The Great Hunt

History

When nobles abandoned the Kravitor Empire during its civil war, they fled towards the Frontier. Shortly after, a massive Beast stampede ended up besieging large parts of the empire, which ended up tearing it apart. The civil war was abandoned and all parties hid inside their forts, which fell one by one to the onslaught of Beasts.   But in the area that later would become the Triseon Kingdom, there were no forts to hide behind. And so the nobles and their soldiers had no choice but to stand and fight. This was why they fought a war not against their fellow folks, but against cruel nature itself. Ironically enough, this ended up being their salvation.   With no place to hide, the soldiers chose to hunt instead. They used military strategies against the stampedes, with the cavalry non-stop in motion. While in other places the Beasts were predators, here they felt themselves to be prey. With naught but fear in their hearts, the vicious creatures fled. It was a victory forged in blood, but a victory nonetheless. Thus the country was founded.

The Great Hunt

Every year the Great Hunt is organized, with nobles leading troops and smaller groups pledging obedience or going off on their own. The Great Hunt lasts twelve days, with officials and the Wayfarer Guild tallying the scores. On the thirteenth day, the hunters return.   The people understand that the Great Hunt is needed to limit how many stampedes the country will face. While people are crippled and lives are lost every year, this is a needed sacrifice. So when the hunters return, the country both mourns and celebrates. They shed tears and toast, honouring both the recent and past sacrifices. And at the same time, they feast and roar in joy. Even those that lost their loves ones, will do so, as it is better to acknowledge their bravery than to regret their fate.   At the same time, the specific results matter. An heir-apparent may lose their position due to failure expected results, while Drifters may prove themselves worthy of hiring through their contributions. This coldhearted approach too is but a fact of life.