You’re a young homin refugee. You’ve done well in taking the long and dangerous road from the old lands to join us here where we’ve set up our new home. Once you’ve got some training behind you, you’ll be able to show us what you’re made of and help us build up our federation of Tryker peoples.
Your ancestors built the most wonderful island cities in the ancient lands of Trykoth where they lived free as the wind. That was until three generations ago when the kitins came and wrought death and destruction throughout the land. Your grandparents escaped to the hills where your parents and then yourself were brought up in the constant fear of kitin attack. It was a good thing your parents urged you to quit your dead-end life, and risk the great road to join us here in the new promise lands. At last you’ve found us, your new life can begin.
Lady Ailan Mac’kean, she’s the big boss. She is the governor of the Tryker Council. When she speaks, you jump! at least until you’ve worked your way up to be able to speak to her eye to eye. You make sure you stand by her, young Homin, our independence depends on our solidarity! Her right-hand Homins is her deputy, Rehn Kirran, he is an experienced Homin and provides her counsel. If ever you get the honour of carrying out a mission for the council, make sure you give it your best shot, you never know, our independence could depend on it.
Jena is our Goddess, she is the Mother of Creation. Many of our customs are centered around her worship. There’s Thanksgiving Day, for example, it falls on the winter solstice to symbolize the return of light after the dark years that followed the Great Swarming. So that it doesn’t happen again, we must live by her Law which is handed down to us by her faithful disciples, the Karavan. They watch over us and protect us from Kami possession. Remember, young homin, as long as you do as you’re told and don’t ruffle ’em, you too will be able to learn to wield their technology. Oh, and by the way, keep it under your bonnet but some say that Elias is none other than the husband of Jena, which makes him the holy Father, but don’t mention it to the Karavan!
To be a true Tryker, you gotta live by the virtues of freedom, equality and sharing:
Freedom: Consider all homins responsible and free of their acts. Any homin violating the freedom of another will be in breach of the Homin Rights Act, which as it happens, was first drawn up by the Tryker Council.
Equality: Every homin has an equal right to walk the land, to obtain instruction, to harvest the natural resources, to choose their own destiny, as long as they don’t encroach on other homin rights.
Sharing: We believe that our force lies in our solidarity and that solidarity is borne from sharing. If we could persuade all Jena’s children to be like us Trykers the world would be a safer place!
Ever since we resurfaced from the Prime Roots we have been building solid foundations for our future civilization without tyranny or intolerance, where all Jena’s children may live in freedom. Now we must:
* Develop our individual strengths and skills
* Build strong and closely knit guilds to spread the word of the Karavan and free the infidels of Kami possession
* Build alliances with the Zoraïs
* Improve our knowledge to make even better tools and weapons. During the Great Swarming, much knowledge was scattered throughout the land. Discovering this knowledge and more will open the doors to the secrets of the past.
* Live the good life.
Since the Peace Treaty signed at Fairhaven in 2515, we have been at peace with the other homin peoples. But that don’t stop us having our likes and dislikes.
* Matis: Despite past disputes and misunderstandings, the Matis now respect our freedom of thought and our right to build our society as we feel fit. After all, what really counts is that we share a faith in Jena. Thanks to Jena our friendship has never been stronger, especially since the Matis ratified the Homin Rights Act. What’s more, to a certain extent the Matis owe us their freedom after the dictatorship of Jinovitch. Not only did the Tryker Council give Yrkanis political asylum in Fairhaven but Still Wyler escorted him back into Matis lands to defeat Jinovitch to accede to the throne.
* Fyros: The Fyros were once allies who exploited our need for protection by having us supply Fyros towns with merchandise at low cost. Since we’ve learnt to fight for ourselves we no longer need the patronizing Fyros protectors, especially with the new feeling of fraternity with the Matis. And besides, the Fyros have gotten closer to the Kamis.
* Zoraï: The Zoraïs are not to be trusted, they openly breach Jena Law by venerating the Kamis. What’s more, during the Great Swarming in the old lands, the Zoraïs refused to let us through their great wall and let many thousands of Trykers perish in the jaws of the kitins. More recently, it was the Zoraïs who first installed slavery in the new lands.
* Friendly tribes include: The Frahar Hunters, The Silt Sculptors, The Corsairs, The Beachcombers, The Shadow Runners, The Green Seed, The Slash and Burn, The Ecowarriors, The Oasis Diggers, The Kuilde.
Our people first made our home in the lake lands in 2483 on our resurfacing from the Prime Roots in the new lands. The lakes are the most magical place on Atys though you gotta be quick cause it certainly ain’t no place for weak knees! Since 2487 we’ve been continually rejoined by refugees having taken the road from the old lands, the very road you have courageously taken, homin.
Atys is a mine of fabulous natural riches, young homin, in time you’ll learn how to make a good living out of them. As you become skilled in the ways of the world you will learn how the land lies to be able to move into new grounds.