Sitheran

Race - Sitheran

The Sitheran are a draconic race of humaniods taht stand 48" to 65" tall. In appearance they closely resemble a North American velociraptor.
The Sitheran

One of the eldest races on the face of Ki’larn, the Sith are still shrouded in mystery to most of the world’s inhabitants. Insular and suspicious of outsiders, few non-sith get a glimpse into the complex and rich culture that is Sitheran society. The lizard-like people have many traditions that pre-date even the dawn of mankind.

Sith all can trace their ancestry back to one original clutch of twenty one eggs created by the grand Wyrm Sithayrius, in the ancient days of the planet, when the gods still frequently walked the lands. All Sith view dragon-kind as their progenitors, and as living gods. In fact all the gods of men and elves are thought to be dragon-kin by the Sitheran people. This affinity of species reveals itself in the natural ability of all Sith to converse with dragon-kind (some elven scholars actually believe that the Sith native tongue is a derivative of a long-deceased sub-species of dragons).

The ancient culture of Sith is steeped in religion and tradition. Many feel that the calming, nature-centric view of the world stems from the abandonment and atonement for the early warlike ways of the species. These tendencies can be slightly seen in the warrior-caste of Sith society even today. To overcome the animalistic instincts of the pre-Sith that were typified in the days of the Coming of the Stone King, the Ket’Mo? (the Ring Clerics more to follow) instilled a mentor/apprentice relationship up for the warriors of the tribe. Each Shen’twa (Blade Brother) is schooled from the earliest ages by an elder swordsman in the art of the Shen’rhy (Blade, or more literally, Iron Tooth). To ensure that no warrior would ever become so powerful to mislead the tribe, the Ket’Mo? instituted the Keth’Ra?, or Death Journey.

When a warrior reaches a certain age, they leave their village to try and perform one last epic quest with their younger Shen’twa and a representative Ket’Mo? cleric. In this quest they try to perform some heroic deed and in the doing of the deed sacrifice themselves. If the quest fails, or if the elder Shen’twa is not killed, it is the responsibility of the younger to Na’Keth? (ceremonially kill) his/her mentor. After the Keth’Ra? is complete the honored dead’s Chek’Sa? is given to the Shen’Twa? to incorporate with his own.

Some warriors devote their whole lives to the perfection of their art. These warriors strive to achieve the level of Shek’qwa (Blade Master). These individuals have worked so hard that they and their chosen weapon almost seem as one being. Each village will typically have one Shek’qwa who instructs the village warriors and helps reinforce duty and honor to the young pouchlings.

The Ket’Mo?, or Ring Clerics, keep the Sith society in place, and lead the daily ceremonies that help structure a Sith’s life. Circles are sacred things to this raptor race. They are a perfect thing with no real beginning or ending. The Sith feel that all things flow into every other (life is a structured Chain of Being, where everything has its place and role to fill): as one thing dies, another life begins; to live, the body must take in the best qualities of others (the gifts of the earth or the gifts of prey). To remind the Sith of this constant process, the Ket”Mo? commission the crafting of the Ket, or rings. All Sith acquire Ket at various stages of their lives (Birth, Coming of Age, Bonding Time, First Kill, etc.) and for extraordinary deeds special rings are crafted by artisans. These Ket are kept on the Sith’s Chek’Sa?, or Honor Stake, which is kept with them at all times. A Sith’s status can be quickly determined by the amount and type of rings found on their Chek’Sa?. As noted above, when a warrior dies, his honor stake is given to his or her Shen’twa so that their great deeds can live on. It is the paramount of dishonor to lose a Chek’Sa? or to have it taken away. When Sith dishonor their clan they will be stripped of their Chek’Sa? and cast from the village to wander the world as outcast.

Sitherans have practice a special kind of sorcery. Special mages called Kath’thwi (Spirit Painters) mix special materials to create magical paints. These paints can have assorted properties (like rendering the recipient invisible to the naked eye, or have special healing and restorative powers, as well as acting like armour of steel). Sith warriors will be painted by Kath’thwi prior to battle and will be protected by their magiks without the encumbrance of unwieldy metal or hide armour. The effects can be long-lasting if the Kath’thwi is sufficiently skilled. Some of the designs for the invocations can be very intricate and always very artistic.

