ORIGIN

Part group, part philosophy, the Lessers of Less are united by one core belief-- greater gembound sapience is inherently bad. Greaters are constantly wracked with misery and despair, so therefore the oblivious lessers are the ideal model for life. A strange belief, sure, but one its initiates follow reverently.

There are no leaders of Less, or even a central base. Instead are several Herds scattered across the caves and throughout the wilderness. Here, magic is shunned. Technology is rejected. Names are replaced with basic nouns. More extreme sects may prohibit speaking at all or encourage gembounds to try and remove their element in their endless search to remove the mind. The only spells allowed are Give Life/Stone and whatever makes them feel most in-tune with the wildlife.

As bizarre as it is, the Lessers are not a cult. More like a very weird crowd of hippies. They're quite secretive and revolted by highly-advanced groups but will never attack unprovoked. Due to the lack of communication and obvious issues between herbivores/carnivores, the Less is constantly at risk of shattering into smaller groups, held together only by the occasional messenger going between them.

There are no species requirements for the Less. Sentient lessers are both awed and pitied.

The Clan of the Sleeping Cave (no, you do not need to write out the whole name) fill the niche for stone-age technology in Origin. These gembounds believe the cave is a living, breathing deity trapped in eternal slumber, with each cave being a "demigod." By acknowledging her and crafting materials from her essence, they hope to awaken her and dawn a new age of prosperity in the caves.

They live in Ursa within a network of glacier tunnels, warmed by fire. Dens are chiseled out of the walls or clustered around hearths as tents. Each day they leave to hunt or graze and come back at night to tell stories about the Nebula-Demigod, whom they believe gave them permission to live here. Most are not aware of Mother and see the insects as great, mindless beasts harming the Cave-Deity.

Stone tools are extensively used as a show of devotion to their god. Artificial technology is seen as heresy. Magic's more uncommon and mainly for earth bending, telling stories, or ritual purposes. Clansmen may don bodypaint resembling stalagmites, a pattern that also appears in their cave art. Members typically have names telling their greatest accomplishments, like "Killed the Ice Beast," and its common to change your name multiple times. Hatchlings are named after physical traits.

There are no species requirements for Those of the Sleeping Cave, though ice-age creatures are always encouraged. Due to the high demand for stone tools but lack of thumbs to do so, one or two "crafters" may sit at the top of the hierarchy making accessible technology for those below.

Citizens of The Fifth Dune live in the harshest cave out there-- Hydra. Fifthers are reluctant to leave the desert because of their strong comradery and belief in a massive sandworm living under the fifth dune in the sand flats that will protect them from harm.

The city's built around a magical and technologically-sustained oasis, hidden by the shadow of-- you guessed it-- the Fifth Dune. Around the shores are a variety of dens, nests, farms and mud-brick structures where the population lives. Simple walls guard the barrier, and nets are fastened over the marketplace to protect from lesser attacks. No one is allowed up the side of the dune but the Lord of the city themself, who stands at the top for important meetings.

Magic is extensively cast and celebrated throughout the Fifth Dune. Most technology isn't used due to the lack of resources. Fifthers usually don't wear clothes, but black-and-gold accessories are extremely common. Drums and other instruments are commonly used for recreation and the city always seems alive with sound.

But during times of high stress or bad luck the city takes on a different tone. There is a sandworm under the dune, and it gets hungry. Every few cycles all the Fifthers will enter a tunnel down the dune, each with a sacrificial lesser. They systematically kill them and leave them in a vast packed-sand cavern, banging drums to draw the attention of the beast. Only once it has accepted the offerings can they breathe easy.

The Fifth Dune has no species requirements, but desert animals are encouraged.

Unlike most other groups who strive to contribute something to the world, the Sea People strive to take. It's a den of thieves and raiders, by choice or not, who base their operations in the warm waters of Leo. A massive ship-- the biggest boat in the caves, even-- sails the waves, decked out with sails and a large sleeping place for all pirates. In fact, this ship is so intricate that in the event of emergency they can tear it all down and rebuild it somewhere else easily. From here they launch smaller ships to sail down the underground streams between caves, scout out other groups and settlements, and pillage them for resources.

The captain leads the bunch and strategizes raids, while their Quartermaster deals with domestic affairs. Recreation takes the form of sea shanties about beasts below the sea and various primitive dice games. Some pirates wear clothes but it's solely for aesthetics and they rarely equip armor. Magic, technology, and brute strength are all used-- if it helps them get booty, it helps them get booty. If an outside party offers enough riches they'll gladly fight, no matter the cause.

Vermin, monkeys and animals closely associated with pirates (like parrots) are reccomended, but it's not required.

There are a lot of groups within the caves, and countless more unaffiliated gembounds. Most of these souls are fairly isolated... but not anymore! Because the Traders Union is in town!

This unofficial organization of merchants, travelers, and messengers come from all walks of life for the goal of facilitating transportation and trade throughout the caves. They travel down winding trade routes between the most populous spaces, offering goods and news from places far away. They wear sheets of blue fabric over their backs and bells to show they mean no harm. Apprentice traders are taught by their seniors on how to get a good sale and navigate the trade routes.

I cannot explain. There are simply gnomes. Little animal carvings wearing cone hats. They're everywhere. In your home. In your food. You thought that chrysalis was gonna hatch open with your baby? no fucker its a gnome. god help us all

Yet another gembound religion forgive me I just think they're cool, Preyseer Belief resulted from a misinterpretation of the recent Wild Hunt by a third party. Said gembound told another, who told another, and so on so forth until the supernatural event morphed into a herbivore-centric mythos:

There is a good and kind goddess, the Prey See'er (or Preyseer), who watches over all the prey animals in the cave with love and compassion. She takes the form of morning mist and the moisture it brings, only occasionally solidifying into a physical form. She's the reason the grass grows and the birds sing. But theres an evil, too. The wild, deranged Beasts of smoke, filled with sharp teeth and claws, constantly try to hunt her down with their carnivorous minions. Believers in the goddess keep protect her by practicing water spells to propagate the fog, devoting a share of plants to her each day, and keeping valiant watch for any of the predatory Beasts. Groups, NPCs, and Masters are judged based on how closely they are affiliated to herbivores and plant life.