History of the Trackers of the God-Beasts
Age of Strife
The past is not the subject of the hunt. What lies before was a struggle to survive, and the future is the same. Tales are passed down of the greatest hunters and quarry, but a lesser tale is forgotten when a greater thrill can be expressed. The basics are inherited - the proper way of dressing a kill, the careful honing of a weapon’s edge… all else is a trial.
The stories and lessons that are told amongst the Trackers are held in solemn reverence, for they are tales of the God-Beasts. These near-mythical creatures are said to be the heralds of the Progenitor, the origin of life, and physical embodiment of the will of Potentia. The Trackers believe that they must understand the God-Beasts to get closer to the Progenitor and in this pursuit, a Tracker must follow a Path.
Even the oldest and wisest Trackers cannot recall when the Paths were discovered, only that their ancestors learned of them by carefully observing the God-Beasts. Some stories tell that once there were many more Paths, each a distinct facet of the Progenitor. All that remains of these fabled philosophies are the opposing Paths: Hunter and Prey.
Path of the Hunter
A Hunter:
Does not fight what they cannot defeat
Does not kill for pleasure
Does not consume what they have not earned
The Path of the Hunter is that of the tiger, wolf, and mongoose. Many Hunters alter their Patterns to be akin to the creatures that gave them the greatest challenge; others try to mold themselves into wholly new forms inspired by their failings. Aggressive Patterns are frequently sought after by expert Hunters. Glory-seeking and ambitious, few Hunters survive long enough to test themselves against a true God-Beast.
Path of the Prey
A Prey :
Does not fight when they can flee
Seeks to challenge others
Accepts their place in nature
The Path of the Prey is that of the rabbit, deer, and mouse. Agile and elusive, Prey are always alert to the dangers of the Wild. Prey are often singularly focused on Patterns that aid them in recovering from negative statuses or evading entrapment. Despite this, Trackers that take this Path are rarely cowards, often forming the vanguard in the pursuit of God-Beasts. Like Hunters, Prey feel an unquenchable need to prove their skills, often by risking their lives. Their driving purpose is to test the worthiness of Hunters, both within and without the Trackers. The end of a chase measures the merit of both predator and prey, and without this finality both would be denied a chance to improve. Excitable and impatient, many Prey become addicted to gambling with their lives.
Joining
While both Paths embody elements of the Progenitor, they cannot begin to grasp its true nature alone. In order to glimpse its identity, Trackers are bound by ritual to a follower of another Path when they come of age. This unique bond gives each participant a greater understanding of those Paths outside of their reckoning, becoming sparring partners that can help one another to grow. Once the ceremony is complete, the pair is collectively referred to as a Pledge.
Age of Discovery
Initial contact between the Wayfarers and the Trackers transpired when a scouting party, led by Wayfarer Scout Brigit Ardghail, ran afoul of an onyx ant colony. While the Wayfarers were able to hold their ground, the commotion attracted a pack of hungry ash wolves. Unbeknownst to the scouts, a Tracker Pledge had been stalking this pack, waiting for an ideal moment to strike. Veterans of countless hunts, the pair moved in sync, always covering each other's blind spots or providing opportunities to strike.
As the fighting died down Brigit was able to record her first impressions of this first interaction, “We’ve encountered a pair of non-hostile sapients in the Charred Woods. The larger one is covered in brown hair and seems unnaturally strong. Despite not wearing armor of any kind it was able to withstand several bites from a pack of ash wolves. Its smaller companion was never far from its side, harrying their foes with knives and spear. Despite their feral appearance they adorn themselves with hides, pelts, and other natural trophies that suggest a grander pursuit than simple survival. We were only able to learn their names (Tenacious Bear and Restless Rabbit) before they faded into the smoky treeline.”
Although Brigit was the first to encounter a Pledge, it wasn’t until several months later that Trade Prince Elidor Emrys established a reliable means of contacting the wild men and women of the Trackers. Prince Emrys negotiated a deal with the Trackers by providing a steady flow of hunting contracts to satisfy their insatiable lust for challenge. In exchange, they provide assistance protecting his outposts and caravans. Even with the success of this arrangement, few in the Wayfarers have ever seen more than two Trackers at any given time, even fewer have seen them fight. While some Trackers see this arrangement as a distraction to their sacred Path, others fail to see a nuanced distinction in the method one acquires challenge. Isn’t overcoming the challenge more important than the journey?
Tale of the White Stag
In dreams Nimble Fox beheld time and again a vision of a white stag beneath the light of the moon. Each night he chased after it, curious and yearning, but it was always a step ahead, and vanished when he drew close. He sought a young sparrow in the boughs of an old hollow oak, knowing the wings of a bird may reach the stag, that higher eyes may see another truth.
The sparrow chirped as it darted, offering concessions to placate the pursing fox. “The god-stag is a rare sight, honest and pure; a hard prize to catch. The fox is a clever ratcatcher - you are no hunter of stags.”
Nimble Fox was vexed by this, but also awed. The white stag was something outside of his ken. On the fated day when he encountered the beast, he understood he was lacking. The beauty of the creature showed to him that he was incomplete as a hunter, and gave him a new path. From that day, he was Seeking Fox; and would come to be one of the tracker’s wisest scouts.