Chittiki Sandfolk

Some Chittiki are made to live amid the crowded cities like the Warrens. I have heard that some even live beneath the ground in the tunnels beneath Baron's Point. But our Chittiki folk - the Sandfolk - are made to live under the sun and amid the swirling dunes.

— Sandfolk father discussing lifestyles with his daughter

Among the Chittiki, there are folk who thrive in the crowded tunnels of the Warrens, or cramped homes filled with younglings in almost any large city in the world. There are some that prefer the darkness of living beneath the ground for most of their lives - living and working in mountain mines or city sewers. There are some that feel the inexorable call of the sea. And then there are the Sandfolk - perhaps the only folk on Cartyrion who actually desire to live in conditions like those found in the Dead Basin Desert.

The Sandfolk are a nomadic people, born to wander the shifting sands. They believe the vast desert was shaped by their gods to both test them and reward them. To survive in an unforgiving climate, to find food and water where no others could, to go long periods without food or water... these are the tests of the gods. Their reward is the freedom of coming and going when they wish - visiting the Warrens, or perhaps the Duagan Sandhold.

Beliefs and Ideals

Some of the beliefs of the Sandfolk folk are quite different from those held by other folk - or even other Chittiki. The most notable of these - and the ones that are usually behind any "culture clash" incidents involving a Sandfolk - include the following:

Family and Clan

First and foremost, Sandfolk are dedicated to their immediate and extended families or clans. While this is true to some degree of all Chittiki, it is magnified among the Sandfolk. Every member of a Sandfolk clan considers all others in the clan as brothers and sisters. They are to be defended from danger, and avenged when wronged.

Sandfolk vendettas are serious things that are never forgotten and cannot be bought off at any price. One who wrongs a Sandfolk Chittiki can expect to be hounded for a very long time by dedicated and relentless relatives.

Freedom and Independence

Freedom is extremely important to the Sandfolk. They find it difficult, if not impossible, to accept situations that involve folk - any folk - being forced to live in a manner not of their choosing. Sandfolk would rather die than live under oppression and subjugation, much less in slavery.

The very concept of slavery is anathema to the Sandfolk; they will not contribute in any way to its existence. While rumors of Chittiki participation in the slave trade are common in cosmopolitan places like Baron's Point, no self-respecting Sandfolk would ever be involved in it.

Crime and Punishment

The Sandfolk belief in the importance of freedom and independence has an interesting corollary when it comes to crime and punishment. Since a life is not worth living unless one is free to roam and pursue one's whims, Sandfolk cannot bring themselves to imprison wrongdoers or otherwise restrict their freedom.

As a result, Sandfolk judicial punishments take only two forms: confiscation of wealth, and execution. If one commits a crime against another, and confiscation to compensate the victim can reasonably "make things right", then that will be the mandated punishment. But if financial penalties are not satisfactory for a given crime -- or if they cannot be met -- the only alternative is a quick and relatively painless death.

Land Ownership

The Sandfolk do not believe that one can "own" the land in any way at all. The world was created by the gods - it belongs to the gods. Chittiki, and all other folk, are free to use the land to suit their needs, but they cannot possess it, or buy it, or sell it. The Sandfolk are aware that other folk do not share this belief, but they still have difficulties with concepts like "trespassing".

Responsibilities and Commitments

Outsiders often take the extreme reluctance of the Sandfolk to to set down permanent roots anywhere as a sign of irresponsibility. Other folk tend to distrust the loyalty of someone who seems as unconcerned with "homeland" as the Sandfolk. This tendency is often taken by outsiders to be an avoidance of responsibility. While it is true that a Sandfolk Chittiki will never feel bound to - or responsible for - any place, if they come to admire and respect the people within a place, those people will be appreciated.

Possessions and Ownership

The nomadic lifestyle of the Sandfolk has instilled a belief that if one cannot carry a thing with them wherever they wander, then they do not truly own it. Furthermore, if something is precious, it should be kept close and well guarded. They do not believe in banks to store wealth; they have no permanent bases to stockpile goods or amass collections.

This has led to some misunderstandings between Sandfolk and others - especially non-Chittiki folk. While very few Sandfolk choose a lifestyle that actively involves seeking out "unattended wealth" of others, most Sandfolk would not think twice about picking up a shiny, interesting, or valuable item that was left casually lying around by its owner.

Customs and Traditions

Like that of any culture, Sandfolk life is full of custom and tradition. Four of these are most notable.

Caravaner Decoration

Clans devise unique, colorful patterns with which they adorn their Caravaners so as to be identifiable. Immediate families may add minor embellishments of their own to the clan markings, but anyone familiar with the patters can identify a group of Sandfolk simply by "reading" their Caravaner colors.

Hospitality

Sandfolk understand the difficulties of life in the desert. This has given rise to hospitality customs among the people. Food and water - gifts of the gods - are not possessions, and hence are freely given to any in need that a wandering clan may come across.

Vendettas

When the Sandfolk feel they have been greviously wronged, or if the family of one of their own feels this way, an almost ritualized revenge process can be invoked. The Sandfolk belief in fairness mandates that when a formal vendetta is declared, its intended target be made aware of this by delivery of a written document which states the reason and the conditions acceptable for its conclusion. Likewise, a vendetta is only considered concluded when a similar document is delivered to the target - or the target's next-of-kin.

