Table of Contents[] |
|
|---|---|
| Rules | - |
| Overview | - |
| Physiology | Appearance - Abilities and Weaknesses |
| Territory | Geography - Nests - Landmarks - Defenses |
| Trade | Currency - Agriculture - Transportation |
| History | Origin - Warring Swarms Period - Middle Ages - Queen Wasp - Postbellum |
| Government | The Khan - Nest Chiefs - Lesser Officials |
| Education | Libraries - Further Schooling |
| Culture | Names - Language - Religion - Society - Swarms - Holidays - Food |
| Relations | Pantalan Tribes - Pyrrhian Tribes |
| Significant Dragons | - |
| References | Gallery - FAQ - Acknowledgment |
Rules[]
Please create your characters within these criteria, and if you're not sure about something, just ask!
|
|
|
Overview[]
CentiWings are a flightless tribe based off of centipedes, millipedes, and other plated arthropods. Their armored scales come in varieties of black, brown or grey with a banded or striped pattern. Their primary defenses are their pincer tails-- which have a powerful vice grip-- and their nasty necrotic bites that blight and kill tissue.
CentiWings are ruled by a Khan who earns the throne in a grand tournament after the former ruler passes away. The winner is believed to have divine support from the tribe's patron deity, and must govern by a code of conduct to defend their right to power. The current ruler is Mapwright Hickory, also known as the Mapwright Khan.
CentiWings have an assigned birthname, and adopt an additional tradename upon reaching adulthood.
CentiWings were historically quite aloof, preferring neutrality and largely ignoring their own alliances. Current relations with the other Pantalans are tense-- the tribe's existence has been censored by the HiveWing government after a long, independent struggle between the two, and the LeafWings still resent them for initially abstaining in the Tree Wars.
Physiology[]
See References for more official art.
Appearance[]
Coloration[]
CentiWings come in shades of black, gray, and brown (including orange-brown or red-brown). All CentiWings have beady black eyes.
Most CentiWings have bright, warm-colored markings on top of their base color, running in either vertical or horizontal lined patterns down their armored plating. They are not limited to these stripe patterns alone, and can lack markings at all.
Example horn shapes for a CentiWing-- should bend in at least one place
General Build[]
- Longer and lower to the ground than other Pantalans, with shorter snouts
- Prehensile, emotive whiskers protruding from their upper jaw
- Forceps on the neck/throat
- Undeveloped wings
- Covered in chitinous plated armor
- Elbowed/bending horns
Development through molting
Molting[]
CentiWings molt their skin several times throughout their lives in order to grow, with the frequency exponentially slowing as the dragon ages. Whenever a CentiWing molts, it gains an additional pair of forceps, and leaves behind a transparent skin of its younger body which it later eats.
A CentiWing may be considered an adult after it has molted 3 times, (occurs roughly at the same age as a metamorphosis), and has a special ceremony associated with it. Most dragons reach 7-8 molts in their lifetime.
The process transpires over the course of a week and is precipitated by cloudy skin, scale irritation, and hunger or moodiness.
some CentiWing x Pantalan hybrid examples for inspiration!
Hybrids[]
Hybrids can be created freely, but responsibly. Please read Rules and Relations prior to making one.
All CentiWing hybrids MUST have the following traits:
- underdeveloped wings / incapable of flight
- cannot inherit special abilities (leafspeak, mind reading, firescales)
Abilities and Weaknesses[]
In terms of abilities, CentiWings have close-combat defenses.
Abilities (+)[]
- Necrotic Bite
Can deliver a bite that withers organic material in a spidery pattern. Unlike a caustic burn or acid-- which eats through/destroys matter-- necrosed tissue blackens and dies from within, leaving ugly glazed patches of lifeless cells that cannot repair themselves without removal of the tissue.
- Vice Grip
Tails are weaponized with strong pincers that hold fast to enemies after striking and latching at a focal point. A clamped tail can deliver a serious pinching force, and inflict worsening pain if circulation is restricted as time wears on. Used to restrain opponents for long enough to administer a few painful bites-- though tails will sometimes have the same necrotic ability in them as a bite.
CentiWings' tails also strongly resemble their horns in both shape and coloration, so from the air, an enemy dragon might spot them and attack the wrong end.
Weaknesses (-)[]
- Flightless
- No ranged breath weapon
CentiWings are very vulnerable to ranged attacks and have to rely on their enemies getting close enough for them to strike. Fortunately, Pantalan dragons tend to lack effective ranged weapons like fire.
Fighting Techniques[]
CentiWings often know a few consistent combat tactics, making it obvious if a CentiWing opponent wasn't raised in the tribe.
- Tail tuck: Begins in a low crouch with the tail folded under the stomach. Within striking distance, the dragon thrusts their pincers forward from beneath their protected belly to grab the target, and pulls its footing out, dragging the target under them. The CentiWing then goes into a tuck-and-bite where it arches its neck and tucks inward (drawing the target towards its body) after biting, like how a real centipede strikes. This ends with the target pinned.
- Disengage: Occurs when the tail tuck is used to throw an opponent away, rather than pinning them. If there is enough momentum from dragging an enemy to unbalance themselves, CentiWings may somersault forward during the tuck-and-bite. By releasing the enemy from their grip at just the right timing, they can fling them.
Territory[]
Geography[]
The Harrowing Highlands
The khanate of the CentiWings is situated in a semi-arid steppe region known as the Harrowing Highlands-- the extreme hillocks of northwestern Pantala. The maze of windy, arid valleys is blanketed in patchy grass, with inconsistent elevation and rough terrain that rises and falls steeply. Though they maintain arable tracts of land, the Harrowing Highlands rarely receive rainfall and cloud banks move very quickly over them, resulting in periodic droughts every 2-3 years. Most of the tribe's moisture is derived from the river (known as the River Raging) that cleaves through the highlands' center, or from underground aquifers.
Before Queen Wasp exterminated most trees on the continent, the region was sparsely blanketed by dry forests, including mopanes, African teaks, and acacias.
Weather in the hillocks is abnormal; the region is frequently visited by hot and ominous "fog banks" which are an optical trick resulting from dense airborne masses of smog and debris picked up by the wind.
The outlying hills create a natural border with the other tribes, and the steep drops in terrain enable certain cliff faces to fall out of view, which protects the nests from being spotted in the air.
Settlements (Nests)[]
3D model of a nest exterior by FourFlames
CentiWings are semisubterraneous; they live in densely populated city systems known as Nests, which are gouged into hillsides and underneath the cliffs. The exteriors are fortified with roots and cobbled stones to imitate the surrounding terrain, making them resemble ruins or overgrown outcrops. The vast plains between each of these residential structures are considered resource basins which the settlements can negotiate possession of.
There are 11 Nests in the tribe, each managed by its own chief.
This is a rough sketch to communicate what the CentiWings commons interiors look like
City interiors feature a central commons area from which many smaller chambers branch off, resembling a wheel-with-spokes pattern. The commons area allows for many functions, and is considered a mess hall, forum, market, and occasionally a residential meeting chamber. It's generally cavernous and hollowed into a conical dome shape to maximize vertical space.
Its surrounding chambers are dragons' individual lairs, which are open-ended on either side like passageways; one side feeds into the round or hexagonal commons within, while the other provides access to the outside world. Most Nests reserve a few larger chambers for libraries, infirmaries, dragonet nursing, and other public services.
A CentiWing's personal quarters
//Furnishing Sheepskin and furs are a preferred material for drapery, carpeting, and curtains (which hang over either end of one's chamber for privacy), and for protecting stone walls from scratching. Sheepskin is also the main component in traditional tents-- which are used for festivals, markets, or tribe events to sell smaller wares that can be packed easily-- and pelt rugs are the carpeting standard, though the options may also include thatched grass mats in some nests.
