Horsemen of Eauxe
The Horsemen of Eauxe roam The Plains in individual tribes, tending to their horse and cattle while collecting certain fruits and roots as they travel. Simple but fierce, the horsemen are all trained as warriors from the age they can walk, following traditions created thousands of years ago. Religion here is simple and involves the worship of the land and the sun, although they give no name to their “gods” other than “life and love.” They have no temples or specific rites, but their religious leaders easily match the powers of some of the highest clerics of the named gods, so some power must indeed answer their prayers. Contrary to rumors, the horsemen accept and respect magic and support wizards of their tribes. They also treat and care for their wounded, crippled, and aged. Those who can no longer keep up with the tribe are left at an oasis or are settled in Poiretre where any tribes passing through check on them and provide help as needed.
Among the tribes of The Plains, women hold authority, and control all the major decisions of a tribe, as well as most of its wealth. When a man marries a woman of The Plains, he must take her name and move to her tribe. Any wealth he might have becomes hers and is shared with her tribe. Outsiders can join or marry into a tribe so long as they follow all the traditions of the horsemen. Those who live here for more than a few years tend to develop the same deep connection to the land that The Plainsmen possess.
Thousands of years of warfare between tribes turned the Horsemen of The Plains of Eauxe into a greatly feared force that, to the great fortune of kingdoms nearby, never left The Plains for more than raids or skirmishes. The Plainsmen have a mystical bond to the land here, one that often makes them uncomfortable when leaving it. It is even said that, in ages past, plainsmen would get sick and eventually die if they remained away from The Plains for more than a few weeks. Rumors about a great leader who could separate them from the land came true in the form of King Drake Barbossa, who, in an effort to expand the Kingdom of the North Heath, decided to conquer The Plains. Initially, he was met with several bruising defeats through which he came to respect the strength and ferocity of The Plainsmen. Learning that sometimes tribes avoided war through challenges of single combat, he put his size, strength, and skill as a master swordsman and warrior to the test through challenges to the champions of the individual tribes. When he defeated the final champion, a meeting of all the tribes was convened during which King Drake Barbossa was titled “Great Chief” and the tribes all swore their allegiance.
After the ceremony, the tribal leaders informed him that he had changed their bond to the land, and that the Horsemen of The Plains of Eauxe were now free to leave and conquer at his command. Temptation to expand his kingdom did weigh on him, but in the end, he told them that there could be no more beautiful land than The Plains of Eauxe, and that there was no reason for them to leave but rather he hoped they could live in peace with the rest of his people and work together for a stronger kingdom. Since that time, all children of the royal family are expected to spend at least three years living among The Plainsmen to learn their ways and also to understand the mystical bond to the land. Over the centuries, some of the royal family have chosen to stay with The Plainsmen, marrying into a tribe or simply remaining with one. The royal line is now mixed with that of The Plainsmen, further cementing the loyalty that began when Drake Barbossa respected their traditions.
Leaders of war parties now receive training in modern military tactics and techniques, which makes them an even more dangerous fighting force capable of exploiting the weaknesses in others and enhancing their own strengths. Wizards are encouraged to receive formal training before returning to help their tribes. Religious leaders sometimes meet with clerics of other gods, but they maintain their own traditions regarding passage of knowledge and power of the land to future leaders. In short, the Plainsmen of Eauxe are now a powerful threat to any nearby nation kept in check by one simple fact: They have no desire to leave The Plains and see no reason to do so.
Type
Geopolitical, Nomadic tribe
Parent Organization
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