TEXT: THE ROSRIJDERS
  OVERVIEW
  Rosrijders can be found anywhere in Perrenland that you find horses, and indeed almost anywhere in 
  Flanaess where horses and fighting are to be found.  Outgoing, passionate about their horses, and generally 
  free spirited, Rosrijders as a whole do not take well to towns and cities, but prefer the outdoor life and wide open 
  spaces.
   
  Rosrijder stadts (village-like horse stud farms) can be found spread over most of the Feronwold, from the 
  northern reaches of Krestible in the south, throughout rural Schwartzenbruin and the plains of Nederboden, up 
  to the edge of the Mounds of Dawn. The stadts are generally the home of several extended families or septs 
  (sub clans), and in size more resemble a small village than a farm or ranch.  This is due to the numbers required to 
  look after their extensive horse studs, riding the boundaries in summer, breaking and training young horses, 
  keeping an eye out that only the best stallions cover mares in breeding season, and rounding up the herds to 
  bring them in to the stadts for winter.
   
  Due to the severe nature of winter on the Feronwold the Rosrijders have developed a distinctive type of 
  architecture, with their houses, store houses, workshops, feed sheds, and huge barns half buried in the ground, 
  solidly walled with thick wood, roofed with turf, and with thickets of blackberry bushes planted on top.  The eaves 
  come right to the ground, and the space under the eaves is used as extra storage space for the wood and dried 
  horse dung that is so essential to keep the fires burning during winter.  All the buildings in a stadt are linked with 
  covered half buried tunnels so that it is only necessary to go outside during times of great need during the snows 
  of winter.  This is not to say the Rosrijders spend all winter underground.  Rather they take any opportunity during 
  this season to get out, to play in the snow, to visit other stadts, or to go shopping in the cities.
   
  Their precious herds are kept outside as much as possible, even during winter, but when storms 
  threaten the horses are gathered into huge barns, each capable of stabling over 100 horses, with separate pens 
  for the breeding stallions, to keep them away from each other, and the from the mares and working geldings.  
  Most of the time the only stallions on a stadt will be the studs, with young colts still being broken and trained, but 
  the colts are generally sold off as three year olds.  It takes about three years to train a warhorse to the point that it 
  can be sold to its eventual owner for final training.  The mares are worked as little as possible, although some are 
  used as riding animals, and most of the working horses are geldings.  Generally these are cut at about two or 
  three, when it is decided that they are too mild mannered to be warhorses.
   
  Houses on the stadts are rambling warrens, with new rooms and corridors being added whenever they 
  are needed. Some of the older stadts have over one hundred rooms and a quarter of a mile of corridors.  Of 
  course, it can be difficult to work out just where a given house ends and another building starts, but a fair bet is 
  that if you pass down a corridor with doors only at the ends you have moved from one building to the next.
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  The centre of life on the stadt is the great room of the main house, generally capable of holding all the 
  stadt's residents at a tight squeeze.  This is usually where the elder residents can be found, chatting, working at 
  small projects, and keeping an eye on the younger children; those too young to be working with the horses or 
  learning a trade.  When a great storm hits most of the stadt's residents, and any visitors, gather here to pass the 
  time telling stories old and new, singing, courting, and politicking.  A stadt generally consists of three to five 
  houses, but may be as small as one for a newly established holding, or up to eight or nine, with over two hundred 
  residents.
   
  In addition to the houses, barns and winter feed sheds, a stadt will also have a smithy and forge, a 
  saddlery, an armoury, a cooper's, a butchers', often a small grain mill, a carpenter's, a tannery, and a leather 
  worker's shop.
   
  The interiors of the Rosrijder houses are richly and brightly decorated with tapestries, paintings, and 
  leather work, and finely furnished with elaborately carved and decorated furniture (you have to do something 
  locked up inside during winter).  When out on the range the Rosrijders favour neutral colours, generally dun or 
  brown for their riding gear, but when they dress for parties their clothes are anything but neutral.  They like bright 
  primary colours, decorated with fringing, ribbons, and bells, the louder and more flamboyant the better.
  Rosrijder music and dance is based around the rhythm of a galloping horse, and is known as Hoefslag.  
  The basic rhythm is set by the Trommel slager (drummer), and the melody is intertwined around this by 
  dondelzakblazers (bagpipers), groefs (flutes), luits (lutes), and pijps (pipes).  All these instruments are easy to 
  carry on horse back and produce the wild, swirling music the Rosrijders prefer.
  They have two main party seasons.  One is during the winters months, where the games are often long 
  and elaborate, and young men and women travel from stadt to stadt, looking for prospective mates, catching up 
  with friends, and courting, and the other is when the foaling is finished, in mid spring.  This is the Feestelijk 
  Voorjaar (Festival of Spring) dedicated to Atroa, the Oeridian goddess of Spring, the East Wind, and Renewal, 
  and Keph the Untiring (Allitur's Steed), the Golden Stallion, the Patron of Horses, Plains, Weather, and Valiant 
  Riders.
   
  The Rosrijders are followers of the Old Church, but also worship Atroa, and pay homage to Telchur to 
  keep on his good side, but they reserve their main worship for Keph.
   Being horsemen first, last, and always, Rosrijders prefer to fight from horseback, and their preferred 
  weapons are composite bows, long swords, hand axes, javelins, and light lances.  Preferring speed and agility 
  over heavy armour, Rosrijders rarely wear heavier than medium armour, and rarely put barding on their horses.  
  They tend to be mounted scouts and trackers, horse archers, or medium cavalry.  The concept of sitting on a 
  massive plonker of a heavy warhorse, trussed up in plate, and riding stirrup to stirrup is abhorrent to your average 
  Rosrijder.  They much prefer having room to manoeuvre in a fight.
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  Many adventuring Rosrijders are mounted rangers or rogue scouts, but the clan produces a wide range 
  of tough outdoors adventurers.
