Daimyo: Tanaka Doji
Clan Colors: Predominantly red with blue highlights
Clan Crest: A stylized silvercrest crane on a blue field
The Silvercrest Clan is one of the four original Great Clans, sharing that status with the Sun Clan, Timber Wolf Clan, and Swallow Tail Clan. When the elves were originally settling Saisho no Shima, a tribe of elves were sent to the south to secure the southern tip of the island. Here they settled the lowland paddies of the south, a land that was heavily inhabited by a unique breed of crane that bore a silver crest of feathers over their crown. It was from these crane that the Silvercrest Clan derived their name.
Silvercrest elves are just as proud and nationalistic as the other Great Clans, however they do not have a strong sense isolationism as the other clans do. They are wanderers and explorers that seek to expand elven influence rather than keep it contained within the borders of the empire. Most encounters with elves outside the island empire of Tengoku no Niwa are with Silvercrest elves.
Personality: Silvercrest elves have the same sense of superiority and aloofness as other elves, however they are more comfortable interacting with gaijin races. They understand that their place in the Known World should be larger than being isolated to a series of islands in the east.
Physical Description: Members of the Silvercrest Clan are of the typical stock as other elves of Tengoku no Niwa. The hair of the Silvercrest is almost universally black with very few having dark shades of brunette. Likewise their eyes are dark, being predominantly brown with many others having eyes of black. Very few have gray and no Silvercrest elf has eyes of blue. As one of the original Great Clans, the Silvercrest elves can, and are permitted, to grow facial hair.
Relations: As one of the original four Great Clans of the Elven Empire, the Silvercrest Clan carries an elevated station among the elves, thought they are the lowest ranked of the Great Clans. They command respect and authority among the elven people. They are fiercely loyal to the Sun Clan, once they were allied with the Timber Wolf Clan, but since their separation -- the Timber Wolf inhabiting the north and the Silvercrest the south -- their relation has waned. They have very strong relations with the tengu and hengeyokai. There is also a large number of spirit folk that make up their clan, more so than most other clans, though the elves are still dominant.
The Silvercrest have formed an unusual alliance with the yuan-ti. Their jungle kingdom of Zakkarra, on Dai Nana Shima, is located off the southern tip of Saisho no Shima,they share waterways. Silvercrest envoys have become the liaisons to the yuan-ti. Despite the difference in views, the two people have managed to establish a strong relationship. (Yuan-ti of the Thunder Rift campaign are still evil, however they are predominantly lawful instead of chaotic.) In the absence of much of the Silvercrest Clan, the yuan-ti have assisted in patrolling the Empire's southern boarders.
The Silvercrest Clan is the only representation that the elves have inside of Thunder Rift. In fact, they are the only representation that the elves have outside of Tengoku no Niwa at all! As such they have garnered relations with races other than those found in the Elven Empire. Chief among them are humans; humans and elves are the two most dominant people that inhabit Thunder Rift. Relations with the dwarves are still greatly strained due to the Rift Wars. The Silvercrest have come to regard the minotaurs as kindred spirits and view them as close to elves as one can be, holding them in regard higher than some of the other races of the Empire. Despite the presence of a thri-kreen pack in the Rift, they have been very little encounters among the two races.
Of all the western races of Thunder Rift, the Silvercrest elves war with the gnolls most. The hyena-headed beastmen harass the elves more than any other people of the Rift. The Four Tribes of the Gnolls reside mostly in the Burning Hills but often move into the Gauntlin Forest to harass and raid Silvercrest settlements.
While having no formal relations with them, the Silvercrest reserve their hate and wrath for the oni above all else. The Timber Wolf were the soldiers of the Sun Clan, the Swallow Tail were the advisors, and the Silvercrest battled back the oni while they were trying to tame Tengoku no Niwa in the early days. Not only did they battle the oni of the Land of Darkness, but they held the line against the ogre kingdom when they attempted to take the capital. The Silvercrest were even present with the Timber Wolf Clan when the oni-worshiping Spider Clan betrayed the Emperor and attempted a cue. Many families of the Silvercrest Clan have their fair share of oni slayers and witch hunters among them.
