Wayfarer Tribe Lore

The Wayfarer tribe is a static headcanon primitive tribal faction written for the purposes of emulating the broad spectrum of different tribes in the Fallout universe. As primitive tribals, they must have a highly religious or mythologized view of the world in contrast to more cynical or secular worldviews held by other wastelanders. They lead simple lives, avoiding the use of modern technology due to a deep rooted taboo against it. They view the world through a mythologized lens and have an elaborate polytheistic religious system with a set of rites, rituals and traditions along with a pantheon and a society segregated into castes.

Your First Villager Character
Pick a tribal sounding name. They are either phonetic names, like Sulik, Chitsa, Hakunin, Narg; or they are descriptive names like Follows Chalk or Salt-Upon-Wounds, usually dealing with the natural world. Do not use the example names, they are characters in Fallout canon.

Pick a natural looking hair color. Silver white may be tolerated. The gatherer loadout is a good starting choice as it is meant for aspiring hunters.

Roleplay Guidelines

 * Follow IC and OOC guidelines. Be aware of the tribal laws.
 * Remember not to use technology. Guns, headsets, radios, defibs, etc should not be used by Wayfarer characters. Tools may be used.
 * Do not roleplay a low int tribal as the Grug meme. The average Wayfarer is wise, believing that the outsiders' use of technology will bring their own demise, taking pride in the superiority of their primitive, hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
 * Likewise do not attempt a patois English unless you are 100% confident it will not be an offensive, low effort emulation of the Grug meme.
 * Be xenophobic towards outsiders, but not isolationist like the BoS. Always put your fellow tribals in front of outsiders. You may leave the outskirts of the village, but always have a suspicious and reserved attitude.
 * Do not wear clothes or armor that don't fit the tribal aesthetic.

Essential Lore Summary
As a villager, you are a member of the common caste. You represent the standard "civilian" of the Wayfarers. The chief is also a role belonging to the common caste, chiefs being chosen from the villagers. There is also the spiritual caste composed of druids and lead by the shaman, and the warrior caste composed of hunters and lead by the headhunter.

The patron god of the common caste is Sowul, god of the sun, justice, order and unity. If you do not wish to look into specific religious preferences, you would venerate this god. Whichever god you pick, a tribal character must not have a secular world view.

The chief has authority over you. The shaman has authority over you in regards to spiritual matters, but may be listened to with the lack of a chief. The headhunter does not have authority over the villagers, his authority only extending to his hunters.

When arriving in the village for the first time ICly it is common to roleplay that you have been travelling elsewhere, either trading with other tribes or coming from the faction's main settlement, Winterhome. It is a large settlement to the north where most of the faction's NPC off-screen population dwell.

Societal Structure
The society of the Wayfarer tribe is vaguely akin to traditional societies of the world. That being said, they do not have a specific cultural inheritance as they are not descendants of any modern traditional culture. They are merely descendants of vault dwellers that have managed to survive through a simpler way of life. Through their experiences a specific order in their society has emerged which can be categorized into three castes: the common, spiritual and warrior caste.

Castes
The common caste represents the common folk of the tribe, the civilians. Although they do not have as many duties as the other castes, they compose the most of the Wayfarer demographic. The chief is picked out of the common caste as even though they are expected to be a formidable warrior, they are also expected to have a status among the civilians and have notable social skills. The patron god of this caste is Sowul.

The spiritual caste represents the spiritually inclined. They are the smallest portion of Wayfarer demographics. They dedicate their lives to venerating the gods, often worshiping multiple deities. They indulge in the rites and rituals. They care for the bodies and souls of not just them, but their fellow kin around them. They are people of great wisdom and they have an outstanding knowledge of the natural world, or whatever is left of it within the wasteland. They are the deepest believers and adherence to the rituals is imperative to them. The patron goddess of this caste is Roda.

The warrior caste represents the hunters of the tribe. They are the tribe’s providers, as well their physical security. They are tribals who have been born into the tribe, trained to wield their traditionally primitive arsenal often even from their early youth. They are recruited from the common caste when the headhunter recognizes their physical prowess or potential capability in combat. They are the driving force of the hunt, which is a ritual in and of itself. The patron god of this caste is Wihros.

General Roles
The villager is the basic civilian role in the tribe. It is one of the tribal roles that is not whitelisted. It comes with the following loadouts: Gardener, Gatherer, Mender, Craftsman, Trader. The mender or gardener may be considered an initiate to the spiritual caste while the gatherer may be considered an initiate to the warrior caste, though this does not have to be the case.

