The Basilisk Tribe:
The Basilisk Tribe will continue its efforts with plant life. Our plant-priests (what other tribes would call "gatherers" or "craftsmen") will ensure that plants are harvested for the good of the tribe, but also that the plants themselves remain happy and growing. We will extend this care to a much lesser extent to things useful animals eat and use, as well. When their practical tasks hit a lull, they continue to experiment with various plants, trying to find use or knowledge from them.
We'll likewise begin looking into why the furs smell bad after a while, and seeing if anything can be done about it. On the one hand, anything soft that comes from an animal will smell bad eventually, but surely the animals were running around with them smelling fine far longer than we had them, right?
We now know that the ocean is a vast blue desert, stretching as far as the eye can see. It's a pretty place at times, and pretty pink shells are found at its edge, but it's otherwise identical to a barren, lifeless plain, save that even moving through it is difficult. It's a potentially dangerous morass, though no more malicious or hostile than a cliff or rocky ground.
Hammer and twine are our new favorite toys. Much effort goes into experimenting with them. How big can you make hammers that are useful? How small? Do different types or weights or colors of rock make better hammers? Do different shapes perform better? Does the handle length have an effect? Are different types or thicknesses of wood better suited to the task? Does the type of twine matter? We continue to make and lightly experiment with axes as well, but they're relegated to tools and weapons of preference in light of our new favorites. Twine will be experimented with largely in the usual way- trying to think of what else we'd want to stick together, but also if we can stick anything together better. A few might even see if our youth's new pastime has any practical merit.
Worried by this catch-the-hog game, a few of the elders try to come up with a less dangerous way to keep our young entertained, but many feel it is a good game, teaching strength and skill. It's also a handy way for youth to collect trophies, should they be so inclined. Note that trophies needn't come directly from kills- in a pinch, any nearby object can be seized as mark of a deed. Not that there's much else to do with a tied hog, but still.
The Basilisk Tribe is rather wary of these suddenly very friendly Masked tribesmen, but they will of course attend the festival. Also, suddenly being reminded of what a wonder twine is, they've become somewhat guarded about it- certainly the secret of making it is jealously hoarded. Still, realizing that they have something desirable, they've taken to crafting items with it for trade at the festival. They've also commissioned three well-made hammers for the Masked Tribe as a gift.
Any member of the Basilisk Tribe who wishes to attend the festival shall do so, which is likely most of them, seeing as another tribe is nearly a wonder unto itself. Those attending shall bring meats, furs, plant foods, bone crafts, and twine-made tools for trade and general gift-giving, as well as seashells and twine to show off and perhaps trade if it seems appropriate. The elders would like to keep twineworking a Basilisk trade, but we realize many uses simply can't be anticipated or transported. Despite our reservations about them, we'll largely listen to any advice the Masked Tribe has on what to bring- we know almost nothing in this area, and the Basilisks are accustomed to meritocracy.
The bone crafts will be in the Basilisk style- dangling and clinking in the wind or with movement, and will largely consist of necklaces and bracelets, with a few wind chimes, headdresses inspired by the Masked Tribe (essentially a headband with dangling bone flowing down), and a few loose strands of bone that can be attached to whatever is appropriate. Ironically, due to the Basilisk preference for long hair and the Masked influence, some of these headdresses have bone going down both sides of the head and the face, but not the back of the head, where the possibly already decorated hair goes. Gaps in the front strands allow vision obscured only by strings. Others are more "normal."
The twine-made tools will largely be hammers, especially any extras we made from overzealous experimentation. While we would never try to pass off shoddy goods, we suspect other tribes might be satisfied with less than our best. We're selling them crafting hammers more than warhammers, if we're sophisticated enough to make such a distinction. We'll also throw in a few axes, but largely we'll somewhat sheepishly ask the Masked Tribe for advice on what to make and bring with this wonder we have. We'll also take their advice on any events or demonstrations they might want- if they want to show how a twine-made axe goes through wood, for instance, we'll bring a piece of wood and a reliable axe for that purpose.
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Topic: TRIBES - a prehistoric tale of prehistoric people doing prehistoric things (Read 14175 times)