Rotsakers

Rotsakers are a fictional ethnic group from the inland valleys of the continent Tharos in the fantasy setting Therion. They specialize in root crops, fermentation, and arboriculture, and maintain an agrarian economy supplemented by craft production. Their social life centers on family lineages, communal festivals, and an elder council.

The ethnonym derives from rot, for root, with saka meaning keeper. Their language, Rotsak, is part of the Tharan language family and is commonly used alongside a regional trade lingua franca.

Geography and society: Rotsakers live in clustered villages along the Roka River and nearby woodlands. Clan ties govern land use and marriage, and youths apprentice in farming, fermentation, or woodcraft.

Culture and economy: Root cultivation, fermentation, and carved wooden wares are core crafts. They preserve surpluses by drying and fermenting, trading root products, honey, and wooden goods with neighbors.

History and customs: Their origins lie in migrations during the Great Winter, followed by settlement in the valley and protective pacts with neighbors. The annual Root Harvest Festival marks the season’s turn, with dances, toasts, and ritual plantings; root totems symbolize lineage.

In fiction: Rotsakers appear in fantasy novels and role-playing games, used to explore themes of stewardship, community governance, and relationship to the land.