Singers

Hailing from the deep desert of the Taisha, the Singers are a loose knit group of thirty-odd tribes who wander Tellus, retyurning to their homeland in the desert every so often to honor tradition and revel with extended family.

Singer Ladies
Their roaming all began as the nomadic tribes roamed far and wide, doing their level best to survive and thrive in the harsh Desert. Finding water holes and oases throughout the sand-choked area is exceedingly difficult, and failure to do so is outright death, so the Singers have adopted customs and traditions that accentuate desert survival, and these traditions permeate their culture entirely; even throughout the few tribes that have decided to travel throughout the lands of Pax, and The City of the Lights. Their mobility allows them to adapt to changing conditions on the fly, which has saved their entire population at least three times that we know of.

Singing and storytelling are at the core of Singer society and culture. They believe that music can communicate with the spirits of the desert that ride the fickle breezes all over the world, and bring about blessings and protection. Their traditional instruments include drums, flutes, and stringed instruments that are crafted from materials that they findthroughout the desert. Storytellers and chanters are highly respected members of the tribe, passing down oral histories and legends through generations.

Survival in the desert is a central skill for the Singers. They are experts in finding water sources, tracking wildlife, and crafting tools and shelter from materials found in the desert. Their knowledge of medicinal plants and desert herbs is highly valued.

Singers at Dice
Singers wear vibrant, flowing clothes that reflect the colors of the desert at different points in the day. Their attire is adorned with intricate embroidery, and their jewelry is made from desert stones and shells. They use colorful scarves to protect themselves from the harsh sun and blowing sand, and wear goggles made with tough camel leather, and glass made deep in the sea of dunes. Fashion is important to the singers, who treasure vibrance and passion, even in their attire and affect. Makeup is common amongst both men and women, eyeliner being quite common. They love turquiose, and ochre, and put tiny amounts of gemstone dust into their cosmetics to make it glitter like dragonfly wings. Dragonflies are sacred to the Singers, and to their Divine Patron, Saint Myra. Singers wear intricately wrapped turbans made of lightweight, breathable fabric. These turbans serve multiple purposes: protecting the head and face from the sun's intense rays, shielding against sandstorms, and providing a source of shade. Both men and women wear scarves and veils, often brightly colored, to cover their faces during sandstorms and to protect against sunburn. These scarves are also adorned with desert-inspired patterns and embroidery. Singers wear loose, flowing clothing made out of natural, breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. These garments are designed to allow air circulation, helping to keep the body cool in the dry desert heat. Their design and build compel the fabric to wick moisture away from the skin in a prolonged cooling process. The also layer, very often. Singers will wear multiple layers of clothing, starting with a lightweight, long-sleeved tunic or robe as a base layer to protect their skin from the sun. Over this, they might wear a more decorative, colorful outer robe or caftan adorned with intricate embroidery featuring desert motifs like camels, palm trees, and geometric patterns. They also use beads made from desert stones and shells to add embellishments to their attire. Men and women, both, wear loose, comfortable harem pants that allow for ease of movement in the desert. These pants are often brightly colored and gathered at the ankles to discourage the naughty wind from blowing sand too far up one's pantleg. Typically, simple, open-toed sandals made from leather, or woven palm fronds, adorn a Singer's feet. These sandals provide protection for the feet while allowing sand to easily pass through, preventing discomfort and blisters. Jewelry for the Singers is part of their very nature. They adorn themselves with jewelry crafted from desert stones like agate, carnelian, and turquoise, as well as shells collected from desert oases. These pieces are often intricately carved, or shaped into symbols of their cultural beliefs (mostly dragonflies). They also use metals like silver and copper to create jewelry, often engraved with symbols representing the desert spirits, and their connection to the lands they roam.
Arilah at Play
For protection from the cold desert nights, Singers wear lightweight, hooded cloaks. These cloaks are often reversible, with one side featuring practical desert camouflage and the other side displaying vibrant colors for ceremonies and celebrations. Singers wear broad, intricately decorated belts with pouches, big and small, to carry myriad small necessities such as desert herbs, water purification tablets and tools, and desert navigation instruments. They use stylized headbands, and ties adorned with desert charms and trinkets, to secure their headwear and scarves in place. The trinkets are, very often, shaped like dragonflies, butterflies, lotus leaves, or oasis-lillies.

The Singers hold special celebrations during the sacred full moon. These gatherings involve prolonged drum circles and wild, spinning dances under the shimmering desert moonlight. It is believed that the desert spirits are particularly active during these nights, and the Singers seek their guidance and blessings, and seek also to please Myra by making a joyful noise. These events are rowdy, and often quite drunkenly promiscuous, leading to the sterner Human societies of Pax to look at them as wanton and excessive.

Which they, in fact, can be.

While primarily self-sufficient, the Singers do engage in sporadic trade with random desert caravans and other nomadic groups on occasion. They exchange their unique desert crafts, music, and storytelling for essential goods such as spices, fabrics, and metals. They get the bulk of their rice and potatoes this way, during the market at Cannat Glaine, which in and of itself is a giant festival of trade, and song, and dance.

Most of the spices, for one reason or another, that are distributed throughout the world start their culinary journey here. Nutmegm and cinnamon, and live vanilla orchids can be found there, at the festival.