The Selkie Tribes

Created by u/VictorCrowne

### Geography

The shore is rocky with wide pebble beaches littered with bleached driftwood, some rocky green hills interspersed with arboreal groves full ow shady pools and hanging moss. Populated with aurochs, elk, deer, rabbits, foxes, etc. Peat deposits in many areas. Many caves further inland, but they are filled with firedamp.

### Race/Ethnicity

Human, naturally Caucasian skin tones but they coat themselves in a chalky gray mud-based paint. Altogether there are around 4,000,000 divided between around 5,000 separate tribes

#### Quirk

Ability to lock muscles into position like a starfish (Note, does not mean in a starfish position, its like voluntary petrification and can be released at will). Locked muscles remain locked even upon death. Developed as a way to stalk prey and remain completely motionless for extended periods of time.

### History

Lived further to the north in ancient times, when war broke out between the inhabitants of the land they moved south to avoid becoming involved. Separated into several tribes over time for ease of hunting and because they feared that the armies in the north might notice them if they had a large presence. This fear led to much of how they exist, camouflaged, hidden, silent observers.

### Society

Tribes are typically groups of 700-1000 individuals, but they will live in bands of 100-200. Tribes are led by a meritous council of Elders and of the natural leaders in the adults. Problems are solved by those with proximity to the problem meaning that individuals will naturally be more fit to address certain needs and those issues will be deferred to them.

The tribes will war with each other by making the other tribe beholden to them with gifts of food, tools, resources that question the honor and ability of the other if they cannot answer the gifts with an equal offering. This is usually only done in times of plenty, and results in one of three endings.

1. They give back an equal gift and remain independent.
2. They cannot give back an equal gift and become subservient of the other tribe for their own good, meaning that they couldn’t provide for themselves in most cases.
3. They give back an offering that far exceeds the first gift, choosing to unite with the tribe willingly and as equals.

Culture: The Selkie people are pacifists to a fault. They will avoid violent conflict at all costs. They are hunters and gathers, modern agriculture is nonexistent to them and farms are as well. They have domesticated dogs that guard the camps and hunt with them. They cover themselves in gray mud paint for camouflage.

For hunting, they have a few methods. They set deadfall traps and snares, bow and arrow for small game, and spears for large game. The young adults and teenagers of the tribes play games based on stalking game, taking turns moving closer and closer to the animal until it is alerted of them and runs. Whoever alerted the animal is out and the rest track the animal and continue the process until one can touch the animal. If it gets down to one player and they alert the animal no one wins. Winning the game is considered a great accomplishment.

Because of how they prefer to stay silent and still, they don’t have songs or dance except for what can be easily contained in their hide houses. One art form that they do practice is scents. They have developed senses of smell that they use in hunting but it is entirely cultural, not more than what is normal for a human but refined through practice. Selkie will make powders and pastes that create unique scents, some are mild narcotics but it is considered part of the smell. They will also scrimshaw bones and carve in wood and stone.

The Selkie worship a tetrad of animal deities, one being represented in each season. Spring represented by a Fawn, Summer by the Dog, Fall by the Trout, and Winter by the Bear. Opposed to them are the four demons, Drought, Monsoon, Earthquake, and Conflagration.

### Magic

Normal distribution of magic (about 1 in 1000 are born with the ability) magical ability leans towards illusion magic being used to hide and disguise themselves and their structures as well as an easier way of hunting. It is seen as a benefit to their tribe and will mark themselves with animal bones.

### Imports/Exports

The Selkie have not engaged in international trade as of yet. What they would value, tools and goods that they cannot make for themselves.

### Posts:

The Selkie Tribes

Selkie representatives arrive in Utnapishtim

Selkie Postnomen

Utnapishtim‘s colonization of the Selkie Peninsula

Peanuts

Utnapishtim and Selkie Tribes planned story lines wrap up