Sith-makar
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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 laborers, slaves and foot soldiers 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 these Children to hidden enclaves scattered across The Great Continent. Not all Children survived, and it is said that the dragons who flew with the Great Silver burned to ash the bones of the fallen Children. The ash fell upon the earth, and grew into the first of the great trees of Am'shere. Today, Am'shere is a thick and bloody jungle region in the deeps of the largely unexplored sub-continent of Jammur. However, to the Children, it is a protective covering. It is perhaps, also formed of the souls of their ancestors and saviors.
Since that time 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. Today, skirmishes continue in a near cyclic fashion.
The Children would have remained isolated if not for the acts of Charn. Nearly one hundred years past, scouts from the empire of Charn encountered the tribes. In a violent clash, this one act and those that followed set the precedent for the years to come. Charn used Am'shere as harsh training grounds for their elite troops in the war against Myrddion. They saw the jungle and its landscape as expendable, and the Children as fodder. In the process, they uncovered the Children's draconic blood. Swiftly, their darkest mages began to take the Children's young as slaves, and experiment upon them. The Children briefly united against this threat and successfully drove Charnese back. Charn's actions would color their view of humans in the times ahead.
During these years, the tribal shamans discovered 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, and tell them if more like Charn would be found in the lands beyond. 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.
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, the tale-keepers share the story of a great hero who uncovered a sacred ritual. With the aid of certain of dragonkind and great sacrifice, she was able to awaken the sith-makar's ancient bloodline. However, if they know more, the sith-makar are not sharing the information--particularly with outsiders. Details are scarce and uncertain at best, especially outside of Am'shere.
Scholars who encountered them came to refer to these individuals as "dragon-touched." Tribal shamans refer to recent events as "the Rebirth," or "Awakening." This name reflects its outlook among much of sith-makar society.
It is this new class and breed of sith-makar, the dragonkin or "dragon-touched," that are available for play on Ea.
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.
For years the outside world has represented conflict, slavery, and destruction, including acts by their remaining Flame-kin. They have had only themselves to rely on. As they adapt, they must do so their own way.
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
The major sith-makar society is the one in Am'shere on the continent of Jammur, though all are said to have been formed from the sacrifices of the Great Silver and the Ancestors. The Am'shere tribes represent the iconic sith-makar society. It is also said the Silver Empress is known near-universally.
Sith-makar tribes are ruled by their great Silver Empress, a descendant of the ancient silver dragon who freed their precursors from slavery. The jungle and similar enclaves, some legends hold, were formed from the ashes of their ancestors. Not all sith-makar follow this latter belief. However, the Great Silver and her ancestors receive particularly honored status among the People.
A sith-makar home is typically a communal and lodge-like affair. It possesses areas sectioned off for group sleeping, as well as tribal/familial rituals or other functions. A central Fire traditionally provides warmth. The shamans claim it as symbolic of their ties to their dragon ancestors (as in literally "Children of the Flame"). Such fires are often the focus of tribal rituals or social events.
Their basic societal unit is the tribe. Established tribe names include but are not limited to: Occeparik, Svhtlachia, Cocthor, and Kadesh. Tribe names and flavors favor the draconic speech of their ancestors (in some or many cases, the sith'makar's dialect has changed sufficiently that they are unaware of the tribe name's original meaning). For a real-world source of names, look to the Nahuatl language, as well as "draconic" publications by TSR.
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."
Sith-makar naming conventions for themselves are unusual among the civilized races. They reflect the danger of their surroundings. 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.
Hatching and Namings are celebrated events in Am'shere. 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, especially for practical reasons.
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.
Children of the sith-makar are treasured. They inherit a rich culture and life. As they grow, they are ushered into a tribal caste system. Gradually, a child will be guided into an appropriate caste of a hunter, a warrior, a gatherer, a shaman, and so on based on their talents and inclination within their tribe. Castes are not permanent; over time, a sith'makar could transition, which is a marked occasion of its own.
It is an honor to bring a youngling into a caste; for this reason, sith-makar may compete over the privilege. There is never lack of someone to take care of them. Despite this, most hatchlings do not survive their first year, and mortality rate among even younglings can be high.
The Rebirth and emergence of the "dragon-touched" has added complexity to tribal tradition. A "dragon touched" individual is informally considered a member of a higher caste even within these groupings. In response, the elders of the tribe quickly emphasized cooperative childhood games and hunting-groups. They knew that if the tribes fractured, they would not survive and would fall prey to their enemies. These measures have proved mostly successful, due to both the danger of their daily lives, and because the ancient blood of dragons is so mixed that the sith-makar, even the "dragon-touched" are much more a single people than a fractured one. This is especially true when compared to many other cultures. There is no doubt, however, that these dragonkin are the future of the tribes, and the shamans watch each new hatching anxiously.
