The trial of the Ardri

You were raised in the wilderness, as man was meant to be.Your kin have no name for themselves, though You have heard they are called Ardri by the Atmorans. They have no name for the lands they roam, as all land belongs to all things. With fire and iron your ancestors were driven to this territory, exiled to die in the harsh mountains and dense forests of the northern wilderness. Your kind however do not see this as an exile, but a trial.

The mountain terrain is unforgiving, and so those without strong bones died. The waters were filled with disease, and so those who were sickly died. The insects and plants of the forests assaulted us with venoms and toxins, and so those who could not resist died. The beasts of the forest were swift and clever, and so those without speed and cunning died. The predators of the mountains were powerful, and so those who were weak died. Even so those who lived were not yet grown to their full glory, yet in this way your ancestors followed the first law and survived. Then they multiplied. Each generation overcame the previous, becoming stronger, faster, smarter, and tougher than before. That was always the goal until the trial of your kind was complete. Every once in a while, when the moon was right, the strongest among them would attempt to complete the final stage of the trial and face the ultimate predator.

In the lands where the Ardri roam one predator spread more **** and destruction than any other, the Raghik, the hell boar. They stand head and shoulders above the wild horses, and they often make meals out of animals even larger than themselves. When one charges nearly nothing can stand before it, they have been known to defeat even Demonlords from time to time. For many generations great men and women have tried and failed to slay one, and so the trial continued. Until you came of age.

Like so many others you set your eyes upon your throne, resolved to be master of the wilds. At last it was your turn to face the Raghik, the poor creature didn't know you had already won. All night and into the following day you battled against it, its fervor and bloodlust never tired. None before you had lived to see the sunrise after undertaking this task, but they were not like you, even the most reclusive of your kind surely knew your name. When you were young you bested the Bristlebear and the Moruga, and any individual who competed with you for game either lost their prey to you or their life. When the sun crested over the mountains your victory was all but complete. It was well known to many that unlike most species of boar the Raghik possessed keen eyesight, an adaptation born of its carnivorous predilection. You alone understood what it would take to claim this prize. You stood with your back to the sun effectively blinding the beast and waited for your foe to charge. Any other creature might have hesitated after being so blinded by the sun, but the Raghik are not the kind to hesitate. When it charged in your direction it could not see you move out of its path. With a loud crash it collided against a large oak, splintering the tree almost completely, and like you had expected, it swung its massive razor sharp tusks from side to side blindly trying to gore its invisible foe. Seizing your advantage, you charged in from its side as it swung its head away thus both further blinding itself to your attack and exposing the weaker section of hide just behind its broad jawbone. Your aim was true, and the obsidian tip of your spear cut cleanly through to its skull slicing through vital arteries and nerves as it went. The creatures reaction was instant and it lashed out its head at you with impressive speed, it’s thick protruding cheekbone smashing into your rib cage. The impact cast you off into the distance, the initial **** alone breaking several ribs and jarring your mind. The damage was far from fatal, but you knew that if it slowed you down in the slightest it soon would be. You backed further away and waited patiently as the boar shook its head this way and that in confusion and frustration, succeeding only in driving the remnants of the spear deeper into itself. It’s eyes having adjusted it pursued you, your nearly crushed lungs struggling to gather enough air to fuel your movements. You simply ignore the familiar pain and narrowly evade its second charge. It’s efforts are in vain, the creatures power waning as it's life blood stains the ground below. You waited patiently until the last light left its eyes to approach the beast. You have completed the trial. As final proof of your success you mark your body with its blood, a testament to your skill and return to your kin.

The trial was over.