Nothing is permanent in the flow of the Animus, and so it is in the Tribal Lands - Itinerant Wiseman Snell of the Oomtrowl Tribe
The Tribal Lands are a kingdom sized region on the Northwestern side of the continent of Volkyr. The lands are divided into three provincial regions known as the Southern Tidewaters, the Ruined Coast, and the Outer Barrens & Foxfangs. The largest regional polity in the region by far are the Tribes of the Currents, a collective of sixty-plus nomadic tribes who wander one of four paths, commonly referred to as the Currents, that weave in and around the Lands.
The Tribal Lands border the Northern continental tips of both the Goldtown Plains and the Fountain Dominion. The Barren Lands border the Tribal Lands to the east, while the rest of the Tribal Lands are bordered by the ocean. The large Isle of Kenta Kara is the the southwest, and is a frequent trade partner to the tribes who follow the Current of the Couatl.
The Currents of the Animus
The nomadic ways of the Tribes of the Currents stems from their belief in the Animus as an ever-flowing river, within which the material world resides. Member groups within the Tribes travel one of four paths, which the Tribes refer to as the "currents." Each of these currents winds a different route through the Lands, though each intersect at a set of sacred ruins called the Pillars of Remembrance. The four paths are named for four celestial beings the Tribes consider to be sacred travelers in the Animus.
The Current of the Unicorn - The shortest and oldest of the four Currents, this path circumnavigates the northern section of the Ruined Coast. It is considered the most holy of the four paths.
The Current of the Pegasus - The largest land route among the four Currents, the Current of the Pegasus runs along the eastern edge of the Southern Tidewaters, passes north between the Foxfangs and the Outer Barrens before curving west. After passing the Foxfangs, the Current of the Pegasus curves south and runs along first the Unicorn before taking up along the Ki-Rin. More tribes follow the Pegasus than any other.
The Current of the Ki-Rin - Running between the Foxfangs to the north and the Winged Mountains to the south, the Current of the Ki-Rin then circles the Winged Mountains, running parallel with the Pegasus, before passing over a bridge and into the Southern Tidewaters. There, they run in and out of the wetlands and lowlands, passing so close to the Pass of Clashes to encounter Fountain Dominion soldiers on a regular basis. For this reason, the Path of the Ki-Rin most often includes warrior tribes spoiling for a fight.
The Current of the Couatl - Unique from the other nomadic tribes, those who follow the Current of the Couatl build longships filled with archers and oarsmen and take to the seas, casting wide nets to pull exotic fish from the salt waters off the Coast of Ruins. Their ships sail south along the coast, oftentimes trading with--or fighting off--sailors and pirates from Kenta Kara. Once the hot days and thunderstorms of Wane-Volnus roll in across the ocean, the followers land their ships in the Southern Tidewaters and begin to trade their catches with the other tribesman, passing north and then east to peddle rare and exquisite seafood meals and woven seaweed blankets to the other tribesman and passing traders.
The Pillars of Remembrance - Sitting at the end of the pass between the Foxfangs and the Winged Mountains, the Pillars are a holy place of trade and ritual. They are a nexus for all four Currents, and the hub of governance for the many members of the Tribes of the Currents. It is, however, also a vicious place. The pillars are ruins of an old civilization, long since eradicated by the Tribes, who considered settling in one place an affront to the flow of the Animus itself. The bones of the long dead are strapped by iron chain to pillars leading into the ruins proper, and the rituals of Remembrance performed often include the sacrifice of animals or even captured soldiers from the Fountain Dominion, or former tribesman who forsook the nomadic life.
Governance of the Tribes
The Tribes of the Currents practice a form of representative democracy, wherein leaders and spokespeople from different tribes meet to put forward and pass laws and regulations. Most often, these concern simple things, such as ensuring the reseeding of gathered plants in an area or the reconstitution of a deforested area. Inter-tribal conflict and other questions of justice are handled by democratic jury trials, though no written rules guide these proceedings. Violence between tribes is tolerated, though not without some justification.
Conflicts & Current Affairs
The recent internal struggles within the Fountain Dominion have left the normally turbulent Pass of Clashes a more peaceful region, and this has in turn left the many tribes of the Tribal Lands to focus on growth and exploration. Their numbers have risen, as has their technological prowess. Some tribes have purchased, or even constructed on their own, airships with which to explore beyond the continent of Volkyr. The peace to the southeast, as well as expanded trade to the west between the pirates of Kenta Kara and tribes following the Current of the Couatl, has allowed the Tribes to enjoy a peace and prosperity amongst themselves, unmolested by the ambitions of the Dominion to the south and unconcerned with the strange and near lifeless Barren Lands to the east.
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