Avarga Töm

The Horse Lords of Avarga Töm are a culture steeped in battle and blood, with a rich martial tradition passed down through the generations. Entrusted with an important duty since time immemorial, they train day in and day out, ever-ready for the looming threat in the depths. Once every fifty years, great beasts known as Araatan rise from the ocean to the east to make their way to their ancient spawning grounds in Dray’Bel. The sheer size of these titans forces the Horse Lords to live nomadically, as any settlement would be crushed underfoot. As the Araatan rise, something stirs in the nomads as well. A call in the blood, passed down to every single member of the tribe, that sharpens their senses and hones their skills in battle to a razor’s edge in preparation. Avarga Töm’s entire way of life and ecosystem has grown around this great crossing. The Horse Lords ride to hunt the Araatan, with their massive size meaning even bringing down a single beast will sustain the clan until the next crossing. Various parts of the carcasses are in demand in other nations as well, meaning Avarga Töm can do business internationally for what they cannot obtain at home.

 

When the Hunt’s mark begins to manifest, the first to do so becomes the Huntcaller, and takes charge of the great ride to bring down an Araatan, known as the Grand Hunt. This is the closest thing the Horse Lords have to a leader, acting as a loose association of tribes and clans outside of the Grand Hunt. The Huntcaller does not rule, but their word carries great weight, and is typically followed. The first mark to manifest does so at its full power, bringing its bearer beyond human limits. The rest manifest in a somewhat diluted manner, but are still a powerful boon nonetheless. 

The people of Avarga Töm are proud and tough as nails, and bear no particular ill will towards the Araatan. Some even revere them as harbingers of Besmara, while for most the Grand Hunt is a chance to earn honor and glory, and provide for their kin. It was discovered after the 4th crossing that Dray’Bel is the Araatan’s ancestral spawning ground, and something of a symbiotic relationship developed afterwards. When the young hatch, instead of culling them, the hunters escort them back across the plains to the great ocean in the east, protecting them from various terrestrial threats such as bulettes. This ensures that there will be prey for the next hunt.

Huntmarked Human (Background)
Race Requirement: Human


 * Ability Score Bonus: +1 Constitution or Wisdom
 * Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival
 * Tool Proficiencies: Leatherworker’s
 * Equipment: A staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal you killed, a set of traveler's clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Avarga Tom is famous for their fur and scale exports, most of which are culled during the long spawning periods of the Aratan. Lumora is coming up on another spawning, and the Huntmark, with all its powers and abilities, has begun manifesting in the tribal humans, yours calls you to hunt and slay monsters in preparation of the great crossing.

Feature: Hunt Marker
You gain darkvision out to 60 ft, and whenever a creature size large or larger attacks you, you may use your reaction to force that creature to reroll their attack roll, using the second result. You may choose to do this after you know the result of the roll.

Feature: Wanderer
You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.