Sari'ab Marauders

Overview:
The Sari'ab Marauders are a tribe originating from the Mau'ab Valley in Orgonia. They refused the Archaemenid's offer of vassalage and servitude and clashed blades with the orgonian military on more than one occasion before eventually retreating away from the valley and into the vast wastelands beyond. They served their part in unintentionally strengthening Orgonia's position by sacking the city of Trayanus on their way to Crevethia, leaving it defenseless against the eventual onslaught. Not that the nomadic tribe had any qualms doing so.

They have roamed the vast plains since, never settling in one particular spot. They prey on isolated and poorly defended settlements, caravans and other tribes wandering the Old World, looting them should they surrender or taking their lives should they refuse. They have been particularly hostile to most but their hit and run tactics and uneven settling intervals have made them a difficult target to pin down and kill, often retreating into mountains during the winter periods, where they survive against the odds and come back during the warmer periods, during which they proceed with their barbaric ways.

In recent times however, they have began to develop a method to their madness, owing to their young chieftain. Raids on trade caravans have become more and more frequent all across Kayre, with numerous sightings of the Sari'ab marauders being reported at the same time, indicating that the horde has either split or multiplied significantly.


Forces:
The Marauders only really employ two types of fighters from their own ranks from what has been observed. These warriors often ride on horseback, their weaponry most commonly being spears, javelins, long and shortbows. The use of swords and axes is scarce, but has been observed. Still, they are skilled fighting practitioners and their expertise with the spear is one effectively practiced from boyhood.

Their tactics however employ the use of a foul magic in order to occupy their foes while they mobilize. A Sari'ab wizard is commonly identified as a tribal necromancer and one whose abilities differ slightly from that of other necromancers. In addition to these wizards, the common soldiers employ a means of getting around armor and that is poison.

While finding a weakpoint in armor plating or chainmail can often be difficult, these warriors prioritize making the edges of their spears especially keen so, when coated with poison, they would only need to inflict a single puncturing wound upon their foes. It is not uncommon for the Horde to disengage entirely and pepper their enemy with arrows while the poison quickly claimed its victims. The secret to this devastating poison, capable of shutting down all bodily functions, remains a closely guarded tribal secret. Some even believe magical concoctions are behind it.

Sari'ab Raider:

Spoiler:

The Sari'ab Raider is the most commonly observed horseback fighter of the horde, equipped with a short or longbow as well as a spear or javelin. The typical combatant is usually skilled in the art of mounted archery and does not suffer any penalties to aim while riding in battle. Typically coordinating in groups, the raiders will form small squads and deliver spear charges in intervals whilst consistently firing upon their enemy from a distance. When caught in melee, they will often lose the fight to better armed and armored opponents, so they move lightly and maintain their distance.
- Sari'ab Sundering Spear / Javelin
- Sari'ab Shortbow / Longbow
- Sari'ab Lethal Poison

Sari'ab Slayers:

Spoiler:

The Sari'ab Slayer is a comparatively vicious fighter. They are sufficiently more skilled in melee combat and will often seek to close the gap with their opponents. They are fleet footed but also well-armored where it matters. Their art of war involves a very sturdy shield which they will employ in both offense and defense, effectively counting as a capable blunt tool against armor where their spears don't make the stab. These warriors employ dirty tactics such as kicking sand in ones face and are particularly ruthless, taking no prisoners should they be present on the battlefield.
- Sari'ab Sundering Spear
- Sari'ab Shield Slab
- Sari'ab Lethal Poison
- Scaled armor

Sari'ab Tribal Necromancer:

Spoiler:

The most dangerous of the Sari'ab are their necromancers, capable of not only raising the dead in battle but to infact summon fallen warriors from past battles from seemingly thin air to fight for them temporarily until they crumble. These wizards are exclusively women and are often well-defended and cunning, capable of erasing one's perception of them and the hordes, making it difficult to detect or trace their tracks. The full extent of their abilities is unknown.
- Sari'ab Lore of Necromancy.


Sari'ab Routes.
The tribes are often traversing the paths between Orgonia and Elthern, intercepting any traders along the way but their reign does not extend solely to those areas, even if they are the easiest prey. They can sometimes pry on Orgonian merchants all the way to the lands of the Xillidi, where they thrive, capable of raising the warriors from century old battlefields to assist them in raiding easy prey. Much the same is the case in Ivellea, as the tribes have found the ensuing chaos to be perfect for them to benefit from. They hinder the Ivellean rebuilding process and stop foreign monetary or resource support, proving to be yet another problem the war-torn nation has to face.

All the more difficult to track without the presence of a wizard capable of dispelling the magical cloak conjured by the tribal wizards, concealing the hordes whilst on the move or resting. This has made them a downright menace on the roads. But they do not often attack defenseless foes without much in the way of fortune. As such, adventurers are often spared their wrath unless packing considerable loot.