The Cycle

The Trail

A vast, wandering path the nomadic contingent of The Travelers known as the Lost Travelers follows. Traversing the trail is a revered tradition that honors and reinforces the hunter-gatherer's balance with nature, and follows a path that ebbs and flows with the micro- and macro-seasonal changes and the widely varied ecosystems of the continent.

The Trail takes ten years to traverse completely, and one full traversal is known as The Cycle.

The Lesser Tribes of Ir'resthel often join the dragons on this path for a short time to learn the dragons' wisdom about their own area, or a nearby region, though others will follow the dragons for more than a decade.

 

The Cycle

Young dragons walk this path as part of their coming to adulthood in order to learn to survive, forage and hunt in all of the various climates and ecosystems of the continent. Young dragons will walk one or two full Cycles, occasionally more, but always culminating in their Naming Ceremony, before they leave to begin their life's work and settle to begin a family and profession. 

Those dragons who have walked the Cycle are thought to know the natural world of Ir'resthel's every facet. Despite the ten-year cycle being a minor fraction of a Traveler's long lifespan, this tradition is considered one of the most important investments a young traveler can make in their future, as it allows them to not only learn of the world around them, but of themselves, through conquering hardships and learning from pitfalls.

Many members of The Lesser Tribes of Ir'resthel are followers of  The Chosen Few dragons, and will join the Travelers for a full cycle as a rite to prove their worthiness of studying under that dragon's guidance. Others fall in love with a Traveler, and wish to see their Dragonkin children off to a worthy, long and meaningful life, and will follow the Traveler tradition of walking the Cycle alongside their young to escort them into adulthood.

 

Philosophy of The Cycle

The Cycle is a deeply reverent practice that borders between a meditative contemplation and religious tradition. It considers the cycles of the natural world and celebrates change, growth and evolution with the assurance that change and growth is natural, and struggles are temporary. Observations include celestial movements, seasons, birth, life and death, and even the movements, growth and changes of the lesser tribes and other cultures as observed over the long timelines of a Traveler's lifespan. The Cycle treasures silver as a sacred metal and is the followers' preferred unit of value. Silver is treasured particularly because of its capacity to both tarnish over time, and be restored from a tarnished state to be rendered ‘new’ again.

Paradoxically, the Cycle also has reverence for static and unchanging things, which leads them to using ‘unchanging’ valuables such as gold and gems to honor the permanence of death and the memory of those they have lost. Gold is also often used in fabrics and inlaid ornamentation where the regular maintenance of polishing such fine details would be impossible.

Travelers rarely build structures which are intended to be permanent above ground, but when they do, they are commonly made of marble or granite mined deep from the earth by their Travelers' Kobolds, and serve as monuments to show their deep respect for some great deed or sacrifice.