House of Scythe and Rake
Don't Fear The Reapers
Among adventuring guilds, the House of Scythe and Rake are considered an elite task force. Whereas most hunters train to fight the beasts of the land, hunters of the House of Scythe and Rake (often called reapers) specialize in fighting plant monsters and the dangers presented by nature itself.
History
In the early days of civilization, before people had learned how to hunt great beasts, they subsisted on smaller creatures that could be caught with traps or crude weapons. Such small animals were plentiful for a time, until a plague decimated their numbers and sickened or killed many people who relied on them for survival. This would eventually drive people to hunt great beasts for sustenance, and place civilization on track to blossom. However, some survivors of the plague and their descendants were unable to digest animal protein, and struggled where their neighbors thrived. One determined young woman named Blodwyn Sayer sought every option to try to improve her own health and those of her kin. Realizing that the fruits and vegetables they commonly foraged or farmed were not enough, she began to identify tree nuts and legumes that provided the nutrition they were sorely missing. Blodwyn also began to discover that their cooking methods could be improved; vegetables that were boiled were not as nourishing as those cooked with other methods. During her studies, Blodwyn began to cultivate wild crops in her settlement, and learned what herbs could be used to ward away animals from her garden. However, these defensive measures were meaningless to plant monsters that sought to claw back the territory lost to these burgeoning settlements, and Blodwyn and her kin were the first to race to the defense with naught but their gardening tools in hand. Fueled by a strictly plant-based diet, their lean muscle and light feet led them to numerous decisive victories over the monstrosities of nature, and they discovered that these creatures were as edible as any vegetable for them. By the end of her life, Blodwyn and her trained foragers were cutting swathes into the woods to clear the way for roads and other hunters, and teaching other civilizations how to live without meat.Mission
The House of Scythe and Rake often function as the advance scouts of any venture into the woods. Their guild motto, "My Body Is A Temple, Not A Tomb", is derived from the idea that they fuel themselves with life and not death. Today, fewer than 5% of the reapers cannot digest animal protein, but many make the conscious choice to live meat-free for a variety of reasons; some prefer the way they feel on a plant-based diet, some find the idea of consuming animal products to be distasteful, and others believe that hunting and consuming like beasts makes us no better than they.Relationships
Because of their unparalleled skills as forward scouts and surveyors, reapers are often called upon by other guilds to work in tandem with their efforts to travel into new or dangerous territory.Meatshields
Though the reapers may seem diametrically opposed to the Meatshields in principle, they often augment each other's strengths and cover for each other's weaknesses. As often as the Meatshields rely upon reapers to secure territory, the House of Scythe and Rake will call upon Meatshields to take down troublesome beasts in their way. On a personal level, however, there is a great deal of rivalry and teasing between Meatshields and reapers, who find each others' techniques range from nonsensical to disgusting.Hagbane Bakers
Though they rarely have reason to work together in the field, reapers usually hold the Hagbane Bakers in high regard. As Hagbane Bakers are known for hunting fey and giants who prey upon mortal folk and use their meat or bones in their own cooking, many of them develop a distaste for the consumption of living creatures, and learn techniques from the House of Scythe and Rake to avoid eggs, butter, milk and lard in their baking.Public Opinion
A common misconception about the House of Scythe and Rake is that they are made up of diehard pacifists who are unwilling to fight monsters or people. In truth, very few would not lift a blade to defend themselves if threatened by a living creature, but the conscious choice to abstain from killing is a point of pride for many. The myth still persists that people who do not eat meat will be weak or sickly, and while an unbalanced diet may result in such weakness, the reapers are masters are finding complete nutrition solely through plants.
My Body Is A Temple, Not A Tomb
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Leader
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