Domhainphage (Haifge)

Often abbreviated to haifge.   A type of grass-like plant which grows in the wastelands. Dull in color, and unsuited for human consumption. However, it is excellent for grazing goats and such.   The plant's roots reach far, far below the surface, theorized to draw sustenance from the great caverns below. This lends a massive amount of structural integrity to the land upon which it grows. A field of domhainphage devoured by a herd of goats will regrow to a pristine state after around a few years, even if seemingly reduced to dry waste. Soil erosion isn't really a problem for the plants, as their main source of nutrients stems from far further below.   The plant's roots can be refined into a strong cord, often woven into ropes and such.  

The Domhainphage Dilemma

  The Domhainphage Dilemma is a parable which pops up in Wastelander culture a lot: one could sustain themselves indefinitely if they only grazed on half their lands at any given time. However, in doing so, they can only sustain half the number of fighters. Therefore, they are conquered by a neighboring group which choses to graze on all of its land. So, is there really a choice? Fight for the short term, because in not doing so, there will be no long term.   But then the greater group has engrained habits of full consumption into itself, and splinters in the time of scarcity when there is no domainphage available. After some time, the grass regrows, and the cycle repeats itself. Microcosms of this occur in more isolated segments of the land, while nation-spanning cycles of plenty and ruin occur every few decades.   Two main factors prevent this cycle from ever truly being broken:

• The inability to grow anything but domhainphage in the wastelands on any sort of usable scale.

• The curse preventing wastelanders from participating in foreign government.

  There's one obvious answer: conquer past the wastelands, claiming land which can be sustainably farmed. Of course, it's far easier in theory than practice. Stories and prophecies often revolve around great uniters, symbols powerful enough to actually unite the squabbling Wastelander tribes into a coherent force. Unfortunately for them, conquest isn't so easy.   To the south are the Spirit Wilds, a land ruled more by nature than man: the ultimate defensive advantage, so great that even the aid of Whirlpool couldn't let the natives tame their own land.   To the west lay the sea: impossible to utilize without first gaining access to lumber for boats.   To the north lay the jungles. In times past, Wastelander incursions gained significant ground on the northern regions, especially before Eidel began to truly grow as a nation. Unfortunately for them, the Wasteland's greatest champion, fulfilling the prophecies of a uniter far better than any before them, came into power the same time that Eidel's Heretical Saint did. Instead of finally conquering the north, the Wastelands ended up submitting to them. The people themselves participated in the empire's later conquests, but always as a vassal state.