Cave lighting is natural and comes from the open-air end of a dragon's chamber, behind their curtains, which can be partially pinned back to allow for a protected view. It is also popular to fill elongated soapstone or granite basins with natural oils and light them using rubbing-sticks. Potted ferns are very popular decorations which do well in this dim lighting.
The Nests[]
A map of the Harrowing Highlands showing Nest locations. Nests are the nucleus of a "territorial holding". In other words, it's a city surrounded by a bunch of land belonging to that city.
main industries:
- subsistence agriculture (legumes and grubs)
- textiles and fibers
- fashion
fanmade chiefs:
- Magnate Spiral (FourFlames)
main industries:
- mining (coal, lesser metals, limestone)
- earthware (pottery)
- foundational construction
- military operations (scouting, battlefield combat)
fanmade chiefs:
history:
During the Tree Wars, the death toll from combat was so great in the Basin that burial services were one of the highest profiting industries.
main industries:
- military operations (artillery and field combat)
- clerical and social services
- lowland agriculture (nettle, flaxseed, basil, insects)
fanmade chiefs:
- Commander Clawmark (Skrillfury21)
history:
In the power struggle before CentiWing unification, Blusterbank was controlled by minority factions struggling for survival on the leftovers of what land hadn't been taken by the three main swarms. It changed talons many times and was one of the worst-suffering nests from the original collapse of the BeetleWings. When the treaty to unify the tribe was first suggested, Blusterbank was one of the first Nests to sign, and has prospered enough from the agreement that it remains one of the most patriotic despite its averageness.
main industries:
- mineral quarrying (granite, sandstone)
- precious metals
- fell agriculture (wheat, hare, insects)
practices / local culture:
Dragons who go to Blusterbank often disappear from relevance, making it one of the more attractive locations to retire for dragons who don't want to be found. Half of Blusterbank's population lives in an urban cluster of dry terraces in the north, and resource-wise the place is pretty undesirable.
fanmade chiefs:
- Inspector Sulfur (FourFlames)
history: Copper Catacombs was first settled by a minor swarm whose sole objective was military conquest. The region was named because they originally exploited it for its rich supply of copper and created a culture around weaponry, but were eventually conquered for not realizing the importance of land resources and food production.
main industries:
- earth metals (copper, iron) and refinement
- forging (weapons)
- finance and treasure management
- jewelry
fanmade chiefs:
- Jeweler Symphylan (Overcast Skies)
main industries:
- quarrying (soapstone, granite)
- mining (iron) and refinement
- fine arts (mineral paints)
fanmade chiefs:
main industries:
- cartography / geography
- engineering
- horticulture
fanmade chiefs:
- Artillerist Forage (FourFlames)
main industries:
- natural sciences (chemistry, physics and mathematics)
- botany and agronomy
- spice and herb farming (cumin, sesame, spices, nettle)
- tea and refined plant oils
fanmade chiefs:
- Polymath Echo (FourFlames)
history: The modern Old Stronghold was reconstructed from one of the few surviving fortifications used in the Warring Swarms era, It is believed to have been the base of operations for the Lorelorn swarm and can be dated prior to the fortress on Khan's Peak.
main industries:
- masonry
- historical preservationism, education
- military operations (artillery)
fanmade chiefs:
- Historian Foxglove (Hurricane_The_Mary_Sue)
main industries:
- military scouting and intelligence
- diplomacy (interpretation and language)
- excavation
- fell pastoralism (sheep, hare)
fanmade chiefs:
- Curator Myriad (FearStrikerKrysantheShimmer)
main industries:
- services (medical, navigation)
- transportation
- earth sciences (geography, biology, astronomy)
- varied military operations
fanmade chiefs:
- Trail Guide Agrilus (FourFlames)
Internal Migration CentiWings can move between the Nests and their surrounding territories freely.
"Owning" Land CentiWings must obtain the right to privately use land, since the only property the tribe considers to have exclusive ownership is their personal chamber. All new business ventures in a Nest's region which concern land have to be approved by the Nest Chief, to make sure that sharing the resources won't pose a significant loss to the nest in question. This is determined by whether the dragon has a profession involving the use of land for business (i.e. mining, farming), and whether the land isn't unreasonably far from the jurisdiction of their original Nest.
Landmarks[]
Khan's Peak[]
Khan's Peak is a massive koppie in the uplands of the territory. Though not the tallest of the Highlands' heights, it is the site where the tribe's capitol was built. Hence, the name "Khan's Peak" is also used to describe the administrative keep built upon it.
The citadel is a tight plot of open-air yard that is surrounded by tall rock spires-- each equipped with a catapult-- and enclosed by a henge structure. The centermost part of the open courtyard is a karst sinkhole leading down into the actual nest, which is constructed more vertically minded than most, and uses a cleverly engineered system of root-and-metal latticework for its walls that allows more light to reach the bottom. Modest gardens of natural vegetation are able to thrive in this nest thanks to the added light, which gives the residents unique selections of plants to cover their chambers' entrances, and increases the natural beauty of the nest.
//The Pelt Room is the chief foyer in which the Khan and their attendants eat, named for its inclusion of exotic animal pelts on the floor and walls. These are arranged like cushions around shallow sand pits, where tribe officials sit while discussing tactics and drawing strategies in the sand. To one side of the sand pit is a small rack of maps, for when a general overview of the terrain is too complicated to draw.
It is a horizontal room-- the most horizontal room in the nest-- with one side completely exposed to the interior courtyard in typical CentiWing fashion. It is considered exceptionally wide, having the greatest visitor capacity.
Its entrance from the interior courtyard is an open aperture that is spaced in rows by trefoil arches, the width of which a dragon could walk through. It is markedly breezy, and naturally lit by the warped-looking sunrays of the highlands; filtering through some of the trefoils are stained glass windows maybe four feet in height. Each window is colored in celadon and powder-blue depictions of decorated warrior-dragons.
//The Labyrinth is a keyhole-shaped aperture in the wall of the khan's personal chamber, and leads to the House of Hrringa. Its entrance is decorated ornately with stone carvings that were handmade by the first khan of the CentiWings. The labyrinthine tunnel system is completely made from a homogenous material, except when it isn't; it has no definite landmarks.
House of Hrringa[]
mosaic pool in the House of Hrringa
The House of Hrringa is a sacred subterranean hollow. It is enshrined somewhere within the Labyrinth, designed by a past Khan so that only a dragon guided by Hrringa could navigate to and from. Because of how difficult it is to find this place, doing so became an alternative method of succeeding the Khan, though only applying under particular circumstances.
The inside of the House is entrenched almost entirely in darkness, with unlit oil lamps positioned around the room. The ground of the House is carpeted with moist soil, ferns, and decaying plant matter, and the chamber is said to have a misty, earthy smell. At its heart is a clear pool of water tapped from ancient aquifers, floating in a green soapstone bed and encircled by steps; the bottom of the pool is tiled with a mosaic interpretation of Hrringa.
Relics from former Khans are reverentially arranged along the walls on small black granite pedestals, preserved under glass if possible. Important manuscripts, historical documents and personal notes are also archived in small shelves underneath the pedestals of the Khans who authored them.
The Forum[]
The Forum is the site of the Chiefs' Convent and the Tourney. Nest Chiefs and Tourney organizers hold their meetings in a large tent at the furthest end of the forum that is furnished with granite council tables. The forum itself is a natural formation of slanted limestone slabs at the base of Khan's Peak, surrounded by arid fields of brush and gravel. The slabs are often used as public perches when observing events.
