Test

Altan Saryk
Type	Wanderborne nomadic confederation
Location	Mythgardda (Zephyrin Age)
Notable item	Roadstone
Language	Saryk Cant
Religion	None centralised; pragmatic reverence

The Altan Saryk (often translated as the Golden Step Caravan) are a multi-ancestry wanderborne nomadic people who exist entirely in motion. Rather than being defined by territory, bloodline, or political allegiance, the Altan Saryk are unified by shared practice, collective migration, and their relationship to an ancient traveling relic known as the Roadstone.

The Altan Saryk are best known for their uncanny navigational instincts, their ability to traverse unstable or dangerous routes between sky-islands, and their strict cultural opposition to stagnation. They do not establish permanent settlements and rarely remain in one location for longer than necessity demands.

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Known Origins

The Altan Saryk possess no singular origin myth. Oral tradition holds that the Roadstone predates the tribe itself, and that the earliest Saryk were disparate survivors, families, and wanderers who gradually gathered around it over generations.

What is generally accepted among the Altan Saryk is that:

• the tribe has never existed without the Roadstone
• attempts to settle permanently have historically ended in disaster
• the tribe’s identity emerged gradually through shared movement rather than founding decree

The Altan Saryk do not interpret this history as a curse, but as an observed truth of survival.

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The Roadstone

File:Roadstone.jpg

The Roadstone during migration, adorned with banners and relic fragments

The Roadstone is a massive, teardrop-shaped monolith that serves as the physical, spiritual, and logistical center of the Altan Saryk. It is engraved with ancient runes of unknown origin and embedded with fragments of Seithr Stone and other relic materials. Over time, the tribe has adorned it with banners, hides, cords, charms, and memorial tokens.

When the caravan migrates, the Roadstone floats slightly above the ground and is guided forward by dozens of Saryk members pulling in a precise sacred formation. No individual may move the Roadstone alone.

The Roadstone is not worshipped. It is relied upon.

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The Pull

True members of the Altan Saryk experience an innate communal sense known simply as the pull while traveling with the Roadstone. This manifests as:

• instinctive awareness of direction
• sensitivity to wind currents and unstable routes
• intuitive timing regarding when to move or wait
• shared navigational confidence without the use of maps

The pull strengthens when the caravan travels together and weakens when divided. It is widely understood as a relational phenomenon rather than a spell or singular magical effect.

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Core Ethos and Beliefs

The Altan Saryk do not codify their beliefs into formal doctrine. Instead, their worldview is expressed through aphorisms, expectations, and strict cultural norms.

The central ethos of the tribe is commonly summarized as:

“To remain in motion is to remain alive.”

From this principle flow several core beliefs:

• stagnation breeds weakness
• complacency invites catastrophe
• survival must be continually renewed
• no road belongs to anyone forever

Idleness is regarded as the closest thing to a moral failing within Saryk culture.

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Views on Divinity

The Altan Saryk acknowledge the existence of gods and demi-gods, particularly in the aftermath of the Age of Divinity and the Ascension. However, they maintain a cautious distance from organized worship and divine bargains.

Prayer is not forbidden, but reliance on divine intervention is considered dangerous. Powers that demand stillness or permanent obligation are viewed with suspicion.

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Social Structure

The Altan Saryk operate without permanent hierarchy. Leadership is situational and role-based rather than rank-based.

Roles

Common roles within the caravan include:

• Path-Readers – scouts and navigators
• Roadstone Tenders – caretakers and interpreters of the Roadstone
• Shield-Bearers – guards and mediators
• Lore-Keepers – oral historians and record-keepers
• Speakers – traders and external representatives

Roles rotate based on need and ability. Authority ends when the situation ends.

All members are expected to contribute.

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Membership and Belonging

The Altan Saryk distinguish between two forms of belonging:

True Members

• Born into the tribe
• Fully bound to the Roadstone
• Held to the highest cultural expectations

Guest Kin

• Individuals who join later in life
• Accepted, protected, and respected
• Not bound to all Roadstone obligations

This distinction is not viewed as prejudice, but as accountability. Only the Roadstone may accept someone as a true member.

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Rites and Traditions

The Returning Walk

Upon coming of age, a true Saryk must undertake a solitary pilgrimage known as the Returning Walk.

Rules include:

• no escort
• no fixed route
• no set duration

The sole requirement is that the individual must find their way back to the caravan. Those who return receive a road-name and are recognized as full adults of the tribe.

Those who do not return are mourned, not shamed.

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Naming Practices

Altan Saryk names exist in layers:

• Hearth-Name – private, familial
• Caravan-Name – functional, tribal
• Road-Name – outward-facing, earned

Names are affirmed at the Roadstone. A name spoken there is considered binding.

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Laws and Taboos

The Altan Saryk maintain few explicit laws, but those that exist are absolute.

Forbidden

• Forcing the Roadstone’s movement
• Traveling with the caravan without the pull
• Hoarding resources during migration
• Making unilateral decisions that endanger the caravan
• Remaining idle when movement is required

Unforgivable

• Betraying the caravan’s location
• Sabotaging the Roadstone
• Deliberately leading the tribe into stagnation

Exile is rare; separation is more common.

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Notable Individuals

Altaryn

Formerly known as Altairuun Saryk, Altaryn is a Seraph of Læfi, demi-god of Knowledge. After saving the caravan during a catastrophic attack, Altaryn lost all connection to the Roadstone and the pull, rendering them unable to travel with the tribe. Their place among the Altan Saryk remains held, pending possible reconciliation.

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Ekejin Saryk

A senior Roadstone bearer and formation leader, Ekejin is known for stoicism and quiet authority. They believe Altaryn’s actions were necessary, but fear the cost of hoping for their return.

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Khasuun

A Path-Reader of the same generation as Altaryn, Khasuun remains openly conflicted. They continue to believe Altaryn may one day feel the pull again.

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Borchu

A Shield-Bearer and mediator, Borchu is deeply skeptical of both divine intervention and relic reliance. They respect Altaryn’s sacrifice but resent the lasting consequences.

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GM Hooks

• The Roadstone begins to behave unpredictably
• A faction seeks to claim or dismantle the Roadstone
• Another individual loses or gains the pull unexpectedly
• Altaryn encounters the caravan again under dire circumstances
• Læfi’s task at the Edge of the Skies becomes clearer — or more dangerous

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