Warriors (Backgrounds)
Warriors
A large segment of Axhanti society will have some passing familiarity with fighting in self defence. These warriors are those that seem to have a natural affinity for it, and either received training or sought out experience. A warrior that fails the Ranging Rite is likely to feel entirely adrift, with their future prospects mostly relegated to defending herds or breaking up fights between drunks.
Raider
As the years passed, the sticks became clubs, the clubs became spears. But the game remained the same. Prove yourself useful to the clan by stealing horse or herd, then sing songs of the valorous deeds it took to succeed.
No songs were sung of that evening when you chanced upon a grazing herd just beyond the brook. Your cousin led the group through a narrow pass to ambush the shepherds. When they spotted him, a boulder was kicked down the steep hills. By some freak accident it struck another stone, and shards of granite tore straight through the boy’s face. The shepherd’s complexion drained to a ghastly white as your cousin collapsed, his features vanishing beneath crimson gore that gurgled from his throat. That was when you realised this was not simple sport nor mere ritual, but life and death.
The shepherd was the first man you ever killed. By the time you finished caving in his skull with a stone, the herd had already fled back to their clan grounds. You returned with your kin’s corpse and no herd beetle, but the family thanked you for having already collected the blood debt before it had become cause for war. No song was sung that day.
Champion
Your mother interrupted your wrestling with the other youths, a severe look upon her face. At fifteen you were twice the size of any of her other children. Expecting to be admonished for eating too much or hurting one of the weaker runts you went quietly. She informed you that your sister’s betrothed, Big Anthosus, had dishonoured her by bedding another young woman.
You demanded compensation from his family, but Anthosus’ father was a Lightning Priest and threatened exile for your lies. In this moment you felt the indignity of dishonour and satisfaction that the Gods had clearly guided your life to rise to this challenge. This very priest told the story of the Lightning Prince avenging the cuckolding of her Mother by Father Thunder during the Spring Equinox. Before he finished, you struck without hesitation or ambiguity in intent.
The first punch broke Anthosus’ nose, forcing his surrender. This satisfied your honour.
Twisting his arm until he admitted his misdeed satisfied the honour of your sister.
That final twist satisfied the need to see his Father scream.
Your family was paid for the ordeal with three herd beetles and Anthos never partook in the Ranging Rite, the arm never healing quite right. He married his mistress in the end when it became clear she was with child. The wretch was quickly sent off to join the Powder Priesthood so that he could clean the stain of his birth from the family.