Outriders - Lady Knights of the Lashunta (Zheieve)

~Zheieve~ - Outriders are not only knights and elite shock-cavalry warriors, but also small-unit commanders who use their psychic abilities to weld their followers into cohesive, deadly fighting machines. Yet with these hints of elite service and noble traditions,

Qualifications

• Bonded Shotalashu Steed
• Enhanced Psychic Empathy
• Formal Petition, Examination, & Dedication

Duties

Outriders begin service alternating as junior-officers or elite Shotalashu-cavalry. As their careers advance, they may serve as senior officers, take post in civilian government as magistrates or arbitrators, or become diplomats. The common traditions outriders share provides a mutual bond of understanding and code of honor. In this regard, they function much like like knights.

Benefits

Outriders receive, food, lodging, and outfit from the city's citadel they serve, though as a bare lifestyle. An Outrider wishing to advance herself socially, and especially if she wishes advancement to Flagwife, will need additional income or support.
Some common traditions the Outriders of Western Asana share are:

• Difi-Hafosaoli (weapon-trial right): the right for any outrider to answer another’s challenge or accusation through single-combat.
• Difi-Rosavi (guest-right): the right to be heard by another city’s government.
• Difi-Thamovi (saddle-right): the right to food or supplies in time of war or in defense of the city.

Accoutrements & Equipment

• Armor: damascene helm, shield, breastplate, vambraces, weapon-kilt, and greaves
• ~Unaeal~ - cavalry swordbill or riding-spear
• Sideam: ~taeal~ sword or riding-axe
• Ornamental cereonial breastplate, wristcuffs, and anklets
• Shotalashu Steed and war-saddle
• ~Umalael~ shieldbearer companion

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Outriders may only be removed of their station under grave charges, either from conviction for disobedience or betrayal under her Citadel's court, or from a condemnation for breaking her oaths and honor by her peers within the Order of Outriders.

History

The concept of the Outrider is relatively new to the Lashunta Culture of the Yaro Valley and Shattersea Regions, having originated in the Age of the Thief-Queens. No mention exists within the chronicles of Sage-Queens, though curiously Damaya warriors on Shota-back were recorded as doing very Outrider-like things during the previous Age of the Warrior-Queens. The unprecedented 2,000 year span of peace that hallmarks the early half of the Age of the Sage-Queens seemingly reduced Yaro military traditions to ceremonial remnants. Settlement defense, including Shotalashu-bonding, seemingly was relegated to peasant hunter-militias (indeed, the modern Lashuna word for warrior, ~moara~ originally meant hunter, whereas the Archaic ~uroha~ now means honor-guard), with royal support largely comprising of psychics or beast-tamers. Instead, the Outrider’s roots lie with the nomad tribes of the Retaea Moorlands and the Thief-Queens.
The Qabarat-Yaro word ~Zheieve~ (outrider) is a loanword from Old Retaean ‘Jeieveth’. Retaean Clan-headwives to this day recruit outriders to their households, and their campfire-tales sing full of legends of great Qoelu-hunts, duels, and raids on enemy camps where Outrider heroes represent heavily. In the oldest legends, Damaya Shota-riders competed fiercely to obtain this honor from the Queens’ accolades. No position was considered more prestigious, nor more dangerous, than the lone outrider. scouting ahead of the Horde with her trusty Shota-steed, braving dangers,dueling rival warriors, and raiding enemy camps.
When the Thief-Queens’ hordes conquered four-fifths of the Yaro Valley and brought the Elves of Qabarat to parley in the Thirteenth Millenium, Retaean outriders spearheaded the effort. Chroniclers of the pacifist Yaro Cities described these warriors as: “Damaya most fierce, suffering no opposition without their sworbill’s answer, riding Shotalashu with wanton boldness, and grimly loyal to their Queen.” Indeed, these remnant proponents of the Sage-Queens luridly describe the insults and bloodshed these Retaean riders inflicted. Also, no apparent requirement to maintain maidenhood is noted. After Qabarat offshrugged the Thief-Queens’ rule, however, cultural exchanges continued with the cities to the north. The Retaean traditions of the raider-outrider were doubtlessly well known, though became tempered with Elven sensibilities.
Western-Asana Outriderhood as known and practiced today originated after the Second Formian Invasion of Asana, when Qabarat joined the alliance. The moment was captured in the Elven Shining West-Jewel Year-Tally which bewrites: “Fifteen years ago, Lady Issendil formed a company of thirty Lashunta maidens, all able Shotalashu-riders and mind-strong, and took them southward to defend our shores. Their survivors have today returned, all promoted to captains in their own right and bearing a roll of victories that already have songs being sung. The City’s Lashunta have promised to raise ten more such maiden-companies, both to continue the war-effort and to bolster the defenses against the Northern Heathens.” The main difference between these Qabarat ~Zheieve~ -Outriders and their Retaean raider-antecedents was that these maidens were sworn not to a queen, but to the city.
As the Yaro Cities upriver began their slow, sporadic revolt against the Thief-Queens, rebels found ready allies among Qabarat’s outrider-patrols guarding the marches, and soon began to emulate their warfare. The histories and songs of the latter half of the Age of the Thief-Queen are full of battles and duels of City Outriders against the ‘Queen’s Riders’, as they named their foes. This development marked a return to a professional military tradition to the Yaro Valley that served as the backbone to the new militia system.

Type

Civic, Military, Commissioned

Form of Address

~A Ile~ ("My Lady" ~A Zheieveil~ ("Lady-Knight")

Source of Authority

By City

Length of Term

Life, or until retirement