Life aboard the Fleet

The Antelopes follow a strictly nomadic lifestyle, rarely staying in any place longer than one to two moons. Unique amongst most Seeker tribes, their chosen method of travel is their "Fleet", a ragtag assortment of seafaring vessels of all shapes and sizes, from proper ships to small rafts.The Fleet sails all over the Straits of Merlthor, moving from place to place as prey in an area the tribe occupies grows sparse. During winter, the rafts and boats carry them further south to escape the cold weathers and storms up further north. These winter journeys sometimes take them as far as the southern isles that the Lalafell call their home, or the island city state of Radz-at-Han further to the east. During summer, they return again to the entirety of the strait, sometimes even reaching the shores of Dravania and the Northern Empty.A proud people, fiercely protective of their lifestyle and traditions, the tribes’ structure is clear cut:
The Fleet is composed of a multitude of ships, which although owned comunally by the tribe are under the command of a single captain each. These captains in turn answer to the Antelope's Nunh, who also serves as acting admiral.To aid him in this task, the Nunh is advised by the best and most experienced tribe members in any given area of expertise. For example, when choosing the next campsite and hunting grounds along the shores of the strait, the Nunh will be advised by the best and most experienced hunters, while in matters of trade, the most talented and experienced artisans and negotiators of the tribe will lend their advice.

Traditions & Peculiarities

Coming of Age:
Once every year, on the day when the night is shortest, the Antelopes will have found their way to the shores of Aldenard for a special hunt. The tribe members who are coming of age that year, and those who wish to join the tribe otherwise, are led far inland. There, each is abandoned and tasked with hunting an antelope, as their ancestors did when fleeing from Ilsabard into Eorzea, and returning a trophy to proclaim their victory.Those who succeed are then declared fully fledged members of the tribe, while those that fail are free to try again next year until they succeed.New Year:
The Antelopes celebrate new years with a series of traditions, most notably amongst them entrusting their wishes to the sea in bottles that are lit aflame like candles. The second is a tradition wherein the ships acquired over the previous year are officially declared part of the fleet and pushed into the waters for the first time. As replacements demand strict timing and a lot of ships in the fleet are second-hand acquisitions, rarely is this the first time the ships have seen water, but it still holds symbolic meaning.Hunting & Diet:
The Antelopes still hold the hunt in particularly high regard and as such, their diet consists mostly of meat. However, they diversify their dishes with gathered fruits, vegetables and fungi, as well as fish caught by spearfishers or in the nets while travelling far out at sea, mostly for taste.Clothing:
Most of the tribe does not have a unified way of clothing. As travellers of the high seas, the Antelope tribe has through trade access to a wide variety of fashions and styles. Many prefer practical clothing suited to their specific tasks in the tribe, and no dress codes are enforced.The sole exception to this is the priestess and her apprentices, who dress only in shades of blue and red/yellow/orange while performing their duties, the colours of the sea and sun. Many also refuse to wear shoes.Religion and Rites:
The tribe’s priestess is the spiritual leader of the tribe. A role passed from one tribemate to the next by choice of the current priestess before her death (or appointed by the current Nunh if no such appointment has been made before a priestess’ death), she leads the tribe in prayer, ritual and often acts as a conductor for ceremonies, especially in cases when the Nunh has to play another part in them (such as during a challenge for the position of Nunh).
They always carry salt water with them that they have blessed in Azeyma’s name, attributing both a spiritual and physical purification to it. It is used to bless battlegrounds, wash the dead with and even at times consumed by a priestess during prayer.

People

On average, the adult members of the tribe who do not fulfil more specialised roles fall into one of three categories:Hunters, shipwrights and fishers.While their tasks are often as their name implies, their duties to the tribe extend beyond.Shipwrights are the artisans of the tribe and might craft other things than merely those needed to keep the fleet afloat.Hunters quite often also serve as scouts, spies and, in times of conflict, guards and warriors.Fishers are not only skilled in procuring the bounty of the sea, but also often cook like few others.With the size of the tribe, it is not unusual for every member to occupy at least two of these categories, barring other duties.Sometimes, the traders are considered an unofficial fourth role, though they usually see significant overlap with the shipwrights and fishers.Each and every member of the tribe is a sailor, with some serving in more specialised roles such as navigators.
Command of a ship is usually assigned based on a meritocratic principle. There is no “ownership” of a ship beyond it belonging to the Fleet, but ships might still be referred to as belonging to their captain in colloquial speech. This does not imply ownership.

