Tribe/Teddybear's Listeners

Gene-strains support the dead-strain heroes
Stories are what you leave behind
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Traders of stories, with an entrenched and oppressive strain-based caste system, led by a fairy tale obsessed AI

Formation

Part of a series about the Tribes of Outlook.

Teddybear used to be the librarian of the legend and folklore section of a large library, and was also charged with reading fairytales to children. In the gene-strains, Teddybear saw the fairytale creatures of old, and concluded that the they were created to act as supporting characters for the dead-strains, who are the protagonists of this world. Out of this grew the tribe’s pervasive social stratification, which sees the gene-strains (known as ‘fay’ within the tribe) subordinate to the dead-strains (‘humans’). In general, the Listeners value storytelling, history, and dramatic deeds about which tales are told.

Leadership

The spiritual leader of the tribe, who is seen as somewhat akin to a prophet, is an Advanced AI called Teddybear. Teddybear used to be the librarian of the legend and folklore section of a large library in the pre-Decline world, and was also charged with reading fairytales to children.

Non-religious governance is provided by the Reading Circle, a group of the eldest and most respected Humans of the tribe. Important decisions, when too mundane to concern Teddybear, are decided by the Circle. Every year, the Circle elects a Reader, who acts as something of a leader to the tribe. The current Reader is [Booglyface McPlaceholder].

Reputation

Teddybear Listeners are a peaceful tribe and reputation is important in Listener society - the tribe makes a point of treating other tribes with hospitality. Members of the tribe visit other tribes often to trade stories. This is not to say other tribes necessarily approve of the Listener’s values. Indeed, listener gene-strains treat dead-strains in other tribes with just as much deference as those in their own tribe, which can cause awkwardness and even resentment.

Religion

Teddybear is the source of religious guidance for the tribe, having imparted upon them a story of the creation of the strains, the #Dance of Earth and Moon, which explains their predestined roles. Every dead-strain (Human) has a Story, and their purpose in life is to fulfil that Story. The Fay do not have individual Stories, their purpose in life is to serve the Humans in pursuing their Stories.

It is from the Dance of Earth and Moon that the strains take their more religious names: dead-strains are the Children of Earth or The Storied, and gene-strains are the Amalgams of Moon, or (Scions of) the Storyless.

The strains are the moral successors to the humans and fay spoken of in folklore, and so the dead-strains, being more similar to pre-Decline humans, must be the protagonists. The gene-strains, with their fantastical and animalistic qualities, are clearly the successors to the fairies and monsters of such tales. Such creatures only ever played two roles, and only one of them good. Thus the gene-strains strive to help and serve the dead-strains - indeed, any gene-strain who pursues personal goals or tries to make a name for themselves is surely on a path to evil, and should be subject to due vigilance.

Admittedly , the Listeners do not necessarily believe in the literal truth of all stories, even the most culturally important ones. What is most important is the truth that lies below the surface, which is no less valid for lack of accuracy in the details.

The afterlife for the Listeners - the Humans at least - is to live on in the stories told about you. There is no greater honour for a Human than to be immortalised through their deeds. The Fey strive to be remembered in these stories as helpful companions, adjutants and supporting characters and thus also receive a measure of immortality. Occasionally, a radical fey might choose to be remembered as someone's nemesis or colourful villain. Such path is inevitably fraught with suspicious and potential ostracism but may be no less rewarding.

Ideas of morality are also influenced heavily by fairy tales. This means that Listeners might be poorly equipped to handle ethical nuance and lean toward a black and white view of the world (if not actually subscribing to blue and orange morality). At best, this looks like striving to act always in the right way; at worst, it can look like covering up the wrongdoings of those with high status, and viewing mistakes as evidence of evil intent.

Due to the divine nature of stories in Listener society, the Listeners also have a great deal of respect for history, and this extends to respect for their own elders as well as the people of the past civilisation. Material wealth is shallow - true wealth is in the memories we have and the tales we pass on.

Defining Trait

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Aesthetic

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Contact

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