The Zan
The Zan are a nomadic tribe of around 500 people that travel by convoy in a loop around the continent. Their red head-coverings make them easily identifiable, as well as the sound of their approaching vehicles – converted vans, trucks, buses and tractors. It is widely believed that the Zan do not farm, due to their nomadic way of life, but this is untrue; they plant hardy crops such as potatoes or corn and harvest them when they return to the area, converting them into biofuel for their vehicles and as staple food sources. They are also skilled hunters, eating mostly deer, cattle and pigs (all of which now live wild in the grasslands).
The Zan also have a reputation for being violent, conquering smaller clans and stripping them of their resources. This is overstated – while they do commit the occasional raid, the Zan do not kill unarmed people, and never take everything from the village they are raiding. However, they are happy to let their fearsome reputation precede them – it keeps them safe from attack by outsiders. Their most recent raid occurred in the town of Tolvil, which was formerly a trading partner.
Extremely insular, the Zan do not trust people from outside the tribe and rarely let newcomers in. Loyalty to the tribe is of utmost importance: the Zan motto is Strength in Unity. Committing violence against another Zan is unforgiveable, and in the case of murder, the offending party will be executed. If a Zan decides to leave the tribe, they are excommunicated entirely – their family has a funeral for them and they are treated as one of the dead. The Zan have been known to shift their entire trade route to avoid coming into contact with ex-tribe members.
The Zan are almost entirely self-sufficient, but they make a few stops at trusted settlements throughout the year in order to trade. Farrago is one of these annual stops, though in this case the Farragonians give their food and resources freely instead of trading them, in order to avoid cultural taboos; still, the Zan often provide gifts for the Farragonians in return (deer hides, excess biofuel) which seems like trade by another name. The distinction is unclear to the Zan, though it apparently means a lot to the people of Farrago.
The tribe is governed by a council of ten chieftains, each of whom drives one of the mega-vehicles that transports the group from place to place. The chieftains can be adults of any gender, and take on the role for life – when they die or decide to step down, their replacement is chosen by the remaining chieftains.
Unlike many other cultures, the Zan do not have a prevailing theory about the root cause of the Collapse. They focus more on the current conditions of the world and ensuring the survival of their tribe; their values are informed by the world around them, not about the world before.
NOTE: The 2pm show is now sold out. Tickets are still available for the 7pm show.
Zan Characters
Akarel
She/Her
You’re a young woman, around eighteen years old. You’re intelligent – maybe not book smart, but a fast learner and a good listener. You’re currently learning all about foraging from Lin, one of the tribe’s elders. You also spend a lot of time with your boyfriend, Pavi. He’s sweet, but you don’t know if you’re really in love with him – the Zan tend to marry young, but you want to take some time to learn about the world before you commit to anything serious.
Axil
He/Him
You are a loner, bordering on a hermit. You spend your days inside your tiny caravan, loosely latched on to the rest of the Zan convoy and dragged along behind it. The adults consider you a harmless oddity, while kids dare each other to touch your caravan; those brave enough to peek inside are astonished to find it crammed with books. If they ask politely, you may even read a story to them...
Azara
She/Her
You are a skilled warrior and hunter: sharp eyes, swift feet, hot temper. Loyal to your tribe and suspicious of outsiders, you often get into fights. You can be impatient with others, and easily riled up.
Ikor
Any Pronouns
You are the most recently elected chieftain of the Zan tribe. As one of the tribe’s key decision-makers, you’re in a position of great power; but this is hampered because you often find yourself at odds with the other chieftains. Some of them are obsessed with tradition and the ‘good old days’ – you’d much rather leave old ideas behind and bring in some innovation. For instance, you think that more research should go into new technology, instead of focusing all your efforts on vehicles. You also think the Zan should stop raiding other villages; in your mind, it’s a barbaric custom that is best left in the post-Collapse period.
Kalavi
Any Pronouns
You’re studious, an oddball, a day-dreamer. You’ve always loved machines, from the big biodiesel-fuelled vehicles that you travel in, to the smallest mechanical contraptions. You’re an inventor and spend your days tinkering with scavenged equipment in a crowded workshop.
Kezia
She/Her
You are the only sister in a family with three brothers. You were never going to let them walk all over you, so you’ve had to become the loudest, the strongest, the smartest, the fastest. Life is a competition, and you want to win at all costs. You thrive when you’re challenging others to a game of skill.
Kiri
She/Her
You have simple tastes, and find joy in the little things. You love hunting, running, swimming, and then lying back in the sun with some friends after all that physical exertion. You’re good-natured and easy-going, with a zest for life. You have never really given much thought to the future, and you’re not ambitious in the slightest. You’d rather things stay exactly as they are, right now.
