Savages

The **Savages** (Danaskati) were a group of ancient peoples who lived throughout the thickets and were known for their fierce independence, skilled hunting and gathering, and their unique cultural traditions. Outsiders called the savages multiple names, over 500 actually, including wildmen, forest dwellers, thicket tribes, bush people, and woodland nomads.

## Way of Life

The Savages were skilled hunters and gatherers who lived off the land in a variety of environments, from cold forests to tropical swamplands. They lived in small, close-knit communities and relied on their knowledge of the natural world to survive. They were known for their expertise in hunting game, fishing, and foraging for wild plants, which they used for food, medicine, and other purposes. They were also skilled craftspeople, known for their intricate beadwork, weaving, and woodworking. The Savages had a deep spiritual connection to the natural world and believed in the power of nature to provide for them and guide them in their daily lives. They had a rich cultural tradition, passed down through generations, which included storytelling, music, and dance. The Savages were fiercely independent and valued their freedom, but they were also known for their hospitality and generosity to outsiders who respected their way of life.

## Assumptions

Outsiders had multiple assumptions of the Savages including that they were primitive and uncivilized, lacking the knowledge and sophistication of more advanced societies, that they were dangerous and unpredictable, living in a lawless and chaotic world outside the bounds of civilization, that they were uncouth and unclean, lacking the hygiene and grooming practices of more developed cultures, that they were superstitious and irrational, relying on magic and folklore instead of reason and science, that they were savage and bloodthirsty, engaging in brutal acts of violence and warfare against other groups, that they were exotic and mysterious, shrouded in a veil of intrigue and fascination that made them objects of curiosity and desire for outsiders, and that they were in need of "civilizing" and "taming," and that it was the duty of more advanced societies to bring them into the fold of civilizations.

## Today

Today, those of Savage origin are extremely rare, as their way of life had been largely supplanted by more advanced societies. The Savages were a proud and resilient people, but they had been forced to adapt to a changing world that often left them behind. Today, only a few scattered communities of Savages remain, living in remote and isolated regions of the world. Despite the challenges they faced, the Savages continue to maintain their cultural traditions and their connection to the natural world. They were a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and a reminder of the diversity and richness of the world's many culture. A small but significant population of Savages live in the Grand City, comprising roughly 4.1% of the city's total population, or around 330,000 people. Despite living in an urban environment that was vastly different from their traditional way of life, these Savages continue to maintain their cultural traditions and their connection to the natural world. They faced many challenges in navigating the complexities of the city, but they were a resilient and resourceful people who found ways to adapt and thrive in this new environment. The savages who live in the Grand City or other large metropolitan cities have been exposed to a diverse range of cultures and peoples, leading to a blending of different heritages and ancestries. Some Savages today had mixed ancestry, including Filipino, Chinese, British, and Polish heritage, among others. About 51,000 people in the Grand City are mixed with Savages, this is about 0.63% of the entire population.