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The Mahirim The vast Tribeland plains are home to this fierce race of predators. They are a physically imposing breed, who tend to rely on finely honed instincts and superior physical abilities, rather than on strategy and planning. The mahirim are fairly primitive, and their weapons and equipment tend to be crude but quite efficient. In recent years, however, a group known as the Ancients have arrived among them, bringing weapons and armour to rival those of other races. Physical description The mahirim are the tallest race inhabiting the continent of Darkfall, with both males and females averaging 245 cm. They are powerfully built, with barrel-like chests, and pawed, bearlike arms which are capable of inflicting terrible damage. A mahir at rest stands slightly hunched, as if ready to pounce. Their extraordinarily large and powerful legs, which resemble those of a canine creature, allow impressive jumps, which are often used to close the final distance between them and prey. Despite their hulking size, mahirim move with astounding speed and stamina. When running on all fours, they easily outsprint all other races, and healthy adults can run for several days without tiring. As a result, mahirim armies have a greater striking distance than those of any other race. However, a mahir who for some reason (injury, carrying large weapons, etc.) is restricted to only using the hindlegs, tires more quickly, and runs no swifter than an elf. In close quarter combat, their size limits the mahirim somewhat. They move quite ponderously when standing on their hindlegs, and they need more time to recover between attacks than, say, a human swinging a single-handed blade. They compensate for this with extremely powerful blows. Mahirim necks are short and muscle-bound. Their faces tend to be broad with large, black snouts, and pointed ears which are covered in short fur. Their large, round eyes are slightly yellowy in daylight, and shining yellow in the dark, suggesting the excellent night vision of the race. The entire mahir body is covered in shaggy fur which resembles that of a wolf in length and texture. Its colour varies between black, dark brown, grey and white. The fur tends to be slightly darker along a clearly visible spinal ridge. Their teeth are sharp and stand in uneven rows, resembling those of giant hyena. Mahirim will often bite their opponents, crushing bones with their powerful jaws or tearing out chunks of flesh. When confronting an opponent, Mahirim tend to bare their teeth, while growling threateningly. The paws of the mahirim end in stubby, clawed fingers, and they are capable of operating crude tools made specifically for their use. They also wield several types of weapons, all of which are unique to their race. The mahirim are, however, incapable of using bows and crossbows. Magic and special abilities While not as limited in their spellcasing abilities as dwarves and orcs, the mahirim are lesser magicians than elves and humans. They recover mana fairly quickly, but are incapable of hoarding large amounts of magical essence. This means that a common tactic among mahirim is to cast a handful of spells before entering combat, and then to rely on physical attacks while mana builds up again. In lengthy battles, their great mobility allows them to disengage temporarily, in order to cast more spells when enough mana has been regenerated. Animal abilities The mahirim are predators, and nature has endowed them with several abilities which give them a natural advantage over other races. Their sense of smell and hearing, in particular, are superior to those of the other intelligent species. The swift mahirim metabolism means that they regenerate damage quickly. Much like an injured wolf or lion, a mahir's wounds will heal with impressive speed if he or she is given time to rest between exertions. As a race, this allows the mahirim to be less reliant on healing magic than others. Mahirim also seem to have a natural resistance to poison and disease. While by no means immune to these threats, they have a greater chance of just shrugging off the effect, or of recovering quickly when affected. Due to their impressive sense of smell, as well as their ingrained predatory experience, the mahirim are superior trackers. When following fresh tracks and a scent trail, a trained individual will almost unerringly hunt down his prey. Even when tracks are not available, a mahir might be able to track succesfully using scent alone. In combat, the mahirim sense of hearing helps them keep track of the whereabouts of opponents. This gives them an advantage against foes which are invisible, or whose exact location are obscured by camouflage or illusionary magic. Weapons and equipment Armour The mahirim prefer not to wear heavy armour. Instead, they rely on their naturally resilient skin, which offers approximately the same level of protection as human leather armour. In addition, mahirim often use armour fashioned from the hides of animals. This type of armour has the advantage of increasing protection without excessively inhibiting movement. The mahirim are expert