By Samantha Webb
When the machines attacked, some Everans recognized that they had one chance of survival—to keep moving. Regardless of previous affiliations or past rivalries, those with experience in transport, travel, or seafaring banded together to create safe havens on the waves. Over time, the Rivers became the lifeblood of Everan settlements, carrying necessary materials, food, medicine, and, often most importantly, news, to communities all across the continent.
As the most respected traders in Evera they flow like blood through veins, bringing life and vitality. They are known, respected, cared for, and protected whenever they come ashore, but their way of life is more than just a vocation—it’s an entire philosophy. Just as the rivers of Evera are constantly moving, so are the people that call it their home. A River’s Boat is a home first and foremost, its crew a family, and as more Boats come together they form a community that only grows.
Rivers don’t just carry goods between the ‘Dry People’ of Evera Prime, with them flows news, gossip, warnings, or advice carried almost by osmosis from place to place. This way, communities across the continent can stay connected and hear from acquaintances, or even loved ones who are hundreds of miles away.
The Rivers are among the most pragmatic people on Evera. Technology, save for that which might improve life on the water, doesn’t enter into their thoughts until it needs to. As they see it, technology came and went, but the flow of the rivers remained largely unchanged, and that’s how they live their lives. Rivers don’t use a conventional naming structure, though they do have ways of referring to one another. When among the Dry People, Rivers refer to themselves by the names of their Boats. When traveling on the water, they use the name of their home Boat as a surname of sorts, and their rank or title as a first name.