Alignment: Like most elves of the Empire, the Silvercrest are lawful in alignment. Most of the Great Clan is good with a few leaning towards neutral. Very few have ever been evil.
Silvercrest Lands: Though not as great as the Timber Wolf or Swallowtail clan holdings, the Silvercrest province is one of the largest in the Empire, comprising the entire southern tip of Saisho no Shima. They have many coastal villages, which is only right as they are definitely the explorers of the elven people. Silvercrest ships are often seen coming and going from their harbor towns, whether to patrol the southern waters of the Empire, or transport elves to the mainland. Much of their land consists of paddy fields, and Silvercrest farmers produce some of the best rice in the Empire. Between their rice farmers and fishermen, Silvercrest sushi chefs among the best and most sought after in the Empire. More than one Silvercrest elf serves in the Imperial Palace as a sushi chef to the Emperor. The Silvercrest themselves are very particular of their sushi, especially when traveling in the lands of other elves.
Aside from their rice paddies and fish, the lands of the Silvercrest are not particularly abundant in natural resources. Metal, lumber, paper, even leather all have to be brought in from other provinces for the Silvercrest to live. Their chief provider of raw materials is the neighboring Griffin Clan.
The Silvercrest are the only clan within the Empire to have holdings outside the borders of Tengoku no Niwa. They have a sizable claim within Thunder Rift, assuming nearly the entirety of the Gauntlin Forest as their domain. There are two main settlements within the Gauntlin Forest; first is Jepo, a harbor village along the Drake River. From Jepo ships sail up and down the Drake between Melinir and Kleine, transporting passengers and cargo. From Kleine they import the best quality fish the Rift as to offer. The second settlement is the walled city of Ranobe, the seat of elven power in Thunder Rift. Despite the Silvercrest's outgoing attitude towards the rest of the Known World, the Silvercrest of Ranobe have been unusually isolated since the Rift Wars, closing the gates of their to all but the occasional guest escorted by another elf, they have become almost as reclusive and shut in as the rest of the elves of Tengoku no Niwa.
Houses of the Silvercrest Clan: Like all clans, the Silvercrest are made of up various houses that all have a purpose within the clan.
House Tanaka: Thousands of years ago when the Emperor of the Sun sent an army of elves to the south of Saisho no Shima to secure the boarders, it was the Tanaka house that was charged with leading them into battle and on to victory. The Tanaka led the first push against the incursion of the yuan-ti, repelling them and sending them back to Dai Nana Shima. It was in this honorable victory over the snake-men that laid down the foundation for the alliance between them and the Silvercrest Clan. Upon their victory, the Emperor granted the Tanaka house permission to form their own clan, hence the Silvercrest were born.
The Tanaka were warriors and scouts, trailblazers, they tamed the wild lands of the south and settled them. At one point they were the greatest archers and wood elves that could be found in the empire. In the thousands of years since that time, it has all changed however. The Tanaka has become comfortable in their role as daimyo; no longer do they blaze new trails, no longer do they tame lions, and no longer do their arrows rain down on their enemies. Some within the clan see this as how those among the ruling class should be, while others feel that the Tanaka have lost their heart, their honor, and believe they are no longer fit to lead.
None of the Tanaka are in Thunder Rift.
Class Skill: Intimidate.
Caste: Noble.
House Baba: Those of the Baba house are steeped in intrigue. A house that has made it's name in court, they wield words and secrets in the same way that the samurai wield their daisho. The House Baba operates in the shadow of the Tanaka (sometimes quite literally), and they have helped keep the Tanaka in power for nearly a thousand years, as well as keeping the Silvercrest in the favor of the Sun clan and the Emperor, even when the favor of the other Great Clans has waned on occasion. The Baba are courtiers and diplomats, the court is their battlefield and their words are slung at their opponents the same way an archer slings their arrows. Whatever the Baba need to know about their opponents, they always seem to know, they always have an advantage when they need it.