   
  As a whole the clan is Neutral to Chaotic Good, but obviously there will be exceptions.
  ORGANISATION
  The Clan
  The Rosrijder Clan consists of eight major and nine minor septs.  These are the
  Major:  Staalrijder, Goudenpaard, Vlaktezwerven, Hoefjager, Groenboum, Rondhuis, Wolfzanger, and 
  Wyndansen,
  Minor (and the major clan they originated from):  Witstaf (Hoefjager), Zwartwolf (Wolfzanger), Hoogstaart 
  (Staalrijder), Losregering (Staalrijder), Kleinkuil (Hoefjager), Vlugzwaard (Groenboum), Roemstaart (Wyndansen), 
  Zonwandelaar (Groenboum), and Groethoefs (Staalrijder).
  Additionally there are several families that are in the long slow process of becoming separate septs.  One 
  of these, the Ostdroom, is established across Lake Quag in Traft.  Of the major septs the Goudenpaard are 
  mainly in Nederboden, and the Groenboum are almost all in the great stadt of Havikdal in the north of Krestible.  
  Due to the spread out nature of the stadts, and the fact that they are spread over five Cantons, the Rosrijders 
  give their loyalty to their stadts and Cantons, not specifically to the Clan.  This is not to say they are not proud to 
  be Rosrijders, the reverse in fact.  They are intensely proud of their heritage and their horses, but insulting the 
  Rosrijders as a whole is not liable to get you into a fight.  Insulting a Rosrijder's stadt, mother, or horse will get you 
  into a fight, and very quickly.  Several of the major septs are also known particularly for the colours of the horses 
  they breed.  
  The Clan's symbol is a Golden Stallion, Keph, at full gallop upon a field of spring green, and their battle 
  standards are brightly dyed horse tails, a different colour for each sub clan.  These are not often seen nowadays, 
  as the Rosrijders tend to go into formal battles riding with their Cantons or mercenary units, but often a Rosrijder 
  will have his clan tail as his own battle pennon.
  Inheritance and descent of the Rosrijders is matrilineal, and many Rosrijders never formally marry.  This is 
  not to say that the Clan is a matriarchy, as positions within the Clan are earned on merit and the preference of the 
  individual.  Although many Rosrijders follow traditional male and female roles, this is more due to the fact that life 
  on the plains can be hard on pregnant women, leading to miscarriages and even death during birthing.  If a 
  female Rosrijder wants to follow a traditionally male career path there are no real obstacles in her path.
  Each sept elects its leader, or Opperhoofd, from amongst the eligible adults of the sept, for life.  This is 
  not a straight election, as the old Opperhoofd will nominate a chosen successor, who is usually elected, but the 
  sept Ontmoeting can reject this choice and appoint who they want.  There is no set criteria for the position, other 
  than being an eligible and competent adult of the sept, but if the Opperhoofd is not a warrior then an Orlogpaard 
  (war chief) is selected.
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  The Opperhoofd  of the Staalrijders, the oldest, largest, and richest of the septs, is also the 
  Voorstammann of the entire Clan.  Voorstammann (lit. foremost tribes man) is an old Flan term, which in dealing 
  outside the Clan is replaced by the more modern term Pfalzgraf, although as it is not an hereditary position the 
  Rosrijders avoid using it as much as possible, as they do the terms Obergraf (equivalent to the Opperhoofd of 
  one of their major septs) and Graf (Opperhoofd of a minor sept).  Thus the Opperhoofds take their positions in 
  the House of Grafs, even though they are not technically nobles.  The Rosrijders do not have clan nobility as 
  such, but the members of the major septs have more prestige and often more influence politically as they have 
  greater access to the Opperhoofds, and in the case of Staalrijders, to the Voorstammann.
  None of the Opperhoofds are eligible to be elected by the Clan to the Voormann' s position, nor is the 
  Opperhoofd of the Groenboum eligible to be elected Voorstadmann of Krestible.  This is because the Rosrijders 
  feel that the duties of an Opperhoofd take up enough time and effort to make it impossible to fulfil the 
  requirements of two positions.  Thus the Clan as a whole, will nominate their best possible candidate for the 
  Voormann's position, chosen for their ability alone.  If this happens to be one of the Opperhoofds they must step 
  down from their position, and another is appointed.  However this is exceptionally rare, as they then may not 
  return to the position of Opperhoofd until the new incumbent dies or retires.  The same applies to the 
  Voorstadmann's position in Krestible.  This does not mean that the Rosrijders are not active in Canton and 
  Perrenland politics.  On the contrary they are extremely active, and very vocal and blunt about it.
  The roles of the Voorstammann and Opperhoofds are not as important as they once were, but they still 
  play a very active part in Clan affairs, and of course, are the Clans representatives to the House of Grafs.
  The Voorstammann adjudicates on any clashes or infringements that cross sept boundaries according to 
  traditional clan law.  They usually set the political agenda and stance of the clan entire, but individual Rosrijders 
  are quite free to express their own points of view, and even act on them if they do not transgress the law.  They 
  have a right of veto on the appointment of any Opperhoofd, but must be able to justify it in Groot Ontmoeting.  
  This involves the meeting of every possible adult of the clan, and is not something that has happened in living 
  memory.  They also officiate at major Clan functions and occasions, such as the inauguration of a new 
  Opperhoofd or Orlogpaard, and even at some weddings and funerals, etc.  It is their duty to represent the Clan to 
  the best of their ability in Council, and it is from them that the call to arms to the entire Clan comes when 
  summoned to war.
  The Opperhoofds have similar duties within their own septs, and additionally have the right to veto the 
  Staalrijders' appointment of their own Opperhoofd.  This requires a unanimous vote of the Opperhoofds 
  gathered in Ontmoeting.
