The Thousand Scales

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

The Thousand Scales

So named for the countless members which form it, the Thousand Scales is the ultimate representation of the Taguel urge to protect and defend, a many-limbed monstrosity formed of warriors and sages from all paths of life. Unified by a single goal, to protect their race and their island from threats within and without, it acts similar to homeland security or secret police; there is no single hand at work guiding it, rather the combined work of numerous minor cells under the umbrella of a single grand organization. While the "Thousand Scales" as an organization /technically/ doesn't actually exist, those who work under that name - the Arbiters - earn that position through blood and deed, and individual cells or coalitions have been instrumental in providing several smaller wars and a great many skirmishes between tribes, showcasing the fact that there is more than a little bite behind their bark. They are also responsible for the extermination of higher-level threats to peace, such as the occasional Bael or Cyclops spawns or even normal beasts driven mad.

As the only cross-tribe organization to which any Taguel will ever consider themselves loyal, it is fairly well known and considered relatively prestigious, though many Taguel give it little more than lip service and only care for the bonds of tribe or family - being with the Thousand Scales is by no means a magic ticket to superstar status or even the cooperation of other Taguel, but rather a challenge to which each member must live up to and exceed at all times. Needless to say, many Taguel join it and quickly discover it was not for them, and there is no shame in doing so; only actual betrayal of the organization is met with decisive cruelty.

Common among Taguel social structures, there are very few ranks - one is either an Initiate, a young or inexperienced member who has not yet proved themselves, or an Arbiter, an experienced and respected member who has proven themselves through countless smaller feats and at least one great working, often decided by the members of or (as appropriate) the leader of their particular cell.