Sith are omnivorous, and will dine upon the flesh of prey as frequently as the fruits of their fields. Many Ket’Mo? have tried to enforce a strict vegetarian diet for their tribes with mixed results. A Sith warrior will frequently feast upon the flesh of their fallen enemies (especially greatly honored ones) to help absorb the best properties of that foe. The Sitherans view that everything has its place in the Order of Things, and it is a great honor to participate in that chain. They always give thanks during meal ceremonies for those that toiled to bring the food to the gathering (whether by farmer’s hand, hunter’s blade, or by the prey’s life).

Personality
These saurian creatures have an affinity for nature, and prefer to live in villages far from other races. They tend to shun outsiders, preferring to stay with their own. Their culture is long and rich, and full of many traditions, generally governed over by the Ket’Mo? Ring Clerics. Their lives and world views are highly structured and organized: all things have their place (and by virtue of their “divine” origins, they feel themselves very close to the top of the chain). Honor and duty are highly valued virtues that all members of this race strive to uphold. All things are elevated to an art form, and the Sith take great pride in their work and will generally work their utmost to complete a task with skill, humility, and discipline. They try to maintain a balance in their lives, and stay harmonious with nature, although if ever provoked their wrath and skill at violence in virtually unmatched.

Physical Description
These reptilian creatures average in-between 4 and 5 feet tall, and weigh in around 150 pounds. Physically these small raptors are muscular and athletic, moving very fluidly and gracefully. Skin colouring is varied, but tends to be in shades of green or brown. Depending on environment, some tribes have developed stripes or colouring patterns to help them better blend in with their environments while hunting. Some of the race have flaired ridges on their skull. Though they offer little protective value, it is generally theorized that at some point in the past these had some defensive purpose. It has been a long-standing tradition of the warrior castes to cut or shape these ridges to appear more ferocious in battle.

Relations
Generally, the Sith tend to be very insular, preferring to work with and deal with their own kind, although they have an natural affinity with the elves based a mutual love of nature. Sitherans revile other forms of lizard-kind, seeing them as aberrations against their Dragon-kin ancestry. To call a Sith a “lizardman” is an insult of the highest order.
Overall, the Sith will deal with those that act honorably, and will deal most harshly with those that do not regardless of species or status.

Alignment
Sith tend to be Neutral in alignment, preferring not to get involved in the way of things, and to protect their own interests.

Sitheran Lands
Sith tend to collect in fertile areas where their crops can be successful and the land can sustain a variety of prey.

Religion
Sith culture is theocratic in nature, with the tribes being governed by Ket’Mo? Ring Clerics. All Sitherans see Dragon-kind as divine, with the traditional gods of the realm being a subset of a greater Dragon race.

Names – Glich K’ator, Chi’Ka’ka? Sato, Jaerauld Cha’Kartar?

Adventurers – Sitheran rarely become adventures. When a Sith is seen away from his tribe they are normally (but not always) either on a quest for their village or have been thrown out of their homes for some offence to the gods.

Racial Traits
Stats
-1 Charisma
-1 Constitution (susceptible to extremes in temperature)
+2 Dexterity Medium Sized
Base Speed 40
Low Light Vision
+2 Bonus on Swimming, Jumping, Tracking, and Tumbling +2 Bonus on all chosen leaping or acrobatic Feats +2 Knowledge Skills: Nature +2 Bonus on smell-based Spot rolls Take 2x dmg from cold-based attacks
Claw/Claw/Bite/Tail Slap Natural attacks
Claw - +2 melee (1d3+1)
Bite - +2 melee (1d4+1)
Slap- +2 melee (1d3+2) + knockdown %
Automatic Languages – Sitheran
Bonus Languages – Northern Trade, Elven, Draconic
Favoured Class – Ranger or D