Roaming the plains of the great continent of Aissur are the barbarian tribes. Owing allegiance to none, these tribes have no major cities and live nowhere for any extended period of time. While each tribe is unique in its customs and methods of trading, there are common consistencies that run throughout the tribes.
Conveyances
The first and foremost is the use of the Metaphaze six-wheeled wagon. These wagons are large, heavy and come in a variety of configurations. The wagons require a minimum of 6 horses, more typically 8 horses or the equivalent in any other type of draw type creatures. Decoration and function of the six-wheeled wagons vary greatly between the tribes and usually a well informed traveler can tell the different tribes by the wagon configurations they use.
The plains of Aissur are also the only place travelers will find the ultimate gypsy wagons of the world. Constructed like sailing ships, these huge wagons are almost always magically powered and will be anywhere from three to six stories in height with massive wheels and elaborate decoration. The wagons are made quite stable by carrying water in a giant reservoir attached to the bottom of the vehicle. Many of these wagons have elaborate water collection systems that will pipe any water collected on the vehicle into the reservoir instead of shedding the water. This allows the inhabitants of these vehicles to live a nomadic life free of ties to local resources.
Use of Magic
In a world full of Magic, there are none as superstitious or secretive about their magics as those of the barbarian tribes. Partially due to their religious superstitions and mainly tied to their nomadic form of life, magic abounds in the tribes as much as it does in any city of Metaphaze. Will the casual visitor see any of their magic? Probably not on any typical visit. By the same token, extravagant or unnecessary displays of magic by visitors or guests of the tribes is also frowned upon by them.
| Brigantes | Fierce, furred barbarian dwarves from the northern mountains, the Brigantes seek only to take that which they themselves cannot make or grow. |
| Parisi | Elven forest dwellers, these barbarians simply desire their territory to be left alone by anyone who dares to venture in the land of the barbarians. |
| Cortitani | These men of the north, fight both the elven and dwarven barbarians. At times there is a semblance of peace between the tribes. |
| Deceangli | A central tribe, the Deceangli defend their borders aggressively, maintaining their autonomy from the other barbarian tribes. |
| Ordovinces | Wild and independent, the Ordovinces thwart any attempts to invade their territories with vicious and ruthless guerilla warfare. They defend a territory rich in natural resources, and wild forested and hilly terrain. |
| Cornovii | The Cornovii share some of the Ordovinces wild territory and they too defend their portion with as much vigor as their neighbors. |
| Iceni | Most civilized of the barbarian tribes, the king of the Iceni negotiates with the emperor in Peking for goods and favors that benefit his tribes the best. It is the king of the Iceni who is in charge of the annual trading fair that takes place outside of Peking each spring. |
| Trinovantes | South of the Iceni are the Trinovantes, and like the Iceni, they seek the favors of the emperor in Peking for their own purposes. Unlike the Iceni, they do not have a charismatic a king to do their negotiations for them. |
| Catevallauni | Elven warriors that inhabit the north-eastern forests of Aissur. Like their brothers the Parisi to the west, the Catevallauni seek trade and visitors to their great forest. They have sent out messengers and heralds to take the news out that traders may seek out their forest to trade with them. Obviously because of their location far to the north, little travel can occur there without being sieged by the multitude of other barbarians and dangers between. |
| Dobunni | Along the coast of the Catevallauni forest are the tribes of the Dobunni. They trade vigorously with their neighbors in the name of profits. |
| Silures | Wild neighbors of the Deceangli and Ordovices, the Silures protect their domains from invasion in much the same fashion. |
| Demetae | The Demetae claim the territory nearest Barcellona. Halfling barbarians, these fellows are savvy merchants and ruthless protectors of their territory. In a position to capitalize on the great wealth of trade goods available in Barcellona, they seek to maintain peaceful relations with the city. They have a trade pact with its ruler, Boris Ceasar Napolean. |
| Dumnonii | To the south of the Demetae, are the Dumnonii, also able to capitalize on their position to trade with the richer cities of the south, the Dumnonii capitalize on this as well. They alone of all the barbarian tribes maintain ports along the southern edge of Aissur where ships can come to call and trade for the goods of the north with goods from the south. |
| Durotriges | The Durotriges are barbarians of the coast. They abhor trading in their territory. They prefer to send barbarian ships out to take what they can from vessels foolish enough to sail near their coastline. |
| Atrebates | The Atrebates and Cantiaci share the western approaches to the city of Peking. They are not as aggressive with their trade treaties with the city, although they seek trade as voraciously as all the other barbarian tribes. |
| Cantiaci | Neighbors to the Atrebates, the Cantiaci are the protectors of the entry harbor to Peking. In their position they could cut the city off from the world with a sea based blockade. However, the emperor knowing his plight sees fit to heap hoards of wealth upon the tribe for their inactivity in this venue. The Cantiaci are the laziest barbarian tribe of the north. |
© Robert J Becraft, 1996, 1998. All Rights Reserved. No portions of these web documents may be reproduced or copied without the expressed consent of the author.