The Ardent Dawn

The Ardent Dawn Centaur Clan

Territory
The Ardent Dawn have claim to a large portion of the frigid plains towards the Terran arctic circle. This is home to around one hundred and fifty centaurs, who migrate from the warmer forests on the North American border in the winter, and the icy hunting grounds of the arctic in the summer.

They have two permanent settlements; One is a small encampment surrounded by palisade in the northern woodlands, which becomes the base for the clan in the summer.

The second is a loose collection of ruins deep in the arctic snows, where temporary shelters are erected for the summer hunting.

Background/History
The Ardent Dawn are a loose group of around one hundred and fifty centaurs, drawn from a composite of three tribes. Although united, these three tribes are culturally quite different and as such infighting is common.. They have some knowledge of the outside world, observing the comings and goings in their summer forests, and the blinking lights of ships in the sky.

They escaped the glassing of Terra without much loss of life, but they see it as a travesty against their animist gods.

Traditional Dress/Armour
The idea of wearing clothes or armour of any sort is a fairly new concept to the Ardent Dawn, but as the ability to smith iron weapons and armour has become available, most clans realize that the protection offered by armour and clothing is worth the ability to run a little slower.

The non-combatants of any tribe will use the skins of any available animals as clothing, be it seal or walrus hide, or the pelts of the great dire-wolf that stalks the snowy forest. This normally forms a base-layer for warriors, although this is often augmented by lamed leather or chain-mail armour.

Helmets beaten out of iron are starting to become common, often with an open front and extended nose-guard.

Weaponry
The Ardent Dawn fight with the weapons of their ancestors. Great bows of yew and horn, thick iron-tipped spears. Axes and daggers are common close-combat weapons.

As more metal is found in the earth, the tribe smiths have begun to forge long blades of iron and bronze, thick, curved khopesh and brutally hooked falcatas. Teamed with these blades are thick, hide covered shields or broad headed axes, designed both for brutal close combat, but balanced for throwing.

Notable Members.
Aegwulf Bright-Hand; Leader

Mikhail Swift-Arrow; Warchief

Aeron Sun-Spear; Warchief

Aelora Sun-Spear; Warbride

Ragnar Black-Mane; Warchief

Loki Far-Shot; Warchief

Aeglos Far-seer; Shaman

Cespar Wolf-Kin; Raider