Oasis in the Wastelands

[Zit]

I have read somewhere that oasis in the Wastelands are neutral grounds. So what actually happens when someone comes to an oasis already occupied by a clan ? Do they fight each other out ? Do they bargain ? Is there any ritual or customary rule (like in the To the Giant Land scenario) ?

[Bill the barbarian]

Interesting question, I know that oases change hands and not in a friendly manner, so I wonder what the mechanism is if not warfare at, around and near the oasis in question as Zit states. 

 

[Leingod]

The rightly-famous Borderlands book presents a scenario like this. The players need to re-provision at Hidden Green, but are stopped by nomads from four different tribes who say the oasis is already at capacity and if they are to use this place, one of the groups already present must leave. To decide who stays and who goes, the players compete in five contests (one for each group present, and one to be chosen by the players); if they can win three of them, then the defeated group with the fewest members has to leave. If they can't win at least three of the contests, then the players can't stay here, and they'll be attacked if they refuse to leave.

We might assume this is at least one way for an oasis to change hands between clans or tribes, but if the losing tribe refuses to accept the outcome, maybe on grounds of some unfairness, then it might escalate to actual battle outside of the oasis, where the rules against violence don't apply. I imagine that usually, those involved recognize that it's to everyone's benefit not to tempt violence within the oasis itself, even if that means vacating it for now, but there could still be some tense standoffs as people weigh their options and wonder how far the other is really willing to take this.

Edited September 19, 2021 by Leingod

[Bill the barbarian]

Thanks Leingod, I can’t believe I forgot that one. Old age!

[Zit]

I did not forget (that's the To Giant Land scenario), but since that time, I was wondering of there was any new material or more detailed info about the local customs.

[Fedman Kassad]

I also remember reading somewhere that the different herd-beasts of the different tribes eat different plants...  so co-existence can occur

 

[Darius West]

15 hours ago, Zit said:

I have read somewhere that oasis in the Wastelands are neutral grounds. So what actually happens when someone comes to an oasis already occupied by a clan ? Do they fight each other out ? Do they bargain ? Is there any ritual or customary rule (like in the To the Giant Land scenario) ?

Based on what I have read about Prax, and various nomad cultures, oases in the Wasteland are not necessarily neutral ground.  Particular clans of Praxian tribes will control them by force.  As a charity/courtesy, and to keep the peace, they may (but are not obliged to) offer other groups access to water.  This is an act of good will, and a means of minimizing conflict when the environment is being enough of an enemy for everyone.  Similar protection and even hospitality will also be offered when chaos is on the move and the tribes need to band together against it.  Against type, it can be argued that Storm Bull is actually a unifying and pacifying force among the Praxians, capable of bringing warring parties to their senses.  Think about that for a moment 😄. The Neutral Ground idea likely applies primarily to markets, which will be available to anyone who can cross the territory controlled by the Praxian clan.  In terms of formal greetings, there are ritual challenges that other Praxians can face to gain entry to an oasis, but they won't be given these courtesies if their clan is challenging the present occupiers for control of the oasis.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Darius West

[David Scott]

19 hours ago, Zit said:

I have read somewhere that oasis in the Wastelands are neutral grounds. So what actually happens when someone comes to an oasis already occupied by a clan ? Do they fight each other out ? Do they bargain ? Is there any ritual or customary rule (like in the To the Giant Land scenario) ?

Each oasis in the Wastes needs looking at individually. As there are only 14 (not including the roughly 80 transients), and Paring Stone and Daka's Creek have no Oases Folk. Paring Stone is a sacred orlanth site, so inter-tribal in nature. Daka's Creek is avoid by Oases Folk, the only thing there is an entrance to the Underworld and loads of ghosts from the Gods War (allegedly). Each of the eight oases has a population of 500 (a clan) and the transients have 500 spread amongst the 80, usually a single family. The transients are ignored by the tribes as they cannot be approached by herds without being irreparably damaged, and so aren't really controllable. All Oases folk are protected by the Paps, so it's the produce the nomads want and access to water for the herds (where possible). For more details check the Guide, but basically:

• Bighorns. Not controlled by the nomads. Main produce: sheep.
• Bitter Spring. Usually controlled by the Morokanth. Main produce: Bitter roots
• Eggs on Rocks: May be controlled. Main produce: Eggs.
• Eiritha’s Print: One of the rare oases that can water herds and is an Eiritha holy site. Access controlled by the Eirtha cult.
• Feverlast. effectively a primitive caravanseri, the folk here grow the greatest variety of crops of all the oases. Tribes seek to dominate the oasis to tax travellers and provide protection from raiders.
• Greystone Well is occasionally surrounded by the Family Bison Grassland, so bison clans usually control it. It can cater for herds, but water is lifted by shadoof.
• Hairymen Lake. Mainly controlled by the Storm Bull cult. Main produce: Date Wine.
• Hidden Greens. Ephemeral. varied. Difficult to control. generally left alone by the tribes so as not to offend the Women of Seclusion.
• Hoofcrack. Only the Morokanth water here. Storm Bull cult often present as well.
• Last drop. Waha holy place ofter fought over for control, herds can water here.
• Ronance well. The most productive oasis after Feverlast, although there is a shrine to Ronance here, he can only live at the Paps with his mother. Nomads vie for control here due to its ease of access. Herds can be watered here. The most respected elder has often sent her Babesster Gori here to intervene.
• Yak House. Another caravanseri, with a fine Kralorelan built well house. The water spirit here demands no conflict between the Lo Fak, nomads and oasis folk.

