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Aterians
A tribe of people from north-western Africa, near the modern-day Strait of Gibraltar, mentioned in The Mammoth Hunters. Wymez lived with them for a time and Ranec was born into their tribe. Wymez states they enjoy dancing and are highly skilled flint knappers, creating bifacially-worked blades and axe-heads, which is where he learned his own knapping skills. In General
- Culture Clash: This became a serious problem between the Aterians and their new neighbours, with clashes and misunderstandings over differing customs and hunting grounds. At first, they tried to resolve things diplomatically, but so-called "young hotheads" on both sides began stirring up trouble, which gradually escalated into violence.
- Cycle of Revenge: Wymez indicates that this behaviour between certain individuals on both sides resulted in all-out war between the Aterians and their neighbours. Subsequently, the Aterians gradually came to distrust and resent anyone with lighter skin due to suffering many casualties, including Wymez, even though he was mated to an Aterian woman and had attempted to act as a peacekeeper between both factions.
- Garden Garment: Wymez states they were skilled at grass-weaving and that the women wore skirts made of grass.
- Humans Are White: A notable aversion. The Aterians are heavily implied to live in north-western Africa or near there and are explicitly described as having much darker skin compared to most people living in Europe. They were said to have recently emigrated from further south at the time Wymez first met them. We never actually meet any Aterians in the series proper, as its set entirely in Europe, although Ranec clearly takes after his Aterian mother in appearance.
- Meaningful Name: The Aterians share their name with the term archaeologists gave to a specific type of Stone Age tool-making, which in-universe the Aterians are famed for.
Ranec's mother
Ranec's mother
Mentioned in: The Mammoth Hunters
An Aterian woman who was Wymez's first mate and the mother of his son, Ranec. She died long before the events of the series.
- First Love: To Wymez. She was the first woman he loved enough to want to settle down and create a hearth with. Around two decades after her death, he still hasn't found anyone else he loves that much although he eventually develops a relationship with Tulie.
- Happily Married: She and Wymez were a happy couple who dearly loved each other; she was even willing to leave her people and make a long, dangerous journey to settle with her husband's people, so they could all live together in peace. Unfortunately she didn't survive the journey.
- The Lost Lenore: To Wymez. She died around two decades prior to The Mammoth Hunters and he clearly still misses her, speaking of her with great affection and sadness; he keeps a beautiful outfit that she had made in the Aterian style, the rest of her belongings having been lost at sea along with her. He does eventually move on as it's revealed in The Land of Painted Caves that he mated Tulie, but it took him a long time.
- Maligned Mixed Marriage: Not at first, but her people came to resent Mamutoi-born Wymez due to the suffering and violence they'd experienced with their white neighbours. This prompted her and Wymez to take their son and leave for Europe before things escalated further.
- Missing Mom: To Ranec, she having died when he was still a baby. He doesn't have too many memories of her, although his father talks to him about her and he has a few of her belongings to remember her by.
- No Name Given: Wymez never mentions her name.
- Posthumous Character: She tragically drowned many years ago while she, Wymez and baby Ranec were attempting to sail over to Europe to escape inter-tribal violence that threatened them.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: She attempted to flee with her mate and son from Aterian territory to live with the Mamutoi due to the ongoing war between her people and neighbouring tribes. Unfortunately, the rough weather caused their boat to capsize and she drowned, although Wymez and Ranec survived.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Although he has features from both his parents, Ranec takes after his mother in particular; he has deep brown skin, dark curly hair and dark "laughing" eyes just like her.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: Wymez says she was beautiful with dark flashing eyes.
Sungaea
A tribe who live close to Mamutoi territory, near modern-day Russia. It's believed they and the Mamutoi were once part of the same people long ago, due to their close proximity and language similarities, though they are now culturally distinct. In General
- Meaningful Name: The Sungaea's name is taken from Sungir, a prominent Upper Palaeolithic archaeological site in Russia which more or less corresponds to the Sungaea’s described territory; the Sungaea’s cultural practices (such as their heavy use of beading for clothing and their burial rites) are also based upon archaeological findings at the site.
