The Aigal Tribe

Depiction of Aigal tribesmen and women and their distinctive clothing style.

**The Aigal Tribe**, also known as the **nomads of the Aigean Sands,** and **the natives of the new continent** are the people that were the first to encounter the works of Guuga'al, the cosmic wanderer. The Aigal people have been divided into two nomadic factions for centuries, although both are willing to cooperate within certain limits among themselves. This division was caused due to a difference in desired beliefs which affects the way of life for all Aigeanfolk. The Aigal people are the masters of the Aigean Sands because of their knowledge of the dunes and their taming of the Sandswimmers: large, flexible, smooth skin beasts which allow for safe travels across the desert's most dangerous environments.

In the year 1490, ten years after the start of the Talamh Nua age, the Aigal Tribe is experiencing a mass extinction and exodus from the Aigean Sands due to varying climate shifts, rising oceans and the large influx of new people from different lands and worlds arriving on Aigora.

## Tanaquil Faction

Among the Aigal Tribe exists the **Tanaquil** faction, which have strong beliefs that the future of the Aigal people is to remain as “the Shadows of the Aigean Sands”, The Tanaquil believe that no outsiders can be trusted and that their future and safety lie strongly within the Aigal Tribe. The Tanaquil faction is very conservative, it is said that once its members pass the rite of passage called “Navarre”, they are required by law to hide their faces in public. This tradition emerged from the idea that the creator of the cosmos Guuga’al will return one day and redeem the Aigal Tribe as the chosen people and it is a must that their faces remain untouched by an outsider's perception.

## Zorani Faction

The **Zorani** faction in contrast to the Tanaquil faction, is more loose on the idea of allowing outsiders to interact with them, they are well known to be the traders of the dunes. Although they follow a similar tradition in regards with Navarre, their members are not forced to hide their faces from others, instead they are rewarded with a very unique set of marks on their skin which indicates the magnitude of their accomplishment and maturation as a member. The Zorani are fewer in number than the Tanaquil, although still a significant number of people wear the marks on their skins. The Zorani believe that it is in the Aigalians best interest to find a settlement and begin the reconstruction of the Aigal Empire as it once was in the long forgotten past. The Zorani also hold the belief that Guuga’aL will reappear once again as it has been foretold by the Aigal elders through the ages, but are not as attached to the practice as the Tanaquil. The Zorani believe that Guuga’aL sees all creation as equal, and not just the Aigal people are the chosen ones. This differentiation has caused the Tanaquil to discriminate against the Zorani for being heretics in their eyes.

## Culture

* Aigal facts:
	+ The elder shamans have possession of ancient runes written in ancient Aigalian language, these runes tell stories of the ancient past and one story of a future to come. Although due to the passage of time most of this ancient language is not known to present time Aigal.
	+ Only men are allowed to learn the arts of shamanism.

* The council of elders is composed of 12 men and 1 woman. The men are composed of half Zorani and half Tanaquil. The 1 woman is elected to be the mediary among both factions. This one woman called by the title of “Priestess of the Dunes” is chosen by the previous elders and must follow certain conditions.
* Conditions for the priestess:
	+ Must know by memory all the scriptures of Aigal’s runes.
	+ Must remain single all her life.
	+ Must die a virgin.
	+ Must not leave the holy “caravan/settlement”.
	+ Must always be accompanied by her Dune maid.
	+ Must not show her face to anyone except her Dune maid, only when in private.
	+ If the priestess dies, her Dune maid will ascend to take her place.

* Conditions for the Dune Maid:.

                  •Must remain single all her life.

                  •Must die a virgin.

                  •Must not leave the holy priestess unattended.

                  •Must be around the same age as the priestess.

* Navarre:  Rite of passage in which the member leaves the tribe for a whole month in search of a hunt during peak fall time. The rite of passage is allowed to all members that desire to ascend, except the current holy priestess.

* Sports: The Aigal have a traditional sport, called Dun’karra, which roughly translates to “Rise through Quicksand”. The rules are two circles are made one smaller one bigger, the goal is for one contender to stand in the middle of the circles while the other is pushed out of bounds. In Aigal culture many disputes are solved by doing a classic Dun’karra challenge, it is shamed upon to decline such a challenge.

                                              THE **DUN’KARRA** IS SACRED!

## Aigal Alphabet

**Notable Aigal People**

* **Tsulu**:

Youngster male 14 years old

Son of elder woman Makira

Father (Tsulo) went missing

Mother passed while giving birth

Goals:  Wants to see the sea, has never been.

* **Vora**:

Youngster girl 15 years old

Is sensitive to arcana, source of arcane energy in shamanistic practices

Sister of the current Priestess

Daughter of  Thundir, one of the 6 elders from the

Tanaquil faction.

Goals: Wants to save her sister from a life in chains.

          Wants to master Shamanism

* **Melie**:

Age 20, girl, current Priestess of the Dunes

Daughter of strict father Thundir.

Goals: To unite the two divided factions as one.

        To protect her little sister Vora of danger.

* **Dracus**:

Age 28, male

Zorani faction member

Loves to craft artifacts

Designer of Zorani markings

Shaman practitioner in the art of enchanting

Goals: Wants to spread his work of Zorani markings to  the world.