Anatomy Of A Hunter

Hunters are humans specifically trained in the hunting of machines. They are commonly equipped with specialized weapons and are well-trained in stalking, archery, and evasive maneuvers.

## **History**

The Nora tribe is said to have been the first to hunt machines, sometime after the collapse of human civilization. Nora hunters are referred to as Braves, and hunt their prey using weapons such as bows and Ropecasters, while also gathering sustenance. They also defend the tribe from hostile human invaders.

The Carja are more organized in their hunts. They keep detailed records of these hunts, archiving the deeds and fates of past and current hunters at the Hunters Lodge. Among the Carja, machine hunters who are members of the Lodge are known as Hawks.

Each tribe has their own group of hunters and operates in a different manner. The Banuk for example, incorporate machine hunting as part of their culture, whereas the Utaru hunters are trained to only combat the machines if Plainsong is threatened.

Each tribe also has what they call Hunting Grounds, where hunters of said tribe can practice and perfect their skills, as well as in some cases, hunt machines for trophies. While the practice is now common in all lands, it is disputed as to who started the tradition, with the Carja and the Banuk both claiming to be the originators of the practice.

## **Hunter Equipment**

While each tribe has its own methods and styles of creating weapons and armour to outfit their hunters, many of the techniques and pieces among the tribes are shared and are more similar than not.

### **Weapons**

There are a number of weapons at a hunter's disposal used to take out both humans and machines. Weapons are generally accepted as being divided into three categories: Melee, Ranged and Traps.

#### **Melee**

**Axe**

Originally used as a harvesting tool for chopping wood, it was soon realised that axes could be as useful in hunting as spears and bows.

Similar to a spear, the main part of the axe is a typically wooden shaft, although not as long as that of a spear, while the blade is formed into a heavy curved shape, using momentum to slice through whatever it hits.

**Hammer**

Similar in build to the axe, but rather than a cutting blade, the axe is equipped with a heavy bludgeoning weight. The weight can comprise the whole part of the striking piece, or the opposite side to the bludgeon can be molded into some form of spike.

The hammer is primarily used and greatly loved in combat by the Oseram, although has been adapted for use by other hunters and warriors over time.

**Knife**

A short, bladed weapon mainly used for carving and last resort self-defense, rather than a primary hunting weapon. Every hunter with any sense carries a knife on them, as they can be utilised in many situations.

**Spear**

A long pole weapon, comprising of a shaft commonly made of wood (although other materials such as metals can also be used, but are more expensive to fashion) and a pointed head. Typically, the pointed head is constructed from various metals and machine parts, although there have been examples of blades created from sharpened rock and ore.

While classed as a melee weapon, the spear has the advantage of reach, ideal for poking and thrusting, not only to strike a killing blow, but also to keep targets at arm's length from the user and maintain distance in combat. The spear can also be thrown as a ranged projectile, although this opens the disadvantage of the user left without a weapon until they retrieve it.

While a popular hunting tool, there are separate spears also designed for fishing, that normally are crafted with more barbed heads of organic matter, rather than metal designed to pierce machine casing.

**Sword**

A longer version of the knife, the sword is used for combat purposes as its main function. With the blade composing most of the weapon, it is most effective for slashing and cutting with.

While not unique to them, swords are mainly used by the Carja, and rarely seen wielded by those of the other tribes.

#### **Ranged**

**Bow**

Bows are the primary hunting weapon used by the tribes of the known world. Highly versatile, they can be used to attack in open combat or from stealth, and can fire arrows of many types, from razor metal tipped missiles to fire-coated missiles. They were used by the Old Ones for both hunting, warfare and recreational activities.

There are also three types of bows that are used by hunters;

* Hunter Bow - Combat bows used at short to medium range with short reload and drawback times. Versatile and good for general combat. Compatible with Fire Arrows (Arrows coated in fire to inflict burning upon a target), Hardpoint Arrows (good for tearing components from machines) and standard Hunter Arrows.
* Sharpshot Bow - These bows have a low fire rate but high damage with long range and high accuracy. Good for sniping or shooting off machine components. Compatible with Harvest Arrows (low physical damage but high tearing potential), Precision Arrows (Highly damaging arrows shot from long range) and Tearblast Arrows (deal no damage but tear components from machines with great success).
* War Bow - Used to deliver elemental attacks like Shock or Freeze, making the target more vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Best used in conjunction with other weapons. Compatible with Corrosive Arrows (heads coated in acid), Explosive arrows (deliver a miniature mine payload), Frost Arrows (contain an icy liquid release upon contact) and Shock Arrows (carry an electric charge).

