The Briar Harvest
The Order of the Briar Harvest is the scourge of every other order of cuirizu. Responsible for the destruction of multiple orders, the Briar Harvest travels the world looking for slaves and breeders to serve them as well as other cuirizu to slay. The most prized cuirizu to kill are any lingering members of the Deep Undergrowth and whatever other splinter organizations that spawned off of them such as the Carnal Bloom. Briars care nothing for the mortals they capture or kill, seeking only further glory, sex, and offspring. Seldom to Briars keep breeders with them, sowing their seed wherever they find the breeder and leaving them to gestate until they return on their route to check in on the results.
The Briar Harvest views other orders as pathetically smitten with the trappings of mortal society and seek to tear it down wherever they can. A Briar who becomes too comfortable and enamored with the comforts and softness of mortal societies is deemed similarly week and usually killed by her sisters in her sleep, without honor, The only honorable death possible for a Briar is with eyes open, facing her opponent with weapon in hand. Anything else is disgraceful.
Members of the Briar Harvest mark their best fights with the scars on their body, always preventing one wound from a battle with a worthy opponent from fully regenerating so that it might leave a scar. Indeed, these scars replace the usual tattooing that is common within other orders. Particularly savage and accomplished cuirizu of the order will be covered from head to toe in scars from previous conflicts, each one representing a noteworthy combatant or victim.
Briar cuirizu are taller than most other cuirizu and typically more muscular, regardless of what aspect they've chosen for themselves. Magic is uncommon in the order outside of the most elder cuirizu who had to make use of it in the wars of ages past against the enemies of the cuirizu race. Most see magic in combat as a shortcut and magic for utility as the underpinning cause for why so much of mortal society has grown so weak and soft. Still, it is sometimes used in hordes to accomplish things that pure physical might alone could never achieve. Many hordes though will simply enslave magic users instead of using the magic for themselves.
The Briar Harvest is regarded as one of the most terrifying things for any other cuirizu to encounter, descending on the outskirts of society with reckless abandon and no fear of death. Briars will employ cavalry to take a location by surprise, crippling the opposition before they can form a defense, and then using skirmishers to have their fun. Archers, mounted and unmounted, are used to counter particularly stubborn defenses and to defend high priority Briars from anyone brazen enough to attempt an attack on the horde first.
Structure
The Order of the Briar Harvest rejects the Garden Model of other orders entirely, seeing the ways of the Deep Undergrowth best buried with the order that they destroyed. The Briar Harvest instead has its own model of conduct it engages in, one that favors the survival of the strongest and naturally prunes the weakest individuals from the tree. Briars organize themselves in Hordes and do not have permanent residences or lairs, instead having a series of preferred places to reside throughout the course of a year. Hordes travel continuously, with only few members (if any) left to guard these sites.
Primogen: Thorne, the Primogen of the Briar Harvest, is one of the most brutal and savage cuirizu to ever walk Alkotas. A warrior of near peerless skill and a force of nature unto herself, she stands head and shoulders above every cuirizu of her order who themselves are all impressive in stature. For ages Thorne's main focus was on defending the cuirizu race against those who preyed upon them, whether they were fiends, celestials, or other outsiders. Today Thorne is still active and sometimes leads her own personal Horde on raids of the civilized lands to capture slaves and breeding stock. The Primogen is advised by the leaders of the hordes, though displeasing her can sometimes result in an abrupt change of command by beheading from Thorne's Scythe.
The Primogen's primary concern is tearing down areas of civilization and breeding. She isn't even particularly concerned with what the breeding results in, as the Briar Harvest doesn't seem to care one way or another if they create cuirizathi instead of cuirizu. Indeed Thorne will add cuirizathi to the order if they prove their worth and even let them to continue to breed if they so wish, though they always keep positions below those of the full cuirizu.
Kralav: Direct daughters of Thorne are called Kralav and command entire hordes of their own. Their authority is outstripped only by the Primogen herself, though other Kralavs and Kyne may make challenges at any time if they have a grievance that needs to be addressed. Though Kralavs are awarded horde commands once they reach a certain age, keeping that command is the real challenge. At any given moment another Kralav or Kyne may wish to acquire the resources of the horde and simply challenge under some other pretext to acquire it.
Most living Kralavs are brutal killers, having maintained their positions over centuries by not tolerating weakness are questioning of their authority. When raids are performed, the Kralav always gets the first pick of slaves and breeders. When the Kralav has taken what she wants from the spoils, the remains are given back to the horde to be divided up. Though Kralavs are entitled to whatever they want in any quantity, wise Kralavs are sure to keep the needs of their hordes fed lest they find others plotting to eliminate them.