Since the nomadic nature of Sandfolk life is such that there are no fixed, formal courts to adjudicate matters, vendettas are the manner in which justice is delivered in Sandfolk culture. In the event that a vendetta is deemed to be uncalled for, or too harsh in its conditions, it is incumbent upon "neutral" Sandfolk to convince the invoker to abandon, or at least relax the terms of the vendetta - something that requires yet another formal document delivery.

Storm Truces

When the desert hurricanes blow, staying alive becomes a challenge. During these storms, rival clans among the Sandfolk will put aside their diffferences to mutually assist one another with survival.

Rogue clans that are known to raid others will be invited into tight camps to weather the storms. Even vendettas are suspended at these times; it is not unusual for a "manhunt" to be interrupted by pursuer and victim sharing a shelter.

Celebrations

The Sandfolk look for every opportunity to gather for feasting,

Coming of Age

When a youth reaches the age of 10, they are considered adults in the community. The occasion is marked by a feast hosted by the clan and open to all Sandfolk that may be in the area.

Part of this feast is the new adult's first taste of Snickfirst's Nectar - a fermented beverage made from juice of a desert plant found growing only at the northwestern edge of the Dead Basin Desert.

The traditional gift to the new adult is a Sandrunner. The wealthiest families may also gift a small caravaner.

Lifebonding

The Sandfolk do not require a long-term commitment between two adults wishing to raise children. The commitment is to the children and their welfare, not to each other. Sandfolk are generally not monogamous. This is why clans are so important to the Sandfolk - it is often difficult to establish distinct family units within a clan.

This does not preclude the Sandfolk from believing that some folk are intended to be committed to each other in a personal way, and when this happens, it is a thing to be celebrated. When two or more Sandfolk believe they have found their "soulmates", the occasion is commemorated by a lifebonding ceremony. The clan recognizes the commitment the individuals declare for one another, and a feast follows. Lifebonding is relatively rare, as it is considered to be a commitment to life - something that could be "freedom limiting". Nevertheless, lifebonded individuals are considered extremely fortunate.

Breaking a lifebond is a serious matter. A member of the Sandfolk culture that breaks a lifebond is all but outcast by the society - and almost always results in a vendetta being invoked. This is a commitment taken most seriously and only after great consideration.

Farewell Celebrations

The Sandfolk are wise enough to know that even among a culture such as theirs, there will always be some who are not comfortable with the constant moving around and harsh desert climes.

Should a young Chittiki wish to leave the Sandfolk clan and lifestyle, they are not shunned or disowned - rather they are given a great sending-off feast to celebrate their free choice. They are also welcomed back with open arms - and another feast - should they choose to return permanently.

Death

Life in the desert is harsh, Chittiki families are large, and the Chittiki are not as long-lived as other folk. Hence, death is accepted as an inevitability, and a relatively common occurrence.

The Sandfolk see death as if it were simply setting off on a journey to see new things in new lands - and hence they treat it almost exactly the same way as they would a youth announcing they were off to live in the city. A Sending-Off Feast is held - just as if the deceased were setting off on a new adventure and not likely to return. The guest of honor - the corpse - carefully arranged in a seated position amid a circle of his friends and family.

It is not possible to permanently bury a body in a desert of shifting dunes. Nor do the Sandfolk have the wherewithal to erect any sort of permanent tomb. After the funerary celebration, the clan simply packs up and moves on, leaving the corpse in the seated position it had during its "farewell party". The desert Thus, when a member of a clan dies, When a Sandfolk dies,

Notable Sects, Cults, and Organizations

Like all the folk who live on a world where the actions of the gods are plain to see, the Sandfolk are religious in the sense that they acknowledge and pray to the gods for favors, or luck, or survival. But there are no organized religious sects or cults. Among the Sandfolk, there are no artisan or merchant guilds either.

There is, however, a sect called the Harvesters. These are a dedicated collection of Sandfolk who have made it their life's work venture near the dreaded Dead Lake at the center of the desert to collect the Spitter Spit so prized by jewelry crafters in the Warrens. They also claim to protect and preserve the spitters from poaching or harm by outsiders.

Roleplaying a Sandfolk Chittiki Character

The important aspects of a typical Sandfolk character's personality and behavioral tendencies are as follows:

A Sandfolk Chittiki's loyalty to clan is every bit as strong as a Duagan's. In fact, these two cultures will understand each other's grasp of this quite well. An adventuring Sandfolk will, over time, slowly begin to encompass the adventuring party as part of their clan - or to see themselves as part of a new clan consisting of the party.

A seeming lack of concern for the property rights of others. "Shiny" items left lying around untended might be fair game for an interested Sandfolk. As the character spends more and more time among folk other than "their people", they should learn to control this urge. (But it could make for some fun and memorable roleplaying situations early on in a party's adventuring history.

A willingness to take justice into their own hands - and the willingness to declare vendettas against any who wrong them (or their party) directly.

Credits

Banner Image and left panel of page background by Greg Montani from Pixabay
Right panel of page background by kevberon from Pixabay

Chittiki image on Banner by RPGDinosaurBob on HeroForge™