Fury

Furies are the famed airborne warriors of Serora, and act both as elite shock troops and as keepers of peace.

## Overview

Furies are a branch of military consisting entirely of pegasi, and their ancient main task is to defend Serora against the territorial thunderbirds. Unlike Screamers and Skirmishers, which one can expect to find with any decent sized band, Furies are only assigned to bands who are expected to need their assistance - that is, those groups who move through or near known hostile thunderbird territories. Several flights of Furies may be assigned to a single band if the risk is considered high.

Furies are assigned in flights of five, utilizing “V”-shape formations that rotate to ease the strain on their wings. Furies are trained to fight both in these five pegasi flights, and in larger units. When facing their most common opponent - a flock of thunderbirds - Furies will rotate members of their fighting unit in and out of combat to allow each one to rest.

In addition to fighting and chasing off thunderbirds, Furies fly constant patrols near inhabited areas - whether stationary settlements, or homes to nomadic Serorans. Their aerial patrols will quickly investigate and intervene with anything they find - be it a citizen in trouble, or a cultist sneaking inside the borders. Although the Fury patrols are not official border patrols, their surveillance is wide-reaching, making it difficult for hostile Vagabonds to penetrate very deep into Sedo.

Furies have a reputation as daredevils; a reputation that is at least partially deserved, seeing as their profession is dangerous at the best of times. Aerial acrobatics are for more than just show, however - it is these agile and showy maneuvers that keep them from being shredded by the much larger and more powerful avian predators. Furies fall broadly into two categories: big bruisers, and lighter, more agile horses. A flight will always have a mix of both: the more agile Furies work to distract and harass the target, while the heavier, stronger Furies take the opportunity to strike heavy blows at the enemy as their attention is elsewhere. Their strategy varies based on what they are fighting, but the core combination of speed and strength remains the same.

Not all of the Furies duties are as exciting, however. As government troops, their duties also include guarding prisoners, helping the Skirmishers maintain the peace in settlements, and occasionally guarding important events or structures. Furies may also be sent to find and apprehend fugitives - both native Seroran, and dangerous Vagabonds. During elections, Furies act together with the Windracers to collect votes from the scattered citizens of Serora.

### Training

Fury is a profession a pegasus youth may declare for in their Ceremony of a Rising Wind. Due to their important duties, and reputation as elite troops, Furies are somewhat more selective in who they train, and it is not unusual for some candidates to be outright rejected, or for them to “drop out” as training progresses. This is usually either due to being unable to work in a flight, or because the candidate is not a proficient enough flier. A clean criminal record is needed for recruitment into the Furies.

If a youth qualifies to become an apprentice, they can expect to train under their mentor for about two years, and then spend another 2-3 years as junior Furies. Junior Furies are generally assembled into their own Flights, and assigned basic patrol missions, as well as support tasks on more serious assaults. Their progress and teamwork are constantly observed by more experienced Furies, who give them feedback on their performance. Once their mentor considers them ready for action, the Fury may join an adult flight, and take on their own apprentices.

Furies are mainly trained in and excel at aerial combat. They are taught to use a variety of weapons, but usually focus on mastering a single one. Depending on their personal strengths, a Fury is usually trained either as a ‘bruiser’ or a ‘hawk’ - a head-on attacker, or a nimble harassment and distraction troop. The Fury training also includes unarmed combat, basic non-lethal submission techniques, and a wide variety of showy aerial maneuvers. The arguably most important part of their training is their ability to work in teams - ranging in size from 5 to 500. Furies gather for large mass training exercises every year or so, usually ending in magnificent aerial shows.

### Assignment and Leadership

Unlike Skirmishers and Screamers, Furies work directly for the government. A flight is free to search out work on their own, but must always submit a notification to the Fury Wing (and before the establishing of this rank, the Council) of their departure, and expected time they will be away. More often than not, it is the nomadic bands who apply to have Furies assigned to them - a request that would then be reviewed and likely granted by the Fury Wing (previously Council). Most of the time Furies are free to do patrols as they please, and arrange among themselves who is on guard duty - direct control is only applied in special situations, or for missions that are considered especially important.

While Furies have never had any official “structure” outside of reporting to the government, senior Furies have generally been afforded respect, and functionally often act as go-betweens between the government and the younger Furies. These Furies are also often the ones to negotiate (in practice) who has to take up the more boring duties, and it is well known that pissing them off means that you’re unlikely to see much else than guard duty for the next month.

## Rank Leveling

* **At 25 AP |**  A bird’s eye view is unparalleled for learning the lay of the land; your hours in the sky have given you an above average knowledge of Sedo’s geography and wildlife. You may receive **a Tier 1 Talent** early (first talent only).
* At 50 AP | As one of Serora's elite warriors, you need a weapon and some armor to defend yourself. Choose a **Boomerang** OR **Spear** to wield to battler, and don a new **Breast Plate** to keep you safe.
* At 75 AP | As an aerial fighter, you embrace maneuverability above all else. Add **15 SP** to your **Speed** or **Agility.**
* At 100 AP |  A warrior never turns away good help. With a **Level 2 Seroran familiar (except rare)** at your side, you’ll have an extra pair of eyes to spot danger in the distance. If your familiar slot is empty, receive one for free.