Kyne: Kyne are the leaders of hordes who are not direct daughters of the Primogen. Most Kynes have earned their hordes through tireless work or breeding. Some have taken hordes from others through challenges while others have just set to work on gathering spoils of war and breeding enough of their own offspring to form their own hordes. Fewer still are recognized for their deeds in battle by a Kralav or the Primogen herself and awarded their horde.
Kynes can be challenged at any time by anyone in the horde, making changes of power relatively frequent. Those who lose a challenge to the Kyne however are either killed on the spot or ravaged mercilessly for three days and nights by the whole of the horde and then slain, if the strain of it has not killed her already in that time. Kynes enjoy the same privileges as Kralavs as head of their horde but are subject to more challenges. Kralavs usually do not attempt to take hordes from Kynes, so as not to provoke the rest of their number, but it does happen from time to time.
Bekna: Beknas are the generals of individual hordes, tasked with ensuring that every fighting member of the horde is properly trained for combat. Beknas will also sometimes take up the role of directing combat operations during battles, if the horde leader is not already doing so. Smaller hordes will only have one Bekna, making taking up these operations much easier. Larger hordes, however, will have multiple Beknas who then take on the role of advising the leader of the horde and dividing up the duties of training the horde, typically by specializations. One Bekna may be in charge of mounted cavalry while another may be in charge or skirmishers. Multiple Bekna will often jockey for position with one another, but seldom allow it to come to blows.
The Bekna is the next person in line for the spoils after the leader, be it Kralav or Kyne. Beknas must be more careful when portioning out their spoils however, as their positions of power are much more vulnerable than those of the leaders. Instead Beknas try to take little whenever possible, saving larger takes for special occasions, currying favor with the rest of the horde and ensuring cooperation. Beknas who habitually take too much from the horde or do not participate in raids do not last long as Bekna.
Troka: Whenever a horde carries out a successful raid and take in breeders and slaves, it is up to the Troka to decide which is which. Though some members of the horde will decide at the time of capture, it is the job of the Troka to make sure that the designation is accurate and useful to the horde. Once they have been divided up and the upper ranks have claimed their prizes, it is the further duty of the Troka to ensure each member of the horde gets their reward. Most hordes will allow individual members of the horde to do with their spoils what they wish, but larger hordes will have one or two Trokas who oversee the general care of the slaves the horde takes with them. While this care is not always particularly good, it does typically seek to extend the life of the slaves so that they will remain of further use to the horde. Finally, the Troka is responsible for handling any disputes between cuirizu on matters concerning breeding stock and slaves. Usually this results in a fight regardless, but it is within the power of the Troka to simply award something that might have been stolen or acquired illegitimately.
Packmistress: The Packmistress is responsible for the upkeep and care of all mounts and hunting beasts the horde has. Though Packmistress holds little sway in the horde as a whole, her authority on the matters of the beasts the horde uses is near absolute. Briars in this role are consulted by the Bekna or leader before a raid, to ensure that everything is in fighting shape. If either has planned a raid, it is within the power of the Packmistress to cancel the raid on grounds of unfit or unready beasts. Doing so too often though often results in lack of confidence in the Packmistress' ability to carry out her duties and she is quickly replaced. Though not common, cuirizathi can sometimes hold this position within a horde.
The Order of the Briar Harvest cares little for the slaves and breeders that they capture in raids, but within various hordes there are still those that are able to earn positions of privilege by proving their worth. Briars still consider such individuals to be far below themselves, but place them higher above the common rabble. Usually such individuals are owned by a horde leader or a Bekna, and abuse of that cuirizu's property is met with swift and severe reprisal. Har: A har is slave that doesn't just perform basic duties but is distinguished as a particularly savage combatant in their own right. Briars will sometimes collect multiple Hars to surround themselves with in battle, taking particular delight in commanding their savagery to tear their foes limb from limb. Hars are inhumane versions of their previous selves, reduced to the roles of savage beasts with only the drive to satisfy their owners through bloodshed or sex. Sometimes both. Prova: Anywhere that a Briar goes, the sudden need to slake her lust may strike. Provas are slaves who are particularly adept at satisfying that lust not only when it strikes but anticipating the lust before it does. Provas are typically rapacious and unquestioningly loyal to their owners, sometimes showing them loyalty even over higher ranking Briars. Always ready and prepared to be used, Provas are prized for their endurance and mindless desire. Obsluh: Any slave who's primary job is to attend to the basic needs of a Briar is designated as an Obsluh. Duties are varied but most deal with the day to day things that need taking care of such as acquisition and serving of food or water, cleaning weapons or armor, making up beds, and so on. Obsluh can be ravaged at any time, and often are, if they linger in sight for too long and thus become very proficient in completely tasks quickly and quietly without drawing attention to themselves. Shovat: Shovats are prized breeders, usually to the leader of a horde or to one of the generals. Shovats are physically durable, able to withstand the depredations of their owners for extended periods, and likely to provide strong offspring. Most individuals do not hold the position of Shovat for long, as few are capable of handling the constant attention from their Briar. Shovats are typically given reprieves when it becomes evident that they are pregnant, but not always. Pregnancy typically slows down the horde, so most breeders are abandoned somewhere to birth their offspring on their own, regardless of the outcome, but Briars with a Shovat will make the effort to bring her with them in hopes of great things. Shovats who birth cuirizu and survive the experience are put back into immediate circulation the moment they are able, another factor in their short lifespans.
