Leatherbacks
The Terrapin Station Phenomenon
Terrapin Isle, while tiny, has brought the world some of the best in arts and entertainment. Much of this has been attributed to the laid-back attitude of the Terrapiners, but many of the anthropologists at the world famous Bardic College Campus have come to believe quite differently.
"It is their penchant for ritual and dance," said lead researcher Nonette Lyons, of the Paraanthropology department. "It is their revelry and socially unfettered creativity that has led to a culture wherein art and performance are not only encouraged, but nourished. One need look no further that the phenomenon of Terrapin Station, the Terrapiner band that has taken the world by storm, sometimes literally, for the last one hundred and twenty-four years consecutively."
Although this might seem like a fan's hyperbolic rave review (Dr. Lyons and her entire team quickly became fans of the band), it is actually grounded in legitimate science. Tortles do have a lengthy lifespan, after all, and the numbers just do not lie. Dr. Lyons has proven that, proportionally, more famous artists have come out of Terrapin Isle than anywhere in the world, and she did so by travelling the world, following the band around as they toured.
"Oh, it wasn't so much to see the band play every night, but to meet the people that would inevitably show up a few days early to the concert," Dr. R.L. Ermy, one of Dr. Lee's team of researchers, replied. "The anthropological goldmine that awaited us was, frankly, stunning. And to be embraced so warmly by so many different people, different kinds of people, mind you, side by side and smiling at you. It's really quite overwhelming at first, to be approached with such genuine goodwill. I became a leatherback almost immediately."
Dr. Ermy led the four-person team that tracked the demographics of the crowds. A no nonsense, military veteran, Dr. Ermy met up with some other combat veterans, and ended up embedded with his team for the next three years. They followed the band to each concert, more often than not showing up a few days before the show, and camping out at the back of the concert field with a whole group of soldiers. They have flags, tell stories, clear their souls, and have instilled a quiet wisdom into Dr. Ermy's young assistants that is well beyond their tender years.
Dr. Lee herself led a team into the culture and philosphies of the main group of followers, who hailed from every economic circle and social class. "It doesn't matter where you come from, who your parents are, or what your background is. Once the gathering of the Leatherbacks begins, it is all about the music, and the fellowship. We encountered no less than fourty-seven cases of orphans beiing raised by entire communities of Leatherbacks, and the band themselves, who just took them in as a matter of course when their parents died. These kids grew up to be landowners, tavern keepers, bankers and businessmen, and still they go to every single Terrapin Station show they can get to. Some fans amass hundreds of shows in a lifetime, swearing up and down that they have never seen the same show twice." Dr. Lee's face glows with admiration as she thinks of the seventy seven Terrapin Station concerts she has seen in the last three years. "On personal reflection, I have to agree with them. But I haven't done the science on it, so don't quote me on that."
Family Names
Family names and backgrounds are often eschewed for the time of the concert, and any festival surrounding it, in favor of "festival hippie names".
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
There are so many different races and peoples at a Terrapin Station show, that all shows are done in the common tongue.
Culture and cultural heritage
The general culture surrounding the band's fans is one of acceptance and empathy; however, do not tread on any toes, or try to spoil someone's good time. You never know where the person wearing that tie dyed tee shirt came from, or what they have been through. You might just be messing with the wrong dude.
Shared customary codes and values
- Everybody is here for the music. We don't want any drama; many of us are here to escape overcomplicated lives. Be nice.
- Drugs are great, but everything in moderation. And even when you're high, remember; be nice.
- Dance like no one is watching, but keep yourself from hitting other people. Be nice.
- Be respectful of the bathrooms. Be nice to the next person!
Common Etiquette rules
Be nice!
Common Dress code
There is no dress code, although sun dresses and tie dye seems to be the norm for most of the concert goers.
Foods & Cuisine
There is so much food available at a Terrapin Station show, that no one leaves hungry. People bring foods to cook and share out in the fields while they are waiting for the show to start...sometimes, for days at a time. Foodstuffs can range from simple sausages, to gourmet meals cooked up by chefs going to the School of Culinary Arts at the Bardic College Campus. Poi and other Terrapiner delicasies are served in honor of the tortle band from Terrapin Isle.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Tie dye, and the ability to quote a Terrapin Station song for any occasion, are a sure-fire giveaway that a person is a Leatherback.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Leatherbacks treasure natural beauty and simple dress over made-up couture and high fashion, although they are not averse to face paints or henna tattoos. They absolutely adore tie-dye, even though the band does not, and wear bangles and jewelry that has usually been made by hand, and have always been gifts. Shoes are optional, and sun dresses are adored, by the Leatherbacks.
Gender Ideals
The Leatherbacks will accept whatever one's gender one sees oneself as. They feel, as a group, that it does not affect them, or their lives, in the least.
Courtship Ideals
"Free love!" is a theme amongst Leatherbacks, a throwback to a time just after The Kobold Accord when people were so sick of war that they would hoist signs high, proclaiming "Make love, not war!" Those flags still exist in many Leatherback circles, and the sentiment was at somepoint condensed down to two words; "free love".
Relationship Ideals
Relationships amongst Leatherbacks are unavoidable things, and they bring with them all of the ins and outs of such interpersonal interactions. For the most part, folks are just looking for love wherever they can find it, desperate for affection and the touch of another person. Very often, these trysts develope into longer term relationships that can be good, bad, or ugly, like any other relationship on the planet. The thing that the researchers noticed, was that the long-lasting rancor, generally seen amongst friend groups when relationships go south, was almost entirely missing. "People come to the shows to have fun, not to hold grudges or bear resentments," said Dr. Lee. "When they come here, people can let themselves go, and just feel the music flow through them; noone wants a broken heart to get in the way of that."
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