Defenses[]
A CentiWing catapult
Artillery technologies were first utilized during the Warring Swarms period. The military wing which handles artillery is known as the Khan's Highland Artillery (KHA).
CentiWing artillery consists of simple catapults with varying arm lengths, and it is no small feat to hit a flying dragon with one. These structures are generally delved into a hillside for support, with chiseled stone joints and tightly woven ropes for tension. All catapults include a sheltered compartment beneath them in the event of emergency fire, enabling the manning dragons to take additional cover. This is not a very large compartment and is a tight squeeze for other tribes.
The catapults use tarp rucksacks filled with boulders as a counterweight at the opposite end of the throwing arm.
Logistics[]
The arm of the catapult is hitched with rope to a rung at the back of the machine. When ready to fire, the manning dragons cut the rope with their sharp horns, which releases the tension. This causes the counterweight end of the throwing arm to rapidly fall and the payload to be flung airborne.
Trade[]
The CentiWings often live in isolation from other tribes, so generations of Khans have built strong internal infrastructure using the Nests' payments of tribute.
The CentiWings are relatively on par with the HiveWings and SilkWings in terms of innovation and technology. They are limited in specific modern inventions (i.e. treestuff, identification wristbands) since the particular resources for making those aren't available to them.
Currency[]
When the tribe unified, they created their own form of currency called Treasure. The smallest unit of Treasure is worth twice as much as a Scale, and resembles a small square. They are made from copper and its various alloys (brass, bronze).
Agriculture[]
- Pastoralism The eastern plains of the territory are used for grazing sheep and goats. To shift evidence of farmland out of sight from the HiveWings, less eastern land has been allocated lately, so as to hide tribe activity.
- Fibre crops For their weaving and fibers, CentiWings cultivate hemp (non-THC), nettle (which has a surprisingly high tensile strength for being what it is), and esparto (which grows in steppe environments).
Wool, mohair and sinew aren't crops but they use those for fiber as well. - Food crops (see also: Food)
- Limited aquaculture They're not very good meat fish, as they are subsisting in rocky semi-arid waters, but wild fish can still be caught for leather, fertilizer, oils or glues. The tribe keeps its specially bred meat fish in captive farms. This makes the purchase of fish meat / live specimens an expensive luxury.
Transportation[]
- Paved roads and bridges CentiWings clear footpaths through their environment, as they are terrestrial dragons who cannot fly. They can also build impressive bridges, which are different from the suspension-style bridges of SilkWings.
- Boats CentiWings do not possess naval-grade sea vessels capable of traveling to Pyrrhia, as their sector of the ocean experiences offshore typhoons and tsunamis similar to those of the Indian Ocean-- this makes it difficult to use ships for more arduous ocean journeys. Sailboats that can be manned by a few dragons are ideal and common however, with the occasional longer ones for moving platoons or resources along the river. Vessel quality drastically decreased after the near extermination of trees.
History[]
CentiWings are descended from the portion of BeetleWings who chose not to join Clearsight.
Origin/Founding: BeetleWings[]
Ancient BeetleWings were not one unified tribe, although they were the same dragons. They were divided across Pantala into a multitude of independent groups, each ruled by a chief from its local dynasty of flamesilks. (Flamesilk was not a universal trait for this species, but not so uncommon either)
400 years before Clearsight, a particularly terrible outbreak of the breath of evil plant wiped out a third of these groups. Those which survived reluctantly agreed to unite as one tribe in order to protect themselves, becoming what we now know as the BeetleWings.
The flamesilk dynasties would continue to rule their people at a local level, but now with all answering to one chief.
Arrival of Clearsight, 3015 AS[]
When Clearsight landed in Pantala, the BeetleWings' current chief Sunstreak revered her clairvoyance and treated her chivalrously, an intermarriage that would herald the future ancestors of HiveWings and SilkWings.
After Clearsight passed away, her descendants kept her book safe as an heirloom to be passed down for generations on their side of the lineage. Unsurprisingly, it became a religious artifact.
Different dynasties of BeetleWings continued to offer talons in marriage to Clearsight's descendants. The excessive granting of these unions resulted in the dynasties leaving the tribe to be with their partners, so the original BeetleWings eventually needed a new leadership system, and went with divine right. This empowered commoners to rule for the first time, and since these were generally the dullest and least vibrant members of their species, this laid the basis for one of the first shifts towards becoming modern CentiWings (i.e. their grey, black, and brown scales).
Occupation of the Harrowing Highlands, 3114-3440 AS[]
- Over time Clearsight's children began to compete with the BeetleWings for land, pushing them northwest. The tribe already possessed the territory surrounding Beetle Lake, but external pressures forced their borders to shift slightly. The climate formed a more average physiology among their tribe, and eventually flightlessness.
- Problems soon arose between the different families which were now packed together to a boiling point, each afraid of being destroyed within the tribe and without. The BeetleWings' Chieftess sensed their unrest and sought out diplomatic advice from the other Pantalan leaders, turning to Hrringa and requesting the Book of Clearsight when those suggestions failed to work. Desperate for peace, she disappeared with her personal retinue on a mission that she said very little about, other than that it would be swift. She and her advisors were never sighted again.
- Out of necessity, the tribe had to presume their Chieftess dead, and swore in her daughter, Conservator Nightcrawler, to lead in her stead.
The Warring Swarms (3440-3540 AS)[]
A tentative visual of where the main 3 swarms held land in 3530 AS
Because there was no proof of Conservator Nightcrawler's divine right to rule, the tribe tore itself apart over her legitimacy.
By 3441, the BeetleWings had collapsed into swarms battling for supremacy, each led by a dragon who claimed to be the rightful leader of the tribe. Although the exact number of ancient swarms is undocumented and believed to be centesimal, there were three dominant ones which held sway.
For a full list of swarms, see here.
Lorelorn[]
- Khan: Conservator Nightcrawler
- Values: Community and compromise
Ancient insignia
Lorelorn was one of the largest of the ancient allegiances, founded on the principles of empathy, discernment, and perspective. Choosing to conquer by first giving its enemies the option for diplomacy before waging war against them, it was an empathic faction mostly bent on picking up the broken pieces of the BeetleWing empire, only multiplied by Nightcrawler's inspirational rhetoric. It was religious in alignment but not fundamentalist, rather it used religion in daily application to provide members with the consolation of "doing the right thing" with conviction behind their actions. Its power structure was based on loyalty to Nightcrawler and to Hrringa, requiring its officers to pledge allegiance to their community before taking up positions.
- Why Dragons Followed
Dragons followed Nightcrawler because she was the rightful inheritor of the throne, and forgiving. Her agreeable personality and willingness to compromise, to her followers, was an encouraging sign that she would be the best at uniting the swarms.
Pragma Regnet[]
- Khan: Vanguard Prasina
- Values: Valor and virtue
Ancient insignia
Pragma Regnet's founder was a militant warrior who, although stern and unafraid to make bloody decisions, treated her followers with unparalleled respect and dignity. Because the Vanguard Khan knew that the factions had an incomplete perspective of why they hated each other, and would never agree to the terms that each wanted, she drew the grim conclusion that the war could only be resolved through bloody struggle. She believed in choosing the options that were reliable and in trusting the dragons who had bought their loyalty through their efforts. As a result, the leadership of Pragma Regnet put stock in dragons who were not superficial about themselves and would punish dragons who failed to tell their superiors important information.
- Why Dragons Followed
Dragons followed Pragma Regnet because they felt that its Khan was the most realistic, decisive, and trustworthy. Her judgment was widely venerated, and the general opinion was that she would be a just, tolerant ruler who held laws and values above personal feelings.