Most members of the Baba family fall into the noble or courtier class (or the aristocrat NPC class). Because of this many clans, and indeed some families within the Silvercrest itself, view them as a non-threat, they have no teeth. But nothing could be further from the truth. Before engaging a battle of wit and words, the Baba must first have the weapons they need, information on their opponents. They have agents for this. Members of the Baba family can qualify for the ninja scout prestige class, these shadow warriors are the true strength of the Baba, the ones that learn the most tightly held secrets of their enemies.
There are few Baba in Thunder Rift, but they do have a presence. It was felt they would be helpful in relations with anyone else the Clan would come in contact with.
Class Skill: Diplomacy.
Caste: Noble.
House Hantá: The Hantá's first records in history came approximately 1,000 years ago. With their family lands being on the western border of the Silvercrest province, they were the first ones in the fight when the oni attempted a take-over of Saisho no Shima. The Hantá have a large number of oni slayers and witch hunters among their ranks, and during the war with the oni and the ogres they more than held their own.
Recently, within the last 400 years or so, the Hantá family has been elevated to the samurai caste, elevating them not only within the clan, but within the Empire as well. Despite this, of all the samurai families, there are fewer elves that have taken the samurai class than any others. Many of the Hantá still favor the ranger class, making them superior hunters and archers among the military ranks. Many rangers of the Hantá go on to become legendary witch hunters. There are even fewer shugenja among the Hantá than samurai.
As the youngest samurai house among the Silvercrest, the Hantá were sent across the land to Thunder Rift. A great many of them were conscripted, and they make up the bulk of the Silvercrest army in Ranobe. Many higher ranking members of the Hantá family have a growing concern about the state of their family holdings in the Empire.
Class Skill: Knowledge (planes).
Caste: Samurai
House Kanbe: The Kanbe household is one of the oldest houses of the Silvercrest, and one of the most trusted by the Tanaka. When the Tanaka fought the yuan-ti, the Kanbe were their to spill blood for the Empire. A family of warriors and master swords men, the Kanbe were elevated to the samurai caste after the victory against the yuan-ti. Since then, the Kanbe have served the Tanaka without fail. As members of the samurai caste, most Kanbe are of the samurai, shugenja, and ranger classes.
The Kanbe are the heart of the Silvercrest, they represent everything that the Silvercrest have stood for since their formation; loyalty, strength, and honor. They are the sword arm of the Silvercrest in more ways than one; it was a Kanbe that founded the Kaminari o Kudaku sword school and it is they who train all of the samurai of the Silvercrest clan in the way of combat.
The Kanbe are so loyal and trusted among the Silvercrest families that it is a Kanbe, Kanbe Usaga, who was made Lord Regent of the Silvercrest holdings in Thunder Rift. There are a handful of other Kanbe that have been relocated to the Rift, these are the leaders of Usaga's armies. The majority of them have been kept back though to defend the Silvercrest province.
Class Skill: Battle.
Caste: Samurai.
House Tembo: The Tembo house has no standing among the Silvercrest, they own no land, have no ancestral heroes, and give no counsel to the daimyo. But do not think this means that the Tembo have no value to the Silvercrest. The Tembo and its families represent the common elves of the Silvercrest. Merchants and crafters, sailors and caravan drivers, even those who are conscripted as commoner soldiers.
The Tembo and those related to them are the foundation upon which the Silvercrest and their province is built. Most Tembo are of the NPC classes such as commoners, experts, and warriors. It is possible to find Tembo that have achieved levels of barbarian, fighter, rogue, shaman, and sorcerer. Many Tembo can fall into the ranger class as well. Hunters and trackers with wilderness skills, the ranger can be essential to a village's survival. Bows are inexpensive and easy to make, so archers among the commoners is not unheard of.
Needless to say, many of the Tembo have been sent into Thunder Rift. They built the city of Ranobe as well as the village of Jepo, and they, along with the hāfu, run the businesses of the elven province.
