Race Bio: Strider

New race added to the SB: Races page!

Strider

Saddle up, Buckaroo.

The Striders, who share a common ancestor with the Ascendants and Channelers, are nomadic huntsmen who roam the plains of Desia in highly mobile tribes. Strider tribes are highly mobile and frequently splinter into smaller tribes when game becomes scarce, and over time, this constant segmentation has spread the Striders all over both major continents of Desia, although they tend to prefer large, open, plains areas where they can get to a full gallop.

Very few Striders hunt with weapons; it is a sign of strength in most Strider cultures to engage prey in hand-to-hand combat. With their four incredibly strong legs and equally strong upper body, Striders can quickly and easily catch herd animals and pummel them into submission.

Unfortunately for both the Striders and the Stonefangs, starting in ancient times and up until only a few generations ago, the Striders believed that the Stonefangs were unintelligent pack animals, and the Striders hunted the Stonefangs relentlessly until the Stonefangs were on the verge of extinction. One day, the Stonefangs simply vanished. There were none to be found for decades. But two generations ago the Stonefangs suddenly returned with a vengeance and now seem hell-bent on returning the favor to the Striders.

The several-decade nonstop warfare with the Stonefangs has pushed many Strider tribes out of their typical hunting grounds and into less familiar territory, while some tribes have been wiped out altogether. A large bastion of Striders has been relegated to the Overlook Plateau, relying on the surrounding mountains and cliffs to protect them from the Stonefang onslaught. Some Striders have retreated to Tariae in the South, while other more desperate tribes have even migrated to the Razor Grasslands. Rumors have been spreading that the Striders are considering negotiating an alliance with the Dredgers and Ascendants to push back against the Stonefangs once and for all. Whatever happens, the Striders must find a way to strike back, or they will be obliterated.