Scrumstrider[]
- Khan: Establisher Nezarini
- Values: Risk and resourcefulness
Ancient insignia
Scrumstrider's khan, Establisher Nezarini, was a charismatic individual with controversial opinions. Before the Warring Swarms period, he came into possession of a vast library of materials and creative resources-- the communal use of which he promised to those who joined him.
This swarm was a hub for the intellectuals of the tribe, and fed off of dragons' pride, self-confidence, and opportunism. They furthered themselves under the assumption that they were also furthering the tribe; "it logically must be an extension of Hrringa's will to do whatever seems to be the common good." Swarm members were also drilled to view it as their obligation to protect the tribe from the eventual obsolescence of antiquated laws. Scrumstrider was amenable to reason, and saw the practicality of maintaining alliances. It often reached out for help from outside kingdoms, believing that allies and good policy were necessary assets to any empire, but was always disappointed by the failure of such appeals.
- Why Dragons Followed
Nezarini's supporters considered him the most capable of handling the tribe's prosperity, and of navigating the risky paths necessary to reaching it. His mental quickness and progressive attitude were cited as reason enough for his competence, and he was praised for showing no prejudice towards less / more experienced thinkers; he believed in putting the right dragons in the right jobs, not based on merit or loyalty but on their skills.
Forced isolationism, looting, and warfare added up to a very costly waste of resources. Seeing this chaos, the LeafWings and hybrids refused to trade with any of the Khans-- citing the lack of a proper government-- and wisely left them to quarrel amongst themselves.
To their credit, the BeetleWings did not fight the entire time-— the bulk of the fighting petered out by 3480, and the actual conflict only dragged on until the sheer expenses of warfare halted them from picking battles with one another. That being said, they never made official treaties of peace, and simply chose to live in relative independence from one another, with no clear administrative power emerging to unite them all until practically 60 years later.
Unification of the Modern CentiWings[]
- By 3538, hopes of fixing the tribe were pretty much dashed— but the independent swarms were starting to face administrative issues of their own, because they hadn’t exactly succeeded at claiming divine right themselves. Nightcrawler's heir proposed that if the different swarms allied, they could build a better method of determining divine right for current and future generations. This idea appealed to the dissatisfied public.
- After a hundred years of fighting (and some strongarming), the swarms met for a week near the base of the tallest peak in the land, where they agreed to unite as one tribe again-- this time, calling themselves CentiWings-- and gathered around a natural stone formation to discuss what challenges would prove someone to be a true leader. Ruling by those key values, they held the very first Tourney a week later, to continue their rivalries in a less destructive way. They ended the negotiations with a questionable but functional government that has lasted in more or less the same form up until the present.
- With the Stonecrafter Khan as its leader, the new tribe constructed the House of Hrringa to protect the tribe from future debates over leadership, and wrote several laws after consultation with religious scholars to establish what could and could not be done by the reigning Khan.
Pantalan Middle Ages (3540-4500 AS)[]
This was the period of Clearsight's descendants separating into two tribes, the HiveWings and SilkWings. Hence, the CentiWings approached them for new alliances.
| Treaty of the Sheaf | 4495 AS | At the turn of the century, the khan approached the LeafWings and negotiated an official alliance to protect her dragons. This was the first time the tribe had made an alliance since beginning its 350 years of forced isolation. |
| Treaty of the Hunt | 4503 AS | CentiWings held the HiveWings in high esteem and were anxious to ask for their allegiance. As an act of aid, the HiveWing Queen sent for the pelts of many savannah animals-- currently on display in the Pelt Room-- and a donation of hunting weapons, which are still studied by the CentiWing military to this day. |
| Treaty of the Loom | 4519 AS | The SilkWings were the only tribe to approach the CentiWings for alliance first, believing that the alliance would strengthen SilkWing interests. The alliance wasn't particularly useful for either of the tribes entering it, but the SilkWing ambassadors had a market for weather interpretation and book-binding, so the CentiWings tolerated them. |
Age of HiveWing Imperialism (late 4950s AS)[]
When Queen Wasp rose to power, the CentiWings chose to recognize her "divinely ordained" reign over the HiveWings. Being unrelated to Clearsight themselves, however-- and not believing the legendary prophet to be a goddess-- they did not see why a divine gift would give Queen Wasp any power over the CentiWing tribe. They politely maintained their alliance and assumed an impassive political stance.
Assassination of Vaultkeeper Khan (4957)[]
- Once the HiveWings began conquering their neighbors, the CentiWings led with appeasement tactics, and regularly invited the company of Queen Wasp in hopes of pacifying her. These attempts at peace seemed to work until one "diplomatic meeting", when a HiveWing noble stabbed the khan to death and fled. The encounter ended in ambassador casualties, and an end to CentiWings' alliance with the Hives.
- Queen Wasp had attempted to create a power vacuum that would bend the CentiWings to her will. This failed spectacularly because she misjudged how the CentiWings would react. Instead of collapsing or walking into a war, the tribe decided that if appeasement would not work, then insulating themselves against their neighbors however possible-- such as banning HiveWing interactions -- was the next best option.
- A Numenspeech was called into effect, as everyone knew that Hrringa would not have sanctioned the khan's death. Chosen by Hrringa was a promising young sentry, Watcher Fell, who was sensible enough to prepare the military in case Wasp tried again.
First CentiWing-HiveWing War (4957-4961 AS)[]
- The HiveWings interpreted the deaths of their ambassadors as an "unprovoked threat to their empire" and used the incident to justify an invasion of the CentiWing homeland. This four-year military campaign was solely a defensive matter for the CentiWings, who fought bravely to defend their home.
| Battle of Khan's Peak | 4958-4959 AS | Victor: CentiWings | The HiveWings tried to encircle the highlands with their army and force a path through to Khan's Peak. CentiWing forces pretended to retreat and allow them to gain ground, then destroyed the HiveWings' supply line once they were far enough inland. This trapped the Hive troops and forced them to surrender. |
The HiveWings were surprised by their defeat, and kept any evidence of their military failure classified in order to convince the SilkWings that they must accept inferiority to the all-powerful Queen Wasp. Furthermore they attempted to make it seem like CentiWings had never existed, and punished anyone who said otherwise.
The Tree Wars (4962 AS)[]
- Queen Wasp would stop at nothing until the CentiWings were weakened beneath her talons, but after her defeat at Khan's Peak, she turned her attention to the LeafWings who were causing fires and damaging the Hives. Recognizing that it is the CentiWings' accepted practice to only attack if it is in retaliation, she paused to address the LeafWing problem on the eastern front.
- The CentiWings were aware that their LeafWing allies needed help, and the Watcher Khan appealed to the House of Hrringa for advice on aiding the LeafWings. Hrringa did not tell her to defend Queen Sequoia, so in accordance with her tribe's customs, she was forced to lose the LeafWings' alliance to keep her tribe stable.
Second CentiWing-HiveWing War (4964-4971 AS)[]
- Fresh from their victory against the LeafWings, the Hives attempted to drive the CentiWings to "extinction" with the same weapons of mass destruction that had ravaged the forests.
| Sting Campaign | 4964-4968 AS | Victor: CentiWings | Queen Wasp experimentally tested where the CentiWings' highest defenses were. She let the CentiWings believe they had won these minor ambushes; meanwhile, the CentiWings began developing evacuation plans and other counter-strategies. |
| Queen Wasp's Charge / The Great Fire | 4970 AS | Victor: HiveWings | A vicious measure by Queen Wasp to choke out CentiWing resistance. Her plan was to burn down their artillery and cut off all escape routes with flamesilk, indiscriminately destroying them in the process. A bloody standoff ensued as each tribe attempted to drive out the other, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Eventually there weren't enough CentiWing forces left to put up a resistance against the HiveWing army, and only then did Queen Wasp call off the attack, believing they were no longer a threat. |
Nomination of the Mapwright Khan (4986 AS)[]
- Though she sustained grave injuries in Queen Wasp's Charge, the Watcher Khan held onto life for another thirteen years after the war before she eventually passed in her sleep. She was highly venerated for her service.
