Brigands and banditry is no foreign face amoungst the many paths that span the Greater Ring. Wars and strife create power vacuums, great vortex's that drown any sense civilization amoungst a population. Roads go unkempt, farms unbothered, peasants and townsfolk begin to buckle beneath beneath the weight of civilizations decline, and most dangerously so, soldiers stop receiving thier compensation. Usually Roadteeth are simple creatures down trodden and desperate for resources often outcast amoungst thier kin,resorting to less then moral actions to survive.
But as a civilization takes its final few steps before it plunges into the depths more organized forms of criminality begin fester. Scorned soldiers, bloodied mercenarys, and stranded sells swords begin to conglomerate forming small packs amoungst the now unattended roads. Within the ashes of civilization they form thier own society, a brutal and bloody effigy that's less than a shadow of what came before. These war bands are more akin to a tumor than any rebuilding effort, praying upon the dying embers of whatever is left of civilization, to fuel a cause that will ultimately cannibalize itself, or be snuffed if any form of order is returned.
But until either of those fates come to fruition these Roadteeth will stalk the veins, the paths and causeways of civilization corpse. Pouncing upon any unfortunate enough to trespass unknowingly or not acroos territory they have claimed as thier own. Compliance to thier fangs will not guarantee safety.
(I love this piece so mutch. That pose was such a pain to position, and that chest armour was tedious to plan out, but was definitely worth it as this is my new favorite sketch. I did want to make more of a background but ended up running out of room on the page. Nonetheless this came out great.
As for the piece itself and the little flavor text beneath it, it isn't describing any specific kingdom or nation in specific, just the fate of any dying society in general. Originally, I wanted to go for a more Mediterranean appearance for the Roxifi's gear, but I im still pretty meh at folds, so I went with what I know, which is medieval euro. I plan to really flesh out the world of the greater ring this year and finalize its appearance.
