The Nomads
Within the great Southeast desert Nomads travel the vast sand dunes never staying in one location for long. Their way of life being controlled by ancient traditions and the way of the Nomads. These people are almost never seen outside of the desert so never a concerned about them trying to expand their territory. Hence most of the other kingdoms tend to leave them be without much worry as not many even wish to enter the dangerous and cursed sands of the desert in the first place.
One of their core concepts is that only the strong shall survive. If a child is born with deformities or weakness, it is their custom to sacrifice the child to a scorpion nest out in the deep desert. Returning life back to the desert helping the balance between life and death. Once a child is old enough to walk, they start training as a nomad with the entire tribe taking part in this training. In these tribes it is a common site to see children, both boys and girls, training with nomad weapons under harsh conditions.
Once children become of age, normally early teen years they are then given the test of strength to see if they are strong enough to join the tribe. Given the task of seeking out a scorpion nest alone and capturing a scorpion alive to bring back with them. The bigger the scorpion, the more honor they shall receive if they live thru the trial. After a ritual is performed on them, which no outsider has ever witnessed, the person is then tied to a pole where the scorpion is carefully placed upon them. Once the scorpion has stung the person, it is recaptured and then the trail begins. If the person lives, it becomes the most agonizing non-stop pain over the course of 5 to 7 days. The scorpion poison causing every muscle in the body to cramp uncontrollably, violate vomiting, busted blood vessels, unimaginable pain, a high fever which causes dehydration and hallucinations of nightmares coming to life.
After the scorpion poison has run its course, the person is then released from the pole to which they eat the scorpion that stung them. Then the tribe has a huge celebration welcoming them into the tribe being family to all within the tribe. Or the dead body is taken and fed back to the desert so that the sands can give life. The girls are then taken into train as shamans while the boys are taken to train as warriors. Once a boy and girl have completed this training which takes around 10 years the nomad elders marry the best matches together to produce more children starting the ritual over again once the child is born. To outsiders this may seem cruel and ruthless, but it ensures they do not overpopulate. Also making them strong enough to survive living in such a dangerous environment while making their race stronger with each generation.
Warriors never wear metal armor due to the extreme heat of the desert instead wearing reptile leather with scorpion exoskeleton sewn in for extra strength. Wearing long black robes to protect themselves from the scorching rays of the unforgiving sun. They are masters of double-bladed swords along with the khopesh and processing some magical abilities over the desert sands. They will never retreat even if its certain death as to not disgrace the tribe. They are fierce warriors and are one with the desert they live in.
Shamans are mostly unknown as outsiders are never allowed around the women. Some rumors have been whispered of them having strange powerful ritual magics of the lost ancient ones of the desert. Able to summon sandstorms and creatures of the desert while harnessing the power of the desert for fire magics unlike anything else in the known world.
The nomads are very weary of any outsiders, even of their own race but it has been known for them to allow ones that prove their strength into their tribes as welcomed guests. They really don’t have a law system as they are controlled by age old traditions. To break tradition is death, any and all witnesses shall kill any without hesitation if one breaks tradition.
It's understandable why there is no stealing, murders or other crimes within these tribes. If one should ever meet a nomad while exploring the cursed sands of the desert, always remember not to break any of their traditions. They find lying, cheating of any kind and other dishonor acts very digesting and may react violently. Honor and strength above all else for the greater good of the tribe.
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