Non-Cuirizu Roles
The Order of the Briar Harvest cares little for the slaves and breeders that they capture in raids, but within various hordes there are still those that are able to earn positions of privilege by proving their worth. Briars still consider such individuals to be far below themselves, but place them higher above the common rabble. Usually such individuals are owned by a horde leader or a Bekna, and abuse of that cuirizu's property is met with swift and severe reprisal. Har: A har is slave that doesn't just perform basic duties but is distinguished as a particularly savage combatant in their own right. Briars will sometimes collect multiple Hars to surround themselves with in battle, taking particular delight in commanding their savagery to tear their foes limb from limb. Hars are inhumane versions of their previous selves, reduced to the roles of savage beasts with only the drive to satisfy their owners through bloodshed or sex. Sometimes both. Prova: Anywhere that a Briar goes, the sudden need to slake her lust may strike. Provas are slaves who are particularly adept at satisfying that lust not only when it strikes but anticipating the lust before it does. Provas are typically rapacious and unquestioningly loyal to their owners, sometimes showing them loyalty even over higher ranking Briars. Always ready and prepared to be used, Provas are prized for their endurance and mindless desire. Obsluh: Any slave who's primary job is to attend to the basic needs of a Briar is designated as an Obsluh. Duties are varied but most deal with the day to day things that need taking care of such as acquisition and serving of food or water, cleaning weapons or armor, making up beds, and so on. Obsluh can be ravaged at any time, and often are, if they linger in sight for too long and thus become very proficient in completely tasks quickly and quietly without drawing attention to themselves. Shovat: Shovats are prized breeders, usually to the leader of a horde or to one of the generals. Shovats are physically durable, able to withstand the depredations of their owners for extended periods, and likely to provide strong offspring. Most individuals do not hold the position of Shovat for long, as few are capable of handling the constant attention from their Briar. Shovats are typically given reprieves when it becomes evident that they are pregnant, but not always. Pregnancy typically slows down the horde, so most breeders are abandoned somewhere to birth their offspring on their own, regardless of the outcome, but Briars with a Shovat will make the effort to bring her with them in hopes of great things. Shovats who birth cuirizu and survive the experience are put back into immediate circulation the moment they are able, another factor in their short lifespans.
Assets
The Sunset Horde
The Sunset Horde, so named because that which it sets its eyes on, the sun sets upon, is the personal horde of the Primogen herself. While it contains some of the most powerful Briar Harvest warriors in the entire order, the horde is filled with a multitude of formidable creatures beyond the cuirizu. Giants, Daemons, Linirym, Cuirizathi, and numerous other deadly entities swell the ranks of the horde which operates almost as if it had a single mind, with Thorne's will at the center. More frightening still is the speed with which it can move and manuever, and how much ground it can cover once Thorne has set her eye upon something. Unlike with other hordes, the Sunset horde does not merely roam, raiding whenever the opportunity strikes. Instead the Sunset Horde is mobilized when a very specific priority target has been picked out, it was this Horde that was used to overwhelm both the Deep Undergrowth and the Gilded Orchid. When not ransacking everything in sight, the Sunset Horde acts as a mobile defensive perimeter around the Primogen to which it caters. Every member of the horde vies for a chance to be with the Primogen and experience the blissful agony she can visit upon a mate. Even those who know they have little chance of survival from the encounter, or in producing offspring, ravenously compete for a chance to be with her, accepting the high possibility of death worth the experience. The Circle of the First
Though the Briar Harvest doesn't make use of permanent homes, they do make periodic use of certain sites as temporary homes for certain times of the year. The Circle of the First is a location southeast of the Solacine Imperium said to be the original point in which the First cuirizu arrived on Alkotas and where the Primogen lived in their early years. The Briar Harvest considers this site to be sacred, holding only the First cuirizu in higher regard to their Primogen. The circle was originally territory held by the Deep Undergrowth in ages past and was taken by enemies of the cuirizu in a war. Many centuries later it would be retaken by the Deep Undergrowth, the Frozen Holt, the Gilded Orchid, and the Briar Harvest. When the Deep Undergrowth fell, followed by the Gilded Orchid, the Briar Harvest claimed it as its own and the claim went uncontested. The circle is ancient, surrounded with standing stones erected by the Primogen or perhaps the First herself. The site allows instantaneous passage between Alkotas and the plane of Ivalia, letting out into the layer known as the Nadir. Both sides of this gateway are zealously protected by the Briar Harvest. While being posted to "guard duty" of settlement sites is typically considered a punishment by Briars in other locations, such an assignment to the Circle of the First is considered to be one of the highest honors. Cuirizu who live here for a length of time say they can hear the will of the First whispered in their ears and are filled with a vigor the likes of which they know nowhere else, even in Ivalia. The Scouring Horde