Ironically, despite their lower stature within in the elven caste system, House Tembo is perhaps one of the largest within the Silvercrest.
Class Skill: Profession (any).
Caste: Peasant and Chonin.
House Yugi: While not a noble or samurai family, the Yugi rose up from the ranks of the Tembo house, and they occupy an influential place among the Silvercrest clan. They are yakuza. Like all yakuza families, the Yugi are tolerated by the samurai at best. The Yugi walk around brazenly armed in public, typically wielding the scimitar or wakazashi. When the oni attacked Saisho no Shima, the Silvercrest sent the bulk of their forces to war while the remaining forces gathered around the Tanaka to protect them. This left the peasants defenseless, so the Yugi took it upon themselves to take up arms and defend them. Scouring the battlefields and taking weapons from fallen bushi, the Yugi armed themselves and formed the start of their yakuza family.
The Yugi never actually came in contact with the oni or ogres during the war, but they did serve a purpose. They held off bandits, protected supply caravans that traveled between villages, and crewed fishing boats to protect them from pirates. From these simple beginnings, the Yugi rose to their own position of power. While the Yugi take on various roles, as all yakuza do, being fighters, warriors, experts, and even commoners, most of the Yugi fall into the class of rogue with many of their bosses being of the noble class.
Even though none of the Yugi were called upon to travel to Thunder Rift, many of them chose to "tag along" on their own. Currently many of the Yugi fill the role of a police force in the merchant district as well as the hāfu ghetto. The yakuza also control the coastal village of Jepo in absence of the samurai.
Class Skill: Bluff.
Caste: Chonin.
SILVERCREST ELF TRAITS
Ancestor feats are unique to the great and minor clans of the elves. These feats allow an elven character to claim being descendant to one famous ancestor of the clan. Like all ancestor feats, an elf character of the Silvercrest Clan must select their ancestor feat at character creation, and may take only one.
Technique feats are feats that are available only to a member of a given clan, but unlike Ancestor feats, they do not have to be taken at character creation and can be gained at any point a character may select a feat.
GREAT CRAFTER [Ancestor]
Your ancestor, Kaiu, was the first and greatest blacksmith of the Silvercrest clan. Kaiu forged weapons with which the Silvercrest used against the oni and gave his name to the engineering school of the clan.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: You gain a +3 ancestral bonus to all Craft and Knowledge (engineering) skills checks.
IMPROVED AID [Ancestor]
You are descendant of Tanaka Tanada, founder of the Silvercrest Clan.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: When using the aid another action in combat (see Aid Another in the Player's Handbook), your ally gains a +4 bonus on his attack roll or his AC against a single opponent.
Normal: The aid another action normally gives a +2 bonus to your ally's attack roll or AC against a single opponent.
LUCK OF HEROES [Ancestor]
You are descended from the quick-footed and quick-witted Hiruma, the archetypal hunter and scout.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all saving throws.
POWER ATTACK -- ONI [Ancestor]
You are descended from Hantá Masashige one of the Silvercrest's greatest and most dedicated Oni Hunters.
Clan: Silvercrest
Prerequisite: Power Attack.
Benefit: When you use the Power Attack feat against a creature with the oni type, or evil outsiders, you subtract a number from your melee attack rolls and add 1.5 times that number to your damage rolls. The normal restrictions to the Power Attack feat apply.
Special: Even though this feat requires Power Attack as a prerequisite, as an Ancestor feat you must still take this at character creation, but you cannot use it until you acquire the Power Attack feat.
SEA LEGS [Ancestor]
You are descended from Yasuki Fumoki, a notorious pirate who preyed on merchant ships off the southern coast of Saisho no Shima.
Prerequisite: Silvercrest
Benefit: You gain a +2 ancestral bonus to Acrobatics and Profession (sailor) skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in one skill, that bonus increases to +4.
