"You call us criminals… but why? Why should we be ashamed? Your dead rot and rust in the dirt, while ours stand by our side forevermore."
— The Founders
| The Ash Tribe | |
|---|---|
| Tribe | |
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| |
| RPG | Bara Magna (Series) |
| Type | Tribe |
| Leader | Somok |
| Members | Agori, Glatorian |
| Headquarters | Precipere |
| Status | Active |
| Creator | Nato |
The Ash Tribe are a small tribe established long ago by exiled members of the Fire Tribe.
History
A distant offshoot of the Fire Tribe, the Ash Tribe were driven out by their kinsmen many generations ago, following an irreconcilable disagreement around funerary rites and treatment of the deceased.
With metal and exsidian being scarce across much of Bara Magna, some families in the Fire Tribe took to “recycling” these resources from the remains of their dead – removing their implants, reforging their armour, even using their bones to make simple weapons and tools – a practice they saw as the ultimate way to honour one’s ancestors. Fallen friends and family could “live on”, in a sense, continuing to serve their communities and defend their descendants well into the future. When the rest of the Fire Tribe discovered this practice, however, many of them saw it as nothing more than the disgraceful desecration of the dead.
The families who followed this tradition were exiled, and went on to found their own fledgling tribe, migrating to the East side of the volcano and establishing the village of Precipere atop the walls of Iron Canyon.
The Ash Tribe’s relative isolation, lack of resources, and the grim stigma that surrounds them have meant the group have in the past gone relatively unscathed by raiders, and unbothered in conflicts between the villages. Small arable tracts in the nutrient-rich volcanic soil and well-trained hunting parties allow the villagers to grow and scrounge enough food to support their small population most years, with water being the main resource they fight and trade for, along with exsidian and metal.
Culture
The Ash Tribe have a profound appreciation for history, and a passion for art. Their entire village is a monument to their past, with families adorning the exteriors of their homes with history through sculptures, carvings, or paintings. The tribe’s official colour is a smoky grey, though most of its members express their artistic natures by decoratively adorning their dull armour with other hues.
Although their practice of taking bones and belongings from the dead is performed only on deceased blood relatives (or on fallen friends, with permission), this hasn’t stopped the spread of reprehensible rumours about them mutilating the remains of their enemies, or robbing the graves of other tribes. Such acts are deemed as vile by members of the Ash Tribe, and anyone caught actually conducting such defilement would meet with exile, or worse.
The people of the Ash Tribe have a highly-developed understanding of Agori and Glatorian anatomy, making them adept surgeons and doctors, though the distrust directed towards their tribe means their skills are rarely sought. Among their more common “customers” are scavengers who’ve stolen cybernetics from slain foes and seek to have them installed by someone who won’t ask any questions. Many members of the tribe are also artisans of some kind, specialising in sculpture, smithing, jewellery, or painting, though the market for these goods is also limited in the wasteland.
Outside of their artistic crafts, the tribe’s primary trade material is obsidian. Though less durable than metals, this volcanic glass is sharp and strong enough to serve in the making of certain kinds of weaponry, being especially sought-after for making fine blades such as scalpels, knives, and arrowheads.
Members
- Somok – an aged Agori who is the current leader of the tribe.
- Kehla – the tribe’s new Prime Glatorian. Inexperienced and untested, she has set out to take part in the Atero tournament to hone her skills.
- Behjen – older brother of Kehla and former Prime Glatorian, until his recent death under mysterious circumstances.
- Salwa – the tribe’s foremost Agori scout. Notable for being the only member of the tribe to have tamed a Rock Steed.
- Xyde - a jovial Agori who operates as a travelling healer.
- Muvip – an elderly female Glatorian, Muvip retired from fighting long ago, and is now the tribe’s lead surgeon and medical expert.
- Giltu – the current leader of the tribe’s Agori Guard. Like many of those under his command, he’s had little experience in true battle.