Lightning Tribe

The **Lightning Tribe** is a familial guild of humans who live in the wilderness to the north of Cinadaria, in the High North. They are one of the eight surviving Tribes of Combat. A rather secluded bunch, they earn their keep by sending their youth out as mercenaries to earn money for the tribe, which they then use to purchase furs and foodstuffs from traders bold enough to approach them. Though their personalities are highly energetic and their manner of speaking is often over-the-top, their skills in the arcane (themed, of course, around lightning) are undeniably quite valuable.

Their ancient traditions and stories that have been passed down from prehistoric times have caused them to catch the eye of the Brigade.

## History

Based upon recorded history as well as the accounts of the Tribe themselves, it can be assumed that the Lightning Tribe has existed for at least 3,000 years, potentially even longer. A common theory is that they were amongst some of the first humans to arrive on Halintar via raft, and were enamored or blessed by some sort of primal deity or being that gave them the powers they have passed down by blood for generations. Though they are wary of most outsiders, they make some exceptions for various traders that provide them with essential supplies such as furs.

### Notable Past Members

* ***BRONTE STORMLIGHT******, THE BEACON OF A COMMUNITY OF BEACONS HIS STRIKES MAKE THE WORLD QUAKE IN FEAR AND ECSTACY.*** The most recent leader of the Lightning Tribe, having recently been dethroned from his 30 year rule after it was revealed that he was using the Tempest Blade to drain the power of and exile the prodigy children that had been being born recently.

## Leadership

The tribe is largely managed by the people, with group decisions made by whomever pushes their ideals forth with the most vigorous and boisterous energy. However, they do have one leadership position, typically by one of the older or more powerful members of the tribe, in order to deal with issues that require more of a controlled response or otherwise cannot be solved by shouting. This unnamed leadership position is entrusted with maintaining the standards and values of the tribe, such as dealing with children born without lightning, or making trade agreements or job arrangements for their young mercenaries.

## Membership

One does not simply "join" the Lightning Tribe- they must be born into it, and even then there is a chance they can be exiled if they do not develop the tribe's famous ability to summon arcane lightning. The unfortunate responsibility of "dealing with" the magic-less children goes to the current leader of the tribe.

The Lightning Tribe does not have a system of marriage, though it's customary to celebrate both a union and a separation of members with an entourage of lightning blasts into the patch of earth where they choose to make a tent together. Tribe members who seek romantic relationships with those outside the tribe are frowned upon, but are not barred from bringing their lovers to the tribe itself unless the outsiders proves themselves untrustworthy.

Children born to the Tribe are often given hefty names, listing the names of past Tribe members, ancestors, allies, or even locations that their parent(s) hold dear. Though the responsibility of housing and feeding children is given to the parent(s), education and keeping an eye out for the kids is done by the whole tribe. In fact, teaching young children certain skills (especially spells) is a feat to be bragged about for many days.

At a certain point in a tribe member's life, typically when they "retire" from mercenary work or are otherwise ensured that they won't be leaving the tribe for extended periods anymore, they experience an event called their "First Storm". This can be any happenstance or series of happenstances in which they capture the attention of the entire tribe, whether that be accidental or initiated by themselves. Based upon this happenstance, they earn a second name, their Storm Name, the one which they are primarily referred to as after earning it. It's common tradition to greet newcomers or each other by proclaiming your Storm Name and posing dramatically/showing off said skill you're named after. When written, it's respectful to write a Storm Name in all capital letters and as large as possible.

