Editing Shattered Sun (section)

===Tribes===
Strobes are a nomadic people, grouped not by settlements or families, but by tribes. While there are some basic unifying features of the Strobes, each tribe has its own cultural and functional differences from each other.

====''Tribe of the Dawnchase''====
Strobes are commonly known as “Chasers of the Dawn” among other folk primarily because of this tribe. Unlike some members of the other tribes who have come to settle and mingle with other peoples, their expertise in tracking and following the Shards of the world is so ingrained into their tradition that settling anywhere is almost out of the question. Their expertise is so strong that even some of the best Astronomers of the Cities seek travelling groups of Dawnchase in hopes of learning their techniques.

One of the most elusive techniques the Astronomers seek is known as the Rite of the Phoenix’s Heart. High-ranking members of the Dawnchase are signified by grotesque scars upon their chests, burns which many imagine they shouldn’t have lived through. Rumor has it that upon their entry into the higher echelons of Dawnchase society, these individuals are branded with a Shard against the chest for a specified amount of time. If the person lives through the ordeal, she becomes closer to the Shards than any Astronomer ever hopes to be.

It is almost as if she feels the Phoenix’s heartbeat through her own scar when Shards are present, and can track and predict them with seemingly impossible accuracy and precision. Their ability can track down even the minute grains of Stardust, making them excellent trackers of anything bearing even a trace of the Shard’s Light.

====''Tribe of the Lightbearers''====
It is widely known that Strobes are hardy and persistent adventurers, especially among their scouts. Their scouts tend to travel through uncharted and extremely dangerous terrain, always likely to meet their match in the ferocious creatures and harsh conditions of the wilderness. With one tribe however, the spirit of adventure has been perfected into an art form, according to some of the legends. The Lightbearers made their name as a go-to source for those who need a guide or a scout for an expedition, be the clients Strobe or otherwise.

While they have suitable ability in Astronomy as do the other tribes, the Lightbearers actually specialize in Cartography and knowledge of the wild. Their maps have made travel of the world much easier for non-Strobes since they first shared them with a band of travelling musicians long ago, making them a pretty profit when they find folks who don’t already have one of their maps. Of course, they have the adventuring skills to back up their map-making ability, proving to be more cunning and more perceptive than the Cities’ finest warriors at times.

Given their mercantile approach to adventuring, the Lightbearers have learned to easily socialize with the other peoples of the world. While they can be easygoing in their pursuits, just a word of warning – do not underestimate or belittle their skills and knowledge. They tend to be rather temperamental about it.

====''Tribe of the Sunprism''====
This little-known tribe has splintered off from the Dawnchase in recent memory into its own tribe. Unlike their forefathers who came to relish the hunt for the Shards, the Sunprism has come to follow the legend of a Prismatic Shard shimmering with all the colors of the spectrum in its Light, rather than the usual fiery orange and yellow Shards skittering across the skies. This tribe believes that this particular Shard contains the very soul of the departed Phoenix and will return to the world one day to deliver its salvation to its people.

Their pursuit of the Prismatic Shard has led them to only follow the other Shards for their survival until they come across the legendary Shard. Instead, the Sunprism have poured most of their resources into the acquisition and interpretation of lore across the world from many ages, all in search for clues as to the location and arrival of the Prismatic Shard. Though much of the lore they collected over the years has led to nothing in their search, they still have come to cherish it as their accomplishments. They deciphered texts which established translators have no hope of figuring out. They confirmed and busted legends about older civilizations. They discovered forms of magic not reliant on the Shards.

If there is a mystery about the world – even outside of the Prismatic Shard – odds are that a Sunprism is the one you should be looking for to get more information about it.

====''Tribe of the Shardwatch''====
[[File:Rite of Phoenix Blood.jpg|150px|thumb|right|An artist's rendition of the Rite of Phoenix's Blood in action.]]
This is the tribe of Strobes in which the Citizens of the Holy City are most familiar with. They are the traders who fill the bazaars. They are the swordsmen who assist the guards. They are the mystics who tell their stories. In return, the Citizens offer their money, their goods, and their knowledge unto these Strobes.

While they clearly value the knowledge of Astronomy from the Cities beneath the Shardstreams, their culture has developed a sense of mysticism in their pursuits.

Many of the Shardwatch believe that certain pictograms and patterns have both physical and spiritual meaning. These are generally tattooed on the skin through what many scholars in the City call "Brandery." Certain patterns denote rank among tribesfolk. They are also used to provide a visual history of their exploits during the members' lives.

The pinnacle of Shardwatch Brandery is the Rite of Phoenix's Blood. Candidates are selected based on a combination of his or her Astronomical knowledge, the rank in the tribe, and just plain how much he or she has survived danger. A Brandisher tattoos special marks upon each candidate's skin using a mix of ink and especially concentrated Stardust, making a permanent link between candidate and Shard. Few survive the procedure altogether. Even fewer come out of it without permanent damage within and without. Fewer still succeed the Rite and ascend to the highest echelons of Shardwatch society.