A Tsuchi Male dressed in the armor of the Draco Nivis, proudly standing in the Drakanite Half-Shift
The Tsuchi clan is a prestigious family of Drakanites that has had a long running in politics, government and military. Often hailed as a powerful breed of fire magi, a great deal of the Tsuchi are magic-capable (roughly 40%).
Founded sometime around the year 520 by Sanjinko Tsuchi, the Tsuchi clan remains as one of the oldest Drakanite clans.
Currently there are over 350 members of the Tsuchi family in Valmasia spread out throughout the villages. The largest concentration of members is in Frostvale.
Their family sword is Auroralie; typically, whoever wields the blade is seen as the strongest of the Tsuchis and the clans current leader. The blade was reforged by Sezuna Tsuchi at one point. It was returned to the clan by Draconis Regina Sephoria Tsuchi, with the blade she attempted to establish the Tsuchi Dynasty over Frostvale.
Prominent Tsuchi Members[]
Sanjinko Tsuchi - The founder, once a pirate. Became governor of Nostvale, until assassination.
Setsuka Tsuchi - Was a Commander of the Duratus, killed by a Kaor Yokai.
Alucard Tsuchi - Duratus Officer, died young.
Aegnor Tsuchi - Nivis Officer, ended up being possessed by the elemental Fuujin, died young.
Senna Tsuchi - Member of the Strata Estrella, died due to illness.
Sezuna Tsuchi - Empyreal Watch Member, former wielder of Auroralie and granddaughter of Setsuka Tsuchi, daughter of Senna Tsuchi, Died fighting the Vampire Valiana Deathbringer.
Elesis Tsuchi - The abomination, believed to have been a mix-blood or even adopted, also believed to have stole the family sword and then LOST IT. At least she died fighting. BUT SHE LOST AURORALIE. It's all her fault.
Draconis Regina Seia Tsuchi-Scarlett. The first Tsuchi to wear a Crown of Power. She is seen here standing with Auroralie.
Seia Tsuchi-Scarlett - Recovered Auroralie after the blade was lost. She then went on to become Draconis Regina(Dragon Queen) of Frostvale. Became Clan Head at the age of 16 due to the recovery of the blade, and Queen at age 17. She died at the age of 25 in a duel to the death in order to save her cousin, brother as well as one of her most valuable soldiers.
Sereza Tsuchi - After the death of her mother, Sereza Tsuchi properly overthrew the tyrant that was Ria Renato; her step mother. She was the latest Draconis Regina. She became ruler at the young age of 15 after leading a massive revolt consisting of many allies from across Valmasia. She was exiled and stripped of her name and title which was regained soon after. Vanishing into obscurity, her current whereabouts are unknown.
Seona Mabella Tsuchi - The adopted daughter of Sereza Tsuchi. After Frostvale's defeat to Athena the Drakan was taken into the Melym Tower where she underwent re-education and was named Sinbane. The Tsuchi had slain both an Omega Dragon and Stinnox Queen in her training at the age of Nine. Progenitor of the Khabiir Siera(Flames of Corruption) and practitioner of Holyfire. Creator of Hrunting and the Draconic Aegis. Seona was one of the Draco Eques and a Fullshifter alongside her adoptive mother. Seona was the victor of a Frostvalian Tournament to become champion and attempted a coup de etat for unknown reasons. She was punished by being sent with the Holy Knights of Kraus to a Lysterg Dungeon. Her whereabouts are assumed deceased.
Seraphina "Aeschylus Haruke" Tsuchi - There are many names that this Tsuchi goes by. The one true daughter to Sereza Tsuchi and one of the holders of the clan sword Auroralie, the life of this female is questionable at best. One notable trait of the woman is her quickness to anger and destruction, something garnered from both lines of family she is within. Her rash behavior when her family is on the line has gotten the clan some bad notoriety within the West, landing them banished from the lands. Her current whereabouts, like her mother, are sketchy at best.
Tsuchi Physical Traits[]
Physically, Most Tsuchi are rather fit. While there are some who fight with Spellcasting, Most Tsuchi are at the very least, Adept physical fighters. Be it swordplay hand-to-hand or even the usage of pole-arms. Tsuchi are naturally rather muscular, even if they do not particularly care for physical combat.
Red hair from scarlet to amaranth to even some pinks are natural in the Tsuchi line. Darker skin tones ranging from a soft caramel to a dark chocolate are predominant. Golden or green eyes are the most common colors within the clan, their eyes are always slitted like reptiles as you'd expect of Drakanites.
Male Tsuchi have about a 10% chance to inherit the rare mixture of brown, green and gold coloring within their eyes, where as females have about a 20% chance. This chance doubles if they have one parent with the trait, and double again if both parents have the trait.
Tsuchi are slightly taller than your average Drakanite. The Female average is 6'7" and the male average is 6'11"
The more blood-purity in the Tsuchi line, the stronger these traits are.
Magical Practices[]
Tsuchi while most perfer to be physical fighters, are known for their usage of Fire and Energy Magic Go back all the way to Sanjinko as primary magics interchangable, with teritary usually being Wind or Earth. Most Tsuchi who use Magic will follow one, many if not all of these arcana.