### Notable Current Members

#### Members with Storm Names

##### Chasing the Tempest NPCs

* **HADDELDASH DASHANDZAP**, HE WHO DID A TEN METER SPRINT AFTER DISPATCHING A SHIP FULL OF BRONZE GULF "TRAITORS"
* **SORIN SEAWEAVER**, WHO KNITTED THE OCEAN WITH THREADS OF LIGHTING
* **ZACHARIA BLASTER**,  HER SPARKING FINGERS ARE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE TRIBE AND SEEKING A NEW TITLE
* **AXELFELL THUNDERSTRUCK**, THE SYMPHONY OF STRIKES WERE HEARD ACROSS THE STRETCH
* **EDELZEUS THORSUSANNO**, YOU KNOW WHAT SHE DID
* **BAZEL HAZELSTRIKE**, THE IMPACT SHE MAKES ON OUR COMMUNITY IS NOTHING TO SCOFF AT
* **JOSEPHINE ZAPPLEBACK**, I’VE KILLED TEN PEOPLE
* **MORDECAI IMMORTALCLOUD**, BORN ON THE DAY OF A GREAT SELF-CREATED STORM
* **QUINCE SHOCKGRASP**,  THREE YEAR ARM WRESTLING CHAMPION
* **BLITZEBOY FAZZLECRAZZ**, SMALL IN FORM BUT VAST IN SPARKS
* **JAMIE FOXX**, A BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE IN PLAYS ACROSS HALINTAR *NO SURVIVORS*!

##### Other

* **SASHA THUNDERPOUCH**, THE LIFEGIVER, WHO BIRTHED SEVEN MIGHTY STORMS
	+ Mother of the Thunderpouch Septuplets

#### Members without Storm Names

* Alexander Dominik Ricardo Víðarr de Lacy Felix Thunderpouch and his fellow septuplets
* Shango [middle names unknown] Dashandzap

## Traditions

### Lifestyle

#### *Trade*

Due to their destructive, lighting-casting nature, a lot of clothes and tents are "burned through" on accident. They also have trouble actually obtaining furs themselves, as they primarily hunt with lightning as well. It's seen as quite an accomplishment to be able to hunt down a beast and also keep it's pelt in tact.The bulk of the money they earn from the mercenaries they send out goes to purchasing furs and tanned hides to make into clothes and tents.

In exchange for the goods they need, the Tribe offers rare minerals they find in the waters and off the coast, such as nickel and pearls. They're also excellent fishermen, often trading rare fish that are near-impossible for other parties to get a hold of.

As mentioned previously, the Tribe also sends their youth out to do mercenary work in order to earn money for the tribe to spend on these furs if their other goods aren't of interest to outside traders.

#### *Clothing*

The clothing traditions of the Lightning Tribe are as boisterous and impractical as their Storm Names. They prefer to have clothes as brightly colored as possible, making dyes another highly sought after good. Their favorite colors to mix and match are very saturated reds, blues, and teals. Their clothing combinations are highly impractical and flamboyant, especially considering the harsh living circumstances. Modern times have seen a high interest in knee-high socks.

#### *Housing*

Again, due to their affinity for lightning, housing is never really permanent, often being burned to the ground by stray bolts. Because of this, they have a preference to living in tents built with furs bought from passing traders to keep them insulated from rain and cold.

#### *Outsiders*

Due to mistreatment from outside forces such as the Bronze Gulf Traders and other merchants who make their way through the High North from outside of Halintar, the Tribe often doesn't allow any outsiders in or near their territory. However, exceptions are made for traders that have proven themselves trustworthy, either by working with/hiring their mercenaries or by having enough guts to approach the group with the intent to trade.

Whether or not they like an outsider, many tribe members refer to them as "rubbers" due to their inability to conduct lightning through their bodies. This term is also used for tribe members exiled due to a lack or loss of power.

### Worship

The Lightning Tribe believes in a motherly deity referred to as the Tempest, who manifests in the form of a massive cloud and bestows gifts upon them from the skies.