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.
They have proven distrustful of wholly-technological paths such as Charn, preferring sorcerous and druidic approaches. Charn's history with their people only colors this relationship.
Other Races
They are not an industrious race, having spent centuries in isolation and only within the past century or so having begun moving out to experience the idiosyncrasies of the outside world. By and large, as a result, sith-makar will get along with other species with a, If you don't bother me, I won't bother you type of attitude. While they can be open with their own, to outsiders they may seem standoffish and unresponsive when to another sith-makar this can be far from the case.
Sith-makar, especially the young among them, can be known for their sudden tempers and territorialism--survival traits which may be a result of Am'shere's unforgiving upbringing, or their own draconic natures. Older sith-makar are expected to have "grown out" of many of their more temporal tendencies, though individuals will always vary, and there are always sith-makar who embrace a quieter mindset from the start. The territorial pattern seems to be more universal: once a tribe takes hold of a land, they are loathe to give it up.
Many possess a distrust of overly civilized areas, with a special hatred reserved for the Charnese.
Alignment and Religion
For generations, the sith-makar forgot the names of the ancient gods. They instead saw them as spiritual forces in the land around them, embodied in animals and world-spirits. Their enclaves, the shamans taught, formed from the protective ashes of their Ancestors and the rage of dragonfire--protective yet fierce coverings that kept their enemies at bay, and a means to temper them against further conquest. The sith-makar's form of nature worship led to complicated hierarchies of druidic circles that studied the world as best they understood it. In recent years, missionaries from The West have returned knowledge of the gods to the sith-makar, although with mixed results.
Today, the sith have merged the modern world with their local tales, revealing that perhaps this knowledge was not lost, so much as it was altered. Daeus they most easily accepted within his great Platinum Form, and other terms and forms were given to other deities. Even Thul became the Jaws of the Death Eating Wyrm (sometimes the Death Snatching Wyrm), and Vardama the Death-Singing Dragon. The names given are colorful and varied even among the tribes.
As their connection with the outer world grows, the sith-makar blend these understandings. They so in a way that gives them a unique perspective, yet reveals their insularity to the outside world. Alongside tales of the Death Snatching Worm or the Dragon Father are ancestral heroes and tales of great dragons from beyond time immortal, beings who blend together to somehow, create a diverse but creative whole. Thus, their primitive rites are not forgotten--they merely merge the old with the new in a way that is unique to the race.
Overall, it may be said that sith-makar tend towards neutrality. Being a race that grew up in the depths of the jungles of Jammur, they are prone to focus on the necessity of survival. That said, reexposure to the gods of good and evil and the mingling of societies has produced more variances in the sith-makars' outlook. The Memory of Blood also impacts this by giving the sith-makar an instinctual leaning and disposition that are fractured mirrors of their parent races, although this too is distilled down over the long ages such that it is mostly a sub-conscious thing than them somehow being forced one way or the other due to their colorations.
Travelers to Am'shere may make note of their death rites. Caught between their past, future, and middle, the sith-makar often burn their dead. Practically, this prevents the attraction of predators into their tribal lands. Spiritually, this reaffirms their position as the Children of the Flame, and reaffirms tribal ties to their enclaves. The shamans then scatter the ashes on well-known sites. Placing the ashes of the heart (and sometimes the body) encourages the "spirit" of that sith-makar to remain there and watch over the tribe. These sites may be outposts, sacred landmarks, or even a lodge the tribe returns to on a regular basis. Not infrequently, the ash of an ancestor may be brushed over a newly laid eggs to guard their survival. A sith-makar venturing from their tribal lands may take with them a vial of dirt from one of these grounds, and therefore take with them the "spirit of protection of their ancestors."
Locations known to have been the domain of ancient dragons are also sacred--shamans may hold important rites among them to lend power or additional sacredness to a rite.
Note on Cannibalism: Cannibalism as a practice may have existed at one time and may still continue in part of Am'shere and other places. However, it's largely frowned upon, given its connection to Thul, Charn, and so on--deities and spirits reviled by the greater sith-makar population. Moreover, sith connections with dragons have lead to a darker form of cannibalism where maddened sith use the practice to try to 'awaken' the dragon blood in themselves. The act and the results have led to more formal renunciations by Children of the Flame of the practice, and those who practice it.
