The Ion’cavar - Monster Hunters’ Guild

Taken from The Musings of a Wanderer by Bevel Dart

There are few who don’t know something of the Ion’cavar, the ubiquitous guild of monster hunters - generally amiable-enough chaps. It’s easy to pick them out in a crowd, always carrying a length of rope over their shoulders and trudging around with those avlan spears they are so good at wielding.

The Ion’cavar are known throughout the continent, and there is hardly a mid-sized community without at least one. They represent protection. Cities and large communities boast full guild halls, while small communities employ single Ion’cavar to aid in protection against the beasts that roam the countryside.

Organization

What many people in small communities often miss is that there are differences and specializations of Ion’cavar. In the course of their apprenticeships, all Ion’cavar are trained in the use of their rope and avlan, and in the basics of hunting, protecting against, and studying creatures. After this basic training, they choose a specialization:

• Av’cavar - the hunters - specialists in the tracking, capturing, and killing of beasts
• Muhen’cavar - the engineers - specialists in the protection of communities and homesteads against beasts
• Calis’cavar - the scholars - specialists in the studying, cataloging, and compiling about beasts

The Avlan

Speaking of the avlan... the weapon does need some special attention. It is an Ion’cavar’s badge of membership. Note to Writers: Those familiar might liken it to a boar spear. The head is made of a solid foot of razor-sharp metal with a crossbar at the head’s base. The deadly blade is mounted upon a long shaft, giving the wielder ample reach. The tool allows the Ion’cavar to deal damage against a creature at some distance, while the crossbar prevents the weight of a charging beast from hurtling itself all the way down the shaft and into the hunter. An Ion’cavar spinning their avlan while in action against a creature is a sight to behold.

The Ion’cavar work almost exclusively alone or in small groups. There is no shortage in the demand for these protectors. The threats to our communities are numerous, don’t you know? A town is always glad to have a member hired on in residence. A caravan with a guildswoman accompanying is a far safer investment.

History

Now, how on earth can a cross-continent organization exist? I’m sure you’ve been asking this question. How can such a large cross-continent, trained organization be allowed to exist and potentially threaten national interests? The simple answer is that they’ve learned better. You see, many years ago (748 AF) the Council of Three Masters (the governing council of the Ion’cavar) attempted a coup of Rowlem in coordination with a Curathan invasion. Well, they got walloped and now it is ingrained in the culture of the guild to keep to small groups, to not take part in armed conflicts, to largely stay aloof from major politics, and to not train to fight other people.

Membership

The guild does not discriminate about membership. Though the majority are human, I have known members of each of the other major races to take up the avlan. Recruitment is simple enough. An Ion’cavar commands a certain prestige, and the trade calls to those with adventurous spirits. Training is conducted at major guild halls over the course of several years. And I’ll tell you what, they are NOT happy when someone falsely claims membership - you put your life on the line.

After earning their avlan, an Ion’cavar may be hired on almost anywhere. Large collections of guildspeople only happen every three years when the guild elects their Council of Three Masters. One Master is elected by each of the three branches by that branch’s members. There is a great hullabaloo and ceremony. But they can sure throw a party!

So next time you see an Ion’cavar, ask ‘em about their specialization. You might just find out that that fearsome, avlan-wielding hunter is more at home studying and cataloging than mucking about the countryside.