The druid is a dedicated follower of the gods. They represent a sort of priesthood of the tribe. Usually picked from the menders and gardeners of the tribe, they deal with spiritual matters as well as care for the health and well being of their fellow tribe-kin. They do not hold religious authority, but they are capable of performing some rituals. They have the authority to pledge an outsider (make them spirit-pledged), but they cannot perform the initiation.

The hunter is the basic armed tribal role. Their lives revolve around the traditions of the hunt. Unlike the members of the common caste, the hunters will most often be performing tasks outside of the village. They are subordinate to the headhunter and they do not hold any authority. A hunter does not outrank a villager.

The spirit-pledged are the outsider initiates. They have decided to leave the secular, outlander lifestyle for the simplistic Wayfarer ways. They are still learning the taboos, rites and traditions of the tribals. For an outsider to be initiated into the village, they must first pass through this trial period, pledging their life to the tribe before the spirits. After the kin are satisfied, the spirit-pledged may be initiated into the tribe. Although pledging may be done by a druid, a shaman must be present for an initiation. They do not belong to any caste and every tribal has authority over them.

Authority
Power is the ability to accomplish an authorized goal. Authority is the power to make decisions and the legitimacy to make such legal decisions and order their execution. The chief of the village is the ultimate authority of the village in regards to worldly matters. This excludes spiritual matters as those fall under the authority of the shaman. Due to the religious nature of the primitive tribals, authority is shared between the chief and the shaman as the shaman may extend his spiritual authority to intervene in the chief’s decisions if his decision will undoubtedly lead to a disrespect of the rites and traditions. The headhunter, although currently considered a leadership role, does not hold any authority other than towards his hunters. The warrior caste serves the spiritual and common castes and as such even the headhunter is subordinate to the common villager, to an extent of common sense. On the other hand, it will be the spiritual duty of the villagers to offer their utmost respect towards the hunters as they are the providers, indulging in the Great Hunt to sustain the village.

Leadership Roles
The chief is the role to represent the highest authority within the village for worldly/non-spiritual matters and the representative of the tribe to the external world. They will often deal with diplomatic matters and be the final say in resolving internal conflicts. Their most important duty is to uphold the tribal laws and ensure the long term well being of their kin. A chief character does not have to be literate, but must know the tribal laws by heart (obviously, you do not have to know the laws by heart OOCly, keep the wiki page open while you play). A chief character would venerate Sowul.

The shaman is the role to represent religious authority. They are the highest authority for spiritual matters and are trusted to interpret the will of the gods. They are the central figure of the traditional ritual and they are the strongest link between the living and their ancestors. A shaman is expected to venerate many of the gods, especially Roda, the patron goddess of their caste.

The headhunter is the leader of the hunters. He does not have any authority outside of his caste. He represents the warrior caste in front of the chief and the rest of the tribe. Unlike the shaman, he is subordinate to the chief. His authority extends to commanding the hunters during the hunt and if it comes to it, during the defense of the tribe against the threat of the outsider.

Tribal Laws
On Authority

1. The word of the chief is final for worldly matters. If the chief’s order breaches the law they may be tried by the Elders.

2. The word of the shaman is final for spiritual matters. The chief must not interfere with spiritual matters through his authority. The shaman may advise the chief on worldly matters based on spiritual authority. If the shaman abuses the trust of the chief and kin, they may be tried by the Elders.

3. The headhunter leads the hunters, representing the warrior caste to the tribe. He is subordinate to the chief. He does not have authority outside the warrior caste.

4. With the absence of the chief or shaman, the druid’s word outweighs the villager’s and the villager’s outweighs the hunter’s.

5. You must follow the orders of your superiors, the morality and legality of their orders are under their responsibility.

On The Kin

6. You shall not abandon your kin.

7. You shall not harm your kin, unless in defence.

8. You shall not harm in vain.

9. You shall not steal.

10. You shall not break taboos, unless in ritual, with a purpose.

On The Outsider

11. An Outsider may be brought into the village only with the allowance of the chief or with the blessing of the shaman, unless a druid is present for the purposes of pledging.

12. No Outsider may carry guns in the village.

13. If an Outsider copulates with our kin, they must marry into the tribe.

On Liberty

14. You shall not deprive anyone of their personal freedom.

15. You shall not subordinate your freedom to any person.

On Punishment

16. The chief or shaman in his absence may try the kin. The elders may try the chief and the shaman.

17. The offenders of the law may be shamed, beaten, whipped, cut, choked, ritually mutilated, poisoned, impaled, crossed, burned, delimbed, butchered, decapitated. They may also be exiled, temporarily or permanently, which is the greatest shame.

