Cuthail Warfare

### Legacies of Heroes Past

Although the Venswood didn’t see many catastrophic wars, the **Cuthail** have passed down many tales of bloody battles and heroic fighters over the centuries. Many Cuthail appreciate festivities and peace, but that doesn’t mean the smallest of the **Choirfolk** lack appreciation for strategy, strength, or even bloodshed. Before evacuating the Venswood, many villages and families told stories of bravery and honor that taught the young how to defend their homes. Now, most of those stories and tactics are lost forever.

In most surviving war stories, many Cuthail villages tried finding diplomatic solutions whenever they could. The ancient halflings found that a few good meals and comfortable lodging helped persuade a would-be enemy not to cause unnecessary carnage to the ancient Glades. Of course, those who would deny the Cuthail their hospitality were considered even worse than raiding marauders. To enjoy the company of a Cuthail family, only to go on and try to burn their village down, meant no mercy when they would inevitably fall under the weight of a Cuthail ambush.

In a Cuthail village, every capable adult was supposed to pick up a weapon - or utensil - to help defend their home. Seasoned hunters, mercenaries, and even criminal family leaders would lead the smallfolk out of their homes and into the surrounding brush. Because the Cuthail are smaller than most other people - and many hostile beasts - the halfling militias learned to fight dirty. Cuthail warbands knew their lands better than most and utilized them to the best of their ability.

### Common Tactics

One of the most common practices was to dig out small burrows in the middle of dense undergrowth. These holes, nicknamed Scorpion Burrows,’ act as hideouts for individual or paired Cuthail. Warriors would hide the scorpion burrow with a special netting woven with vines, roots, and leaves for camouflage. Soldiers were meant to wait inside the traps for enemies to approach or pass by, which is when they would either spring out and attack or wait for a chance to flee. Some exceptionally skilled Cuthail villages could create entire tunnel systems out of scorpion burrows, allowing for hidden travel or storing supplies.

Another practice in Cuthail warfare was the use of natural traps and weaponry. Spike pits were common, often made from old scorpion burrows, though many halflings considered these to be unnecessarily cruel. Cuthail hunters also used rope snares and re-purposed hunting traps to capture enemy scouts. Cuthail strategists generally used traps to capture enemies for interrogation or negotiation, though some - like the spike pits - often killed the catch anyway.

Almost all war stories mention the Howling, among other names, a type of scare tactic used before an assault. Warriors hiding among the treetops, brush, and scorpion burrows would surround a group of enemies before giving their best howls and screeches. Many Cuthail were known to practice their Howls around campfires, much to the annoyance - or fear - of their neighbors. The use of Howling varied across various Cuthail warbands. Some would use it nightly to scare, exhaust, or confuse enemy camps. Other groups reserved the Howling for the heat of battle, only stopping upon victory or death. The Howling shouldn’t be confused with the general loud and obnoxious yelling done by Cuthail in taverns or during parties; that is just how they talk.

### Present Times

Unfortunately, other ancient practices and rituals are currently lost due to the Cataclysm. Perhaps future refugees will arrive to share more stories, or contemporary Cuthail will master new skills in this land. At the very least, the modern smallfolk still have some of their history preserved - a history that may one day save this new homeland from utter annihilation.