Life of the Neobedouin

THE NEOBEDOUINS

This section explores the lives of the Neobedouin. The Neobedouin are Free Peoples who live in tribal groups scattered across the wilderness. We will explore how they came to survive the Great Apocalypse and the multiple hardships they have suffered since. Then we will take a close look at their current way of life - how they organize, what they do, their values and their lifestyle. Finally we will meet the Western Camelops, a Neobedouin tribe who survive in the inhospitable Nevada region.

Scattered and Broken: The Neobedouin story is rooted in disaster. Disaster not of their own making. The Great Apocalypse that was perpetrated against the human race was the brainchild of one of their own, Victor Hyopcrates - soon to be Emperor Victor I. He gathered around himself those who would be most useful to him, buying them with promises of a bright new future. A future in which his inne circle would become the unassailable masters of the world. The rulers of what little would be allowed to remain of the human race.

If many thought him mad, they dare no say it. For, day by day, Victor's powers grew. Soon, he had much of the world in his grip. The uber-species began the work, decimating the population. Victor's elite troups, the Chuno Ggun, finished the job, ensuring that any pockets of resistance were wiped out. At this stage, the Chuno Ggun were mainly confined to scouring the lands - the Imperial Air Navy was still in its infancy. While the Skyloft took to the skies, others stood and fought below. Their bravery was not in doubt, but their cause was doomed to failure.

But some people clung on. They hid. They found ways to forge al ife, on the edges, in the margins. They scavenged. They moved when the enemy came near or when they had stripped an area of resources. They were few in number, usually just a few families, banding together for protection. Any larger groups would attract the attentions of the soldiers, or be viewed as a ripe herd by the vicious new predators. These little, fledgeling communities were painfully vulnerable. But they were adapting. These fragmented groups of survivors became the Neobedouin.

Origins: The Neobedouin existed pre-apocalypse. Indeed, Victor Hypocrates had traveled with a group calling themselves Neobedouin in his youth, as he formulated his philosophies and planned his rise to power. These early tribes formed as a reaction to widespread industrialization and overpopulation. Each tribe had a different emphasis - some simply wanted to freely wander, unconfined by city walls; some wanted a return to nature, and a simple way of life; others believed that modern living was unsustainable, and prepared themselves for what they thought of as an inevitable collapse. Whether believing that their way of life was a gentle alternative or a necessity for survival, an idealistic dream or pragmatic solution, they still could not help but be surprised at the speed and savagery with which the world changed. Perhaps better placed to adapt, some of these early tribes survived the Apocalypse, but by no means all. They had some of the skills needed to live in the new wilderness, but they couldn't have foreseen the introduction of the uber-beasts and the aggressive action sof the Chuno Ggun. Many were wiped out.

Some of the tribes that currently wander outside can trace their ancestry to these older, pre-existing Neobedouin groups (their history being related by storytellers and shamans). Others formed more recently. Some of these newer Neobedouin tribes are comprised of people that managed to flee to the margins, before the formation of the Change Cage cities. Others, although a precious few, managed to leave the terrible new cities after their construction. Many tribes are comprised of a combination of the descendants of the original Neobedouin movement and these more recent additions.

Clinging On: For decades the Chuno Ggun went about the task of cleansing the Earth of humans. As the years went by, the Emperor was eventually satisfied that there were too few people left to start over again - that he had succeeded in his mission, that the world had been given over once more to nature and the animal kingdom. Although the continued existence of the Skyloft troubled him, he had gradually scaled down his armies. He wanted them demobilized before they could turn against him, or challenge his succession. It seemed that any new battles for the future might be fought in the skies. The Emperor now concentrated his efforts on containing what was left of the population, herding them into the giant Change Cage cities where they could be pacified and indoctrinated.

The Neobedouin began to emerge from their hiding places. They came out from caves in mountain strongholds, the depths of the forests, the ruined shels of remote settlements and the fringes of icy wastes and fetid swamps. THey began to range once more, as they had done before the Apocalypse, searching for salvage and resources. They were by no means safe, their tentative exploration often leading them to their doom - prey to the beasts and the Chuno Ggun. But the world is a big place, and humans are tenacious. The balance of power might have changed, but people were not yet out of the running.

