Khar of the Hawk Clan
The mysterious and reclusive clans of the Great Mothers lead a harsh life and it takes a harsh warlord to not only rule over them but prepare them for a war with the rest of the One Land.
by Ali May Sang (the Librarian)
featuring passages from the High Plains Samurai Core Rulebook
To the rest of the One Land, the mountains of Khar’tep are the end of the world. Stories tell of savage wildlands consumed by the anarchy of Chaos’ Wrath in a way we have never experienced, while some believe there are new lands and settlements waiting to be discovered. Only those who have climbed to the highest peak of the Great Mother, the gargantuan mountain range that protects the scattered clans now under the rule of Khar of the Hawk Clan, know for sure. Few not loyal to the barbaric warlord would survive the trek to the bottom, let alone the march to the top. The clans view the mountains as a religious testament to the Elemental Spirits and dare not risk non-believers contaminating it with their apathy and blasphemy.
Perhaps one of the youngest warlords in modern times (though few count the rulership of Jacob Tom III, who was only 33 when he killed his mother to gain control of Serenity Falls and suddenly poisoned by his teenage son only two days later), Khar rose to power as the Hawk Clan’s guardian before challenging his predecessor, Roth of the Goat Clan, to a duel that lead to Roth’s fall from the mountain. Having taken the sacred vows of his clan’s guardianship, Khar literally has the eyes of a bird of prey and proudly projects his qi power – fiery wings – at a moment’s notice. A fierce combatant and shrewd leader, this young warrior-turned-leader has begun to make aggressive expansions without being fully aware of the consequences and reactions that await. There are many who believe Khar’s sole purpose in life was to become the avatar of the children who live on the mountain.
Leading a people renowned for their ability to take care of themselves against all odds, Khar has time and ambition to expand his people’s reach elsewhere. Since his victory over Roth only months ago, Khar initiated an aggressive expansion in the lowlands, with raiding parties marching into the borders of Yung Zhi and ambushing refugees and Outcast camps. Claiming weapons, technology, food, and livestock is the primary goal of these raids, Khar believes the Great Mother will soon be unable to fend off Chaos’ energies unless her people find a new way to provide. To this young avatar, the answer lies in the lands of the other warlords. To keep their way of life secret from outsiders, these raiding parties consist of warriors and hunters from all clans working as one. This has not been seen since before Chaos’ Wrath.
For now, the other warlords dismiss these barbarian raids and the might of their new warlord as nothing more than the wind changing direction. Their focus is with the water that surely exists within the frigid peaks of the Great Mother…