- "The Oseram believe in many things. The forge's hiss, the charcoal's crack, the creak of the fermenting barrel."
- ―Mournful Namman
The Oseram are a human tribe in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. They are known for their excellent metalworkers and craftsmen, and as such, their steel and powerful weaponry. They are more technologically advanced compared to the other known tribes.
History[]
Like all tribes on the continent, the Oseram descend from the inhabitants of ELEUTHIA-9.[1] They are said to be the first tribe to delve into the ruins of the Old Ones, which are plentiful in their homeland.
Due to their loosely defined government, numerous Oseram have left the Claim for work and settlement, becoming the most widely spread tribe in the known world, with members being found in the Sundom, the Valleymeet, the Cut, the Forbidden West, and even as far as the Burning Shores. The Oseram have been commissioned for work by the Carja, being responsible for the construction of Meridian's elevators.[2]
The Red Raids[]
The Oseram were one of several tribes attacked by the Carja during the Red Raids. Countless among their tribe were either slaughtered or brought to the Sun-Ring to be enslaved and/or sacrificed. Despite being among those being hunted, a number of Oseram remained in the Sundom during this time, such as the work gang led by Petra Forgewoman, keeping mobile to avoid kestrels.[2]
To counter the Carja threat, many Oseram banded together to defend their land and their people. Dervahl, a genius tinker and warlord, crafted powerful weapons and rallied his people against the Carja, but eventually lost his wife and daughter to the raids.[3]
Approximately a decade into the Raids, Avad, the second son of the Mad Sun-King, came to the Claim in hopes of ending his father's brutal reign. Ersa, remembering Avad's role in helping her escape, gathered Freebooters loyal to her and joined Avad's cause. Thus, the Oseram would play a crucial role in the Liberation of Meridian, and the end of the Red Raids.[3]
Post-Liberation of Meridian[]
Upon becoming Sun-King, Avad turned his Freebooter allies into the Vanguard, his personal guard and part of Meridian's security. Any remaining Oseram slaves were released, and all Oseram were granted entry into Meridian. While suspicious of the Carja and jealous of the success Oseram in the Sundom have found, the ealdormen of the Claim agreed to form an alliance with their neighbors to the south. Free trade resulting from this alliance proved mutually beneficial, and many Oseram came to the Sundom for work.[3]
Society and Culture[]
In many respects, Oseram culture is distinct from other tribes, especially their dismissiveness of spirituality, and frequently being found beyond their homeland.
While no Oseram can be found wearing face paint (although some have tattoos), there is Oseram face paint available for Aloy to wear in Horizon Forbidden West.
Like the Carja and Banuk, the Oseram have a written language.
Political structure[]
The tribe as a whole is made up of independent villages maintained by family clans. These clans are loosely united into a larger nation-state, although the day-to-day lives of Oseram are governed by his or her clan's ealdormen.
Each clan elects a council of ealdormen to provide governance to the tribe, although this is typically done on a case-by-case basis. Oseram citizens with requests for marriage or policy proposals for the village will wait in line for hours each day for an opportunity to pose their question to the ealdormen.[4] Settlements outside of the Claim appear to follow different governing structures.
Craftsmanship and material culture[]
The Oseram's greatest achievement is their practical craftsmanship, which many members can be heard boasting about. Forging and metalworking are one of the cornerstones of Oseram culture, with virtually every settlement centering around a forge. Their armors are highly resilient and their weapons are advanced and powerful despite their lack of ancient knowledge, with a particularly notable example being the Oseram Cannon, a key element in Jiran's defeat during the Liberation of Meridian. Other apparatuses, like Sonic Devices,[5][6] hatches,[7] and primitive voice recorders[5] are proof of their technological aptitude, which so far can only be surpassed by those bearing knowledge of the Old Ones. According to Ralert, Oseram use all the parts from machines and consider it wasteful to do otherwise.[8]
Oseram structures are sturdy in design, comprised of stone and reinforced with lumber and metal. Most of their smaller buildings tend to be circular or cylindrical in shape.
As evidenced by many, the Oseram are heavy drinkers.
