The Dustborn

The Dustborn are a collection of barbarian tribes that evolved from the Androns who survived the cataclysm of The Great Flare. They are a hardy and ruthless people, forged in the fires of disaster, growing ever stronger within the hazardous environment of The Gardens of Collapse.

Etymology

The Dustborn are named simply. Because of the dust storms that frequently sweep across their territory, choking the air and reducing visibility to mere feet, the tribes of the Gardens have been rebirthed in the toughest of crucibles. Born anew by disaster, they emerged as a confederate whole, one which may fight amongst themselves from time to time, the tribes raiding one another, but one that will come together in times of great strife when an army is needed to attack a city or defend themselves.

The Age Rock

The Age Rock is a specific volcanic shard obtained by a Dustborn while undergoing the rite of passage to become an adult. This rock is sacred to a Dustborn. As the years pass, the rock will turn grey. This happens over the course of about 50 years. Once the rock has fully turned grey, the Dustborn is considered to be an elder of their tribe.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Survival Tactics

Because of their unstable environment, the Dustborn have adapted by adopting a nomadic lifestyle. They move frequently to avoid natural disasters, following patterns known only to the elders among them.
They are masters of using whatever materials are available and are skilled scavengers. They often repurpose items from ruins and fallen city-states to create necessary tools, weapons, and clothing.

Social Structure

The Dustborn are organized into tribes, each led by the strongest and most cunning warrior. Leadership is earned through combat and displays of strength; it may be challenged at any time by a Dustborn willing to fight to the death for the position.
Despite their brutal exterior, the Dustborn have a deep respect for the knowledge held by elders and lorekeepers. These individuals preserve history and guide leaders. A Dustborn becomes an elder when their Age Rock turns grey.

Spiritual Beliefs

The Dustborn worship deities associated with the natural disasters that shape their world. Spirits of storm, earth, darkness, and fire are revered and feared. Rituals are conducted to appease these deities, involving offerings of food, animal sacrifices, and burning of precious items.

Common Dress code

Dustborn dress as appropriate for their environment.

Materials

• Leather, Hide, Furs: The primary materials for clothing are leather, hide, and furs obtained from the animals that still roam the region. They are crafted to cover as much of the body as possible while still being breathable, in order to provide protection from the blistering sun.
• Silk: Given to the greatest among the Dustborn, and worn only ceremonially, silk is a rare material that is mainly obtained through raiding surviving city-states, or what has been passed down from the elders.

Designs

• Layered Protection: Clothing is layered to provide insulation against the cold nights and protect against the intense heat of the day.
• Dust Masks: These anti-dust storm precautions are made from animal bones and leather, fitted with lenses crafted in magma rivers from the silica abundantly available in the Gardens of Collapse.
• Belts and Pouches: Dustborn outfits are equipped with numerous belts, pouches, and straps essential to carry tools and weapons comfortably. Anything worn is tied down tightly, but not so to be restrictive, as the Dustborn must always be ready for combat or sudden migration due to changing conditions in the Gardens.

Adornments

• Trophies and Tokens: Warriors adorn their clothing with trophies from their kills, such as skulls, bones, teeth, and feathers. They are symbols of achievement, and are the Dustborn equivalent of "rank". A warrior with more impressive trophies holds more value.
• Runes and Symbols: Clothing is often decorated with runes and symbols believed to offer protection and invoke favor of known or unknown deities. They are burned into leather, etched into fabrics, and carved into bone.
• Volcanic Rock: Each Dustborn carries at least one piece of volcanic rock with them, from their coming of age ceremony. It holds tremendous value to the individual, and crushing the rock is the gravest of insults. It means one does not value them as an adult capable of fending for themselves. Crushing the rock is often used to exile a member from a tribe. It is also a serious threat.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

If a child is born and is determined to be weak or disabled, they are left to the elements.

Coming of Age Rites

In Dustborn society, the transition from childhood to adulthood is marked by a significant trial which takes place around the age of 16. This age may vary depending on the child's readiness and physical maturity, as assessed by the tribe's elders, lorekeeper, and leader.
Should the initiate fail in any stage of the test, they have only one more chance to pass. If they fail this second time, they are exiled from the tribe.

Trial of the Dustborn

The trial is a multifaceted rite that tests the initiates in multiple different ways. It is designed to ensure they are worthy of being part of the tribe. For the first decade and a half of life, the tribe took care of them. Now, they must prove they can contribute, or die.

Stages of the Trial

1. The Hunt:
   • Objective: The initiate must hunt and kill a wild animal, typically a predator that has been hunting the tribe's livestock.
   • Purpose: This task demonstrates the initiate's ability to provide for themselves and the tribe. It tests tracking, stealth, weapon proficiency, and knowledge of the land.
2. The Journey:
   • Objective: The initiate must undertake a journey across the dangerous terrain of the Gardens of Collapse, reaching a specific landmark (different among tribes) and returning with a token from the site. The initiate must survive the hazards of the Gardens for several days during this trip.
   • Purpose: This task demonstrates the initiate's ability to navigate and endure the harsh wilderness. It tests survival skills and resourcefulness.
3. The Combat:
   • Objective: The initiate must engage in a ritual combat with a seasoned warrior of the tribe. This fight is not to the death, but it is a test of skills.
   • Purpose: This task shows the initiate's strength and combat proficiency.
4. The Trial of Fire:
   • Objective: The initiate must pass through an area known for its volcanic activity and natural gas geysers. They must retrieve a piece of volcanic rock (see Age Rock) from the heart of the zone.
   • Purpose: This task demonstrates the initiate's courage, quick thinking, reflexes, and resilience.

Common Myths and Legends

The Shadow is a significant tale told within the Dustborn tribes, stemming from The Occupation of Velarris. Some lorekeepers claim to know the name of the Shadow, but most dismiss it as impossible. For how could a dark spirit have a name?
The Shadow is a warning to the tribes. "Do not take what is not meant for you," it teaches. The Dustborn are not meant to inherit civilization. They are condemned, punished by the spirits, made to walk the Gardens of Collapse until the end days. If the tribes unite to attack a city-state, they are only to loot it and leave. They may not occupy the land. For if they do, the Shadow will return to wreak havoc upon them.

Major organizations

• The Ravagers of the Dead Forest
• The Chasm Clans
• The Ashen Horde
• The Scorched Ones
• The Emberclad
• The Tribe of Broken Rock
• The Hunters of the Wastes

Parent ethnicities

• Andron

Related Locations

• The Gardens of Collapse