and others are seen as resisting the curse and may be detained at the decision of the community. Still, the scarcity of food and water in Igerbotte is a cause for grief; hardship and adversity are common elements of story and song.
The individual is an extremely important concept to the Traistig. Each member of society is unique and has skillsets that contribute to the success of society as a whole. Most communities of Trasitig are governed by pure democratic vote. Even in groups numbering in the hundreds, the vote of the elders is considered equal to that of the newest member.
When a person reaches the end of their life, they volunteer themselves to be cast into the void. It is believed the moment their body perishes, they are reborn from the rust as Igmi and live forever. This process is called Airgirolc and is central to the Traistig beliefs and values.

The Birth Taboo

There are no children among the Traistig

-- Traistig saying

The "birth taboo" stems from the scarcity of food and water in Igerbotte. The raising of children is a burdensome task that creates a weak link in the group. Moreover, there is a supposed balance between the influx of members from outside and the creation of new Igmi and the birthing a child is seen as an affront to that flow of life. In extreme cases, the pregnant mother is exiled or cast into the void "before their time." However, some societies are more relaxed with this rule and allow children to be birthed and raised by the parents albeit without any outside assistance. Abortion is viewed neutrally with the mother having full right to her own body but other members of the community rarely offering to aid with the procedure.
Stemming from the birth taboo is a general disinterest or animosity toward sex. The rusting curse often dims a person's libido but when this is not the case, tensions can emerge within a community. Some turn to interspecies relations which theoretically avoids the issue of birth but presents another slew of problems which vary widely from group to group.

The Rusting Curse

The "curse" of the Rustways, as some claim it to be, manifests in two ways. The first is chiefly psychological and changes how a person perceives the Rustways. At first, the world is a terrifying place unfit for survival or any form of life. But over time, often merely days or weeks, one grows accustomed to the lightless, rusted expanses and, eventually, comes to admire them.
The second manifestation is the physical change of the body. The eyes develop a reddish tint and become able to see in the dark, the body becomes lithe and lean, able to sustain itself for long periods without food, water, or sleep. Most curiously, the brain develops the ability to comprehend the thoughts and feelings of others in a way similar to (but not as prevalent as) the Empathic Tangibility of the Padnamanor.
Without the Curse, some believe the Traistig would never have arisen and Igerbotte would have forever remained an uninhabited place. Others perceive the curse as a manifestation of the Traistig itself and add it to that list of paradoxes plaguing the existence of this bizarre world.

Related Locations

• Rustways