The strange and new frontier known as Valgamma’s Ruin is swarming with danger and mystery on all sides. Each day seems to birth more and more horrors and strangeness to this enigmatic realm, but at long last, a unified force against the darkness seems to be gaining momentum in the region.
Who are the Ruin Riders?
In short, the Ruin Riders are an adventuring company who have set roots in Valgamma’s Ruin. This highly specialized fighting force of white-hats have made it their mission to combat the horrific dangers native to the region. This newly established sect is making waves amongst the common people, and the Riders gain more and more support with each bestial baddy they bring low.
Player Characters in GUTSHOT! take on the roles of these brave men and women seeking to uncover the mysterious secrets of the new and wild frontier land called Valgamma's Ruin.
Isn’t that what Sheriffs are for?
Kinda. The law is concerned with keeping the public peace, where Ruin Riders take on highly dangerous missions and seek to uncover the mysteries of Valgamma’s Ruin one slavering monster or perilous puzzle at a time. The Ruin Riders don’t have any legal jurisdiction, mind you, but their goals oftentimes generally align with that of the local law. Sheriffs and Deputies specialize in common criminals. Ruin Riders specialize in monsters and mystery.
What kind of people do the Ruin Riders have among their ranks?
All kinds. People from all Regions, races, religions and backgrounds are counted among this eccentric group. There are steely gunfighters, intrepid explorers, brilliant scientists and inventors, cunning scouts, and all manner of highly skilled folk claiming membership in the company. Settler, Elf, Gnome, Dwarf and Orc alike serve as members of this prestigious adventuring Company.
How do you join the Ruin Riders?
Don’t call them. They’ll call you. Those brave souls with the mettle, skill, and love of adventure to take on the mantle of Ruin Rider will sometimes receive a mysterious invitation to meet with a representative of the group, who offers the adventurers a mission to prove themselves capable. Only those who are brave, bold, and good at their core will warrant an invite.
So, I cannot be a cold-blooded psycho murderer and join up?
No. This doesn’t mean that the Riders are all paragons of virtue, mind you. Each and every member is different, with some being vain, arrogant, rude, downright mean, or any other kind of unpleasant. But, at their core, all Ruin Riders are decent people who want to work for a better, safer Ruin. Their reasons may vary wildly, but the main goal is the same for each who bears the brand.
The Brand? What’s that?
Potential recruits to the Ruin Riders are given a training mission to undergo to prove their abilities and skill. If completed, the Initiate undergoes a ceremony where their left palm is branded with the strange sigil of the Ruin Riders. This mystical mark can magically appear and disappear with but a thought, and is used to prove membership in the organization.
What do the Ruin Riders charge for their services?
While the organization is good natured and serves the people of the Ruin, the hard fact of the matter is that nothing is free, and the Ruin Riders are certainly in demand. Those willing to secure the services of the Company often pay high rates for the privilege, but the Riders also trade in information, skills, and favors. Whether being paid with cold, hard cash or the promise of a favor in the future, the Ruin Riders are certainly not hurting for business.
Do the Ruin Riders have a hierarchy?
Like any other group, the Ruin Riders follow a strict ranking structure, with each member having a dedicated position as detailed below.
-Affiliate: Contacts and allies that do not go on dangerous field missions or fight in the field, Affiliates serve a wide array of functions in the organization. Basically, Affiliates act as informants, clerks, or even merchants who have been aided by the Ruin Riders in the past, and now lend whatever help they can (often in the form of information) to the group at large. This is not an official rank, but is vital to the Riders and their mission. Affiliates don’t fight monsters or go on adventurers, but serve in whatever function they are able to, taking care of the boring busy work so that the skilled hands can tackle the tough parts of adventuring in the Ruin.
-Initiate: The Riders have eyes and ears everywhere, and prospective members are brave, adventurous, good natured (at their core) and oftentimes dangerous in battle. Prospective candidates are given a written invitation to prove themselves to the Riders, and are offered a training mission to showcase their skills. Succeeding at this dangerous mission grants formal induction into the group, as well as promotion to full Rider.
-Rider: The most common rank among the Ruin Riders, this is a member in good standing who has completed a dangerous training mission and now wears the vaunted brand of the organization. The Ruin Riders crest is a majestic, proud eagle amidst a six-pointed star, horse shoe, and crossed sticks of dynamite. The vast majority of members of the Ruin Riders fall under this rank. Riders work together in groups of between 3 and 5 called Cadres. A Cadre often has a base of operations that they work out of called a Chapter House.
-Eagle Rider: This vaunted rank is reserved to those rough and tumble sorts who have proven themselves as capable agents of the Company. Where Riders work in groups, Eagle Riders work exclusively alone, acting as the Elite force of the company and only being deployed to most dire situations. To wander the strange face of Valgamma’s Ruin alone, surely, one must be triple-tough!
-The Chairman: The mysterious figurehead of the Ruin Riders is a shadowy figure who oversees the direction of the company from their mysterious headquarters located somewhere in Valgamma’s Ruin. Little is known about the Chairman, but he is the last word when it comes to the Ruin Riders, and founded the organization to push against the swelling tide of darkness that threatens to drown the pioneers of the region.
Who is the Chairman?
Nobody really knows, but you can probably figure it out...
Cadres
A group of Ruin Riders who adventure alongside each other is called a Cadre. Cadres operate out of a Chapter House where they are tasked with aiding the people of Valgamma’s Ruin and investigating suspicious activity in the area around their authorized Chapter House. Cadres often name themselves to instill a sense of identity to their particular group.
How many people are in a Cadre?
Most Cadres are comprised of between 3-5 Riders. Cadres are designed to showcase an array of useful skills and tackle a wide assortment of challenges. Close bonds are often formed by those in a Cadre, and each Cadre receives regular orders from either an Eagle Rider or the Chairman himself.
Code 9
The Ruin Riders make use of a secret written language known only as Code 9. This cannot be spoken (it does not make use of words), but can be audibly relayed in a fashion similar to morse code. Mystically, anyone who wears the brand of the Ruin Riders can effortlessly read and communicate using Code 9. This helps to keep the Company’s orders and written secrets clandestine.
Do the Ruin Riders have a Headquarters?
Yes. Fort Rock is a mysterious place located somewhere in Valgamma’s Ruin. All that is known about this legendary location is that it resides somewhere in the dense mountains of Valgamma’s Ruin and is the nerve center of the Ruin Riders, where the mysterious Chairman sends out his orders to Cadres across the region. Most Cadres operate out of Chapter Houses set in strategic locations throughout Valgamma’s Ruin. Rumor has it that only once a member of the Company attains the vaunted rank of Eagle Rider are they finally told the location of Fort Rock.