- Tribe medics determined that she died early of chronic post-traumatic stress, which led to a debate on whether to use the Numenspeech or the Tourney to select the next Khan. It was eventually settled that, because she had lived thirteen prosperous years after the incident and died peacefully, a Tourney would be the most appropriate way to identify her successor.
- The winner of this event was an ambitious cartographer, Mapwright Hickory.
Postbellum (4980's - TFOH)[]
- CentiWings spent several decades in isolation to recover from the war, but these years weren't all spent cowering in fear.
- Early into her reign, the Mapwright Khan was already devising a plan to reconnect with the LeafWing tribe. She organized reconnaissance expeditions to the Poison Jungle, intending to unite with the LeafWings against Wasp-- a massive undertaking she hoped scouts' intelligence would justify.
- These teams were successful in finding evidence of LeafWing existence, but unable to locate them, as they were too deep into the jungle. With sufficient proof, though, the tribe began excavating a subterranean passage between the Poison Jungle and the Harrowing Highlands. This project reached its completion in 5006 AS (nearly 18 years).
- To the frustration of everyone involved, this tunnel ended up leading to the village of the SapWings, who wanted nothing to do with a war and were unwilling to accept any of the weaponry which had been transported underground. Queen Sequoia, already having to regularly micromanage Belladonna's endangerment of their tribe, outright refused that the CentiWings carry their equipment through the SapWing village, for fear of revealing their camp.
- The CentiWings respected Sequoia's direct order-- but not the ideas behind it. Rather than ceasing any serious activity they simply split off a branch of their tunnel to open in closer vicinity to the PoisonWing village. Mapwright Khan then formally approved of cooperation with the PoisonWings and allowed soldiers within her tribe to voluntarily participate in their resistance.
- When the CentiWings learned that SapWings and PoisonWings were working together again (TPJ), they temporarily withdrew so as not to confuse their chain of command, then went right back to fighting. They valiantly stood with the PoisonWings against the Othermind and shifted their support to the Chrysalis when PoisonWing camp was compromised.
- After Wasp's defeat, the restrictions on exchange and travel began to dissipate, so that the CentiWings are now allies of the LeafSilk Kingdom. However, they still think of the tribes within the kingdom as separate entities that are accountable for all of their past actions, so they don't really view it as one sovereign kingdom.
Government[]
The CentiWings are ruled by a 'divinely selected' Khan. It is believed that the god will pick a dragon for their contributions to the tribe, and most trials of leadership involve some contest of skill or luck.
The khan manages their tribe under the guidance of limited laws. Laws measure whether their use of power is contradictory of divine right. A khan can be seriously threatened by unfortunate events such as plagues or terrible weather, which the tribe might interpret as a sign that they are starting to stray from the moral path.
The general population is divided into systems of Nests. Each is headed by a Nest Chief, who has the quarterly responsibility to present their community's interests to the khan. The khan listens to everyone and then makes a choice for them based on what they think is the best decision.
Leadership Systems throughout history[]
- (???? AS): Different BeetleWing chiefdoms are spread across Pantala, each ruled by their own flamesilk chiefs
- (26??-3440): Chiefdoms are unified into one BeetleWing tribe, with one chief.
- (3440-3540): In question of a chief's legitimacy, the tribe breaks into many swarms led by khans
- (3540-present): Swarms are unified into one tribe again (the CentiWings), with a single khan and regional chiefs under them
The Khan[]
- For a list of all Khans, see here.
The Khan is the leader of the CentiWing tribe, responsible for ruling over the Harrowing Highlands. Similarly to a Queen, they have virtually unlimited rights and authority over laws, military forces, and diplomatic relations. What differentiates them in concept is that their command is justified by a combination of divine right and merit. Their leadership is contractual; to remain in power, they must issue commands obeying the ancient written laws and the will of their tribe's patron god.
Khans may settle problems using their own judgment, or by accessing their sacred connection to the god Hrringa to ask for divine help (when necessary). Khans are the only ones who may enter the sacred inner chamber of Hrringa's temple and speak with them. In the rare event that Hrringa gives them a command, the khan must do it expediently and without question.
That is not to say that a khan must do all of this by themselves; khans live with a group of qualified advisors and guards who assist them in their campaigns (territory management, financials, paperwork, infrastructure, etc).
Becoming Khan[]
New khans are only nominated after the previous one has died, and will lead their tribe for life. There are two ways that a CentiWing can become khan, but neither involve killing one's own tribemates.
Tourney[]
If the previous khan died naturally, then the new one will be chosen through a contest known as the Tourney. The winner earns the throne through seven trials of character proving they are worthy of their tribemates' and deity's favor.
| Judging | The event is judged by an odd number of Tourney organizers. The Nest Chiefs are the ones who appoint Tourney organizers, and come together to deliberate which dragons to choose for this after the Khan's passing. |
| Candidate Selection | Participation is public and voluntary, so anyone not excluded in the rules can join if they like. However, only a few from each Nest are selected by the organizers as true competitors for the title, and the rest will support a contestant of their choosing in the group challenges. Supporting accomplices can pick (and change) their allegiance at any time, and any trials they win will count towards the score of the dragon they are competing for. |
| Points | Three points are awarded for winning a trial. |
|
While known for lawlessness, roughhousing, and fierce competition, there are some rules governing the tournament.
|
Each day of the Tourney has one of the following Trials:
|
Requires the challenger to select accomplices and divide them up for strength and intellect challenges chosen by the organizers. This is considered to be the most entertaining of all the trials, because it is largely dependent on public participation. Examples of challenges include
There are five challenges, and each awards a full three points, despite being part of the same trial. |
|
Challengers cross difficult terrain while, every so often, one action they've been performing is spontaneously banned and they will have to find an alternative method. Each dragon is given a few of the same tools for this challenge, but the rest must be improvised.
|
|
Candidates are left alone and given trivial detail-items to escape a cave blindfolded. The fastest dragon to escape the puzzle will be awarded points. Each dragon is given a separate turn to find their way out-- they are not all left in the cave at once. |
|
Each challenger is allocated an area where they may pile a hoard of their valuables, and must prove they are willing to sacrifice the most to the tribe. After judging the value of each hoard at the end of the day, the entire tribe is allowed to loot their piles in a massive free-for-all.
|
|
Places the candidates on top of a hill under scorching sunlight, only permitting them to move if they follow the cues of three colored banners (white, black, brown). At the signal of the white banner, no one can move; at the signal of the black banner, movement is permitted. The brown banner is designed to confuse, as it is very similar to the black banner.
|
|
Competitors travel from Point A to Point B while harassed through mockery, attacks on their character, and physical roughness. The contending dragon cannot turn back and defend themselves either verbally or physically, and breaking down at any point on the path will result in no points being awarded for that trial.
|
|
Always done on the final day. Competitors are sealed into a private room and forced to debate who should win the throne. Until all dragons sealed in the room can agree which individual has the noblest and worthiest cause, none may leave-- and there is no food or water in the room. If a dragon has made it this far in the trials, they should be civil and clever enough to know when to concede.
|
Numenspeech[]
If the previous khan was slain in battle, then they died before it was time for their souls to depart, so they will reside in the House of Hrringa until a tribemate partakes in a respectful ritual to free them. The responsibility of leadership is passed to whoever puts the fallen leader's souls to rest, and this occurs through a two-part process called the Numenspeech.
