Nomads

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The Nomad Clans, known in common as the Rûmil, are a group of three unique clans who do not live sedentiary lives on planets, but instead live on ships, roaming from system to system for trade and contact with others.

Description
The Nomad Clans are travelling clans that lead semi self-sufficient lives on board of smaller fleets of ships that move in unison. The core of each clan fleet is a ship called a Drênod, huge vessels more than half a kilometre long, housing around ten thousand inhabitants each. Here you find most of the clan's population, leadership, industry, supplies, and social life.

Each clan adheres to a hierarchical social system that has its roots in the military origins of the clan fleets. The head of each clan, the Komad, acts as both the supreme authority of the clan, as well as fleet commander. The Komad is often the oldest and still healthy member of the clan.

Every 10 Terran years, the clans come together for a meeting on Tôr. Here they exchange stories, celebrate their clans, trade, mingle, and feast. The Custodians are also invited, and they do appear during parts of the traditional schedule.

Origins
The Nomads find their origin in the ruin of Tôr. Before the ruin, Tôr had let construct three massive warships to show the incredible wealth and might of the planet to the rest of the galactic community. These ships, the Drênods, were frightening weapons that were theoretically capable of levelling a large planetary settlement on its own. They were designed to utilise onboard ship AI to facilitate easier operation, resulting in a relatively low crew count - however, the ship was made large to accomodate anything from soldiers to military equipment should it be necessary. This means that each Drênod could at the time comfortably house around 8,000 people.

With the ruin of Tôr, its fleet - and its Drênods - were soon without a government to serve. It was quickly realised that these terrifying weapons could, if they ended up in the wrong hands, cause serious mayhem and upheaval in the local region. Therefore, the remaining leadership of the Tôr space force divided the fleet into three parts, each with an accompanying Drênod at its core and under the command of the Drênod commander. Each fleet commander then swore an oath to remain neutral, tp never bow to the will of a settled world, and to never use its terrifying power for aggressive purposes.

Over time, the vessels - particularily the Drênods - were modified by their crews, dismantling a large part of its destructive capability in exchange for more living space in a process that would slowly turn the huge vessels into mobile cities. In the present, it is estimated that each Drênod carries a population of around 10,000 people, and all clans have an estimated population between 20,000 - 30,000.

Society
While the different clans have come to evolve in different manners, there are certain aspects that are common with all three clans.

All clans are fiercly adherent to the First Oath, the one made above Tôr centuries ago. This has lead to oaths in general being held in high regard, and breaking an oath is a societal faux-pas of major proportions. Breaking the First Oath - be it by treason or otherwise betraying the clan - is ground for permanent exile on the next popualted world the clan visits.

As a coming of age ritual, those who are turning 18 terran years old are asked to affirm the First Oath, as it is believed that such obligations must be confirmed by a mature and understanding adult. For this reason, declining to affirm the oath is not seen as dishonourable, and while exile is still the result of such a decision, it is a "honourable discharge" from the clan. Somewhat similarily, one can decide to abandon the oath at a later time. To do this is considered in a negative light, but the discharge and exile is not considered to be dishonourable, as they have openly and voluntarily requested a release from the oath.

Clans
There are three clans named after their lead Drênod ship: Gaera, ?, and ??.