Koroko
Any Pronouns
You always see the negative side of every situation. A relentless pessimist, gloomy, morbid, with a dark sense of humour. You perform a practiced mask of apathy that disguises the fact you really do care about a lot of things. As a mechanic, you spend your days working on the Zan convoy of vehicles, scavenging or trading for old parts and using them to fix up the machines; you’re good at it, and you enjoy it, despite your complaints.
Lin
She/Her
As a forager in a tribe that idolises hunters and warriors, you’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider. As you got older, you never learned to hold your tongue, or to make your ideas more palatable to those in charge; people find you abrasive, an iconoclast, a kook. Despite your advanced age, you’ve never been elected as a chieftain, and so you have no power to make any changes yourself. The idea you’ve clung on to is that the Zan should give up their nomadic lifestyle and settle permanently in the same area. You’ve even thought of the ideal place – Farrago. What if you simply moved into their village and merged your cultures together? Wouldn’t it make both groups stronger?
Livia
She/Her
Three months ago, you gave birth to your first child, a boy that you named Ako. Motherhood has not come easy to you; you feel restless, being cooped up with Ako in the caravan all day. You love him, but you miss hunting wild boar, picking fresh blackberries, running through the tall grass. Your husband, Ox, agreed to stay behind with Ako so that you could go to the Bazaar. You’re supposed to be looking for baby supplies, but secretly you’re just glad to be free of maternal responsibility for a day.
Nava
He/Him
The Zan are warriors, hunters, drivers. You’ve never felt at home in the tribe in which you grew up. You aren’t competitive, strong, or athletic; you prefer reading and day-dreaming. You’re shy, quiet, gentle. Your family love you, but none of them understand you.
Pavi
He/Him
You are a young man, still in your teens, and you wear your heart on your sleeve. You feel things deeply, and are led by your emotions – when you’re angry, you break things; when you’re happy, you hug strangers. Recently, you have fallen in love for the first time, and it’s turned your entire world upside down. You would do anything for Akarel, your beloved. Recently, the Zan raided a small settlement called Tolvil, and during the raid you found a beautiful necklace. You plan to find the right moment in the Bazaar to give the necklace to Akarel and ask her to marry you.
Ravin
Any Pronouns
Serious, responsible, the eldest sibling in the family. You feel great pressure to uphold your father’s legacy. You’re rational and can keep a cool head even in the most chaotic situations.
Razia
She/Her
For years, you were a warrior, raiding small villages and bringing glory to the tribe as your convoy travelled around the countryside. But as time wore on, and your knees got worse, you decided to put down your sword and embrace your nurturing side. You take care of Zan children, from babies to teenagers, regaling them with stories of your warrior adventures and teaching them their ABCs. These days, many of the kids you once looked after are all grown up.
Vila
He/Him
You are one of the oldest Zan chieftains. You’ve been in this position for over forty years; you’ve seen other chieftains pass on, seen the tribe grow in numbers, seen old ways of life die out. You remember the Zan’s glory days, when every week you would raid another village. You lived by the sword and the Zan were feared by all. Now you think the tribe has gotten soft; barely any raids, too much trading and diplomacy.
Vinko
Any Pronouns
From childhood you were taught that Zan should stick together. But you’ve always wondered about the other people in the many towns you visit. What is life like for outsiders? You have a lot of theories, and you’ve read a few books, but you’ve never been able to ask them in person. You are full of burning questions and overwhelmed with curiosity.
Vix
He/Him
You’ve never been able to keep still. You’re always tapping your feet or drumming your fingertips; you’re always on edge, like a coiled spring about to release. When you were a kid, you were always up to crazy antics, showing off for the adults. Now, you try to find ways to satisfy your endless need for movement through other means. You’re a thrill-seeker, driving your modified tractorbike too fast, drinking too much, getting into fights. You love your tribe, but the Zan have had to get you out of trouble a few too many times for their liking; not least in Tolvil, where you were arrested for being drunk and disorderly and they had to raid the town to get you out. You know you’re on your last warning.
Zaia
She/Her
Your mother used to say you were ‘away with the fairies’. You’ve always lived life at a different tempo to everyone else; slower, dreamier, caught up in your own thoughts. You have an active imagination, and are rarely bored. As a forager, you spend a lot of time on your own, collecting berries, mushrooms and edible wildflowers. You like being by yourself as it gives you time to think and make up stories in your head.
Zino
He/Him
You live by the central Zan ethos – strength in unity. You’re loyal to your tribe and believe that the Zan are the greatest people in the world; certainly the strongest, the fiercest, and the mightiest warriors. You pride yourself on your physical prowess as a skilled warrior and hunter. You’re confident, fearless, and cocky.