The tribes began to work out the best means to deter the most dangerous predators. They began to domesticate some of the more docile basts. They supplemented their traditional caravans and trailers with other scavenged vehicles, designed to give them a range of options when faced with an enemy. As the Skyfolk began to establish themselves aloft, both groups began to realize that trade could be mutually beneficial. The Neobedouin's nomadic existence means they struggle to manufacture the most rudimentary of finished goods, they simply do not stay in one place long enough to build workshops or factories. But they do have access to an abundance of natural resources (the only human competition for this bounty being the Neovictorians, and few of them are actually allowed to leave their wretched cities). The Neobedouin could offer the Skyfolk, amongst other things, food, fuel and salvage, and in return could get medicines, manufactured goodsand even new vehicles - the Neobedouins can repair just about anything and rival the Skyfolk in the skill, but they do not manufacture from scratch. That said, there are still some serviceable diesel relics scattered about the wilderness.

As the frequency of Chuno Ggun attacks diminished, and the strength of the surviving tribes has grown, a rich culture has developed within the tribes. Tribal alliances have been formed, strengthened by marriage and association through occasional gatherings at festivals. Stories are handed down by the elders and shamans. At the largert gatherings, each tribe's storytellers compete with those of other tribes, embellishing their tribal history through a combination of fact, folk wisdom and tall tales.

Some tribes sit apart from the others. Renegade and Hostile tribes prey on those weaker than themselves. THey gather resources not from the world about them, but through the force of arms. These warlike tribes think nothing of slaughtering another tribe's warriors and elders, stealing their vehicles and livestock, and enslaving those they want to keep for marriage.

The Enemy: The Chuno Ggun were officially disbanded following the retreat into the Change Cage cities (as the official line, according to the propaganda sheets, is that there are no Free People left to hunt down), although in reality Victor kept some units operative. Some serve as his personal guard; others man the Black Frigates, charged with hunting down survivors of the Apocalypse, and those that dared to escape from the Neovictorian cities.

The Imperial Air Navy tend to avoid engaging the Neobedouins. They are fair game, but they tend to scatter before the airships can close in on them. It hardly seems worth trying to drop a few bombs on the nomads. Missiles thrown over the side of an airship are very inaccurate against moving targets. Disembarking to give battle is fraught with danger, and earns little reward (at least if an IAN ship takes a pirate vessel the crew share some prize money, and maybe their officers can win a commendation. There is little glory or treasure to be earned fighting the primitive Neobedouin). Imperial Air Navy marines can find themselves outclassed and overwhelmed when fighting on the ground against outriders and beast dancers. The Chuno Ggun are a different matter. When the Neobedouin see a black frigate overhead, they realize they are facing a more deadly fight, a battle for the tribe's very survival. The highly trained Chuno Ggun killers specialize in fighting the exotic Neobedouin warriors and the outcome of such an encounter is less than certain.

The Chuno Ggun tend to bide their time. The Neobedouin have become more adept at surviving in the wilderness, and attacks by the Neovictorians are now very rare. Rather than attempting to continually harass all the tribes, the Chuno Ggun prefer to concentrate all their resources into terrifying ambushes. These carefully planned and coordinated attacks are designed to wipe out an entire tribe in one go. They are often preceded by years of preparation. Chuno Ggun agents infiltrate and stalk their targets for decades, all with the long-term goal of creating one devastating opportunity to liquidate the unfortunate tribe in its entirety. The Chuna Ggun particularly focus on any Neobedouin who seem to be "settling down" )having perhaps located a rich seam of natural resources or a fuel refining plant). This ensures that the tribes remain dispersed and nomadic. Unsurprisingly, the Neobedouin tend to despise the Neovictorians, and in particular these specialist agents of the Emperor. They can perhaps be forgiven for their reputation for being especially cruel to any Chuno Ggun agents that happen to fall into their hands.

