Sith-makar
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The shamans of the sith-makar tell of their first birth, where young dragonkin were birthed from Blood and Flame. Evil dragons enslaved them, and forced them into the role of slaves and foot soldiers. It was, they say, 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, Alumivoritax, spirited the Children to a hidden enclave, in the furthest reaches of the Great Continent. Not all survived the journey, and versions of the tale suggests 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. It exists in the deeps of the largely unexplored sub-continent of Jammur. It is also the main reason the Children survived to present day, remaining hidden from the eyes of the world.
Since the legend of Alumivoritax, the Children began to forget their heritage. They devolved into various branches: the Ko-jodakh (troglodytes), the Nar-sektoth (sahuagin) and the Sith-makar (lizardfolk). It is possible other branches exist, as well, as the Children have survived in Am'shere for some time. They competed for territory and resources in Am'shere's harsh environment.
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.
The sith-makar took a step further. Recognizing the danger of the outside world, they sent their hunters to the far reaches of the jungle. They uncovered more portals along the way, and these hunters would venture yet further. However, the search proved fruitful, and somehow, the sith-makar Awakened their latent heritage. Their blood Awakened, and the Memory of Blood awoke within them. Adults near universally found themselves transformed, and each new hatching came with shining scale. Some among them breathed fire, or would bear the terrifying presence of old, among the wilderness.
With this strength they faced Charn, and drove them off a second time.
However, 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-makar's very success betrayed them. This discovery 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. Recent years have seen the beginning to which may lead to a full-scale war. Today, sith-makar envoys reach out in no small part to make their nation known. Thus far, Charn refuses to recognize them, and argues they owe the sith-makar no recompense for the lives of their children.
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, with both enemy and ally beyond the Portal.
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.
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 instantly know which role to fill, and 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 lodges. 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 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. The keeper caste suggests 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- Shaman: A sith-makar versed in magic. Go-betweens between the tribes and the spirits.
- 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. Shaman and Speaker were separated out to give them better focus and meaning. That is, Shaman was wearing too many hats.
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 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.
Many possess a distrust of overly civilized areas, though others find themselves curious. Charn's lesson hangs heavily, however, and travelers are encouraged to avoid this area, and dealings with them.
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. 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 occurance 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. However, 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. These unscrupulous hunters see 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 additional defense against this predation. The Empress also, has sent out envoys to the world, to begin to make their presence felt and to force the nation to be recognized.
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.
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}}