SPELL POWER [Ancestor, Metamagic]
Your lineage dates back to the young witch hunter Osaku Kuni, who single-handedly held off the oni during the war. Her stand was a pivotal point in the war, but in the end she sacrificed her life so others would live.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: Three times per day, you can cast a spell with extraordinary power. Add +1 to the saving throw Difficulty Class for these spells. The choice to use this feat must be made before the spell is cast.
Level Adjustment: 0 (a spell power spell uses a spell slot equal to the spell’s normal spell level.)
STRENGTH OF THE EARTH [Technique]
You are as resilient and enduring as the Great Cliffs.
Clan: Silvercrest
Prerequisite: Toughness.
Benefit: You gain 1 additional hit point per level. You gain this benefit retroactively for all levels previously gained.
STRENGTH OF THE SILVERCREST [Ancestor]
You claim descent from Tanaka Tanada, the first Silvercrest.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: When fighting side-by-side with other members of the Silvercrest clan, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and all fear spells and effects.
TANADA TECHNIQUE [Technique]
You are as resilient as Tanaka Tanada, and can stand against the enemy without faltering.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: You gain a +1 natural armor bonus to your Armor Class. This feat may be gained multiple times and its effects stack
Special: The total natural armor bonus gained by this feat may not exceed your character level divided by 3 (minimum 1).
TANADA'S RAGE [Technique]
The battle rage of Tanaka Tanada flows through your veins, you are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to defeat your opponents.
Clan: Silvercrest
Prerequisite: The Mountain Does Not Move, Toughness
Benefit: Before making an attack roll, you may voluntarily sacrifice your own hit points to inflict additional damage on your opponents. For every 2 hit points you sacrifice, you inflict an extra 1d4 points of damage if you hit. You may not sacrifice more hit points on one attack than your Constitution modifier. Your own hit points are lost whether the attack is successful or not.
THE CLIFFS DO NOT FALL [Technique, Ki]
Your fortitude allows you to keep fighting despite adversary.
Clan: Silvercrest
Prerequisite: Great Fortitude, Ki Use or Ki Pool class ability, The Cliffs Do Not Crumble, Con 13+, BAB +12.
Benefit: You may spend a ki point as a free action to ignore the effects of all of the following status effects for one round: dazed, dazzled, disabled, dying, fatigued, nauseated, paralyzed, staggered, stunned, and unconscious. This action may be performed out of turn immediately before the status begins to affect you. A dying character still has fewer than 0 hit points, but he can continue to act normally and ceases losing hit points. If the effects of this feat cease before the duration of the status effect ends, the status effect resumes normally. You may choose to continue ignoring the effects of a negative status effect as long as you have ki points to spend.
THE CLIFFS DO NOT CRUMBLE [Technique, Ki]
You can shrug off the deadliest blows and remain standing.
Clan: Silvercrest
Prerequisite: Ki Use or Ki Pool class ability, Con 13+, BAB +6.
Benefit: Whenever you receive damage in combat from a physical attack, not a spell or special ability, you may spend 2 ki points and make a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 5 + damage dealt). If the save is successful all damage from the blow is negated.
WAY OF THE SILVERCREST [Technique]
You are unaffected by the weight of your armor.
Prerequisite: Armor Proficiency with armor worn, Con 13+, BAB +1.
Benefit: Your normal speed and maximum running speed are not affected by your armor (unless the weight of your armor results in you being encumbered). The maximum Dexterity bonus of your armor is increased by 1, and check penalties are reduced by 1.
YUAN-TI ALLY [Ancestor]
You are descended from Kariku, the hero who forged the lasting peace between the Silvercrest and the yuan-ti of the south. You have a natural affinity for the yuan-ti.
Clan: Silvercrest
Benefit: You gain a +4 competence bonus to Charisma checks and social interactions with the yuan-ti. When you reach 5th-level you gain a yuan-ti cohort as if you possessed the Leadership feat. If you ever do take the Leadership feat, your leadership score is considered 2 higher. All followers you obtain with the Leadership feat will be yuan-ti.