  In time of war the Opperhoofds, including the Voorstammann, will nominate one of the Orlogpaards as 
  Bevelheber Generaal, and although it will usually be the Orlogpaard of the Staalrijders, it is not limited to members 
  of the Staalrijders, but rather goes to the best commander in the Clan, it may go to one of the other Orlogpaards, 
  the Bevelheber of the Staal Jager, or even to a Rosrijder mercenary recalled from external service to take up the 
  position.
  Clan Law
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  Within the Clan and stadts Rosrijders follow simple and pragmatic laws, and practice collective 
  responsibility.  If you are wronged by a Rosrijder redress will come from their sept, for the actions of one reflect 
  upon the whole.  However, if you wrong a Rosrijder, be prepared to take on their entire family, for they believe it 
  works both ways.  Their laws are based on blood price and restitution.  Theft or damage will be paid for or 
  replaced, as will the death or maiming of stock.  If there is a killing in a fight the deceased family will be paid blood 
  price, often in the form of horses, but murder is punished by the Clan by declaring the offender nietgezin (not 
  family), exiling them and removing all rights to family protection and aid.
  They practice the hospitality of Home and Hearth to travellers, especially during winter, and even if you 
  are an enemy of the Clan you will be granted shelter until you can leave safely.  This is not a guarantee that they 
  will let you live, but they will give you half a day head start before coming after you.  If you can get off their stadt 
  before they catch you, they stop chasing.
  The Stadts
  Stadts are built in dips in the plains, and centre around two or three wells, one of which will be inside the 
  barns, one in the central huis and one outside to water the stadt's other stock.  Apart from horses the stadts also 
  raise a number of other animals.  They keep some cattle, mainly dairy, flocks of chickens and geese (the geese 
  are both watch animals and a source of meat, eggs, and feathers for fletchings), pigs, and long haired goats, for 
  wool, cheese and milk.  Rosrijders are not overly fond of dogs, either as working animals or pets, and think they 
  are laughable as riding beasts.  If you are too small to ride a horse, at least ride a pony.  The stadts are not actually 
  fortified, as the Rosrijders prefer to do all their fighting from horseback in the open, but by the very nature of their 
  construction if enemies reach them they are difficult to break into or burn.
  The stadt sites are all heavily treed, with carefully planted low growing hardy trees to provide shelter and 
  shade in summer and wind breaks in winter.  Additionally many dips and small vales across the Feronwold have 
  also been carefully planted with trees to provide the same for the horse herds and herdsmen and women.  These 
  plantings always have a well or a soak spring in them to provide water on the often dry plain.  During summer you 
  will often find a small camp in one of these, although it may not have any one in it.  Treat it with respect and do not 
  foul the water, for the herders who built it may be back at any time.  Many of these summer camp sites are also the 
  locations of huidkuils (lit:  hidey holes) dug into the side of the dips.  They are stocked during summer with dried 
  meat, vegetables, grain, and rounds of cheese, generally enough to last five people and horses for two weeks.  
  They are winter shelters for Rosrijders caught on the plains by winter storms, and are absolutely sacrosanct and 
  places of complete neutrality.  Travellers trapped by a storm will usually find something to do in the huidkuils, as 
  the Clan has a habit of also stocking them with a small armoury of shorts spears and arrows, and the bits and 
  pieces for making more.  Travellers making use of the huidkuils are expected to put in a bit of work on producing 
  more spears and completed arrows, and when they leave the huid to clean it out, set any horse dung to dry for 
  next winter, and if they can, leave some supplies for the next people through.  They are also required to notify 
  the nearest stadt that they have used the huidkuil so that it can be restocked.  The huidkuil are well hidden 
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  (DC20 to any non Rosrijder on a Search check, DC30 if it is covered in winter snow), but all Rosrijders are taught 
  as young children to be able to find them from subtle markings on the trees in the camps where they are located.
  Rosrijder Types
  The Rosrijders are a total amalgam of Flan and Oeridian tribesmen, with a small intermingling of Baklunish.  
  They grew out of small bands of rebels who retreated onto the hostile plains of the Feronwold during the Aerdi 
  occupation, from whence they raided against occupying garrisons and tax collectors.  These bands came to be 
  known as rood rijders, and the eight major septs, plus the extinct Kraiaas (wiped out by Iggwilv one hundred 
  years ago), grew out of these bands, and the collective name was adopted by them in corrupted form when they 
  solidified as a Clan after the Battle of Heldplaatz, a great victory over the Ravening Horde.
  The original bands were semi-nomadic, but began to settle down and build their stadts in the early years 
  of Perren the Great's time as Voormann.  The first stadt built was at Heldplaatz, followed shortly there after by the 
  occupation of Wyndplaatz, and the settling of Diepval.
  They speak a heavily Flan influenced dialect of Common, and many of them also speak Flan, and it is this 
  Flan influence that leads to the Rosrijder unique titles they use.
  Rosrijders tend to be small and nuggety, but tall and slender, bulky, or wiry individuals are not unknown.  
  Most Rosrijders at a stadt will be plain folk, but they will always be multi classed with at least one level of Warrior 
  with the Feats Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery due to the nature of life on the stadt and the need to 
  protect their wide ranging herds.  Most stadts will often have Expert blacksmiths, farriers, armourers, bowyers and 
  fletchers, saddlers and leather workers.  Needless to say there will always be several Expert horse trainers and 
  breeders.
  Very few Rosrijders become Druids, mainly because of their strong devotion to Keph, but you will find 
  Fighters, many Rangers, Bards, Clerics, Wizards, Rogues, and Sorcerers amongst their number, and even the 
  occasional Paladin.
  Due to their tendencies towards neutral and chaotic good, however, Paladins are rare.  Their role 
  amongst the Rosrijders is taken by two groups, the Sturm Ruiters, and the Voorstammann's elite guard, the Staal 
  Jager .