Still, the infrequency of such battles has meant that some of the tribes are less reluctant than they might be to roam relatively near to Neovictorian settlements, and in particular to the canal routes. As well as trading with the Skyfolk, the Neobedouin also trade with the Bargefolk. They receive the highest prices from Bargefolk who are engaged in smuggling meat into the city, and it is believed that some of the high up Neovictorains ensure that these tribes are actually protected from attack, such is their desire to see an uninterrupted flow of quality meat to feed them and their wealthy friends.

The Freedom of the Road: The Neobedouin are a wandering, nomadic people. Sometimes they scavenge, sometimes they harvest natural resources. They usually rotate between these activities and regular stop-offs, trading with the Skyfolk, the Bargefolk smugglers and each other. They also head to large gatherings, where they might meet for days at a time. But most of their time is spent on the road, traveling in a tribal convoy.

The precise makeup of each convoy (i.e. which vehicles are employed; what fuel types are used; whic beasts of burden are preferred; what, if any, herds are managed, etc.) varies according to the region traveled and the resources available. All tribes take a pride in their vehicles, and take great care to keep them well maintained. Spare parts and fuel are considered as essential as food and water to the continuation of the tribe.

In areas where there are large reserves of easily accessible oil, or surviving pre-Apocalypse fuel depots, nearly all the vehicles might be diesel. In other areas, where coal or other solid fuels are more common, steam might be employed. The tribes that can't easily access oil will still usually maintain at least a few diesel vehicle types, primarily to be used by their outrider scouts, due to the fact that they tend to be faster, more reliable and frightening to predators. But such tribes often can only afford one or two motorhogs or trikes, and so will use horses or camelops to flank the slower-moving steamtrucks. Likewise, some of the tribes that do have access to oil or fuel depots might still use steamtrucks or animals to haul some of their larger trailers - unless they have unlimited access to an endless supply of gas to burn (which would likely draw the attention of the Chuno Ggun). As most tribes either herd their own animals, or know where to find a wild herd, they seldom need to travel flat out, so having a mix of slower-moving vehicles moving at the heart of the convoy makes sense.

Often the larger, more powerful families in a tribe will own large steamtrucks. These are used to pull articulated trailers, sometimes as many as four giant trailers being pulled by one engine, the first filled with fuel, the others storing goods and providing accomodation. Other families, and groups of single men and women, might travel in caravans, pulled by mastodons or even indrikkis. These caravans are often gaudily painted, and draped with drying hides and an array of chimes and charms. THey provide excellent warmth and shelter - their coziness is second to none.

Faster vehicles and beasts are used both for scouting and protection. They tend to circle the bulk of the convoy as it moves, and the camp when it is settled, as predators constantly lurk at the fringes. These predators stalk both the Neobedouin and their livestock. Where they are available, the Neobedouin will use cars to patrol the perimeters of the convoy - they usually arm them with vicious prongs and protect them with strong roll-bar cages and even armor plating. The driver's intention is usually to frighten predators away rather than to ram them. Most uber-beasts are capable of making a mess of a car, even an armored one, so smashing into them is a last resort.

Life's Essentials: Life for the Neobedouin is hard. Not only do they tend to keep moving, they are constantly setting or breaking camp, foraging and tending their livestock. Much of their equipment is basic, and many of their goods are fashioned in a primative way - using whatever resources come to hand. Their utensils are often made from bone and their clothes are mainly a mix of hides and fur, decorated with feathers and semi-precious stones. THey have access to large trailers, but these are often overcrowded, large families packed into them for long periods of time. Medicine is only available through trade, and often a tribe has no medical professionals in case of an emergency.

The extended family is essential to the Neobedouin way of life. If somebody is unable to look after themselves, or requiring care, then it is their family that is expected to help. Families in tribes work together, each individual has to understand their place and fulfill what is expected of them, for cooperation is the key to survival. Although there are often many individual families within a tribe, the tribe as a whole is considered one big extended family, so all members of the tribe share a common last name.

