Dousan
The Endless Forest may seem to sprawl forever in every direction, but even this wood has its boundaries. On the northwestern-most perimeter of the forest, the trees are anything but green and lush. Dry, salty dunes lap at their roots in rippling waves of shining crystal sand. Here, marked by a long line of dead trees bleached by the three suns, the Endless Forest ends and the great Crystal Desert begins.
It is not easy living on the sands of the Crystal Desert. Except for along the northern edge, where the Claw Mountains rise tall and red, there are very few structures to provide shade. Any moisture in the air that lands during the night evaporates almost immediately. But that doesn’t mean the desert is devoid of life. Though all is still one moment, in the next a pod of one hundred Crystal Skimmers bursts through the dunes, spraying crystal sand and sending rainbows flashing across the sky. These explosions of life and adventure characterize the desert, breaking the silence and stillness like lightning. One cannot remain still in such a place, nor can one become complacent.
The Dousan ("doo-SAHN") Gelfling are no different. Taking advantage of their long tradition of bone carpentry and their keen understanding of the desert’s weather, these nomads go where the sands take them aboard their sand skiffs of bone, crafted from the found remains of desert creatures. Countless generations inform their complex traveling patterns.
The nomadic Dousan are the most enigmatic of the all the Gelfling clans. Deeply spiritual, members decorate their bodies in ritualy painted designs, tattoos, and elaborate charms that represent their beliefs in sacred geometry. They place greate importance on acknowledging the passage of time and the inevitability of death. Because of this, Dousan are often secretive and inward-looking, seeing little point in unnesessary conversation, prefferring silence and stillness. As such, they often dismiss other clans as materialistic and facetious.
While many Dousan would not claim they have a home or a capital city, their travels always lead back to the Oszah-Staba, their patron tree—also known as the Wellspring Tree—a verdant desert oasis where Dousan can meet and trade.
Dousan have many esoteric rituals that are viewed with trepidation by Gelfling from other clans. Some require Dousan shamans to ingest urdrupes, hallucinogenic berries that allow them to commune with Thra and glimpse the future, albeit briefly and imperfectly. Though somewhat odd, these Dousan rituals help the clan face the harshness of life in the Crystal Desert, forseeing approaching danger and illuminating the path to precious resources.
Maudra Seethi is the matriarch of the Dousan, leading her nomadic clan with the help of several sandmaster captains. She is quiet and ageless, preferring to listen rather than to speak, and to perceive rather than to judge. Maudra Seethi takes her role of passing on the legacy of Gelfling funerary rites seriously. As the Dousan are rarely gathered in one place, this means relying on a close-knit group of apprentices called sandmasters, who bear the will and authority of their Maudra when she is unable to attend events in person.
The Dousan consider the Circle of the Suns a cursed, dangerous, forbidden ruin.
Daily Life
Dousan daily life centers around communion with Thra and the Crystal, acknowledgment of the passing of time, the humility of mortality, and the divinity of the Crystal of Truth. Dousan rituals and prayers omit the Skeksis—a heresy only allowed because of the Dousan’s remote location, far from the castle—and acknowledge Mother Aughra not as a sacred child of the Crystal and the voice of Thra, but as any other mortal creature who walks the land as Gelfling do. A day in the Crystal Desert consists of two categories of task: “body tasks,” such as collecting water and preparing food, seeking shelter in storms, and so on; and “spirit tasks,” which are almost always periods of meditation (although there are some minor spirit tasks such as incense making and fire burning, as well). Body tasks are assigned to certain times of the day as appropriate, or as necessary in case of injury or other emergencies. The remainder of the time in between is then allocated to spirit tasks. Thus, the days are filled with long periods of quiet reflection and meditation.The Xerics
Like the Sifa, the Dousan do not live their daily lives in a single community, but instead are divided into many smaller groups. Among the Dousan, these close-knit groups are called xerics, each led by a sandmaster who has been trained and trusted by the Dousan maudra herself. Xerics are made up of between twelve and thirty Gelfling each, split into crews that pilot their sand skiffs. Larger xerics often employ the aid of a Crystal Skimmer, a species of enormous ray-like flying creatures with which they have developed a symbiotic relationship, which improves their traveling ability, due to the Skimmer’s sharp desert instincts and tireless endurance. This is referred to as ‘sailing’. Dousan who sail Crystal Skimmers are known as Dousan sailors (a.k.a. Sand Mariners). The Dousan rarely travel beyond their beloved desert, and are the only clan forbidden from being Castle Guards. Out of necessity, the Dousan xerics are highly organized, with specific jobs assigned to small teams of Gelfling. Unlike the Sifan samaudren, which are formed out of the bonds of family or friendship, Dousan are assigned to xerics by the maudra and her council of sandmasters. These assignments are based on aptitude and skill. The day when a Gelfling is assigned to a xeric and leaves the Wellspring oasis is a very important day indeed. Roles among the xerics vary depending on