Oayset

The Oayset are an ancient tribal human society that has built their civilization around 3 major springs near the base of Opulet Mountain, on the eastern side of Rocsal.

Etymology
[oh-Ay-set]

The term Oayset first appeared in writing among Coact ship logs, but has been used for centuries, along with some variations, by the Wandriset. The term refers to the territory and to the tribe's name. A member of the Oayset may be referred to as an Oaysen, although often they are simply called an Oayset.

History
Due to a complete lack of written language and an oral tradition richly embellished with mythology and folklore, the original inhabitants of Oayset are almost a complete mystery. Legend says they came from the sea, that they were all women, and that they spoke the language of birds and butterflies, so it's not really clear what was going on.

Geography
The Oayset inhabit the barren sandy coast of Rocsal and are surrounded by towering cliffs, miles of beach, and the ocean.

Climate
The weather is dry and warm year round, with very little rainfall or sea storms. The coast is protected by thick kelp forests, allowing only lazy gentle waves to reach the shore.

Biodiversity
Over hundreds of generations, the Oayset have mastered their environment by eliminating all insects, birds, varmints and predators that don't play an essential role in their manicured ecosystem. All remaining animal inhabitants have been effectively domesticated and have evolved along lines that the Oayset drew. Plant life has been equally crafted to suit the needs of the tribe, with rows of ancient fruit trees and berry bushes and edible flowers and soft pillowy grass covering the entire civilization. Scarcity hasn't existed here in centuries.

Population and Preservation
One of the most isolated societies on Iribesk, the Oayset have many unique customs and traditions designed to control the population and preserve the limited resources that their home can provide. Male and female populations are mostly separated during adolescence and young adulthood in an effort to reduce pregnancies, and unsanctioned procreation results in the exile of the responsible male and denial of future childbearing for the female.

After reaching adulthood, males must choose either to venture outside the tribe and travel by raft to Silvica, where they begin a solitary tour of Iribesk in search of profit, adventure, and a wife, or to remain among the springs and live a life without fathering any children. (Rudimentary vasectomies performed with cactus needles and kelp-derived anesthetics are extremely effective, and for the most part unplanned pregnancies are non-existent.)

Onward Ceremony
Males that choose to leave, known by their tribe as the Onward, are rewarded with the opportunity to father children in a 3 day ceremony that ends with their departure. The ceremony's beginning is marked by a formal announcement of the man's decision to leave the springs. His neighbors, friends, and relatives (usually most of the tribe) then build a temporary hall and prepare great quantities of food and drink. The Onward then has 3 days to attract as many females to his hall as possible, where they are fed and pampered and allowed to engage in free and open relations with each other. On the third day the Onward is given a raft and gifts from the tribe, and sent upon his way. Any females that become pregnant are cared for by the tribe and the children are raised communally and with the tribe's full support.

Onward's Return
A male Onward may only return to the springs if he has brought with him a willing wife, or if not a wife then a woman that wishes to live among the Oayset and marry into the tribe, the latter being common only among homosexual males that have chosen a life of adventure or heterosexual males that are unable to procure a willing wife but want to return to the spring. Should a male return with a female that is found to be unwilling, the male is sentenced to execution. This is the only Oayset crime punishable by death, with all other serious offenses resulting in exile.

When an Onward returns, he may choose his role in the tribe with Council approval (nearly always granted) and may establish a permanent hall for himself and as many wives are willing to live with him. All marriages, however, are permanent constructs and can only be absolved in the cases of death or exile.

The Rooted
Males that choose to stay in Oayset are known by their tribe as the Rooted, and receive no ceremonies or celebrations, but they do receive a painless vasectomy and unlimited free sex for the rest of their lives. They are also assigned a role in the tribe. Families may request specific positions for their Rooted sons, but ultimately the Council will decide what the tribe's greatest needs are and how the newly Rooted might best serve those needs. Common positions include arborists, educators, animal breeders, traders, and language experts to name a few.

Marriage
Oayset marriages are complicated affairs, especially in the rare instances of polygamy, but the burden and the love and the compromise is shared with the entire tribe, which has resulted in golden age of gender harmony and a cultural perception of love, sex, parenting, and community that is unlike any other on Iribesk.