Les Voyageurs were an organization of French and Native American werewolf hunters active in North America during the 18th century.
Overview[]
In 1534, the French began to explore and colonize the Americas in a region known as New France. While the English colonized the eastern seaboard, the French pushed westward, building forts and trading posts,and developing relationships with tribes like the Huron and Algonquin far to the north and south.The French occupation took hold, and a new industry flourished — the fur trade.
Furs from native species, like beaver, bear, wolf, and raccoon, became hot commodities and were exported back to Europe. With fur in such high demand, the Dutch, French, English, and several native tribes (most notably the Iroquois) fought for control of the trade, culminating in a series of conflicts known as the Beaver Wars. These skirmishes were fought between the French and their tribal allies (the Erie, Huron, Algonquin, and Susquehannock) against the Iroquois; the struggle lasted well into the 18th century as the colonial landscape changed and new threats, like the English, were targeted.
Purpose[]
Les Voyageurs operate out in the wild. Operating in tandem with the fur trade, the pelts produced by Les Voyageurs fetch high prices overseas; the money is funneled back into the organization to procure supplies and replace broken equipment. The compact’s number include hunters, trappers, scouts, woodsman, and furriers. While they have sold the pelts of rare creatures, like the occasional shapeshifter or watery beast, Les Voyageurs dedicate their lives to finding and erasing werewolves from the land.
Hunters in the 17th century use a variety of tactics to track down werewolves, and they do so with great care. Relying on traps, natural environments, and bits of werewolf lore, hunters share knowledge whenever possible to ensure that their brothers and sisters survive. Unlike other big game hunters, Les Voyageurs do not eliminate werewolves for sport. They do so because they believe that werewolves are cursed, feral monsters who cannot be negotiated with, who need to be put down. This belief, that werewolves are evil, unites them in the hunt.
Forest runners share information in Algonquin. They also leave messages for other hunters on the trails using a simple, symbolic language. If a werewolf is spotted, local tribes are warned to steer clear of the area. Though any non-hunter is welcome to participate in the hunt, provided they can prove their worth in a fight, the werewolf’s carcass will go to the group as payment for clearing the area of the threat. Unlike other hunters, Les Voyageurs do not hunt werewolves in secret. They may not, out of respect, mention how many different types of hunters there are in the Vigil, but they are always looking to recruit given their high mortality rate.
Both the witch trials and the Shadow Court baffle Les Voyageurs, for they have mixed feelings about witches in general. Many forest runners — especially members of native tribes — don’t understand the Puritan’s definition of a witch. Some witches have used magick to help these hunters heal and find their quarry; to these hunters, witches are a means to an end, and it’s foolish to condemn all of them. As a result, Les Voyageurs tend to stick to the neighboring forests and only participate in the trials when necessary.
Organization[]
Unlike other compacts, this group has no clear leader, no legendary founder. Where there was a demand for fur, there were hunters. Where there were hunters, there were Les Voyageurs, the forest runners, a group that formed out of necessity. Comprised of French hunters and their allies, like the Algonquin, Les Voyageurs have a unique focus: to hunt monsters and sell their hides.
Beliefs, expertise, and backgrounds vary widely among Les Voyageurs. There’s no clear structure in this company, only a single mission: to rid the land of werewolves who’ve preyed on too many for far too long. As such, Les Voyageurs have a high attrition rate (they will eventually die out as the land is settled and werewolves adapt). Their tools — mainly muskets and axes — are often ineffective.
They are loosely formed; members operate either individually or in small groups, forming more of an alliance than a strict organization with clear ranks. The longest-surviving members tend to hold the most sway.
Reference[]
- CofD: Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras, p. 381-382