Finding the House of Hrringa is not simply a matter of choice, but of luck: the House is located inside a dark labyrinth under Khan's Peak, supposedly constructed to be so unnavigable that it can only be found with divine guidance. This means that whichever dragon succeeds in reaching the end has already been favored by Hrringa to succeed the former khan.
The ritual half of the Numenspeech commences upon entering the House. Positioned around the room are oil lamps; the dragon must locate and light each of these, casting a warm, dim light across a reflective pool in the center. After lighting the lamps, the dragon chants selected songs of hope to free the numens (soul residing in a place) of the former khan.
To prove to the rest of the tribe that they have been to the House, the contending dragon must return with one of the lamps afterwards.
Nest Chiefs[]
- For a list of all Nest Chiefs, see here.
Each nest is organized to have its own community representative, referred to as the Nest Chief. This is the most respected, informed, or powerful individual living in that nest. Once this title is conferred upon a CentiWing by the popular favor of their nestmates, they may assume the role for life, unless they choose to step down or are answerable for some proven heresy.
Nest Chiefs are entrusted with certain responsibilities for the Nest and its surrounding region. For example, they are allowed to make transient agreements on how to share the resources/territory around their nests, and though the Khan can rewrite these terms, the Chiefs are generally left to their own devices.
Nest Chiefs are also required to attend tribe meetings between themselves and the Khan as part of their allegiance to the khanate. These are known as the Chiefs' Convents, and they coincide with four regular events on the annual lunar calendar, but may also occur whenever the Khan calls one into effect.
At every other Convent, the chiefs bring a small amount of treasure they've collected from members of their Nest and bring to the Khan so that the unified tribe remains strong.
Becoming a Nest Chief[]
Nests can choose from diverse methods of selecting their chief across the board, but historically the process involves some form of public census, like a headcount. Due to the real likelihood of public brawling-- and to ensure that the victors truly won whatever competition was decided upon-- Khan supervision is necessary to verify the selection of new chiefs.
The irregularity of the life term system means there could be a matter of weeks, months, or years before a nest's chief is replaced.
Chiefs' Convent[]
Nest Chiefs gather quarterly at the Forum to exchange information, debate, and request resources from each other. These gatherings are scheduled based on four events in the year's lunar calendar, but the Khan, who oversees the meetings, can also call one into effect before the regular quarter has elapsed.
To ensure that a hearing flows smoothly, the Convent works like this:
- Each Nest Chief gets a turn to report the current state of their nest, and to propose their solutions to any issues.
- If the matter concerns any of the other chiefs, those dragons may raise
- one talon to contribute their assent or
- two talons to make a statement representing their end of the issue.
Once oppositional Chiefs have reached an agreement they are satisfied with, they may put one of the two talons down to contribute assent-- or continue to hold up two until they have reached an agreeable solution.
- The Khan may dismiss the Convent once there is enough accord with the decisions overall.
Khanate Officials[]
- For a list of all Khanate Officials, see here.
Dragons who answer directly to the Khan and are tasked with "lesser" administrative duties. They are considered to be the Khan's "many legs of influence."
Military[]
Responsible for defending the tribe from outside threats and protecting important dragons. It includes three main wings: the Khan's Highland Artillery, the Khan's Army, and the Khan's Guard. They have their own ranking system which does not apply to politics, and their own combat training programs.
Commanding officers are expected to make sure the Khan's military orders are carried out but, unless the Khan overrides their decision, may use discretion in how they arrive at the execution of those orders.
Inspectors[]
Inspectors ensure the Nests are being administrated to the Khan's standards. Their duties include policing, presiding over lesser tribunals, and private investigation; but most of them specialize in just one of these duties.
These officials meet in the Forum if they need to coordinate, and are typically scattered in small groups around the nests, keeping their forces spread out for surveillance purposes.
They can be handpicked by the khan, but generally train for the profession through study.
Advisors[]
The Khan appoints a few dragons to temporarily serve on their personal advisory panel if they have experience in a profession relevant to an ongoing issue. Though lacking lawmaking power, these temporary additions to the retinue are valued for their counsel. They carry no distinguishing titles during their advisorship, and are humbly clerks and secretaries helping the khan make decisions.Laws & Punishments[]
Laws[]
| Topic | Laws |
|---|---|
| Leadership |
|
| Crime and Punishment |
|
| Tribunals |
|
| Assets |
|
Tribunals[]
When a dragon commits a crime, their Nest Chief writes a report based on witness testimony and passes it to the Inspectors. The offender is then brought in front of several Inspectors, and given a proper tribunal.
- Tribunals begin with the Inspectors reading the report word-for-word and asking the offender to defend or refute the statement with their own explanation of the events. The accounts are measured against each other for inaccuracies.
- All further questioning of the defendant, witnesses and lawyers is conducted by the Inspectors.
- The tribunal concludes when it can be proven whether or not the crime was committed, and whether or not the actions were justified.
War criminals are not given a tribunal; they are taken prisoner without trial, unless there is popular demand for their release.
Imprisonment[]
Dragons found guilty of a crime are imprisoned for a decided duration, in which they are denied certain liberties. Most nests try to reeducate their prisoners to prepare them for society again.
Especially dangerous prisoners, including prisoners of war, are kept in their own secret dungeon. They do not receive reeducation privileges because they are unlikely to be introduced to CentiWing society.
Education[]
Libraries[]
Libraries are the primary educational institutions for CentiWings. Each Nest is required to possess at least one, although some are better maintained than others.
Libraries aren't quiet places to read in CentiWing culture, but caverns with large collections of books where the ideas within them are taught. The idea is that a dragon will either stay and listen to a class that interests them, or check out a book and return it later.
CentiWings uniquely build their bookcases in a coiled, or spiral-shaped, arrangement. Classes are located at the center of this spiral, so that dragons who are just browsing do not have to disturb the class.
//School Starting at age 2, dragonets can be sent to the nest library for their academics. The librarians will instruct them in law, history, culture, language, mathematics, and natural sciences, with an hour of lecture dedicated to each.
The tribe offers each dragon seven complimentary years of public primary school-- for example, even if dragons become adults at age 6, they are still permitted to take three more years of general schooling.
The tribe's curriculum draws from some religious ideas to teach dragonets how to behave appropriately, but religion is not force-fed. It is mainly referenced for promoting social skills or explaining culture.
- Reward System Instead of being given scores for their performance on assignments, CentiWing dragonets who have behaved well and put forth the required effort are rewarded with a single-use trinket. The trinket can be exchanged in any shop at the nest's market, and the value the trinket carries will increase depending on the student's comprehension of the material, such as answering questions correctly. However, once it has been exchanged at a shop, it cannot be given back, including any amount left on it. Older students, who are living on their own, will often use these trinkets to buy food and other necessities.
Further Schooling[]
After a dragon has used all seven of the complimentary public schooling years, those in need of further specialization might find a mentor. These are dragons who can train them in their desired profession and give them an examination to assess their competence. Word of mouth from a reputable mentor is crucial for CentiWings pursuing higher education careers.
As a way of helping dragons who want the further specialization, swarms will often provide residence information for artisans certified in any craft of choice.
Culture[]
Naming[]
Each CentiWing has two names-- one that they choose as an adult, and another given at birth by their guardians.
| ADULT NAME | EXAMPLES
|
describes what the dragon does
|
| BIRTH NAME | EXAMPLES:
|
describes how the dragon acts/is; including their behavior, a physical attribute like color/size, or something they resemble
|
Languages[]
|
// Dragon CentiWings can speak a dialect of Dragon like the rest of the continent.
|
|
// CSL Centi Sign Language is a nonverbal communication system primarily used by deaf dragons of the tribe. In addition to the signing naturally available to dragons, it incorporates the tribe's whiskers and forceps, often as substitute for signs where other tribes might use their wings. |
Religion[]
CentiWings worship an entity called Hrringa-- a genderless personification of the natural universe whose dreams are responsible for the wandering of fortune and power. They are an amalgamation of gods from the old "pagan" pantheons of Pantala, which over time merged into one concept.
