- "Where everyone else sees an inhospitable wasteland, they see a challenge to dominate."
- ―Lawan on the Desert Clan
The Desert Clan is one of the three clans of the Tenakth tribe featured in Horizon Forbidden West.
History[]
The Desert Clan have grown through the inspiration of the Nevada Ambush Vision in the Memorial Grove. The distorted hologram's glitched audio description appeared to talk about the Ten claiming the desert, inspiring the Desert Clan to do the same.[1]
The Clan Wars[]
From what little is known regarding the specifics of the Clan Wars, the Desert Clan fought in the Clan Wars, although no details about specific conflicts are known.
On August 26, 3020,[2] the then-Commander of the Lowland Clan, Hekarro, conquered the sacred Memorial Grove in a decisive victory. At the same time, AETHER arrived in the Memorial Grove as it escaped GAIA's self-destruction, triggering a Vision never before seen by the Tenakth. Believing it to be a message from the Ten, Hekarro united the clans, ending the Clan Wars.[3]
The Red Raids[]
Due to them being the closest clan to the Sundom, the Desert Clan were the first Tenakth attacked by the Carja during the Red Raids, with Regalla's brothers being among those killed.[4] When Hekarro led the united Tenakth and some Utaru fighters to Barren Light to get their vengeance, Kotallo of the Sky Clan scaled the walls around Barren Light to infiltrate the settlement and open the gates, allowing the warriors from the Forbidden West to raze Barren Light and chase the Carja out of the Daunt completely.[5]
Regalla's Rebellion and the Water Crisis[]
When Regalla began her war against Hekarro, most of the Desert Clan chose to stay neutral, with many believing that the victor of the conflict would be the one fit to lead, and since Regalla was from the Desert Clan.
Within days of Regalla's rebellion beginning, Ukktah damaged a pump connected to the Wound in the Sand, causing it to stop refilling, while searching for an alternative water source under Drakka's orders,[6] which caused an existential crisis for the Desert Clan. Commander Yarra chose to hide the Wound's state from the clan and implemented strict water rations while she searched for either an alternate water source or a means to fix the Wound. The rationing was met with rising dissent among the clan, especially from her political rival Drakka.[7]
When the Easterner Aloy arrived in Arrowhand, the clan's Chaplain Jetakka enlisted her help, having heard of her unique insight into the Old Ones.[8] As Jetakka had hoped, Aloy was able to repair the Wound, but one problem was soon replaced by another. Drakka discovered the Wound's depletion when he arrived to get his village's water rations: meanwhile, Yarra concluded that Drakka sabotaged the Wound upon discovering Ukktah, one of Drakka's men, nearby the damaged pump. Tensions quickly boiled over, and Drakka challenged Yarra for command of the Clan.[7]
Knowing the conflict could escalate into civil war within the clan, Jetakka once again enlisted Aloy's help. While they were unable to stop the challenge, they were able to mitigate the bloodshed by keeping the conflict within a few squads, with the winner of the challenge ultimately being the one Aloy chose to back.[9]
Society and Culture[]
While historically the entire region has been dry and inhospitable, the degradation of the terraforming system has led to increased rainfall in recent years within the northern areas.
Culture[]
The Desert Clan are notoriously hot-blooded and aggressive, even compared to other Tenakth clans.
The Desert Clan build their settlements top of ancient ruins, which are generally the only structurally sound areas in the region.
Economy[]
The Desert Clan's sole source of drinkable water comes from a well they call "the Wound in the Sand", located within their capital of Scalding Spear. This forms a barter system, with the other villages in the clan trading resources, such as machine parts,[8] food or pigment,[10] for the life-giving water they cannot otherwise obtain.
Desert Clan Settlements[]
Former Settlements[]
Notable Members of the Desert Clan[]
Other Members[]
Former Members of the Desert Clan[]
Gallery[]
Concept Art[]
References[]
- ↑ Nevada Ambush
- ↑ Operations Log
- ↑ As mentioned by Hekarro during The Broken Sky.
- ↑ As mentioned by Regalla after completing The Wings of the Ten.
- ↑ As mentioned by Kotallo after completing The Kulrut.
- ↑ As mentioned by Drakka during The Wound in the Sand.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Wound in the Sand
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Thirst for the Hunt
- ↑ The Gate of the Vanquished
- ↑ The Deluge