Purists

Purists are any individuals of any land-based species, pelaon or human, who prefer to live a life outside of a traditional society and mostly separate from the Nation of Materia and its civilization. They are sometimes alternatively called “Traditionalists,” or in a derogatory way at times “Primatives” or “Ferals.”

Purists will avoid the other civilizations and minimize interaction. They are seen as feral and brutish by some as they are often seen only when aggressively defending or attempting to grow territories through attacking of villages and road travelers when they feel Nation citizens are encroaching on their perceived territories or attacking when travelers have trespassed into their territory.

Territories

Purists live in the undeveloped wilderness areas across the continent. Anywhere that is not farmed and that is out of sight of structures is deemed available to claim by purist groups.

Government

Purists are generally organized into groups of packs and herds. Some these are family groups where elders make all decisions regarding the group, while others are groups of individuals from different families and at times different species who will fight for dominance or, at times, split into smaller groups so that dissonant members can follow a different leader.

Some individuals decide to live solitary lives or alone with a mate. These often have much smaller territories and tend to fight harder to survive than those who share territory with a group.

Beyond these groupings there is no overarching government.

People

Purists include members of every species in Materia, including humans, who prefer to not associate with the more formal communities of their own kinds or who disagree with the idea of pelaon and human coexistance.

It is unknown how many purists exist as no census is taken.

Lifestyles

The life of a purist is a life of raw free will and survival. A few of these groups and individuals maintain one home location with shelter that ranges from covered pits dug in to hills using sticks and leaves for protection from rain to more elaborate simple housing structures and caves. In rare occasions, more stable stone or wood structures are constructed for shelter. Most purists however live as nomads, traveling across the land following prey or moving on to find more food to forage as to not strip the landscape of available food sources and to avoid dirtying waterways.

Traditions

Many of the traditions and beliefs of the purists are shared by a number of the other members of Materia’s population. These include a strong belief in the value of family and familial bonds, a desire to raise offspring. Most pelaon purists follow the religious beliefs of Ruuk while the remainder are generally atheistic.

For carnivores, there is no stigma among purists related to hunting and eating other pelaons or humans, whether they are willing or not.