18. If all parties agree, they may indulge in trial by combat. It is dishonorable to butcher the wounded.

IC Guidelines
The best example of a tribal character found in Fallout lore would be Sulik from Fallout 2. His speech patterns, the way he refers to the world and pre-war tech, and how he describes his people and their village are what this tribe is strongly based on.

The Wayfarers are bilingual, speaking their ancestral Wayfarer language along with English which they picked up from assimilating the tribes they encountered historically through their migrations along the Rio Grande. They may speak proper English, but they also may speak a sort of patois.

The Wayfarer tribals, like primitive tribals in the early Fallout games, do not use technology. This is not due to a lack of intelligence. The Wayfarers are a wise people and they choose not to indulge in the use of technology due to their beliefs. From the Wayfarer perspective, the technology the Outsiders insist on using has led to the great Calamity, and the persistent use of it will ultimately bring humanity’s final end.

The tribe harbors a strong sense of kinship among the fellow tribals, one of their greatest strengths historically being their unity under difficult circumstances. The outsiders, although seemingly friendly, always are the bringers of evil. They are usually greedy, selfish and cursed. You may associate with the outsiders if the end goal is to get them to accept our ways, but it is imperative that you always put your kin in front of some outsider.

Do not use medicines you know do not come from nature - outsider chems are poisons.

Slavery is not tolerated under any circumstance. The Wayfarer does not bow down to some arrogant oppressor but also, in a position of authority, will not deprive anyone of their personal freedom.

OOC Guidelines
Do not break the taboo of technology without valid IC reasoning. Use of guns, defibs, headsets or radios for their intended purpose does not have valid IC reasoning unless in dire, life threatening, dramatic circumstances that would lead your character to abandon all of their ideals. Use of technology in rituals is allowed as long as it is done in accordance to the lore.

Do not roleplay low effort, low int depictions of tribals. Emulating the Grug meme is not acceptable. The average Wayfarer is supposed to be wise, not stupid.They are proud of their wisdom in comparison to the Outsiders, who only look at the short term. From the Wayfarer perspective, the technology the Outsiders insist on using has led to the great Calamity, and the persistent use of it will ultimately bring humanity’s final end. That being said, low int characters that are thoroughly roleplayed may be allowed - though we may ask you to cut down on it if it becomes a trend. They also may not assume leadership roles, nor a high standing in Wayfarer society.

Likewise writing in patois does not mean write in caveman speak. “Unga bunga hit rock with wife.” and alike are examples of caveman speak. If you cannot roleplay a distinctive, high effort patois English, do not do so. An example of a good patois is Sulik’s dialogue from Fallout 2.

Do not overdo interactions with outsiders. Do not put the lives of outsiders in front of your kin. The Wayfarer tribe is isolationist at heart and the unity of the tribe, along with the well being of all your kin, always come first. All Wayfarers characters should have a suspicious attitude towards outsiders and although exceptions can be made if thoroughly roleplayed, the xenophobic attitude must be a norm. Ultimately, interactions as well as friendships with outsiders are valid if they are done in moderation, or if the end goal is to have them brought into the tribe, either through the ritual of marriage or through initiation.

Shortened Summary
The Wayfarer tribe originated from Vault 47 on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. It was a special purpose vault, designed with an infrastructure to support large scale experiments. A portion of the vault’s population were researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, which were employed by Vault-Tec to use human study groups for experimental research. The Wayfarers are descendants of that study group. It was a multi generational experiment designed to put emergent societal behavior theories to the test, as well as some linguistic theories. The study group was taught a certain language and put under conditions that would encourage a mythologized view of the world. The Wayfarer culture is a consequence of this experimentation.

In the year 2127 the enclosure could no longer support the study group’s population, which prompted the study group to riot. Not much is known about these events, but during the uprising the nuclear fission reactor that powered the vault was disabled, rendering the vault uninhabitable. There are no known survivors of the study group’s uprising, besides the tribe itself. In the following years they looted the vault of all supplies they could bring along and set foot westwards into the desert, following the sun as it set. They come across the Rio Grande, when they begin following the river bed upstream, accommodating to a semi nomadic lifestyle and assimilating smaller tribal settlements along the way. They eventually reach the source of the river on Canby mountain, where they establish Winterhome, the first permanent Wayfarer settlement in 2151.

Deep Lore
DISCLAIMER: Portions of the following knowledge are meta and as such are not available to the Wayfarers, and neither would they believe or care to believe this knowledge if told. Most of it was uncovered by Follower researchers through the attempted study of the Wayfarer language, which suspiciously did not seem to have an explicable origin. They tied their language to a set of Vault-Tec research documents uncovered at the now abandoned Vault site, which was left uninhabitable by a nuclear disaster with the Vault’s fission reactor.

