The Riders (also called the Hyalorings) are one of the three major cultures in Ride Like The Wind, alongside the Rams and the Wheels. They are named for their mastery of horseback riding. The Rider clans in the Valley are found exclusively on the north bank of the Black Eel River. The player’s clan always belongs to the Rider culture.
The Riders are descended from Dara Happan nobles in the city of Nivorah who learned the secrets of horseback riding from Hyalor, then later followed him into exile rather than remain under the Ice Dome. Their chief deities are Elmal, the God of the Sun, and Nyalda, the Goddess of the Earth. They also worship Hyalor and Gamari, the Horse Goddess. They also associate with Shamans, whose magic allows them to call upon the aid of spirits.
Most Rider clans raise horses, cows, and goats, and farm barley. A few clans follow “True Horse” practices and refuse to raise animals other than horses, forcing them to rely on slaves to tend their crops. Apart from True Horse clans, no Rider clan practices slavery, but some are willing to sell captives taken in war to cultures that do.
in war, the Riders field an exclusively cavalry force. Ordinary warriors, called Bows, fight as light cavalry, armed only with bows and spears. Elite warriors, called Swords, fight as heavy cavalry, armed with bronze weapons and armor. When not at war, a Rider clan may attempt to intimidate another by whooping them - sending a troop of cavalry to gallop around the other clan’s settlement shouting war cries. The traditional response is for the targeted clan to attempt to show their strength by stoically ignoring the whoops.
Riders are forbidden from marriage or intercourse with Rams under any circumstances. This law ultimately stems from a belief that all children of a Ram and a Rider are destined to become evil sorcerers.