Sith-makar

Sith'makar Common Alignments Tendency towards neutral alignments Common Classes Ranger, Druid, Sorcerer (draconic), Barbarian, Fighter Influencial Faiths Daeus (Father Dragon), Dana (Mother Earth), Gilead (Hunter), Tarien (Old Trickster), The Green Word (a faith that places Dana and Gilead at its center); distrustful towards technology-driven deities (Reos, Serriel) Most Frequently Found In Am'shere, Alexandros (mostly trade-based exposure through the Portal) Naming Ideas Some players have used old TSR "draconic" as an influence, or old Aztec or Mesoamerican languages Sith-makar Characters Sith-makar

The sith-makar are one part of the Children of the Flame, and have been isolated from the world until recent history. For most of their history, they lived on Am'shere, a jungle located on the unknown continent of Jammur. Am'shere itself is as beautiful as it is dangerous. No few tales of the tribal Fire share stories of the hatching who was snatched from its caretaker's arms.

While the exact origins of the Children of the Flame remain shrouded, their shamans tell of a legend where the first sith-makar was spun from the blood of evil dragons. Smaller than their progenitors, they were were used as slaves and foot stoldiers by dragon overlords during the early years of the Second Age, after the passing of the Time of Glaciers.

In those days, it is said that the good dragons grew sympathetic to the plight of their children. These dragons, led by the Great Silver (whose name is whispered in reverence as Alumivoritax) spirited the Children to a hidden enclave, in the furthest reaches of the Great Continent. Not all survived the journey, and it is sometimes whispered that from their ashes were born great trees that thickened Am'shere's growth. Regardless of its truth, today Am'shere is a thick and bloody jungle region in the deeps of the largely unexplored sub-continent of Jammur. It is also the main reason the Children survived to present day, hidden largely from the eyes of the world.

Since the legend of Alumivoritax, the Children devolved into various branches: the Ko-jodakh or Troglodytes, the Nar-sektoth or Sahuagin and the Sith-makar the Lizardfolk. Draconic territoriality and Am'shere's bloody environment led these tribes to war with one another. It is possible other branches exist, as well, as the Children have survived in Am'shere for some time. Today, these varied branches compete for territory, although when threatened by outsiders, they have been known to band together in lethal force.

Of all the Children of the Flame, the sith-makar retained the greatest belief in their draconic heritage. It is the sith-makar who held sacred the Memory of Blood and Mysteries of Fire. Though unconfirmed, their tale-keeper caste shares the story of a great hero who rewoke the Blood. In whispers they speak of a sacred ritual, enacted with the aid of dragonkind and of great sacrifice. However, if they know more, the sith-makar are not talking--recent events have made them reticient of sharing certain details. Perhaps due to this, or their own lack of certainty, details are scarce and uncertain at best, especially outside of Am'shere.

It is this new breed, these "dragon-touched," who are available for play here on Ea.

The Children would have remained unknown in Am'shere, if not for the acts of Charn. Nearly one hundred years past, scouts from that empire encountered the tribes. Charn's actions would set the Children's view of "softskins" for years to come. Charn used Am'shere as harsh training grounds. They saw untapped natural resources, and began razing the jungle, and attempted to enslave its inhabitants. The Children united briefly, and fought them back, though suffered great losses.

That may have been the end of it. However, by accident the Charnese discovered the Children's latent heritage. This has prompted a number of blood experiments by that nation, as well as unscrupuluous wizards. As the young are easier, they tend to prey upon them, which has not soften the Children's view towards these groups--most particularly the sith-makar, among whom the heritage is strongest.

During these years, the tribal shamans would discover several portals leading from Am'shere back to the Great Continent. Cautious, they sent envoys of their own, brave sith-makar who would leave on journeys. While they avoided the cities at first, they began to find allies among druidic circles. Eventually, they would make contact in other areas. They began to seek metal, trade and exploration. The sith-makar in particular are making their presence known in scattered parts of the world.

Today, sith-makar trade caravans, settlements and even members of the adventuring community have become a rare but accepted sight. Their primary point of contact with the world is through Alexandros. Here, a heavily guarded portal connects their distant land with Alexandria. Druidic forces on either side ensure guard the portal with fervor.

The outside world has remained unknown for generations.

Physical Description

The "dragon-touched" among the sith-makar frequently display a mixture of draconic bloodlines, mixed with their sauran ancestry. Overall there is no one universal look for them, and the bloodline has been so mixed and diluted over the years that though certain traits may dominate, the bloodlines mix among them in a way that is truly exotic and unique.

