The Northstars

The Northstars are a family of fletchers and hunters who serve as the marshals and protectors of Pointe Rosa. For years they helped ensure safe travel to the various cattlemen of Pointe Rosa on their journey to Vhana and other nearby towns and cities until the arrival of The Crimson Phoenix and the subsequent Fall of Vhana. On that fateful day the Northstars took a major hit to their numbers, with a majority of the true blooded Northstars passing away, and have since been working to return to their former glory.

## Origin

It is said that the founding Northstar was an angel, with wings shaped like guns, due to his connections with the stars, but it it unknown if this is true or not. The Northstars came to Pointe Rosa for mainly protection. They wanted to both protect the people of the land, as well as protect themselves. After the founding Northstar who led them to Pointe Rosa died, they buried his body and that of any Northstar forward in the garden. Inside the small crypt entrance can be seen the name of the Founding Northstar, called **Northstar**. His body was cremated, and his ashes were put inside an astrolabe, giving the Northstars guidance through the stars.

## Traditions

The main tradition that all Northstars must go through is an event called the Stellar Awakening. When a Northstar youth, whom are refered to as "Protostars", comes of age they must compete in a hunt in which a Northstar mentor releases a beast that was specifically raised for this event. The “Protostars” must hunt it in a race, the first one to successfully get the kill will be awarded with a helmet and gun forged within the Northstar's soul forge in which they take apart with them the Northstar's guidance, this is great honor amongst this family. However not all members must compete in the hunt in or to achieve their Stellar Awakening, should one do their family a great service then they will also be awarded.

The helmets of a Northstar have the appearance of a brimmed cattleman hat with a visor and a star christening the front, the amount of points of said star holding some kind of significance to the awakened Northstar.

When a Northstar passes they are buried within the Garden of Remembrance on the Northstar Estate, their tombstones christened with the Northstar helmet they wore in life. Within the Garden of Remembrance is the Crypt of The Founding Northstar, where the Astrolabe that contains the ashes of the founder lies. Within here is where the Northstars pray to their founder and gaze upon the Northstar in the crypt's observatory. In the back of the crypt is the location of the Northstar Cathedral, the place in which the Stellar Awakening ceremony is performed, and upon completion the Soul Forge opens to the awakened Northstar.

## History

For many moons the Northstar family watched over Pointe Rosa, however on one fateful day this all changed. Upon a routine cattle run to Vhana, the then head Sergio Northstar and his immediate family would perish at the hands of the invading Phoenix, all except for Sergio's son Ennio Northstar. Ennio was shot, stabbed, burned and crushed but despite this his heart kept on beating, for the fire inside burned brighter then the one that surrounded him. As he crawled from the rubble he saw the radiant light of a woman and was saved, awakening there after in Lewinholdt. When Ennio came too, he made his way back to Vhana and recovered the helmets of his fallen loved ones, just narrowly avoiding the dragon that now resides in the ruined city. When he returned to Pointe Rosa he found it also in ruin, and much of his family dead. After putting his family to rest he set off to rebuild his family and the town and eventually found himself in the company of The Crows where he rose the rank of Crowmaster. Since then the numbers of the Northstars has been slowly on the rise, with many of it's new members being adopted lost souls. As for the town of Pointe Rosa, it has since becoming an adventurers haven, serving as a prepping ground for those brave enough to journey to Vhana.

## Design and Aesthetic

The Northstars are traditional Spaghetti Western Cowboys but with a fantasy twist. Their helmets are designed to look like typical cowboy hats fused with a medieval knight's helmet, taking the brim of the cowboy and giving it a knight's visor. Most importantly however is every helm is christened with a star at the front, this is their version of a sheriff's badge.