High on the western slopes of the Ilquar Mountains lives a human tribe as rugged as the terrain they inhabit. Known as the Alan-Atu, or the “Goat People,” these semi-nomadic shepherds have carved out a unique existence defined by master woodcraft, seasonal migrations, and a deep-seated distrust of the outside world. Buy Time of the Dragon: https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/16960/time-of-the-dragon-2e?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
High on the western slopes of the Ilquar Mountains, the Alan-Atu survive as a hardy tribe of “Goat People” who rely on master woodcraft, communal cooperation, and the songs of their bards to thrive in a land of goblin raiders.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam, and today we are looking at the Alan-Atu. I’d like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron — you can even pick up Dragonlance media or get $10 by signing up to StartPlaying.Games using my affiliate links in the description below. I’m referencing the Time of the Dragon boxed set for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below.
Discussion
While many human tribes of the Tamire are defined by their horses and their conquests, the Alan-Atu are defined by their herds and their mountains. They are a semi-nomadic people who have carved out a unique existence between the thick upper forests and the dry steppes.
In appearance, the Alan-Atu resemble their Uigan neighbors, but they carry a few distinct traits that often confuse travelers. Even at an early age, their faces develop extreme networks of wrinkles, making it easy for a stranger to think they have stumbled upon a tribe of prematurely old people. Their teeth and mustaches are often stained a rust-red from chewing a specific herbal root, a habit that makes spitting a common and accepted social custom. They dress for their environment, wearing robes of white, grey, and green, topped with woolen cloaks in woodland colors designed for stalking and camouflage. During the bitter winters, they supplement their fur-trimmed boots with thick felt slippers to navigate their stone homes.
Physically, the Alan-Atu are a tough and hardy folk, and this is especially true of their warriors, who possess a natural resilience and constitution shaped by their environment. They are a people naturally defined by a fatalistic worldview and a deep, inherent suspicion of anyone from the outside. This distrust is so palpable that it is easily noted by others, often making it difficult for them to form positive first impressions with strangers. Despite this, they are incredibly skilled at defending what is theirs. While they don’t have a formal “battle dress,” a shepherd in the pasture will usually keep a heavy leather robe on hand to serve as armor. Each warrior carries a lightweight oval shield made of cured leather and wicker, often adorned with grim trophies like bits of bone, hair, or items taken from fallen enemies. Their primary tool and weapon is the shildor, a long, heavy-bladed curved knife used for everything from butchering animals to throwing with lethal precision in combat.
Their lives are dictated by the rhythm of the mountain. In the spring, they drive their herds up to the cooler, fertile pastures of the high slopes, living in tents among the flocks. Here, they spend the summer gathering berries, curing leather, and stripping birch bark. When the autumn chill arrives, they migrate back down to their permanent winter quarters called bators. These are round houses made of wood and stone, with walls of stacked rock packed with straw and dung. Because these structures are built without fixed roofs, the family raises a leather tent-like cover over the stone walls once they return, creating a cozy, insulated space for the snowy months.
Socially, the Alan-Atu prioritize cooperation to survive constant goblin raids. Blood feuds are strictly forbidden, and disputes are settled through negotiation by family elders. However, the most unique figures in their society are the bards. Before the Cataclysm, the tribe never had a strong tradition of priesthood, so when the gods disappeared, their world wasn’t shattered. Instead, the bards stepped into the role normally occupied by priests, serving as the essential advisors to the tribe. Accompanied by the steady beat of the drum, they sing the songs of their people and use specific magic—focused on protection, enchantment, and divination—to advise chieftains. Because bards deal more frequently with the outside world, they are the only members of the tribe who don’t carry the typical social penalty when dealing with strangers.
The tribe’s internal structure is further defined by a strict separation of the sexes. While women hold equal status and can own property or serve as elders, their daily lives are kept entirely distinct from the men. There are women’s flocks and men’s flocks, women’s fires and men’s fires. Young men and unmarried women live in separate worlds, and only after marriage are they allowed to associate freely. This traditionalism is reinforced by the bards, whose songs and advice serve to keep the tribe tethered to ancient ways and resistant to new, outside ideas.
This leads to a profound suspicion of travelers. They won’t invite you into their camp; instead, they will make you camp at a distance and visit you there, bringing their own food so they don’t have to share yours or show you their numbers. If you manage to prove your good intentions, however, they pivot to extreme hospitality. Their feasts are legendary, featuring roasted mutton soaked in butter, mountain trout, and porridges of wild rice swimming in honey. A guest might even be offered a live, trussed kid to use as a bed-warmer on a cold night, or potentially even a marriage proposal.
Every fall, the Alan-Atu lower their guard for a trade week at the mouth of the Ur’musk Valley. They trade their woolens, tooled leathers, and birch-bark baskets for metal pots, weapons, and silk. But even during this time of peace, they remain vigilant against their greatest threat: the goblins. Because they are not as numerous as the goblins, they have mastered woodcraft to the point of being almost impossible to surprise. It is said an Alan-Atu man knows when a hawk has taken prey in the next valley, a level of awareness that has turned many a goblin raid into a disaster.
The Alan-Atu are a testament to the idea that survival isn’t always about the biggest army; sometimes, it’s about knowing your mountains better than anyone else. They are a culture of bards, weavers, and silent watchers who have maintained their way of life through one of the most tumultuous eras of Krynn’s history.
Outro
But that is all the time I have to talk about the Alan-Atu. What do you think about the unique role of bards as spiritual advisors in this tribe, or the heavy-bladed shildor as an all-purpose survival tool? And how would your players handle a group of people who are naturally so distrustful of their presence? Leave a comment below.
I would like to invite you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos, and click the like button. It all helps other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching — this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga, and until next time, remember:
Nothing ever happens by chance. Everything happens for a reason. Your brain may not know the reason. Your brain may never figure it out. But your heart knows. Your heart always knows.
