The Painted Folk

A group of clans eking out a living in the The Moaning Mounds of the land of Death, these are hardy warlike people that are as much at war with each other as they are with their neighbors. They daub their faces and bodies with white paint in striped patterns, as a social custom.

CULTURE

They are a mixed group of mortals, with a culture and style focused on warrior ethos and displays of wealth and bravery. The Painted Folk are an aggressive people of braggery, ritualism and honour, where exchanges of gifts and promises are taken very very seriously. They honor their enemies with honesty, even while they drink wine from their skulls. Prisoners of war are treated with respect, and fed well and with hospitality, until the point where they are sacrificed to their gods. They like to provoke others, and this often ends up with an escalating conflict of words that avalanches into a physical conflict involving their friends, family and acquaintances, until entire clans are at war.

The Painted Folk use body painting as a means of daily dress, as much as some would use make-up: the patterns changing depending on social status and whether they are engaging in specific activities, such as war, festivities or courting someone they desire. The Painted Folk count many skilled craftspeople among them. Many exquisite pieces of jewelry are bourne by their elite. Some of the common fold even don simple but elegan ornate works. They are crafted using silver, gold and exotic minerals found within the hills. Everyone down to the hunters are craftspeople. The artistry on their hunting weapons and tools, which are made of wood, bone and iron, shows immense dedication, or a lot of free time. The Painted Folk dedicate their time to their artistry and have no desire in engaging in any academic, engineering or research activities.

RELIGION

They appear to worship some strange mix of war and nature gods. Several of the clans’ rituals appear downright macabre to outsiders. The particulars of these rituals show significant variance between the individual clans. They pay respects to the undead banshees and shades of the The Wailing Marshes. They worship them as wardens of the dead but avoid the area in general, except in ritual locations built specifically for tribute to the vengeful spirits. They gift the undead with objects of artistry and power, including jewelry, weapons and magical items. They also sacrifice captured enemies to them, particularly those of enemy leaders defeated in battle.