The Wayfarer tribe are descendants of a portion of the dwellers of Vault 47, a special purpose Vault inhabited by researchers for the purposes of experimentation. The Vault was built on the outskirts of Austin for the main purpose of housing university staff and academia of the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to the war, Vault-Tec had channeled heavy investments into the university and held a well developed partnership, with a lot of professors employed on the development of whatever technology was needed and with students being given internship opportunities. As the first bombs began to fall, the Vault numbered 389 individuals of which 292 were students and their families who could afford nuclear insurance and 92 were commissioned researchers who were given significant benefits to pay off their spot, while their employment would continue under Vault-Tec within unspecified circumstances. Vault 47 had a specifically designed infrastructure of which the most notable features were a set of offices, laboratories and even classrooms for the partial continued work of the university and an entirely vacant, separate series of rooms with surveillance, intended for experimental use. This area was unusually large and its existence was classified, known only to the participants of project “Rat pen”. The rooms were mostly white and padded, with a specific storage area for props.

Project “Rat pen”, originally conceived as a thought experiment, was considered the next logical step to animal experimentation. With the escalated general abandoning of morality as the nuclear war was approaching, the execution of the experiment would become closer to reality. The purpose of the project was to shed light on the instinctive emergence of human societal behavior and the development of societal order under certain upbringings and influences. Only a portion of the commissioned researchers participated in the project. The experiment was obviously planned years earlier within Vault-Tec as the Vault supported infrastructure for its execution.

The first test subject was introduced into the environment on the 4th of September 2081. It was the first child born in the Vault. The child was cared for by the researchers posing as medical staff for a certain period of time before it was reported dead to the parents. Vault 47 was powered by a nuclear fission reactor and a malfunction was staged by the project researchers to provide an explanation to the alleged deaths of their offspring. They claimed that the radiation stalled child development during pregnancy which diminished the chance of the babies’ survival. The test group of the first experiment was finally assembled in 2086, numbering 62 individuals of similar age. Scientifically, project “Rat pen” would have been a successful endeavor if it weren’t for the fact it also caused the end of the Vault.

Not many details are known about the inner workings of the experiment. The test subjects were taught proto-Indo-European, the theorized common ancestor of the Indo-European language family whose proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. The purpose of this was to test how the academically theorized language would fare under realistic conditions. They were also influenced in some way to accept a polytheistic religious system which eventually evolved into a very elaborate structure of deities which in turn influenced the structure of their society. The test subjects initially began accepting the language as it was taught to them but since the researchers were not as present as a natural parent would be in natural circumstances, the test subjects could not accept the more convoluted nuances of the language. Instead, they’ve formed a creole of their own, with similar phonetic features to proto-Indo-European but a grammar more akin to modern languages. The state of their religious beliefs during the experiment is unknown, as their mythologized worldview developed and evolved through time (and through the blending of cultures the tribe would come across and assimilate along the way) into a complex system of deities.

In the year 2127 the population of the test group exceeded 600, a number for which the test site was not designed. The test group suffered from overpopulation, and the conditions under which they were forced to live, which were already poor, had plummeted. This was partly due to most of the original researchers retiring, the project being heavily understaffed as it was replaced by the next, less numerous generation of researchers. The exact events of the uprising are unknown but the tribals managed to get the reactor to malfunction, rendering the Vault uninhabitable. It is assumed that none of the researchers survived, though this may not be the case. The tribals did not intend to stay in the Vault anyway, as they’ve had enough of their freedom being restricted.

Powered by the supplies that they salvaged from the Vault, the tribe set foot towards the west, following the Sun and it’s trajectory as it set. Their path over the desert was difficult, but the conditions under which they lived during the experiment were worse, and they were physically more than capable of traversing it. They eventually reached the Rio Grande, deciding to follow the river upstream. From this point they slowed down their movement, living more semi nomadically. They had met numerous tribes along the way, assimilating them. Through these assimilations were they first introduced to the English language, the English name of the tribe originating from this era (in the perspective of the assimilated tribes, they were Travelers, thus Wayfarers). They were in no rush, reaching the source of the Rio Grande in Canby Mountain through the course of several decades. The first Wayfarer permanent settlement there would be established in 2151, known to us in English as Winterhome.

The Wayfarers of Yuma arrived there going downstream the river of Colorado decades before the Legion had reached the river. They lived on the banks of the river in the semi nomadic fashion until the Legion occupied the area east of the river, when they were forced to form a permanent settlement within the rocks of a sort of mountain or rock formation. They remain entrenched there to this day, using the west bank of the Colorado river to travel to keep contact with Winterhome, their permanent settlement.

