Difference between revisions of "Sith-makar"
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Long ago, as the sith-makar tell it, the Tyrant of Dragons took fire and scale from his most powerful beasts and spun the Children of Flame into being. Born as slaves and worked as slaves, they served the Tyrant's dragon servants, and would have remained so had not the tears of Light fallen upon them. The Keepers of Memory place these events as the early years of the Second Age, after the passing of the Time of Glaciers. |
Long ago, as the sith-makar tell it, the Tyrant of Dragons took fire and scale from his most powerful beasts and spun the Children of Flame into being. Born as slaves and worked as slaves, they served the Tyrant's dragon servants, and would have remained so had not the tears of Light fallen upon them. The Keepers of Memory place these events as the early years of the Second Age, after the passing of the Time of Glaciers. |
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− | The tears belonged to Alumivoritax, who rose |
+ | The tears belonged to Alumivoritax, who rose in challenge against the Tyrant's forces. She cut them with her mighty claws, and it is her whose name is to be chanted at Fires forever. Powerful, yet now weakened, Alumivoritax and other dragons of Light swept them away where no one could find them. In the background the Tyrant raged, but they hid the Children so deeply within Am'shere's covering branches that until recent years--the Children of Flame were forgotten by the world. And likewise, they forgot the world. |
Until 100 years ago, the Children of the Flame remained hidden. |
Until 100 years ago, the Children of the Flame remained hidden. |
Revision as of 22:45, 11 July 2016
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Long ago, as the sith-makar tell it, the Tyrant of Dragons took fire and scale from his most powerful beasts and spun the Children of Flame into being. Born as slaves and worked as slaves, they served the Tyrant's dragon servants, and would have remained so had not the tears of Light fallen upon them. The Keepers of Memory place these events as the early years of the Second Age, after the passing of the Time of Glaciers.
The tears belonged to Alumivoritax, who rose in challenge against the Tyrant's forces. She cut them with her mighty claws, and it is her whose name is to be chanted at Fires forever. Powerful, yet now weakened, Alumivoritax and other dragons of Light swept them away where no one could find them. In the background the Tyrant raged, but they hid the Children so deeply within Am'shere's covering branches that until recent years--the Children of Flame were forgotten by the world. And likewise, they forgot the world.
Until 100 years ago, the Children of the Flame remained hidden.
During this time, the Children by and large forgot their heritage and lost the power of their blood. Alone among them, the Sith-makar recalled who they were. They would keep tradition alive through Fire and Flame, and the establishment of the Keeper caste. Nevertheless, the Children of Flame would devolved into more beastlike forms, losing their heritage and memory. From the original Children of Flame came three Clans: the Ko-jodakh (troglodytes), the Nar-sektoth (sahuagin) and the Sith-makar (lizardfolk). It is possible yet other branches exist.
Yet, as well as Alumivoritax hid them, the children of the Tyrant would find them once again. Charn, seeking new power and resources, ripped holes into the ether. Finding a jungle and its people lush with what it saw as untapped resources, the Charnese moved in forcefully. They sought to enslave, and capture--using the Children in experiments, or fodder for their shock troops. The Clans' sacred spaces they would see as untapped wonders, and set about to conquer them.
The damage may have been worse if not, after their initial shock, the disparate Clans of Flame united briefly. Ko-jodakh, Nar-sektoth, and the Sith-makar drew fang and claw, and ousted the Charnese from much of their homeland. Charn's actions would set the Children's view of "softskins" for years to come.
As the other Clans returned to their lives, the sith-makar moved forward. Aware of the danger, their Empress ordered the hunter-caste forth, to explore their landscape and understand this enemy. They uncovered then-unknown portals, and entries to foreign lands.
The events provided a catalyst as well. Why or how it is not clear, but the shaman-caste came together. Through power and ritual, the sith-makar Awakened their own blood. It is said their blood Awoke with a great roar that was felt across their tribes, and the Memory of Blood came to life within them. Adults found themselves transformed, and each new hatching came with shining scale. Some among them breathed fire, or ice. Others carried with them the terror of their ancestor-races, or their strength of scent and scale. Alone among the remaining Children, the sith-makar found and embraced the strength of their lost heritage.
