The Predators of Aetolia

Roleplaying a Predator

A clever, covert profession steeped in brutal combat and showings of iron will, Predators are rugged rogues that seek ever greater heights of challenge against which they can test their burgeoning might. Possessed of heroic endurance, feline grace, breathtaking agility, and bone-crunching savagery, these wanderers of inimical climes dance across the battlefield with their signature sitara knives awash in the blood of their enemies, proving their unmatched strength with each fluid strike.

History

The true origins of the Predator profession are nigh-utterly lost to the minds of its eldest practitioners, all recollection of its founding scoured from their thoughts as surely as all other things regarding the impossible otherworld they hail from. This first generation of Aetolian Predators resides within the wintry Augerweald, their clandestine cadre led by the mysterious pale warrior known as Sigurd Brynja.

Almost immediately following the conclusion of the Creators' Monomachy, these amnesiac assassins set themselves to the task of testing Aetolia's might, sowing chaos and confusion amongst the populace of multiple continents in a quest to prove themselves as warriors capable of standing above all others. Though it took time to make contact and find an acceptable manner in which to communicate, the group's leader eventually offered to impart their teachings upon willing souls in exchange for information, aid, and supplies - thus heralding the spread of their violent arts far and wide. Precious few scraps of their true history remain, owing to the forgetful influence of a multiversal journey.

Stating only that they once fought a bitter campaign of revenge against an unknown foe and that they had once referred to their dazzling knifeplay as the teachings of 'Qa-sital', the Predators of Aetolia look now to a new horizon and the challenges that await within its countless vistas.

How are the powers of the class accessed?

All techniques of the Predator are born of unfathomable, implacable will and mortal resilience. Mysteriously eschewing magic, they instead train their bodies and minds in an effort to become perfect specimens of violent brutality. Relying upon cunning as much as raw strength, they practice the subterfuge a feral hunter might exhibit in pursuit of prey, their keen eyes always in search of any advantage whatsoever.

One of the few ceremonial aspects of the lifestyle is the carving of a 'sitara', a sturdy knife wrought from the bones of a fallen enemy. This practice consists of multiple steps, not the least of which is striking down a foe from which to extract a suitable bone. After cleaning, drying, and whittling it into a proper implement, a Predator will often cherish their personal sitara and even whittle notches into it in an effort to count the innumerable conquests of their travels.

Endurance, strength, and agility training comprise much of the manner in which a Predator grows in strength, especially owing to the fact that they need to possess these traits in spades if they desire to find success as a beastmaster. Through raw, dominating struggles and wise displays of animal kinship, an experienced student of this profession is often capable of bringing Aetolia's most dangerous creatures to heel, earning a respect and loyalty that makes them dogged companions and dangerous accomplices both.

Visual style of the class

Given their nature, Predators are often clad in furs, pelts, and suitable clothing necessary for harsh and unforgiving journeys throughout the hostile lands they would dare claim as their domain. They dress light in an effort to remain flexible in combat, but their attire is otherwise as varied as the myriad personalities that adopt the profession. Trinkets of bone or trophies taken from those unfortunate enough to succumb to them in the throes of combat often decorate their person, bespeaking the violent end of those proven as prey by the wicked edge of their bone blade.

In combat, a Predator moves with a savage grace otherwise only seen in wild struggles betwixt wolf and caribou, lion and gazelle, or tiger and boar. They exhibit overwhelming strength and stoic, unshakeable will, their singular intent always clear: to cast aside those who cannot hope to rise to their boastful challenge and clever fighting style. A sitara's sleek, small shape makes it exceptionally useful for cutting through tendons, severing nerves, and even splintering bone when the right force is applied. This curious knife's cutting edge possesses enough sharpness to carve someone from hip to shoulder in a bloody swathe, an act that often leaves a Predator's victim no more than bloody tatters upon the ground.

Predators are often seen with their beast companions in tow and their arrival within Aetolia necessitated a need for them to adapt to new creatures within an unknown landscape. Sleek wolves, burly orgyuk, savage orel, and venomous spiders one and all accompany those beastmasters that prove themselves worthy of their wild loyalty, ensuring they are never alone even in the heat of battle.

Side effects of use

While many of Aetolia's professions adventure for glory, honour, and renown, Predators tend to seek greater tests of their boundless might and cunning. This can often mean they are competitive and boastful. They are a profession almost entirely reliant on physicality and thus they will often exhibit some muscle due to the constant rigours of their demanding fighting style and training techniques.

Known as violent warriors and dastardly sneaks both, Predators deal with nearly as much distrust as an Infiltrator might - especially owing to the dubious, otherworldly origins of their trade. Their constant search for greater challenges also keeps them away from civilisation for vast tracts of time, ensuring a certain brand of ferality in the most brutish amongst the profession.

Roleplaying the class

Owing an utter lack of culture due to the unfortunate amnesia brought about by their departure from another realm, Predators do not possess any sacred traditions, long-winded philosophical creeds, or stringent codes of honour. They recall only a thirst for challenge and the need to constantly improve themselves in the face of a hostile world, and thus those that grow into this profession might display prodigious ambition or even a lust for battle.

Predators are as calculating as they are swift and thus will oft exhibit a penchant for stratagem or exceptional critical thinking. They embrace the value of stealth and reject chivalric notions, choosing instead to view the world with a pragmatic eye focused upon survival and strength. Some amongst their kind possess a penchant for taking trophies such as fingers, ears, eyes, or teeth, revealing a near-desperate desire to prove their victory over each and every foe they happen upon.