the size of the xeric itself, as well as the territory the xeric covers. All xerics are led by a sandmaster, and each sandmaster has two close companions—called second sandmasters—who have the knowledge and skill to take over for their leader in an emergency. They also serve on the xeric’s council. All three of these leaders, the sandmaster and their two seconds, must agree on any important decisions before action is taken. Two other important roles among the xerics are those of pilot and navigator, who work together both in and out of transit. The pilots are in charge of controlling the skiffs; the navigators are seasoned sky readers and occasionally far-dreamers with an eye for reading the constantly changing crystal dunes. Among larger xerics that train Crystal Skimmers for transportation, there is a second, more specialized group of pilots who are able to direct the Skimmers. The Skimmers are headstrong but loyal beasts; it takes a great deal of bravery and fortitude to build such strong bonds. Skilled pilots and navigators can exchange large amounts of information in short periods of time using only hand signals. Another remarkable role is that of the guardian. Although defence of the xeric and clan are certainly a part of the guardian's responsibilities, the Dousan intepretation of the word guardian is more accurately defined as ritual guardian. A xeric’s guardian is responsible for delegating the daily spirit tasks, and in many cases, acting as a mentor among the xeric. The guardian is usually an elder and well versed in the many meditations and practices observed and performed by the Dousan; besides the two second sandmasters, a xeric’s guardian is the most well-respected member of a xeric, and always serves on the sandmaster’s elder council. Sandmasters hold a more senior rank within the Dousan clan and command regions. Rek’yr for example is ‘Sandmaster of the Southern Xeric’. He has direct command over his crew of Dousan sailors (a.k.a. Sand Mariners).Life Apart
Like most Gelfling, the Dousan are often thought to be unfriendly towards outsiders, leading most non-Dousan Gelfling to distrust their desert-dwelling cousins, seeing their silence as aloofness and unfriendliness. But these views are largely based in ignorance. The truth is much kinder. The Dousan’s values and traditions do not prioritize connections with other Gelfling. Instead, they focus on their personal connection with Thra. Every daily action, every prayer, and every pillar of their community centers on this utmost directive. Their philosophy revolves around their mortal existence and the immortality of Thra and the Crystal. Taken in this perspective, their aloof behaviors make much more sense. Their secretive-seeming ways are not secretive at all; their every action is personal and intimate, a relationship between each individual and Thra, which is no one else’s business to know or to understand.Language of Silence
One thing that marks a Gelfling a Dousan is purposeful silence. With very few exeptions, such as the Wellspring or regions outside the Crystal Desert, Dousan never speak. When asked about this the leader of the Dousan, responded with the following: “Breath issues forth water from within the body,” she told me. “Saving breath saves moisture, a valuable essence among the sands. In the beginning, this is why we learned as a clan to be quiet. But once we held our tongues, we found our ears were free. Open and undistracted, we began to hear the song of the sands, the song of the winds, the song of the Crystal Desert. When we became still, we were able to see how the world moves around us. When we devote our lives to silence, we become witnesses to the deafening melody of Thra.” For these reasons, the Dousan have a complete language of hand signals and are able to communicate just as fluently through these quick, articulate gestures as they are through words. They will often use this language—called Vojeye—instead of spoken words, even in environments like the Wellspring where water is bountiful.Day of the Dying Sun
The Day of the Dying Sun is the Dousan's most sacred holiday, as it is linked to the dimmest of the Three Suns. On the single day that the Dying Sun is visible, the Dousan remove their head coverings and gather in threes. They clasp hands and perform what they call an “empty dreamfast”—a dreamfast filled with no memories or voices; a shared meditation of stillness and silence. They perform this empty dreamfasting for the entire time during which the Dying Sun is visible, ending only after it has once again dipped below the horizon. The Dousan consider the Three Brothers to be three incarnations of the same entity—the Triple Sun—each representing a phase of life and death. The Dying Sun represents the decline of life and the journey toward death. In observing the Day of the Dying Sun in empty dreamfast, the Dousan share the journey with the Triple Sun’s dying incarnation, if only for a day, and in that way are better prepared for the journey when they begin it themselves.Trial of Daeydoim
