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Aloy wearing her Outcast outfit.
The term outcast refers to members of the Nora tribe that are shunned by the tribe for breaking its laws.
Overview[]
When a Nora tribe member is accused of a crime, the Matriarchs are called upon to judge and sentence them, with being deemed an outcast being among the punishments that may be given. The crimes of an outcast can range from minor infractions like fighting other tribe members,[1] to crimes such as stealing[2] or murder,[3][4][5] to entering ruins of the Metal World without the appropriate blessings.[6] In Aloy's case, she was cast out at birth for being motherless. Outcasts are given a term for which they are to remain shunned; ranging from a few months to a life sentence.
Outcasts are banned from entering most Nora settlements until their sentence is complete. They are expected to fend for themselves, without any help from tribe members or other outcasts.
Outcasts are forbidden from speaking with anyone, likewise, non-outcasts are forbidden from speaking with outcasts.[7] However, some outcasts and tribe members either choose to ignore this law, as in the case of Aloy, or find clever loopholes, as in the case of Odd Grata, who indirectly communicates to Aloy while praying to All-Mother.[8] The only time an outcast is permitted to speak to others is when allowed to do so by a High Matriarch, or in the case of a child outcast, while they are attending the Proving.[9] Rost and Aloy being allowed to speak to each other appears to be an exception in order for Rost to properly complete his unique objective to raise Aloy.
Rost's case of being an outcast is unique among others. Upon completing his task as a Death-Seeker and he returned to the border of the Sacred Lands while near-death, intending to die as close to the Sacred Lands as he could. He was dragged across by a Brave and nursed back to health. Finding themselves unable to drive him back out of the Sacred Lands, the Matriarchs allowed Rost to continue living his life in the Sacred Lands as an outcast so long as he never spoke of this exception.[10]
Outcast Children[]
A Nora mother leading children away from the outcast child Aloy.
Children can become outcasts. Outcast children are subject to the same rules as an adult outcast, plus one clause that specifically applies to them: when an outcast child reaches 18 years old,[5] they are allowed to join other Nora children in the Proving. If they complete the Proving, they are no longer an outcast and will be made a Brave. Aloy is the only known outcast child to exercise this right.[5] During the celebration before the Proving, the outcast child will be allowed into Mother's Heart, to join the celebrations and speak to other tribe members.[11] Presumably, if they fail to complete the Proving, they will remain an outcast.
The only known outcast children known to Teersa are Aloy and a 13 year old boy that was cast out for killing his mother. However, he didn't attend the Proving the year he would've been old enough to.[5]
Exiles[]
Any Nora who leaves the Sacred Lands without a Seeker blessing or are Death-Seekers are exiled from the tribe, also known as outcasts. Exiles are treated similarly to outlanders. If an exile enters the Sacred Lands, they will be deemed as trespassing and either driven back out[10] or killed. Some outcasts, such as Yun, choose to become exiles upon being cast out, forsaking the tribe altogether.[4]
Due to Aloy's actions, the Sacred Lands opens up, allowing outcasts who are such due to exile to return.[12]
Attitudes Towards Outcasts[]
The attitude towards the system of banishment in place of other punishments varies: Teersa views the practice as relatively humane, as other tribes would resort to execution for certain crimes.[5] Others, such as Aloy, believe it can be too harsh, especially for as long as she had to endure it (the first 18 years of her life).[13] Even outsiders like Erend, a member of the Oseram tribe, considers the practice cruel.[14]
Most Nora adhere to the rule forbidding speaking with outcasts, openly shunning them. For some, this is also an invitation to be hostile towards outcasts; Bast throws a rock at Aloy's head and calls her 'No-Mother' when they encounter each other as children.[15] However, some are at least tentatively accepting of outcasts coming to their aid, as Olara,[16] Thok, and Arana[17] are with Aloy.
Bast harassing Aloy.
