NPCs

FANWE

Fanwé is the elder of the tribe, and by virtue of her rank  and power the  peacetime leader of all the Hulun. She is a powerful sorceress: for many years children displaying natural magical aptitude are sent to serve her as an apprentice for one season. This apprentice remains at her side at all times, along with her familiar, a pipistrelle bat.

Short and emaciated, Fanwé is considered very old by Hulun standards at sixty five years of age. She has dark brown skin and bares many lines in her face from years of living under a heavy sun. Her clothes are little more than rags hanging off her body, and her stern expression matches her taciturn demeanour. As much as she is loved by the tribe as a great protector and wise counsellor, she is feared for the mighty power she wields.

The elder has supported K'harg since his rise to power: however, she worries that his time may soon come, being a warrior, and that his successor may not be able to match K'harg's diplomatic capabilities. She fears the rise of the empire in the south, and recognises that the unchanged way of life of the people of the plains may at last be facing a powerful threat.



K'HARG:

The war chief of the Hulun, K'harg has risen to prominence not only for his prowess as a warrior but also because of his ability to negotiate with the settled peoples. He is a tall, broad shouldered black man who keeps his hair close shaven, and wields a bronze  great axe of imperial manufacture in battle.

As war chief Hulun's authority does not extend over his people during times of peace. He is not a megalomaniac but is keen to promote the strength of the Hulun through loose alliances with the settled peoples and neighbouring tries. His sworn enemies are the Raven Tribe.

He has many children but is most affectionate towards his natural heir, Baras and his adopted daughter Ezra.



MORAATH:

The tribe's spiritual leader and healer, Moraath is an elderly woman who is close friends with tribe elder- and de facto leader- Fanwé. She is a cleric of Empala, the earth-mother, but pays homage to all deities. Moraath leads all major religious rites and has a small circle of apprentices, of whom any PC spirit shaman or cleric is likely to be a member.

Unlike Fanwé Moraath is plump and cheerful: she has copper skin and almond shaped eyes, and wears her long silver hair in a braid hanging in front of her left shoulder. She dresses in a variety of animal skins and keeps various tokens and charms about her person, including feathers and bones taking from significant sacrifices.

She has a good relationship with K'harg but is suspicious of his children, albeit in a good natured way, being wary of their desire for war with other tribes.



OZRAEL:

A childhood friend of K'harg, Ozrael has accompanied the war chief on all his adventures since his ris to power. A compelling storyteller and musician, Ozrael has invented as many stories as he has learned. As keeper of the Hulun's oral tradition he is one of the "big four" of the Hulun, including K'harg, Fanwé and  Moraath.

Short and stocky, this dark skinned man accompanies his friend into battle, and for many year has documented the victories of the Hulun. However, as the years pass Ozrael is finding it hard to keep up with the youthful vigour of his war chief, and though he still is a dead shot with the bow, many fear his fighting days may soon be over.



EZRA:

Well known amongst the Hulun as a cunning scout and canny warrior, Ezra is an attractive olive skinned woman in her early twenties with red hair and striking blue eyes. She is shorter than most Hulun, having been adopted daughter by chief K'harg following her capture during a raid on the raven tribe many moons ago.Her associations with the chief make her a proud and at times aloof member of the tribe. However, she is can also be quite charming and knows how to get her own way.

Of late she has been prone to making excursions into the wilderness of her own accord. Some of the tribe find this behaviour suspicious, but most excuse this as another example of the young lady's independent spirit. She rides a stunning white mare by the name of Alanthus and is often accompanied by a tame magpie whose name she has not revealed.


BARAS:

Tall, handsome and with deep chestnut eyes, Baras is K'harg's eldest son and heir apparent. A skilled wielder of the great club, Baras has proved his worth in battle on many occasions.Many have noted that he lacks his father's diplomatic skills, despite being an amiable and assuring presence. He is very popular amongst ordinary tribespeople and could probably take his pick of women to choose as his wife: however, Baras is devote to his chestnut mare, Malé, and to battle.

Baras hopes to one day lead the Hulun against the Raven tribe and ultimately the empire by conquering all the peoples of the plains, though he is rarely explicit about his desire.


TALEK

Baras' younger half-brother is a popular youth amongst the tribespeople; however, he lacks his sibling's decisiveness in combat and is much more at home amongst nature than in battle. This is not considered too much of a problem as he is only thirteen summers old, but soon he will be expected to undertake his initiation into manhood: privately, K'harg is apprehensive about his son's chances of success in this venture.

Talek bears a strong resemblance with his father but differs from him int hree distinct ways. He is much lighter of complexion,  leaner of build- and, unusually- his hair is an almost white blonde, though it matches his father's tightly-coiled texture.


DAROMIR:

The Hulun are known as a tribe of herders and raiders:they keep horses and follow the aurochs and are feared in battle. Amongst their number, however, they count an accomplished hunter by the name of Daromir. His exemplary tracking skills and ability to blend seamlessly into the wilderness means that he is often called upon to train the burgeoning retinue of scouts whom many credit with the Hulun's ability to defeat foes of much greater strength.

Daromir is tall and lean , dark skinned and stern of expression. He speaks rarely, but has an odd almost mother-son relationship with tribal shaman Moraath. He tries to stay out of tribal politics, however.


BUNDU

A simple minded but affable man approaching middle age, Bundu is the Hulun's fiercest warrior. A great hulking man with coffee coloured skin and short hair, Bundu is the archetypal gentle giant went not battling to defend the Hulun's traditional lands. He has a special affinity with animals and is in charge of looking out for all the Hulun's livestock.


KARA:

As has been mentioned, the Raven tribe are the sworn enemies of the Hulun. None of the Raven tribe are despised quite so much as the power behind the throne, Kara. A sorceress as powerful as Fanwé though much younger, it is said that she murdered her predecessor and drank her blood. These may only be stories, however: few of the Hulun of set eyes upon her, but her reputation is dark.


GARAK:

Chief of the Raven tribe, he is said to be an uncultured and belligerent man with a bullying persona and tendency to prey upon the weak. Like Kara, few Hulun have actually seen him in battle, but rumours persist that he is a fat bald white man who eats his enemies.


DAATH:

Chieftain of the three rivers village, the largest settled community on the traditional grounds of the Hulun.


THE PRINCE:

The fabled ruler of the Southern Empire, the Prince is said to be a God who has assumed the form of a teenage boy. Moraath is dismissive of these claims, but does not deny that The Prince's people worship him as though these facts were true.