With this strength they faced Charn, and drove them off a second time. To them it was a symbolic battle--a driving-away of the Tyrant's forces, just as the Great Silver had eons ago. The Keepers of Memory tell of this victory as a turning point in sith-makar history.
Yet, their newfound strength would be their curse. Charn would uncover their secret. Not the how of it--but that here at last may be a useful source of draconic blood. The sith-makars' very success betrayed them. This discovery prompted a number of painful blood experiments by that nation, as well as unscrupulous wizards who became interested in the continent. As the young are easier, they tend to prey upon them. Recent years have seen the beginning to which may lead to a full-scale war.
Today, the Empress sends her envoys and traders outwards in no small part to make their nation known, and to seek alliances against Charn's predation. Thus far, Charn refuses to recognize them as a unified people. They argue they owe the sith-makar no recompense for the lives of their children. In response, the anger of the dragonkin only grows.
Physical Description
The "dragon-touched" among the sith-makar display a mixture of draconic bloodlines, combined with their sauran ancestry. Overall there is no one universal look for them: 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. Generally speaking, family lines tend to determine their most dominate colorations and features. Yet, 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. A sith-makar might compliment another on scale-color or sharpened jaws, as good weaponry and defenses are desirable traits. There is otherwise little difference between the males and females of the race, and outsiders have trouble telling them apart. This amuses some sith-makar to no end.
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. Each tribe is 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 among their culture.
Although tribes vary in the details of their customs, the sith-makar possess enough in common to treat them as a united people, if roughly so.
The basic societal unit is the tribe, followed by caste. Sith-makar take their caste based on ability, though as they live a long time, change is expected. The use of caste came into existence as a means of survival: hunting-parties could quickly assign roles, defenses could be mobilized, and it became an essential tool in intertribal gatherings and travel. A sith-makar visiting another tribe will find him or herself quickly among comrades, given a place to sleep, and have food given to them. Finally, the use of caste has played a role in their preservation of their own history: the sith-makar possess a great memory, with chants and stories passed down among the keeper (as in Keepers of Memory) and shamanic castes. This is further augmented by the Memory of Blood, giving them a capability for memory to challenge even the most learned sildanyari historian. It is for this reason, perhaps, they knew to seek their Awakening, while the other Children of Flame continue to languish. 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 long houses. They house many sith-makar at once in a loose affair. They serve multiple purposes. While every sith-makar tribe possess a central Fire, its placement and some surrounding ritual varies among the tribes. The Fire, it is said generally, represents their heritage and is frequently a focus of social gatherings and ritual.
Most sith-makar children 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 the shamans, 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. Their keepers suggest this tradition goes back to shortly after their freedom from slavery, though the jungle's dangerous environment may provide a secondary source. 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, named cihuaa.
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. Due to their draconic natures, the protection of territory is also important to them.
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 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.
Castes
The following castes have developed through RP. It is by no means an exhaustive list.
- Crafter: A sith-makar skilled with their hands.
- Hunter: A sith-makar who knows the lay of the land, and is versed in hunting and tracking. This can include the gathering of jungle fruits, hunting owlbears, and so on.
- Keeper (of Memory): A sith-makar who recalls the rituals and focuses on the racial Memory, moreso than other sith.
- Merchant: A sith-makar who deals with outsiders, and secures trade for the tribes. A relatively new caste, its name is drawn from the Tradespeak word for merchant, to better communicate their role to the outside world. To some sith, it is well known that many of these are actually agents of the Empress who are studying the outside world.
- Shaman: A sith-makar versed in magic. Mediums and go-betweens between the tribes and the unknown. Some serve as advisers or spiritual guides. They tend to be more charismatic than their scaleless counterparts (+2 Cha).
- Speaker: Arbitrators and translators. They can broker words of peace as well as war.
- Warrior: A sith-makar who is trained as a warrior of some type. They defend the tribes.
Castes tend to be broad in scope, enough to encompass several concepts and possibilities. The above is not exhaustive, and there is room for more castes of your make. Some players make sub-castes.
Other Races
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."
The sith-makar are not an industrious race, having spent centuries in isolation. However, sith-makar typically get along with other species with a, If you don't bother me, I won't bother you type of attitude. While to outsiders they may seem standoffish and unresponsive, to another sith-makar this is far from the case. Caste gives them a sense of place and form social building blocks within their community. As a people, the sith-makar generally take pride in who they are and are ready to defend their territories against those who harm them.
