Risona Striders (Rih-so-nuh)

Founded on infiltration techniques taught by the vampires of the foggy Kumori Foothills, the Risona Striders are an order of ninjas dedicated to maintaining balance throughout Kizudo, hunting monsters, and ensuring evil does not rise again in the world no matter the cost.

Structure

The Striders are organized into Families, each managing different territories. Their operatives who are trained in the various techniques for infiltration, tracking, sabotage, and swift takedowns. They don't believe in specializing, preferring operatives to be well rounded and resourceful. They employ various artisans to not only maintain their equipment but help create new equipment using various parts of monsters.

Culture

The Striders recruit from local populations, particularly in small villages, towns and poorer urban areas. They seek out the poor, downtrodden and often ignored, hoping to give them a second chance and some revenge against their oppressors. They fund many orphanages where they give children basic training in self defence, hospitality, and various skills to help them support themselves as an adult. They also offer them a place in the Striders when they come of age, but don't begrudge them choosing a less violent path. The Striders value humility, discretion and ambition, seeking to infiltrate various organisations with servants and assistants so they know all the latest news. Most Striders don't work as field agents, but as informants on movements of various monsters and potentially dangerous or tyrannical organisations.

Ideals

Balance: You must find and enforce balance between spirits and mortals.
Persistence: Never give up, never give in to despair. No matter what happens, dust yourself off and get up.
Resourceful: Use any resources at your disposal to achieve your goals, there's always a way to gain an advantage.

Relationships to Governments

• Shogunate of Kazanshiro: Tense but friendly, they have a lot of baggage but have been trying to put it behind them. The Ishi Shogunate and Council of Isamaru have exchanged military staff as a sign of friendship to help each other with their monster problems.
• Council of Isamaru: Very friendly, most of the founding members of the nation were members.
• Pearl Pact: Neutral, they collaborate closely with some Dragonlords such as Hisako and Nobuko but others are under investigation for various unethical experiments.
• Emerald Alliance: Similar to the Pact, they take the Dragonlords on a case by case basis and work closely with Kasumi and Hachiro. They find them more honest than the Pact which reeks of false rightousness, at least the Alliance is honest in their ruthlessness.
• Crane Concord: Many Striders view the Concord as the only legitimate government in Doronuma. Both the Pact and Alliance are usurpers who are at best misguided and at worst monstrous tyrants. Some know that while they have the greatest claim to the Coral Throne, they cannot win without the unpopular move of collaborating with Dragonlords. Others believe they're deluded idealists who don't deserve to rule after their forefather's disastrous management of the Sundering War.
• Chamber of Five: They work closely with the Chamber, striking out against their mutual enemies across the frigid reaches of the steppes.
• Court of Crows: Their relationship is mixed, often tense over what to do with various pre-war technology but friendly about pretty much everything else.

Kota Wolfson is a Dhampir Cavalier from Inugoya who believes the Striders needs to build trust with the other factions and nations, that the path to balance between the people is harmony, not retribution. He was orphaned at a young age after his vampire mother was put to the torch by a mob after his father passed away from illness, which has shaped him to value mercy and patience.

Public Agenda

Goals
Glory: Seek out great challenges and overcome them so that all will know our power.
Retribution: Don't wait for evil to rise, strangle it in the cradle before it can do more damage.

History

Isamarans have always used stealthy guerilla tactics against their enemies, particularly against Lich Lord Katashi but modern shinobi would only emerge during the Kumori Uprising. In 69 AD Yoru Akiko, of the Yoru Vampire Clans of Kumori, sought an advantage against her rivals and began to train mortals in the vampire's art of stealth and infiltration. This brought rise to the first Gloom Stalkers, used to devestating effect to assassinate Akiko's rivals. Their success granted them funding and some freedom from their vampiric masters, allowing them to refine their techniques, technology and magic. Eiji Risona was one of these first Gloom Stalkers, and worked to spread their techniques as the Kumori Uprising began in 80 AD. Risona herself staked Yoru Akiko and claimed her stronghold, a major turning point in the war. After the uprising was finished she worked to spread and refine ninja techniques, to protect Isamaru from any other invading force. They would work to keep Isamaru safe until the Sundering War, where they worked alongside the military necromancers to strike at prescision targets, gather information and sabotage. After the war they sought to expand their efforts throughout Kizudo, working to prevent mass bloodshed by mortals or monsters.

Tread Softly but Surely

Golgari Color alignment (Black Green)

Founding Date

80 AD

Demonym

Striders

Leader

Saburo Hanzo

Location

Consulate of Isamaru

Associated classes

1. Blood Hunter
2. Demon Hunter
3. Druid
4. Fighter
5. Witch
6. Monk
7. Ranger
8. Rogue