Nephele's Sacred Riders

The worship of Nephele, Goddess of Horses, Mother of Centaurs and Patroness of Windcliff, has always been quite controversial in Arandolia to say the very least. She is a benevolent deity, believed to watch over the pastures and take care of all equine creatures, but most of the amazons of Arandolia only see her as a minor goddess at that, while in Windcliff she is worshiped even above Hera, the All-Mother, herself.

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As such, the Priestesses of Nephele care for the health and the well-being of both the tamed and the wild herds of Windcliff, tending woulded equines and making sure that those animals are properly respected wherever they go. Sometimes, poachers and horse-breakers from outside of the region come to capture the highly valuable Windcliff Wild Horses as they roam freely through the steppes, which is a serious violation of the horses' freedom in the eyes of the locals. The otherwise peaceful priesteses then have no choice but to call upon the devoted Sacred Riders of Nephele to saddle up their blessed warhorses in defense of the wild herds.

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Thoroughly clad in thick armour all over their own bodies and steeds, those holy riders are the guardians of the steppes, defending the animals they love just as much as they also defend their own kin whenever they are needed.

They survive out of donations from the Clans of Windcliff, but they never meddle in any war that does not concern the direct well-being of Windcliff's amazon and/or equine population. Just like the horses they so much admire, they adopt a pacifist stance towards everybody until, of course, someone threatens their land.

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In battle, they are ruthless and fierce, swinging their heavy zweihänder swords from horseback, adding the momentum of their running steeds and the sheer weight of their great swords to the impact of their blows, thus slicing the defilers of the steppes in half like butter.

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Though the Sacred Riders of Nephele do never get involved in internal wars in between two or more rival Windcliff Clans, they are compelled by their sacred oaths to ride to war alongside the rest of their kin shall all the Clans unite under the Windcliff Confederation's Flag. Theirs ranks will gladly join the vanguard of the united armies of Windcliff, making the already unstoppable horde of riders deadlier than ever!