Even after an outcast is allowed back into Nora society, they may still face hostility. Lansra, for example, continues to be antagonistic towards Aloy even after she is completes the Proving and is no longer an outcast,[18][19] while Resh and Bast openly berate her on the night of the Proving. Still, others are more accepting, as Teb and Vala are to Aloy.[20]
Among some outcasts, despite the tribal law prohibiting speaking to each other, there exists a sort of camaraderie; a willingness to help those who are in need, such as Aloy and Rost were with Grata, who was too old to hunt for herself.[8] Even after he was received back into the tribe, Karst continued trading with outcasts.[15]
History[]
The origin of the Nora practice of shunning is unknown, but given that it is a well-established custom, it is likely to have been around for several generations, if not centuries. The practice of outcast shunning may have been adapted from the punishment used by the multisevitors on those born within ELEUTHIA-9 who broke community rules, during which they were apparently not allowed to speak.[21]
Horizon Zero Dawn[]
After the Proving and War Party massacres, the Nora's warriors were wounded and stretched thin, allowing bandits to sneak through the border into the Sacred Lands. At least two groups of outcasts formed for the sake of survival. One group was led by Jom, comprised mainly of outcasts with life sentences. With Aloy's permission, the group took shelter in the bandit camp in Devil's Thirst once it had been cleared out.[22] The other group was led by Kurnst, made up of outcasts with lesser offenses (none of them were murderers), based west of Mother's Crown.[23]
During and after the Eclipse's assault on the Sacred Lands, Teersa and Jezza allowed the Nora tribe, including outcasts, into All-Mother Mountain for the sake of survival.[24]
Known Outcasts[]
.png "Odd Grata (HZDR).png (3.5 MB)")
Other Outcasts[]
- Fens[25]
- Unnamed 13 year old boy
Deceased Outcasts[]
Former Outcasts[]
Trivia[]
- Many outcasts use brown and white face paint as opposed to the traditional blue of the Nora.
- In Ancient Greece, the Athenians had a practice called 'ostracism.' Citizens would write an undesirable person's name on a shard of pottery and place it in a large public container; if a citizen's name was written enough times, they would be banished from the city for ten years.
References[]
- ↑ As mentioned by Kurnst during Insult to Injury.
- ↑ As mentioned by Cren during Nora Hunting Grounds.
- ↑ As mentioned by Jom during Devil's Thirst Bandit Camp.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 As mentioned by Yun during Traitor's Bounty.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 As mentioned by Teersa during Mother's Heart.
- ↑ As mentioned by Karst during The Point of the Spear.
- ↑ As mentioned by Rost during The Point of the Spear.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Odd Grata
- ↑ Opening credits of Horizon Zero Dawn.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 As mentioned by Teersa after completing The Heart of the Nora.
- ↑ The Proving
- ↑ As mentioned by Nakoa during The Looming Shadow.
- ↑ As mentioned by Aloy during Mother's Heart.
- ↑ As mentioned by Erend Vanguardsman during Mother's Heart.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 The Point of the Spear
- ↑ The Forgotten
- ↑ In Her Mother's Footsteps
- ↑ The Womb of the Mountain
- ↑ The Heart of the Nora
- ↑ Mother's Heart (Quest)
- ↑ E9B1 Incident Log B
- ↑ Devil's Thirst Bandit Camp
- ↑ Insult to Injury
- ↑ As mentioned by Varl during The Heart of the Nora.
- ↑ The Official Horizon Cookbook: Tastes of the Seven Tribes, pg. 116
[]
| Nora | |
|---|---|
| High Matriarchs | Jezza - Lansra - Teersa |
| Braves | Sona (War-Chief) - Aloy - Bast - Den - Dran - Ferl - Jarm - Marea - Muns - Resh - Teb's father - Vala - Varl |
| Seekers | Aloy - Sona - Teb - Varl |
| Outcasts | Brom - Cren - Grata - Jom - Kam - Kurnst - Nora Keeper - Rost - Yun |
| Other members | Alana - Arana - Dral - Enara - Fia - Grist - Jarg - Jun - Karst - Lut - Nakoa - Olara - Orn - Solai - Taim - Thok - Yan |