The act of cannibalism in their environment carries with it certain unique dangers. Bodies, particularly those of similar creatures, transmit disease easily. In Am'shere's climate this process appears to occur more quickly, and the blood inherit in them appears to compound and lend these effects unusual properties. As a result, tales grow of maddened sith-makar who are called "Forgotten," whose diseased minds reave the Memory of Blood from them. It is said they live in one reality and act in another. Attacks upon hatcheries may be blamed upon them. It is said their claws and mouths drip with blood, and their eyes shine with madness that they are true dragons, awakened. Such creatures continue to battle past reason, and it is said, cease to recognize other sources of food. If denied their cannibal feast, they will slowly starve. Whether this is true or not remains to the teller--stories told beneath Am'shere's dark canopies. It is also rumored that Charn uncovered these properties, and will take sith-makar children, and forcibly create them.
Adventurers
Sith'makar explorers who are learning much of the western world in order to take news back to distant Am'shere are the most common type of explorers someone is likely to encounter. Trade caravans are not unheard of though still relatively rare. Sith'makar who are curious about the world beyond what they have known for so long often join these caravans and make their way slowly from the distant east into the great western lands. They are interested in the magic, weapons, armor, wealth and appearances of other cultures.
Sith'makar tend to show affinity for the druid, ranger, and barbarian classes, and their bards often act as talebearers of oral histories. Their druids tend to be more charismatic than most, as traditionally, druidism has possessed a guiding role among their culture. The increased number of draconic bloodlines sorcerers among them is most surely tied to the Awakening. Among all races, the sith'makar have the highest number of this bloodline.
Recent Events
The Awakening is a recent one by sith'makar reckoning. Shamans say it was triggered by a pact made by ancestral sith'makar with good dragons that triggered the awakening of their ancient bloodline. This pact quickened the Memory of Blood, and their own minds and spirits. As a result the dragonblooded have risen as a vision of their future, and past, that the sith'makar realize they are moving towards.
Some kin, those, who lack their same potential for epic deeds and the strength of blood--exist as part of the sith'makar population, but have proven unsuitable for the development needed to transcend their current status and reclaim their ancient heritage. It is hoped that one day that their tribal magics and calling of the Blood will lift even these brethren, and to some degree, this is working. Regardless, the Children of the Flame now usher in a new era.
Amidst their internal struggles, the sith'makar have enjoyed a respite from Charn's raids as the old nation's internal rot festers, but the fall of Rune has introduced new elements and challenges. With the lack of a governing body, some tribes have witnessed poaching by opportunistic mages, keen on the scent of dragon blood, and viewing the sith'makar, particularly their hatchlings, as ripe for targeting. This has not endeared the sith'makar to the formal practice of magecraft within the world. Still, recent Treaties with Alexandria have begun to offer some counter-examples.
In addition to the regular panoply of threats that face the sith-makar, they also face a war from within, from the followers of Caracoroth. A sith-makar known only as "The Teacher" stirs the blood of some tribes against their Empress. He and his followers advocate the blooded expansion of the jungle, and the slaughter of the weak. The Teacher preys on the fear of the sith-makar, for past acts by Charn, the slaughter of their hatching grounds, and other events over time. He argues that blooded conquest is protective and just. The conquest of the jungle throughout the world is the protection of their future, and the Empress is too softhearted to see this necessity. In many ways, it is a psychological war, not to be won on a single front. It is fueled and led by agents of the Maw. He may or may not also be responsible for the creation of a number of Forgotten.
Sith-makar Racial Traits
Sith-makar mature at the age of 20 and live roughly 450-500 years.
The below numbers below assume an "average" person. That is, they probably have a strength and constitution within the 9-11 range. Higher physical stats will make these numbers go up. In other words, a character with 18 strength will weigh much more than one with 9.
| sith-makar Average Height and Weight | ||||
| Name | Base Height | Base Weight | Modifier | Weight Multiplier |
| sith-makar, male | 5ft 6in | 160 lbs | +2d12 | x7 lbs |
| sith-makar, female | 5ft 0in | 120 lbs | +2d12 | x7 lbs |
| Sith-makar Starting Age | |||
| Adulthood | Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer | Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger | Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard |
| 17 years | +1d4 | +1d6 | +2d6 |
- Classification: humanoid (reptilian)
- +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Intelligence: sith-makar are incredibly tough and exude a powerful presence due to their draconic blood, but they are not prone towards complex thinking due to their more instinctual outlook on life.
