Kradjan

'The hunt remembers.'

Overview

The Kradja are a tall, fierce people of the Outermarch, known for their bond with the wargs of Vargalla and their reputation as hunters without equal. They dwell in scattered clans across the plains and broken hills east of the Aeon, raising their young beneath hide tents, timber halls, and ancient standing stones. To the Atlareth they are both feared and respected: dangerous raiders in times of war, steadfast allies against darker things.

Kradjan culture is built around the hunt. Strength, endurance, and cunning are prized above wealth or rank, and every Kradjan is expected to prove themselves through tracking, survival, and combat. They do not ride horses, seeing them as weak and skittish animals, but instead form lifelong bonds with wargs taken from the vale of Vargalla. These beasts are not pets or slaves, but companions and hunting-partners, often treated as kin.

Their armor and weapons are shaped from the creatures and wilds around them. Kradjan hunters wear living-looking harnesses of bone, horn, hardened hide, dark wood, and chitin taken from great beasts. Their blades are often formed from carved fang, obsidian, meteoric iron, or hooked bone, while their cloaks are woven from fur and coarse grey-black fibers. To outsiders, their wargear appears almost grown rather than forged.

Though often viewed as savage, the Kradja possess a strict code. They respect strength, despise cowardice, and place great value on oaths, trophies, and the memory of the dead. Every notable hunt is remembered, every fallen warrior honored, and every insult repaid.

Age

Maturity: ~50 years
Average Lifespan: ~280 years

Height

Male: 78" – 90" (6'6" to 7'6")
Female: 74" – 86" (6'2" to 7'2")

Attributes

Strength Bonus
Constitution Bonus
Dexterity Bonus
Agility Bonus

Appearance

Skin: Grey, ash-brown, dark olive, or mottled earth tones, often weathered and scarred. Older Kradja may bear darker markings or ritual scars across the face and chest.
Hair: Usually black, dark brown, or iron-grey, often worn long in thick braids, cords, or dread-like locks decorated with bone, teeth, feathers, or metal rings.
Eyes: Yellow, amber, pale green, grey, or ice-blue. Their eyes are often reflective in low light, giving them an unsettling, animal-like gaze.

Inherent Abilities

Infravision
Ride
Hunt
Tracking
Skin
Sneak
Hide

Roleplaying

To play a Kradjan is to think like a hunter. Kradja are patient, observant, and slow to trust, preferring action over words and respecting deeds more than titles. They are often blunt, proud, and uncomfortable in crowded cities or among the politics of softer folk. Family and clan matter deeply. A Kradjan's worth is judged not by coin, but by the hunts they have survived, the trophies they carry, and the loyalty they show to their kin and pack. They rarely forget an insult, betrayal, or blood-debt. Kradja should feel somewhat alien to the peoples of Solamir and Atlar. They do not bow easily, often maintain intense eye contact, and may seem unsettlingly calm in dangerous situations. Many speak little, but watch everything.

While some Kradja become raiders, mercenaries, or wanderers, most are driven by the same instinct: to test themselves against worthy prey and prove that they are stronger than the world that seeks to tame them.