Tribe members often specialize in trade, although most know a little of the skills of their fellows. Some spend most of their time driving. These drivers also tend to be experts in carrying out running repairs, often able to seemingly perform miracles, given the archaic machinery and hodgepodge of parts they are forced to work with. Others ride beasts, and tend to be highly adept at training such animals, their commands a curious mixture of song, whistles and guttural croaks. Some specialize in trade - identifying the best places to scavenge, the best Skyloft markets to visit and conducting any negotiations on behalf of the rest of the tribe. Others work as scouts. The most effective of these are the Beast Dancers. Beast Dancers are fearsome warriors, who have proven their worth by engaging in deadly battles against mighty beasts. The Beast Dancers' senses are uncanny - they are constantly alert and highly intuitive. It is said they can smell danger. All of the tribe, aside from the most elderly who are unable, and those scouts who cannot be spared from patrolling, take turns cooking, slaughtering, skinning and scavaging. Most tribe members can play a musical instrument, and all love to dance. The most entrancing dancers of all are the Beast Dancers. They perform enthralling displays, an enticing combination of the sensuous and the martial, blended into a blur of technically astounding movements.

Most tribes are led by their elders and the tribal shaman. There is no formal system of election, the tribe being accustomed to generally seek the wisdom of the older members. In return for that wisdom the elders are tended in their dotage. Sometimes there will be disagreement, younger hotheads at odds with the decisions of their elders, but such situations are rare - respect for elders is taught from birth, and the unity of the tribe comes first. Nevertheless, tribes sometimes split, separate groups deciding to go different ways. Many stories tell of the folliws of such division; legends of lost tribes, wiped out following a split, are staple fireside tales. More warlike tribes do sometimes have a headman, headwoman or chief. Usually they are the most ruthless and cunning member, and often they meet their end at the hands of a fellow tribe member, keen to prove they are an able challenger by murdering their immediate predecessor.

Neobedouin religion, such as it is, tends to be an informal affair. Tribal shamans teach a rudimentary form of nature worship. It is not always clear whether they actually believe in a nature spirit, or spirits, or whether they are merely using allegory to teach lessons about respecting the natural world and living harmoniously within it. To members of the tribe the shaman is usually feared as much as respected. No one doubts that they have some secret knowledge, and perhaps even dark powers. Shamans are taught their trade during long apprenticeships, that can last decades and most fully fledged shamans are of incredibly advanced years. Aside from giving advice, offering simple, usually herbal cures, and leading simple rituals or ceremonies, shamans also foretel the future and deliver omens. This might be done through the examination of an animal's entrails, or reading cards or runes. BUt it is usually carried out following a self-induced trance. Often this trance will be achieved through the use of potent brews, the ingesting of rare leaves, mushrooms, peyote and/or cacti, and the smoking of strange herbs. These mixtrues are usually potent enough to send most folk mad, but the shamans seem to be able to cope with incredibly toxic cocktails of such narcotics. Their initiates traditionally spend much of their time gathering ingredients, in order that their elders might reach new enlightenment or receive an insightful vision.

Getting Along: Most tribes get on well with neighboring tribes. When tribes meet, it is usually an excuse for celebration, and perhaps a little trade. Each tribe will attempt to outdo the other, giving gifts, telling tales, playing reels, holding competitive fighting tournaments and staging wrestling matches. The result is usually a mini-festival - if the timing allows it, the tribes will probably delay their business and camp up for an extra night or two. Youngsters love such occasions - they are an opportunity to play for longer, to meet new people and impress unfamiliar members of the opposite sex.

Such meetings are not guaranteed to go smoothly, however. There can be friction over access to resources, and some tribes are just plain hostile to all other Neobedouin. On these occasionst here might be a skirmish, fights breaking out between the young bloods from each tribe, or even an all-out bloody war.