There is a legend of a star that fell to Thra and was given a name by Aughra. Though the star believed itself to be of Thra for many trine, eventually it came to learn that it was from another world, one of the heavens above. And so, it came to question all it had learned, and wandered the desert for the rest of eternity. As it wandered, it left its footprints, and from those footprints sprang Daeydoim, a four-legged, shelled creature found only at dusk among the dunes of the desert. The Dousan relate strongly to this myth. They refer to it often, and have taken the armored, sand-walking Daeydoim as their sigil creature. One of the most powerful observances of the myth is the Trial of Daeydoim, a gauntlet performed by any Dousan twice: first as younglings in preparation for leaving the Wellspring, and second as elders when they retire from traveling among the xerics. The trial is simple in theory, though dangerous in execution: naked except for a simple sheet of red cloth, a Gelfling leaves the Wellspring in the dead of night. They are not to return for three days. On the third day, if they return—and not all do—they are anointed with the milk of the Wellspring Tree. If they are a youngling preparing to join the xerics, they are then allowed to stand before the maudra and the sandmaster council for their assignment. If they are an elder preparing to retire, they are granted their Last Home, a hut within the Wellspring, and a seat at the council circle. What happens during those three days is a closely guarded secret not shared with outsiders and so remains a mystery to all but thDousan.Incense
Though few Gelfling are fortunate enough to visit the Wellspring directly, Dousan incense is famous throughout the Skarith Land and among all the seven clans. It is burned in the Vapran Citadel in the chamber of the All-Maudra. It is said that even the Skeksis use it within their castle during ceremonies. Dousan incense makers are strictly elders who have retired from their xerics, as incense making is a magic process that does not agree with the windy, fast-paced life aboard sand skiffs and Crystal Skimmers. Among the Dousan, incense is made in small, palm-size chips that are placed in torch wells and burned under enchantment until their blue-plumed smoke fills the air with its savory, heady scent. The most traditional Dousan incense is made from dried bark peeled from the aging parts of the Wellspring Tree. Although it is mixed with other spices and scented substances—depending on the maker—the Wellspring bark is what gives Dousan incense its unique, irreproducible scent. The bark is dried and ground into a fine powder, and the mixture of dusts is compacted into bricks using the sticky sap of the Wellspring Tree—an additive that lends an enchanting aroma that is not found in other incenses. Then the bricks are left to dry in the arid conditions beyond the Wellspring’s bounds. Large swaths of the sands just beyond the Wellspring Tree’s shade have been cleared for just this purpose. Thanks to the sap and the experienced hands of the incense maker, the very fine dust dries rapidly, becoming extremely hard and packed. The bricks are then collected and carved into chips that can be easily brought to trade in Cera-Na and Ha’rar.Tattoos
The Dousan dress and adorn themselves sparingly and for function rather than appearance, especially the constant heat of the three suns. However, in stark contrast to their minimal dress, most Dousan are tattooed, an appearance extremely uncommon among the other Gelfling clans. While I was told by the Dousan tattooers that the tattoos block the glare and heat of the emboldened suns, the main purpose of the tattoos is in carrying meaning. Their shapes represent stories, and are performed by the elder sages at the Wellspring when the Dousan return from a particularly stirring adventure. The tattooing process is long and painful, involving pots of inks, Crystal Skimmer scales, and a tiny mallet. Skimmer scales, shed by the creatures during molting seasons, have a prickly, spiny texture, and are about the size of a Gelfling palm. They are cut into strips and triangles and other shapes. The scale shard is placed on the skin, spine side down, and struck with a mallet so the thousand spines prick the skin. Then, while the spines are still embedded in the skin, the bowl of scale is filled with drops of ink. The ink flows through the spines into the skin, and the scale is removed, leaving the ink embedded in the skin. However, the spines are not so closely knit that the ink coverage is very dense; the process must be repeated several times for each portion of the design to produce a rich, solid color shape. Most of the inks used in tattooing are made from pollens and plant substances found within the Crystal Desert; the most common colors are deep blue, green, and gold, as these are all colors that can be made from the three varieties of crystal palm, which grow in abundance within the desert. Other colors can be harder to come by, such as silver and white. In these cases, the Dousan who desire these colors must procure the pigment materials themselves. This seeking out of tattoo dye substances is one of the few examples of materialism that a Dousan might exibit in their lifetime.Funerals
As sad as it may be, all Gelfling must one day return to Thra. Believing themselves to be responsible for contemplating the mysteries of life and death—a responsibility given to them by Thra itself, according to the elders—the Dousan have created a life tradition around the inevitable. Meals begin by acknowledging the plants and animals that gave their lives so they might consume them. Meditation begins by becoming mindful and aware of their life force, and its mortal flicker. Dousan shamans hold ancient rituals involving music and are known across Thra for their close affinity with the circle of life and death. They refer to deaths as ‘passings’ and worship something known as ‘the Great All’. Some Gelfling fear the Dousan believing that they worship death. However, the Dousan’s spirituality is far more nuanced. They hold sacred the circular process by which life ends in death but begins again through Thra’s lush bounty. For a Dousan, death is not the end, nor is it cause for fear or sorrow. For many Dousan, becoming comfortable with death is a lifelong spiritual pursuit. Knowing all this, when