Found in Dusk-Hollow and the drifting Flotsam Bazaar.
The Philosophy: This is a rough-and-tumble, tightly-knit culture born from survival necessity. Because their villages are built on starlight marshes and river deltas that physically sink into the mud whenever the population experiences collective despair, they have weaponized aggressive, hyper-forced optimism. Their motto is: "A Light Heart Keeps the Docks Above."
Social Traditions:
The Joy Tax: In these towns, brooding or crying in a tavern is strictly outlawed because it physically threatens the building's buoyancy. If a local family experiences a tragedy, the entire town will deploy street performers, comedians, and thunderous folk musicians to force them into celebration, driving the soil back up out of the muck.
The Barter of Absurdity: They reject the strict legal contracts of the High Legalists. Instead, their entire economy operates on a chaotic, whimsical barter system. You might pay for a night at an inn by telling a joke the innkeeper has never heard before, or buy a pair of boots by surrendering the ability to whistle.
The Fear: They live under the permanent threat of being raided and extradited by the high courts. Because of this, their communities are fiercely suspicious of morning-side or night-side outsiders.