leatherworkers, and their pieces of many-layered hide armour are surprisingly effective. While still quite light, the most solid and well-wrought pieces rival the effectiveness of chain mail. Suits of mahirim armour usually consists of several unconnected pieces, which offer protection to the most vulnerable parts of the body. In addition to a single piece covering the torso, they commonly wear leg shins, bracers and shoulderpieces. Mahirim dislike using shields, since they greatly restrict movement. Mahirim armour is commonly studded with bone from animals and monsters. Due to the great craft used in preparing them, these bone-studs are just as durable as those in human studded armour. While Mahirim do not traditionally wear helmets, headpieces called wolfmasks have recently begun emerging from the secret forges of the Moontower (see below). In addition to protecting the skull and facial area, these devices include fanged mouthpieces which augment the bite of Mahirim warriors. Like all equipment created in the depths beneath the tower, wolfmasks are made of a heavy, silvery-blue metal. Weapons In recent times, exotic-looking metal weapons have replaced the primitive clubs and spears traditionally wielded by the mahirim. These weapons all come from the Moontower, and they are all made from a mysterious, silvery-blue metal never previously seen in Darkfall. While otherwise quite diverse, all of these weapons have crescent-shaped blades. The mokhtar consists of twin forward-curving blades, connected by a solid handle, which together form a crescent shape. The slashing motions used when wielding this single-handed weapon resemble those a Mahirim would use when attacking with his or her natural claws. It is quite possible to use two of these weapons simultaneously, but this reduces a warrior's mobility somewhat. The sarthan is a halberd-like weapon with a tremendous reach. In addition to a heavy crescent blade used for slashing attacks, the sarthan is equipped with an armour piercing spike. While it is possible to wield the sarthan as a one-handed weapon, it is a great deal more effective when swung with both hands. This versatile weapon also finds use as a spear, which is hurled with great force against enemies. When unarmed, Mahirim are still formidable opponents. In addition to using their bite attacks, they stand up on their hind legs and swing formidable paws at opponents. An unarmed mahir fights much like an enraged, alarmingly dextrous and fleet footed bear. Religion of the mahirim Since time immemorial, the mahirim have worshipped the moon. They focus their lunar worship on several divine personifications, which are considered aspects of the same god rather than deities in their own right. The full moon is worshipped in the shape of Lankhat (lit. the moon mother). She is the moon as provider, and a god of prosperity and plenty. While venerated by all, she is a particular favourite with the more peaceful and civilized clans. The crescent moon is personified as Lanthar (lit. moon-warrior). He is the god of war, granting his followers the fulfillment of combat and the spoils of victory. The Ancients (see The Moontower and Redmoon, below) claim to be servants and messengers of Lankhar, and they are establishing themselves as his priesthood. Traditionally, the mahirim have scorned priests and shamans, with chieftains leading their clans in religious ceremonies. The most sinister personification of the Moon, is the the moon-beast, who embodies lunar madness and virilty. He is seen as a celestial hunter, who descends upon the tribelands as the Moon rises, and hunts relentlessly until it sets. The moon-beast is as a vaguely humanoid figure, whose body is covered in flowing, silvery black fur. He runs on all fours, but while his legs are wolf-like, his arms are those of a giant human. He has an enormous, protruding jaw which resembles that of a crocodile, but it is fur-clad and has a rounded shape. His reptilian eyes seem locked in a perpetual, mad stare. The mahirim worship in moonshrines (see clan structures, below), which are found in every sizable community. Here, they give sacrifice to the moon, offering different kinds of animals to the different aspects, in accordance with ancient traditions. The practice of offering sentient beings to the moon-beast was abandoned centuries ago. The Tribelands The Tribelands is a landscape of grass-clad, undulating plains, interspersed by pockets of evergreen forest. The layer of soil is relatively thin, and the Tribelands are ill-suited to farming. They do, however, support large herds of grazing animals, which are preyed upon by a variety of predators, including lions, hyenas, giant eagles, and the mahirim themselves. While moderately heavy elsewere in the Tribelands, the rainfall is exceptionally rich in the northern part of the territory. Here, a network of lakes feed large rivers, which wind lazily southward through the rest of the tribelands. At irregular intervals, large, round hills rise from the tribeland plains. Their size and shape indicate that they were not shaped by nature, but by some race whose identity is lost in the mists of time. Some speculate that