Clan Drach

[Lunari]

Symbol: Dragon 

Element: Fire 

Colors: Black, blood red, brown 

Values: Determination, willpower, bravery, no fear, putting the clan before yourself 

Clan Chieftain: Kaige Drach (NPC)
Aesthetic: here

Culture:

Society 

• Clan mottos: “The strong will always out live the weak”; "Emotions are a weakness"; "Don’t fear death"
  
• Clan Drach is the largest clan in Aldsage. They took over the territory of the Morelings after they wiped them out.
• Culturally they are very much warriors. If you aren’t helping out with house work, you are sparring and practicing, getting better. Because of this almost all the Drach are fit individuals. Even their women are fierce warriors.
• A scar is like a badge of honor, showing how fierce of a warrior you are, and that you survived. The more scars you have, the more you are respected, as it shows you are a worthy opponent in battle. The Drachs also believe scars are very attractive.
• Children are told old tales of the old dragons before them and the fierce battles they won.
• The chieftain takes over the family name “Drach”.
• The chieftain's word is literal law, and those of the clan must follow it. It is viewed as highly disrespectful to question his authority. Depending on the Drach chieftain, he might be more accepting of “suggestions” than others, unless you are told to speak freely in front of him.
• Clan hierarchy is as follows: Chieftain, Chieftain's Second, Chieftain's Third, Chieftain's Wife, and then warriors of the highest rank.  Unless she is also a warrior, the chieftain's wife is more of a figurehead.
• What happens in your own household is your own business, and you are to deal with it on your own unless you bring in others. Inner conflict between the households is usually resolved by sparring. Depending on the grievances, it might be a spar to the death. It is thought that the old dragons favor those in the right.
• Causing unnecessary fighting or issues for the clan is punishable by death depending on the chieftain's orders.
• If you are banished, you are essentially a ghost and no longer exist. Banishment is thought to be a fate worse than death, as a dragon without their clan is nothing.
• Putting the clan first is the number one rule in the Drach Clan. They do not take kindly to traitors. They are often killed and their heads are put on pikes around the center of camp to remind everyone else what happens when you defy or go against the clan.
• It is an old tradition that the only way to become chieftain is to challenge the old one, in which a battle to the death is held in the center of town. The winner will either continue to be chieftain, or a new chieftain will be announced. If the chieftain goes unchallenged, it will fall to his oldest living son.
• To challenge the chieftain, then you must invoke the law of Y Ddraig Goch. The specific phrase must be, "I, ____, invoke the law of Y Ddraig Goch, against Chieftain ____" The words must be said with an audience or a witness. Once the words are spoken, the clansman is taken to the center of camp where others are informed and where the chieftain will be brought. Then the challenge for chieftain will begin. Both participants are stripped of any armor (it is thought that a true dragon should fight with his own scales) and they are allowed one weapon of choice. Then, they are both walked to the Deas Shore where the clan will create a large semi circle around the two and they both fight until one dies. The winner will throw their dead opponent's body into the ocean where the old dragons shall determine their soul's fate. The fight is to not be interfered with by any other clansman or they themselves will be punished. The Drachs believe that the Old Dragons will determine who is best suited to lead the clan.
  
• It is usually shameful to lose in a sparring match, and the loser is often shunned until they can win in a spar. This is more lax around the more skilled warriors, as they’re constantly trying to up one another.
• There are Tattoos done in the tribe. Usually warriors will get a series of runes tattooed on their spines for different accomplishments. First kill of an enemy clansman, first battle, first time winning in a spar, marrying, receiving your “scales”, losing a loved one, having a first born, etc. It’s believed that the warriors with the full spine of runes are the strongest in the clan. Everyone at some point receives their “scales” which is a dragon tattooed somewhere on their body of their choosing, in whatever size they want, signifying they are a warrior. Warriors who fall in ranks or are stripped of their titles for whatever reason are held down and their “scales” are removed by having the tattooed skin flayed off; leaving behind a hideous scar that the former warrior must now live with and be reminded of their shame. 

Combat

• Drach warriors are usually tall and muscular.
• They have a very “brutal” fighting style. Most Drachs fight with axes or war-hammers, and many fight with great swords.
• Their fighting style is very unpredictable and somewhat random. Some might call the style barbaric, but they mostly come at you, and come at you hard.
• Drachs tend to fight in what appears as an unorganized mess, but they actually fight as a group, cutting down their enemies together before they move onto the next area.
• Drachs tend to fight in leather armor or furs. The most skilled warriors go into battle shirtless with their warpaint, and with no fear of death.
• Everyone, from the time they can pick up a sword or weapon, are trained on how to use it even if they physically are not a warrior. Every Drach knows how to at least handle their own.
• When the Drachs go to war they don themselves in war paint. The warpaint often resembles scales or long slash marks. The paint is usually black or a dark red to resemble blood. They have a warrior chant to amp themselves up, and often go into battle with their “dragon roars” to instill fear in the enemy. A lot of the time it sounds like whooping and hollering in a dialect that no one understands, and the women often cry blood curdling screams before they beat on their shields.
• Warriors can lose their titles and be stripped of their belongings, forced to work as a servant, or be banished from the clan. Being banished is the greatest dishonor. If you are banished, any clansman so much as found looking at you, speaking about you, or even helps you is punished. 

Courting/Marriage/Funerals

• Despite their “brutish” lifestyle, the Drachs take funerals and weddings very seriously. If a clansman or woman dies in battle, or even childbirth, they are given a warrior's burial. This usually means they’re dressed in their finest and a pyre is built in the middle of the camp where they are set aflame. A feast is usually held to celebrate their life, and everyone participates. Those that give their life's blood for others are the most respected in the clan, and the Drachs often "call on the old dragons” for guidance and wisdom.
• Courting consists of the males generally trying to prove they are the best choice for a woman to marry. This, quite literally, involves pissing matches, sparring, leaving small gifts, etc. The woman can tell any man no, and choose who she wants. Once she’s chosen, there is generally some time for the two to get to know each other. It is believed the biggest act of love is to build your soon-to-be wife a house for the two of you to live in. Given how long a house takes to build, however, a clansman usually gets creative in how to show their acts of love.
• Weddings are a sacred ceremony between a man and woman, and there is a small ceremony with a witness present to be the officiator. Usually the witness is someone both the man and woman trust. The Drachs believe the joining of two dragons should be for their eyes only. The ceremony includes personal vows, and the joining of blood (they usually cut their hands and bleed into the same cup). The blood is then usually mixed and then they each put a blood smear on their foreheads to show that they’re now joined and connected.
• After the wedding ceremony there is a celebration with the rest of the clan, where clan members bring wedding gifts for the new couple.
• When you marry, it’s for life. Divorce does not happen within the clan. The Drachs believe that marriage should not be taken lightly, as they believe it’s a joining of the souls. If your spouse dies, a part of your soul goes along with them. Remarriage is common, as they are a warrior clan and they expect death. However, you are expected to have a grieving period of a year before you can remarry. If you do remarry, it’s generally a sign of good luck that the old dragons believe you're worthy of a second chance of love.
• Since marriage is for life, instead of wedding rings, some couples will opt to get their rings tattooed on them in some fashion. Whether it’s around a finger, an arm, a leg, what have you. The rings often mirror each other and look different to each couple. Usually with things of important significance to each couple. If your spouse dies, you can opt to have the ring tattooed over to create a black thick band or have it removed (which is generally really painful). Most opt to just have the original ring re-tatted over.