New Race: Hawkriders

[Havard]

Image: http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... ffe5/l.jpg

Believed related to the Peshwa, Hawkriders is a culture of humans living in the various mountain ranges of the North. Sometimes known as Tarnsmen, this people are most well known for those among their numbers who ride gigantic Warhawks. Although the term Hawkrider is used to refer to the group as a whole, only a few of each clan have the gift allowing them to ride these creatures.

Personality
Hawkriders are a quiet, but proud people. They are used to living in isolation and often seem aloof to others. Being used to living in the harsh conditions of barren mountains Hawkriders are a cold people, showing little compassion for those who depend on others for survival.

Physical Description
Hawkriders are shorter and stockier than Thonians with hard features. They have dark brown or deep red hair and their skin is tanned.

Alignment
Hawkriders lean towards neutrality, preferring to mind their own affairs, caring little for the situation of others.

Lands
The mountains of the North is the home of Hawkriders. Roaming over great areas, Hawkrider settlements can be found in the Superstition Mountains, the Sundance Peaks and the Firebird Peaks.

Relations
Hawkriders care little for others. They are on friendly terms with the Peshwah whom they view as their cousins. They sometimes launch raids on more civilized realms, though individual Hawkriders have also employed their services to nobles of Blackmoor and Thonia.

Religion
Hawkriders follow the Peshwa Pantheon, but in addition they follow Elgath, lord of Beasts.

Language
Hawkriders speak a dialect of the Peshwah tongue as well as the Common Tongue (Thonian).

Names
Hawkriders use only a single name to identify themselves.

Male Names
Bhatis, Bika, Kitain, Puras, Vitar

Female Names
Bhima, Deras, Idjin,

Adventurers
Hawkriders are mostly Rangers. Hawkrider Clerics worship Elgath, Lord of Beasts.

• Hawkriders use the abilities of standard humans as described in the Players Handbook. At the DM’s discretion, Hawkrider Rangers and Druids may select Giant Warhawks (use stats as Giant Eagle) as their animal companion:
  
• Favored Class: Ranger

Final comments: This race first appeared in the FFC. I deliberately used the name Hawkriders to avoid copyright infringement and also to free myself a little from the original literary inspiration, though I have also used the term Tarnsmen in the text.

Thoughts? Is this something you would consider using in your campaign?


-Havard

[RobJN]

I'd been trying to think up some sort of aerial cavalry for Uther's Age Blackmoor, and I think you just found the puzzle-piece I've been searching for, Havard.

What better aerial units for House Andahar than hawks?

[Havard]

I'd been trying to think up some sort of aerial cavalry for Uther's Age Blackmoor, and I think you just found the puzzle-piece I've been searching for, Havard.

What better aerial units for House Andahar than hawks?

Indeed! I am looking forward to seeing what you make of them!

The way I have it, Warhawks are very particular about who they will allow to be their riders, choosing almost exclusively from the Hawkrider ethnic group. However, as I mentioned above, some of them have been willing to serve nobles outside their own race.

-Havard

[RobJN]

What better aerial units for House Andahar than hawks?

Indeed! I am looking forward to seeing what you make of them!

The way I have it, Warhawks are very particular about who they will allow to be their riders, choosing almost exclusively from the Hawkrider ethnic group. However, as I mentioned above, some of them have been willing to serve nobles outside their own race.

-Havard

I got that feeling from the read through of the race. I would imagine that branch of the Grand Unified Army of the North would be exclusively hawkriders, rather than mixed like the conventional infantry or cavalry.

Of course, there could very well be different tribes along different mountain ranges, taming their own breeds of giant birds of prey. Perhaps even a degenerate or outcast subgroup that ride giant vultures or some such...

[Havard]

I got that feeling from the read through of the race. I would imagine that branch of the Grand Unified Army of the North would be exclusively hawkriders, rather than mixed like the conventional infantry or cavalry.

Larger Warhawks could probably carry more than one rider, so the Hawkrider could be accompanied by Blackmoorian Archers for instance.