the hills are grave mounds, but no remains have been found to support this theory. The man-tribes A short-statured and primitive race of humans live in the tribelands. They are called ayrag, or the hairless, by the mahirim, who hold them in little regard. The ayrag are primarily herdsmen, who keep flocks of sheep, wild cattle and horses. The mahirim clans tend to tolerate ayrag presence within their territory, commonly demanding a tribute of food from each tribe. Some ayrag live in permanent settlements of a dozen or so round, earthen huts. Others are semi-nomadic, following migratory herds across the plains. The nomadic tribes often pay a winter tax to one clan, a summer tax to another. The gnoll tribes The fierce, hyena-like gnolls are an ancestral enemy of the mahirim. They live in roving, migratory packs, which survive by a combination of hunting and raiding. Unless clearly outnumbered, gnolls attack mahirim on sight. While brutish and primitive, the gnolls have mastered the use of simple tools and weapons. Their favoured weapon are clubs equipped with viciously jagged spikes fashioned from arrowheads, broken blades and, in a pinch, sharp rocks. Gnolls occasionally use more effective weapons scavenged from their victims. The gnolls are smaller of stature than the mahirim, with the average individual standing approximately 190 cm tall, but they are equally as powerful of build. Gnolls are fully bipedal creatures, and they are incapable of following a mahir running on all fours. The fur is black or brown, with messy patterns which are unique to each individual, and the head bears a close resemblance that of the hyena. The orkish tribes Several tribes of orks inhabit the more savage parts of the Tribelands. They are particularly numerous in the mountainous west, where they hide among the hills and valleys, but smaller tribes are found in pockets of wilderness throughout the area. The orks of the tribelands are smaller and stouter than their relatives in the land of Korse, and their hides tend to be of a greyish hue. While quite primitive, they have a basic grasp of metalworking, and tend to be equipped with low quality swords and shields. The goblin tribes The forests of the Tribelands are home to scattered tribes of green-skinned goblins. In most aspects, they are identical to the goblins who dwell in the Mirendil forest,* but due to the colder climate they tend to wear more clothing than their southern kin. The relative scarcity of food also means that they breed at a slower rate than the Mirendil goblins. * For a detailed description, see the flora & fauna section of The Mirdain of Darkfall The Moontower and Redmoon Several millennia ago, a meteor tore a rift out of the Tribelands, creating a vast valley. At the heart of this sprawling rift, three blue towers rise toward the heavens. Hundreds of meters above ground level, tubular platforms connect the towers with an enormous platform, which is capped by a crystal dome. During daylight, this dome is milky white, with only a vague, golden crescent visible inside it. At night, however, it catches the moonlight and radiates with spectacular, shimmering shades of blue. For reasons not even known to their elders, the mahirim have never attempted to enter the structure, and they have guarded it against all intrusion. The only city in the Tribelands, called Redmoon, circles the tower protectively. Throughout the history of Darkfall, the Moontower has been a mysterious, silent presence. A few years ago, however, robed creatures emerged from it and approached the elders of Redmoon, saying that they brought the blessings of Lanthar (See religion, above). Since that day, the tower's secretive inhabitants, known as the Ancients, have instigated an extensive expansion of Redmoon. In addition, the Moontower has supplied the hitherto quite primitive mahirim with steady flow of sophisticated weapons (see Weapons and Equipment, above). The rift valley is highly fertile, and home to a an abundance of wildlife which, on Darkfall, is matched only by the lush Mirendil forest. While neither farmers nor herdsmen, the mahirim are able to support the fairly large population of Redmoon through hunting alone. Like all mahirim settlements, Redmoon consists of simple wooden houses protected by extensive earthworks and palisades (See Clan Structures, below). Clan structures Mahirim clan holdings tend to be well-ordered and pre-planned, with buildings standing in circular rows around a centrally placed greathall. The mahirim like sturdy, wooden structures, and they prefer all dwellings to be single-floored. Commonly, their dwellings have flat, palisaded roofs which, besides serving as bedrooms during summer months, are a clan holding's final line of defense. Defensive works All holdings are surrounded by at least two rows of palisades, with ditch-riven and spike-infested ground between them. These palisades are connected by plankways, which allow swift travel between rows, but which are easily demolished should one layer of defense fall. Mahirim prefer to build their holdings on the many steep, rounded hills of their homeland. The outer palisade usually runs along the base of