Beliefs[]
The Oseram believe that the world functions as a large and intricately crafted mechanism, and all the forces of nature are accounted for by this mechanism. They believe that the Old Ones were once the caretakers of this "world-machine", and their civilization fell due to their failure to maintain it.[9]
Aside from this myth, the Oseram are largely irreligious, and scorn the idea of religious bodies.[4] They are generally critical of tribal religions, especially when they interfere with common sense.
The Oseram have legends about red-haired girls and the change they bring.[10]
Celebrations[]
An annual ale feast that lasts from dawn to the following sunrise is held every year in Mainspring, with the Oseram dressing up in outfits dyed with the Mountain Sunrise dye.[11]
The Oseram have a holiday event known as Smithfeast's Eve, which involves boars.[12]
Values[]
The Oseram value independence and freedom of expression above all else, with arguments being a vital part of Oseram culture.[4] Similarly, honesty is a key virtue, and violations are punishable by death.
Oseram society is highly patriarchal, with women often being treated like property. Women who wish to become soldiers must shave their heads. Married women will have "Wife" as their title's suffix[2] (ex: Forgewife, Bladewife).
The patriarchy is stronger in the Claim than in the neighboring Sundom, especially after the recent reforms of Sun-King Avad. Following the Liberation, many Oseram women have left the Claim in hopes of finding independence.[10]
The Oseram are known to employ extremely cruel methods of torture, which, according to Sun-King Avad, "surpass the imaginations of even his father".[3]
Foreign Relations[]
Oseram are often seen outside of the Claim, either searching for employment opportunities or resettling entirely. Among the other tribes, the Oseram are known for their rowdiness and frequent disregard for cultural boundaries.
The Carja[]
The Carja are the Oseram's southern neighbors, whom they share a long history with. Based on glyphs, the Oseram may have begun trade with the Carja as early as the reign of Sun-King Juwadan.[13] It is likely that the two tribes had cordial relations during Sun-King Jiran's reign prior to the start of the Red Raids, as Oseram work gangs willingly went to Meridian for work, and were responsible for the construction of Meridian's elevators.[2]
During the Red Raids, the Oseram were hit especially hard by the Carja due to their proximity, as well as lack of coordination against the enemy. While some Oseram, such as Dervahl, hated all Carja for the Raids, others acknowledged that Sun-King Jiran's actions did not represent all Carja. The allegiance between then-disgraced Prince Avad and Oseram freebooters was a vital component of the Liberation of Meridian, and the freebooters that marched with Avad became the first members of the Vanguard, which in time became not only a crucial part of Meridian, but a symbol of unity between the two tribes.[3]
Oseram tend to criticize Carja culture for its opulence,[4] and are suspicious of the Sundom igniting war with them again. On the other hand, many Oseram, particularly women, have immigrated to the Sundom due to the comparatively greater freedom, forming a considerable minority. The ealdormen in the Claim seem the least receptive of the alliance, owing largely to the resulting emigration and the potential influence of Carja culture (particularly in regards to women).[10] Additionally, some Oseram, most notably Dervahl, hold a grudge against the Carja for the Red Raids, which nearly led to the conflict restarting.
While the alliance between the two tribes is uneasy at best, it is nevertheless the strongest inter-tribal relationship seen in the known world.
The Banuk[]
The Oseram and Banuk seem to have a relationship of mutual indifference, although Burgrend describes them as friendly. Oseram merchants have traveled to and from the Cut in an attempt to engage in trade with the Banuk, with limited success.[14]
The Nora[]
While interactions between the Nora and Oseram are limited, the Oseram appear to have a basic knowledge of Nora customs, with Erend having heard about Nora outcasts.[15] Some Oseram, most notably Gera, have come to Hunter's Gathering following the Red Raids, engaging in trade with the Nora tribe for the first known time in either of their histories.
Territory[]
The Oseram homeland, known as the Claim lies in the north of the Sundom.