Of course, there could very well be different tribes along different mountain ranges, taming their own breeds of giant birds of prey. Perhaps even a degenerate or outcast subgroup that ride giant vultures or some such...

Possibly, although too many fliers can easily get out of hand in a campaign. As Dave Arneson's group experienced before Dave whisked the creatures out of existence.

If you want other fliers, here are some suggestions:

Egg of Coot: Dragons
Afridhi: Pteranodons. They were bred by the Egg, but escaped and some were captured by the Afridhi.
Elves: Griffons

Later on more mechanical flying contraptions might become available.

-Havard

[RobJN]

Larger Warhawks could probably carry more than one rider, so the Hawkrider could be accompanied by Blackmoorian Archers for instance.

Of course, there could very well be different tribes along different mountain ranges, taming their own breeds of giant birds of prey. Perhaps even a degenerate or outcast subgroup that ride giant vultures or some such...

Possibly, although too many fliers can easily get out of hand in a campaign. As Dave Arneson's group experienced before Dave whisked the creatures out of existence.

Definitely wouldn't want the skies getting too crowded. I like the idea of "tailgunner" archers. :twisted:

If you want other fliers, here are some suggestions:

Egg of Coot: Dragons
Afridhi: Pteranodons. They were bred by the Egg, but escaped and some were captured by the Afridhi.
Elves: Griffons

Later on more mechanical flying contraptions might become available.

Oh, I think Blackmoor University R&D would definitely come up with mechanized (or rather, magitek) flight suits, appropriately dubbed Warhawk armor.

[Havard]

Definitely wouldn't want the skies getting too crowded. I like the idea of "tailgunner" archers. :twisted:

8)
Yeah, the idea of restricting Warhawks to be flown by members of the Hawkrider "race" is one way of keeping things a little in check.

Oh, I think Blackmoor University R&D would definitely come up with mechanized (or rather, magitek) flight suits, appropriately dubbed Warhawk armor.

Very cool. Perhaps this research is somethingthat will eventually lead to the creation of the Dragonlord Armor....


-Havard

[RobJN]

Warhawk armor.[/i]

Very cool. Perhaps this research is somethingthat will eventually lead to the creation of the Dragonlord Armor....


-Havard

Do the Dragonlord novels describe the powers of the armor?

[aldarron]

Possibly, although too many fliers can easily get out of hand in a campaign. As Dave Arneson's group experienced before Dave whisked the creatures out of existence.

If you want other fliers, here are some suggestions:

Egg of Coot: Dragons
Afridhi: Pteranodons. They were bred by the Egg, but escaped and some were captured by the Afridhi.
Elves: Griffons

Later on more mechanical flying contraptions might become available.

-Havard

There are three kinds/sizes of Tarns in the FFC:

Cargo
Racing
War

Ducy of Ten Riders would of course also have dragon mounts since the Ran breeds them.

I don't see flying mounts getting "out of hand" since they are difficult and expensive to maintain and since thier trainers are specialists who command a hefty fee.

[RobJN]

Possibly, although too many fliers can easily get out of hand in a campaign. As Dave Arneson's group experienced before Dave whisked the creatures out of existence.

If you want other fliers, here are some suggestions:

Egg of Coot: Dragons
Afridhi: Pteranodons. They were bred by the Egg, but escaped and some were captured by the Afridhi.
Elves: Griffons

Later on more mechanical flying contraptions might become available.

-Havard

There are three kinds/sizes of Tarns in the FFC:

Cargo
Racing
War

Ducy of Ten Riders would of course also have dragon mounts since the Ran breeds them.

I don't see flying mounts getting "out of hand" since they are difficult and expensive to maintain and since thier trainers are specialists who command a hefty fee.

I could work an entire air-based campaign off this, a-la Wing Commander: escort missions, rescue missions, scouting missions. I sense a Thorn's World that Was: Chronicles of War spinoff and accompanying DATC module path in the works