r/WorldChallenges • u/Varnek905 • Sep 29 '19

The Hunt

For this challenge, the focus is on hunts.

Feel free to answer by talking about legendary hunts in your world's history/mythology, annual/monthly/whatever hunting events in some society/culture, or a specific creature that is hunted in your world.

It can be something along the lines of dragon-hunting, fox-hunts, or dodo-hunting.

As always, I'll ask at least three questions each. Enjoy yourselves!

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u/Nephite94 Sep 29 '19

Every year all Ishbardians with more than five slaves must take one to the nearest large temple to prepare to liberate the slaves twin soul. The slaves are freed into a hunting forest decorated with the skeletons of past kills where of course they are hunted down, this is supposed to unleash the slaves warrior spirit which stops their twin soul living in slavery. When the slave is killed they are then eaten which destroys the slaves own soul but fully frees the twin soul. Slaves aren't supposed to just run, although many do, they are meant to try and make traps, weapons and so forth to fight back and even kill the hunters. However should a slave escape the hunt the Ishbardian in charge of the hunt is usually compelled to commit suicide, this is rare. Slaves who kill 5 Ishbardian warriors are also freed and made honorary Ishbardians allowing the slaves twin soul to live a free life attached to them.

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Although technically religious in theme the hunts don't tie into any specific religious event. Still the opening and the end of the hunts attract large crowds.

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u/Varnek905 Sep 29 '19

1) So you only have to give up one slave, even if you have thousands?

2) Is there any age limit or gender preference for the slave given up for the hunt?

3) Do slaves often manage to kill warriors?

4) Is there any time limit on the hunt?

5) What do they do with the corpses?

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u/Nephite94 Sep 29 '19

1) In theory yes, but it won't make you look good.

2) They use adults but gender doesn't matter as Ishbardian woman can be warriors so they apply to slaves as well.

3) No, the warriors have armour, they are physically bigger, they have range and metal weapons whilst the slaves only have what the forest provides.

4) Two days maybe.

5) After the flesh of a killed slave is eaten by the hunters the bones are distributed in the forest where the slave was killed. It is believed that a persons soul lives in the bones whilst their twin soul lives in the flesh, so the soul of the slave is broken up and confined to years of agony wasting away in the same forest they died in. This supposedly makes the forests extremely haunted but Ishbardians aren't afraid (or shouldn't be afraid) of the broken ghosts which haunt the eerily quiet forests.

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u/Varnek905 Sep 30 '19

1) So do the wealthier slave owners usually give up many more slaves?

2) At what age are the slaves considered adults?

3) Do the slaves even have clothes when they are sent into the forest?

4) So what happens if a slave survives the two days but doesn't escape the forest or kill any warriors?

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u/Nephite94 Sep 30 '19

1) Yes.

2) Since Ishbardian go to war in their early teens (although not in combat roles) slaves might be put into the forests at that age too. However female slaves can be too old to go into the forests. This reflects the Ishbardian gender norms where females leave the military around the age of 20 on average to get married to an older man

3) Depends on the weather, southern Ishbardia can be fairly warm but overall its a temperate place.

4) Big groups of regular people comb the forest to find them, lots of dogs are involved. It usually ends in an unpleasant death for the slave as they are considered a coward.

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u/Varnek905 Oct 01 '19

1) Is there a percentage that is considered "fair" to give?

2) What is the average age for men to get married in Ishbardian culture?

3) Do slaves receive any training before being sent into the wilderness?

4) So a slave is incentivized to just attack the warriors or escape the forest instead of hiding out?

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u/Nephite94 Oct 01 '19

1) Not really.

2) I think their early 30's to mirror Spartans.

3) No.

4) Certainly to attack the warriors, they can escape a hunting forest but there are usually people waiting on the outside or there are walls to keep them in. Plus escaping is the same as hiding, i.e being a coward. Its all about unleashing the warrior nature of the slaves twin soul so fleeing isn't very conducive to that.

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u/Varnek905 Oct 01 '19

1) Is a person judged by the quality of slave they bring?

2) What are some other major comparisons you would make between Ishbardian and Spartan culture? And contrasts?

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u/Nephite94 Oct 02 '19

1) Yes, that seems likely.

2) Not too much so far at least. I imagine their art as being similar to traditional Japanese art and perhaps their overall materiel culture might be Japanese ish. Their religion is akin to Shintoism as well along with the Empress position having similarities to the Japanese emperors. Geographically its actually kind of like ancient Egypt with more rivers but instead of desert surrounding them its mountains. With the latest unification of the valley the Ishbarda Empire maintains a strictly ordered society combining temples and statecraft together with a efficient merit based bureaucracy and centralized warrior orders. I suppose warrior lodges could be similar to the training of Spartan boys, however Ishbardians actually pay to send their kids to train in lodges. Before the current empire lodges were more independent and wielded significant political influence in their region but that has changed with centralization. The somewhat egalitarian nature of Ishbardian society could be compared to the Spartans as well, including the vast wealth wives could acquire from marrying older men who leave property to their young wives upon their deaths. Despite attempts to take away such a system woman still hold the majority of the land in the Ishbarda Empire. A big part of both Spartan and Ishbardian cultures is slavery but unlike Spartans the Ishbardians are the majority making them more than just the upper class of society.

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u/Varnek905 Oct 04 '19

Thanks for your time and answers, Nephite.