back to the Index
"Trade is Life"
Nomadic merchant clans, dedicated to “family”- little social contact (except trade) outside the clans. As their name suggests, their travels take them across much of North America.
Nobody in particular, although one legend among the Traders claims their ancestors were truckers before the Atomic War.
They've been trading and traveling for almost a century.
The Far Traders travel in large horse-drawn caravans, with hundreds of members. There are unsavory rumors of theft, rape and superstitious rituals, and a lot of prejudice against them. They're sly and crafty, and are able to tell fortunes and read minds. The words "psychic" and "telepathic" aren't in Roadtalk, but folk in the Southwest might apply those words to the Far Traders.
Roadtalk, Komerk and Unislang have several derogatory terms for Far Traders.
They trade with almost anyone. but they are honest (when trading), and will often have goods not available from the larger trading outfits.
The Crawling City is the largest of the Far Traders' mobile communities.
Probably not psychic ...
... but keep in mind that the published Morrow Project game has rules on psionic abilities. <countfloyd>Ooh, scary!</countfloyd>
Hard to say. A caravan has 50 to 100 members; the Crawling City, perhaps a thousand persons. The Far Traders live hard lives -- 20% of their children die before the age of 2, and anyone who lives past the age of 35 is doing better than average.
There are very few permanent Far Trader locations. Albuquerque is one, mostly to hold items for trade with the Cartel and other southwestern merchant groups.
The Crawling City moves between California and the Plains.
Each caravan is an extended family. There's no government above that level, just a strong set of traditions. When caravans meet, there is a lot of bragging, comparison of ancestry, threats, romance, fist fights, etc. which usually results in one caravan being "senior" for that time.
Being exiled or ostracized is the worst punishment the Far Traders will apply to their kin. Killing another Far Trader, even in self-defense, causes all sorts of issues -- clearance of spiritual pollution, payments to the families, support of relatives, etc.
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
They trade with everyone, but don't get close to anyone. The Cartel, Clean Water Clans, and Crystaltime Merchants consider them to be "sneaking in for the crumbs".
Pretty much "generic" North Americans. They don't encourage people to join, and rarely marry outsiders.
The ascending order of authority: parents, caravan leaders, the King of the Crawling City. A few families have stronger claims to purity, but this has not yet grown into a priestly or aristocratic system.
They practice a very odd form of Roman Catholicism.
A lot of what looks to be superstition may be -- or may have originally been -- part of the 'act' put on for outsiders.
They're a hard-drinking, hard-working, hard-fighting bunch. They consciously work to preserve their culture. Respect for parents and elders is very strong.
"Settled people" are seen as slow, suspicious and gullible; living in a town is like living in a prison.
The number one sign of success: marrying another Far Trader and having many children.
Marriage, and having children, is a major focus of Far Trader life. Sexual relations outside of marriage are forbidden.
Almost none of the Far Traders are literate.
They normally use Roadtalk, and most of them also know Unislang. In both cases, their is a lot of distinct slang which outsiders find difficult to understand.
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
As their name indicates, they live by trade. Their sources are often far more distant, or dangerous, than the Cartel and other merchants will seek out.
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
Blah blah ...
Horses, horse-drawn wagons, carts, and the huge rolling fortresses of the Crawling City. There are six of the fortresses, each pulled by dozens of horses and mules.
None.
None.