The Hunters of Abavale
Your Majesty, I understand your apprehension about the Hunters. It started as an order of mad men and murderers who sent our country down a dark path. They disobeyed your father's, may his soul rest in Shesra, final order and brought chaos to our kingdom. I saw first hand what they did. How much violence they spread in their wake... but the Hunters of Abavale are nothing like the Hunters of Tabershire. I'm sure you've already heard about the actions of two of my Hunters. They risked their lives to bring down a deadly assassin so the guards of Abavale wouldn't have to risk their lives. That was just one instance out of hundreds, sir. We are here to protect the innocent and bring an end to the Tyranny of Monsters. Please sir, as a knight who has served you faithfully... allow us to bring peace back to our kingdom. Allow us to save Oterra.
Structure
Within the Hunters are four branches, each given a specific role. The Warrior branch is the one common people think of and the combat oriented part. They are the ones who capture or kill the monsters across Oterra. Despite the name, there are also mages in the Warrior branch, giving valuable aid with their use of spells. Ventus Lightborn, a member of the Order of Alexius, leads the Warriors. Notable members include: Lali Crimson, Lucian Tenebrae, and Nier ShadowRiver.
The majority of mages reside in the Scholar branch. They research monsters whether it be their weaknesses, habitats, or habits. Scholars also perform alchemy to with the recovery of injured warriors. Their service is invaluable to the Hunters as the Warriors wouldn't be able to complete Hunts at such an efficiency without them. This branch was created in response to the severe lack of information within Oterra about monsters. Ciel Goldspire, a mage from the College of Abavale, leads this branch of the Hunters.
The Crafters make weapons, armor, and other tools for the Hunters to use. They also buy and sell any goods the Hunters want or wish to get rid of. This includes materials from when the monster's remains are butchered. Eligius Davis, a master smith from the Smith Guild, is the leader of the Crafters.
The Emissaries are the political side of the Hunters, speaking on their behalf to officials, nobles, and the like. They are sent out if the Hunters need access to an area or support militarily/politically. Sir William Maven, knight of Abavale and veteran of the Oterran Rebellions, leads the Emissaries. He is also seen as the leader of the Hunters.
Public Agenda
The Hunters have one mandate: end the "Tyranny of the Monsters". They seek anyone who can help them in this endeavor: criminals, nobles, soldiers, mages, and crafters alike are equal under the crimson dragon. However, everyone knows that the Hunters are also meant to mend ties with the people of Oterra, most notably Aslandailians. They've taken mercenary contracts and even given aid to the guards of Abavale as a way to assist the people. No doubt this is due to the machinations of the Abavale nobility, specifically the Lord of Abavale.
Assets
The Hunters have the luxury of being based in the richest city in Oterra. They have access to a plethora of trade networks, information, and people. Thanks to their partnership with Abavale, aided by William's allegiance, and mercenary work, the Hunters have amassed abundant wealth to support their efforts. Multiple merchant guilds have thrown in with the Hunters, especially the Smith Guild who gave access to one of their best smithies. The Scholars receive aid from the College of Abavale and even have communication colleges within Corvail. The Warriors have received aid from the Order of Alexius, a monster hunter guild based out of Nataka. In terms of manpower, the Hunters aren't lacking as wandering travelers and mercenaries alike have joined to aid them in hunting monsters.
History
The history of the Hunters is bathed in the blood of the innocent. The origins of the Hunters go back to the beginning of the 13th century in Tabershire, the center of Western Oterra. The West has become known as the breadbasket, it's fertile farmland feeding itself and the rest of the population. However, the people of the west were always expanding to accommodate for the rising population. They ran into a problem, however. The West is known for its swamps and jungles filled with monsters and corrupted creatures. Minor lords in the region were annoyed by this fact and created an organization to deal with those creatures. It became known as the Hunters. Unfortunately, the "creatures" were really Salamanders, corrupted Kadembre who had fled into the wilderness to escape persecution. Human supremacists and racists alike flocked to the Hunters and cut them down without any second thought. In their eyes, those things weren't people. They deserved to die.
Oterra's neighbor to the West, Kadem, was enraged by this fact and gave Oterra an ultimatum: get rid of the Hunters or prepare for war. King Herstings, the Monarch at the time, was prepared to war with the Kadembre. However, he received a startling report that Nataka would join the war on the side of Kadem if it came to be. Driven to illness from the stress, King Herstings' final order was for the Lord of Tabershire to disband the Hunters. And he did just that out of loyalty to his king. Unfortunately, the people of the West did not take kindly to that. In the same month that King Herstings passed away, minor lords and common folk alike rose up in rebellion, ousting the Lord of Tabershire. Thanks to the Hunters, a bloody rebellion lasted for two years, costing thousands of lives.
The Hunters became synonymous with the terrible war but they needed to return. The monster pandemic had gotten even worse and Abavale knew something had to be done. As a result, they looked to restart the Hunters. However, this time it would be different. Abavale wanted to mind the ties between the human and non-human community, especially since they were the most diverse city in Oterra. In 1218, the Lord of Abavale gave William Mavis access to a share of the treasury and one order: End the Tyranny of Monsters. William began by announcing a call to arms for the Hunters. He advertised it as a new beginning for the Hunters. It was a chance for anyone to a place of redemption or a place to find a purpose. He also sent word to the Order of Alexius, asking for Hunters to aid his organization.
There shouldn't have been any hope for the Hunters. Their name was drenched in too much innocent blood and Aslandailian hatred. However, mercenaries, adventurers, and ordinary people flocked to join. The Order even sent a detachment of Hunters led by Ventus Lightborn. With his Warriors here, William asked for assistance from the College of Abavale. He seeked information on the monsters they would face but the College seemed hesistant. An old friend of his was able to convince the Headmaster, however, and the Scholar branch was born. The Hunters went to work, killing and capturing monsters across Eastern Oterra. From Lakecrest to Abavale, they did good work. Due to this, the merchant guilds of Abavale took notice. In the fall of 1219, they supplied them with goods and gave them access to one of the best smithies in Abavale.
When King Hersting's son, William V, took notice, he immediately wished to speak with the leader of the Hunters. Many feared he would shut them down just like Herstings once did. William had to stay with the King for several days to discuss the Hunters. During that time, a Kadembre assassin went on a killing spree in Abavale until he was brought down by two Hunters who risked their lives. With this information and countless good deeds,William was able to convince His Majesty that the Hunters should stay. Now, they are going through an increased recruitment period as they continue their war against monsters.
Demography and Population
There are over 20,000 members of the Hunters that serve under the four sects. Emissaries make up the smallest amount with only 200 members to be sent out. They are only made up of humans unlike the rest of the organization. Every species is a member of the Hunters but humans make the majority on a species by species basis. If it were human vs non-human, they would be outnumbered.
The First and Last of Abavale
Founding Date
1218
Type
Guild, Fighter / Mercenary
Alternative Names
The Hunters
Demonym
Hunters
Leader
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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