Settlements within the Claim[]
- Mainspring (capital)
- Three Chains
Settlements outside the Claim[]
Members[]
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NPC Archetypes[]
- Elite Mercenary
- Mercenary Forgesmith
- Mercenary Gunner
- Mercenary Heavy
- Mercenary Warrior
- Odund's Marvel Outlander
- Oseram Delver
- Oseram Elder
- Oseram Freebooter
- Oseram Guard
- Oseram Miner
- Oseram Outlander
- Oseram Worker
- Vanguard Regular
- Vanguard Steelbreaker
Trivia[]
- The Oseram make use of bynames, which are last names derived from occupation, gender, marital status, or familial relation. Examples include Erend Vanguardsman, Petra Forgewoman and Olin Delverson.
- The Oseram's culture is loosely based on that of the Cossacks.[39]
- Their clothing and architecture style, however, were original designs, conceived by determining how they would interact with their environment.
- The Oseram have been referred to as the "dwarves" of the Horizon universe by the developers.
- Scrappersap, considered to be the finest Oseram brew, is derived from corn.
- The names of Oseram settlements take inspiration from machinery and mechanics (Chainscrape, Three Chains) or from the geography of the area (Pitchcliff).
Gallery[]
Concept art[]
Character concept art[]
References[]
- ↑ Horizon GAIA Cast | Episode 4 - Exploring the Tribes, 2:58
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 As mentioned by Petra Forgewoman during Heap of Trouble.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 As mentioned by Sun-King Avad during Into the Borderlands.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Claim (Datapoint)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Into the Borderlands
- ↑ The Sun Shall Fall
- ↑ The City of the Sun
- ↑ As mentioned by Ralert during Death from the Skies.
- ↑ The Old Ones (Datapoint)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 As mentioned by Gera after completing To Old Acquaintance.
- ↑ As mentioned in the description for the Mountain Sunrise dye.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Mentioned by Gildun during A Friend in the Dark.
- ↑ The Sun-Kings
- ↑ As mentioned by Burgrend during Into the Frozen Wilds.
- ↑ As mentioned by Erend Vanguardsman during Mother's Heart.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 A Knew Agreemunt
- ↑ As mentioned by Erend Vanguardsman at The Base.
- ↑ The Official Horizon Cookbook: Tastes of the Seven Tribes
- ↑ Urgent! Supplies Needed!
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Message for Gunda
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 How's the Weather?
- ↑ Mighty Pint
- ↑ Music Box
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 As mentioned by Larend.
- ↑ Delver's Journal
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Ferna's Courage
- ↑ Good Day Gone Bad
- ↑ Dervahl's Journal
- ↑ Hammers for Hire
- ↑ My Eyebrows!
- ↑ Damn that Korjund!
- ↑ Reforging The Claim
- ↑ Mentioned in Shipping Manifest
- ↑ Mentioned by Danur
- ↑ They Didn't Eat Me
- ↑ Mentioned in Ferna's Courage
- ↑ Colleague and Key (datapoint)
- ↑ To Do List
- ↑ Madqueen Show on Youtube: How Horizon Zero Dawn was designed
[]
| Oseram tribe | |
|---|---|
| Ealdormen | Elgrund |
| Vanguard | Erend Vanguardsman (captain) - Aldur - Ersa - Fendur - Joruf - Telga |
| Tribe members | Abadund - Aluf - Arnuf - Asera - Bajund - Beladga - Belna - Brageld - Boomer - Burgrend - Corend - Danur - Delah - Dervahl - Dorgeld - Dorund - Elkend - Fernund - Garnund - Gera - Gildun - Gilvarn - Hakund - Hakurt - Handa - Hegeda Bladewife - Jelda - Jorgriz - Jorund - Kaeluf - Karhn - Kendert - Keruf - Korduf - Korl - Korvend - Larend - Lokuf - Lora - Lorund - Luf - Lunda - Marsa - Menuf - Milduf Boarbroiler - Minda - Morlund - Mystery Boxes Merchant - Odund - Odurg - Ohlgrud Smithsson - Ohtur - Olin Delverson - Olin's son - Petra Forgewoman - Porguf - Radel - Ragurt - Ralert - Rasgrund - Raynah - Runda - Salga - Salma - Silga - Stemmur Wordsmith - Thorden - Thurlis - Tolland Cleanbroker - Ulvund Freeholder - Valgend - Varga - Vilgund - Volma |
| Pets | Garun |