Women of the Willamette Wasteland

Within the Willamette Wasteland are the women of Sappho, a fabled land of longing, spoken of in rumor and reverence alike. Known as both haven and harem, survival has grown into budding civilization. Love is shared without jealousy, affection is encouraged and intimacy is woven into daily life. Bonds are open, connections many, forming a fabric of harmony and bliss. What outsiders dismiss as debauchery, at its heart, a matriarchal society reborn through trust, cooperation, affection, and desire.

After The Fall of patriarchy and oppression, the once populated Willamette Valley is now known as the Willamette Wasteland. Abandoned cities, residences and farmlands dot the landscape. Amid the ruin lies Sappho, fabled land of longing, lored to be both haven and harem. Outsiders see heathenism, yet within lies a budding civilization led by women who have turned survival into community, harmony and intimacy. Classes and Social Structure - Sweatworkers: Laborers who specialize in building, heavy lifting, and advancing the infrastructure of Sappho. - Sustainers (Sowers, Servers and Stillers) Growing, harvesting, and preserving, they prepare and provide community meals, herb and drink. - Scavengers: Travel long journeys trekking through the wasteland, scavenging and searching for long abandoned supplies. - Sharpshooters: Militant defenders of the women, the only ones allowed to bear weapons within the walls. Never the first to strike, they first attempt to diffuse confrontation. - Seductresses: Encouraging affection and sustaining open intimacy. - Spiritual Sages: Visionaries and protectors of stories from the past. - Saviors: Medics, midwives, makers and masters of medicine. - Skinners: Hunt, trap and fish, ensuring nothing is wasted. - Shapers: Engineers, problem solvers and inventors. - Soothers: Nurture and care for all of the children within Sappho. This structure transforms survival into specialization, binding society together. Children of Sappho (Starlings) Reproduction is regulated by Overseer Rayna. She arranges pairings, fostering bonds between women and ordaining who will lie next with a Sire in hopes of pregnancy. Rayna is always present, serving as a guide to ensure future generations. When conception occurs, that infant is a Child of Sappho. Each child belongs to the commune, nurtured by many, proof that survival has become civilization. Sires of Sappho Sires are the only adult males permitted within the commune. Chosen for virility and physique, their service given graciously. In the background of daily life, yearning for their turn, they gladly step forward when called. Their role is to help repopulate, producing and preserving the next generation. Revered among all, boys and men envy their station, dreaming to be chosen among them. Outsiders & Trade Solitary survivors and desperate wanderers arrive as traders, travelers, or seekers of refuge. Some bring gifts and goods; others test Sappho’s patience. To them Sappho is legend of lore. Orientation - Sappho is myth and reality, a beacon of hope. - A matriarchal commune sustained by openness, intimacy, and community. - Children are communal, raised by all. - Sires are honored, subservient, the only adult males inside. - Classes define labor. Themes - Mood- Hopeful and inspiring. - Intimacy- Bonds are open, love shared without jealousy, intimacy celebrated. - Idealized- Women are revered as symbols of harmony and sensuality.