Jara Hordes

Early in the First Epoch, the Jara came about from the wrath of a petty god. A savage centaur people, when they organize in bands, they pose a serious problem for those near the Tamoroc Steppe. Nomadic when not raiding, they follow the great herds of The Hoof Arc. Sometimes, when bands run across each other they join together under one strong leader; the dead leader is eaten by those that served under him. It is a Jara custom, the belief that the wisdom of their former leader is passed down through the morsels, kindling for a future leader. Other times when these bands meet, it turns into a bloodbath, with only a few survivors of the all-out melee. It is thus that bigger is often better so after some time a great horde has been assembled. Seeking plunder and slaughter, they become known as a Jara Horde. They can be devastating, a force of centaur calvary, fast and mobile, living off their kills, their only baggage train the plunder they have won. The leader of these hordes, one strong and cunning, takes the title Jara Khan after their third victorious battle.

Jara are the most brutal of attackers. They butcher everything - including livestock, and then dine on the fallen, including their own!

- Dal-Kahad, "Huma Fodder"

Jara Hordes do not take allies or make treaties. They see others as prey. They respect no code of war. Places that fall to them are usually depopulated, everything down to the livestock is killed in a frenzy that not even their leader can stop. The dead, including their own, are consumed to gluttony; something that would make The Glutton dole out a blessing if only the Jara weren't atheists.

Notable Jara Hordes

Horde of Mingrur

The first Jara Horde was formed under the Jara warlord named Mingrur. In the Year 77, his horde swept into the Singarban Forest. This attack was quite advanced, with the Jara using heavy barges and pontoons to cross rivers and the Ašetal lake. The Horde of Mingrur broke-up after the forest's Theegan tribes retreated into the bowels of the Synnbarri Canyon. For failing to get the riches he promised, Mingrur was murdered by his own guards.

Horde of Tamoroc

The Horde of Tamoroc was led by a two-headed Jara named Tamoroc. In 120, this abomination and his 2,000 hooves sacked Fragning. Thereafter, for two long years, they camped the area, preying upon the numerous sheep and goat herds of the town's former owners. The Jara like to claim that the Tamoroc Steppe is named after Tamoroc, yet the reverse is holds true.

Butchers of Mongor

This jara horde was led by the Khan Mongor. In 135, the Butchers of Mongor rampaged through Quellestir, killing thousands of Forstneblin and reducing every surface settlement.

Bloodletters

The 20,000 to 30,000 jara of this horde was led by Bone Pounder. His horde made a deep foray into the Khazarkar Empire. In 1115, Bone Pounder came close to sacking the Khazarkar capital city Nibar-Pharân. Bone Pounder was killed in this battle. Without its leader, chaos ensued in the horde, and it broke-up. Some fled into the nature powered forest Mavraphas where they were changed into centaurs. The nature energy of this forest wiped away their villainous ways, making them more in-line with nature.

Gorum Horde

This horde of jara was unlike most Jara Hordes, in that it was accompanied by hellfire wyrms, hundar, a pair of chaos rocs, and the hell knight Raxcvillibus. In 1515, the Gorum Horde rampaged through Angrod territory. The horde destroyed the city of Amanwen and turned parts of Taurquion into a fiery wasteland. The horde broke-up after internal bickering among the jara tribes. The wood elves put the size of this jara horde at around 35,000. The horde was named after the area where most of the jara tribes came from, the Gorum Steppe.

Horde of Steel Monger

In the Year 1486, a Jara Horde attacked the frontiers of the Khazarkar Empire. The Steel Monger horde caused widespread devastation and havoc. The Khazarkar Empire re-positioned their troops and set a trap for the Horde of Steel Monger. Jara scouts learned of this trap, and returned to the Tribe Steppes.

In 1798, a band of 60,000+ jara were assembled by a son of the long line of Steel Mongers. They were mobilizing their forces for an invasion of the Orchish Empire. The horde had ravaged the frontier of the Orchish Empire for many years and was about to launch a devastating attack through Arinthil. Steel Monger, a mighty Jara Khan, was located in his camp by the council members of Crimson Eye, Inc. The leaders of this nefarious organization called upon the awesome firepower of the Eye of Gith. The impact of the Voice of Gith on the camp site caused such devastation that the place is now called Monger Desolate. Miraculously, Steel Monger survived the blast of a Voice of Gith. He was pursued and brought down by the wizard Zaris.

Pig Tramplers

In 1521, this Jara Horde of nearly 20,000 attacked Neeth-Theen. Facing Ushgergoon and his chaos abominations, they were defeated in the Battle of Bone Hoof Canyon.

Rampager Horde

In 1190, this horde of 15,000 jara rampaged through the grasslands of Tadab-Hal, attacking Theegan settlements, and making incursions into the lands of Garormuk. The jara horde pushed the Theegans south and east, putting them in foreign lands. This resulted in war between the Theegans, backed by the Witch Horde, and the people of Garormuk. In the Witch-Pack War (1190 - 1240), the Jara had to be dealt with first, so the Theegans sent a champion to fight the leader of the Rampager Horde. This champion met Jara Khan Rampager on the grassy plains of Tadab-Hal. The Theegans knew that when the fight was over, regardless of who won, the Jara would attack. They set-up in squares of pikes and the box held by javelin throwers, heavy infantry and archers. The expected attack never came. Shocked at how quickly their leader fell to a Theegan champion wielding both Blizzard and Firestorm, the horde scattered.

The icy spear froze the khan and the fiery blade melted him away in what seemed like seconds. This mighty khan fell quickly to the witch commander Zenarân, a fate that would befall her when she was bushwhacked by the raider Black Wood and his team of demon wizards.

- part of a Theegan legend, "Witch Commander Zenarân"

In 1192, the Rampager Horde broke up with the loss of their khan.