Outlander
Overview
Barbarians are a subcategory of humans with their own unique racials granted them by cultural practices. The term "barbarian" comes from the latin word for "outlander", barbarus, and we have purposefully kept this term to indicate the indigenous tribal civilizations the Thracian's encountered as they conquered much of the known world. They are distinct from humans by the usage of tribal marking on their faces. Barbarian cultures are often considered primitive by outsiders, despite having some incredibly sophisticated advancements. All Human cultures have barbaric roots. As the cultures advanced to more agriculture based societies, and villages grew into cities, the Barbarian spirit that once gripped the societies pacified, leaving the Human peoples that occupy various lands today. Most lands still have some remote regions that still live in the traditional lifestyle of their Barbarian ancestry, but there are some entire cultures where the Barbarian spirit never surrendered.
Culture
Barbarians are not one specific culture, but rather can be members of any tribal culture from around the world, as long as it is placed in the correct analog country. Areas that were never conquered by massive uniting empires like Thracia, Uthmanli, or Shalkara often have a much larger Barbarian populations. The biggest key to the preservation of these cultures is their dedication to their traditions, and limited interaction with outside cultures, either by choice or isolation. Examples of Barbarian cultures within Legacies are:
- Viking
- Native American
- Mongols
- Celts
- Zulu (or other African tribal peoples)
Barbarians live in tribes or clans, occupying steadings or villages numbering usually no more than several hundred, rather than forming large towns and cities. Agriculture typically plays a much smaller role in the society, though livestock and animal husbandry are quite prevalent. Barbarians, regardless of culture, tend to be a very martially oriented society, with a much higher percentage of the society being familiar with the handling of weapons. They tend to be an incredibly honest and forthright people, open in who they are, who they like, and who they don’t like. They also tend to have very strong traditions and sense of community. Regard for cultural outsiders typically ranges from mere disinterest all the way to visceral hatred.
Population Centers
As mentioned before, areas that were never conquered by the big historical empires tend to have more barbarians, which means there are clusters of barbarian countries on the edges of the maps. Most of Southern Meridia is full of various Native American cultures, with some African tribal cultures in Limpopo and Katagonia. Most of Boreas is also a cluster for barbarians, with the exception of Sylvanator and some of the larger cities in Ruslav. Additionally Millmeran is populated largely by Barbarians and mongrels. Otherwise Barbarians are scattered in isolated pockets throughout the world, providing a glimpse into the tribal pasts of humans everywhere.