The Neobedouin tend to distrust the Skyfolk. THey are largely oblivious to the fact that the Skyfolk look down on them (which they do, metaphorically as well as literally), but they think those aloft are haughty and have a tendency to over-complicate matters, are given to treachery and are just plain peculiar. More importantly, they are baffled by the decision of the Skyloft to live in permanent (if at times nomadic in their own right) cities. They struggle to see the difference in being confined to a platform, and being enclosed in a Change Cage city. The Neobedouin tend not to descriminate between pirates and other Skyfolk (although at times weaker tribes are preyed upon by pirate slavers), seeing them as being all of the same tribe.

Festivals: The Neobedouin love nothing more than partying. Life is hard on the road, and most tribes regularly attend festivals. Often they will meet with a number of other tribes at such events. These gatherings serve purposes beyond relaxation - they are an opportunity to catch up with old acquaintances, to broker marriages and alliances, to trade, and to swap news. As well as marrying out of one's own tribe, often the more important families within a group will send a younger member to live with another tribe, particularly if that tribe offers a different skill set for the youngster to learn. Usually this vacation will be negotiated at a festival, and will last until the next time the tribes meet, invariably at another festival. Bottom line: No one parties better than the Neobedouins, and even the rowdiest airship pirates agree.

The larger festivals can go on for days. At these gatherings there will often be plenty of gambling - mainly on horse races, camelops races, bare-knockle boxing, fighting tourneys and wrestling matches, although most Neobedouin will gamble on just about anything, given the chance. Beast Dancers tend to be exempted from tawdry righting competitions, although they are in great demand when it comes to the evening dances. Against the backdrop and feasting and dancing the traders from each tribe will be furiously negotiating deals - fortunes in livestock and fuel change hands at the festivals and a tribe's success over the following year can be determined by what they bring and take away from the larger gatherings. Sometimes the festivals are held in remote areas, but occasionally they take place in the shadow of a Skyloft city and the Skyfolk are invited to join in (as long as they bring trade goods with them). At these more cosmopolitan festivals, as well as the larger scale dealing (which is usually carried out away from the fire-pit and dancers and conducted in a serious manner), individual caravans are also adorned with goods for sale - from cured hides, to trinkets, charms, art and craft goods. Most family members, who are not otherwise engaged in driving or riding, spend their time working on small, beautiful art and craft items throughout their travels. Some caravans offer different kinds of services - tattoo artists and body painters vie for business, and the shamans often have long queues of people who wish to seek advice or be told of their futures.

The biggest festival of them all is the annual tribal gathering at Helium City. As per the Tripartite Agreement, during this festival the attending Neobedouins are under the protection of the city and not even the fanatical Chuno Ggun dare violate the treaty.

Initiation: Most tribes mark the coming of age of their young people with some kind of initiation. The precise nature of the initiation varies from tribe to tribe, with the exception of thsoe who wish to nominate themselves beast hunter initiates. The ceremony may require the youngster to complete a task (perhaps repairing a broken vehicle, crafting an item, performing a dance, etc), and will often include some form of physical transformation (getting a first piercing, tattoo, or some form of scarificatoin). After the event, the tribe will take time to welcome the new adult, usually by holding a special celebration.

Beast Dancers are initiated in a different, and far more dangerous ceremony. The Beast Dancer initiate will have been trained in the arts of beast fighting from an early age, continually practicing their dances, long and complicated forms (routines that show off their increasing capabilities), sparring against each other and the fully fledged Beast Dancers in the tribe, and even fighting against animals captured and placed in pens specifically for the purpose of instruction. The Beast Dancer initiate is then usually given the choice as ot whether they want to walk alone into the wilderness, armd only with the traditional weapons of the tribal Beast Dancer, to slay a beast the tribe usually has a preferred beast which their young warriors must slay, according to the local habitat. Bearing in mind many beasts hunt in packs, and that by rights a human has little chance against just one of the uber-beasts, the tribe usually thinks no less of the initiate if he or she declines the opportunity. Most tribes would rather the young person was initiated in the standard way than killed pointlessly. So, rather than an initiate who declines the challenge being seen as a failure, they are still welcomed as a fully fledged tribe member and employed as an outrider or a scout. However, when the initiate accepts and succeeds, it it seen as immense good luck, a wonderful omen, and the new Beast Dancer will be featured in the ongoing tribal stories and in demand, to dance and show off his or her prowess at the great festivals.

