Miaran

**Miaran** (plural of **Miar**) are an intelligent mammalian species which exclusively inhabits the west and northwest of Makkad, the region of Kalzuranur west of the Surqan river. They were once significantly more widespread across the desert, but were forced into decline by Human expansion throughout the centuries and were slaughtered en masse by a race war against Humans during the Imperial Civil War. They live as nomads, travelling across the desert between oases to sustain themselves. Tribes of Miaran largely have friendly relations with their Na'Quahesto neighbours, who also live a similar nomadic lifestyle.

Humans and Sand Elves (collectively known as *jayyatan* to the Miaran, meaning "river-folk") have peaceful relations with Miaran in modern times, largely due to the fact that they are separated and rarely have to interact with one another. However, at seemingly all times throughout history before (and during) the Imperial Civil War, the Miaran and *jayyatan* have been actively hostile with one another. Most of the time, this merely manifested itself in occasional raids and skirmishes, and both sides mostly attempted to stay out of each other's way, but this did occasionally spark into a full-blown race war where both sides undertook genocidal operations to exterminate their foe.

Even in modern times, Miaran are poorly understood because of their general refusal to tell outsiders - especially *jayyatan* - anything about their society, especially about their religion, known as Jamashriyyah. This has caused many negative stereotypes, exaggerations and flat-out lies about the Miaran to persist amongst the general populace to the modern day. The general lack of knowledge about this race, even amongst experts, is the reason why the most well-known fact about this race is that they are cannibals who eat the flesh of both their own kind and their captured prisoners of other races.

It is generally thought by scholars that the Miaran were created by the Titan known as Miraya, though her reasons for creating them are unknown. Unlike most Titans, Miraya continued to be in contact with her creations long after the Annihilation, communing with them and making many of the Miaran into her Witches.

## Name and Language

Though there are noticeable (and sometimes significant) differences in dialect between tribes, the Miaran all speak the same language, known as Miari. Miari does bear a passing resemblance to the Kalzuranuri languages, but there are no identifiable cognates and the relation between them is unclear, if it exists at all. The terms Miar, Miaran and Miari are endonyms from the Miari language.

The etymology of the word Miar is unclear, but many linguists have suggested that it derives from the meow of a cat. This is definitively the case when it comes to the name of the species in Kalzuranuri (s. *Miu*, pl. *Miuhim*), Chalparni (s. *Maovaan*, pl. *Maovaano*, lit. "meow-person"), Roulonnais (s. *Mieu*, pl. *Mieus*) and Onshian (s. and pl. *Miaowa*).

In Imperial documents, the race is known by its Nesarian name, *Miara* (pl. *Miare*), which is simply an Elvic corruption of Miar.

## Physical Appearance and Traits

Much like the Theysmarel, whom scientists believe this species is related to, Miaran essentially resemble hominids with some animalistic features. However, their hominid parts greatly resemble Elves (that is, they possess slanted eyes, pointed ears, a similar facial structure and a highly gracile build), whereas Theysmarel more resemble Humans.

With that said, Miaran essentially resemble Elves with feline ears (*in addition to* their Elf-like ears, unlike Theysmarel who only have one set of vulpine ears), tails and pupils, and both their arms (past the elbow) and legs (past the thigh) end in short fur, with vaguely paw-like clawed hands and feet. Their teeth are sharper and longer compared to Elves, particularly their canines and incisors, reflective of their highly carnivorous diet. Whilst they are lean and gracile like Elves, they are substantially more muscular.

The fur colour of a Miar generally matches their hair, which can be dark to light brown and is often slightly tinted red. Their eyes are typically bright, coming in blue, green, honey-coloured and amber. Their skin is brown, sometimes with a slight yellowish tint.

## Society and Culture

Miaran live in small nomadic tribes, though it is not uncommon for two - or possibly even more - tribes to coexist in the same location, if they happen upon the same oasis at the same time. Miari tribes have seemingly always understood the necessity of cooperation, knowing that division amongst themselves only bolsters hostile races, and generally do not fight over access to water unless it is extremely scarce. A rapidly increasing number of Miaran have adopted a sedentary lifestyle around the oases, as the advent of modern technology makes desert living considerably easier.