Editing User:Bill/Rifts Week by Week/Series Three Notes (section)

==Atlanteans of Clan Sharin==
Clan Sharin is a degenerate extended family of Atlanteans who, in their hubris, have dabbled in the darkest of arts and come away scarred by it. 
===Leadership of the Clan===
====Queen Pycel====
The leader of Sharin is Queen Pycel, a woman of extraordinary beauty and blackest villainy. Her profane magic demands not only the sacrifice of sentient beings, but that she devour their flesh. Under her leadership, Sharin delves into the most vile of secrets and aligns itself with hidden powers that can drive weak minded individuals mad. Ostensibly, Sharin continues to seek the destruction of alien intelligences and vampires. However, Pycel hungers for more than mere flesh. In her dreams she dominates all life and rules the multiverse as an immortal goddess, exacting her tribute in life itself.

====Ankara====
Ankara is the queen’s sister. As much as anyone more than a century younger is able to be a sibling, that is. While Pycel lusts for power and seeks to dominate all that she beholds, Ankara looks for the momentary amusement. Her prowess as a dimensional traveler makes her useful to Pycel though, so she indulges her sister beyond what might be expected. Ankara enjoys playing the fool, but she harbors greater aspirations. Ankara recognizes the path that the Sharin are on as self destructive. She hopes to redeem her family and persuade them, one at a time if necessary, to abandon their relentless pursuit of power. Her small retinue of followers is made up of like-minded cousins and retainers that have pledged their loyalty to her because of her goodness rather than out of fear.

====Malik====
Malik the Mystic is the Queen’s lover. This jumped up cousin of hers tries to play the games of powers, but his efforts are clumsy. Malik gathers around him young and idealistic members of the clan and invites powerful members of other races to his retinue. In spite of his relative inexperience, Malik understands that his position is both tenuous and temporary at best. If he does not wish to end up as a meal for the Black Widow of Sharin, he must gather enough power and value to himself that he cannot be easily disposed of. This leads him to pursue almost any avenue that presents itself. Rumor, conjecture, lies; in his desperation, Malik will chase after almost any lead.

====Sevrin====
Sevrin, the priest, professes to be under to sway of benevolent spirits that will protect the clan from its enemies and see it prosper. He is one of Pycel’s favorites, not because of his fawning adoration, but because his powers serve her purpose. Sevrin is a fanatic though and he seeks to aid the clan whether it is in his queen’s interest or not. His unsanctioned activities may one day find him on Pycel’s menu.

====Stelmet====
Stelmet, the tattoo master, is one of the few Sharin older than Pycel. He represents a force for tradition and as such stands in opposition to Pycel’s ambition from time to time. She would undoubtedly have had him killed by this point, if not for his importance to the clan as a whole. Stelmet insists that good members of the clan must seek out and destroy those forces that would prey upon mankind. He advocates equality and justice, in opposition to Pycel’s autocratic regime. Pycel makes a point to seduce and corrupt each of Stelmet’s apprentices, and looks forward to the day when she may finally be rid of the troublesome tattoo master.

====Yakutz====
Yakutz, in contrast to Sevrin, makes of himself a perfect picture of the toady. Serving as Pycel’s advisor and spymaster, he caters to her every whim while feeding her information on every member of the clan, as well as its enemies and allies. Unbeknownst to his mistress, Yakutz is engaged in a variety of very risky spy games though. His activities typically use agents and catspaws to advance his agendas, usually gathering information and acquiring assets, but it is possible that his work could expose the clan.
===Other Members of the Clan===
More than 200 members of clan Sharin answered Pycel's call to recolonize the homeworld. Many come seeking power, but even among a clan known for its unscrupulous nature there are idealists who believe that the clan's reputation can be redeemed or that the ancestral homeland can be restored. 

===Minions of the Clan===
As clan members mature and begin to take part in the political power games that have in no small part resulted in its unsavory reputation, they are likely to court the favor of whatever group that they perceive to be most useful and/or powerful. As such any single member of the clan is likely to be accompanied by anything from a single bodyguard up to an entire army; from a horde of near mindless monsters to a single super intelligent being. Anyone or group that advances his or her goals is likely to become a companion of the Atlantean. The few members of the clan that lack these power-hungry ambitions still seem to gather around themselves powerful companions, but more often adventurers and idealists rather than villains and monsters.