The Tragos, similar to a Motley, is the basic social unit of the Changeling Kith known as Satyrs.
Overview
In the dark time of the Inquisition, satyrs found safety in numbers. They banded together and formed troupes of traveling musicians and actors. In those days, as they continue to do, they protected one another from Banality's bounty hunters. These groups became known as tragos. The word "tragos" comes from the greek word for Goat and from the term tragoidia (or goat song), a form of Greek choric ceremony associated with satyr-plays, and the name given to the death-dance of a satyr.
Loosely organized and overseen by one or more grumps, the tragos operates like an extended family, though family members come and go regularly. Each has its own method of decision-making, though many use a version of democracy. Embracing an open-door policy, a tragos welcomes all new satyrs into their fold without prejudice or judgement. This policy includes both Seelie and Unseelie satyrs. Although they tend to spit into Seelie and Unseelie groups, due to basic philosophical differences, few ever turn away one of their own kith merely because of court affiliation. They realize that the protection of there fellow fae far outweighs the rivalry that exists between sunshine and moon satyrs. Nevertheless, majority tends to rule in the tragos and a satyr in the minority finds group life more than a little frustrating. A moon satyr is treated like the black sheep of the family in a Seelie tragos, and vice versa.
A tragos usually has one central location where its members meet and hang out. This locale could be someone's home, a freehold, or a public bar. Satyrs know that they can almost always find help, drink, fun, or empathy at their home base.
Membership in a tragos is often based on geographic location; only those satyrs in the area or city belong. Others are based on ideology or mission. This sort of tragos has members scattered about, around the world in some cases, and usually work toward a common goal, support one another, and keep in regular contact despite the distance.
Tragos-mates may fight and carry life-long grudges against one another, but when an outside enemy threatens any of them, they stand together. The goats have an innate sense of loyalty to their tragos, perhaps because these groups have historically been crucial to survival of the kith. Only under extreme circumstances will a satyr betray a tragos-mate in life or death situation. Whenever someone attacks, kills, or severely injures a satyr, the perpetrator can expect a visit from the other tragos members... and it won't be pretty.
The members of a tragos spend a lot of time together. They have parties and make music. They have long debates and make love. Sometimes it seems that only a satyr can truly understand the philosophy a feelings of another satyr. Since these changelings get into trouble regularly and make enemies often among the other Kithain, they need the understanding shoulders of their fellow satyrs to cry on.
Famous Tragos
- Hippocrates' Dream Warriors - Fearless satyrs who rescue special individuals from mental institutions.
- The San Francisco Tragos - An Unseelie Tragos based in an Goth club.
- The Eden Tragos - Proprietors of a nudist colony in the Florida Keys.
- Brotherhood of the Barrel - A tragos based out of a vineyard in the Kingdom of Pacifica.
- Society of Telemachus - A debate club and liberal think-tank at UC-Berkeley.
- Fantasies Inc. - More than a 900-number phone-sex company.
References
- CTD. Kithbook: Satyrs, p. 35.