Religion (WIP)
The Wayfarers worship a set of deities, who represent various aspects of life and survival in the wasteland. Some deities have a perceived greater importance than others, but most Wayfarers will have one that they personally worship more than the others. To neglect a deity, or to fail to even pay homage to one on occasion, is seen as tempting the wrath of the gods and it is strongly encouraged that all Wayfarers make an active effort in praising their deities to a satisfactory level.

Sowul

 * God of the Sun, Unity, Justice and Order, Desert, Suffering and Pain
 * The rooster headed six winged boar god
 * Patron god of the Common caste
 * Husband of Yabhat

How to worship: Be true to your word. Be true to your kin, make sure nothing stands in the path between you and the tribe’s collective unity. Endure a great pain, physical or spiritual. Forgive a well-meaning kin or outsider. Uphold someone’s liberty. Draw upon the legacy of your ancestors.

Wihros

 * God of the Hunt, Shadows, Travel, Foraging
 * The wolf with three heads, left of a lion, right of a bear
 * Patron god of the Warrior caste
 * Son of Sowul and Yabhat

How to worship: Ritually indulge in Hunts. Provide the spoils of the hunt for your kin. Rid the wastes of abominations like deathclaws and centaurs. Speak little to outsiders. Hide yourself to those who are not your kin, unless they prove worthwhile.

Roda

 * Goddess of Nature, Earth, Healing, Wisdom, Written Word


 * The elk with seven legs and two heads
 * Patron goddess of the Spiritual caste
 * Daughter of Yabhat and Sowul

How to worship: Practice the writing of runes. Practice the sacred rites, traditions and rituals. Teach your kin something new. Prepare medicines to heal physical wounds. Meditate on how to heal spiritual wounds. Speak words that are true when it is inconvenient. Listen instead of speaking, when the time is right for it.

Kwer

 * God of Technology, Disease, Radiation, Rebirth, The Serpent biting its tail
 * The flying serpent endlessly devouring its tail
 * Brother of Wergos

How to worship: Break the taboo and use a machine spirit in a ritual manner. Worship a machine spirit.

Yabhat

 * Goddess of the Moon, Fertility, Animal Husbandry and Gardening, Rain
 * The young girl shapeshifting into an osprey
 * Wife of Sowul and mother of Roda

How to worship: Plant and harvest good crops. Brew and share a drink with someone. Pet and praise the livestock when they are not being worked. Raise children. Practice love.

Wergos

 * God of Diligence, Crafts and Labors, Rock and Iron, Thunder and Lightning
 * The turtle standing on its hind legs, with a gem-bedazzled shell
 * Father of Bhertis and brother of Kwer

How to worship: Stay true to your craft. Shun laziness, be diligent. Sing a working song while you labor. Build and repair shelters for your kin. Be ready to build a defense. Make weapons and armor for your kin. Pursue a craft.

Bhertis

 * Goddess of Fortune, Trickery, Foresight, Witchcraft, Curses, Temptation
 * Daughter of Wergos

How to worship: Produce a good that can be sold. Leave an extra offering when finishing a trade deal. Bring outside goods to be blessed, and shared with your kin. Exploit the foolishness of an outsider when it will not lead to serious harm. Gather foresight from spiritual kin. Trick an outsider into joining the tribe.

Agon

 * God of Humility, Filth, Cannibalism, The Destroyer
 * The warlock shapeshifting into a decayed, bipedal deer

How to worship: Live an ascetic life. Disregard the corporeal for spiritual ascension. Achieve absolute humility through immersion in filth. Practice pacifism. Consume decayed human flesh.

Ghostis

 * God of Hospitality, Protection, War of Defence, Songs and Oral Tradition

How to worship: Always be hospitable towards outsiders in need, but not foolish. Throw feasts when the harvest is good. Ward off unwanted guests. Be ready to give your life for the defense of your kin against all the outsiders who plot against you. Sing stories to your kin and outlanders.

Mrtyor

 * Goddess of Death, Souls, Ancestors, Crows and Ravens, the Other World,
 * Widow-goddess

How to worship: Perform funeral rites. Remember the Fallen and Ancestors. Commune with the Ancestors, the spirits and other magical beings. Perform rituals and blessings. Protect the burial grounds.

Resources
Examples of tribes in Fallout canon:

https://fallout.gamepedia.com/Tribes

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Primitive_Tribe

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Arroyo

https://fallout.gamepedia.com/Dead_Horses

https://fallout.gamepedia.com/White_Legs

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4769851/

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page