The Fleet

A large collection of ships the tribe has gathered from many different sources. It carries the tribe over the seas and is their true home.It usually sails in a set formation:At the centre sail the tribeboats.
These large vessels, one of which is usually commandeered by the Nunh, are the second largest in the fleet and carry those either too young, too old or too valuable to serve on another ship. This includes all the children of the tribe, the few elderly whose age has robbed them of their strength, and guests of the tribe who are granted passage with the fleet.Surrounding the tribeboats are the storage vessels. These ships, usually largest in size, contain the bulk of the tribe’s possessions and supplies, such as food, tents, etc.
Being heavier and less maneuverable, they tend to be unarmed apart from their crew.Surrounding the storage vessels is the heart of the fleet: A seemingly random collection of boats, rafts and ships that serve all manner of purposes, but most notably transporting the bulk of the tribe.Surrounding these we find the fastest and most durable ships of the fleet: The Vanguard. These ships are the most heavily armoured of the fleet and usually crewed by the most skilled warriors (save for those aboard the tribeboats as guards).
Their job is to scout out any potential dangers from pirates all the way to bad weather and warn the fleet and, in the worst case, defend them to their last breaths.While moored, the layout changes, instead ordering the ships by which would be most problematic to lose and replace should some have to be left behind during a hasty retreat from the shores:Storage vessels move to the centre of whichever bay the Antelopes have made port at, surrounded by the tribeboats and the Vanguard ships. The more expendable ships of the heart of the fleet lie at the outermost parts of the camp.Unlike some traditions found in Limsa Lominsa, there is no honour in a captain going down with their ship for an Antelope. While a captain holds responsibility for their crew, the life of a tribemate is valued much higher than the loss of a ship and as such saving one’s life is encouraged.As all Antelopes learn how to swim, some even before walking, losses at sea from drowning are rare and usually the result of being trapped inside a sinking ship, or due to rough seas that would challenge even the most experienced of swimmers.

History

Like most Seeker tribes, the Antelopes have their origins in the Seeker tribes that were forced to flee Eorzea from the Allagan Empire, finding not refuge, but at least respite on the northern continent of Ilsabard. They remained there during and after the Calamity of Earth that ended the Third Astral Era.During the Fifth Umbral Era, as oceans froze and the land became impossible to live in, the survivors fled back onto Aldenard across the frozen sea, the ancestors of the Antelopes amongst them. Vowing to keep traveling till they would find open waters again, they were amongst the tribes that traveled the furthest south- and westward.Crossing forests covered in hoar and snow, the prey they hunted to survive on their way south is what they would choose as the totem of their tribe, a sign of their survival, tenacity and good fortune during their exodus - the antelope. As the Seeker tribes collectively began to adopt the Eorzean alphabet and including one of the letters into their names each, the Antelope tribe thus took the letter A into each member’s name.As the waters thawed and the Fifth Astral Era began to dawn upon the world, the A-tribe found that their journey had brought them all the way to the shores of a giant strait between the continent and the island Vylbrand. This territory would be their home for all centuries to come.

The Antelopes stayed nomads, making it their tradition to never lose sight of the sea for long again after they had traveled so far during the Calamity of Ice to find it. Instead of traveling across the lands in search for prey, they made boats and rafts, sailing from shore to shore all across the Strait, from Aldenard’s shores over the coasts for Vylbrand to all the islands in between, their hunting parties then traveling deeper into the land to find game.It was these selfsame boats and rafts that allowed the Antelopes to survive the Sixth Umbral Era that brought the Calamity of Water. As tidal waves swept the lands and rivers overflowed from their beds, the Antelopes lost many - but survived as a tribe, their lifestyle allowing them to quickly adapt to the catastrophe that had hit the world.Ever since, the Antelopes have continued their path down the side notes of history. While sometimes loosely associating with Limsa Lominsa and the Maelstrom Grand Company for the protection of their home and waters, they remain a proud people, fiercely protective of their independence. The last time they as a whole tribe pledged their support to their neighbours was during the battle that would bring about the Seventh Umbral Era on the Fields of Carteneau as the false moon Dalamud loomed in the sky.

Tribe Members, Friends & Associates

Media

OOC

We are a Roleplay-focused Free Company based on Mateus on the Crystal datacentre dedicated to roleplaying as a seafaring tribe of Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te.Founded in 2018.

Contact

Have any questions?Looking to join us on the next grand voyage?Have need of sailing mercenaries or transportation on a ship?Or maybe are you are a Seeker Miqo'te looking for a tribe to call home?Get in touch with us!    Visit our FC house:                                                                              In-game:             
 Mist, Ward 5, Plot 28                                                                   Talk to our members.
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