Legends of Belariath

Sithians

Sithians are an ancient race with the upper bodies resembling humans and lower that of a snake's, once claiming a huge expansive region of land as their own when the climate of Belariath was warmer. Their ruins can be seen throughout Belariath; crumbling funerary mounds with serpentine runes etched upon stone, and grassy hills that are in actuality pyramids eroded away by time. In the modern age, they have grown low in number, and have been isolated in their jungle homes, protecting their land unyieldingly with deadly force. They are creatures of sensuality and bestial savagery, bound by their rituals to serve their hungry and ancient god Tepictuc, the ravenous god of earth. There are those among the Sithian race who do not worship Tepictuc, and these few are regarded as outcasts.

Character Creation

Starter Classes: Warrior, Knight, Thief, Ranger, Shaman, Cleric, Artisan, Entertainer, Laymen, Healer, Mage

Advanced Classes: Warrior Mage, Priest/Priestess, Paladins, Necromacer, Any Elemental Mage, Seductress

Starting Stats:

	STR	INT	AGI	RES	STA	SPL	LFE
Basic Stats	3	3	2	1	4	2	8

Appearance

Sithians live quite a long time; some 500 years, and never physically age visibly, as they shed their skin yearly. Males and females are divided more so then other races; for females are dominant and males are visibly weaker and less conspicuous. Females can grow as long as 14 feet in length (5 foot body, 9 foot tail) and males 12 (4 foot body, 8 foot tail). The females are most noted by their large colorful wings, and males by their lack of such. As serpents, they are more similar to boa constrictors then of venomous snakes; they lack fangs and give birth to live young.

Sithians appear to be creatures with the torso of a human and the lower half of a serpent, extending from their thighs downwards. Their bodies are covered with an array of scales which range from dark, earthy brown to jewel colors of jade, Ruby and sapphire. They are partially warm blooded, give birth to live young, and grow long black hair on their heads which is usually straight but occasionally curly. Females have wings (14' wingspan) that have feathers of many varying tropical colors.

Advantages

Acute Awareness
Sithian are born with a unique ability to perceive temperature visually and at considerable distances; a layer of their sight which can reveal warmth to them when they seek its comfort, or expose the cold to them when they yearn for relief from the heat. While a survival skill for beings who regulate their temperatures externally, this enhanced awareness makes it all the more difficult to conceal ones self from a Sithian, making surprising one- or more likely hiding from one- a tricky proposition.

Mechanic: Sithian are significantly more aware of surrounding bodies, making sneaking up on or hiding from one highly difficult. While not required in every case, OOC permission should be sought before interrupting any earnest attempt at stealth, especially in the case of efforts not directed at/pertaining to the Sithian, as is only courteous.

Serpent's Strike:
Only from careful observance of the movements of serpents could one begin to predict the explosive potential for motion within the body of a Sithian below the waistline; able to go from a seemingly languid coil to a powerful lunge and back with an intimidating lack of exertion. While this skill grows less and less employable the more a battle progresses, it can give the Sithian that all important element of surprise in the opening moments of combat.

Mechanics: If a Sithian wins an !init roll, any physical attack they make in that first turn of combat carries no stamina cost,unless that attack makes use of any other special mechanics via a class or special-item ability.

Disadvantages:

Alcohol Allergy
Sithians cannot imbibe any sort of alcohol. Consuming alcohol would be as consuming hemlock. Alcohol consumption would cause the Sithian to be immediately and violently sick, they would be unable to act as long as this poison is in their system. Cure Poison or some anti poison serum would be needed to counteract the effects of the poison. Over time, the poison might exit the system, but until they are cured of the poison, they will feel weak and lethargic.

Vulnerable Coils:
The serpentine length of a Sithian requires great freedom of movement, the most inventive of armor-structures or even simple sock-like articles of clothing rendering movement an extreme hassle, most Sithians swearing by nudity from the waist down. This leaves their long and serpentine body vulnerable to attack, especially when the Sithian finds themselves surprised by an opponent... getting their long lower body out of the path of an unexpected strike a taxing affair.

Mechanics: Sithians are unable to wear leg armor, foot-wear, or associated jewelry, only the 'Sithian Stinger' or a single ring viable items below the waist during combat. In addition, a Sithian who fails an !init roll must pay an additional 1 point of stamina for any defense rolled in the opening round of combat.

Traditions & Taboos:

Central Sithian Society forsakes farming, gardening, hedging, or any other activity which seeks to harness or 'control' the natural development of plant-life. It is in fact firmly against Sithian tradition, in spite of their omnivorous nature, to eat any fruit or vegetable which did not fall from the vine or emerge from the earth of its own volition, their dealings in lumber entirely restricted to trees fallen without the encouragement of an axe, their tools and building materials far more often utilizing bone and stone. As the matter of proving whether a fruit was found on the ground or plucked from the branch is a challenging one, most Sithian in the central cities simply avoid fruits and vegetables outright. One of the strongest points of contention between central society and the outcast culture is the farming trade, a trade which holds great appeal to those who struggle to make a decent life for themselves under the restrictions of religious rule.

