Bloodrager Mercenaries: Kharne Clan
When one speaks of names that strike fear into the heart of Ruxanites, there are not many that can be listed. The names of substantial threats to a peaceful life within the region have declined over the years as the dragons grew more powerful and focused their efforts. In current times, the citizens of Ruxan sleep peacefully knowing that their neck of the world is relatively nonchalant compared to the tribulations of all other regions. This was not always the case. There was one group of mercenaries that plagued the region for thousands of years, terrorizing the citizens within. The Kharne Bloodragers.
Beginnings
The Bloodragers is a wide-spread group of gnoll mercenary bands that all fly under the same distinction of bloodragers. Where the groups deviate is the bloodlines that make up the different compositions of each group. When the bands were first created, there was no rule about breeding, leading to situations where some bands would become out of control with blatant in-breeding problems, while others would slowly disappear due to infertility issues. Eventually it became a non-spoken agreement that the gnolls would create new numbers by using prisoners that they kidnapped during pillaging excursions. The resulting child would be turned into a full-gnoll via a ceremony called the "Blood Moon" where a lake or pond would be turned red with the blood of the freshly killed mother and the child bathed in it before being bitten by the father. This would spread the Gnoll God, Yeenoghu's power into them, creating a full-blooded gnoll instead of a hybrid. The splitting groups that survived the harsh first hundred years of Bloodrager existence used this technique to bolster their numbers in a way that would prevent the issues of the past. Occasionally Gnolls from two separate groups would breed and create a child with no need for the ceremony, but the heritage was then contested in order to determine which clan would keep the child. As the number of clans slowly decreased due to the lifestyles they lived, only a few select clans by the year of 2500 EoD still remained from the originals. One such was the Kharne line.The Glory Years
From the years between 1500 and 2800 EoD, the Kharne line shone bright amongst all other Bloodrager clans. They terrorized the whole of Chromaticos , wreaking havoc on the populace of every region. Their numbers were so far spread that their magically inclined members had to be stationed across the continent in order to receive job information from other magic users. Not only did they terrorize the general population, but their sheer numbers made them a headache for even the Dragon Lords at the time. The infighting that plagued the Lords made them vulnerable to outside threats they didn't consider, and the Kharne line made a name for themselves due to the number of Overlords that they managed to kill during their heyday. Their reputation became such that Ruxan eventually issued a kill-on-sight order that rewarded 1 platinum piece for every red neckband they could bring back from the corpses: the red bands being their distinguishing feature, along with the clan's crest. This promise of reward created a situation where common adventurers would journey to find bands of the Kharne Ragers, only to be slaughtered from the pure talent and bloodrush they found themselves fighting with. The number decline was something intended by the Ruxan government, intended to lessen the number of lesser-races, while also ridding themselves of the Kharne problem should any adventurers succeed in killing some. Eventually, the successful position they found themselves in began to decline. The infighting amongst the Dragon Lords ceased, the experience level of the people fighting the Kharne's rose and the secret routes they had used to travel across the continent were discovered by the government. By 2805 EoD, their numbers dropped exponentially and the fight for survival began.Twilight
As the factors that allowed their continuous success for over one thousand years began to disappear, the clan found itself in a fight for survival. The Patriarchs that seemed to once live full lifespans now found themselves dying by age 40 or younger. The plentiful breeding stock that could be pillaged for replacement troops became scarce, as missions to raid villages became bloodbaths and not worth the trade-off of losing so many members. Their existence was becoming a slippery slope and it seemed like their time was running out. For another 200 years the clan managed to keep itself alive; small guerilla attacks, cover operations and other stealthier incursions allowed them to survive under the radar. In the early years of the 4th Millenia, the two sons of the Patriarch were born: Klonghyr in 3006 and Torvin Kharne in 3014. Klonghyr held great prowess in combat, just like his father. He was capable in hand-to-hand as well as using heavier blades that complemented his huge stature. Torvin proved to be no slouch either, as he held a giant stature just like Klonghyr. But Torvin's reluctance to truly accept the clan's bloodthirsty ways eventually led him to distancing from his family.End of the Clan
Shortly after Torvin was born, his father and mother were killed in a raid-gone-wrong. This meant that the barely adult Klonghyr assumed clan leadership, and therefore, all decisions made for the clan went through him. The clan actually experienced a brief resurgence; Klonghyr's sheer force and strength allowed him to pillage villages by himself. His actions caused the Ruxan government to reestablish the KOS order that had been dormant for years. The numbers of the clan began to grow again as a result of Klonghyr's incessant and insatiable desire to breed. But issues still plagued them. Torvin's distancing from the clan after coming into adulthood began to strain the relationship between the two brothers. One side of the camp believed in Torvin's ideology, that the rampant killings would only lead to their downfall again, while the other half openly embraced Klonghyr's desire for all-out war with the Draconic elites. The strain built up over the course of eight years, hitting a breaking point when Klonghyr ordered his children to slaughter the half of the clan that stood by their Uncle. The resulting fallout was only exacerbated by Torvin finding out the truth that it was under Klonghyr's orders. The brothers agreed to a final job before they would part ways. They were hired for a simple hit job that would provide them a sum of money. Torvin would be able to use his cut to get out, while Klonghyr could do whatever he planned. The job turned awry when the person they were hired to kill fought back and managed to kill Klonghyr, along with a majority of his children during the attack. The job was successful, but the Patriarch was killed, and with Torvin refusing to take the role, the clan began its final fading into obscurity. The female gnolls that served as Klonghyr's breeding stock were hunted down and killed, along with the rest of his offspring. Torvin managed to escape persecution due to his lack of involvement in the final job, but also due to his abandoning of the lifestyle. By 3035, The Kharne line sans Torvin was no more.
Fuck, slaughter and eat.
Second millennia EoD - Roughly 3025-3035 EoD
Type
Guild, Fighter / Mercenary
Alternative Names
Red-bands, The Scarves, Crimson Tide
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Bloodragers
Leader
Government System
Tribalism
Location
Notable Members
Related Plots
Ruxan has a shoot-on-sight order against the Bloodrager Clans.
The Kharne line of Bloodragers terrified Ruxan and caused a number of issues wiping out smaller camps, towns and farmlands during the first two millennia of EoD.
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