House Ursa

## Overview

Concerned for his newly created land, Toprak created the Ursa family and charged them with protecting the nation. House Ursa holds influence over the mountain range that acts as Ihlathi’s natural border and defenses. Satyrs within this house are trained to be guardsmen that protect the homeland. Those who led an honorable life and demonstrated superior combat prowess are reborn as Golems. The Golems of the Ursa family are combat veterans and have guarded Ihlathi since its creation. In times of war, the Golems are the front-line combatants. There are two notable locations along the mountains, Malo and Galex.

## Ursa

Acting as a Guardsmen for House Telu, Ursa led a small group of elite troops who helped defend the outskirts of the city. Their main task became focused on a small group of Satyrs who were unhappy about the Ents seemingly controlling the Satyrs. These Satyrs considered themselves freedom fighters against oppressive overlords. Ursa shut down plenty of schemes during his life, stopping archers from shooting fire arrows at the ents, poisoned drinks, and even a siege on the tribe of Telu. Ursa retired and began training other Satyrs to carry out the task of defending the city. Toprak, seeing the necessity for Satyrs like Ursa, granted Ursa a Stone body after death, making him immune to fire. He also granted Ursa access to the mountains where he established the two cities: Malo and Galek. It is there that he trains Satyrs and amasses forces of Golems to help defend Toprak’s land and maintain order within the nation of Ihlathi.

## Malo

One of the next great cities to grow in the Ihlathi nation was the city of Malo, which was founded alongside it’s sister city Galek by the Satyr legend Ursa. Both cities would be found in the Guardian Mountains where they both had a specific purpose related to the Stone Golems that lived there. Malo specifically would act as the training grounds for newly risen Golems and any Satyrs that wished to become military guardsmen. The city was built with training in mind so it rest on a mountain plateau with various natural training courses and obstacles surrounding it. It also offers a high viewpoint over the northern mountain range to double the city as a watchpoint, and as it watches over the land it also stands as a beacon of safety for the Ihlathi people.

## Galek

Similar to Malo, Galek was founded by the Satyr legend Ursa in the Guardian Mountains with intent to be a home for Stone Golems. But unlike the training city Malo, Galek would act as the barracks. Combat ready Golems, Satyrs, Ents, and Spriggens would be stationed in this city ready to deploy at a moment's notice to quell a rebellion, fight a foreign threat, or dispose of any raiders or bandits that snuck their way into their great nation. The city itself dwells both ontop and inside the highest mountain in the Guardian Mountains. Not only does its high position offer a great vantage point over the southern range of the Guardian Mountains, it also stands over one of the only safe passages through the impregnable mountain range.

## Ursa Caste System

**Stone Golems**: Similar to the Ents of House Telu, the Stone Golems act as leaders for House Ursa and lead both cities found in the Guardian Mountains. But while the Ents are more spiritual leaders, the Stone Golems are more militaristic leaders who stand guard on the borders of the Ihlathi nation in their fortress cities atop the mountains. Not only do they guard the borders, they also act as field commanders, frontline fighters, or royal guards to defend a vital area.

**Advisors**: Just like Councillors in Telu, the Advisors offer a second voice a reason to the Stone Golems in many military decisions as well as city keeping duties. In fact they do most of the political and social duties as the Stone Golems are a bit too slow in speech to do so. As they handle most of the more fine points of city keeping, they are still taught in the ways of the Stone Golems as they will most likely take up their roles in the future upon their own death.

**Stoneshields**: Guardsmen who offer their life on the line to protect the lives of Ents, Councillors, and the Ihlathi people as a whole. Normally posted in key locations such as city gates, or the Tree Heart itself to ensure only the right people get in. While not the most notable position as most Satyrs believe one should always be moving, it is still fairly important as someone needs to act as a guard, and the Hunters are all too busy with their job. They exist in both the Telu and Ursa Caste.

**Trainers**: As the name implies they train and prepare Satyrs to become warriors, or more specifically Hunters or Stonesheilds. Trainers are a mix between both Stone Golems, Spriggens, and former Hunters who are too injured or old to work outside the cities anymore. All Trainers live and do their work in the northern mountain city of Malo, where a majority of the nation's military is trained. Trainers are all in some sense a military expert and while are primarily in the city of Malo, a few have spread out to other cities as a form of retirement but still teach others the way of the shield, sword, or bow.

**Hunters**: The militarymen and gatherers of the Ihlathi nation, they periodically go out and gather necessary supplies for the House and act as frontline soldiers in times of conflict. They are the third most powerful military unit the Ihlathi Tribe can produce, the first and second being the Stone Golems and the Spriggens. Hunters are almost always either out gathering or quelling a threat, if neither of these then they are training to hone their skills. They exist in all three castes.

**Stonesmiths**: Like Woodsmiths, Stonesmiths have a natural ability to shape stone in such a way that wouldn’t harm the land and all the rock would be used in an effective manner. Stonesmiths primarily work in the two mountain cities of Malo and Galek, but have gone to the other cities to forge impressive stone structures as either lodging, defensive structures, or reinforcement on a Woodsmiths creation. Ultimately the position is well respected for the impressive buildings and small trinkets that are held as fine jewelry amongst the elite.

**Tradesmen**: Tradesmen are shopkeepers, merchants, traders, and everything else in between. Not really regarded in the highest standing as they contribute nothing, but still get necessary goods from point A to point B which everyone can appreciate. But with this low standing not much attention is paid to these Traders who sometimes do a bit of under the table business for some extra coin. This reputation has not done any good to the honest ones though who try to uphold the old values. They exist in all three castes.