  Due to the stadts being widely spread (often 30-40 miles apart) over a large area most of the Rosrijder 
  Rangers have a tendency to work from home, basing themselves out of their family stadt, and riding the 
  boundaries in ones and twos for about a week at a time before returning for a couple of days to restock.  This is a 
  role also undertaken by Rogue scouts.
  There are few demi-humans amongst the Rosrijders, mostly half-elves, whose mothers are members of 
  the Clan.  This is not due to any dislike of demi-humans, but because few demi-humans are as horse minded and 
  capable as the Rosrijders.
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  The Stadts and People
  Voorstammann:  Gerte Staalrijder (See below)
  Capital:  Heldplaatz (See below)
  Standard:  A Golden Stallion Galloping on a Green Field 
  War Cry:  In Koelen Bloed (In Cold Blood) (When the Clan goes to war as a whole it is after careful determination, 
  and with a very specific end in mind.)
  Numbers:  Approximately 30,000.  99% Human, 1% Half Elf, 16 Half Orcs (they are so rare every one in the Clan 
  knows exactly who they are)
  The Major Septs
  Staalrijder
  Main Stadt: Heldplaatz - 45 miles north west of Schwartzenbruin
  Population:  1,100
  Sept Numbers:  4,700
  Number of Stadts:  9
  Seat of Rosrijder Voorstammann and Staalrijder Opperhoofd
  Banner:  Silver horse tail
  War Cry:  Degenenhoef (Sword and Hoof)
  Voorstammann and Opperhoofd - Gerte Staalrijder (8th lvl Bard, CG, f, 53)
  Gerte has been Voorstammann and Opperhoofd for three years.  A cheery exterior hides an inner 
  strength that can be likened to the fine steel of the clan’s name.  A polished diplomat, she wandered far and wide 
  in her youth, and has a good understanding of world affairs and politics.  An implacable opponent of the neutrality 
  stance of the Voorstadmann, she has infused many of her clans' folk with her opinion.
  Orlogpaard (War Horse) - Danik Staalrijder (11th lvl Fighter,CG,  m, 41)
  Danik was appointed Orlogpaard at the same time as Gerte took up her position.  Before that he had 
  been the Eerstdegen (First Sword) of the Staaljager for two years.  The Staaljager are the Voorstammann's 
  Grafgardt and the heavy core of the Rosrijders' clan forces.
  Heldplaatz is the oldest, largest classic style, and richest of the Rosrijder stadts.  There are three main 
  reasons for this,  and its age and size are but one of them.  Additional to this is its proximity to Schwartzenbruin 
  and its markets, and finally because it is the site of the annual Feestelijk Voorjaar (Festival of Spring) of Atroa and 
  Keph.
  The  Feestelijk Voorjaar draws Rosrijders from all over the Feronwold and as many of the clan who live or 
  work elsewhere who can make it.  It is a time of celebration and thanks for the return of spring and the end of the 
  foaling that brings wealth to the clan.  All the sub clans attend and bring their three year olds for sale.  This sale 
  attracts buyers from all over Flanaess, come to purchase prime Rosrijder light warhorses and riding horses.
  The Rosrijder breeders and trainers show off their colts and geldings, and a very few fillies, in a five day 
  celebration of horsemanship, speed, agility, and endurance.  There are displays and competitions of trick riding, 
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  races (both sprint and cross country), tent pegging, horse archery, and the final of the Clan's seemingly never 
  ending wevenstok (lacrosse on horse back) tournament.  Each sept and stadt strives to excel and show up the 
  others.  It’s also at the Spring Festival that the septs trade stud and breeding rights for their stallions and mares.
  The Staalrijders breed spectacular steel grey horses with black manes, tails and hocks.  Their stadts are 
  all in the east of the Feronwold, generally within a a day and a half ride from the shores of Lake Quag.  They trade 
  extensively with the Vestmeer clansfolk, and are on extremely good terms with them.
  Goudenpaard
  Main Stadt:  Diepval - plains of Nederboden
  Population:  620
  Sept Numbers:  2,400
  Number of Stadts:  7
  Seat of Opperhoofd and main centre for Storm Riders
  Banner:  Golden horse tail
  War Cry:  De Kopnemen (Take the Lead)
  Opperhoofd and Orlogpaard - Ingvik Goudenpaard (11th lvl Ra, CG, f, 41)
  Ingvik is the newest of the Opperhoofd, having taken up the position only last year.  She has spent her 
  entire life working out of Diepval, patrolling the foothills of the Yatils to prevent any incursions onto the 
  Feronwold.  Dour and quietly spoken, she is a master horsewoman, and has started to work closely with the 
  Goudenpaard herd masters to increase the agility of their palominos to enable them to work more effectively up 
  into the Yatils.  She is not particularly interested in international politics unless the directly impinge upon the 
  interests of Diepval and Nederboden.  Ingvik leads her clan warriors into battle when necessary, and is a strong 
  supporter of the Sturm Ruiters who are based here.
  Diepval is the holiest site for Keph's worshippers, for it was here that Keph gifted his sons to a small stadt 
  of Rosrijders in the earliest days of the Clan’s formation.  Since then the Goudenpaards have become famous for 
  their palominos and every generation sees a few colts born that are truly the sons of Keph.  These colts become 
  the mounts of the Sturm Ruiters, and live as long as their riders, up to 60 or 70 years in some cases.  Diepval gets 
  its name from the depth of the vale in which it is built.  The valley is deep and steep sided, and travellers to the 
  vale are guided to it only by the smoke from the stadt's fires.  You cannot see any of the vale until you get to the 
  very lip of its surrounding land, and suddenly the vista opens up before you.
  All six smaller Goudenpaard stadts cluster around Diepval, forming quite a high population density on the 
  Feronwold, as none are more than thirty miles from the main stadt.