a fellow Dousan meets an untimely demise, one might expect the Dousan funerary rites to be somber. This would be a mistake. Although it may seem uncharacteristic, especially in contrast to other clans, it is tradition for Dousan to come together and celebrate their fallen bretheren with music and song. First, the dead are buried in the soil beneath the Wellspring Tree, as all Gelfling must be returned to Thra. Then their xeric gather their belongings and pile them in a pyre. Then the maudra light it, and as the flames consume what meager belongings the dead possessed, the Dousan play cascading songs that ebb and flow and dance among the smoke and fire. The surviving members of the xeric sing of their favorite memories spent with their friend. As they sing, the musicians play the song, bringing it to life as if by dreamfast. By the time morning comes, the winds have scattered the ashes of the pyre, and nothing is left except the memories of the song.Food
Dousan do not simply survive in the Crystal Desert—in fact—they thrive. Although the desert days are hot, the nights are almost unbearably cold. And under that cold cloak of evening, what little moisture exists in the atmosphere becomes heavy and falls to the ground, coating the sparkling sands in dew until the suns rise and it evaporates once again. Thus, every evening, the Dousan set out dozens of shallow water traps, which are then collected in barrels before daybreak, and in this way always have fresh water to drink. Even so, the water is rationed, but life in an environment where water vanishes in the day is all about self-control and restraint, which the Dousan have by necessity. Where there is water, there is life. While the water traps fill, the Dousan slow their skiffs along pocketed dunes where reedy plants grow straight out of the crystal dust. During the day the untrained eye can mistake them for rock formations, but at night they explode with life. Enormous blossoms open along their entire bodies, and with the lovely scent come insects and birds and other creatures. Although the Dousan do not eat the flesh of any creature that moves during the day, they have no dietary restrictions on flowers. Raw spine-flower blossoms drizzled with nectar made from the flower’s pollen are a delicacy among the southern xerics. As they believe the threshold between the living realm and the realm of the dead is very thin, they have no apprehensions in utilizing the bones and other remains of deceased creatures as tools, shelter, or instruments. Their weapon of choice is the bone dagger.History
According to the Gelfling creation myth, the Song of the Six Sisters, the Dousan's maternal ancestor had been entrusted by Thra during the Age of Innocence with the gift of studying the skies and the endless heavens. During the Age of Division, the Dousan's belief system put them at odds with the Skeksis, who forbade them from serving at their Castle. The Dousan were nevertheless not targeted for destruction, and provided the Skeksis with incense and Peeper beetles. At one point, a group of Dousan exiles lead by Chal, escaping his clan after taking an outsider as a mate, settled in Mithra, leading to the eventual formation of the Fireling race. After the death of All-Maudra Mayrin, Maudra Seethi of the Dousan supported Seladon's ascension to the Vapran throne. She later lead the Dousan into battle during the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood.Dousan Songs
One thing that is not conveyed among any written records is that Dousan song tellers perform with their hands as well as verbally. During performance of the songs, the language of silence used by the Dousan becomes a fluid, lovely dance—sometimes interpretive enough to convey entire stanzas and verses without a single word spoken aloud.Beloved Sea
Take me now into these gentle hills
Granules of crystal and bone
Sink me now into these soft blades
Take me home
Breathe me now into this cooling air
As the suns dip low
Awaken me now into the dark night
Where crystal flowers grow
Lose me now into my beloved sea
Enlivened with your might
Embrace me now, my beloved gem
Into endless light
Crystal Prayer
Shining in the light of the Triple Sun
Wherein the colored rays become one
Burst with sound unspoken
Resound with body unbroken
Your children chase your light
Walking in your shadow
The Two Brothers
Three Brothers chasing clouds across the sky
When two crashed and fell from the heights
Into the crystal sea
One a great guardian, big and strong
Two a navigator, rose and wan
Stranded in the crystal sea
They climbed the red mount’s highest peak
They strained their arms but could not reach
From the crystal sea
The third Brother looked down and saw their plight
And sent word to their sisters of the night
The Three Sisters joined their hands and sang
And to their song the Crystal rang
Then up from the crystal sea
Sprang forth a crystal tree
The guardian and navigator, brothers two
Climbed the tree as it upward grew
Out of the crystal sea
And when they reached the sky once more
They looked down on the crystal shore
They saw the crystal tree sprung tall
Grown within the Wellspring walls
Tall and proud within the crystal sea
The guardian and the navigator’s Wellspring Tree
Basic Information
Clan Name: The Dousan
Hometown: The Wellspring
Region: Crystal Desert
Maudra: Maudra Seethi
Totem animal: Daeydoim
Colors
Core element: Lightning
Clan color: Orange
Sigil color: Darker yellow/orange
Pennant color: Orange, blue, yellow
Spelling & Style
Noun singular: Dousan
Noun plural: Dousan
Adjective: Dousan
Dousan Character Traits:
- Traditional
- Introspective
- Spiritual
- Lonely
- Fatalistic
- Aloof
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