BEASTFOLK: A PLOT INFO

[powersthatbe]

Beastfolk
a Pastoral
May 15 - June 24

The Beastfolk of Home have been scratching out a living in their little corner of a highly dangerous world for over a century now, making the most of the few resources they have and relying on oral tradition and the strange visions of their seers to keep themselves going. But when a strange creature - that only one of the village elders recognises as a mythical human - stumbles into their enclave from beyond the desert and the latest group of foundling Beastfolk to arrive on Gods’ Isle is considerably larger than usual, questions about just what brought them there and how to move forward begin to arise…

World Info | Beastfolk Species | Health Issues | Community Structure | Wildlife | Casting Call/Plot Role Announcements | Infiltrator Groups/Roles | Investigator Roles | Locations | Skills | Calendar | Player Resources | Questions | Plotting

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INFILTRATOR GROUPS/ROLES

[powersthatbe]

Farming: The most common occupation, and it's active even in the drought season (clearing fields and upkeep of the irrigation system, if nothing else). Much of the farming is done by hand, but simple tools are also used. Centaur (or sphinx)-pulled plows have become common sights over the decades since a seer introduced them. Other crops are still planted by digging holes or making mounds and placing seeds in those spots one by one. The fledgeling orchards are also the domain of the farmers.

Fishing: The second most common occupation. There are only a few boats, and folk also use lines, hooks, and nets from the shores of the bay. Good swimmers also spear-fish.

Foresters: This is generally agreed to be the most dangerous occupation. They're hunter-gatherers, and also act as guards to carpenters gathering wood, and assist with guarding and retrieving water. They also guard farmers tending to the orchards, as those are very close to the forest.

Carpenters: They primarily make and repair the boats, and the wooden handles/parts for tools. They also construct the wooden frames for houses, and younger ones are tasked with making the wattle frames for the wattle-and-daub style homes. Any waste or extra wood is used as fuel. Younger carpenters may be tasked with gathering wood specifically for fires.

Potters make everything from ceramic bowls/pots, to great urns for storing food and water. They also make the mudbrick and daub for buildings. Everything they make is utilitarian, with almost no creativity or artistry involved. Potters also must gather their own materials, and man the kilns to fire their works.

Weavers craft the cloth for sails, shrouds for burial, nets and line for fishing, and also do clothing (although generally, only a bare minimum of clothing is considered socially polite and going bare isn't a taboo). They also make things like blankets, and the cases to be stuffed to make beds. They control the whole process from raw fibers (wool, flax plants), through spinning, and finally weaving/crocheting/knitting and dying, and then sewing, if necessary. Dye work is not particularly common, patterns (woven or otherwise) are all but unheard of, and decorative embroidery/additions do not exist. Leatherworking isn't the most common, and is considered a subset of weaving/textiles even though it technically isn't.

Metalworkers are a relatively new occupation (last twenty years or so), and thus a relatively small group. But metal tools have greatly improved other occupations, so they're highly respected. Mostly they make farm tools, or hunting and fishing tools. Most things are bronze, and they're also responsible for gathering the ores, but a recent seer had visions of iron and found a small metallic iron "meteor" to work with, so they're experimenting with that.

Herders are the most recent "new" occupation, and in addition to providing food, water and protection for their charges, are also responsible for milking them, shearing the wool, and transporting both back to the village. Probably the least numerous of all the mainstream occupations.

Healers are an old occupation, but always the smallest and most mysterious one. Led by a succession of seers who each bring something new to the trade, they do have some knowledge of herbal medicine, and do have the concept of 'boil for sanitizing' as well as enough knowledge to usually perform midwifery. They can set broken bones, stitch and bandage, and provide some symptom relief for illness but that's about as far as they're able right now. Healers are also responsible for the small gardens of medicinal plants that are grown close to the village.

Keepers of History: many of the Beastfolk, including some of the elders, argue that this isn't an occupation at all, and that the people doing it should get to real work. The history keepers see it as their duty to take care of the elders, and also to memorize and retell history so it isn't lost. In addition, they can (or are being taught to) read and write, and so preserve the clay tablets that important things are written on. Anyone wanting to have an infiltrator be a Keeper of History should coordinate with the Oral Historian's player and contact the mods/jaunt runners for more info!

Odd jobs: These aren't permanent occupations, and generally given to those who have the time that particular day, or due to injury, can't complete their normal duties. The rare very young child will often be put to these tasks full time until they're old enough to handle other occupations. Examples include guarding the fields and barns from pests, fetch and carry (example: taking a metal part of a tool to a carpenter to get the handle fixed on it, and then out to workers in the fields, or taking water/food out to other workers), and relaying messages. The least wanted odd job is carting waste (bodily wastes, ashes, rags, chaff, weeds, remains of food, etc) from the village to the composting sites, tending to the compost by turning, watering, and then carting matured compost back to the fields.

Non-occupational groups:
Seers: Seers can end up in any occupation, although usually in one that relates to their visions. Because of the shared experiences of visions, there is a general consensus that seers should stick together, so they'll have meetings to discuss visions, and at least know each other. Because for each seer that has visions that can be implemented there are several with visions too confusing, or needing resources they don't have, the arrival of new seers (with visions that might make things make sense or locate the resource) is always an exciting time. Those wanting to infiltrate as seers are encouraged to collaborate, and also to talk to the mods/jaunt runners about ideas for visions.

Elders: Considered a group because they've got the most experience, and generally, have managed to live longer than most other Beastfolk manage. One has to have been around for at least 40 years, if not longer, in order to be considered an elder. In some cases, this means the new "elder" is physically still middle-aged by the time they're included, and in other rarer cases (because of early death), it means they've reached old age before they're ever considered elders, since most Beastfolk arrive as young adults, but some arrive as children, and some arrive already middle-aged. In general, though, most elders are late middle-age at youngest.

SPECIAL INFILTRATION: "Mythical humans":
Please contact the mods/jaunt runners for more info! These humans will be physically isolated from the Beastfolk, and from a very restricted society. However, they will have some knowledge that Home exists (and depending on their choices/actions, might be able to open channels of in-jaunt communication) and a sudden influx of free time.