The Western Camelops

The Western Camelops are a typical enough tribe who range between the Central Valley to the west of the Sierra Nevada mountains, up and through the Mojave desert and as far north as Isla Aether on the eastern side of the mountain range. THere they meet with the Nevada Eagles, the Eastern Camelops, the Death Valley Hermits and the Skyfolk traders, at the Springtime Gatherings in the foothills of the mountains.

WHen traveling they usually arrange themselves in a set formation. A few of the outriders travel on camelops (Beasts that are well suited to the tribe's desert range and from which they get their name), although most of the camelops the tribe owns are herded along, without riders. This herd is kept by the Western Camelops for their meat and hides. The Western Camelops own a decent number of hogtrikes. They are intensely proud of these bikes, and only the most highly skilled outriders drive them. Having relatively easy access to fuel reserves for part of the year means these vehicles can be kept running almost constantly, and the noise of the engines, although familiar to their own livestock, is often enough to deter predators. In the center of the convoy, three huge, articulated steam trucks plod forward. MOst of the tribe live and sleep in the rear trailers, while the forward trailers carry fuel and fodder.

When on the move, weather allowing, all but the outriders and drivers climb ladders attached to the outside of the trailers. THis allows them to survey the plains from the roofs of the trucks, but more importantly it means they have enough light to work on their needlecraft and bone carving as they bump along. Unfortunately it also means they have to breathe in the foul smoke generated by the steam engines. ON each roof at least one of the riders acts as a lookout. If the lookout sees any flying predators approaching, they shout an alarm. The most common cause for such a warning is a giant condor. The smaller, although still huge enough, Teratorn would think twice before attacking an uninjured adult human, let alone a convoy - although both types of bird hover around hopefully if any of the tribe's livestock seem to be faltering. MOre worrying, although less frequent, is the sight of an airship above. SUch a sight causes all to reach for their needleguns, handcranked windup harpoons or crossbows. For, although unlikely, there might be pirates, slavers or even the dreaded Chuno Ggun above.

Around the larger steamtrucks are a location of mastodon-drawn caravans, including that of the tribal shaman and his apprentices. The tribe ahs no chief, but their shaman, David Greyfinger Camelop, is universally respected, his advice sought by the other elders whenever they meet to plot the course of their travels. Greyfinger's reputation is enhanced by the tales his apprentices tell. They share his caravan, yet say that he is often nowhere to be found, mysteriously appearing and disappearing at will (they haven't found his private hammock strung in the hides that form the ceiling of the caravan, never having been brave enough to do more than briefly lift the flap that delineates their shaman's private area at the front of the wagon). Aside from Greyfinger and the elders, the two most respected members of the Western Camelop tribe are Daniel Hawkhead Camelop and Petal Wolfjaw Camelop - both fully-fledged Beast Dancers. They wear the fighting bands and the beastclaws. Their features are a mass of interwoven tattoos and thin scars. They spend most of their time taking it in turns to command the tribe's outriders, but when an importnat decision has to be made they are included in the elder gathering, despite their tender years. They seldom speak, but when they do, the others listen. They are not just Beast Dancers, but husband and wife. The whole tribe wonders at the power and strength they might pass on to any fruit of their union.

