Torchbearer

Torchbearer is a hostile humanoid creature encountered in Canaanite villages. These simple, devout locals present themselves as pious followers of the Path of Petrae under the preacher Niketas and are quick to label outsiders as agents of evil. Torchbearers are commonly seen patrolling village streets or guarding specific locations and will attack any intruder on sight while attempting to raise an alarm and call reinforcements.

Torchbearers act as frontline defenders in their settlements. They move in predictable patrol patterns and often occupy choke points or sensitive buildings where they can alert nearby allies. Their behavior is aggressive and uncompromising: anyone not considered "of the Path" becomes a target immediately, and by design they treat innocuous visitors as heretics or spies.

Combat with Torchbearers requires caution because they possess an attack that ignores armor. This makes sustained close-quarters engagements with heavily armored characters expensive unless special mitigation is used. Recommended tactics are to engage them from range when possible, or to employ hit-and-run melee tactics using longer-reach weapons such as spears to minimize exposure to their armor-ignoring strike. Avoid trading blows in prolonged melee without backup or mobility.

Loot and harvestable components from Torchbearers reflect their human nature and the makeshift equipment of their sect. Common drops include low-value metal salvage with a moderate chance; harvested remains yield guaranteed human skulls and occasionally a Pilgrim Hat as a rarer item.

• Typical behavior: patrols villages, guards locations, attacks intruders, sounds alarms to call reinforcements.
• Dangerous mechanic: possesses an armor-ignoring attack; treat armor alone as an unreliable defense.
• Recommended combat approach: use ranged combat or polearm-style hit-and-run tactics to exploit reach and avoid prolonged trades.
• Drops: small chance to drop Silver Scrap.
• Harvestable remains: guaranteed Human Skull and a 10% chance to obtain a Pilgrim Hat.

Torchbearers embody the Canaanite faction’s zealotry: they are numerous, intolerant, and intended to slow or punish intruders who do not belong to the Path of Petrae. Engaging them without a plan invites reinforcements and prolonged encounters.