#### *Creation Myth*

The Tribe has several different renditions on the myths surrounding their origins, but the one listed below is the most popular:

*A powerful cloud, the mother of all clouds, was impregnated with a lightning bolt. And then the rain that fell from it, upon the rock that the Tribe lives, took the shape of the first 30 settlers of the Lightning Tribe. They worshiped the great cloud that birthed them, whom they named the Tempest, and for their worship She blessed them with the power of the Storm.*

Given this information as well as the knowledge of how humans came to be on Halintar (appearing by raft and becoming nomads) it can be assumed that these first settlers were some of the nomads that first arrived from the sea.

#### *Other Myths*

Here are several other Lightning Tribe myths.

##### *The Exile*

*The first child to cast lightning from their hands organically was cast out and chased by the Bronze Dragons, who feared that their mastery over the sky's indomitable power was being rightfully threatened. This child was left to die, but was discovered by the Thunder Storks and brought to the Lightning Tribe. They grew up and had ten lovers, and each child borne to them was imbued with their power tenfold.*

##### *The Tempest Blade*

*In a time of great turmoil, the Tempest, mother of all the Lightning Tribe, sent down a sword from the heavens. The wielder of this blade, MASELYNN TEMPESTBLADE, MATRON OF STORMS AND CLEAVER OF DESTINIES, was gifted the strength of a hurricane, negating the power of her enemies with the sheer force of herself and her weapon. She did not let this weapon go, even during coitus, and when she gave birth to septuplets each one was borne with shocking strength.*

##### *The Thunder Prophet*

*In the earliest days of the Lightning Tribe, the Tempest sent down a Prophet to bestow great knowledge upon Her children. This Prophet was not strong in body, but instead in mind, teaching Her children the greatest use of Lightning- defeating enemies and those who wished to harm the Tribe.*

## Modern Activity

The Tribe has a neutral to negative relationship with their neighbors, Paradoxie, the bronze dragons, and the Bronze Gulf Traders, disliking their socialite values and similar affinity for lightning. The traders and dragons in turn are not as keen on the Tribe, due to their disregard for some laws and occasional over-destructive tendencies, but do not have the power or resources (or energy) to force the tribe to a halt, leaving the tribe with many "warnings" instead. A common addition to their creation myth is that the bronze dragons came and ate some of the first settlers of the Tribe, stealing their lightning to empower their breath weapon, but this is not taken as literally as some of the other myths.

Rusty Legworm, a fur trader and member of the Brigade, has historically made several trips to the Lightning Tribe's homestead. He earns a killing selling furs to them, as they themselves have trouble collecting and maintaining their fur-built tents and clothes when they keep igniting from all the spells constantly going off.

### Chasing the Tempest

Near the end of 905, the Brigade sent a couple members of theirs, Hurc Broadblade and Rusty Legworm, to speak with the Tribe. Their goal was to gain insight from their ancient stories, perhaps gleaning some information from them that may be helpful in the pursuit of defeating Curunthsh or bringing back Karomatzu. Along with them came Bane and Omen, tiefling siblings who had been squatting at the Onyx Tower and were eager to take on any work they could find.

While visiting, the party discovered that the Tribe was recently (within the past few months) having issues with once-empowered Lightning Tribe children losing their magic, seemingly being afflicted by an illness that slowly kills them after said powers are lost. Some of these children were also forced out of the tribe before they even passed away, much to many of the Tribe's disapproval and anger.

Smelling something fishy, the group confronts Bronte Stormlight, the current leader of the Lightning Tribe, and eventually find out that he's using an artifact of theirs- a "forbidden" relic to be stowed and not interacted with, called the Tempest Blade- to drain these children of their powers in order to cast them out. He does this because he's noticed in the past decade that some prodigy-level children have been borne, and he's afraid of losing his position to them even though he's already quite old.

The party fights him in a challenge ring, ultimately claiming the Tempest Blade and giving it to a sickened child he was about to kick out mid-battle, who summoned a massive bolt to completely fry the man so hard that all his hair was burnt off instantly. Miraculously, he survived this, though all his power was drained, so the Tribe gave him to the party in order to have him to executed far away from home for his crimes against them.