  Groenboum
  Main Stadt:  Havikdal - northwest of Krestible, at the edge of the Yatils
  Seat of Opperhoofd
  Population:  1,700
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  Sept Numbers:  1,850
  Number of Stadts:  1
  Banner:   Green horse tail
  War Cry:  Verwoesting (Havoc)
  Opperhoofd and Orlogpaard - Jost Groenboum (15th lvl C(Keph), CG, m, 64)
  Jost has been Opperhoofd for almost as long as any one cares to remember, he ascended to the 
  position young and has ruled Havikdal with a benevolent despotism ever since.  Jovial and hospitable for the 
  most part, he has an iron will and a core of steel, and is not a man to be crossed for no reason.  Jost has taken an 
  active part in Krestible and Perren politics through out his life and is a well known stirrer.  He was an implacable 
  opponent of the neutrality deal, and sent many of his youngsters out of Perrenland to fight against Iuz, either in 
  Perrender mercenary units, or to provide cavalry for other nations armies.  Whilst he is not eligible to become 
  mayor of Krestible it is an open secret that any Groenboum mayor answers directly to Jost whilst in the position.  
  He still rides at the head of the clan forces, and it seems he will continue to do so forever.
  Havikdal is unusual for a Rosrijder stadt in that it is spread over a much wider area than normal, virtually 
  filling the valley that it is in, and almost all Groenboums live in the stadt.  It is not only the main stadt for the sept, it 
  is the only one.  The large number of trees in the valley give the sept their name, and it is through the coppicing 
  of these that most of the Rosrijder arrows are produced.  Whilst bows are made throughout Rosrijder lands, the 
  very best arrows come from here in Havikdal, and the best of these are fletched with the feathers of the red 
  hawks that abound around the valley (masterwork arrows).
  The Groenboums bred a spectacular variety of spotted horse, with a cream coat and red mane and tail, 
  with red spots scattered in profusion over the rest of the coat.  They are a nimble and quick breed, better suited 
  to the hilly Krestible country than the majority of Rosrijder horses.  The Groenboums maintain an intense rivalry 
  with the Weisspeer over the quality of their horses and horsemanship.  It rarely leads to violence, but spectacular 
  competitions and races are common to prove superiority.
  Wolfzanger
  Main Stadt:  Kleinstadt, on the road from Krestible to Schwartzenbruin
  Seat of Opperhoofd
  Population:  850
  Sept Numbers:  4,100
  Number of Stadts:  8
  Banner:  Black horse tail
  War Cry:  Bijtens het Wolf (the Wolf Bites)
  Opperhoofd - Karl Wolfzanger (9th lvl Expert, CG, m, 49)
  Karl is a horse breeder and trainer who has shown a knack for dealing with people as well as he deals with 
  horses.  He has been Opperhoofd of the Wolfzanger for six years, and has greatly increased their wealth through 
  his dealing in the horse markets.  He is a close political ally of both Gerte Staalrijder and Jost Groenboum, and 
  often acts as spokesman for the anti neutrality party in clan council.  He prefers to get out and work with his 
  horses as much as possible, and it is not uncommon to find him conducting sept business at the same time as he 
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  is breaking a yearling or training a two or three year old.  At least once he has passed judgement on a dispute 
  whilst in the midst of supervising a difficult birth, one arm to the shoulder inside a mare whilst signing the decision 
  with the other.
  Orlogpaard - Greta Wolfzanger (8th/6th F/S, CG, f, 42)
  A veteran of the Greyhawk Wars, Greta came home to take up the position of Orlogpaard at the request 
  of Karl when her older brother Henke died in a boating accident on Lake Quag.    She served for many years in 
  the army of Furyondy, leading the scouts, and many Rosrijders who served with her still respect her as their old 
  commander.  She is seen by some as a possible successor to Danik Staalrijder as Orlogpaard of the entire Clan, 
  as this position is not one reserved for any particular sept.  Boisterous and convivial, Greta is definitely no beauty, 
  her face heavily scarred from an encounter with a troll many years ago, but her inner strength shines through and 
  her troops would follow her any where.
  The Wolfzanger’s herds produce mainly black horses, but occasionally they also produce ones with a 
  blanket of white spots across the withers and rump.  Try as they might the sept’s herd masters have not been 
  able to fix this beautiful colouring to a more common birth rate, but they continue to try.
  The Wolfzanger stadts are spread across the south of the Feronwold, from virtually the shores of Lake 
  Quag in the east to Goudenpaard lands at the base of the Yatils in the west.  Kleinstadt is a busy caravan stop, 
  situated four days north of Krestible on the road to Schwartzenbruin, and is almost certainly the most 
  cosmopolitan of all the Rosrijder stadts, Heldplaatz not withstanding.
  Wyndanzen
  Main Stadt:  Wyndplaatz, just south of the Mounds of Dawn
  Seat of Opperhoofd
  Population:  920
  Sept Numbers:  3,400
  Number of Stadts:  8
  Banner:  Sky blue horse tail
  War Cry:  Rijden den Wind (Ride the Wind)
  Opperhoofd and Orlogpaard - Mika Wyndansen (14th lvl W, NG, m, 51)
  Mika has been Opperhoofd of the Wyndanzen for a decade, and Orlogpaard for the last three years.  He 
  was the only Rosrijder Opperhoofd to support the neutrality decision, but he had his reasons.  Facing the 
  monsters of the Hugelrote since time immemorial the Wyndanzens were more interested in having peace so they 
  could protect the herds, rather than have all the sept's warriors called away to fight a war elsewhere.  Mika 
  despises Iuz as much as anyone, it is just that he has other things on his plate most of the time.