Particularly strong Tsuchi Magi are capable of creating Azure Flames Magic. Though how this is exactly crafted is a secret art locked tightly within the Pure-Blooded of the family. The technique is said to be founded by Setsuka Tsuchi and re-founded later by her descendants.
Most Tsuchi Magic is for Physical augmentation, though that is not to say there are not Tsuchi who rely on spellcasting as their main form of fighting.
Occultism is not a hated practice for others, but Tsuchi personally will refrain from ever touching the Magic. The strong-willed Dragons of the Tsuchi believe it a quick route to corruption and having your will stripped from you. You will never find a Tsuchi who openly practices occultism, and if you do, they are usually already insane.
Family Practices[]
After the events of the Umbra War, the Tsuchi's refocused on obtaining Blood Purity. Seeing the decline off the number of Drakanites who truly showed both the mental and physical traits of the Drakanite race, they had begun more strict clan rules. Tsuchi are now roughly 80% Pure-Blood with the left-over being 'diluted'.
Tsuchi all worship not only Ryujin, but the rest of the Divine Dragons that make up the Divine Five as their patron deities.
Tsuchi breeding with non-Drakanites is heavily frowned upon, While the 'diluted' have a small leniency, breeding with non-Drakanites as a Pure-blood is most often lead to by stripping of the family name, exile from family property, discommunication and sometimes even resulting in death.
To the Tsuchi, if someone cannot at least half-shift as an adult, they are not Drakanites and thus not worthy to be romantic partners. Some Tsuchi even take this to an extreme of believing Non-Drakanites as inferior overall in every walk of life.
Tsuchi will never give up their family name in marriage, ever. As one of the oldest clans, their name not only holds power and prestige, but also Seniority over many clans. However in marriage, it is possible for them to add on their mate's name. For example, Tsuchi-Scarlett would be possible. Once someone is a Tsuchi, so long as they follow their clan laws they are always a Tsuchi.
Tsuchi are allowed to adopt, but unless the child is a Drakanite of Pure-blood, they are not allowed to take on the Tsuchi name completely, they can however take on the name of Tsuchikin, which allows them to partake in family activities, but also clearly marks them as an adopted, non-pureblood member of the clan. Tsuchikin is only for non-Pure Drakanites, if a Tsuchi adopts a non-Drakanite they will not receive the family name in any incarnation, infact adopting non-Drakanites is considered a disgusting practice and can result in the child being exiled as well as the adoptive parent from Tsuchi clan properties depending on who the clan head is.
Tsuchi's do not care for sexuality, however the pure-bloods are raised to believe that regardless of their own personal attractions, they are obligated to bare at least one child with a fellow Drakanite--preferably of pure blood, to both carry on the bloodline in name and purity. A Tsuchi not having at least one child by age 30 is frowned upon if they are of the 80% of the clan that is Pure-blooded. Infact, Tsuchis are freely allowed to satisfy their lusts with non-Drakanites, so long as no children or marriage comes of it.
Becoming romantically attached to a Non-Drakanite is -strictly- forbidden.
It is not uncommon for Tsuchi to be incestous for the sake of Drakanite Purity within their children.
Tsuchis that are pure and born into the family follow specific naming motifs. Females start with Se- and usually end in -a. This trend originates from Setsuka. Males tend to begin with Sa- or A-, but there is no restriction to how the name ends.
Interactions with Dragonkin[]
Tsuchi have a very strict code of conduct with other Dragons and Drakanites. Like other clans that are focused on pure-blood; they see Dragons as kinsmen much as they see other drakanites. There are times where Tsuchi may take pilgrimages to sacred Dragon territories in efforts to understand and communicate with their larger brethern and to hopefully develop full-shifting.
Be it Dragon or Drakanite, a Tsuchi will never slay their kinsmen unless there was mutual agreement of it as a part of trial-by-combat or Mortal Combat. Slaying a Dragonkin without this agreement results in stripping of the family name and death. The exception of this rule is those who have broken the clan's sacred rules or those who have already slayed a Dragonkin without honor.
Tsuchi often act as avengers of the wrongly fallen Drakanites and Dragons. Slaying those who have killed their kin to allow them to rest peacefully.
If a Dragonkin is in a time of need, where they may risk wrongful death, dismemberment, or other forms of punishment, a Tsuchi will be raised to defend them. Some Tsuchi will do this regardless of risk to their own life, while others may only do so if their own life would not be at heavy risk. It is not frowned upon to act on defending another if its for the sake of living to fight another day as a stronger Dragon, however it is frowned upon to just let kin take injustice when you could have done something about it.
To a Tsuchi, you lose your claim to being Dragonkin upon wrongfully slaying Dragonkin.
Other Combat Practices[]
In most circumstances, Tsuchi prefer to fight in equal numbers, or lesser numbers than their opponent. Unless it could be helped. Fighting an enemy in smaller numbers is not as satisfying as toppling a greater or equal number opponent. This only applies to small-scale personal skirmishes. Full-scale wars and battles; where numbers are unpredictable; do not follow this code of conduct.
Fighting beasts such as Plague Monsters, Yokai, and Vampires are not given this honor, as these are beasts who tend to have more strength in their singular being than many Magi combined.
By Age 13, it is not uncommon for a Tsuchi to know the basics of hand-to-hand combat and Swordplay, as from a young age many of the Tsuchi are taught the basics of combat.