Peat

Peat is an island Nation to the East of the Soil Texture Compass. The island is currently ruled by Peaty Kask as Chief of the Peaten Tribe, with a diaspora tribe in Silt Loam which is still controlled by Peater the Fat. It's existence was not widely known until M7-10 433 ASB when the then Chief of Peat, Peater, arrived at the STC on a large pilgrimage accompanied by a fleet of primitive longboats and Galleons. The peat people are technologically primitive, and have only recently began agriculture due to difficulties of growing in Peat soil. They live a mainly pastoral lifestyle, migrating across the small island throughout the year, with some permanent settlements. Home to large swamplands, the island is rich in Bog Iron, and they have developed the ability to smelt Iron, though they have not learned to create anything more complex than an arrowhead.

## Discovery of the STC

In M3-09 427 ASB, Peater the Fat, then 17 years old, challenged the previous Chief, Verkyng Hortmyl, to a battle for the Chiefdom. Verkyng yielded and Peater became the Chief of Peat. Peater observed that as the tribe grew overgrazing also increased, and he knew that they would eventually not have enough land to feed their population, as most of the island was bogs, swamps and forests that cannot be grazed. The Peat people had been aware that lands beyond the sea existed since Theodore Thompson landed there in 411 ASB, so he formed a naval council to come up with a way to travel long distances over water. Having already invented primitive ships in order to sail along the large river on the island, they developed much larger sea-worthy boats over the next four years of his Chiefdom. The remaining two years before the beginning of the expedition was spent on determining the logistics of such a trip, learning to navigate by the stars and finding volunteers for the trip. They set out on M6-2 433 ASB and landed on the east side of Silty Clay Loam on M7-10 433 during the Shale War. After negotiations with Sou II, the then leader of the Anti-Shale Coalition, they were relocated to the front lines of the war in exchange for being allowed to occupy territory in Silt Loam. After the war, they settled on the southern coast of Silt Loam.

## History

The History of Peat is passed down orally in verse, as they have not invented writing. 46 past Chiefs are recorded, as well as 15 Drœydem, which indicates that their modern culture is 3-5 centuries old.

## Religion

Gah'hudryon Sfoer: Mythological founder of the Peat religion

Saeda’yr: The religion of the Peat People. It is based on an understanding of nature and the natural, predestined role of each individual member of the tribe. The core belief is that the more an individual’s actions are in accordance with nature, and the more they benefit the tribe, the more spiritually enlightened the individual is. The Peat People believe in a non-physical, spiritual world on which the laws of nature are based. Through an understanding of the spiritual, they seek to understand why things in the physical world occur the way they do. They believe that knowledge comes from direct experience with nature, and that one cannot understand the world through pondering.

Gysotyricia: The state of enlightenment; a complete understanding of the basic nature of the universe through religious experience.

Mystyr : The practitioners of the religion who are responsible for gaining wisdom and then guiding the tribe and individual tribe members in accordance with their mystical understanding of the world. Each tribe member will frequently seek their advice and wisdom, so the Mystyr must also have extensive knowledge of the inner social workings of the tribe and of each individual. Mystyr are allowed to have children.

Asyr: The male branch of Mystyr. They are responsible for guiding the men of the tribe. In addition, they predict the weather and make music.

Aosur: The female branch of Mystyr. They are responsible for guiding the women of the tribe. They are also practitioners of medicine.

Droeyd: The highest-ranking member of the Asyr. He is almost always the oldest, but wisdom is the primary determiner. Each Drœyd is required to pick the next Droeyd before his death, though he will usually consult with the Galnyr in order to make the best choice.

Galnyr: Members of the Asyr below the Drœyd. At fourteen years of age, each male tribe member will be allowed to become a Galnyr, so long as he is approved by the Droeyd. They are then educated by the Drœyd and the elder Galnyr in the ways of the Asyr. It is generally accepted that older Galnyr have authority over anyone their junior.

Aesdyr: Any Aosur over the age of fifty-five years. They have the highest authority within the Aosur and are expert physicians.

Nynyvo: Junior Aesdyr; they are Aosur between the ages of seventeen years and fifty-four years.

Yythsyr: Aosur between the ages of one year and sixteen years. Unlike Asyr, practitioners of Aosur are chosen by a council of Aesdyr at one year of age. They are then taken in and raised entirely by the Aosur. Usually they are a child of one who is already an Aosur, however they will be taken from their family if they are not. Not all children of Aosur become Aosur. They are chosen according a combination of factors, including but not limited to the time of their birth, their physical characteristics, their ancestry, and their health.

Moncir: Möncir are those who leave the tribe behind entirely and live alone to seek ultimate enlightenment. They believe that by living as close to nature as possible, one can achieve Gysotyricia. Anyone can become a Möncir at any time. They are generally seen as fools by the Mystyr, because they disregard the tribe which is seen as an integral part of spirituality.

## Culture

The tribe of peat has a population of 50 thousand spread across settlements around peat, the people of peat enjoy music, hunting and fishing as pastimes but also have holidays such as Preatycha which celebrates the founding of the peat tribe by practhca, the first chief. Preatycha is celebrated by families sitting around a burning a stack of logs.The Peat peoples favorite pastime however would be hunting.