  Wyndplaatz is unique amongst Rosrijder stadts in that it is not tucked in to a dip or valley in the Wold, but 
  rather carved out of a hill, the southernmost outlier of the Mounds of Dawn.  From their watch tower on top of the 
  hill the Wyndanzen lookouts keep a watch day and night over the southern edge of the Mounds, always alert for 
  any incursion onto the plains of Hugelrote’s monsters.  Wyndplaatz is old Ur-Flanne site, fully fortified, with a 
  rammed earth and stone wall circling the base of the hill, and a dry, steep, and deep, ditch outside this.  The only 
  10
  
  access to the stadt is across a bridge over the ditch and through a fortified gate house.  Wyndplaatz acts as a 
  bulwark for the rest of the Wyndanzen stadts, which fan out to the south behind it, and is the centre of an 
  efficient network of warning beacons which link all the stadts and summer campsites.  If Wyndplaatz lights its 
  beacon the Wyndanzens down tools and come fast, to turn back any threat before it gets out onto the Wold.
  Vlaktezwerven
  Main Stadt:  Woldhart, middle of the Feronwold
  Seat of the Opperhoofd
  Population:  780
  Sept Numbers:  About 4,000, its hard to tell when they are scattered all over the world
  Number of Stadts:  9
  Banner:  Bright Red
  War Cry:  Stilleven (Still Standing)
  Opperhoofd - Janik Vlaktezwerven (10th lvl Bard, CG, m, 57)
  Janik is a tall, spare, man, which makes him stand out even more amongst the short, compact Rosrijders.  
  He has been Opperhoofd for nine years, and before that he acted as regent to his predecessor when Gildas was 
  struck down by a wasting illness for the last three years of her life.  Immensely popular amongst his people, he is a 
  master of the art of saying much whilst revealing little.  Probably the best political animal amongst the 
  Opperhoofd, he thinks long and hard before taking a stand on any issue, and ranks the issues as to what is best 
  for Perrenland, the Canton, the Clan, and then the Vlaktezwerven.  Strangely, although his people are aware of 
  this, they still love and respect him.
  Orlogpaard - Danik Vlaktezwerven (7th lvl F, CG, m, 32)
  Danik is Janik’s true son, and has only just become Orlogpaard.  As such he is the youngest, least 
  experienced, and lowest ranked of all the Rosrijder Opperhoofd and Orlogpaard.  A hard riding lancer, Danik 
  served for several years in mercenary companies before returning to Perrenland to take up his current position.  
  A known tactician and charismatic leader of men, Danik is very definitely anti neutrality, and has stated publicly 
  that he would quite happily lead the Vlaktezwerven riders out of Perrenland to face Iuz’s forces.
  The Vlaktezwerven lands lie in the heart of the Feronwold, and were the last settled of the eight major 
  sub clans.  They consist of Woldhart and nine smaller stadts scattered about 40 miles apart.  The Vlaktezwerven 
  were the last of the Rosrijders to give up their initial semi-nomadic life style and settle down, and this is still shown 
  in their extensive travels whilst young.  Vlaktezwerven, as a whole, travel much more extensively than even other 
  mobile Rosrijders, and if you run across a Rosrijder a very long way from home, they are almost certainly a 
  Vlaktezwerven.
  They are also known for the spectacular roans that their herds throw out on a regular basis, although in 
  general a Vlaktezwerven bred horse will be a brown or a chestnut.
  Rondhuis
  Main Stadt:  Rondhuis, north east corner of Nederboden, about twenty miles from the western shore of lake 
  Quag
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  Seat of the Opperhoofd
  Population:  660
  Sept Numbers:  3,600
  Number of Stadts:  7
  Banner:  Dark blue and white horse tail
  War Cry:  Meoilijkheden (Get Around)
  Opperhoofd - Lika Rondhuis (12th lvl C (of Atroa), CG, f, 51)
  Lika is the second longest serving Opperhoofd, having held her position since she was only 29.  She is a 
  large and open faced woman who laughs easily, and treats the entire sept as her children (they all call her Mother, 
  or even Little Mother, in return).  The Rondhuis tend to look more towards the north than the Feronwold, but are 
  true Rosrijders in that the plains are their home, and their horses are their life.  Their focus on the north is more for 
  the threats that can come down from the Nomad territories and the Mounds of Dawn.  The Rondhuis are unusual 
  in that they do not have an Orlogpaard, and generally when they go to war the blue and white banners of the sept 
  ride with one of the others, most often the Staalrijders or the Wyndanzen.
  The sept gets its name for its other peculiarity.  Unlike the other Rosrijders, whose dug in buildings are 
  rectangular, those of the Rondhuis are round.  The reasons for this are lost in the mists of time, but it has always 
  been so with the sept.
  Hoefjager
  Main Stadt:  None (the home of whomever is currently Opperhoofd)
  Sept Numbers:  2,800
  Number of Stadts:  11 (all 200 to 300) 
  Banner: Purple horse tail
  War Cry:  Moed Vajten (Take Courage) 
  Opperhoofd - Edulf Hoefjager  (15th lvl Expert, TN, m, 54)
  The Hoefjager are traditionally the least war-like of the Rosrijder septs.  Rather they are the craft masters 
  of the Rosrijders and generally pick their Opperhoofd from their master craftsmen, rather than from their more 
  adventurous types.  Edulf is typical of this, he is a master bowmaker, the finest amongst the entire clan.  Due to 
  the nature of the Hoefjager his duties as Opperhoofd do not interfere too greatly with his work.  He lives in the 
  stadt of Drukhuis, only fifteen miles south west of Heldplaatz.
  Edulf is politically and philosophically neutral, but he is adamantly opposed to any dealings on any level 
  with Iuz whatsoever.   Since becoming Opperhoofd of the Hoefjager during the Greyhawk Wars he has 
  persistently argued this position in clan council.  Whatever Perrenland does in its international dealings to 
  advance its position or defend itself, negotiating with Iuz is not the way to do it.  "He’s a treacherous son of a  
  bitch, and as soon as an opportunity presents itself any treaty is not going to be worth the parchment it is 
  inscribed upon."