No sith'makar could be said to be purely of any particular dragon ancestry. They are their own race with unique features yet overall, draconic look. Generally speaking, family lines tend to determine their most dominate colorations and features. Even the purest silver will have traces of other bloodlines.

As a race, they are large and, due to their reptilian nature, physically imposing but deceptively fast on their feet, with long tails to counterbalance them, and at times horns or dramatic, colorful frills that often accent their speech. Their unique features can play a distinctive role in their communication: their heritage is a language based on old draconic, whose original speakers possessed similar traits. Beauty among them is alien to most humans, who may also find it difficult to tell the genders apart. A sith'makar might compliment another on scale-color or sharpened jaws, for example. There is no difference in male and female strength or size; a female is just as likely to stand against a t-rex in defense of the tribes as her counterpart. They also do not have boobs--they're reptilian, and we'll just laugh at you. :(

They are comparable in size to half-orcs, being somewhat taller then humans, possibly even approaching seven feet in height.

Society and Lands

Sith-makar society spans across Am'shere and consists of many tribes, which are loosely led by the Silver Empress. The Silver Empress is said to be a direct descendant of the Great Silver, who freed them from slavery. Because of this, she receives great honor and respect.

Although tribes vary in the details of their customs, the sith-makar possess enough in common to treat them as a united people.

While the basic societal unit is the tribe, their caste system deserves note. Young sith-makar are encouraged into a caste as they show inclination, and while caste may change over time, it provides an easy reference point for other sith-makar. A sith-makar visiting another tribe will instantly know which role to fill, and will find him or herself quickly among comrades, a place to sleep, and food given to them. Adult sith-makar compete over the right to bring a child into their caste; training the young is considered a great and necessary honor.

Below the tribe and caste units are the homes, which resemble lodges. They house many sith-makar at once in a loose affair, and may serve multiple purposes. Every sith-makar tribe possess a central Fire, and some place them within their lodges, as well. The Fire, it is said, represents their heritage and frequently a focus of social gatherings and ritual.

As much as Am'shere has ensured their survival, it has also challenged them. Sith-makar children usually do not live past their first year, due to predators and diseases. For this reason, sith-makar naming conventions are unusual among the civilized races. A sith-makar receives a name only at the end of their first year. This name is given by members of the shaman-caste, who select it after a traditional period of meditation and visionquesting. Names supposedly indicate a trait the elders believe the child will possess. This of course, does not always turn out to be the case, so a name may change over time.

Once everyone is lined up, the dragon placed in the back of the wagon, which has been brought to the edge of the pool, is carefully lowered out and its head dipped into the water by one and by all. This is rather delicate given that dragons are big, even small dragons like this one, and they have long necks.

The head is carefully lowered into the water while Vrith-Airi helps and the Shaman stands over. Once the head is in, the Shaman begin to chant in draconic. It is an old chant, lengthy. This is a recitation that, perhaps, the Shaman has done once in his life time.

The other sith'makar all stare. One and all, they stare at the sight of the dragon. They too, it seems, have never seen one before. Never seen such a creature with their own eyes. They are awed, these sith. Even their young stop with their infernal peeping.

When the recitation is complete, the Shaman orders the lot of you to lift the dragon's head back up into the wagon.

"It is time for you to be on your way," he says. "You know what to do, son of the jungle," he tells one of the sith-makar standing, "and what must be done to send this spirit home."

Hatching and Namings are typically celebrated events. The tale-keeper caste suggests this tradition goes back to shortly after their freedom from slavery, though the jungle's dangerous environment may be reason enough. The tribes suffer high mortality due to the jungle's ferocity. Accordingly, children are important to all sith-makar. Mates tend to be informal, though longer bonds are not unknown.

Sith politics are matriarchial in nature. This is due both to the protection of the young as well as the legend of the Silver Dragon. The Empress is said to be of her bloodline, and she has ruled for generations--an unusual lifespan, even for the sith-makar.

As they move to reclaim their destiny, the sith-makar adjust slowly. They are not a people prone easily to change and are spiritually tied to their enclaves. Travelers come back with reports of new ideas or concepts, each of which must be adjusted and fit within the tribes' way of thinking. Some merchants have begun to establish trade with cities such as Alexandria and return with new ideas and commerce.

In the midst of it all, the sith-makar shamans, druids, and priests chant of the Memory of Blood, which guides the sith-makar in their path as they move to reclaim their ancient heritage, and forge it anew. Their most new and noted alliance is with the druidic union of Alexandros. They have begun to reach out to other druidic communities and their exotic caravans are quick to draw crowds.