Encyclopaedia Argollica

Hellhounds

The Iron Plains are not a pleasant place to live by any measure. It is an arid country, with a rocky soil where little more than grasses and the occasional hardy tree can grow. A heavy heat lies on the land, while ashen clouds blacken the sky above. The only true blessing the area has are the many mineral deposits, principally iron, from which the Plains get their name.

The hellhounds, uniquely suited to the scorching heat and scarce resources of this land, learnt to thrive here. They soon adopted a pastoralist lifestyle, gathering herds of feral horses, cattle and sheep and leading them around the scarce pasture of the steppes. But gradually, outsiders started showing interest in the iron deposits of the Plains. Soon groups of hellhounds started to dig for the mineral, forming small mining towns. Exchanging the products of their mines for food and luxury products, the mining towns soon grew prosperous.

It wasn't long before a few enterprising hellhounds started gathering bands of followers, arming them with sharp axes and suits of dark plate armour. Armed in this way, and mounted on swift steppe horses, these new leaders and their retinues soon took control of the mines, pastures and oases, all vital to life on the Plains. As their power and wealth grew, they built jagged fortresses next to the mining towns that had granted them their prosperity, landmarks to intimidate anyone who would dare to challenge their new authority.

Thus the iron queens were born, warlords ruling over the rest of hellhound society through brute force and intimidation. Controlling the surrounding land and its resources from their fortresses, anyone who wishes to use them is forced to submit to the queens and pay tribute. But their rule is built on shaky foundations. Reliant on their warriors, they have to keep them happy with a steady stream of gifts and military victories. Some iron queens have been able to build dynasties and unite vast swathes of the Iron Plains under their dominion, only for it to all crumble after a single defeat or insult. Fortune is fickle on the Plains and for every established warlord there are three more hopefuls eager to take their place.

Hellhound cavalry is some of the best in Argoll. The retinues of the iron queens, living off the tributes of their subjects, have nothing to do except train, feast and fight wars. They are part of a unique subculture which emphasises honour and acquiring glory on the battlefield. This has its downsides, as they are prone to impetuous charges and quarrels over perceived insults can seriously disrupt group cohesion, but few would deny the effectiveness of the ferocity this breeds in them. Combine this with their ample access to iron for plate armour and weapons as well as their hardy horses and it isn't hard to see why they are often paid to fight in the wars of their neighbours.

Those hellhounds not part of the queens' warbands either live in the mining towns or roam the Plains with their herds. Although both regularly meet for trade and speak the same language, there are quite a few differences between them. The town-dwellers primarily eat what they can gain through trade or farm in small gardens while the nomads mostly consume the products of their animals; The town-dwellers often enjoy dressing in fashions from the surrounding countries while the nomads dress in simple furs and leathers; The town-dwellers are eager to learn about ideas from beyond the Plains while the nomads place primacy on the wisdom of their elders; The town-dwellers think the nomads are ignorant country-dwellers while the nomads think the town-dwellers are stuck-up snobs.

Despite all these differences, all hellhounds, from the most powerful queen to the lowliest goat shepherd, place heavy importance on hospitality. Travel through the plains is dangerous and mutual help is vital for survival. There are strict codes for how visitors are supposed to act towards their hosts, and hosts have similar obligations towards their guests. For instance, a host cannot kill a guest in their home under any circumstance. However, this code needs to be rigidly adhered to, as a violation by one party absolves the other of their obligations. It is therefore recommended that anyone wishing to visit the Iron Plains carefully observe this code, or at least pack good running shoes.

Hellhound religion is mostly animistic. In the towns, there are many shrines to the spirits of the mines. No miner would dare start a day of work before bringing an offering to these shadowy creatures, not wanting to risk angering the entities lest they get buried in a mine collapse. The herders, for their part, worship the spirits of the earth and those of the animals they keep, hoping to keep them happy so that the grass keeps growing and the cattle become strong and fat. The warriors have their own peculiar faith focused on guardian spirits. A warrior will usually take an animal like a wolf or vulture as her patron, hoping it will lend her its strength in battle and protect her from death. In return they swear to uphold ritual taboos like not consuming that creature's flesh.

One thing all hellhounds can agree on, however, is the reverence paid to Akaris, the lady of fountains. The Iron Plains are a dry land, where the only reliable sources of water are the wells and oases scattered across it. Water is a matter of life and death there, and this goddess who claims authority over it is naturally held in the highest regard. She is usually depicted as a tall woman with dark black skin and flowing blue garments, usually accompanied by turtles, her holy animals. As well as being the goddess of water, Akaris also rules the underworld. Hellhounds believe that while the body rots in the ground, the spirit descends into an underground realm of dark rivers and lakes to dwell with the goddess.

Her priests, who take care of shrines near oases and live off donations from the faithful, are the only ones who can reliably challenge the authority of the iron queens, so fearful are they of incurring Akaris' wrath. To avoid angering her they also observe strict rules when handling water. For example, it is forbidden to wash cloth or the body in a lake, so the body's filth does not pollute it. Similarly, to throw trash into a water source is a capital offence.