- Medium Size: sith-makar are Medium sized creatures and so have no flaws or benefits due to their size.
- Normal Speed: sith-makar have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Natural Armor: sith-makar hides are very tough. They have a +2 AC of natural armor.
- Memory of the Blood: sith-makar are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.
- Immunities: sith-makar are immune to the frightful presence ability of dragons, as if they were dragons. They are also immune to sleep effects and paralysis effects.
- Draconic Heritage: A sith-makar must choose an energy type at 1st level, based on their heritage. The sith-makar gains resistance 5 to this energy type.
- Draconic Vision: sith-makar have Darkvision 60ft and Low-light vision.
- Hold Breath: sith-makar can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to three times their Constitution score. For one hour a day they can Breath Water.
- Languages: All sith-makar begin play speaking Common and Draconic. sith-makar with high Intelligence scores can choose any of the following bonus languages: Mynsandraal, Handspeech, Sylvan.
Character Options
Sith-makar Racial Feats
The below are racial feats for this race. All races receive a bonus racial feat at 6th level (when you level, send in a +request to staff). House feats and feat summaries may be found on the Feats page. Items with a * have had their pre-reqs altered to fit the setting (see Feats page). You must meet the pre-reqs for any racial feat you select.
- Keen Scent, Razortusk, Smell Fear, Ironhide, Draconic Breath (house), Terror of the Wild (house), Territorial Defender (house), Apex Predator (house)
Optional DM Rules
Ea's magic responds to its people. Wizards, sorcerers, the uncovering of Aspects are not the only ways in which magic manifests.
The following are options for any storyteller, for use in PrPs, scenes, backgrounds, and small stories. If some of these rituals come across as "didn't we always have--!??" that is part of why these are being offered: to illustrate just how active magic is in Ea. Also, just because there are no given mechanics for them does not mean they shouldn't exist.
These rituals and options are beyond the scope of any one PC working on their own.
They are meant to be used as story devices, and tend to require a story element, such as a visit to the sylvanori elders. In addition, they require the presence of more than one person from that community--they are NOT means to add to individual PCs' power levels. Finally, all rituals work according to story. Sometimes rituals sometimes work perfectly, and other times do so to varying degrees (that's just saying they are story-dependent, and not a means of power).
You are welcome to build on these ideas, or expand on them.
Ritual Magic
The greater sith-makar rituals are held known by the castes, and are a means of awakening further the blood in a way which the Awakening began. It is said by partaking in ritual, a sith-makar strengthens their draconic ancestry. Knowledge of them is withheld outside of Am'shere, lest it fall into the hands of their enemies.
Memory of the Blood: By calling on ritual, a group of sith-makar may summon the memories inherit in their blood, the voices of ancestors, and so on. The older the blood, the stronger and older the memory. In this way, certain memories may only be available to certain tribes, and the gift of a particularly old bloodline to one of these rites is considered significant. It is also why sith are encouraged to find mates in different tribes, in order to ensure no Memory is lost.
What the sith do not say to outsiders is that so long as there is any dragon blood in the participant's veins, the tribes may call upon that person's ancestral Memories as well, even if that person is not sith-makar. This knowledge would easily make them a greater target of Charn, Rune, dragons, etc.
The ritual to do so always involves a great Fire, but details vary from shaman to shaman and tribe to tribe. DMs are encouraged to have the visions appear in the Fire itself, so that other characters may partake of the story, though this does not always need to be the case.
Sacred Objects: The bones of an ancestor, sith or dragon, are said to possess community magic and boost the Memory of the Blood. Likewise, ashes from the same--especially ashes collected from the heart--are said to be protective and encourage an ancestor to be present. The community Fire itself is considered to be significant also.
Character Page Badges
Want to show off your Sith-makar pride on your Character Page? Use the following wikicode! (More badges here!)
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{{Badge}}
{{Badge-Icon|Amshere01.jpg}}
{{Badge-Content}}
{{Badge-Title|Sith-makar PC Badge}}
{{Badge-Entry|Caste}}Your primary caste. Since sith castes are based around what you do, this might change over time to suit your RP.
{{Badge-Entry|Draconic Ancestry}}Your particular mixture of draconic bloodlines.
{{Badge-Entry|Tribe}}Name of your tribe. Feel free to make up some details.
{{Badge-Entry|Faith}}Your Faith
{{Badge-Entry|Politics}}Primarily Supportive of the Silver Empress / Against the Silver Empress.
{{Badge-End}}