Deity: Hrringa[]
The symbol of Hrringa
Hrringa is the influencer of fate, and patron of hope by extension. They unconsciously control the flow of all luck and power in the world, and are the mythical intercessor between earth and sky. Symbols of their might can be found in weather, natural disasters, and mountain peaks.
Hrringa cannot participate in the same reality as mortal affairs, because they are entranced indefinitely by the maintenance of holding together the planet as dragons know it. Instead of actively perceiving history as it unfolds in present time, they stand casting a magical field around themself in an eternal state of daydreaming, causing their magic to wander around the world unconsciously. This is the explanation for why Hrringa can never give a plain answer when dragons come for their help, or why they give very arcane advice to the tribe.
Despite the indiscriminate nature of their powers, it is generally believed that Hrringa would care greatly about mortal life if they were fully awake. Sometimes Hrringa awakens in moments of clarity, often in cataclysmic times, to endow the tribe with mysterious instructions.
Multiple Souls[]In CentiWing culture, each dragon has at least two souls:
A rare few are blessed with a third soul, if Hrringa's magic wills it:
|
Numens[]CentiWings believe that many objects and nonliving things also have souls residing in them. These object-souls are called numens. A numen can be any of the kinds of soul. Sometimes the numens exist by virtue of the object existing, and other times the object acquires its soul(s) from a deceased dragon who has taken up residence in that object due to an improper death. There are rituals that can be performed to allow dragon-numens to pass, such as in the Numenspeech. (see Funerals) The khan's third soul is considered a numen, a Destiny-soul specific to the CentiWing tribe, that can reside within only one individual at any given time. |
Origin Myth[]Hrringa's coils have flowed through the primordial void since before time. Their existence precedes the beginning of all life, which this brief tale recounts.
|
Beliefs[]
|
Funerals[]CentiWings perform an important funerary ritual of returning their loved one's soul of Vitality to the earth in order to be reborn in descendants. This is how generational lookalikes are explained religiously: they believe that Vitality is passed down through generations, since the body will be inherited by future kin. Other tribes, who have only ever witnessed the aftermath of such rituals, are confused by these burial sites. This led them to the erroneous conclusion that CentiWings are prone to being crushed by rocks. |
Priests[]Any certified and knowledgable dragon who believes in Hrringa can be a priest. Priests of Hrringa might lack direct dialogue with their patron deity like the khan, but are still able to speak with numens, and are educated in the conduct of rituals. Because this is their profession, they often possess certain skills which even the khan does not necessarily have (such as telling fortunes or counseling). |
Society[]
Molting[]
It is socially acceptable to eat the skin after molting. These become special-occasion meals, especially in the Third Molt Ceremony.
Parenting and Mating[]
Like other tribes, many CentiWings choose to mate. However, the tribe does not place particular importance on marital traditions, and dragons aren't expected to formally bind themselves to one another to express love.
A mated pair typically stays together long enough to raise dragonets to adulthood-- at least six years, if not more. A CentiWing may also coparent with as many dragons as they like, of any sex or gender, as long as the other dragon's company is welcome.
Eggs are laid and kept in the community nursery until they hatch, after which they are returned to their parents. Very rarely, the nursery will have to rear a dragonet, such as when biological parents decide they don't want to raise it together.
For the most part though, CentiWings are proud of their custodial responsibilities, and enjoy being able to share their knowledge to others. It should come as no surprise that many CentiWings have close bonds with their parents-- similar to human stories about dragons, they are fiercely protective of their eggs and young. Elders may try to coerce their dragonets into learning a generational skill, however, which can be divisive.
Swarm Identity[]
Modern swarms are fellowships of dragons who come together over a loose creed. They are not cohesively unified across Nests, and simply exist as local chapters in their separate communities, serving the valuable purpose of connecting dragons from different professions to one another and bringing them outside of their narrow circles. Swarms serve as venues of cultural discourse among members of a nest, while also practicing and expressing a set of traditions unique to their group.
Most swarms are descended from ancient counterparts: "swarms" were factions from a war that preceded the tribe itself. Though disbanded in favor of forming a united tribe, the idea of a social outlet has persisted through generations.
Many Nests once served as a swarm's stronghold, which may or may not result in a majority of the nest's population being related to, or part of, this swarm.
| Founding Khan | Values | Stronghold | Founded | Information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conservator Nightcrawler | Community and compromise | Old Stronghold | 3440 AS | One of the Big Three. Formed around the heir apparent to the BeetleWings. |
|
Vanguard Prasina | Valor and virtue | Badlands Butte | 3442 AS | One of the Big Three. Formed around a respected warrior and her comrades. |
|
Establisher Nezarini | Risk and resourcefulness | Auric Fields | 3441 AS | One of the Big Three. Formed around a pyramid scheme. |
Holidays[]
Third Molt Ceremony[]
A rite of passage within the tribe, similar to earning one's wings. CentiWings are considered mature once they have molted three times, which occurs roughly at the age of six years. The coming-of-age ceremony for this particular molt, however, symbolizes their adulthood, such as their independence from guardians (becoming old enough to occupy their own private chamber) and the ability to choose their second name.
The coming-of-age technically occurs over the span of a week--which is how long the dragon spends molting-- and enormous feasts are held throughout to satiate the shedding dragon's hunger swings. Chitin Potage (see Food) is a traditional dish for this occasion.
On the day that their Third Molting is completed, the grown dragon's friends, family and mentors of different professions come to appeal to them, bringing gifts to win over their interest. The individual declares their profession by accepting the corresponding offering, even though they may favor one of the other gifts more. After the selection, the individual declares their name for everyone, which gets chanted for as many times as there are legs in the room.
Faire of Reconciliations[]
The Faire of Reconciliations is a seven-day celebration commemorating the anniversary of the first Khan (and the tribe's unification). It is a tribe-wide festival where the Nests rehearse folk traditions such as selling classical wares and dressing in ancient clothing, allowing the younger generations to share in different swarms' cultures and learn of the various histories within the tribe.
There are only a few rules to the Faire, with the most obvious of these being that any overt threats or acts of aggression are strictly prohibited. Because the Faire celebrates an earlier age of the tribe, bartering economy is also sanctioned during this time.
Food[]
Diet[]
- centipedes, grubs, locusts and roaches
- sheep, goats; lamb
- animal byproducts (i.e. milk, whey, eggs and tallow)
- hardy cereal grains (millet, sesame, wheat)
- legumes (alfalfa, chickpeas)
- drought-resistant spices (i.e. basil, dill, sage, wormwood)
Recipes[]
- (Chitin Potage) = served exclusively on the final day of the Third Molt Ceremony in some nests; chitin potage is a stew made from the dragon's molted skin after being softened in boiling milk and sesame oil. Most recipes will also include basil and sesame seeds.
- (Haggis) = meat pudding w/ sheep organs and cereal grains
- (Kashk) = fermented buttermilk porridge
- (Manti) = lamb dumplings
Feeding Habits[]
Meats aren't typically eaten raw, though CentiWings eat enough variety meat that other tribes might consider their diet raw.
CentiWings gather in the commons to buy or prepare foodstuffs during meal hours. There are two main feasting hours at the beginning and end of each work day, and between the meals, CentiWings keep their energy up with snacks and teatime.
