Stag Cavalry

Stag Cavalry provide an important mounted force for the Ravenwood Elves, who lack access to the horse populations of the open plains. Those few wild horses that do make their homes in the Ravenwood are small and stumpy creatures, hard to train and of little use in battle.

Instead the Stagkin choose the largest and heaviest Bull Stags as their mounts, exploiting their spiritual relationship with the creatures to turn them to battle. Though the Stags are not as quick nor as strong as the best of Human or High Elf cavalry, they are sure footed and nimble, able to charge as easily in the forest as on open ground.

The Stagkin riders carry long hunting spears of hardwood and steel, as well as nets which they use to entangle and strangle their foes. Rather than the close packed charge of normal heavy cavalry, the Stags favor a more open order, giving them ample room to swing their nets. Individual soldiers who escape the impact of their spears are often caught by the nets and dragged along the ground, smashing into other men as they go, which often causes as much destruction as the spears!

In Ravenwood society the Stagkin are often seen as aloof from other Elves, preferring not to be involved in disputes between families, kins or tribes. However individual Stagkin are often pressed into service as messengers or scouts, or mobile bodyguards for important Speakers.