Szassar Tribalism and Ethnicity

In ancient times, the Szassar race were largely solitary. However, they did gather at key times of the year to celebrate major astronomical and cultural events. These gatherings were the closest that these primal peoples came to tribe. Their tribe was more dependent on local geography than an attachment to a specific clan or parental line. Szassar moved freely in those days, and in a lifetime could migrate thousands of kilometers from their birthplace. Their "tribe" - such as it was - was simply the group they celebrated these events with in a given period of their life.
Modern Szassar are capable of being similarly mobile. However, attachments to extended familial and professional groups they are familiar with and used to spending time around means that they are less likely to move around as much as their ancient forebears. There are three key groups of Szassar which could therefore be classified as a kind of ethnicity.

Northern Steppes - Frax Sjurujen

These are Szassar who dwell in the frigid northern steppes of the main pangaea of the Szassar homeworld. Frax Sjuren translates to "Bark Blankets", a reference to their practice of harvesting treebark from the relatively sparse trees of their home territories, rather than whole trees, which they would burn to supplement the warmth of their dwellings. In harvesting only the bark, Steppes Dwellers ensured that their trees were a renewable resource.

Tropical/Temperate - Slox Hussaa

These are Szassar who dwell in the Tropical and Temperate zones of the main pangaea of the Szassar homeworld. Slox Hussaa translates to "Warm Wildlings".

South Coastal - Strix Sjurujen

These are Szassar who dwell on the southern peninsulas of the main pangaea of the Szassar homeworld. Strix Sjuren translates to "Oily Blankets" - a reference to their ancient heritage as fishers and whalers, who burned fish oil to complement the warmth of leathers they took from coastal dwelling mammals and wore for warmth.

"The Szassar of the northern and Southern steppes call their dark-scaled tropic-dwelling cousins Hussaa, which means wildlings, as they have no need to wear clothing in such warm climates. Meanwhile, the Szassar of the tropics call their fair-scaled relatives Sjurujen, or Blanket-Dwellers. These terms are not derogatory, however. They are simple affectionate indicators of the different climates each is attuned to."

Klar-sok Lore-tongue, Skrallin Master