pertaining to the descriptions of the campaign setting
The Lands
The Tribe of Sky and Fire roam the northwestern lands of pre-1800's America. They are a nomadic people, but their route is defined. They travel in a clockwise pattern, up the mountains in the spring, along the northern planes during the summer, and down through the lake-lands in autumn, through the woodlands in the winter. Each season has it's terrain, each terrain has it's lifestyle. In the spring they fish, and make peace with the Stone Keepers. In the Summer they hunt the Buffalo, and perform the Sun Dance. In the Autumn they have reached the River Lands, and trade with the Lake People. This takes them to the Southwest, where they reach the Shrouded Forest, and the outpost that keeps watch over any invasions of the Sioux. By Winter they are traveling the woodland routes, keeping to the trails of old totems, and using the trees to build fires for Steam Lodges.
The Buffalo and the Dance
While the many tribes of the Blackfoot Nation are each independent, the Tribe of Sky and Fire is known for it's excellent hunters and it's skilled Shaman. The synergy of these two groups have led to a tribe spoken highly of at the High Council which meets every Winter Solstice at Reaching Rock. They are a calm, and peaceful tribe, not first to make war with the Sioux. But they bring more than their fair share of provisions after they have traveled the route given to them.
Those Surrounding Them
The Great Mountains along the Western Horizon are home to the Sasquatch. These ancient Rock-dwellers (Called "Rock Keepers") are a mystic race that speak little, and often watch the Blackfoot pass by with little concern. Their ways are mysterious, known only to the Great Spirit, and the respect kept between them and the Blackfoot is many ages old. There has never been a war with the Sasquatch, but some battles have been fought, in the now ancient past. The Sioux and the Blackfoot do not forget: they have never won a fight with the Sasquatch.
The Northern Planes are mostly unpopulated. This is where the Blackfoot Nation is at it's strongest and most peaceful. Here they hunt the Buffalo, and ride the open lands of golden wheat. Here they dance the Sun Dance, in honor of the Sky and the Fire in it, the path of the Great Spirit.
The River Lands, to the Northeast, are home to the Lake People. These are mostly hermit folk, and tribe-less settlers that live in family-clans and rarely travel. They are mostly dependent on the Blackfoot Tribes for supplies hunted and gathered on their nomadic travels, which they then trade for medicine and fish. The River People are known for their spirit worship and their medicine. They are excellent fisherfolk, and build good canoes.
The Southeastern reaches are mostly vast, near-desolate grasslands. This is an unclaimed region, sitting between the lands belonging to the Blackfoot, and the invaders of the far Southeast, the Sioux. The Sioux are an honorable but violent nation of powerful warriors. Once a Blackfoot has killed a Sioux, or stolen a horse from their tribes, he is greatly respected.
The South and Southwest are the Woodlands, a great realm of trees and hills. This would be the ideal setting for the Blackfoot Tribes to remain, if they ever gave up their nomadic ways. But the trees are haunted by Nimerigar: small, malevolent creatures that shoot poisoned quills and darts at the Blackfoot tribes. No Blackfoot ever ventures too far into the Woodlands, but remains on the pathways, and stays within sight of the Spirit Totems that ward the Nimerigar.
The Tribe of Sky and Fire
The Tribe is nomadic. They thrive on hunting and shamanism. Their leaders are a singular Chief who's brothers and brothers-in-law are his council of advisers. The right to Chief is earned through the respect of the tribe and the efforts and feats of the chief-elect. The women of the tribe serve mostly as craft and trade workers, though some become Dancers or Tribal Leaders. The Shaman's of the Tribe are chosen by existing Shaman's. Braves and Pathfinders earn their title through deeds.
Almost all commerce in the Tribe is communal, though barter is the means by which they diversify their ranks. "Wealthy" often means merely "Fortunate" in the sense of what game has been taken and what provisions remain. Some members of the Tribe travel slower than the others, using large carts or land-sleds pulled by more than one Horse. These are the members of the Tribe that rarely stay at more than one of the Five Points along the Route. A few of the Tribe never take a true place to rest, sleeping outside of Teepee's and Holds, choosing instead to remain always a day's travel ahead or behind the Tribe, sleeping under the stars. As such there is a balance. The old travel between the five points in but a few, hard days. The Pathfinders and Scouts are at all times within reach of the Tribe, but just on the horizon before them or behind them.
The Tribe of Sky and Fire worship the Sun, which is the face of the First, the Great Spirit. His emissaries, The Thunderbirds, and the Animal Spirits, are worshiped as his chosen, and not as deity. While almost all of the Blackfoot Nation places their faith in the Great Spirit, their neighbors do not always follow suite. The Sioux are proud warriors that worship both the Sun and the Moon. The Lake-Landers worship only Spirits of the Water. And the Sasquatch are strangely mystic and somewhat divine in their own right.