Dunefolk
Comprising of the Dunefolk, Sunfolk, Sandsassins, and other Peoples of the South
The Dunefolk
Though most of the inhabitants of the Continents' deserts are commonly grouped under this umbrella term, the Folk who refer to themselves as the Dunefolk live along the northern borders of the southern desert, affording them proximity to the Continent's trade routes. Their culture and genealogy more closely resemble the Commonfolk than do the rest of their desert-dwelling kin. Relishing a good haggle, they enjoy competition, gambling and games of chance, which form one of the cornerstones of their society. Looked upon as wayward by their zealous southern brethren for having acclimated to the luxuries of the northern "Tender Folk" (as they refer to those not born of the desert), Dunefolk long ago adopted permanent housing and open trade. Their markets contain some of the rarest artifacts and products on Lume, thanks to the sourcing abilities of their Sunfolk kin.
Sunfolk - The Singers of Silica
The Sunfolk are amongst the most mysterious and least understood of Lume's peoples, perhaps second only to the ancient Races: the Frost Giants, Deumana, and Mytikos. Stricly nomadic, these hardy neo-sapiens live in and around the southern desert of the Continent, known as the Forge. A passionate people, they operate under strict ethical codes - which differ between each clan - juxtaposed with a familiarity with violence and death typical of their arid region. This makes travel across the desert by tenderfoots particularly perilous.
Many Sunfolk would rather raid for the resources they cannot obtain themselves than tarnish themselves with petty trade. Two exceptions to this tradition are paper and paragons (see Manidae). For this reason duels, games of chance, and bartering alternatives have been formed with neighbouring peoples - such as the Dunefolk - and other Races, to accommodate the Sunfolks acute sense of pride. The Sunfolk hold paper in high regard, and it acts both as an accepted bartering currency and a valuable commodity, perhaps as the trade of perishables or large goods is impractical. They also prize the Manidae's gem-like paragons - in truth their as-yet infertile eggs - frequently raiding Manidae communities for this treasure. The reason is unconfirmed, though presumably this echoes the acts of a bygone war between their Races. A more recent theory links this behaviour to the paragons' resemblance to treasures saught during the coming of age ritual (more on this below).
A culture of brief conversation - preferring instead to compile elaborate poems, ballads and philosophical prose - their art is highly regarded throughout the rest of the Continent. Music and song are pillars of their culture, contributing significantly to their self identity, even their system of law (at time of writing little is known of the latter). It is common for adversaries to entwine their melodies of an evening, preceding a violent and ruthless confrontation. Casters work their craft with an accompanied refrain, nomads travel humming or throat-singing, and the evening dunes are filled with the layered chorus of Folk, Flora, Fauna, and the ambience of the wilderness.
The Sunfolk are known and sought after for more than their art and casting. Through them exists one of the few ways other Lumians can obtain prehistoric relics, dating from the Schism and earlier, as the fearless folk frequently raid the sandy canyons and beaches of the Great Scorch; an awesome region populated by colossal Atrocities, enormous and monstrous crustaceans. The Pilgrimmage (other recorded terms are the Quest, the Hunt, and the Pursuit) is a coming of age trial for Sunfolk adolescents; daring raids on the lairs of the Atrocities for remnant artifacts. The participant's bearing and performance dictates the standing they will have in their tribe, assuming they return with bounty, if at all. These they sew into their tunics, convert into tools or weapons, use for body modification, offer as matrimonial gifts, or gamble in high-stakes games of chance. The Singers are far from ignorant, and study the artifacts they find in great detail prior to their application. Large items may be brought back on sand sleds, though this is rare, as many youths are lost in such undertakings. This tradition adds further mystique to a cryptic culture steeped in praxis.
Sandsassins
An enigmatic and unconfirmed Illusionist School oflegendary skill and reputation. Details on this clan, culture, or even family, are few enough that officially, they are not included in the roster of Races or Casters. It is this humble scribe's opinion, however, that most myths have a basis in fact, and there are too numerous a mention of their existence throughout the old tomes and dusty scrolls of the library to simply relegate this enigmatic group to fables.
Rumours persistent amongst the Folk that far to the south, crossing the lands of the Dunefolk, there exist tribes whose powerful Illusionists are raised from birth as skilled assassins, able to conceal themselves in broad daylight, and capable of publicly executing their victim without notice; until at a later time, the corpse is discovered where it fell.
Paradisians and Edenists
Less a culture than an occupation, these remotest of figures inhabit and guard the oasis, hidden canyons, and valleys of Taal's Forge. They are keepers of lore, and preventing any nomadic group from overstaying their welcome in these sanctuaries. This serves to maintain Sunfolk beliefs and prevent what they believe is the tainting of their culture, but most ingeniously, they serve to prevent any from gaining a defensible and supplied military foothold. How these guardians are chosen, or how else they come by these roles, is uncertain. They reportedly portly in contrast to their desiccated kin, though accounts note layers of muscle beneath their conspicuously relaxed demeanor. Stories hold they casually wield wicked halberds like others would a meal fork. According to lore any unwanted violence directed towards them or exhibited inside their verduous santuaries incites the retribution of all clans proximity; one surmises this is to prevent hegemony by any single clan. The Slenders believe the Sunfolk hold great libraries and hoards of artifacts in the deepest and most remote caverns of these havens, though for the moment this remains speculation; as does much regarding these cryptic Folk.
Sandcasting
Due to their familiarity and proximity with the silicon expanse around them, these hardy Folk developed an understanding for the transmutation of sand and glass, up to and including obsidian. They can fashion the most elaborate buildings, sculptures and glassware on the Continent, rivaled only by the work of the Deumana and, according to rumor, the residences of the Frost Giants. Sand Casting has innumerable uses in the dry expanse, including extracting moisture and quickly forming insulated shelters, however it also applies nearly as well on dirt and rocks. Because of these Casters, the Dunefolk choose to make use of hardened glass and ceramics for tools, weapons, even instruments.
This writer can attest to the haunting wonder of the glass drone flute, a melodic listening experience that both transfixes the auditeur, while transplanting their consciousness to the remotest reaches of the Continent.
