Lonesteaders

Being so close to the city leaves little room for consonantal drift, but Lonesteaders seem to speak Thangien more loosely than their city-born brethren.

Because work is strenuous and rough, the farmers have turned everything into an activity which must be pursued energetically and enthusiastically. Neighbors try to outdo one another with their yields or engage in contests of strength and endurance. Wives bake delicious pastries and sew intricate quilts to show off their skill. Children work alongside their parents assisting with simple chores when they are not distracted with play or exploration along the fringes of the Lonesteads. With both the wide open skies of the plains and the familiarity of the city close by, Lonesteaders truly enjoy the best of both worlds.

On the rare occasions property disputes arise, such matters must be taken before the Watch-Rider and the Council of Houses, but aside from Roth's Edict, Lonesteaders abide by the long established philosophy: "Own the work of thine own hands, save what is ceded in barter or reciprocal trade". There is much to be done from the second the Twin Suns rise to the waning hours as they set, and all hands must prove themselves industrious.

Lonesteaders embody the purest form of an agrarian society among Thangiens, relying upon physical labor with assistance from trained beasts. They balk at the thought of heavy equipment like those found on the Oldworld and do not pursue mechanical advancements like their bretheren in the Salt. Even though tools made of dererium cut deeper and last longer than mere iron or steel implements, they still need hands to work the soil. Manually operated mills and presses are commonly used for refining crops, and various refined chemicals used to treat the soil, but noisy, belching machinery has no place on the Plain.   Perhaps the greatest and most recent development has come in the form of the divine machines created by Eyurodin, Lady of Flames. In the past, no pegacorn would trouble themselves with manual labor, but now as Pegasi they are tireless and fearless, and thanks to the efforts of the Master Breeder of Mazzan, more and more families are being granted Pegasi of their own to both defend the farms from invaders and assist with heavy labor.

Hard work earns the most respect and laziness the most ire, and Lonesteaders prefer hearty meals and simple attire, but on the rare occasion someone important from the city deigns to visit they will break out any suitable finery to lavish their guests with country courtesy.

The combat uniforms worn by farmers differs drastically from those worn by city-born, intended more for battling the elements than Thunthen. Sleeves are long and loose to allow air to circulate while protecting the forearms from cuts or scrapes. Boots are tall and soles thick to guard against troublesome burrs or thorns. Pants are long and heavy to cover the boots and make sure no pests go where they're not supposed to. Hats have wide brims to shield eyes from the light of the Twin Suns. When working with sharp edged equipment like plows, tills, pitchforks, or scythes, a loose-fitting skirt of heavy cloth is worn about the waist. Designed more for agility and endurance, this combination of attire allows men to labor long hours throughout the day without suffering from heat exhaustion.  

Not all Lonesteaders live drab lives and some engage in artistic pursuits such as making sculptures out of worn implements or carving the rare chunks of wood or stone dug up while tilling. Deres himself had his start as a Lonesteader, and so the farmers don't wholly shun higher education and occasionally barter for literature or almanacs from the Archives of Raaezen. Homes vary from single-room sheds to sprawling two-story plantations. As self-sufficient as they prefer to remain, they often have to trade with the city-folk for cured and treated planks of lumber from the Eastern Jungle to build and maintain some structures.

Dishes tend to be simple with beef, chicken, or fish entrees and sides of baked, steamed, stewed, or fresh vegetables. Seasonings are expensive and usually must be bartered from the Pavilion and reserved only for special occasions or preserving meat. Almost every home has a clay or brick oven of some sort, so it is very common for wives to experiment with all manner of baking while their husbands work in the day. There is no shortage of grain or seed in the Lonesteads, so the women stick to simple ingredients and aim for complex tastes. Even though the Pavilion has its share of eateries, some city-born insist Lonesteader goods have a simple quality to them lacking in most industrial-grade productions.

Families generally only interact out of necessity such as when aid is requested or disputes need settling. Once a cycle, however, families converge on the aqueduct network built by Deres thousands of years ago to maintain the mechanisms that supply their farms with water. It is perhaps their largest, most festive celebration, if a bit messy...     Most recently, farmers got to participate in the rare Blood Dawn festival with every Lonesteader in Kundain invited to partake in festivities.

Even though freelanding is a long-established custom for Thangiens and the Lonesteads a refuge for those who decline to undergo the trial, very few farmer's sons actually embark on tours of their own since they spend much of their adolescence working alongside their fathers. On the rare occasion youths exhibit interest in fields such as medicine, metalworking, or writing, they say farewell to the farm and enter the big city to ply their trade at the Four Corners.

Because the labor and expense of building and maintaining mausoleums like those found in Bainshaebo is believed to be counterproductive, those who depart the world are wrapped in simple cloth shrouds and interred deep underground to avoid being disturbed by the turning of the soil. Carved wooden stakes or sometimes carved stone markers are left at the site, but most of the time graves are unmarked, the departed memorialized only by their families. In this way they become part of the land worked by their ancestors and those before them, and they are remembered by their children who will one day till the same soil.

The people take great care to abide by Roth's Edict and avoid needless strife and bickering, having had their fair share ages ago. City-folk who refuse to go freelanding often wind up at the Lonesteads, but individuals arrogant enough to refuse even simple hard work are considered truly lost and unceremoniously exiled to the Plain.

The Greedy Farmer

Perhaps the Lonestead's most ignominious former resident, this villainous Lonesteader not only enraged his neighbors with his selfishness, but earned the ire of Witheren, the Maiden of Blood.  

Xiar, the God-Hound

Progenitor of the fyrhundi who steadfastly guard the farms, Witheren created this divine beast to serve as a steadfast protector.

Bainshae and Kundai

The early architects of what would later become Bainshaebo, the pair mapped out not just the location of the future city, but designated the areas closest to the river but least flood-prone which would eventually become the Lonesteads.  

Deres the Father of Metal

The most famous resident of the Lonesteads if not in all of Thangien history, this young man possessed uncanny intellect and created the first ever aqueduct network, going on to pioneer numerous other technological advancements which have benefited the farmers to the modern day.  

Ander Vai Stel Vethu

Though not technically a Lonesteader, Ander garnered much fame when he broke the forces and spirits of the attacking Dragon-Men, liberating the river and the Lonesteads.  

Debiah Kubar

The self-styled "Scoundrel of the Plains". An Oldworlder who purportedly hijacked an aircraft and absconded with a sizable amount of cash, which proved utterly useless on Thanged. Settled into the life of a Lonesteader and operates a waystation for freelanding youths.

The menfolk spend the most time working the fields, tilling, seeding, or harvesting. The women primarily stay indoors busying themselves with cooking or sewing and on occasion feeding livestock.

Lonesteaders don't concern themselves with the hoity-toity customs of city-born, but rather who can work the hardest and make the best food.