**Forgefire**

The Forgefire is a close ranged weapon of Oseram origin that is capable of spewing out a stream of flame or firing out bursts of stored pieces of coal that are set aflame by the stored blaze inside of the large bag attachment.

While it is used more as a ranged weapon, the spike can also be used as a melee weapon to skewer targets, although it is a risky move to do so, as it can leave the user vulnerable and open to a counterattack.

**Icerail**

The Icerail is a close ranged weapon of Banuk design, similar to the Forgefire in design. The Banuk insist that the Icerail was the first of its kind and the Oseram stole their idea to create a weapon with a compression bag, but evidence is limited to back up the claim, with neither tribe having had dealings over the years.

Like the Fireforge, the Icerail can send out a spray of near freezing liquid, as well as fire out balls of ice that are stored in the compression bag. Unlike the Fireforge however, the Icerail has no melee attachment, and is purely a ranged weapon.

**Rattler**

The Rattler is a short-ranged bolt gun that fires five metallic spiked projectiles per shot. It is best used when accuracy is not as crucial as landing multiple hits due to its large spread.

While it lacks in accuracy, it makes up in sheer damage. Targets hit with a Rattler blast can suffer from severe wounds, as the metallic bolts can cause disfiguration and hemorrhaging.

**Ropecaster**

The Ropecaster is a ranged weapon designed by the Nora tribe and used by hunters to deter and pin down targets. It can be used to temporarily take enemies out of the fight so the player may focus on others, or immobilize a machine so that it is easier to target its weaknesses. It is most effective when used against larger machines, such as a Thunderjaw. Depending on the size of the target and the type of ammo used, it may take several shots before it is successfully pinned.

Against humans, the Ropecaster is of very limited use. If a human is hit, they may take minor damage and be knocked down, but unless a rope is fired at high velocity, they are unlikely to be damaged by one of the anchors.

**Sling**

The Sling is a slow firing weapon that specializes in lobbing elemental payloads at targets and putting them into vulnerable states. Upon impact, the bombs leave a large area of the element on the ground.

Bombs can be crafted to infict every element upon targets, making a Sling the most versatile weapon in terms of elemental damage.

Due to its low damage output, it is advisable to use other weapons to follow up attacks on enemies.

**Stormslinger**

A weapon of disputed design, with both the Banuk and the Nora claiming its invention, like the Fireforge and the Icerail, it dispenses bursts of elemental damage, but in the Stormslinger's case, bolts of electricity. Rather than fitted with a compression bag, the core of a Stormslinger is comprised of wiring and engine parts, enabling blasts of electricity to be fired from its muzzle upon engaging the weapon's trigger. It can also be overloaded to create and even bigger blast, but this can be detrimental to the user, as the overloading of the core and cause the weapon to malfunction, or even explode.

As such, it is rarely seen in use, and only in the hands of the most accomplished and hardy hunters.

**Tearblaster**

The Tearblaster is a short-range ranged weapon that fires blasts of compressed air that easily strip armor and components from machines and stagger human and small machine enemies.

While it excels in tearing parts, the weapon causes no physical damage itself, although if a target gets hit with a gust, they can be knocked into something environmentally damaging.

**Tripcaster**

The Tripcaster is a weapon that remotely places Tripwire traps between two horizontal points, either shocking them, burning them, or dealing blast damage when detonated. This weapon is more useful on larger machines, narrow spaces or tightly clustered groups of smaller enemies.

While officially recognised as a ranged weapon, the Tripcaster is heavily debated to as to whether it is a ranged weapon or belongs in the trap category. As the weapon itself is carried akin to other ranged weapons, it is usually thought of as such.

#### **Traps**

Traps are snare devices that can be planted on the ground, usually along the patrolling path of a machine, or hidden in foliage, and will become activated upon being sprung.

Traps come in the form of delivering a payload of either elemental bust damage, or shearing shrapnel, exploding and tearing through machinery and organic matter alike.

### **Armour**

Hunter Armour comes in many forms, and is comprised from organic matter, such as the skin and fur of wildlife animals, and then machine parts and scrap metal. Armour is crafted by hunters for protection against both physical threats, as well as those posed by the environment and climate.

Hunter armour comes in three varieties:

* Light Armour - Armour constructed from lighter parts, focusing on emphasising a wearer's flexibility over physical protection. Light armour is more often seen in the domain of the Carja, where the weather is warm and requires little proofing against the cold.
* Medium Armour - The staple choice for most hunters, it provides a balanced degree of both physical and elemental protection, as well as giving the user a majority of control over their body.
* Heavy Armour - Heavier metal pieces and thick furs can be used to create maximum protection, both from physical threats and those of the weather. The disadvantage to this is that the added weight can restrict movements, and the hunter must be confident in both their skills and ability to take on a degree of damage.