It is also forbidden in all circumstances for male Sithian to engage in violence with female Sithian, and any violent altercation between female Sithian must first be permitted by the Lexteric, and handled with great ritual care in the form of a duel, sometimes to the death. One of the greatest sources of outcasts are those Sithian expelled from central cities for disobeying this tradition, even the emotional outburst of a slap across the cheek earning a female Sithian banishment, and a male Sithian as much as death. Conflicts between males receive no such regulation, however... the petty spats of subservient creatures a source of great amusement among their betters, punishment doled out as and if the females responsible for them choose.

It is also traditional for Sithian families to give sacrifice to Tepictuc on the light of each full moon, the subject of sacrifice more often than not a captured person of the two-legged variety. As such Sithian cities make a habit of capturing merchant caravans, slave wagons, passing settlers and even raiding minor communities in preparation for these monthly events, the demand for such offerings from the Nobility alone very high. Overlooking these activities has been growing harder and harder for the Ilfirian Empire in these last few years, and the assurances offered that Ilfirian soldiers never suffer this predation rings increasingly hollow. Beyond an altruistic duty to its citizens, their ownership is the real matter of contention. Under Imperial Law each and every Imperial citizen is property-in-trust, free only for so long as they can maintain their own freedom, slaves when and if it is decided they cannot. Whether wearing a collar or fine foreign silks, the people abducted by the Sithian are considered unregistered slaves at the moment of their capture, their following treatment strictly against the edicts of the Imperial Slave Authority. So far as the Empire is concerned the Sithian are engaging in considerable acts of theft on a monthly basis, and patience with the diplomatic process regarding this issue wears thin.

Society:

There are two major factions in Sithian society: The City-Dwellers, referenced academically as central Sithian society and known internally as 'The Devout', and the Outsiders, referenced academically as the outcast culture and known to central society as 'The Shed'. Central Sithian society is defined by its strictures, the range of actions and behaviors forbidden considerable, feeling the orderly rule of law, beyond a religious requirement, is at the backbone of the longevity of their culture. This is supported by the wild majesty of their dwellings; their stone cities, each block marvelously carved, seeming so in-tune with their environment as to have sprouted from the ground like the grand old trees surrounding. Central Sithian society does not engage in landscaping of any sort, their structures often interconnected by platforms of stone or bridges of bone and leather, allowing the jungle to teem undisturbed across the forest floor between them. They believe in a strictly hierarchical society incorporating nobility in much the same way as many human and Elven societies, several noble families to each city who answer in turn to the Royal family- but the power of the nobility, while seeming complete to many citizens, is at the mercy of the Lyxteric, or Priesthood, who control and dictate the system of law through which the nobles are compelled to govern.

For City dwelling Sithians, a caste system has been built and maintained over the last thousand years. According to the edicts of their religious text, the worthiness of one's 'soul' or 'karma' chooses what family they are born into. Though the occupation of the family does not choose the class, it does shape how the child is taught and brought up. Surnames are usually taken with a family name and then the caste name hyphenated: Lutax-Lyxteric, Kykrij-Kukliss. See below for a list of the classes.

Lyxteric: Priesthood
Kukliss: Noble family
Ku-Kirix: Warrior
Lys-terij: merchant/artisan
Braka: Worker
Pataj: Pariah/slave

It should be noted that the Outcasts are all considered Pataj when entering the cities, and that they do not practice the caste system within their own society.

The outcast culture is far more diverse, varying wildly from community to community, but with egalitarian law and a strong farming culture being almost universal throughout. Leadership, where existing, is typically a democratic matter among the outcast culture, elected by and chosen from among each family. Agriculture is a major boon to the outcast culture, and is perhaps the predominant factor in their continued survival. Families in the central society who lack the hunters or access to game required to survive comfortably often become Outsiders for no other reason than the freedom to take up farming and sustain themselves dependably. The Shed are highly protective of their fields, as while their existence is tolerated by The Devout, it is not at all uncommon for their crops to mysteriously burst to flame in the night. Outcast societies do away with the vast majority of Sithian Religious Custom, the monthly sacrifices for example replaced by monthly festivals of carnal indulgence.

Entertainment

General entertainment: Sithians enjoy sensual pleasure immensely, enjoying many forms of sex, and enjoying spicy flavored food. Sithians despise drinking and alcohol, and even the smell of the drink makes them nauseous.

Combat Modifiers

Disabilities and Their Mechanics
Type:	Attack				Defense				Init
Type:	CloPhy	RanPhy	CloMag	RanMag	CloPhy	RanPhy	CloMag	RanMag	Init
Sight	-30%	-100%	-30%	-100%	-30%	-30%	-30%	-30%	-50%
Hearing	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	-25%	-25%	-25%	-25%	-25%
Speech	N/A	N/A	-100%	-100%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hands/Arms***	-25%	-25%	-50%	-50%	-25%	-25%	-25%	-25%	-20%
Legs/Feet***	-25%	-10%	-25%	-N/A	-25%	-20%	-25%	-25%	-25%
* Attack/Defense Enchantments are not effected, penalties apply to base stats. * Those temporarily blinded in one eye will receive half penalties for blindness to all attacks. All penalties are cumulative. * Penalties are cumulative per limb.