Saraband

Overview

A Saraband is a grouping of Lyra caravans that share the same ancestry and a common set of customs. The Lyra are organized into nine Sarabands, each led by one of The Nine Matriarchs and patroned by one of The Nine Sisters.

Organizational Hierarchy

Each Saraband contains a hierarchy of leadership and membership:

Matriarch

Each Saraband has a Matriarch at its helm—an elder who ensures respect of traditions and the memory of the Lyra Faction. The Matriarch serves as the exclusive interlocutor for one of The Nine Sisters, the Eidolons who serve as tutelary patrons. Matriarchs rarely exercise their authority directly, preferring to guide from behind the scenes.

Shepherd or Shepherdess

The Shepherd or Shepherdess represents the daily authority of the Clan’s Matriarch. While Matriarchs pull the strings from behind the scenes, Shepherds are the official faces of a Clan. Their responsibilities include:

• Managing logistics and operations
• Maintaining cohesion among the caravan’s artists
• Showing the way and keeping to deadlines
• Channeling the temperament of members

A Shepherd functions like a conductor creating melody amidst cacophony, or a ringmaster administering the community’s operations. Traditionally, only a mortal can serve as Shepherd, as they must be capable of becoming the vessel of the Matriarch’s voice.

Processions

Each Saraband contains multiple processions—individual traveling caravans ranging from modest groups to imposing assemblies. Every Lyra procession is necessarily part of a Saraband. Individual Lyra may leave their procession temporarily and return later.

The Nine Sarabands

The Lyra are divided into nine Sarabands, though only six have been documented:

Clan	Sahanka	Specialty	Status
Kasirga Clan	The Ouroboros	Aerial acrobatics, casino	Banished
Tisdhera Clan	The Wayfarer	Shadow theater, painting	Active
Ossonoya Clan	Mist	Secretive traditions	Active
Khamsin Clan	Unknown	Healing arts	Active
Iju Clan	Unknown	Symbiosis with Scarab	Active
Ventauri Clan	Unknown	Symbiosis with Meander	Active

Three Sarabands remain undocumented.

Unity and Diversity

The Lyra are primarily a heterogeneous gathering of diverse Clans—nine Clans with their own customs, peculiarities, and beliefs, united by common tradition and organization. Despite their differences, the nine Clans have historically stood together. They sang The Song of One together and saved Asgartha from ruin more than a century ago.

Relationships

• Lyra: Parent faction
• The Nine Matriarchs: Governing body consisting of all Saraband leaders
• The Nine Sisters: Eidolon Muses who each patron one Saraband
• Mnemosyne: Mother of the Nine Sisters