the hill, with further earthworks and walls circling upward. The top of the hill houses most of the important buildings of the settlement. On the four corners of the hilltop occupied by a clan, stand tall guard towers, from which keen-eyed mahirim survey the surrounding area. Plankways connect these towers with the outermost buildings of the holding proper, as well as with the innermost palisades. The hill-tombs Mahirim clans bury chieftains and heroes in catacombs within the hills they inhabit. Under long established holdings, a network of tunnels may connect the final resting places of a dozen chieftains or great heroes. Since these prominent mahirim are buried with their most highly prized possessions, the amount of treasure in these hill-tombs can be quite formidable. Greathalls The heart of all holdings is the greathall, which is the seat of clan power, and which is traditionally built at the very centre of the hilltop. The greathalls are tall but still single-floored buildings, which contain a single, spacious chamber. While other mahirim buildings are unadorned, the greathalls are spectacularly decorated, with rich clans lavishing great wealth upon their hall's appearance. Tapestries hang along the inside walls, roof-beams are plated in gold, and finely decorated oaken doars guard the single entrance. Two thirds of a typical hall contain rows of tables, along which the clan members eat a communal dinner every evening. Along the walls of this eating chamber, hang the various flags and crests of the clan, as well as standards which have been taken from other clans in combat. Occasionally, the skulls of particularly feasome monsters are on display. The remaining third of the greathall is slightly elevated, and partioned from the rest of the hall by heavy curtains. This area serves as the meeting area of the clan's leaders, generally referred to as the War Council. The tannery The mahirim are expert leatherworkers, and their tanneries are hives of activity. Here, clan members craft clothes and armour for their own use, and prepare luxurious furs for export. Due to the stench generated by leatherworking, tanneries tend to be constructed halfway down the hillside - as far away from dwellings as possible. Tanneries are low-ceilinged and smoke-filled. Moonshrines In every mahirim settlement stands a moonshrine, where clan members worhsip the three aspects of their god. Shrines are always built in a central part of the holding, usually adjacent to the greathall. The moonshrines consist of wooden towers capped by round platforms. Like guard towers, these structures are slightly broader at the base than at the summit, with skeleton walls leaning gradually inward towards the platform. While made using ordinary timber, the circular platforms are regularly treated with the juice of a rare plant called arkhot. The platforms appear tar-black in daylight, but the properties of the arkhot transformes them into shining silver discs by the light of the moon. Crescent-shaped sacrifical altars stand at the centre of all moonshrines. Houses of the ancients In some of the more important holdings, the Ancients of the Moontower have established embassies. These buildings are staffed by mahirim from Redmoon, but the robed and hooded ancients occasionally appear, usually in order to give advice to the leaders of the clan. The servants of the Ancients sell high quality weapons and equipment to the members of the clan. The prices are generally the same as in Redmoon, and heavy wagons laden with new equipment arrive at regular intervals. The houses of the Ancients have two stories and extensive cellars. The top floor serves as living quarters for mahirim shopkeepers, while the ground floor houses the shop itself. The cellars are reserved for the use of the Ancients, and are strictly off limits to their employees. These houses are imposing structures made of black timber. They stand taller than the surrounding, one-storied mahirim buildings, and have pointed, steeply sloping roofs. The frames of the doors and windows are decorated by strange signs and sigils, which are rumoured to protect the houses against damage and intrusion. These symbols shine dully in moonlight. The hunting grounds The mahirim do not farm, and are dependent on hunting to support their settlements. This means that they need to protect the hunting grounds surrounding their holdings from all rivals, including other clans. Most inter-clan warfare is sparked by rivalry over hunting grounds or herds of animals. All adult mahirim are expected to help feed their clan. They usually hunt in groups, preying on the wild beasts of the area surrounding their holding. Due to the fertility of the tribelands, these herds replenish quickly, and the mahirim can tax them relatively freely. Felled prey is brought back to a slaughtering pen just inside the innermost defensive palisade. Here, the children and elderly of the clan work, skinning carcasses and preparing meat. Hides are brought to the tannery for further preparation; meat is either smoked and stored, or carried to the greathall for immediate consumption. |
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