  The Hoefjager, unlike the rest of the septs, do not have a contiguous territory, but rather their stadts are 
  scattered across the entirety of the Feronwold.  Of all the Rosrijder septs they are by far the most individualistic, 
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  and produce a very high number of rangers, sorcerers, and Storm Riders from amongst their ranks.
  Due to the individualistic nature of the Hoefjager stadts they, like the Rondhuis, do not have an 
  Orlogpaard, but rather their warriors ride with those of the nearest of the other septs'.  However, because of this, 
  every Hoefjager carries their purple horse tail into battle, affixed either to a lance or their helmet.
  The minor septs have their stadts scattered all over the Feronwold, and represent about another 3,000 
  population.  None of their stadts have more than 250 people, and most of them have specialised in one particular 
  field.  For example, the Losregering specialise in healers and veterinarians, the Kleinkuil are primarily interested 
  in the dyeing of leather and high quality leather goods, and the Zonwandelaar turn out a high number of Bards 
  and legalists, and produce many masterwork musical instruments.
  The Ostdroom
  Main Stadt:  Ostdroom - North east of Traft, near the edge of the Sepia Uplands
  Opperhoofd  and Orlogpaard - Katerina Ostdroom (6th lvl Ro, CG, f, 38)
  Population: 120
  Gezin Numbers: 120
  Number of Stadts:  1
  The Ostdroom are regarded as strange by the rest of the Rosrijders.  Whilst they are recognised as 
  Rosrijders, the rest of the Clan cannot fathom why they choose to live in the constrained lands east of Lake 
  Quag, and why they are ruining perfectly good breeding lines by crossing them with heavier horses.
  The Ostdroom, on the other hand, can’t see what the problem is.  They began three generations ago as 
  a mix of Hoefjager, Vlaktezwerven, and Wolfzanger who had spent many years out of Perrenland as mercenaries, 
  acting as scouts and mounted archers across Flanaess.  During that time they crossed several of their stallions 
  with the heavier mares of the east, and found that on occasions they produced a heavy horse with almost the 
  speed, endurance, and agility of a Perren light horse.  This wasn’t consistent, but it happened often enough for 
  them to be willing to see if they could fix the traits in a line.  When they returned to Perrenland they realised that 
  the heavy mares they wanted to breed wouldn’t cope with Feronwold  winters, so they acquired land outside 
  Traft, and named their project the Ostdroom.  Gradually they are getting closer to their goal, with more of the foals 
  showing the traits they want, but too many still throw back to either light or heavy horse, or worse, produce the 
  speed of a heavy with the strength of a light.
  Katerina served with the armies of Furyondy, under Greta Wolfzanger, and has seen the activities of Iuz 
  and his forces at first hand, including a short stint as a prisoner until rescued by Greta.  She is a close ally of the 
  Wolfzanger Orlogpaard.
  Rosrijder Nominee for Voormann:
  Nikki Wolfzanger (12th lvl B, CG, m, 41)
  Nikki Wolfzanger has travelled extensively throughout Flanaess, served with a variety of mercenary units 
  13
  
  and national armies as a Herald, and for the past three years has been travelling on behalf of Gerte Staalrijder, 
  visiting all the Rosrijder stadts and speaking to the Opperhoofds and Orlogpaards, as well as to as many of the 
  Clan as he can find.  During this time he has also been out of Perrenland to visit as many of the Perren mercenary 
  units he could get, especially those with Rosrijders serving in them.  His mission has been to sound out the Clan 
  on the subjects of Iuz, neutrality, and what they want from the Voormann.  Until recently he had no idea that Gerte 
  was going to nominate him for the Voormann's position, but he is better prepared for this than any other 
  Rosrijder.
  He has reached the view that the only way Perrenland can guarantee its current level of freedom, a 
  freedom gained after a long and hard fight, is to have strong ties of friendship and alliance with those nations 
  immediately to its south and east that are fighting Iuz.  As silver tongued as all Bards, he can speak plainly and 
  bluntly when needs be, and above all he has a vision that encompasses more than just Perrenland and its 
  internal needs.
  Rosrijder Clan Forces:  In times of great need the Rosrijders can put almost all their active adult population, 
  male and female, into the field, which represents almost half their total numbers.  This makes available to the 
  Auszug some 13,000 mounted warriors, fighters, rangers, rogues, clerics, wizards and sorcerers, armed with 
  composite bows, lances and longswords.  Additionally, each major sept has groups of around twenty full time, 
  well equipped and trained fighters and rangers permanently available at their main stadt or with their Opperhoofd.  
  These, with the Staal Jager and Sturm Ruiters, provide about 360 full time professional elite light/medium cavalry, 
  most of whom know each other, and have trained with each other over the years.
  CLAN PECULIARITIES
  All Rosrijders are proficient with dagger, light mace, shortspear, handle, light lance, longsword, and 
  composite short and long bows, and with light armour and shields, regardless of class.
  All NPC Rosrijders may have the following skills as class skills, regardless of what class they are:
  Animal Empathy - Limited - horses only,
  Handle Animal - Limited - horses only, and 
  Ride - Limited - horses only.
  The Staaljager
  The Staaljager are both the Rosrijder Voorstamman’s Grafgardt and the collective name of all the 
  Rosrijder Grafgardts.  Entry is by application and is conditional on not only meeting the requirements below, but 
  passing a test of both riding and combat skills.  
  The Sept gardt units are named as follows:
  Wolfzanger - Wolfshart
  Goudenpaard - Keph’s Eigen
  Wyndanzen - Wyndmuur
  Vlaktezwerven - Standvastig
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  Hoefjager - Paardjager
  Groenbaum - Paardpijl
  Rondhuis - Berweginghek
  and minor Sept gardts are all known as Degengardts.  The entire Staaljager comes together 6 times a 
  year, where they train together as a regiment.  The rest of the year their primary duty is protection of their Septs 
  and stadts.  New members apply, are tested and inducted at the Feestelijk Voorjar.