Generally any conflict / control issues take place away from the oasis. No one wants to offend the Oases folk's goddess (Ernalda) or by default, the Paps

Edited September 20, 2021 by David Scott
corrected obvious counting error! and added ronance.

[Jose]

2 hours ago, David Scott said:

Each oasis in the Wastes needs looking at individually. As there are only ten (not the roughly 80 transients), and Paring Stone and Daka's Creek have no Oases Folk. Paring Stone is a sacred orlanth site, so inter-tribal in nature. Daka's Creek is avoid by Oases Folk, the only thing there is an entrance to the Underworld and loads of ghosts from the Gods War (allegedly). Each of the eight oases has a population of 500 (a clan) and the transients have 500 spread amongst the 80, usually a single family. The transients are ignored by the tribes as they cannot be approached by herds without being irreparably damaged, and so aren't really controllable. All Oases folk are protected by the Paps, so it's the produce the nomads want and access to water for the herds (where possible). For more details check the Guide, but basically:

• Bighorns. Not controlled by the nomads. Main produce: sheep.
• Bitter Spring. Usually controlled by the Morokanth. Main produce: Bitter roots
• Eggs on Rocks: May be controlled. Main produce: Eggs.
• Eiritha’s Print: One of the rare oases that can water herds and is an Eiritha holy site. Access controlled by the Eirtha cult.
• Feverlast. effectively a primitive caravanseri, the folk here grow the greatest variety of crops of all the oases. Tribes seek to dominate the oasis to tax travellers and provide protection from raiders.
• Greystone Well is occasionally surrounded by the Family Bison Grassland, so bison clans usually control it. It can cater for herds, but water is lifted by shadoof.
• Hairymen Lake. Mainly controlled by the Storm Bull cult. Main produce: Date Wine.
• Hidden Greens. Ephemeral. varied. Difficult to control. generally left alone by the tribes so as not to offend the Women of Seclusion.
• Hoofcrack. Only the Morokanth water here. Storm Bull cult often present as well.
• Last drop. Waha holy place ofter fought over for control, herds can water here.
• Yak House. Another caravanseri, with a fine Kralorelan built well house. The water spirit here demands no conflict between the Lo Fak, nomads and oasis folk.

Generally any conflict / control issues take place away from the oasis. No one wants to offend the Oases folk's goddess (Ernalda) or by default, the Paps

What about Ronance's Well? 

 

[Nick Brooke]

15 hours ago, Fedman Kassad said:

I also remember reading somewhere that the different herd-beasts of the different tribes eat different plants...  so co-existence can occur

It's not quite co-existence... it's more that even after an impala herd has eaten everything it enjoys on a patch of fertile ground and moved out, a bison herd will still find enough of the fodder it prefers, because the species eat different plants. Sandy Petersen shared details on one of the old mailing lists, which were compiled in an issue of Codex and in Drastic: Prax. Let me see if I can find the source...

[Nick Brooke]

Quote

Sandy Petersen: "The resources used by the different tribes are not the same. Sables, Impalas, Herd Men, High Llamas, and Bison don't eat exactly the same plants, don't need the same type or quantity of water, aren't afflicted by the same diseases, and are superior or inferior to different opponents. Just as bison and antelope co-existed on the Great Plains, Bison and Sable tribes can co-exist in the Wastes. This co-existence doesn't mean the Praxians are tolerant or noble.

"Looky here: In the dry season, Impalas live in the dryest, hottest country. In the wet season, the Impalas wander everywhere. The Bison, on the other hand, seek fertile country in the dry season, and move to the outlying desert land during the wet season. The High Llamas stick to the hills, oases, and gulleys. The Morocanth prefer the marshlands and riverbottoms. They still raid each other incessantly, and eat each other's animals."

Glorantha Digest, 29 May 1997.

 

[David Scott]

1 hour ago, Jose said:

What about Ronance's Well? 

Fixed

[Bill the barbarian]

6 hours ago, David Scott said:

As there are only 14 (not including the roughly 80 transients), and Paring Stone and Daka's Creek have no Oases Folk. Paring Stone is a sacred orlanth site, so inter-tribal in nature. Daka's Creek is avoid by Oases Folk, the only thing there is an entrance to the Underworld and loads of ghosts from the Gods War (allegedly).

Where would Days Rest and Moonbroth fit into these, good sir!

 

[soltakss]

On 9/19/2021 at 6:05 PM, Zit said:

I have read somewhere that oasis in the Wastelands are neutral grounds. So what actually happens when someone comes to an oasis already occupied by a clan ? Do they fight each other out ? Do they bargain ? Is there any ritual or customary rule (like in the To the Giant Land scenario) ?

In my opinion, if the clan that currently controls the Oasis is happy to move on, they will do. However, if they still need to do things they will only move on if the new clan is stronger or bigger.

Oases are not really worth fighting over, as they don't have anything of use, except water, herbs, food and that kind of thing.