 |
 |
|
||||
|
 |
Raiders of GoldThe term "raider" is a crude name for a member of a gang of desert bandits in South Tasif, who make a living off of robbing the homes of the rich merchants there. Raiders are generally one of the most feared kinds of bandits, because they are very united and will do anything to survive. However, behind this common view of them, there is a justified history and purpose for what they do. Raiders are a desert-hardy version of the average Scarcen. HistoryThe first Raiders were actually three families of miners who had been hired to mine gold in newly discovered veins deep within caves in the deserts of South Tasif. The head of the mining company is a man called Buramb, who owns a giant manor in the southwestern corner of the desert. Around 200 years ago, in 960AL, most of the discovered gold veins were running dry. The miners had been going for almost ten years. When Buramb noticed that his gold was running out -- his gold which he was having made into coins and small statues for himself -- he began to decommission the familes one by one, until they all had no job. Buramb did not give them any of the gold as he had promised, even though the families had mined it and smelted it all themselves. Enraged, the families withdrew into the desert to their camps they had been living in. One of the families travelled to nearby Scarcus and obtained a large quantity of weapons from a corrupt Guard Captain. When they came back, the families joined forces, gathered their strongest men, and raided Buramb's manor under the leadership of a man called Haroche, killing numerous sentries and bringing back some of the gold, which they then placed in hidden caves scattered about the desert. Buramb hired more and stronger men, but the appropriately dubbed Raiders figured out new ways to pull off more successful raids but with less gold rewards. All gold they took back is placed in these hidden caves. The nobles and soldiers do not go out to attack the Raiders, as Buramb does not want to waste money on making troops desert-worthy. One of Buramb's sons has been trying to build a nearby manor for the past few years, but construction has been slow due to the efforts of the Raiders. The raids on Buramb's manor have also been going on for about two hundred years. Once all the gold has been taken back, the Raiders plan to bury the caves to return the gold to the earth. The first Raiders swore a pledge to Haroche that they would get back all the gold, and the families of the present try to uphold this promise. Of course, one may have noticed that Buramb should have died a long time ago, but this is not the case. It's not known how he has managed to extend his life but many believe the gold he stores has something to do with it. LifestyleRaiders live in camps in the desert of South Tasif. Their camps usually consist of about a dozen tents of varying sizes with a central wooden outpost in the centre to keep watch. They have a ranking system within them, but nobody has figured out what the system is. It is usually the adult and young men who do the raiding. The women who stay behind keep watch and maintain the camp, but most of the women -- and even children -- are very good archers. The men use bows and sharp swords to defend themselves. They will only kill someone of the offender is in their way and will not give in. Males are also trained in being stealthy and going unnoticed. They do not ride any animals, but travel on foot. Raider children are taught little about proper grammar or speech, and even the adults use a simplified version of English, leaving out words randomly and mixing up their order slightly. They also use invented words, such as hal (from hello, or hallo), hurr (like a growl, to express anger), and kurda (a barbaric person or a murderer), ye (shortened form of yes, usually enthusiastic). Most Raiders are taught how to wield the bow from a young age, and soon after, the sword. The children also play numerous kinds of games, from chasing one another and hiding around the camp, to playfighting, to rolling small bones through the sand in an attempt to create shapes or knock things over. Raiders have no religion. They do not believe in any gods or supreme beings, and do not worship anything but the food they eat (meats and grasses, mostly) and the water they drink. They do, however, celebrate successful raids with a night large fire, dancing, and good food. They have no leaders, persay, but the "right person" will often take charge. For example, if they are charging a manor, the strongest will lead, if they are sneaking in, the quietest will lead, and if they are shooting, the best archer will lead. When planning an attack, if all groups cannot come to a mutual agreement, then the attack will be postponed. Many wonder what will happen if all the gold is returned and the Raiders have no purpose, or how long they will continue trying to take back al the gold.
|
 |
 |
|
|