  They originated in the war bands of the rebel groups that became the Rosrijder Septs during the time of 
  the Aerdi occupation and the Nomad invasions, and originally included every member of the group who could be 
  accounted a front line fighter.  As the groups grew  into tribes and then the Septs the war bands became their 
  striking force.  After the establishment of Perrenland and the formalisation of the new nation’s structure they 
  became the Staaljager.
  Each unit is commanded either by  the Sept’s Orlogpaard, or if the Opperhoofd and Orlogpaard are the 
  same person, by  the Eerstdegen (First Sword).  They are a hard riding, hard hitting force, and are more heavily 
  armoured and armed than most clansmen, even to the use of barding on their horses in combat.  The Staaljager 
  include a significant proportion of fighting Clerics among their ranks, although they accept members of all 
  classes, even though the majority of members are Fighters or Rangers.
  Requirements:
  Be a Rosrijder
  Ride - 5+ ranks
  Handle Animal - 5+ ranks
  Feats:  Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, and Combat Casting or Alertness
  Grants access to the Prestige Classes Staaljager (as per Windrider) and Staalpriester (as per War Priest)
  Grants access to the feats Dirty Fighting, Sharpshooting, and Reach Spell, plus feats available through the PrCs.
  Requires 10 TUs
  Benefits:
  Diplomacy as a class skill
  Free accomodation at any Rosrijder stadt (0 lifestyle cost)
  Can purchase Rosrijder light warhorses, langzaddles, and accesories.
  Oath:  I dedicate my life, my horse, and my bow to the service of the Clan, until I am discharged, or my life shall 
  end.  I pledge this by the Untiring Stallion and the Maiden of Spring.
  Eerstdegen - Lothar Roemstaart (5th/3rd Ftr/Staaljager, H, CG, M, 34)
  Banner:  The Golden Stallion of the Rosrijders, with coloured horsetails representing each of the septs, and an 
  empty attachment for the Kraiaas.
  War Cry:  Heterdaad (Red Handed)
  15
  
  The Gentle Art of Wevenstok, 
  or How Rosrijders Express Political Displeasure Without Taking Heads (Anymore)
  Wevenstok, a game of horse, stick, and kopf (head sized ball) played by the Rosrijders, has its origins in 
  antiquity.  Used to train young warhorses and to keep their riders in training, it still displays touches of the 
  Rosrijder attitude to enemies of old.
  It is played on a roughly square piece of ground, traditionally a bow shot by a bow shot, and given the 
  distances achievable by a proficient user of the composite long bow fired from horse back, you can see that it is 
  played over a large area.  The rules are basically simple.
  Two teams of twenty riders attempt to move a kopf down the field and and fling into the opposition goal.  
  The goals are set fifty yards in from the end of the field, and take the form of a conical yurt with its door open.  To 
  do this the riders are equipped with a loosely woven rawhide net, its mouth held open by a ring of wattle, 
  attached to the end of a blunt lance.
  The players wear light leather armour and helmets, and bucklers.   It is allowable to attempt to sweep an 
  opponent from the saddle with the lance, but not to thrust or charge with it, and it is not allowable to strike directly 
  at a horse, although shouldering an opponents horse aside with your own is allowed.
  The game is started with the ball placed in roughly the middle of the field, and the two teams lined up 
  along side each other on the side line.  At he signal to start there is a general charge for the ball, which is scooped 
  up by the first rider to reach it in his or her net.  It is then passed to a team mate by flinging it, generally using a two 
  handed technique that requires standing in the stirrups, but occasionally a very good or strong proponent may 
  do this one handed.  The ball then progresses down the field towards the team’s goal.  At least four passes are 
  required from the time a team acquires the ball before a shot on goal is allowed.  Games are usually played the first 
  to three, but occasionally the target may be set higher.
  As previously stated, the ball is head shaped, and indeed, in the past it was played with a real enemy’s 
  head (hence the Rosrijder comment, “You broke it, you get a new one”).  These days it is made of a rawhide bag 
  the size of a head, stuffed with rags, and has a face painted on it, and is commonly named.  A sure sign that you 
  have attracted the opprobrium of the Rosrijders is to achieve the honour of having the ball named after you.  In 
  recent years a favourite name on the ball has been that of the Voormann, Karenin, and before that it was almost 
  exclusively that of his predecessor, Franz.  Other favourite names are Iuz, and occasionally Iggwilv.  Interestingly, 
  during the run up to this election the name Karl seems to be popping up, particularly amongst the southern stadt 
  games.
  The game has its origins in the method by which the ancestors of the Rosrijders expressed their 
  16
  
  contempt for Aerdi tax collectors.  A  head would be taken, and then a mad ride past an Aerdi garrison would end 
  with the head being flung over the walls.  On these rides as little killing as possible was done, but as much 
  mayhem and havoc as could be achieved was carried out.
  Springtime, after the the Feronwold has dried out from the snow melt, is the time of most of the games, 
  and they are usually played on two or three year olds, and culminate in the great tournament at the Feestelijk 
  Voorjaar, with every stadt striving to get at least one team entered.  The big stadts such as Heldplaatz, Havikdal, 
  Wyndplaatz, and Kleinstadt, often have as many as twenty teams competeing at the Festival.  However, the 
  Rosrijders continue to play through summer and autumn, for fun and training, and an interesting and useful side 
  effect of this is that when the Clan goes to war the teams ride together and fight together as very cohesive and 
  well co-ordinated units.
  The constant cut and thrust of the game is an excellent training tool both for warhorses and riders, as it 
  accustoms the horses to the push and shove and noise of a battle, and the riders to working together.  The Gods 
  help a ball carrier who gets isolated from his team mates, for he will almost certainly find himself in the dirt very 
  quickly, for while he may fend off or dodge one or two sweeps, it is the rare player who can survive three or four.
  17
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Perrenland/PER background clan_rosrijder.pdf