Sith-makar, especially the young among them, can be known for their sudden tempers and their 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. Too, as their draconic blood awakenes, more sith-makar begin to take a longer view of things, though this is not universal and each has their individual take.
Ultimately, the sith-makar mindset is not a human one. Human companions may easily miss varied social cues that to a sith-makar are glaring and obvious. Their caste and tribal system has had a long time to adapt to their psychology. Cities and other cultures, less so. For this reason and others, many possess a distrust of overly civilized areas, others find themselves curious, and more still find themselves a mix of the two.
Charn's lesson hangs heavily, as well, and travelers are encouraged to avoid dealings with them and their lands.
Alignment and Religion
For generations, the sith-makar forgot the names of the ancient gods. It did not mean the gods forgot them, only that the sith's view of them developed in isolation of the outside world. Once, they saw them as spiritual forces, embodied in animals and the landscape, and combined them with druidic tradition. 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 merge the true names of the gods with local legend. They frustrate Western scholars in their refusal to accept a "pure" interpretation, and instead reform tales and knowledge to fit their own view of things. To the sith-makar at large, the gods possess the features of ancient dragons and their own people. They take on aspects of favorite heroes, and add depth to their history. 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, and different tribes may use many names, with variations on each tale.
As their connection with the outer world grows, the sith-makar continue to blend the modern world with the old. 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.
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. The sith-makar often burn their dead. What began as a means to deter predators has taken on spiritual significance, by returning the bodies to the Fire of the ancestors. The shamans scatter the ashes on well-known sites, further binding the sith-makar to the land, and encouraging the spirits to watch over their brothers, mothers, sisters, and children.
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." Placing the ashes of the heart are said to be the most potent, as that is where the soul resided.
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 and Charn--deities, spirits, and a people reviled by the greater sith-makar population. More worryingly, 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. Tales abound of a hungry Forgotten, whose claws and mouths drip with blood, and their eyes shine with a 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, while rare, are not unheard of. 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 the outside world expects, though this is not always the case. Traditionally, druidism has possessed a guiding role among their culture, whereas in other cultures, druids may be seen as more isolated. The increased number of draconic bloodlines sorcerers among them is most surely tied to the Awakening. Among all races, the sith-makar possess the highest number of this bloodline.
Recent Events
The Awakening is a recent one by sith-makar reckoning. Its occurrence 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. Unlike their brethren, who lose more of their memory every generation, the sith-makar stand on their own, and proudly.
Amidst their internal struggles, the sith'makar signed a Treaty with Alexandria. It is a first step as the tribes work to be recognized as a nation. Their scouts tell them of the vastness of the softskin nations, who breed as rabbits in gentler lands. Though not as quick of mind as gnomes or lucht, the sith-makar realize they must be seen and treaties made--to their benefit, or risk being lost in today's warring landscape. The gaining of such status is slow and arduous, though necessary.
In the background is a continual, unspoken war against Charn, Maugrimites, and certain opportunistic wizards. These forces argue the sith-makar are little more than disorganized beasts, or worse, leftovers from Maugrim's work, whose natural place is beneath His heel'd boot. To these, the sith-makar bare their teeth. The sith-makar stake in this war is high: their future, their children, and the right to their own culture are at risk.
In addition to the regular panoply of threats that face the sith-makar, they also face a war from within. These threats bear the features of their own people, and follow the heart 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. He uses the past acts by Charn, the slaughter of their hatching grounds, and other events over time, to fire their blood. He argues that blooded conquest of the world is protective and just. He calls upon their druids to spread the growth of the jungle throughout the world. Subtly, he also suggests that 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.
Among the sith-makar who support the Empress or the Maw, there are even more variations in outlook. Some argue for treaties only with druidic circles and cultures, while others advocate a wider view. There is even a sect that believes all will be solved with the final Awakening of their draconic blood, and some who advocate complete isolationism. Others study the differences in sith-makar psychology and softskin, and look to overcome them. Ultimately though, this more takes the form of diplomacy, as the issues are biological as well as psychological.
Sith-makar Racial Traits
Sith-makar mature at the age of 20 and live roughly 450-500 years, although this measurement is taken within Am'shere. Some agents of the race, such as the Silver Empress, are said to live as long as dragons.
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}}