Blood Riders

The Blood Riders were an organization of giant-killers that originated in the Hartsvale.

Activities
The Blood Riders possessed a large stable of war horses that they used to patrol the areas in which they operated. When not out patrolling or hunting they typically trained for battle, maintained their armaments, and cared for their horses.

Anyone who joined the Blood Riders was branded on their right arm with the giant rune for death.

History
By 1366 DR the group's activity had largely died down and was being kept alive by a few stalwart rangers.

By the late 15 century the organization reformed due to increased giant activity throughout the Sword Coast. By that point they were said to have gone centuries without killing any giants. The organization's bloodthirsty second-in-command at the time, Cathica Lygia, led a group of their most zealous members into the Ice Spires in secret and kidnapped the frost giant Burleigh Thurfurst, a member of the region's tribe Gorik Vader.

Cathica sought to incite war with the area's giants at any cost. Thus, when she returned to camp she spun a tall tale to the rest of the organization, claiming that it was the giants who broke their unspoken peace with Hartsvale by attacking them whilst they were on a routine patrol of the Cold Woods. She urged their leader, Scarn Mikel, to execute the giant as a show of strength. However, Scarn was reluctant to do this as he believed the giant could be used as a bargaining chip should his tribe attack them.

Relationships
The King of Hartsvale in the late 15 century considered them a danger to his entire kingdom, as he highly prioritized maintaining peace with the local giants, but lacked the resources to force them into disbanding. This sentiment of disdain was shared by major organizations with interest in the area such as the Order of the Gauntlet, the Lords' Alliance, and the Zhentarim.

Areas of Activity
The Blood Riders operated in the Cold Woods, though they had no distinct base of operations as they nomadically moved their campsite from one location to another. These campsites typically consisted of open-air tents arranged in the form of a circle.

Notable Members

 * Cathica Lygia, the Blood Rider's ruthless second-in-command in the late 15 century.
 * Eligos Tognög, a young member of the organization in the late 15 century who was murdered by Cathica near Darkwater Run after he had second thoughts about her plan and threatened to warn Scarn.
 * Scarn Mikel, leader of the Blood Riders in the late 15 century.
 * Valejek Nörswath, a patrol captain in the Blood Riders in the late 15 century who died while attempting to kidnap the giant Burleigh.
 * Veltig, a knight who was slain by fire giants and put to rest in a mausoleum nearby Castle Hartwick.