Roughrider
https://dgsgames.com/roughrider/
The subjugated nomadic grassland people of Karaimeth have been under Imperial rule since time immemorial. First vanquished by the Krai Jan Empire and later inherited by the Traazorites after their successful rebellion against The Ruby Emperor, the herders of the central grasslands do their best to retain their way of life in the shadow of Empire.
The people of the grassy plains took their occupation mostly in stride, as it changed very little about their way of life. These nomadic people had been primarily herders for their long and storied history, and occupation at first seemed only to mean more trade for the tribe’s hides and meat.
For most of their remembered history, the Empires left them alone to herd their meaty herbivorous korzol along seasonal routes their ancestors had trod. Life was even more prosperous when there were ready and willing trade partners at the end of their long yearly sojourn to Terezret on Clearwater Bay.
That idyllic past changed suddenly and permanently when the Runah-worshiping rebels began pulling the degenerate and indolent Krai Jan Empire apart. Suddenly the Krai Jan were very interested in the fighting capability of the grassland tribes and began conscripting them to fight the rebels.
Many of the tribes resisted, and with the help of the Runah worshippers who had begun proselytizing amongst them, another front of rebellion was opened.
The Traazorites promised autonomy for the help of the tribes, but of course, those promises were never totally fulfilled. As time went on, the Traazorites found themselves constantly trying to expand their empire and always in need of fighting men.
The hardy nomadic herders had previously proven their mettle in battle and willingly helped the Traazorites in their rebellion against the old Empire. Surely they would lend troops again to their allies and protectors?
The first tribe to face conscription invoked the promise of autonomy and refused to supply troops to the Empire. Enraged, the Traazorites slaughtered the tribe and its livestock as an example to any other insolence the tribes may conceive.
Word of the slaughter traveled fast amongst the tribes, and after a meeting of tribal leaders at their Alseb Iseldi Iranz, it was decided they faced destruction if they didn’t comply with the need for troops.
From that day until the present, the nomadic herders of the grasslands have allowed their young men to be taken to war by the Traazorite Empire. Few return to them, but it is the price of peace the tribes have paid for almost a millennia.
Into this cycle of paid peace was born Salma Lysza. From nearly the time he could walk, Salma was in the saddle, reared in the ancient herding ways of his ancestors. By the time of his coming-of-age ritual, he was already a master of riding the hard-backed Zarn his people had used to herd since the beginning of their history. He could herd, butcher, tan hides, and fight like any fellow tribesman.
However, his youth was cut short when the Traazorites came to the tribe to conscript young men into their Legions. Salma was taken and trained to be a soldier for the Empire. Not to be trusted entirely, Salma’s unit was never sent to the front line of any significant war but spent their time traveling the lower Empire putting down the many rebellions the Traazorites constantly faced.
Though he chafed against military service, Salma knew it was the price of peace for his people. That didn’t stop him from getting into trouble, however. Salma was constantly under discipline for his boredom-breaking pranks and shenanigans.
His patience with military service and the good nature of his pranks changed when his unit was deployed against a rebellious tribe of his people. The men from his former tribe hesitated, but the rest of his unit wantonly slaughtered the small tribe of herders for what the Empire termed “treason.”
Many of his fellow tribespeople were rounded up and imprisoned for not following orders. Salma only escaped because he was not seen during the battle. Following the attack, Salma and his unit were sent to Kisn Testarok, near where the attack on the tribe had taken place.
Vowing never again to kill another of his fellow tribesman and done with The Empire, Salma snuck away from his camp and hid on one of the many small barges headed downriver. Hiding in a barrel, he escaped the small town and his unit the following morning as the barge left the river port and lazily made its way downstream.
Salma made his way down the Bargos Nehos and finally to Terezret. Starving but free, he bought passage on a ship headed as far away as he could get. His travels took him along the northern shores of Traazor, and each port made him more nervous than the last. Once Arajan was behind him, though, he breathed easier. Making port at The Free City of Tehradim, Salma stepped onto land a free man.
However, freedom didn’t necessarily mean success, and Salma began looking for work with his limited but particular skills. He traveled east from Tehradim into Koronna, where he blended in with the Koronnans well but with little success finding employment.
Koronnan herders considered his methods somewhat barbaric, and they were suspicious of a Chaler who didn’t worship the moons as most did. To better disguise himself, Salma also wore a full beard which set him apart from many other Chalers.
Salma wandered into northern Thormenal, where work came more readily, though the jobs given didn’t pay much. He made a meager living, however, and was finally herding again. He had to learn to ride a horse, as the hard-backed zarn he was riding in his homeland were quite different from the horses herders rode on the Northern Continent.
Herding is different in Thormenal than it is in the grasslands of Traazor. Land ownership is a thing in Thormenal, whereas the Grassland Tribes considered the land a shared commodity, meaning the livestock wandered where they wandered. Herding was a year-round pursuit, following the herd in seasonal patterns between the western mountains and the perennially warm lowlands near Terezret, where slaughter and trade with Traazor usually took place.
Herding in Thormenal was much more seasonal, with far less land involved and far smaller herds. During the off-season, following harvest, many herders found themselves out of work. Local custom dictated this time be spent in the local taverns drinking, carousing, and beating other out-of-work herders in games of chance and physical strength.
This is where Salma met Okuvan. Not enjoying the down season like some of the local herders, Salma has put out feelers around town that he was looking for work. Okuvan approached him in the dark tavern and gave him a simple job, careful not to reveal too much of his real business.
Salmas’ riding ability came in handy for Okuvan. Over time, he revealed more and more of his dealings to Salmas, who had fewer moral quibbles over the nature of the Bandit’s work than Okuvan suspected he would.
Salmas rides for Okuvan, lending his scouting ability to the Bandit leader. He is known among the Bandits as the Roughrider on account of his powers in the saddle which are rarely matched. His accuracy with a bola is also handy, harrying targets and tying them up so the more nimble bandits can attack or retreat accordingly. Salmas is happy with this arrangement so long as the money flows and the work uses his talents, but he dreams of someday taking the fight to the Traazorites that oppress his people and his land
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