Petyan
Like most settlements on the grasslands of Campacha, Petyan has a sizable transient population. The village lies a few miles west of a migratory buffalo route and grazing area, making it a popular destination for nomadic people during the spring and summer months.
In addition to its ideal hunting location, the underground rivers and aquifers that bisect the area are also perfect for sedentary farmers. Lush crops of corn and other food staples dot the landscape in every direction. The farmers who tend to these fields dwell in earth lodges built into the sides of small hills or excavated from the ground. These permanent structures feature a wooden dome covered by dirt, reeds, mud-bricks, and similar materials. Because they are partially underground, these homes are better suited for the extreme temperatures encountered during the hot summers and the frigid winters.
Petyan’s residents are entirely self-sufficient, so commerce in the traditional sense is far less prevalent than in conventional communities. It is possible to purchase goods and services within the settlement, though barter is the preferable method of acquiring valuables within Petyan. Its permanent and even temporary residents all share some degree of kinship. Naturally, those belonging to the full-time population are more closely related to one another than its transient settlers, who are typically first and second cousins several generations removed from the permanent residents. Still, the bonds of blood run strong, and even the most-distant relations respect the authority and wisdom of the village’s patriarch. The patriarch is revered as a titular authority figure that provides wisdom and guidance, though he wields no real political and military authority. Instead, leadership is determined on the battlefield and the hunting grounds. The bravest and fiercest warrior from among the patriarch’s immediate family assumes autonomy over the village. Hintah fulfilled that role in Petyan until the centaurs killed him. After his death, Quanata, the resident cleric, reluctantly accepted the role as the village’s leader.
Settlement
Petyan, Village of
Type
Village
Owning Organization
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