Intertribal Relations[]
A Brief Summary[]
The CentiWings kept to themselves for the first thousand years of their history, and as a rule, only dealt with other tribes when necessary. Despite drawing up alliances, they had more of a passive business relationship with the other Pantalan groups, as these treaties were really just contracts that meant they would not malign the other party. Since the CentiWings would sit inactively on their agreements, their relationships with other tribes were often moot and long-standing.
All of the CentiWings' alliances were terminated in the Tree Wars, in this order:
- The SilkWings nullified a sovereign alliance due to coming under HiveWing control.
- The HiveWings reneged on the alliance by assassinating a Khan, inciting a miniature war that was left at checkmate indefinitely.
- The LeafWings withdrew their alliance when CentiWings looked the other way as HiveWings wiped out their forests.
CentiWings retreated into isolation to rebuild after their war with the HiveWings, occasionally sending covert parties to find a route to the LeafWings (the most likely / least risky tribe to forgive). They were turned away by the SapWings but welcomed by the PoisonWings and sent military aid to the latter's resistance movement.
As of Wasp's overthrow, the khanate respects the wishes of the other tribes to found a LeafSilk Kingdom and has extended its support and involvement.
HiveWings (negative)[]
The HiveWings were CentiWings' favored allies before the Tree Wars. They respected their allegiance, remained friendly for a long time and even held an open border at one point.
Queen Wasp taking over her tribe, and then the SilkWings, introduced an undertone of alarm to this relationship. There was a slight edge to every interaction with the Hives; allegedly their "favored allies" were committing regicide, and kept hinting at the idea of possibly ruling the highlands. The CentiWings appeased Wasp with gifts and compliance, but politely declined submitting to her reign whenever it came up.
This seemed to work, at least until a HiveWing stabbed the khan to death at one of their diplomatic meetings. Needless to say, they quit the alliance, and killed the rest of the attending ambassadors for good measure. Instead of declaring war, though, the CentiWings' new khan decided to show Wasp mercy; there would be no intention of fighting her or holding her accountable as long as she left them alone.
Wasp interpreted her ambassadors' deaths as an "unprovoked threat to her empire" anyways, and retaliated with total warfare against the CentiWings-- a war that was completely kept secret from SilkWing citizens. At first the HiveWing tactics failed, so they destroyed the evidence of their military failure (and of the CentiWings) in order for SilkWings to gradually forget about this other tribe's existence and accept their roles as inferiors.
After a brief intermission from this war, the HiveWing regime secured a devastating victory by unleashing inferno on the highlands, which they explained away as another LeafWing battle. The CentiWings survived the catastrophe, but wanted the HiveWings to believe they were dead, and tried to give every indication of extinction while they rebuilt. Queen Wasp was semi-aware that the CentiWings were still alive, but no longer saw them as a threat and didn't find them useful enough to conquer.
The CentiWings eventually rejoined the war against them-- albeit not publicly-- on the side of the PoisonWings.
LeafWings (positive)[]
LeafWings are considered by the CentiWings to be their oldest friends. Back when trees still covered the continent, they had great respect for the LeafWings' stories and culture, and often visited to barter for food and resources. However, when Hrringa did not give the CentiWings the right to go to war against the HiveWings, Watcher Khan had to obey her deity's silence to keep her right to rule. She was unable to risk their tribe's safety to protect the LeafWings. Feeling betrayed, the LeafWings severed their ties with the CentiWings, and the two lost contact for more than forty years.
The Mapwright Khan, who rose to power after CentiWings had gone into hiding, made it her mission to renew the LeafWing alliance and unite with them against Wasp. She (unpopularly) decreed that a tunnel be built creating direct underground access to the LeafWing camp. Information on where this tunnel actually led was based on outdated information, so it was seen as a foolish idea.
This tunnel eventually ended in the SapWings' camp, and the pacifist faction of LeafWings-- while fascinated to see a tribe they thought dead-- was predictably uncooperative. Upon extending their tunneling operation to the PoisonWing fort, the CentiWings found themselves a troop of like-minded accomplices, and were better able to rekindle their old friendship with the forest dragons.
SilkWings (neutral or negative)[]
SilkWings and CentiWings formally met in 4519 AS. Their early connection was reluctant, and largely because the SilkWings were not getting what they wanted out of other tribe relations. CentiWings really didn't benefit from anything that the other tribe offered, and usually ignored whatever problem of the day the SilkWing Queen tried to bribe them to help with. Both tribes remained on decent terms, but didn't have much to do with each other.
CentiWings have a vague understanding that SilkWings are distantly related to Clearsight, and by extension HiveWings. However, having been good allies of the HiveWings and afraid to dispute some of their questionable beliefs, CentiWings stayed quiet about the shared descent of both, and parroted the theory that SilkWings were inferior for not retaining NightWing blood.
They still supported the HiveWing empire at the time that Queen Monarch abdicated to Queen Wasp, but were unaware of the official surrender of power until some SilkWings began accusing them of conspiring with her.
The CentiWings weren't particularly motivated to liberate their SilkWing neighbors from the HiveWings' tyranny when they so willingly walked into it. Most believed that the SilkWings' own poor leadership led to their subjugation. After the HiveWings double-crossed them both, CentiWings and SilkWings mutually took out their anger on each other. The CentiWings were angry at the SilkWings for accepting HiveWing rule, and the SilkWings resented that the CentiWings didn't stand up to her themselves.
After the Great Fire, Queen Wasp eradicated any evidence that would indicate to the SilkWings that CentiWings still existed, and gradually used her influence to erase them from history, so the disdain became very one-sided.
CentiWings have occasionally interacted with travelers from the Pyrrhian tribes, who are usually blown to Pantala by storms or driven by special circumstances.
NightWings[]
CentiWings assumed since the age of Clearsight that the majority of dragons on the far-away continent are similar to Clearsight.Significant Dragons[]
Khans[]
Ancient[]
- ♀ Conservator Nightcrawler, last of the BeetleWing chiefs, khan of the Lorelorn swarm
- ♀ Vanguard Prasina, khan of the Pragma Regnet swarm
- ♂ Establisher Nezarini, khan of the Scrumstrider swarm
Modern[]
- ♂ Stonecrafter Oxbow, first khan of the CentiWings, and builder of the labyrinth under Khan's Peak
- ♂ Vaultkeeper Maunder, assassinated by Wasp's embassy
- ♀ Watcher Fell, led during the Tree Wars
- ♀ Mapwright Hickory, current leader
Nest Chiefs[]
- ♀Artillerist Forage
- ♂Commander Clawmark
- ♂Curator Myriad
- ♂Historian Foxglove
- ♀Inspector Sulfur
- ⚥Jeweler Symphylan
- ♀Magnate Spiral
- ∅Polymath Echo
- ♂Trail Guide Agrilus
References[]
Gallery[]
Official Art[]
>Google Folder for PSD files linked here<
.png "CentiWing Base (relined).png (1.22 MB)")
Community Art[]
_by_Katt.png "CentiWing Headshot Base (Trans BG) by Katt.png (693 KB)")
FAQ[]
|
Troubleshooting & FAQ |
What are some [valid occupations] for my CentiWing?
[Why are they called CentiWings if they can't fly?] [How did you make your tribe official?] The pictures aren't working for me, where can I find [the PSDs?] What was your [inspiration and process] for creating a fantribe? |
|---|
Acknowledgments[]
Cultural Acknowledgment[]
Any potentially derivative language, history, or religion that appears in this fantribe's culture should not be considered an accurate reflection of, or authority on, real people and events. CentiWings are not intended to caricaturize real cultures, but may borrow elements from them. This is including but not limited to the use of the word “khan” or "khanate".
--FourFlames 20:25, 8 Sep 2022 (UTC)
Notices[]
This fantribe may periodically receive updates from the creator, which will be in accordance with the criteria by which it was nominated an official fantribe.