Beggar Clans
The King of Beggar, the Lord of the Rats, 4-Fingers sits on his ramshackle throne. His life has given him scars aplenty and a thousand tales to tell. A hundred years of outer conflict in his search for inner peace had gifted him a thousand trophies of the past. The sages of the hidden court were driven away in his final moments to be at peace. With a deep, relieved sigh, he breathes his last and a new King of Beggars must rise up to take his place.
Structure
There are many individual gangs of beggars each with its own varied motives, goals, and methods, but they all reside under the word of the Beggar King whose role is to keep the peace and unite the clans to defend their sovereignty. The Beggar King traditionally has a successor called the Prince of Rats who is taught to succeed the Beggar King upon death.
The various gangs each have a leader with the clan seal and coordinate their locations as few clans have permanent residences. They make sure there won't be too many in one area to cause a ruckus with the locals. they also pool their resources together in contracts called Poor Charters where they distribute food, supplies, and sometimes members (commonly specialists who don't have one main clan anyway)
The previously mentioned specialists are given wooden coins with insignia on them denoting their specialty and role. To become a specialist one must seek out a master and get them to apprentice with them, usually by performing a task or quest on their behalf.
Insignia Colors and Symbols
- Jaguar - the symbol of warriors
- Monkey - the symbol of thieves and masters of trickery, they are called the Quin Hollows
- Elephants - sages and priests of Lamora
Culture
Each gang develops its own tribal identity and has traits associated with it. This tribal nature results in animosity among clans of similar stature.
The beggars often set up minor shrines to those such as Lamora and fortune saints hoping to seek their favor. Agents of Lamora are common features among their groups as priests who enact various rites and protect them from harm. They are revered and prioritized among the beggars, every gang wants at least one.
As they are beggars they are always willing to take gifts and handouts, when this happens they are to mark the giver as a 'Friend of the Fiends' who is given protective status and a secret mark on their home to bring more to them.
Children are apprenticed at young ages, often orphans or in some more nefarious cases, they're kidnapped. One of the Clan's few rules is to never harm children, only induct them. Children are given food first in Beggar Clan meals. Apprentices are given the same respect as their masters, treating them with the same title and ceremony when in the presence of their masters. Without their master, they are given similar respect but have the title of Apprentice of (their Master).
Brawlers and Soldiers are few but well trained in 'patchwork' styles of martial arts where they train with many masters, never becoming ones themselves. They do work in protecting their gang's few assets and members and are usually given heavy responsibility.
Current State
The latest Beggar King has died without an heir, giving rise to a large debate among the various clans and sparking a civil war.
Demonym
Clanned Beggars
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