This modestly sized horde is considered one of the most fearsome in the entire order. Commanded by Kralav Terezin, one of Thorne's younger daughters and an up-and-comer in the order as a whole, this horde has made daring raids into populated territories such as the Solacine Imperium and Zelmesca in recent years with little to no casualties. The horde's key is its heightened mobility, making use of Vishanti slaves for realm shifting that allows the horde to bypass mundane defensive measures with ease. Wherever the horde goes, it scours the land, taking a toll on mortal and cuirizu societies alike.
The Sunset Horde, so named because that which it sets its eyes on, the sun sets upon, is the personal horde of the Primogen herself. While it contains some of the most powerful Briar Harvest warriors in the entire order, the horde is filled with a multitude of formidable creatures beyond the cuirizu. Giants, Daemons, Linirym, Cuirizathi, and numerous other deadly entities swell the ranks of the horde which operates almost as if it had a single mind, with Thorne's will at the center. More frightening still is the speed with which it can move and manuever, and how much ground it can cover once Thorne has set her eye upon something. Unlike with other hordes, the Sunset horde does not merely roam, raiding whenever the opportunity strikes. Instead the Sunset Horde is mobilized when a very specific priority target has been picked out, it was this Horde that was used to overwhelm both the Deep Undergrowth and the Gilded Orchid. When not ransacking everything in sight, the Sunset Horde acts as a mobile defensive perimeter around the Primogen to which it caters. Every member of the horde vies for a chance to be with the Primogen and experience the blissful agony she can visit upon a mate. Even those who know they have little chance of survival from the encounter, or in producing offspring, ravenously compete for a chance to be with her, accepting the high possibility of death worth the experience. The Circle of the First
Though the Briar Harvest doesn't make use of permanent homes, they do make periodic use of certain sites as temporary homes for certain times of the year. The Circle of the First is a location southeast of the Solacine Imperium said to be the original point in which the First cuirizu arrived on Alkotas and where the Primogen lived in their early years. The Briar Harvest considers this site to be sacred, holding only the First cuirizu in higher regard to their Primogen. The circle was originally territory held by the Deep Undergrowth in ages past and was taken by enemies of the cuirizu in a war. Many centuries later it would be retaken by the Deep Undergrowth, the Frozen Holt, the Gilded Orchid, and the Briar Harvest. When the Deep Undergrowth fell, followed by the Gilded Orchid, the Briar Harvest claimed it as its own and the claim went uncontested. The circle is ancient, surrounded with standing stones erected by the Primogen or perhaps the First herself. The site allows instantaneous passage between Alkotas and the plane of Ivalia, letting out into the layer known as the Nadir. Both sides of this gateway are zealously protected by the Briar Harvest. While being posted to "guard duty" of settlement sites is typically considered a punishment by Briars in other locations, such an assignment to the Circle of the First is considered to be one of the highest honors. Cuirizu who live here for a length of time say they can hear the will of the First whispered in their ears and are filled with a vigor the likes of which they know nowhere else, even in Ivalia. The Scouring Horde
This modestly sized horde is considered one of the most fearsome in the entire order. Commanded by Kralav Terezin, one of Thorne's younger daughters and an up-and-comer in the order as a whole, this horde has made daring raids into populated territories such as the Solacine Imperium and Zelmesca in recent years with little to no casualties. The horde's key is its heightened mobility, making use of Vishanti slaves for realm shifting that allows the horde to bypass mundane defensive measures with ease. Wherever the horde goes, it scours the land, taking a toll on mortal and cuirizu societies alike.
Founding Date
The Age of Mithral
Demonym
Briars
Leader
Leader Title
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