The Western Camelops have a large and varied range. They spend part of the year, usually the winter months, scavenging in the Central Valley, to the west of the Sierra Nevada range. They spend their time there salvaging in the ruins, refueling from the vast underground fuel tanks, gathering solid fuels and hunting mastodons. Although the area is fertile and fruitful, this is a dangerous time. Often hostile tribes are drawn to the area, searching for oil, and the Western Camelops have been drawn into a fight in the valley on more than one occasion. However, the oil fields are large enough and the depots so numerous, that on many visits there have been no incidents at all. They know better than to range too far north up through the valley, and when to head south to avoid the ranging of the northern tribes - not only is the north country full of predators, these other tribes claim the territory for their own during the summer months. If they have had a successful time, they then start the long arcing journey back out toward the desert, gathering their camelops as they go. If less successful, they will take a long detour, to search and scavenge for a while in the ruins of Los Angeles. There are still plenty of tumbledown remains left there to be scavenged, but the land has been picked over many times and the Chuno Ggun are known to fly over the ruins, to ensure that they are not being resettled.

Then the Western Camelops start their long, slow journey heading towards Isla Aether and the Springtime Gathering. THey do their best to avoid any Neovictorian miners, but do need to cross the Neovictorian transport systems. They swing to the south of Desolation, the nhead north, stopping to slaughter some of the beasts and trade with the Bargefolk. This gives them hard cash with which to deal with the Skyfolk. Then they head back, toward the west, eventually reaching Isla Aether, having gone hundreds of miles out of their way to go around Desolation and its mining settlements. In drought years the tribe might have to slaughter their mastodons en route, meaning they have less livestock to trade with the gathered tribes and merchants at the festival, and the smaller camelops have to be employed to pull the caravans. But if the weather demands it, and in Death Valley it often does, then they have little choice. Throughout most of the year, their precise journey might vary wildly from that taken on previous years, locationsb eing visited on different weeks or even months, but the Springtime Gathering must be attended.

At the festival, the Western Camelops elders sit with the elders from the other tribes, telling stories of their travels over the past year and passing on any news or warnings. They mourn together for thsoe lost to the tribes over the past year and celebrate those recently initiated. The rest of the tribe try to tempt the Aetherians to buy or trade for some of their homemade wares - and a game ensues whereby the cunning Aetherians cruelly wait till the end of the festival, knowing that prices will plummet (as the Western Camelops will have no wish to carry their goods around for antoher year, before having a further opportunity to shift them). Meanwhile the more serious tribal traders negotiate larger exchanges of fuel, spare parts and meat, for medicines and new machines. Then as the weather begins to further warm, they prepare to head back south once mroe.

The journey back is often unbearable, the desert becoming parched in the day, freezing at night. On a typical evening the wagons and caravans form up in a circle and fires are lit. Outriders take it in turns to guard the perimeter, while communal meals are cooked toward the center of the camp. If the tribe is entertaining guests they will pitch yurts for visitors to stay in, inside the protective ring of vehicles. As the food becomes ready, pleasant smells drift around. The sound of music starts up, the steady beat of the drum resonating throughout the camp, joined by the sounds of pipes and whistles. Dancers begin swirling rhythmically and the drink begins to flow. Little ones who may have been cooped up all day, fill the air with their laughter and song, as they finally get to let off some steam. They do not wander too far, however, the old ones make sure all are aware that danger lurks closeby, beasts that would think nothing of making a meal of a wandering infant.

The tribe eats, dipping fingers into communal bowls, tearing chunks of meat off the bone, or using freshly made flatbreads to scoop up the arm animal grease. As the adults tire, having traveled all day, now full and warm, the music might lull and the deep tones of the elders' stories take over, as they tell tales of times long past, lands once visited and ancestors long dead. Or perhaps the music gathers place and the drinking continues, for everyone needs to let go al ittle, now and again. When all are exhausted the children are scooped up, for they would play too long into the night, given half a chance. Their parents wrap them in warm furs and take them to their beds. Soon all that can be heard is the roaring of the outriders' hogtrikes, the lowing of the herd, and the howling of angry predators.

And so the cycle continues, the tribe eventually winding their way back up to the Central Valley. It is a hard life, fraught with danger. PRedators abound, rival tribes might cause trouble, and there is always the possibility that the Chuno Ggun might attack. The road is hot and dusty. But for not at least, the Western Camelops are free. Free to gather, free to trade, free to sit under the stars and travel under the sun.

They are Free People.

They are Neobedouin.